Experts say that authors should “define their brand” (writing style, life experiences, specialties, etc.) so that unfamiliar readers can evaluate whether there’s a likely fit. In Dan’s writing, research helps enhance reader experience. But his writing incorporates long-pursued knowledge and extraordinarily diverse life experiences. Here’s what you’ll find in the back matter of Ancient of Genes, followed by a bit about Dan’s other work and, last: a summarized bio.
A Writing Style Shaped by Life-experiences / Biography: Dan Gallagher
As the youngest of eight in a Catholic working class family; as a soldier, scholar, family man, advisor and adventurer, Dan developed a vivid, hard-hitting style:
He has trekked volcanoes, deserts, swamps; trudged Appalachian, Arizonan and Venezuelan heights & gorges. He has explored exotic locations like Macau, Hong Kong, the Everglades, Bayous, Mexico’s Baja… even New Jersey! Attacked by a charging bear, Dan killed it at fourteen feet, evaded a northern Canada wolf-pack and an enraged moose. He’s parachuted, been in a knife fight and numerous other life-threatening tangles. Though he’s not seen combat, Dan held command of Mechanized Infantrymen in live-fire assaults, ambushes and defenses in Germany & the U.S.. He has lived in Rhode Island, Alexandria & Williamsburg, VA and North Carolina.
Other personal experiences inform Dan’s writing style. He knows what faith, race and age discrimination feel like. He helped reform court-marshalled soldiers, consoled the homeless and took charge in deadly accidents: a C-130 aircraft crash and a 110 mph motorcycle collision. In counseling clients (Dan’s pre-retirement financial & business brokerage work), Dan handled hundreds of millions in transactions. He’s seen what strengthens and dissolves relationships. Dan has experienced spiritual and miraculous phenomena and investigated those of others. Dan usually pursued simultaneous endeavors (studied Economics, Modern Languages, Finance Math, English, and was a published professional instructor). He’s been a lifelong student of Natural Sciences, Comparative Religion and Cryptozoology. Dan and wife Laura have been in love for over three decades and treasured raising their four “snit-generating” kids. Several professional and personal tragedies have been profoundly humbling.
Dan is the author of financial & expository nonfiction and quite a bit of humor, but mostly speculative and adventure fiction; no fantasy. Simon & Schuster partnered with Skyhorse Publishing in January 2023 to offer Dan’s The Secrets of Successful Financial Planning. His Ancient of Genes Audio Theater edition is vastly improved over prior versions and was published by StoriesAmazing July 2022.
Dan endeavors to give readers vivid sensory and emotional experiences. Reader-friends know his “narrative voice” is never flowery, highbrow, wimpy, politically correct, self-important, pedantic or whiny. He builds suspense, intrigue, curiosity, fascination, fear, compassion and other intense emotions, often challenging readers to think deeply or persuading them to act with conviction. His writing always employs plausibility to help readers suspend disbelief.
Grab a copy of Dan’s biggest and most useful nonfiction! Almost everyone needs this zero-bias book: The Secrets of Successful Financial Planning. If you use the first italicized word in Chapter Three as a password (case sensitive but no need to italicize it) you will gain free downloads of self-help financial articles AND specialty spreadsheets.
If you like Adventure Fiction, such as cryptozoology short stories, sample these by using the menu. Don’t forget to try free leg-pulling Humor shorts (Uh… ultra short stories, not shorts you wear)!
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Biography:
Dan retired from financial services (January 2018) to focus on endeavors as an author and freelance content creator. During his practice, “Dan Gallagher, MBA, CLU, ChFC, CFP®, CBI®”, Dan’s professional designations included: Chartered Financial Consultant & Chartered Life Underwriter (1989), Certified Financial Planner® (1992) and Certified Business Intermediary (2002).
Dan’s thirty-year financial practice encompassed group and individual benefits, money management, financial plans, business valuation & brokerage, commercial realty and – often very personal – counseling. He has been published in fiction and nonfiction.
Chronology:
Dan graduated from Virginia Military Institute (1981), third among Economics majors, simultaneously completing the Modern Languages curriculum. He served in the Infantry, then as a reservist in a Special Forces support role, next as a Training Company Commander and later in a classified Army Research Institute role. Dan completed his Master of Business Administration at William & Mary (1986).
He and wife Laura married in 1988, loved raising their four children, and assisted both Boy and Girl Scouting at their church through 2010.
Dan has given numerous seminars at major employers and other entities including Delta Environmental Consultants (now Antea Group), Anheuser-Busch, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Canon USA and small businesses. Charlotte Magazine selected Dan as a ‘2009 Five-star Wealth Manager.’ Dan was a panelist and guest speaker at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce’s 2007 ‘Business Disposition Workshop.’
Dan is the author of a novel, a licensing manual, and numerous articles in journals such as Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Financial Planning, The Daily Press and The Virginia Gazette. Articles by and about Dan have also been published in the Charlotte Business Journal and Charlotte Ventures. His fiction and narrative nonfiction have been published by Skyhorse Publishing (Simon & Schuster also markets SSFP), Superversive Press, Millhaven Press, Creative Loafing, NFAA Archery (a humor short story), Tuscany Bay Publishing and StoriesAmazing.