Newton, Michael 1951–

(Lyle Brandt, Jack Buchanan, John Cannon, Mark J. Kozlow, Paul Malone, Mike Newton, Vince Robinson)

PERSONAL:

Born September 16, 1951, in Bakersfield, CA; son of Ralph A. (a delivery person) and Hazel (a hairdresser) Newton; married Judy Ann Boring (a researcher and photographer), December 18, 1976 (marriage ended); married Heather Marie Locken (an editor), March 18, 2003. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Attended Bakersfield College, 1969-71; California State College, Bakersfield, B.A., 1973, graduate study, 1973-75; University of Nevada, graduate study, 1979-80. Politics: Independent.

ADDRESSES:

Home and office—P.O. Box 1035, Nashville, IN 47448. Agent—Nancy Yost, Lowenstein-Yost Associates, 121 W. 27th St., Ste. 601, New York, NY 10001. E-mail—eyeofnewt@worldnet.att.net.

CAREER:

High school social studies teacher in Bakersfield, CA, 1973-76; bodyguard for the family of singer-actor Merle Haggard, 1976; bodyguard and security officer for Trans-West Security and Thornhill Security, both Bakersfield, 1977-78; Nye County School District, Pahrump, NV, teacher of social studies and English, 1979-86; full-time writer.

MEMBER:

World Wildlife Fund, American Civil Liberties Union, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Defenders of Wildlife, Feral Cat Friends, Humane Society of the United States, Southern Poverty Law Center, British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Rembert Patrick Annual Book Award, best book in Florida history, Florida Historical Society, 2002, for The Invisible Empire; citation for outstanding reference book, American Library Association, 2006, for Eycyclopedia of Cryptozoology: A Global Guide to Hidden Animals and Their Pursuers.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

Monsters, Mysteries, and Man, Addison-Wesley (Reading, MA), 1979.

A Case of Conspiracy, Holloway House (Los Angeles, CA), 1980, reprinted as The King Conspiracy, 1987.

Bitter Grain, Holloway House (Los Angeles, CA), 1980, reprinted as Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party, 1991.

The FBI Plot, Holloway House (Los Angeles, CA), 1980.

Mass Murder: An Annotated Bibliography, Garland Publishing (New York, NY), 1988.

(With Judy Ann Newton) Terrorism in the United States and Europe: An Annotated Bibliography, Garland Publishing (New York, NY), 1988.

The FBI Most Wanted: An Encyclopedia, Garland Publishing (New York, NY), 1989.

How to Write Action-Adventure Novels, Writer's Digest Books (Cincinnati, OH), 1989.

Hunting Humans, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1990.

Armed and Dangerous: A Writer's Guide to Weapons, Writer's Digest Books (Cincinnati, OH), 1990.

(With Judy Ann Newton) The Ku Klux Klan: An Encyclopedia, Garland Publishing (New York, NY), 1991.

(With Judy Ann Newton) Racial and Religious Violence in America, Garland Publishing (New York, NY), 1991.

Serial Slaughter: What's behind America's Murder Epidemic?, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1992.

Raising Hell: An Encyclopedia of Devil Worship and Satanic Crime, Avon (New York, NY), 1993.

Bad Girls Do It! An Encyclopedia of Female Murderers, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1993.

Silent Rage: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer, Dell (New York, NY), 1994.

(With Janice Knowlton) Daddy Was the Black Dahlia Killer, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Killer Cops, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1997.

Waste Land, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Holy Homicide: An Encyclopedia of Those Who Go with Their God … and Kill!, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1998.

Rope, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Black Collar Crimes, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1998.

Cop Killers: An Encyclopedia, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1998.

Still at Large, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 1998.

Encyclopedia of Serial Killers: A Study of the Chilling Criminal Phenomenon from the "Angels of Death" to the "Zodiac" Killer, Facts on File (New York, NY), 2000, 2nd edition, 2006.

Killer Kids, Loompanics (Port Townsend, WA), 2000.

Stolen Away, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Century of Slaughter, iUniverse (Lincoln, NE), 2000.

The Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida, University Press of Florida (Gainesville, FL), 2001.

The Encyclopedia of Kidnappings, Facts on File (New York, NY), 2002.

The Encyclopedia of Bank Robberies, Heists, and Capers, Facts on File (New York, NY), 2002.

The FBI Encyclopedia, McFarland and Co. (Jefferson, NC), 2004.

The Encyclopedia of High-Tech Crime and Crime-Fighting, Facts on File (New York, NY), 2004.

The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes, Checkmark Books (New York, NY), 2004.

The Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology: A Global Guide to Hidden Animals and Their Pursuers, McFarland and Co. (Jefferson, NC), 2004.

The Encyclopedia of Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories, Facts on File (New York, NY), 2005.

The FBI and the KKK: A Critical History, McFarland and Co. (Jefferson, NC), 2006.

The Ku Klux Klan: History, Organization, Language, Influence, and Activities of America's Most Notorious Secret Society, McFarland and Co. (Jefferson, NC), 2007.

Strange Indiana Monsters, Schiffer Publishing (Atglen, PA), 2007.

The Encyclopedia of American Law Enforcement, Facts on File (New York, NY), 2007.

Florida's Unexpected Wildlife: Exotic Species, Living Fossils, and Mythical Beasts in the Sunshine State, University Press of Florida (Gainesville, FL), 2007.

The Encyclopedia of Crime Scene Investigation, Facts on File (New York, NY), 2007.

Serial Killers, Chelsea House (New York, NY), 2007.

Gangsters Encyclopedia, Anova Books (London, England), 2007.

Celebrities and Crime, Chelsea House (New York, NY), 2008.

Gangs and Gang Crimes, Chelsea House (New York, NY), 2008.

Unsolved Crimes, Chelsea House (New York, NY), 2008.

Bank Robbery, Chelsea House (New York, NY), 2008.

NOVELS

The Ripper, Publishers Consultants (Fort Collins, CO), 1978.

The Satan Ring, Publishers Consultants (Fort Collins, CO), 1978.

Vengeance Ride ("Bounty Man" action novel), Carousel (Albany, CA), 1979.

Massacre Trail ("Bounty Man" action novel), Carousel (Albany, CA), 1979.

(Under pseudonym John Cannon) Web of Terror ("Intersect File" novel), Carousel (Albany, CA), 1979.

(Under pseudonym John Cannon) Death Cruise ("Intersect File" novel), Carousel (Albany, CA), 1979.

(Under pseudonym Vince Robinson) Terror at Boulder Dam, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1981.

(Under pseudonym Vince Robinson) Death at Sea, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1981.

(Under pseudonym Mark J. Kozlow) Murder in the Gold Hills, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1981.

(Under pseudonym Mark J. Kozlow) The Range War Nobody Won, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1981.

(Under pseudonym Jack Buchanan) M.I.A. Hunter Jove (New York, NY), 1985.

(Under pseudonym Jack Buchanan) Cambodian Hellhole (an "M.I.A. Hunter" novel), Jove (New York, NY), 1985.

Child of Blood, Bantam (New York, NY), 1988.

Korea Kill, Bantam (New York, NY), 1990.

China White, Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.

Cat and Mouse, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Also author of erotic novels written for Publisher's Consultants (Los Angeles, CA), between 1978 and 1981.

"AGENTS" SERIES; UNDER PSEUDONYM PAUL MALONE

Trigger Pull, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1991.

Pipeline, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1991.

Shakedown, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1992.

"DESTROYER" ACTION NOVEL SERIES

Bamboo Dragon, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.

Never Say Die, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1998.

Troubled Waters, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

Wolf's Bane, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

"EXECUTIONER" ACTION NOVELS

(With Don Pendleton) The Executioner's War Book, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1977.

(With Don Pendleton) Command Strike, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY, 1977.

(With Don Pendleton) Cleveland Pipeline, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY, 1977.

(With Don Pendleton) Arizona Ambush, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY, 1977.

(With Don Pendleton) Tennessee Smash, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY, 1978.

(With Don Pendleton) Satan's Sabbath, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY, 1980.

The Violent Streets, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1982.

Paramilitary Plot, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1982.

Doomsday Disciples, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1983.

Paradine's Gauntlet, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1983.

Sold for Slaughter, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1983.

Prairie Fire, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1984.

Blood Dues, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1984.

The Bone Yard, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1985.

Hollywood Hell, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1985.

Shock Waves, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1985.

Missouri Deathwatch, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1985.

Defenders and Believers, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1986.

The Trial, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1986.

Flight 741, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1986.

Blood Testament, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1987.

Eternal Triangle, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1987.

Assault on Rome, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1987.

Run to Ground, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1987.

Rogue Force, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1987.

Time to Kill, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1988.

The Fiery Cross, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1988.

Cold Judgment, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1988.

Line of Fire, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1988.

Flesh and Blood, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1988.

Night and Kill, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1989.

Haitian Hit, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1989.

Blood Run, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1990.

Fatal Error, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1990.

Assault, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1990.

Blood Rules, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1990.

Message to Medellin, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1991.

Hawaiian Heat, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1991.

Colors of Hell, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1992.

Fire Sweep, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1992.

Lethal Impact, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1992.

Baja Blitz, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1993.

Stony Man 7, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1993.

Stony Man 9: StrikePoint, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1994.

Hellground, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1994.

Fire Burst, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1994.

Cleansing Flame, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1994.

Stony Man 11: Target America, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1994.

Killing Range, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1994.

Blood Strike, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1994.

Deadly Contest, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1995.

Stony Man 15: BloodDebt, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1995.

Vendetta, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1995.

Stony Man 17: Vortex, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1995.

Omega Game, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1995.

Crisis Point, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1995.

Hunting Cry, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1996.

Jungle Law, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1996.

Fire Lash, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1996.

Steel Claws, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1996.

Ride the Beast, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1996.

Stony Man: Blood Star, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.

Patriot Gambit, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.

Hour of Conflict, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.

Call to Arms, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.

Terror Spin, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.

Zero Tolerance, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.

Tough Justice, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1998.

Initiation, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1999.

Cloud of Death, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1999.

TerminationPoint, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1999.

Shadow Target, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1999.

Vengeance, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1999.

Killsport, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2000.

Target Lock, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2000.

ShatteredTrust, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

ShiftingShadows, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

Judgement Day, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

Destiny's Hour, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

Power of the Lance, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

A Dying Evil, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

Dirty Mission, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

Blood Stone, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2002.

Rogue Warrior, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2002.

Pursued, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

Sleepers, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

Warrior's Requiem, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

Retaliation, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

Sea of Terror, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

Into the Fire, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

Flames of Fury, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

Killing Heat Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

Hour of Judgment, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2005.

Survival Reflex, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

Dual Action, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

State of Evil, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

Jungle Justice, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

Nuclear Reaction, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2007.

Guerrilla Theater, Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2007.

"GUN" WESTERN SERIES; UNDER PSEUDONYM LYLE BRANDT

The Gun, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 2002.

Justice Gun, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 2003.

Vengeance Gun, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 2004.

Rebel Gun, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 2005.

Other titles in this series include Bounty Gun

"LAWMAN" ACTION NOVEL SERIES

Creed's Vengeance, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1981.

Creed's Gold, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

Creed's War, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

Creed's Kill, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

Creed's Treasure, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

Creed's Hell, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

Creed's Vendetta, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

Creed's Ransom, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

Creed's Gauntlet, Carousel (Albany, CA), 1982.

(As Lyle Brandt) The Lawman, Berkeley Publishing (New York, NY), 2007.

"VICAP" ACTION NOVEL SERIES

Blood Sport, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Slay Ride, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

The Necro File, Dell (New York, NY), 1991.

Head Games, Dell (New York, NY), 1991.

Road Kills, Dell (New York, NY), 1991.

Black Lace, Dell (New York, NY), 1991.

Wet Work, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

Jigsaw, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

Dead Heat, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

Several of these novels were translated into French.

OTHER

Night Probe (short stories), Gold Eagle Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1986.

Contributor to books, including Hot Blood series, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1981, 1985, and 1995; Shock Rock, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1992; foreword, Murder Cases of the 20th Century, McFarland and Co. (Jefferson, NC), 1996; Car Crash Culture, edited by Mikita Brottman, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2001; and Abuse Your Illusions, Disinformation Press, 2003. Contributor to various digests for Zooba. com. Contributor of articles and reviews to periodicals, including Startling Detective, Crime Library, Headquarters Detective, True Police, Believe the Children Newsletter, Journal of Psychohistory, Chic, Foxette, Front Page Detective, and Writer's Digest.

SIDELIGHTS:

Michael Newton is a prolific writer in various fiction and nonfiction genres, with more than 200 books published since 1977. While his novels include Westerns, suspense, police procedurals, and action-adventure, his nonfiction works deal primarily with the disparate fields of crime and cryptozoology.

The Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida was well received by Paul Ortiz, writing in the Journal of Southern History: "What is most impressive … is Newton's careful attention to location, nuance, and change over time" and the impact these factors could have on local politics. Newton notes that the Klan remained influential in Florida longer than in many other states, but Ortiz would have appreciated more emphasis on the connections between the Klan and "the interests of Florida's large employers and many of its elected officials." Otherwise Ortiz recommended The Invisible Empire for revealing the Klan's central role in Florida history.

Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology: A Global Guide to Hidden Animals and Their Pursuers is a huge compendium of information about the thousands of animals that could plausibly exist in the world, without ever being documented by naturalists or other scientists. His volume covers more than 1,500 "plausible creatures, not paranormal entities such as ghosts," Booklist contributor Abbie Landry pointed out, and Newton himself addresses the topics of potential hoaxes and tourist attractions. He provides as much documentation as could find about the history of plausible sightings, with people, locations, and purported evidence. Newton remains neutral about whether mysterious creatures such as Bigfoot, Nessie, and the Chupacabra are in fact real, but he does report on discoveries that have been verified in recent years, such as the coelacanth. The encyclopedia is reportedly one of the most comprehensive and wide-ranging reference books in the field of cryptozoology.

Another comprehensive compendium is The FBI Encyclopedia, one of several books that Newton has published on the subject, presents information in alphabetical encyclopedia format. This book is less neutral than some of Newton's other works, as Tim Delaney reported in Booklist, but it presents both the routine historical information and some of the more sensational aspects of the bureau's activities, such as civil rights protest monitoring, wiretapping, and, more recently, the U.S. Patriot Act.

In general, Newton writes about the subjects that capture the popular imagination and command public attention. Most of his nonfiction works are recommended for public and school libraries.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, August, 1998, Mike Tribby, review of Holy Homicide: An Encyclopedia of Those Who Go with Their God … and Kill!, p. 1935; February 1, 2004, review of The Encyclopedia of High-Tech Crime and Crime-Fighting, p. 2004; February 15, 2004, review of The FBI Encyclopedia, p. 1089; June 1, 2005, Abbie Landry, review of The Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology: A Global Guide to Hidden Animals and Their Pursuers, p. 1846; May 15, 2007, Charles Becker, review of The Ku Klux Klan: History, Organization, Language, Influence, and Activities of America's Most Notorious Secret Society, p. 89.

Journal of Southern History, November, 2004, Paul Ortiz, review of The Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida, p. 949.

Library Journal, February 15, 2000, Michael Sawyer, review of The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers: A Study of the Chilling Criminal Phenomenon from the "Angels of Death" to the "Zodiac" Killer; July 12, 2002, Tim Delaney, review of The Encyclopedia of Kidnappings, p. 71; February 1, 2003, Sarah Jent, review of The Encyclopedia of Bank Robberies, Heists, and Capers, p. 78; March 1, 2004, Tim Delaney, review of The FBI Encyclopedia, p. 70; July 1, 2005, Alvin Hutchinson, review of The Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology, p. 125; April 15, 2006, Mirela Roncevic, review of The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers, 2nd edition, p. 114; June 1, 2007, Janica Dunham, review of The Encyclopedia of American Law Enforcement, p. 150.

Reference and Research Book News, February, 2006, review of The FBI and the KKK: A Critical History; May, 2006, review of The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers, 2nd edition, February, 2007, review of The Ku Klux Klan; May, 2007, review of The Encyclopedia of American Law Enforcement.

Reference Quarterly, spring, 1991, Anna M. Donnelly, review of Armed and Dangerous: A Writer's Guide to Weapons, p. 413.

School Library Journal, April, 2003, Lynn Evarts, review of The Encyclopedia of Bank Robberies, Heists, and Capers, p. 99.

ONLINE

Michael Newton Home Page,http://www.michaelnewton.homestead.com/ (December 28, 2007).