About The Author

With a Journalism degree from Drake University, Alan’s professional background is in TV and film production, broadcast journalism and advertising. Born in Carroll, Iowa, he became a professional drummer at age ten, playing in his dad’s dance band throughout Iowa. His family moved to Des Moines when he was fourteen. During high school he developed an interest in film and used his savings to buy an old $40 silent 16mm camera and started making short films. During college he was a sports cinematographer for a local television station and also began to write music. He spent a summer in Nashville, peddling pop songs on Music Row. He placed one song with a major publisher, but it was never recorded. He later released his own record with two original songs, receiving some regional airplay. His favorite summer job as a youth was giving guided tours at Cave of the Winds in Colorado.

After college he worked at Iowa Public Television and later at the CBS affiliate as a news cinematographer. He gave up on the idea of being a songwriter and began to write screenplays and freelance articles, selling travel features to the local newspaper. He has been an account executive for Hearst Television for several years and lives in Des Moines. Outside of family and friends, his main interests are writing, listening to music, traveling and spending time at his lake cabin in Minnesota.

Alan became interested in writing by reading science fiction novels and biographies of American heroes during his school years. Later, his interest changed to suspense fiction by many authors that include Jack Higgins, Frederick Forsyth and especially, Robert Ludlum. Storm Lake is Alan’s first novel. He is currently working on another book.