Author. Diplomat. Public servant. The Joseph R. Pinon biography spans Miami homeland security leadership, Middle East diplomacy, and a growing catalog of historical fiction and crime thrillers.
Joseph R. Pinon Al-Mari is an acclaimed author, memoirist, and historical fiction writer whose life journey bridges American public service with the ancient traditions of the Middle East. His works — including Sheikh Alawi: The Black Scorpion, The Path of Heroes Is Paved in Blood, and Sand and Hope: My Journey in Iraq — explore themes of courage, sacrifice, cultural heritage, and survival in some of the world’s most challenging landscapes.
Before becoming an author, Joe Pinon served as a senior government leader in Florida. He was Assistant City Manager of Miami and Miami Beach, where he oversaw urban development, public safety, and international city operations. Later, as Director of Homeland Security for Miami-Dade County, he coordinated emergency preparedness and homeland security initiatives across one of America's most complex metropolitan regions.
As a Joe Pinon diplomat author, his writing draws directly from years of fieldwork with Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq, where he worked alongside tribal leaders, military units, and local communities. Those experiences — combined with his Miami homeland security background — give his fiction an authenticity that reviewers consistently single out.
His debut novel, Sheikh Alawi: The Black Scorpion, is a work of Middle East historical fiction shaped by that firsthand knowledge. His Kyle Hunter Files series brings the same insider perspective to contemporary crime thrillers and espionage.
The only way to love Is first, to love yourself, The only way to keep your love Is to give it from your heart. For love must be a two-way street Each one to love from each to share Your true feelings, that both must reap The love that is clearly there. If you say “You are my love” Then nothing else will do, For you must agree my love That it proves what love is true. Where there is true love my dear, Our hearts will know it’s here.
Love can be on a distant hill As we look upon the sky above We imagine how we each will be together on a hill so still. People will always come between us That is forever true, I feel Jealousy, spite, and envy Keep us from reaching that very hill. There, we can reach the top of the heap And the many roadblocks left behind, We laugh at those that were between us Our hearts vanquished what was on their minds. It was for the two of us my dear to bear For the two of us, will always be together.
An unforgettable Arab historical novel based on true accounts and oral history, with a vivid portrayal of desert life, tribal customs, ancient traditions, compelling characters, spiritual growth, and a cinematic storytelling style.
View Sheikh AlawiA powerful memoir of a defining journey through the Vietnam era, this book reveals the harsh realities of battle, the bonds of brotherhood, and the sacrifices made in the name of service. It offers a deeply personal account of the challenges and lessons of that journey.
View The Path of Heroes
I arrived in Baghdad the week of Christmas—helmet under my arm, heart in my throat—and walked into the glowing halls of Al Faw Palace inside the Green Zone. That first night, staring at palace lights reflecting off the water, I felt the distance from home and the weight of the mission ahead.
View SAND AND HOPEPARADISE AT SEA. MURDER IN THE SHADOWS. A MYSTERY BEYOND BELIEF.
On the open sea, there is nowhere to hide, and some monsters are more than legend.
THE 7TH BOOK OF THE SERIES
COMING SOON!
