What's Your Story: Nick Searcy

Background
Nick currently portrays Chief Deputy United States Marshal Art Mullen on FX's Justified, which Vince featured in the April 2012 edition of What’s Vince Watching?  His film credits include Fried Green Tomatoes, Nell, The Fugitive, Cast Away, Head of State, Runaway Jury, The Ugly Truth and Moneyball.

What did you think when you saw Vince recommend Justified to his fans?
It was exciting.  It’s exciting when you’re a fan of someone who is also a fan of the show.

A number of fans have thanked Vince for turning them on to Justified.  Do you have any insights on Season 4 for them?
Not that I could say.  They call us in about two months before the season starts and we have a long conversation with the writers about our characters and where the show could go.  We may get around to exploring my character more this season.

When did you know Justified was going to be a success?
I knew it would be a good show, because there were a lot good people that were involved.  After we did the pilot though, I thought it was going to be a hit.  It just had too many good elements.  Plus, any show that makes me the centerpiece will be a hit.

What type of books do you tend read?
I used to read a lot more books when I was younger, now it is more news.  I tend to read a lot of non-fiction, except for Vince.

Why did you start reading Vince? 
A friend turned me onto Vince about six years ago, and ever since then Amazon has me on speed dial and I get the books the day they come out and start reading.

What was the first of Vince’s books that you read?
Consent To Kill.

Do you have a favorite book or character? 
American Assassin.  I thought it was great, going back and getting the history of the Mitch Rapp.  It really deepened the character.  I really like every one of the books.  The characters are well written, the plot is interesting and the endings are satisfying. 

Who do you envision as Mitch Rapp when you read Vince’s novels? 
I guess I always envision myself.  I think everyone tends to put themselves in the role of the protagonist.  Although, I don’t see myself doing all of that running.  Because Vince’s picture is on all of his books, I also envision him as Rapp.

If you could be a character in a Vince Flynn novel, who would you be? 
Stansfield.

Who do you think should play Mitch Rapp in the movie?
My friends and I have chewed on that quite a bit, and to be honest we have not come up with anyone.  Mitch is a bit of a throwback, and he needs a Steve McQueen type of actor.

What's Your Story: Kate Spangler

Background
I'm a Chicago native, but recently moved to Richmond VA with my husband. I have a background in biology (specifically in Molecular Weed Science), but currently work as a housewife and I love it! I enjoy running, gardening and the outdoors. 

Why did you start reading Vince?
I was on vacation with my boyfriend (who is now my husband) and his family in Aruba. His dad was reading Vince Flynn and brought along some extra books for the rest of us to read. I'm not usually a big reader, but I was immediately drawn in to American Assassin! I couldn't put it down! 

Do you have a favorite book?
I really enjoyed American Assassin because it helped me relate to Mitch Rapp and think of him as a normal person, not just a trained killer.

Do you have a favorite character and why?
Mitch is without a doubt my favorite! He is so smart and skilled at everything he does! He reminds me of my husband, however my husband is just a boring Emergency Room Physician-not an assassin! :-)

Who do you envision when you read about Mitch Rapp?
Maybe this is silly, but I envision my husband as Mitch Rapp! :-)

If you could be a character in a Vince Flynn novel, who would you be?
I would definitely want to be Greta because she's not only beautiful, but she's kind of knows how to kick butt too!

Is there anything else you would like to share relating to Vince and his novels?
My husband and I recently went on a relaxing honeymoon in Cancun and brought along some of Vince's books. The only night we stayed up past 10pm was when we were up until midnight finishing our books! (The picture attached is of me reading Kill Shot on the beach in Cancun!)

What's Your Story: Rick Barry

Background
Rick Barry is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he was named to the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players list, and he is the only player in the history of the game to lead the NCAA, ABA and NBA in scoring for an individual season.

Why did you start reading Vince?
I started reading him several years ago, when someone told me I should be reading him.  

Do you have a favorite book?
I love all of Vince’s books. Mitch Rapp is one of the greatest characters of all time and I just pray they start making the movies soon.  

What book would you recommend to friends?
Every one of them.  They should start with American Assassin first and read each and every one. 

Who do you envision when you read about Mitch Rapp?
I envision myself.  I can’t stand bad people, and the fact the he goes out and kicks ass; I love it.

If you could be a character in a Vince Flynn novel, who would you be?
I would want to be a guy Mitch respected.  Someone he would come to for advice, and if he needed help, I would go along with him on assignments.

What’s your favorite aspect of Vince’s novels?
The other characters in the book are really cool, Stansfield and Kennedy; just exceptionally well developed.  It is fun to see how they have evolved.  Plus, the twists and turns in the stories are good; it is not all the same thing.  They are exciting books that you just can’t put down.

What’s next for you?
I am involved with a number of business ventures.  I am getting ready to launch a website and a blog about the basketball and the NBA.  Plus, I put together fishing trips to Alaska, where I know some of the best lodges.

What's Your Story: Brad Taylor

Background:
Brad Taylor, Lieutenant Colonel (ret.), is a twenty-one-year veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces, including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta. He is the author of the NY Times bestsellers One Rough Man and All Necessary Force. He lives in Charleston, SC with his wife and two daughters. For more information visit him online at www.bradtaylorbooks.com.

With your military career, do you incorporate actual events you experienced into your writing? 
I shy away from including anything that has actually occurred to me, because most of that is classified. Having said that, it's impossible not to refer to things I've done or seen. It's the same as someone writing a scene in a grocery store. How would he or she do that? They'd think of a grocery store they had been in before and build the scene from there. It's the same with me. When constructing a scene, I use the knowledge I have. This leads directly to the next question, precisely because I do have a healthy appreciation for how the intelligence and military systems accomplish their missions, and sometimes this is classified. The last thing I want to do is give the enemy an edge, fiction or otherwise, so I do find myself studying a scene to make sure I haven't said anything I shouldn't. Sometimes I paint myself into a corner whereby I find that what I've written is inappropriate to describe to fans" simply because it's classified, and I'll go back and rewrite.

Why did you start reading Vince/What was the book? 
I was given the book Term Limits by a guy on my SF operational detachment while I was serving on Okinawa. Sorry to say it didn't give Vince any money, but that's when I began reading him.

Do you have a favorite book or character?
Obviously, it would be Mitch Rapp. Who wants to read about some milquetoast?

Who do you envision when you read about Mitch Rapp? 
No one. I let the author create the character, using what he envisioned. Certainly not me. Mitch Rapp can run a six minute pace for days, and has the call sign Iron Man. Definitely not me. 

If you could be a character in a Vince Flynn novel, what would you be? 
Ten years ago, it would have been Mitch Rapp, but that's pretty much been beat out of me. Now, probably Thomas Stansfield or a male Irene Kennedy. I'd want to be the one pulling the strings, the guy controlling the Orion team. 

As a writer in the political thriller genre, what makes Vince’s books compelling to you? 
Probably wish fulfillment. In reality, it's very, very hard to get missions accomplished, with a plethora of wickets to jump through. Make no mistake, the wickets are there for a reason, but it's nice to read about a guy that can be turned loose without any of the usual roadblocks. It's the same reason I write the series that I do, a sort of "if only they'd let this happen....". Having seen what I have, I wouldn't want Orion Team - or my own Taskforce - to exist in the real world, but it's fun to read about in fiction. More than that, though, it's because Vince gets it right on all of the little details. Nothing makes me put a book down faster than a guy shooting a .51 caliber sniper rifle or visiting the DCI on the fourth floor of the CIA. 

What are you working on currently? 
I just finished Enemy of Mine, the third book in the Pike Logan series, which will be out in January of 2013, and I'm currently pounding away on Book IV.

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