Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions – Part 1

What are you reading now? What are some of your favorite books/authors and who has had the greatest influence upon your own work?

I just finished reading a draft of a manuscript written by a friend of mine who is a former U.S. Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department. I am also a huge fan of John Gilstrap.  Vince Flynn, Ben Coes, Marc Cameron and Ian Fleming, who probably had the most influence on my own work.

What’s something that you’ve learned about the publishing business that you weren’t expecting?

When you think you are done, you’re not. Completing a manuscript is just the beginning. Beyond writing the book, the author is much more involved with promotion and publicity, because of changes in the publishing business and technology. I’ve needed to develop my own web site, Facebook fan page, and use twitter. This is not easy for someone in my generation … it will be second nature for younger writers. Also, my publishing company suggested I contract the help of a digital publicist, have a book trailer produced, and hire a local publicist. I’ve purchased promotional items (hats and pens with book logo) for events, I have a book launch party for every new book. I didn’t realize the importance of attending events like ThrillerFest, Bouchercon, the New England Crime Bake, etc., to network with other writers and readers to promote myself and my books. I also attend many libraries and give talks.

Do you have any advice for aspiring (or struggling) writers out there?

Make sure your book is well written and has commercial appeal. If you are a first-time author, attending ThrillerFest is a good investment – there are excellent writing seminars as well as talks on many other related topics. When you are done, bring it to two independent editors and get their opinions. Research and find the best possible agent for your type of book and send them a well-written query letter. If you don’t have an agent, research publishing companies that deal with your genre and determine which editor within the company would be best suited for your book and try to contact them. If you truly feel your book deserves to be “out there,” don’t give up on your dream.

TERMINATION ORDERS released in 2012 was billed as the first in the Dan Morgan thriller series? Can we get a sneak peek at what’s to come for Dan Morgan?

SILENT ASSASSIN released in 2013, the second book in the series finds Dan Morgan two years later and his life has changed drastically. Pulled out of retirement, he is back working in Black Ops, only this time working for Task Force Sigma, which is part of a shadowy non-governmental organization with seemingly unlimited resources and an unknown agenda hidden even from its own members. The world, meanwhile, is being wracked by dire and apparently random terrorist attacks which have claimed the lives of hundreds already. All that the authorities are certain of is that there will be a next attack, and it’s up to Morgan to find out who’s behind the attacks and to stop them.

The series continues with BLACK SKIES released in 2014, TWELVE HOURS released in 2015,

ARCH ENEMY in 2016, with FOR DUTY AND HONOR coming out on November 22, 2016, and ROGUE COMMANDER due out on September of 2017.

Is it true that TERMINATION ORDERS is being made into a movie?

Yes. I have sold the film rights for TERMINATION ORDERS to Amber Entertainment who’s Studios are based in London. The screenplay is being worked on and close to being completed. The filming will take place in Europe and is expected to begin filming in June of 2017.

 Who would you like to play the role of Dan Morgan?

 I think that Damien Lewis (Homeland & Band of Brothers) or Max Martini (The Unit) would both be excellent in the role of Dan Morgan.

What is the difference between you and many of the other thriller writers out there?

My answer is very simple. They may be better known than I am, may be better writers, sold more books than me, but the difference between me and the best authors in the world is that they sit in their offices do research and make things up. I lived the life and was in the field for most of my adult life and know what is real and what isn’t, and what can actually be happen

in real life. I think that is what gives me somewhat of an edge.

 If any of my fans have additional questions they would like to ask, please let me know and I will do my best to address them.

Until next time “Be Safe, and Follow Your Dreams.”

God Bless America and keep all our Military and First Responders safe.

Since I began my writing career I have done numerous radio, television, and newspaper interviews so I thought I would share some of the most interesting and frequently asked questions and hope you enjoy them. Due to contractual agreements there are still things that I am not able to discuss.

What led you from the clandestine world of espionage to becoming a writer?

My long-time Black Ops partner and I had periodically talked about writing a book together; however, he died of cancer before we could do it. Upon retiring and reflecting on all the different experiences I had and the many parts of the world I had been in, I decided to share parts of my life with my family and several close friends. As they learned more about my secretive life they thought it would make for a fascinating story and kept encouraging me to write a book. After about 8 years I decided I would write a book as a fiction but base it on personal experiences and knowledge. I found that I had a knack for mixing facts with fiction and could create what I feel is a very good action thriller novel.

What are some of the disciplines that you and Dan Morgan the hero of your series share?

Keep a low profile, be aware of our surroundings, trust our instincts, and remember, NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS.

How did you keep your real job a secret from your family?

I had several cover stories / jobs including owning a Classic and Muscle Car Company, an International Promotions Company, a Limousine Company, and a Detective Agency. Many of these jobs allowed me to travel for extended periods of time.

You’ve had some incredibly fascinating life experiences, including acting and being a detective as well as your Black Ops involvement. Which of your many careers have you found the most fulfilling and why?

I would have to say my career in Black Ops. I always felt that what I did had a meaningful purpose and hopefully would make a difference. It was satisfying to feel the work I did made my country a better and safer place. At the time, my goal was to make the world a more secure place for my daughter. It was the perfect job for me because once given an assignment I was given the flexibility and resources to carry out the mission by any means necessary. I liked the fact that no two assignments were alike, so I was always challenged. My work brought me to many different areas of the world that the average person would never visit. It was also an adrenaline rush to be in life-or-death situations; it took a lot of skill but also luck to survive.

Can you share any interesting stories or anecdotes from your time as an operative?

Missions weren’t always all field work. During down time, my partner and I attended numerous elegant affairs and met many powerful and influential people. In Monaco, we went to the Formula One Grand Prix and frequented the casinos. We ate at fine restaurants (although in the field we sometimes survived on bugs). Not to mention all the beautiful women we met along the way.

Do, you draw upon your life experiences for your books, but did you still conduct other types of research for each book?

Definitely. This is true especially for the chapters of the book set in Afghanistan where local customs, terminology for clothing, dialects, specific buildings, food, etc. were all researched from books and, especially, news articles, to best give the reader a sense of being there. I have found that each book requires very specific research.

Was there anything particularly interesting that you discovered during your research that didn’t make it into the novels or something that you’d like to highlight?

The scope of the stories doesn’t really allow for a deep exploration of the issues of Middle East or other trouble spots in the world, nor of the many problems with the military’s reliance on security contractors—even though the book touches on these issues, it ultimately isn’t a political book. On a lighter note, I discovered that the Kabul Zoo apparently houses the only pig in all of Afghanistan, and it was quarantined back during the swine flu scare in 2009.

I would like to talk about all the many different types of “HEROES” I have had the privilege to either know or be around during and after my careers as a police officer/detective and deep-cover black operative.

Heroes come in all sizes and shapes. They can be men, women, children, and even animals, especially dogs.

I had the privilege of observing firsthand many military heroes in action, which include members of the Army, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and last but not least the Navy. I have seen Navy Seals in action up close and personal on several occasions and was in awe by some of the heroic actions they performed without any hesitation, and how they were willing to sacrifice themselves to save their comrades, or others.  The general public just does not understand the many personal sacrifices our military personal make on a daily basis to keep us safe and allow us to live our lives the way we choose. These are true “Heroes.”

There are also many Heroes we never hear or read about on the television, radio, and newspapers. These are the people who work behind the scenes in our various intelligence services.  This includes the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and many others. They are very dedicated men and women who have made the decision to devote their lives to keep our country and us safe.  They do not have 9-5 jobs and most do not have what many of us would consider normal lives, especially when it comes to family life. In all the various branches of the intelligence world many of the men and women work in foreign countries and are away from their families for extended periods of time and in many cases their families and friends do not even know what their real jobs are.  They often don’t get the opportunity to be home for the holidays or to attend family events that we take for granted. They miss out on the simple things like seeing a child’s first day of school, or getting to see a son or daughter play a sport for their high school, or seeing a daughter attend her prom. These are all things that are sacrificed by the people who I consider to be “Heroes.”

Now let me talk about First Responders. These brave men and women serve as Police Officers, Firefighters, EMT’s, Paramedics, etc.  They serve our communities on a daily basis and when there is a crime, accident, medical incident, they are the first on the scene and in many cases put their lives on the line to save others – even people who would cause them harm. They all go to work each day knowing what’s at stake. The make many personal sacrifices for the community and the people in it. They are “Heroes.”

As you may or may not know, about a year and a half ago I became involved with a charity called Mission K9 Rescue.  (The following information is taken from www.missionk9rescue.org).

Mission K9 Rescue is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the service of retiring and retired Military Working Dogs (MWD) and Contract Working Dogs (CWD). Mission K9 Rescue, Reunite, Re-Home, Rehabilitate and Repair any retired working dog that has served mankind in some capacity.

Rescue – Any and all CWDs and MWDs as well as any other working dog that may need help. Mission K9 Rescue is committed to saving them and giving them the retirement they deserve. Whether it be bringing them back from overseas or rescuing them out of a poor environment stateside.

Reunite – Any retired working dog that has a handler that wants him, and has proven that they are the right home (handlers always get first preference) Mission K9 Rescue will see to it that the dog is transported to the handler.

Re-Home –  Any retired working dog that does not have a designated handler, Mission K9 Rescue will work to find the perfect loving home for the dog.

Rehabilitate – Often retired working dogs have been in situations that can cause them severe anxiety and stress.  Many retire with issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  These dogs need time to decompress and reintegrate into society.  Mission K9 Rescue works with these dogs in order to get make the suitable for adoption.

Repair – Working dogs train like professional athletes their entire career.  Often times when they retire, they have extensive medical issues that can become quite costly.  Since they don’t receive retirement benefits, Mission K9 Rescue provides much needed funding to assist handlers/ and or adopters with medical bills.

MWDs and CWDs: A COMPARISON

MWDs and CWDs work alongside one another protecting both US and Coalition Forces in all areas. They bring life-saving capability to the fight against Terrorism regardless of the initials (MWD or CWD) which precede their names.

OWNERSHIP: CWDs are owned/trained by private companies and are contracted by the Department of Defense(DoD)to work in the same Areas of Operation performing the same jobs as MWDs. MWDs are owned by the DoD and assigned to the various military services.

DEPLOYMENTS: CWDs are not deployed with a Military Unit. They are sent overseas and can be attached to Military Units or assigned to other areas as needed. In most cases, they do not return home from deployment until they are retired. MWDs go to and from their assigned bases with one handler and return to that base when their allotted deployment time is over.

HANDLERS: For CWDs, many handlers are prior Military or Law Enforcement K9 Handlers. CWDs can change handlers frequently within the contract company. MWDs may have the same Active Duty Military K9 Handlers for two to four years changing handlers only when the military member transfers (PCSs) from the kennel however, depending on the need or circumstances, they can be assigned a new handler at any time.

BREEDS UTILIZED: CWDs and MWDs can be German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retriever, Springer Spaniel, German Shorthair Pointer, Vizla, Weimareiner.

In addition, the Jack Russell Terrier is used by the DoD for Narcotics Detection on Submarines.

I have personally observed these dogs in action and believe me they have saved countless lives and are truly Heroes. I also want to include the many dogs who work with police departments through the world. These are also highly trained dogs who not only save police officers’ lives, but civilians’ as well, and also prevent crime. They should be considered Heroes as well. For more information and to learn how to donate to Mission K9 Rescue go to their website www.missionk9rescue.org

One of the mechanisms many of us use in their daily lives to escape the hum drum and never-ending bad news of the day is to read thriller novels where you can meet and get to know the heroes of your choice and follow their adventures. Some of the great characters you will love to read about are from authors like, Vince Flynn’s – Mitch Rapp, John Gilstrap’s – Johnathan Grave, Ben Coe’s – Dewey Andreas, Lee Child’s – Jack Reacher, or Leo J. Maloney’s – Dan Morgan. Each one of the above characters are great American “Heroes,” but they are all fictional. The people I have talked about in the blog are real and deserve your respect and admiration. When you see or have the opportunity to speak to any of them, you should walk up to them and thank them for their service to our great nation or your community.

Lastly, I want to talk about all the PARENTS who don’t always get the credit they deserve. Most parents work and make many sacrifices to provide a good home, education, and good life for their children. Many work two and three jobs to provide for their families, sacrificing their own personal dreams.

My father was and is my special “Hero.” When I was very young he taught me right from wrong and all about sports and fair play. He taught me to defend myself but also instilled in me the courage to defend and watch out for those who could not take care of themselves. He showed me by example how to treat and respect women. A great role model, he demonstrated strong work ethics and emphasized the importance of family and the sacrifices that fathers make for their family. He taught me how to be a man and countless other things, but the lesson that stands out in my mind the most is that he taught me to Love, Honor, and Respect our great Country.

If you are lucky enough to still have your parents living, take the time to tell them how much you love and look up to them, how much they mean to you, and they are your personal “Heroes.”

In this very chaotic day and age the world needs heroes. They are out there. You just need to recognize them and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Until next time “Be Safe, and Follow Your Dreams.”

God Bless America and keep all our Military and First Responders safe.

Today I am going to talk about just how much Dan Morgan and myself are alike and how I bring myself into his character. We share many habits, likes and dislikes but our love of automobiles is undeniable.

I have been lucky enough to have owned over 60 different motorcycles and automobiles including antiques, classics, customs, and muscle cars. That doesn’t count my everyday drivers.  I guess you could say that they have always been an obsession with me.

Engine powered vehicles have always given me a sense of independence and freedom. I got my first motor scooter the day I got my drivers license.  My grandmother bought me a 50cc Allstate Scooter which was purchased at Sears and Roebuck in Saugus, MA.  It was red and white with 3 gears. I had never operated a scooter but learned in about 10 minutes in the Sears parking lot. There was a storm brewing and I knew I had about 20 minutes to get to my house before I would get caught in a downpour. I did a few practice runs in the parking lot getting a feel for the gears and brakes and then I was off and running. I made it to my house just as the thunder, lighting, and torrential rain started.

That was the start of my love affair with motor scooters, motorcycles and cars. My next vehicle was a 150cc Honda Rabbit Scooter with an automatic transmission, which was a very rare scooter in those days (1963 – 1966.) This was a bigger, better built and faster scooter which allowed me to always have one of my friends on the back, and allowed me to start exploring other nearby cities. After the first two years of scooters I decide it was time to move up to a motor cycle, so I got my first Honda 205cc Super Hawk. I eventually owned about 10 different motorcycles including Hondas, a Suzuki 750cc and a Kawasaki 750 triple before eventually falling in love with and getting my first Harley Davidson. I have owned 5 different Harleys and they are just in a class of their own.

My first actual car was an MG, British racing green roadster with saddle interior. I got this in the summer of my junior yr. of HS. Before the summer ended I got a 1959 Ford Thunderbird red convertible with white interior. Boy was it an eye turner and a chick magnet. By this time, I had expanded my world all over the North Shore of Boston, and also to parts of the South Shore including Hull, MA which was where Nantasket Beach was located with a fantastic amusement park and of course lots of new girls to meet.

As you can see my desire to have the latest and greatest new motorcycle or car continued to grow. I was driving my parents crazy but making the sales tax man very happy. The thing is that I never got very attached to bikes or cars, so I would have no trouble selling, or trading them in for the next new toy.

In the spring of 1967 I bought a Pontiac GTO red with a black vinyl top with black bucket seats, four on the floor with a console. PW, PS, PS, AM-FM radio with a reverberator. It was “bad to the bone and just all out fast as hell.” I actually loved this car and would have probably kept it for a few years except some drunken fool hit it head on while he was in the wrong lane. The car was totaled, and I was lucky not to be too badly hurt.

My journey continued buying and selling various vehicles. The purpose of telling you is not to brag, but to show you how serious I was and still am about being a collector. I will name some of them, but I’m sure I will miss a few, so here goes. Some of these cars I have bought and had restored and customized were either antiques, classic, or muscle cars.

Cars:

1964 Ford Mustang Convertible, white with red pony interior, (stock) restored

1966 Ford Mustang Convertible Dark Green with saddle pony interior (stock) restored

1955 Chevy Belair, Red and Cream interior (stock) restored

1955 Chevy 210, Black with Gray interior (stock) restored; mildly modified

1965 Chevy Impala SS Convertible, Red with white interior (stock, loaded with options) restored

1976 Mercedes Convertible 450SL, Navy blue tan interior (stock) restored

1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454, British racing green with saddle interior (mildly modified)

1959 Corvette Convertible, Sea blue with white top (stock)

1965 Corvette Sting Ray, Nassau blue white interior (stock, loaded with options) restored

1976 Corvette Mako Shark, Custom built Navy blue with saddle interior

1993 Corvette, Black with tan interior (stock)

1994 Corvette, Royal blue white interior (stock)

1995 Corvette, White Convertible with red interior (stock)

1999 Corvette, Blue with white interior (stock)

2000 Corvette, Millennium Yellow with beige interior (stock)

One of my all-time favorite vehicles was a Custom Built 1934 White Ford. I found this car in a barn in PA and it was basically a basket case, but all the parts were there. I decided I would have it built as a one-of-a-kind custom limousine. It took over 3 years from start to finish and was built in MA. It was painted white with maroon and gold pin stripping. It was built from the ground up with the body basically stock but it had been stretched a tad and had a 351 Cleveland motor, automatic transmission with a Jag rear end, and rack & pinion steering. It had PW, PS, PB, tilt wheel, cruise control, A/C, tinted glass all around, a custom built stereo system, custom alarm system, and several cutoff switches which would make it virtually impossible to steal. It had a privacy divider, with a glass partition separating the front and rear seats, and an intercom system. The interior was a burgundy imported English Mohair and there were two antique reading lights as well as two antique rosebud vases in the back seat of the car. It also had a Potter Trunk in the rear of the car and sat on white wall tires and real custom wire wheels. It was truly a one of a kind beauty. Upon completing its build, I decided I would place in the car show circuit where it won numerous awards.

It got so much attention that I eventually used it as the center piece to open a limousine business called A Touch of Class Limousine Service. It was used for approx. 50 weddings before I was approached by a Saudi Arabian Sheik who offered me an outrageous amount of money to sell him the car. I made the deal and said goodbye to one of the most beautiful vehicles I had ever seen.

Vans:

1990 Dodge Custom Surveillance Van loaded with surveillance equipment, cameras, video equipment, listening devices.

1991 Ford Custom Surveillance Van (all of above, but with a periscope).

The above two vans were used for my Detective Agency business.

My latest toy is a 1955 Chevy Belair Resto-Mod.

What is a Resto-Mod?

The term Resto-Mod has different meanings to different people, but to me it means simply Restored and Modified to be better than new. So what does that mean? Let me break it down for everyone to hopefully understand.

Resto Mod – (restoration + modern parts / technology) draws from all the amazing advancements in automobile technology over the past 40 + years to enhance the performance, comfort and safety of the classic car. A resto mod car has the timeless appearance of the original, but the outdated guts of the car have been replaced with the more modern, high performance parts of today. You achieve the same great look, but your vintage car will be revved up with all the latest bells and whistles to create a much better ride for the owner.

Restoration – essentially refers to taking a great classic car and bringing it back to life with all (or most) of the original factory parts. The process involves repair of the visible parts (e.g. body trim, interior, etc.), as well as the parts not easily seen (e.g., electrical, suspension, brakes, etc.). The result is a beautiful preserved automobile in factory – new condition with authentic parts, just like it came off the showroom floor from decades ago.

I personally prefer a Resto-Mod because as I have gotten older I want as many creature comforts as possible, but I still love the look of the body of the original car.

Some people think that a Resto Mod has to be a hot rod, or a rat rod, or a pro touring, or a pro street.

These terms all mean something different to most of the people that use them, so I won’t get too much into it here. No matter your vocabulary, you have to admit these cars are awesome.

So here is how I got my latest Resto Mod.

I have been wanting one for a while to use in Florida when I am there during the winter months. I decided to search some websites that I know advertise these vehicles. After looking at these cars for about six months I came across a 1955 Chevy Belair that I found on eBay. The car was located in Kentucky and was owned by a car collector who has 140 cars in his collection of all makes and models. This car had everything I was looking for in a Resto Mod. I could tell from the photos that the workmanship was top quality and they did not spare any expense when building the car.

I had a good idea of the cost to build this vehicle but felt it would be out of my price range. I thought about it for a few days and then decided to call the owner to talk about what his reserve was for the car.  He had put his contact telephone # in the ad so I called and got no answer but left a message for him.

That evening he called me back, and told me his reserve for the 55 Chevy was $90,000.00 (totally out of my budget).  We were discussing the build of the car when he asked me if I was a car salesman, and if I bought the car was I going to sell it right away. I told him I was retired from my first career, but I am currently an author with Kensington Publishing in New York, NY. He then asked my name again, and what kind of books I wrote.  I could hear him on his computer key board and he was looking me up on Kensington’s website which led him to my website.  The next thing he said to me was “thank you for your service to our country.” While reading my website he figured out what I had done in my first career.

We continued to talk and he repeated his comment about my service to our country several times.

He then told me to make him an offer, but I said I would probably be insulting him as I just could not spend $90,000.00. We continued to talk for a while and then unexpectedly he made me an offer that I could not refuse and we made a great deal. I got one of the nicest resto mods I have seen for a fraction of its value.  I can’t believe how lucky I am and what a generous and kind man he is. Oh, there was one additional thing he asked me for and that was that I name him as a character in one of my future books.

The car was transported via an enclosed trailer from KY to my residence in Venice, FL where it is now tucked away in my garage, (where I had an A/C vent put in the garage to keep the paint and interior protected). I can’t wait to get back to FL and take my newest toy to local car shows and meet new car lovers.

I have used my love of cars to create several businesses both in my personal life and as an operative creating a company called Automania Antique, Classic, and Custom Car Shows, which I promoted both in the USA and Canada as well as creating a car brokerage company where I bought and sold cars all over the world and used it as one of my cover stories during my career as an operative. I now use my knowledge and experience with cars and have it part of Dan Morgan’s story line in all of the Dan Morgan thriller series.

This is one of the ways that Morgan and I are alike that are in my everyday life. I am Dan Morgan, and Dan Morgan is me.

As the saying goes “the difference between men and boys is the size of their toys.”

I hope you enjoy this blog and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Until next time “Be Safe, and Follow Your Dreams.”

God Bless America and keep all our Military and First Responders safe.

Leo J. Maloney

My name is Leo J. Maloney and I am an author with Kensington Publishing Corp. in New York, NY. I write action thrillers that are based on my experiences as an operative for a clandestine government agency. After retiring in 2001 from a 30-year career I told my family and several close friends what I had really done for a living. It was then that my wife began encouraging me to write a novel about some of my experiences. I had no formal training as a writer but found it came naturally to tell stories about events in my life.

In 2009 I decided to give it a try and began writing a novel that I called Termination Orders. It is fiction, but based on several personal experiences as a deep cover operative. After about 1-1/2 years the manuscript was completed and I decided to go to New York and attend a well-known writer’s convention called Thrillerfest to try and get an agent to sell my novel to a publisher. While at the event I met with five different agents who showed no interest in me or my book. It was really frustrating because it seemed like they didn’t even give me the chance to let me tell them anything about the manuscript. So I got out of line and regrouped, deciding that I was going to approach the next agent differently. I got back in another line and waited for the 15 people in front of me to pitch their books to the agent. After about 75 minutes it was finally my turn. As I walked up to the table where the agent was sitting I said, “Hello, my name is Leo J. Maloney and I wrote a novel based on my career as a deep-cover black operative.” The agent immediately smiled and said “Tell me more.” After talking with me for about 15 minutes she asked me to submit my manuscript to her office. I was truly excited and I sent it to her as soon as I returned home. She and I then communicated via email and telephone on numerous occasions for several months after which she just dropped off the face of the earth never returning phone calls or email messages. This went on for about 6 months. Finally, I decided to self-publish Termination Orders and see what would happen.

One of my several cover stories during my career was owning a promotions company called Promotions International. This gave me an edge on knowing how to promote the book. My first step was to find a ghost writer to review the manuscript to be sure it was marketable. I researched several colleges and made contact with a recent graduate of Yale University who majored in writing and had been editor of the school newspaper. We set up a meeting to discuss the possibility of working together and it was a unique experience. He was about 22 years old, from Brazil and both his parents were medical doctors. He was very shy and seemed to have lived a sheltered and privileged life. During my interview with him I thought he was going to get sick when he heard some of my stories, but after a while he felt more comfortable and we agreed to meet again. At our second meeting we both felt more at ease with one another and we agreed on terms to work together to get this book published.

My next step was to surround myself with experienced people from the publishing world: someone knowledgeable with the printing process and services, someone who had worked with web marketing, and a graphic artist to design the cover of the book.

I then created a company called Independent Publishing House, IPH, complete with a professional website (www.iphbooks.com – No Longer in Service), a NYC address and phone number. The phone connected to an answering machine with my wife’s voice greeting using an English accent: “You have reached the corporate office of Independent Publishing House. We are either on the phone with another client or out of the office. Please leave your name, number, and a short message and we will return your call shortly.” We checked the messages from our home in Massachusetts. Bingo – the company was born.

I used a printing company in Canada to print 2000 copies of the book. Once the book was printed and ready for release I went to local Walgreen’s stores and asked the manager if he would consider taking my books on consignment. He said he would like to read it and would get back to me.  A few days later I got a call from the Manager and he told me he had some good news: not only would he take books on consignment but he talked to their corporate office and they agreed to place it in 50 Walgreen’s stores across the country.

I was also able to get several independent bookstores in both MA to agree to take book on consignment.  Then, what might be considered a miracle by aspiring authors happened. The Editor in Chief of Kensington Publishing Corp. in New York, NY, Michaela Hamilton read my book while on vacation on Cape Cod. She liked the book and contacted me on August 11, 2011 at 11:00AM. We had a conversation via telephone and she invited me to their corporate office in New York to discuss a book deal. Within a couple of days my wife Linda and I took the train to the Big Apple where we met with Michaela for breakfast. There was an immediate connection with Michaela and I and I knew this was my dream come true. Michaela introduced me to the owner of Kensington, the publisher and just about everyone else who worked there. The one thing that sticks out in my mind is when Michaela introduced me to the receptionist upon getting off the elevator and said, “This is Leo J. Maloney our newest bright star.”  It was an amazing experience. We then went to her office and I was offered my first two book deal. Although all my life I never lacked confidence, I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.

Since then I have five book published in the Dan Morgan thriller series with the sixth being released on November 22, 2016 For Duty and Honor, and the seventh being released in September of 2017, Rogue Commander. I am currently working on the eighth book tentatively being called Dark Territory.

I have also just extended my contract for an additional two novellas and two full novels.

I am very happy for the opportunity to share this story with all of you. I hope it will inspire you to know you can obtain your dreams if you work hard and are persistent.

Watch for my next blog post as I will discuss my books, characters, and storylines. There will be a new blog post every other week. If you have questions, or ideas on what you would like me to blog about, send me an e mail at leo@leojmaloney.com.

Finally, to ensure you do not miss any of my future blog updates, please join my email list by entering your email address in the space below.

Until next time “Be Safe, and Follow Your Dreams.”

God Bless America and keep all our Military and First Responders safe

Leo J. Maloney