Free Book Giveaway

Remember folks, today and tomorrow you can get a free e-book copy of my first novel, The Eighth Day! Head over to http://www.amazon.com/The-Eighth-Day-ebook/dp/B004URS0C4/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1382800404&sr=1-5&keywords=The+Eighth+Day to get yours! Don't have a Kindle? Download the free Kindle app for PC/Mac or mobile device! Happy Reading!

I would have liked to have seen Montana....

Mark your calenders! October 26-27, the e-book edition of my debut novel, THE EIGHTH DAY, will be available 100% FREE on Amazon.com. No catch, just go to Amazon and download it for Kindle or the free Kindle app available for your PC, tablet, or smartphone.

Well, this has not been a banner year for people who inspired me to read and write. On Tuesday, one of the great writers of our generation passed away.

Whatever you think of his books, his politics, or anything, there’s no denying Tom Clancy’s success or impact on the entire entertainment spectrum. His books spawned four blockbuster movies with a new set now in production, the first of which is due out Christmas this year. Also due this Christmas is his final novel, Command Authority, and it will likely be his 18^th consecutive bestseller. Nevermind all  the blockbuster video games, non-fiction books, etc. It is a very rare author indeed who singlehandedly invents an entire genre of books, but that is precisely what Clancy did with The Hunt For Red October, the first true “techno-thriller”.

Much has been said in the press about his legacy in the last few days, and there’s little I could say to add to it. All I know is that my favorite storyteller has spun his last yarn, and the world is a poorer place for it. True, his politics had gone off the rails in the last few novels, (politics in books is a topic I will save for another post), but if anything the storytelling had only gotten better. Clancy had an eye for detail that was so perfect for creating an immersive story. I think the only writer who ever equaled him in terms of making the reader feel like they were in the world of the book is JK Rowling.

It was that attention to detail and meticulous research that brought Clancy his fame and success. When Red October was published in 1984 everyone assumed he was a naval officer or intelligence insider. No one could believe the book had been written by an insurance salesman drawing from open sources (in the days before Internet searches, no less!).

So rest in peace, Mr. Clancy. I suspect that, much like a certain other intelligence operative, Jack Ryan will return. But nobody did it better.