My publishing journey was incubated by childhood experiences. My mother, an artistic woman and voracious reader, instilled in me a passion for music, reading, and writing. She bought me loads of books, and she would often sit patiently with me as I read aloud, fumbling through sentences. When I was eight-years-old, Mom created an enduring experience for me on a cold Thanksgiving afternoon. She and my father were preparing dinner while a medley of Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, and Engelbert Humperdinck albums spun on a stereo, and I was getting in the way by playing in the kitchen. To keep me occupied, Mom retrieved an old typewriter, paper, and a bottle of White-Out, and she asked me to write a story. Over the next hour, I typed—using two fingers—a poorly constructed tale. But when my relatives arrived for dinner, I managed to sell my literary masterpiece, damp with correction fluid, to my Uncle John for twenty-five cents. I have my mother to thank for this wonderful memory. And as I look back, I think I could have gotten a better deal if I’d had an agent.

Influenced by an entrepreneurial father—who owned two small grocery stores, claimed to have walked uphill both ways to school, and believed that his military service was a cakewalk when compared to working on his parents’ farm—I chose a path to study business at Bowling Green State University. But during college, I didn’t abandon my passion for writing; I used my elective courses to enroll in literature and creative writing classes. When graduating, I made a list of my top two dream careers. The first was to someday become an author, and a distant second was to own my own business. But when faced with the reality of paying my own bills, I gratefully accepted a job with a large property & casualty insurance company.       

I expected my career in corporate America to be temporary. But through persistence and hard work, I was fortunate to achieve success, and progressed through leadership roles and eventually became a senior vice president. During that time, I continued my writing endeavors by keeping a journal of my stories that I carried with me on business trips. I took snippets of free time to write on planes and in hotel rooms. Also, I took every opportunity to write business articles and volunteer for industry speaking opportunities. I was thankful for the experiences and rewards I gained through my corporate career, but I still had a deep desire to achieve the goals that I had drafted years earlier in college. Having developed a breadth of business relationships, I decided to leave the corporate ranks to establish an executive search firm. The new business grew quickly and, more importantly, being in charge of my own schedule gave me the flexibility to focus on writing. I wrote each day. I attended numerous writing conferences. I joined Akron Writers’ Group, which has been invaluable with developing writing skills. And in the autumn of 2017, I finished a historical fiction manuscript—set during the London Blitz of World War II, when British Services used homing pigeons across enemy lines—titled The Long Flight Home.

Like many aspiring authors who plan to query their manuscript, I made a list of my ideal literary agents and agencies. Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group was at the very top. I deliberated for weeks while polishing a query letter. I only have one chance to make a first impression, I told myself. And as I sent out queries, I prepared myself for inevitable rejection. But I was delighted when the story gained interest, and I was thrilled that one of the requests for a full manuscript submission was from Mark.

I didn’t expect to hear anything for months. But less than a week after sending the manuscript to Mark, I received an email from him while my wife, Laurie, and I were on a Sunday hike with our golden retrievers. The email said that he liked the story and wanted to discuss representation. I was excited to call Mark, but with spotty cell reception in a national park, as well as the fact that we had been carrying doggie waste bags for the past few miles, I thought it would be best to schedule a call. We spoke the following morning, and I was immediately impressed with Mark’s professionalism and knowledge, as well as the capabilities of Trident Media Group. Convinced that Mark and Trident were the best fit for me, I accepted his offer for representation. Less than forty-five days later, Mark arranged to sell the manuscript to John Scognamiglio for his eponymous imprint at Kensington. One year later—and six months before the release of The Long Flight Home—Mark arranged a deal for two additional books with Kensington. I’m deeply thankful and proud to have Mark as my agent, and I’m honored to have my first three novels published by John Scognamiglio at Kensington.  

I often reflect on my publishing journey, which was fostered many years ago by my mother’s encouragement to read and write. At times, I wonder what might have happened if I had chosen different paths. But I don’t dwell on past choices. I like to believe that good things can happen, regardless of which routes one chooses. For me, the paths I have taken—both long and short—have helped me reach my goal of becoming an author. And for anyone who aspires to be a novelist, I encourage you to be a voracious reader, writer, and—most importantly—never give up on your dreams. 

Bio

Alan Hlad is a corporate executive turned writer. He is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Literary Cleveland, and the Akron Writers' Group. Alan lives in Ohio with his wife and children. The Long Flight Home is his first novel. You can find him online at alanhlad.com, Facebook.com/AuthorAlanHlad and on Instagram @AlanHlad.