Dispatches - January, 2017
A Message From John Gilstrap

Dear readers, 

 

It's hard to believe that 2016 is gone and here we are in 2017 with all the changes the new year brings. My friend, Jonathan Grave, was kind enough to lend some space in his newsletter for me to ask readers for input on an important question:

 

How often should these newsletters come out?  I know you signed up to my mailing list for news (thank you for that!), but I'm well aware of just how much unwelcome email each of us gets, and I never want to cross the line into spam.  Is quarterly about right?  Twice a year?

 

If you get a chance, please drop me a line and let me know.
An Update From Jonathan Grave

High everybody.  It's been awhile.  A lot has happened since the last time I reached out to you.  As Gilstrap alludes above, we're going to be more vigilant about communications in 2017.  The trick is finding out the optimum schedule.

 

Back in July, when Big Guy and I were slogging through the jungles of Mexico trying to get a bunch of unruly orphans to safety, Gilstrap won an award for his account of an op we ran a couple of years ago in West Virginia.  Good on him.  Seriously.  Truth be told, Boxers doesn't feel quite the same way--he gets cranky when an otherwise useless writer gets credit for the hard work we do--but he's coming around.  And let's be honest.  Young men can grow old waiting for a day when Boxers isn't cranky about something.

 

This coming July, in a book called Final Target, Gilstrap chronicles that business with the orphans in Mexico.  As per usual, he gets most of the facts right.  Personally, I don't think the world throws enough hatred and violence toward the dickwads who run the drug cartels, but I'm proud to say that my team and I did our part.

 

I don't want to give any of the story away--you want to see Gilstrap get all pouty? Just give away story details before the book comes out--but I'm pleased to tell you that Gail Bonneville and I are trying to patch things together again.  She  helped me a lot in the Final Target op.  In fact, real soon, we're going to take a vacation together to a private island I heard about.  I think we're both looking forward to a relaxing, violence-free vacation.

 

I could use one.  Till next time, please keep reading!
Against All Enemies Wins Thriller Award 
Back in July, during the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers Association in New York City, Gilstrap's 2015 novel, Against All Enemies was named best paperback original of the year.  It was his third time as a nominee. 

"I was so convinced that I would not win," Gilstrap said, "that I discouraged my wife, Joy, from attending because I knew she had work conflicts.  What's more, I was convinced that the enormously talented Marc Cameron would get the nod for his terrific book Zero Day .  I was sitting with Marc at the banquet, getting ready to tweet him out as the winner when I thought I heard my name.  I looked at him for confirmation and he said, 'That's you.  Get up there.'"

Next time I saw Gilstrap, a week or two after the event, he was still walking on air.  "It's truly humbling," he told me, "to receive an award from your peers for doing something you so desperately love to do."

Right about then, Boxers made a retching noise and told us he needed to leave the room.  You may have noticed that Big Guy is not what most of us would call sensitive to the touchy-feely side of things.  Anyway, I say congratulations, Gilstrap.
Gilstrap fires a .45 caliber Glock 36 during Media Day at the Range as part of the 2017 SHOT Show.
Gilstrap Attends 2017 SHOT Show in Las Vegas 
As you know, Boxers and I are huge fans of Heckler and Koch firearms. For long guns, that's all we carry, and Boxers recently switched from Glock to H&K for his side arm.
Gilstrap fires a suppressed H&K VP9 at Media Day





Gail Bonneville is still a Glock purist for her side arm, and I'll personally never give up my Colt 1911 pistol.  Everyone has firearms preferences, and all for very good reasons.  

It helps for Gilstrap to know and understand the pros and cons of various firearms, so every year, i send him off to the SHOT Show, sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for America's firearms industry.  For the foreseeable future, the SHOT Show will be held in Las Vegas each January.  Oh, the sacrifices Gilstrap makes for the sake of research!  For a more complete gallery of the weapons Gilstrap played with--er, I mean researched--pay a visit to his Facebook page.  In fact, while you're there I know he'd appreciate it if you "liked" it.

 

Get a Jonathan Grave Challenge Coin While Doing a Good Deed

Jonathan Grave has been offering to trade challenge coins with fans and friends for quite a while now.  I've heard from many fans who would like to have a coin, but who do not have a coin to trade.  More than a few have offered to pay, but that's really not how it is done.

 

I am pleased to announce a solution that will not only bring a coin to your mailbox, but will do a good deed at the same time.  We have joined forces with the US Navy SEAL Legacy Foundation to send a Jonathan Grave Challenge coin free of charge to anyone who makes a $20.00 donation to this wonderful cause.  Just follow the link, make your donation, and I will send you your coin.

 

Of course, coin-for-coin trading is still an option.  If you have a coin you'd like to trade, send an email to digger@jonathangrave.com and we'll take care of the rest.
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