If you are in the DC area, put 28 June on your calendar. Rick Campbell, author of Trident Deception, and I are doing a book signing at the Community Court (building 22) on the Washington Navy Yard from 1100 to 1300. All profits are going to the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society. Come out a support a great cause and buy some great books.
I found this photo on the web of me doing a signing on the USS Midway for the US4Warriors Organization.
Everything comes full circle. As many of you already know, I once commanded USS HOUSTON, SSN-713. And HOUSTON is already a movie star, being featured in the Hunt for Red October. I took command just in time for the premier of that movie. A few days ago, the current CO of HOUSTON, CDR Scott McGinnis, contacted me. Seems that that Hunter-Killer, the movie based on my book Firing Point, has found HOUSTON. Gerard Butler, Donovan Marsh, and a couple of the producers are going to ride HOUSTON for a few days in early May. Scott is slated to be the Navy on set advisor for the production. Don’t know yet if the old girl will actually appear in the movie. That would bring everything full circle.
I will be attending the USS WOODROW WILSON Reunion in Charleston, SC. I will be carrying a limited number of our books for any fans that want them. Looking forward to going back to Charleston and visiting with old shipmates.
Just finished writing our new submarine thriller, Red Stealth. One final edit and then it’s off to our agent.
Millennium Films has announced that major production on Hunter-Killer will start in London on 25 Jul. http://deadline.com/2016/03/hunter-killer-donovan-marsh-gerard-butler-gary-oldman-movie-starts-july-25-1201713868/
Well, with the expected start of filming for Hunter Killer sometime this spring, they are finally starting to announce some casting decisions. Gary Oldman is going to play a “US official”. I’m not sure what that means, even though I’m the author of the book on which this story is based. I don’t remember a character named “US official”. Guess we’ll see.
http://www.inquisitr.com/2771058/gary-oldman-joins-gerard-butlers-submarine-thriller-hunter-killer/
Two news items to talk about:
First, Hunter Killer, the movie is back on track. Millennium Studios has settled with Relativity for the rights and will start filming in the spring. Millennium and Neal Moritz are really excited to get the movie going, so it looks like we finally may have a movie in the works.
And, for those of you who like audible books, Operation Golden Dawn is available in Audible formats either from Amazon or Audible.Com. Larry Palmer did a really great job as the narrator. He is now working on an Audible version of Final Bearing. It should be available in a couple of months.
And, (I know I said two items, but…), work is proceeding on our next book. Don and I are probably 75% through with writing this one, so hopefully we’ll have something in the fall.
At the last several book signings, people have commented that the print was too small on both of these books. We had consciously chosen a small font to keep the page count, and thus the cost, reasonable. For those of us with weakening eyesight, I published new, large print, editions of both books. Now you can chose either the normal (cheaper) smaller print, or for a small extra cost, get the larger print.
The movie Hunter Killer, based on our novel, Firing Point, has gone through some trying times, but all is well now. Relativity Media had planned to start filming last spring in Alaska. Then oil prices tanked and Alaska pulled their film tax credits because of their budget problems. Relativity then switched to filming in New Orleans in August. But they declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July. After much negotiating, Millennium, Neal Moritz, and our happy little team struck a deal with Relativity to release the movie rights. Now Millenium will start filming in the spring. Relativity may plan a part if they can get their financial act together, but not necessary if they don’t.
Some late breaking news on the filming of Hunter-killer, the movie that Relativity Media is making based on Firing Point. Below is one article that I copied from the web dated 12 December 2014.
Big-budget Hollywood film to be shot primarily in Whittier
By Lauren Maxwell 1:42 PM December 12, 2014 WHITTIER – The little town of Whittier, Alaska will soon be home to a big-budget Hollywood film. Producers of the movie “Hunter Killer” won’t say the exact size of their budget, but are promising it will exceed any movies previously shot in Alaska.
According to the movie website IMDB, the movie will be directed by Martin Campbell, whose credits include the James Bond film “Casino Royale.” Several other sites list actor Gerard Butler as the possible star.
The movie is considered an espionage thriller involving submarines. Producers said Whittier will be transformed into a seaside Russian town.
Preproduction will start in January and the film will be shot mostly during March, April and May 2015.
Executive producer Jamie Marshall told a crowd of Whittier residents he thinks their town is the perfect place to shoot the film. He plans to hire as many Alaskans as possible.
Local production company SprocketHeads, LLC is coordinating the Alaskan hires. Interested Alaskans should check SprocketHeads’ Facebook page.