[Spotlight Post] Tom Clancy Remembered
Well, crap. This wasn’t how I planned on starting October Spotlight posts. But here we are. On Tuesday night, October 1st, Tom Clancy passed away. An Icon of military thrillers is no more, and I am saddened by this loss. He was only 66. Details were not forthcoming. My condolences to his family, friends, and co-writers.
You see, Tom Clancy was one of those authors I bonded with my Dad over in my early adulthood. I was either house-sitting or still living with my folks when I as bored with reading so I raided the bookshelves. I remember INHALING the early Jack Ryan books (and beating my head against objects when I “endured†most ofthe movies – they were SO wrong – except one).
Tom Clancy led to Robert Ludlum and Clive Cussler books. I developed a love of military thrillers. I already loved action/adventure MOVIES, this translated to books. And the story I tell often is 9 times out of 10 books are usually better than the movies. Tom Clancy has that number 10 book. Don’t get me wrong, I loved his books. I loved Hunt for Red October. I loved the movie version more – not because of the actors or the script – but because you could SEE the submarine and didn’t have to read the pages of very accurate submarine description.
I never met the man personally, though I think I got an email from him back in the day – I wrote him a fan email (yes, I do that from time to time). I know just by reading his work that it has influenced me and my own writing – and likely countless other writers and readers. I know I (and those same countless others) endeavor to have a writing career as successful as his. He will be missed.