Alan L. Moss

Alan L Moss is a unique and emerging voice in the thriller genre. His novels spin sophisticated tales of conspiracy, love, and subterfuge.

Alan's writing draws upon Ph. D. research capabilities and many years in Washington, D.C. as a federal Chief Economist, Congressional Fellow, and Adjunct Instructor at the University of Virginia's Northern Virginia Center. Since 2000 he has penned five books, two political thrillers, a novella, and two nonfiction works.

His first novel, Island of Betrayal, was released in April 2010. The book tells the story of a Washington economist who travels to the South Pacific to administer public wage hearings. His efforts to raise the wages of a poverty stricken people threaten to block the payoff required by an international conspiracy to sell an untested stem cell cure for diabetes on the black market. The economist gets involved with the wrong woman, is framed with a dastardly crime, and flees from the police, returning to the South Pacific to unravel the conspiracy and get revenge.

Here is what Allen Wyler, author of Dead Head and Deadly Errors and the 2010 Awards Chair for the International Thriller Writers had to say about it.

"Mix unforgettable Elmore Leonard-like characters into a setting of the South Pacific,liberally add nail biting intrigue and you have a thriller cocktail you'll be enjoying through the evening. Kudos to Alan Moss for his debut thriller."

According to the Midwest Book Review:

"No good deed goes unpunished. 'Island of Betrayal' tells the story of Michael Bloom, an economist who is in charge of helping American Samoa's economy. Only he finds his meddling isn't appreciated and soon finds him in a web of corruption trying to find out who's on his side and who would rather he vanish off the face of the earth. 'Island of Betrayal' is an exciting thriller that will entertain for hours."

The novel was published by Gauthier Publications, Inc. Click www.islandofbetrayal.com for more information.

Alan's second novel, Insidious Deception, is under contract for publication with Whiskey Creek Press. The thriller tells the story of Rob Taylor, a pre-med student and summer deckhand on the Adriatic Sea, who is reunited with Gabriela, an Italian exchange student. Free to express their long-simmering feelings for one another, he smuggles her aboard a luxury yacht for an overnight voyage from Pescara, Italy to Hvar, Croatia. As they sleep in each others arms, explosions throw them out of bed and propel the vessel towards the bottom of the Adriatic Sea. The deckhand witnesses his lover's violent death and swears revenge on those responsible. If he can find a way back to shore, he'll dedicate his life to their destruction.

Rob's quest for retribution will draw him into an international conspiracy that targets the U.S. President, manipulates Middle East diplomacy during the Arab Spring, and invites destruction of the Eiffel Tower. While Rob is hunting for Gabriela's killers, Professor Steven Arens captures current day hope for Middle East democracy through his proposal for a Paris peace conference to establish a Middle East Union. During his term as a Congressional Fellow with U.S. Senator Jon Byron, his innovative proposals become a presidential priority. Just as his Paris peace conference is becoming a reality, he learns that the conspirators are using him to promote one of their own, Senator Byron, into the presidency.

Alan's novella, Tino and Lydia: The Gift of Inspiration is the story of a young boy whose suicide inspires his mother to fight for women's rights and free a South Pacific territory from antiquated traditions, political corruption, and poverty.

The author's two nonfiction books involve the influence of special interests and lobbyists in U.S. policy and techniques and information to help students decide on the right careers and find the best jobs available.

In May 2008 Praeger Publishing released Alan’s second book, Selling-Out America’s Democracy. The book shows how special interests, through their lobbyists and the U.S. system of campaign financing, have denied a majority of the American population the policies they seek and have led the nation into a period of decline. The book includes telling interviews of Washington insiders and a four-part plan to restore the U.S. democracy. Copies are available at www.amazon.com and other web book sites.

Alan’s first book, Employment Opportunity, published in 2000 by Prentice-Hall, combines text and CD-ROM to match individuals with the right career and then locate and land the best job available. Included are an interest checklist to identify compatible areas of work, a career genogram to assess family influence, career income principles to maximize earnings, and a 10-step planning process to prepare for job search activities. Over 30 case studies demonstrate concepts described while end-of-chapter exercises activate reader participation. The text and CD-ROM are available at www.amazon.com and other web book sites.

Each of Alan’s books takes advantage of his wealth of experience, Ph.D. research skills, realistic view of problems, and ability to develop imaginative solutions and plotlines. For example, Island of Betrayal and Tino and Lydia: The Gift of Inspiration use Alan’s knowledge of the U.S. Territory of American Samoa, its unique people and culture, gained through his administration of public wage hearings there in 2001. Insidious Deception utilizes Alan's experience as a Congressional Fellow in the U.S. Senate and long held interest in the Middle East.

Selling-Out America’s Democracy takes advantage of the author’s 35 years in Washington and academic studies. Alan’s work pioneering a course in career and labor market information, completed by over 25,000 guidance counselors, established the background for his development of the Employment Opportunity text and CD-ROM database.

Alan retired from the Labor Department as Chief Economist of the Wage and Hour Division in 2002. He moved to the Jersey Shore where he lives with his wife, Penny, and their Golden Retriever, Ginger. Alan and Penny have a son and daughter, David and Jennifer, who also live in New Jersey, and have blessed them with several grandchildren.

Since moving to the shore, Alan has focused on his writing and occasional consulting www.employmentresearch.com.
Alan is a member of the Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, American Political Science Association, and National Association of Forensic Economists.