DANIEL PAISNER is well-known to publishers (and, alas, somewhat less well-known to readers) as the author or co-author of more than 80 books. As a ghostwriter, he has written more than 70 books in collaboration with athletes, actors, politicians, business leaders and ordinary individuals with extraordinary stories to tell. He is co-author of the acclaimed Holocaust memoir “The Girl in the Green Sweater,” written with Krystyna Chiger, and the gripping 9/11 diary “Last Man Down,” with FDNY Deputy Chief Richard Picciotto – both international best-sellers.
In a New York magazine article on ghostwriting, Paisner was called “the world’s most prolific living ghost,” which may or may not have been meant as a compliment. His collaborative work has also been highlighted in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, ESPN: The Magazine and on C-SPAN, Freakonomics Radio and NPR.
In all, 17 of his collaborations have reached the New York Times best-seller list—including “Rise and Grind,” an inspirational primer from “Shark Tank” panelist and serial entrepreneur Daymond John. The book, also a #1 Wall Street Journal best-selling business title, is a follow-up to John’s “The Power of Broke,” winner of a 2016 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Instructional).
Recent/forthcoming collaborations include a motivational memoir with two-time Olympic snowboardcross champion Lindsey Jacobellis; a memoir with the electronic music deejay Steve Aoki; and a collection of inspirational profiles of individuals doing good works in their communities with the support of their local churches, synagogues and mosques, written with former Ohio governor John Kasich.
He is the host of the podcast “AS TOLD TO: The Ghostwriting Podcast,” a production of the Writer’s Bone Podcast Network, which features conversations with his fellow ghostwriters, as well as songwriters, speechwriters, screenwriters and other artists who work in service of someone else’s voice. Recent guests have included actor and songwriter Jeff Daniels; best-selling novelist and memoirist Dani Shapiro; television writer and Broadway dramatist/”Wicked” screenwriter Winnie Holzman; and legendary record producer Peter Asher.
On his own, Paisner is the author of four novels: “Balloon Dog” (“… darkly funny and painfully true…” – Laura Zigman, NYT best-selling novelist); “A Single Happened Thing” (“… poignant and whimsical…” – The Millions); “Mourning Wood” (“… has the makings of a cult favorite…” – Booklist, starred review); and “Obit” (“… a classic mystery novel…” – The Boston Globe).