Gagliano, Anthony 1955-

PERSONAL:

Born September 16, 1955, in New York, NY. Education: Queens College, City University of New York, B.A.; Florida International University, M.F.A.; attended Columbia University writing program.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Miami, FL. E-mail—anthony@anthonygaglianobooks.com.

CAREER:

Freelance writer. Worked variously as a cab driver; teacher; insurance agent; and bouncer; house detective, Saint Moritz Hotel, New York, NY; waiter; aerobics instructor; and a personal trainer.

WRITINGS:

Preventative Fitness 101: A Pocket Guide to Health and Longevity (e-book), Booklocker.com, 2003.

Straits of Fortune, William Morrow (New York, NY), 2007.

Contributor to periodicals, including Muscle Mag International, Gulfstream, and Miami Noir.

SIDELIGHTS:

Anthony Gagliano was born September 16, 1955, in New York City. He was educated at Queens College of the City University of New York, where he earned his undergraduate degree. Years later, after moving to Florida, he also earned a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Florida International University. Over the course of his career, Gagliano has worked at various jobs. While still living in New York, he was a cab driver, taught school, worked as a bouncer and an insurance agent, and spent time serving as the house detective at the St. Moritz Hotel in Manhattan. After moving to Florida, he added stints as a waiter, an aerobics instructor, and a personal trainer to his resumé, eventually becoming a freelance writer. Gagliano's work in the fitness industry led to his writing his first book, Preventative Fitness 101: A Pocket Guide to Health and Longevity, which was released electronically by Booklocker.com in 2003.

In 2007, Gagliano turned his talents to writing fiction, and released Straits of Fortune, a thriller about Jack Vaughn, a former New York City police officer living in Miami Beach and working as a personal trainer. Even though Jack has left the job behind, he still seems to attract trouble. When former client Colonel Andy Patterson gives him a call for a favor, Jack finds himself with a sticky situation on his hands. Patterson's daughter, who also happens to be Jack's former lover, has murdered a local pornographer, and Patterson wants Jack's help in covering up the crime. Jack's moral compass keeps him from accepting the job right away, but eventually he agrees. The situation continues to escalate, and Jack finds himself surrounded by smugglers, the FBI, and border patrol, with no solution on the horizon. A contributor for Kirkus Reviews remarked that Gagliano "demonstrates a genuine consideration for Miami's ‘ongoing battle between the paradise visions of the past and the nightmare prophecies of the future.’" A reviewer for Publishers Weekly wrote that "with Jack Vaughn's first outing, Gagliano makes an auspicious beginning on a promising new series." Thomas Gaughan, writing for Booklist, declared the book "a ripping good Florida yarn, part Carl Hiassen, part Randy Wayne White." Gaughan went on to add that "Gagliano is quick with a good, hard-boiled simile." A reviewer for the Coffee Time Romance Web site commented: "Gagliano creates a great plot, with intelligent dialogue and great visualization that leads to a thrilling read, holding like a magnet until the last page."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 1, 2007, Thomas Gaughan, review of Straits of Fortune, p. 34.

Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2007, review of Straits of Fortune.

Publishers Weekly, April 2, 2007, review of Straits of Fortune, p. 39.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel, May 23, 2007, review of Straits of Fortune.

ONLINE

Anthony Gagliano Home Page,http://anthonygagliano.net (January 27, 2008).

Anthony Gagliano Home Page 2,http://www.anthonygaglianobooks.com (January 27, 2008).

Coffee Time Romance,http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/ (January 27, 2008), review of Straits of Fortune.

Florida Book Review Online,http://www.floridabookreview.com/ (January 27, 2008), David Ash, "Some Guys Dance."