Alan Thomas was born on October 5, 1947, in Youngstown, Ohio. His parents moved to the neighboring city of Struthers, where he was educated in the Struthers public school system. He graduated from Struthers High School in 1966 and Youngstown State University in 1970, where he was an ROTC graduate. Alan served for nearly 20 years in the United States Army Reserve following his honorable discharge. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education. He was an elementary teacher in grades 4-8 and an elementary principal. Alan and his wife, Linda, have been married for over 50 years. They have two children—1 boy, 1 girl and three grandchildren—2 girls, 1 boy.

They say you should write about things that you know. The subject of almost all my books is crime in our modern world. Thankfully, it's not a firsthand experience, but the result of a lifetime of watching television and movies. I want to provide an inspiring outcome of suspenseful situations that often end in tragedy for other writers. The result is a combination of my Christian beliefs. This is clearly in contrast with my love of secular entertainment.

As a boy, I grew up enjoying movies and television shows that told a good story. As I grew older, I developed specific preferences. These preferences became my personal rules that determined the criteria for a good story. It's my opinion that the world doesn't need more tragic stories. Nor does it need unrealistic stories that ignore real-life problems. I believe we need to be inspired by stories that not only include the potential for great tragedy but provide a way to prevent it. If the evil behind that potential tragedy gets kicked squarely in the teeth, so much the better.