Stephan Talty – Ghostwriter

I specialize in telling life stories. A few of my projects:

• A housewife who explored deep family secrets

• A ship's captain who outwitted his hijackers

• A firefighter's story of survival and triumph

• A military veteran who saved a fellow soldier

• A refugee who escaped North Korea and found success in America

Each book has been successful and my author-clients have been proud and excited about them. Three have become New York Times bestsellers and two have been made into movies: "Captain Phillips" and "Only the Brave." I have an instinct for crafting deeply researched stories that get to the heart of a person's life.

I've been a writer for 35 years and have written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, GQ, Men's Journal and many others. I've covered business, music, film and leadership. I was a film critic at Time Out New York and an editor at Details magazine. I've also authored two crime novels, one of which was a bestseller. My books have been optioned for film by Leonardo DiCaprio and Universal Studios.

My latest book project is the memoir "Family of Spies." My author-client was living a normal suburban life when she found out her grandfather was a spy who changed history. She had trouble organizing the material, writing a proposal and getting a book deal. I helped with all that and we had an amazing partnership that resulted in a major book deal. The book was among the "21 Nonfiction Books to Read This Fall" and is getting serious attention.

Not every book will be that successful, but each one can be meaningful and moving.