Joe Corso
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I grew up in Queens, New York and after retiring from the FDNY I moved to sunny South Florida where I live with my wife Giovanna. I began writing books to help pay for my grandchildren’s college education. So far I've completed 15 novels and nine short stories including my popular 'ENGINE 24 FIRE STORIES' trilogy which includes the 5th installment in the ’STARLIGHT CLUB' series.
I'm currently editing ‘LAFITTE'S TREASURE' and when it is completed, I plan to edit 'THE STARLIGHT CLUB 5: VENGENCE' which I shelved to write LAFITTE’S TREASURE. When that book is ready for publication I plan on writing a sequel to my western which will be titled 'THE RETURN OF THE LONE JACK KID'. AWARDS: THE STARLIGHT CLUB won the silver in the 2012 eLit contest in the ‘True Crime category'. In 2013 it won honorable mention in the ‘Historical Fiction category’ and Finalist in 2014 in the IPPY and Eric Hoffer awards. THE LONE JACK KID won ‘Finalist' in the 2013 readers favorite ‘Western' category. My short story 'FIRE: BOX 598' won the bronze in the 2013 Readers Favorite contest in the ‘Historical Non-Fiction category'. |
Go figure. If I would have known that I could write a good story, I would have started writing a half century ago.
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Engine 24: Fire Stories
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Non-Fiction
Every firefighter has a treasure trove of interesting stories to tell and the stories more often than not are instructional as well as exciting. When I was a firefighter, I kept notes of the fires I responded to. Now that I am retired, I have reflected on my career as a firefighter and have written a book about the men alongside whom I worked, facing dangerous situations daily. This book is a compilation of five FIRE short stories written between 1964 and 1972, from notes I wrote after returning from fires. FIRE: Box 598 tells the tragic story where 12 New York City firefighters lost their lives in a fire. The short book won the Readers Favorite 2013 award in the short story category. FIRE: Trapped on the Fourth Floor takes place in the mid-1960s and was written from notes I took after the fire. While the story was still fresh in my mind, I added a sub-story about a friend of mine who I worked with in the FDNY. While searching through boxes I hadn’t opened in decades, I came across notes about the day I drove my buddy Joe Black to the hospital and I decided to honor his memory by including a few words about what happened that day in this short story. FIRE: The Bouncing Lieutenant occurred at the Keneret Restaurant cellar fire on Jane Street in lower Manhattan and was taken from notes written by me almost a half century ago. As I wrote this story, the memories of that night came flooding back in vivid detail. I hope that I have successfully captured and conveyed the drama of the moment to the reader. FIRE: The Broadway Central Hotel FIRE: Mutual Aid
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The Starlight Club
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Crime
Trenchie, is just released from his ten year prison sentence. A new life is waiting - complete with envelopes of money and a steak house to call his own. He finds the woman of his dreams who brings along ex-husband baggage. Hit man Jimmy The Hat finds unexpected fame in the unlikeliest of places, yet always remains true to the “boys”, especially Big Red. “Crazy Joey Gallo” and his brothers break away from the Profaci family and go “rogue, on their own now. They split their gang into several small groups and spread them out over the five boroughs.” Red handles the Carnevale’s swag trade. He is hell bent on revenge for the death of his beloved Uncle, the Don of the family. “Remember when you turn your wrist to transfer the drink to your other hand, that’s the moment the ring opens and the poison is transferred to the drink.” The mob’s fondness for each other is convenient, given that they speak the same language, but how does that impact the gang wars? Territory disputes pose a distraction. Carlos Rodrigo’s Latino gang members make the biggest mistake of their lives. Bones are crushed underneath the car by a merciless Italian hit man. Trenchie picks up right where he left off. The mafia and their power, is a match for anyone (even Lieutenant Rocarro of the NYPD), but the irony of their human side isn’t lost. “Ya’ know, Jimmy, the right thing would have been to shoot him in the head and put him out of his misery. It just ain’t right to leave a man in the Everglades like that, with blood an’ all. You know what’s wrong with me? I’m too damned soft hearted, that’s what’s wrong with me. I care too much about people and that’s a weakness I have to work on.”
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The Old Man and The King
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Action Adventure
Royal protocol dictated that the King exit the car last, but as the important man was about to emerge, a hail of gunfire erupted, spraying the royal Hummer. “The Talvanian King watched in shock as, one by one, his car’s occupants fell limp to the ground.” Alone, in a foreign city, he seeks temporary refuge in the Good Burger diner. Here he meets Lom, a crazy old Korean War vet, who misses his old life of danger and intrigue and who embraces the idea of hunting those who are hunting the King. Lom does so by, first, kicking ass and taking names, and second, by teaching the baby-faced King the ways of the street, battlefield style. His written message is clear: “I HEARD YOU WERE LOOKING FOR ME. NOW I’M LOOKING FOR YOU!” This action packed hunt for the assassins begins with the United Nations and takes us from Charlie’s New York City pawn shop, deep into secret underground passageways, into hidden train stations and desolate warehouses, and ultimately to carefully orchestrated deals with jewel thieves and gun runners. Things move along well until the heart-wrenching kidnapping. With the clock ticking against him, Lom must think quickly in order to save the life of the one he loves. Will the old man make it in time? Will the King live? Only time and his survival skills . . . will tell. 
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The Revenge of John W
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Action Adventure
A dirt poor mother and her son whose only possession - their property is desired by an evil man. His lust for wealth drives him to stop at nothing to obtain it - causing a grieving mother the fear of never seeing her only son again. A prison in the desert which has been closed for over a half century is mysteriously re-opened, but for what purpose? Why was the boy taken from his mother and the girl he loves - will he ever see them again? Why does Jack McCormack covet John W's worthless property so aggressively? The prison has a 100 year old secret - with a skeletal sentinel watching over it. Who is he, and why is he there? These are part of the tantalizing clues that help make "THE REVENGE OF JOHN W" a book you won't want to put down.
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The Adventures of The Lone Jack Kid
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Western
Join the fun. Ride along with Jesse and Frank James and the Younger brothers as they share in the adventures of The Lone Jack Kid. This was wartime and men lived and died fighting their enemy . . . and sometimes they died fighting each other. Cole looked at the men, raised his hand, and said in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “Don’t do it, boys. Sturman was a yellow cur, and a deserter, and you don’t have to die trying to avenge the likes of him. There were seven Indians and they were standing around two semi-naked white women who appeared to be a mother and daughter. Charlie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he aimed - - and fired, and fired, and fired again, repeatedly. He dropped four of the Indians before they knew what hit them. Then he charged into the clearing and shot another Indian reaching for his gun. “My name is Charles Longstreet.” The men looked at each other as recognition set in. “You’re the Lone Jack Kid?” The Kid smiled. “The one and only.” He pulled his hat off of his head and waved it in the air, then he gave the Rebel yell. “See you money grubbers in hell, boys.” He jerked the reins, and nudged Comet with his heals. She turned her head and leaped into the bubbling stream with water as high as the stirrups, and dashed across, splashing tendrils of water high in the air on both sides of her. It was an impressive display of horsemanship, and the toll collectors watched with grudging admiration.
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The Time Portal
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Science Fiction
Lucky a jewel thief recruited by the CIA is almost assassinated on a routine “theft” for The Company. Upon recovering from extensive brain surgery he discovers that he can see the secret curtains of light which he calls portals. Lucky and his sidekick Mickey use the Time Portal to escape and then they are determined to find the people trying to destroy him & the United States. The only problem is the Time Portal took them to 12th century England. Before they can do anything they must find their way back home. 
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