My debut novel, FIRST BLOOD, introduced Rambo. He was inspired by real-life Audie Murphy, a World War II hero who became a movie star in Westerns. Nat Segaloff has a great sidebar about Murphy in his new book, THE RAMBO REPORT: FIVE FILMS, THREE BOOKS, ONE LEGEND.

I enjoy researching my books. For TESTAMENT’s outdoor scenes, I took a wilderness-survival course from the National Outdoor Leadership School and lived for five weeks in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, often above timberline. Here’s a photo.

As a street kid headed for trouble at 17 I became a fan of the ROUTE 66 tv series. Stirling Silliphant's scripts so powerfully combined action w/ideas they inspired me to become a writer. Learn more in the ROUTE 66: MY ROAD TO DAMASCUS essay on my website.

Thrilled that my author friend Jack Carr put my novel FIRST BLOOD on his summer reading list.

Frontier author (the basis for a classic TV series) Laura Ingalls Wilder intrigued me enough that she’s the focus of one of the 14 short stories in my third collection, BEFORE I WAKE. Other stories feature Sherlock Holmes and a version of J.D. Salinger. Available as an audiobook.

Many authors live here in Santa Fe, including Caroline Fraser, who won a Pulitzer Prize for PRAIRIE FIRES: THE AMERICAN DREAMS OF LAURA INGALLS WILDER. In MURDERLAND, she investigates whether toxic smelter plumes warped young minds into serial killers. Fascinating stuff.

“The darkest secrets live in places you’re not supposed to be.” That describes my novel, CREEPERS, which received a Stoker best-novel award from the Horror Writers Association. Here’s my interview about it on the Neighborhood Bookstore podcast.

Todd Purdum's DESI ARNAZ: THE MAN WHO INVENTED TELEVISION is fascinating. We learn that Arnaz convinced CBS in 1950 to air I LOVE LUCY, a sitcom about a mixed-race marriage, & to show his real-life wife’s pregnancy as it developed, from episode to episode. Unimaginable even now.

I wrote introductions and revised the text slightly for Vinegar Syndrome’s attractive new paperback editions of my novelizations for RAMBO II and III. The covers look like paperbacks did in the golden age. A package of two paperbacks includes a headband.

When I wrote my novelizations for RAMBO II & III, I had the freedom to expand the plots & provide new facets to the character. New paperback editions of my novelizations for RAMBO II & III are now available from Vinegar Syndrome. Only 1500 copies of each.

And the Jeopardy answer is. ?

Jerry Goldsmith won an Oscar for his musical score of THE OMEN & was nominated for 17 more scores, including L.A. CONFIDENTIAL & CHINATOWN. In all, he wrote some 200 scores, including for the adaptation of my novel FIRST BLOOD. Learn more in Nat Segaloff’s book THE RAMBO REPORT.

Another surprise announcement. My 1988 novelization for RAMBO III is now a new paperback from Vinegar syndrome, a home-video disc company. I wrote an intro. Only 1,500 copies. With my novelization for RAMBO II, it’s also available as a set w/a sweatband.

Surprise announcement. My 1985 novelization for RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II is now a new paperback from Vinegar syndrome, a home-video disc company. I wrote an introduction. Only 1,500 copies.

“The most expensive knife in the world is the one that costs you your life.” That's the promo line for my novel THE NAKED EDGE—the 2nd PROTECTOR novel. Gil Hibben, creator of RAMBO III & IV knives, made this jewel-encrusted knife that’s on the cover.

We love movie posters. Here’s a favorite that hangs in our kitchen: the classic Douglas Fairbanks silent film THE THIEF OF BAGDAD. The scope of this movie is bigger than many contemporary ones. Spectacular sets.

I had fun teaming with my author friend Nat Segaloff to record the audio book version of his new book, THE RAMBO REPORT: FIVE MOVIES, THREE BOOKS, ONE LEGEND.

A group of more than 70 authors released an open letter on Lit Hub, asking the “big five” publishers to promise never to use AI to create books. More than 600 people signed the letter in just a few hours.

It’s been a long road—over half a century since the traumatic events of 1968 prompted me to write the following first sentence of FIRST BLOOD. “His name was Rambo, and he was just some nothing kid for all anybody knew.” —From my intro to Nat Segaloff’s THE RAMBO REPORT.

Jimmy Lile and Gil Hibben's iconic Rambo knives were inspired by an earlier iconic movie knife for 1852’s THE IRON MISTRESS. These & many other famous knives are featured in my 2nd Cavanaugh PROTECTOR novel, THE NAKED EDGE. The jewel-encrusted knife on the cover is by Gil Hibben.