Cory Allen didn’t always know he was a storyteller. But after spending his career as a police officer, a Special Agent for the U.S. Secret Service and, more recently, a Supervisory Special Agent, Cory realized he had some compelling tales to share. His first book, an emotional, ground-breaking memoir titled Breaking Free: A Saga of Self-Discovery by a Gay Secret Service Agent was released in 2023 to great acclaim. Inspired by the positive response to his personal journey and by becoming a father, Cory penned his second work, an illustrated children’s book called Dada Takes a Trip and launched his own publishing company, Cory Allen Books.
Cory Allen
Like many new parents, Cory immediately found himself struggling to balance his home life and his work. After welcoming his son via surrogate, Cory often felt torn between his career responsibilities, which involve a lot of travel, and his desire to spend time with his family. Last summer, he was on a flight to Washington, D.C. when he was inspired to write Dada Takes a Trip, a relatable book about a parent explaining to a young child why they have to go away for a few days written in rhyming verses. After sitting with the text for a few months, Cory decided to reach out to an illustrator, Mariana Ostanik, and create an actual book.
“We read to our son every night before he goes to bed,” Cory says. “It’s always part of the routine. I was looking for a way to explain to him that I had to leave the next morning because I was going to be gone before he woke up. Originally, this book was just me getting those thoughts out. But I soon realized there is a need for a story like this. Why don't you do something with it? And then I decided to figure out the publishing aspect myself and bring it all in house.
The child in the book (a young cat) and the parent (a loving dog) are visually based on Cory’s own pets. “She got that inspiration from my Instagram,” Cory says. “It’s also sweet because eventually our pets aren't going to be with us and now we're going to also have this great memorial of our pets.”
As Cory and his partner prepare to welcome their second child, a daughter, this spring, Cory has been reflecting a lot on legacy and what he’ll leave behind. Writing a book means Cory has created something tangible for his children beyond a love of reading. It’s a way of letting them know he’s always thinking about them, even if he’s not physically present.
“Did I do enough to make sure that our kids know how much they were loved and how much they meant to me?” he says. “Being an older parent, it’s front of mind for me. I want to make sure they know these things in a way they can understand. My father wasn't present when I was little. I have first-hand experience of what it’s like to have an absent dad. Time is fleeting. It escapes all of us really quickly and I don't want that for our kids.”
Cory also feels a responsibility to share a broader perspective on male emotion. His memoir recounted his own challenging childhood and his struggles as a gay man in a straight, white, and male-dominated career. He’s been open about his surrogacy journey, which had its ups and downs, and that honesty has helped shine a light on LGBTQ+ family building. He’s been willing to be vulnerable, both in his writing and in his broader career. He’s aware that many fathers are bound by traditional parental and gender roles, but in Dada Takes a Trip, Cory acknowledges that it’s okay to cry and to show emotion to your child.
“As I started digging into this project, I realized there is a void here of dads who are secure enough to talk about their emotions, to talk about vulnerability and to talk about missing our kids,” Cory says. “I hope we are able to fill this void and to really connect with that softer dad approach. But it can also be for moms and for grandparents. I want it to be relatable to anybody who travels for work.”
While it can be daunting to share so much with the public, Cory recognizes how much his own stories and experiences can help others. He continually receives positive responses to his memoir, with many people recounting how much the book meant to them personally. He’s inspired others to find the confidence to come out and to give themselves permission to be their authentic selves. Being a storyteller means making these connections with readers, which is something Cory feels passionate about continuing. Outside of his career, he works as an advocate for queer families and for organizations like Men Having Babies.
“I have no hesitation about sharing because my honesty is what resonates,” Cory says. “I will happily talk about breaking down crying when I dropped my son off at daycare on the first day. A lot of dads won't talk about that stuff, but I’m hoping we can change the tide because we all experience it. I want to show my son that it's okay to cry, and it's okay to be mad and to connect with his emotions. That’s going to make him a better human—to understand these feelings and know how to regulate them. I’m showing him by example because I didn't have that growing up. And if it can help anyone else, that is amazing. There's a real beauty in that.”
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