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Here's a little bit of fun for fans of Jonathan Grave, Venice, Boxers, Father Dom and the rest of the crew from Fisherman's Cove
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| Dear readers, Dig told me he wanted me to write a column for his newsletter. I said no. But happy New year. |
Gilstrap's next book is in the can, as they say.
On July 1, 2016, Gilstrap's eighth book about me and my team will hit the bookstores. It's called Friendly Fire. I've read the manuscript, and like all of his books, this one's damned exciting, but it's a hard story for me to read. It exposes the dark side of what Boxers and I do, the unintended consequences of it. Over a decade ago, I rescued a kid from a house of horrors, and it was a mission to be proud of. I was stunned by how such a good day could trigger so many bad days after so much time.
There'll be another newsletter--probably more than one, actually--before the book comes out, so we can talk about plot specifics later. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. Of course, if you want to pre-order it, you can click here and make Gilstrap a happy guy.
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There'll be two books from John Gilstrap in 2016.
I think Gilstrap's a pretty good writer (otherwise, I wouldn't let him tell my stories), but I confess that sometimes I get tired of reading about myself. I was tickled, then, when John told me that his publisher, Kensington, will be releasing a second book in 2016, this one a standalone thriller called Nick of Time. It's a complete departure from the kinds of books he writes about me. NIck of Time tells the story of Nicki Janssen, a terminally ill teenager who is tired of all the doctors and the restrictions and the nights in the hospital. She runs away with the Brad Ward, the boy of her dreams--who happens to be a prison escapee and a murderer. I've read it, and I'll tell you now that it's a hell of a ride.
There's an especially cool twist to this book release: The novel will be serialized in eBook form over the course of ten weeks beginning in March, with each episode representing about one-fifth of the book. Part One will be called Time to Run, followed two weeks later by Time to Hide, and then in two-week intervals by Time to Steal, Time to Die, and Time to Live. Then, in October of 2016, the entire story will be released in premium paperback as a single volume.
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Looks like there's going to be a movie with Gilstrap's name on it.
You might have already heard him whooping about it. I wish I could say that the movie will be about the books Gilstrap writes about me, but no such luck. Instead, the movie will based on the book that inspired him to write about me and my team.
A few weeks ago, Gilstrap got word that Marc Butan's Red River Pictures and Laura Bickford Productions are teaming with Sam Franco of Sesso Entertainment to produce a movie version of
Six Minutes to Freedom ,
the true story about American ex-pat Kurt Muse, who was the subject of a Unit rescue mission in 1989 after he and some friends helped to topple Panama's ruthless dictator, Manuel Noriega. The mission to rescue Kurt is still studied and taught to clandestine Special Forces operators around the world.
John Erick Dowdle will direct a script written by his brother, Drew Dowdle. The team's most recent collaboration was the 2015 Owen Wilson film,
No Escape
.
If the movie happens--and let's face it,
Gilstrap's track record
for getting movies made is iffy at best--it should start filming in the next few months, with a projected 2017 release date.
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My Jonathan Grave Challenge Coin
It's a long-standing tradition among military, police, firefighters and other close-knit groups to design a commemorative coin. The coins are distributed as a way of saying thanks, or of showing respect. I've designed one for myself and my team at Security Solutions. As you can see below, one side features the company's logo, and the other features the faceless heroes who have allowed me to stay alive as long as I have. The inscription--"On the Side of the Angels"--says it all.
The primary purpose for the coins is for John Gilstrap and me to give thanks to the many professionals and subject matter experts who help to make the books as good as they possibly can be. But I recognize that readers and fans might like one as well, so there are a couple of ways for you to get a coin for yourself:
1. Coin-for-coin trade. You know who you are. You've got your own unit coin. Contact me at [email protected], and we'll trade addresses. Your coin for my coin.
2. Bring five or more of our books to John Gilstrap at a conference to be signed, and he'll hand you a coin for your collection.
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Gilstrap's Going to Gun Camp in April and You Can Come Along
Research is a key element to writing a good story, especially when it comes to writing stories like the upcoming Friendly Fire and the other 8 books in Gilstrap's series about me and my team. Last year, John played a bad guy for SWAT Team training down in Tallahassee, and this year I talked him into signing up for once-in-a-lifetime combat training at the famed Gunsight Academy in Arizona. There just aren't many opportunities for workaday civilians to get this much training while having this much fun. It's no BUDs training and it's no Operators Training Course, but it is a unique opportunity to peek into the inside of that world while picking up skills at the same time.
John will learn pistol skills from Rob Leatham, 26-time USPSA national champion, carbine skills from retired United States Navy SEAL Team Chief Chris White, and non-firearm defensive skills from our pal Steve Tarani, who's spent a lot of years training spooky people to do spooky things. The course is open to the public (for a fee, of course). If you're interested, check the course out for yourself at www.gunsite40.com.
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