Steve Alten is the writer of such thrillers as Meg, Fathom, and The Trench. While critics often find fault with his works, the books continue to be popular. Disney Productions optioned Meg, which has been described as "Jaws meets Jurassic Park" or "Jurassic Shark." He was born in Philadelphia. As a young man he planned to become a sports coach and earned his PhD. In sports administration.