Tom McCarthy

Tom McCarthy – Ghostwriter

Award-winning and critically praised ghostwriter, author, and editor whose writing includes a new edition of a New York Times best-seller.

Overview

My recent projects are off to a great start in 2024:


First review is in for a book to be published this fall:


Searching for John DeWitt

What 80 Long-Lost Letters from the Trenches of World War One

Taught Me About Honor, Courage, and Men at War


"A masterfully told re-creation of one man’s wartime experiences from World War I. An important contribution to American wartime history reminiscent of Ken Burns’ epic documentary The Civil War.

Well worth the read."


Kirkus said this about a new book to be published in May by the Lyons Press.


My Presidential Life: The Showdown at Putin's Dacha and Other Misadventures on the Diplomatic Road


“Advance work for presidents is always demanding but never dull, and Swift describes it all in this colorful account… Refreshingly, the author narrates his intriguing career without rancor or self-aggrandizement, providing an entertaining read about what happens behind the curtain… Swift has tales to tell and secrets to spill, and he does it with aplomb and humor.”



A Harvest of Innocence: The Untold Story of the West Memphis Three Murder Case is Amazon's top new release in true crime.



"Beautifully written."


“The book is absolutely extraordinary. You’ve very nimbly and masterfully wove through three decades of litigation while making it interesting, readable, and relatable."



I am a longtime book-publishing executive with industry connections.

Ghost-written titles to be published in 2023-2024 include a no-holds-barred look at a murder case that caught the world’s attention (May 2024); an insider's look at U.S. Presidential summit meetings with the world's iconic leaders (signed by The Lyons Press in September 2023); a wrenching and undiscovered history of an American trench-runner in World War I (with publishers); a moving account of an American businessman who returns to his native North Korea to help (published by the Jenkins Group); and a chilling look at early polar exploration (published by Rowman & Littlefield).

My recent work also includes a new edition of The New York Times best-selling From Baghdad, With Love.


Jay Kopelman, a Marine colonel in besieged Fallujah, Iraq, whose struggle to adopt a young puppy amid the chaos and carnage of war is recounted in the book, said this about working with me.


“As a New York Times and international best-selling author, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a number a of co-authors. Only when I worked with Tom on my best-selling book, From Baghdad, With Love, did I understand how truly fortunate I was to have a professional writer/editor like Tom on my team. He is thoughtful, creative, witty, and possessing of a keen eye and ear for true story telling. I will only work with Tom as a co-writer/editor on all future projects.”


My projects have won a Harvard University Book of the Year, a Readers Digest Top Summer Book, an Esquire Year's Five Best Reads, a Sports Illustrated Top Book of the Year, an American Library Association, Best Non-Fiction, and a Runner's World Best Book of the Year, among others.

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs History Political Science & Current Affairs Sports & Outdoors
Languages
English (SA) English (US)
Awards
  • Harvard University’s Goldsmith Award, Book of the Year: Embedded, The Media at War in Iraq
  • Readers Digest, Top Five Summer Books, King of Heists
  • Sports Illustrated Top Books of the Year: Facing Ali
  • Esquire magazine’s Year’s Five Best Reads: Far Afield, A Sportswriting Odyssey
  • Runner’s World Best Books of the Year: Everyone’s Guide to Running and Be Iron Fit
  • Foreword, Best Sports Books: Cohn-Head
  • American Library Association, Best Non-Fiction, In the Margins Book Award for America's Massacre: The Audacity of Despair and a Message of Hope
  • Silver Medal: Independent Publishers: Best Regional Non-Fiction, For Sale: American Paradise: How Our Nation was Sold an Impossible Dream in Florida
  • E-Captain: Best Books of the Year: Crossing the Bar, The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot
  • BookSense Notable Pick: Patriots Act: Voices of Dissent
  • BookSense Notable Pick : The Color of Love
  • Ben Franklin Award Finalist: Hell Is Over, Voices of the Kurds After Saddam
  • Ben Franklin Award, Sports: Duty, Honor, Victory, America’s Athletes in World War II
  • CASEY Award Finalist for Spitball, The Literary Baseball Magazine: A Tale of Two Cities

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2009 — Present

Providing ghostwriting, editing, and consultation for more than 10 years.

Work includes:

• Editorial Director:
The McBooks/Sheridan House Initiative. Organized, proposed, and signed four lists through Fall 2021 for this emerging imprint of fiction and non-fiction maritime books.

• Senior Acquisitions Editor:
The Lyons Press, specializing in history, military history, sports, and boating

• Writer, Grandin Hood Publishers
Recent work includes anniversary histories for Rye Country Day School, Agnes Irwin School, and the National Parks Conservation Association

• Writing/Editing

More than 20 titles published in 2017-2020.
With clients in the United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, I went global in 2013. Specializing in editing and ghost-writing nonfiction titles including health, history, current events, sports, fitness, and travel. Writing samples and review comments available.

Ghost-Writing Works in Progress:

• Harvest of Innocence, an attorney’s account of his 25-year involvement in the West Memphis 3 murders: to be completed in September 2018
• No Remorse Divorce, a how-to guide on collaborative mediation: to be completed August 2018

Past Work:

Imprint Head: Seahorse Press, a Division of Skyhorse Publishing
November 2016 to January 2017
Direct new imprint of sailing and boating titles, with eight new books signed and edited for our premier list in Fall 2016; another twelve titles developed and signed for Spring and Fall 2017.

Executive Editor
The Lyons Press, Guilford, CT
(A Division of Globe-Pequot Press)
December 2005 to January 2009

Acting Editorial Director
The Lyons Press, Guilford CT
(A Division of Globe-Pequot Press)
June 2005 to December 2005

Education
Bachelor of Arts, English/Creative Writing
The Pennsylvania State University

Portfolio

An ultimately uplifting lesson on life and love that only a special bond can bring.What happens when the indelible bond between a man and a dog formed in the harshest of conditions is put the test? Moving and uplifting, here is the long-awaited updated edition... read more
Dirk Vlieks was at the top of his game. At the age of thirty-two he was a top-ranked triathlete with numerous Ironman finishes under his belt. That all changed in an instant one day in June of 2006 when he stepped groggily from his bike in Honu, Hawaii, and co... read more
As an experienced pediatrician, Sajjad Iqbal, MD, had long enjoyed using his medical expertise to treat children’s illnesses and alleviate their parents’ concerns. Suddenly, however, he was on the other side of the divide. As Iqbal began to battle severe facia... read more
A Century of Impact celebrates the first 100 years of the National Parks Conservation Association, tracing its history and vision through stunning photography and tales of victory in a beautifully designed keepsake book. From its founding by the same visionari... read more
You expect clarity and simplicity from a leader; you expect their words to count. But such is not always the case. A leadership vacuum is occurring globally in government politics, with corporate CEOs, entrepreneurs, and in struggling companies. This is not a ... read more

Tom has 3 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

John C.

John C.

Jul, 2023

We are not done yet, but i have been quite happy up to this point. I like Tom's writing style and have had very few divergent opinions on how to proceed. When we have, he has been very responsive and changed things we both agreed on or explained what his reasoning is for me to understand. This has been a very pleasant experience adn I think we will get a very interesting an compelling book fr...
Read more
Tom M.
Thank you, John
Judd S.

Judd S.

Jan, 2023

Tom, is doing a great job in understanding me and delivering good content…very happy with his work. Judd
Jason B.

Jason B.

Sep, 2021

Great working with Tom, very responsive, adaptable, creative and professional.

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