A Reading with Dan Wakefield, Writer in Residence.
The Emperors Club by Anthony Gagliano: The new (posthumous) novel by longtime Beach resident Anthony Gagliano. Tony died at age 54 and left an almost finished second novel, The Emporers Club, set (like his first one) in Miami Beach. Wakefield and Les Standiford, director of the MFA Writing program at FIU finished the novel. Like his highly praised first novel (Straits of Fortune) this new one features the sharp, wise-cracking personal trainer, Jack Vaughan, who explores the steamy (and seamy) underside of the glitz and gold of Miami Beach to rescue a gym owner who has been kidnapped, along with his assets.
Tony Gagliano was a personal trainer at a number of venues on the Beach, had worked as a bouncer at a club on Washington Street, and graduated from the FIU writing program. He was first a student of Wakefield’s, who became one of his best friends.
Books & Books will provide copies of The Emperors Club for purchase, with all royalties to benefit The FIU Writing Program.