My debut espionage thriller SANDSTORM managed to give me something back today that was totally unexpected. It wasn’t a call from my agent or publisher saying it had made the New York Times bestsellers list (though come on, that would be pretty damn sweet).
No, what I got today was a Facebook message from Tyler Donoghue. I’ve never met him, and before that message, had no idea who he was.
I quickly discovered that we share a deep appreciation for my departed friend Vince Flynn and through that association, Tyler had found SANDSTORM.
Here is the message he sent me:
“I’m a die hard Vince Flynn fan. In fact I’m the guy you see in
the hospital on Vince’s website for email of the month. I bought Sandstorm and let me tell you: It’s one of my favorite books EVER! It was amazing. I tell everyone about it! Incredible. With Vince’s unfortunate sad death I am glad I found a new author to love! Thank you! Are you going to write another book? Please say yes!! I look forward to it and look forward to hopefully getting a response from you. Take care!”
Now I’ve gotten a fair share of email messages and reviews from a number of people who thankfully, have enjoyed SANDSTORM and like Tyler, have been nice enough to inquire about a second book. But upon investigating, I discovered that for Tyler to take the time to reach out to me, makes SANDSTORM a very worthwhile endeavor. Even if he was the only person to buy a copy, I’d be touched.
On Vince Flynn’s website I learned Tyler, now 27 years old, was nearly killed in a car crash in 2010 that left him disabled. A fighter for sure, he welcomed the birth of his son this past May. (You can read his story and become a fan as I have here.)
I was extremely humbled and honored for him to give SANDSTORM such lofty praise. I write about characters who face incredible odds and somehow manage to survive. They pale in comparison to Tyler’s strength and courage.
I’m uplifted that he got in touch and thrilled to have a fan of his magnitude. Tyler, you better believe I’m working on another book!