What's Your Story: Jerry
Please share some of your background:
I'm a 49 year old Engineering Manager for a Major Appliance company here in United States. I born in Arizona, raised in South Dakota and now live in North Carolina. My wife and I have 2 boys and 1 girl that we adopted. We also have 4 dogs and 2 cats. My hobbies are spending time with my family, especially going to the beach, working on my Ram Warlock, and of course reading. Especially all things Mitch Rapp.
When did you start reading Mitch Rapp?
I started reading the Rapp series several years ago. I can remember I was flying out of RDU airport, passing time before my flight when I came across a book that little did I know what kind of impact it would have on me. That book? Memorial Day by Vince Flynn. I couldn't put the book down on the flight to Stockholm and had it finished in no time. Since then I have been one of Vince Flynn's and now Kyle Mills biggest fans!
Which book is your favorite?
It really is hard to say, all of them are so well written, so much so I have read them all twice, soon to be working on 3rd time. If I had to pick one though, I would have to say Memorial Day due to the fact this is the book that started it all for me in this series. I would say a close 2nd though would be Code Red, to me one of Mills' finest Rapp books and what a way to go out with a book like that!
Do you have a favorite character?
Again, this is a hard one to choose as there are so many characters through out the entire series. Mitch is one of the more obvious choices as favorite character and I would have to say I would go with him as mine. Due to the fact that he does what he does for the love of his country and is so compassionate about it. Beyond that, I would have to say that Kennedy is my second favorite, due to the fact that she made Rapp who is he is and is such an important person in his life.
If you could be any character in Vince's novels, who would it be and why?
I honestly would have to say I would choose to be Rapp, due to the passion and loyalty to his family, friends and country. He will do what it takes to defend them to keep them all safe. He also doesn't do what he does to be recognized, recieve medals or expect anything in return. I will say this, the one character I wouldn't want to be is the one that Rapp is coming after!
Is there anything else you would like to share relating to Mitch Rapp, Vince or Kyle?
I have to say that losing Vince years ago was such a tragic loss, not because of his books that he wrote (although they are fantastic!!), but because we all lost such a wonderful person. Although I never had the honor to meet him, the things that you read and the videos of the man you see, its not hard to see and say what a great man he really was and no doubt he left this world too soon. Thank you to the people that carry on Vince's legacy, the people that make his fan club what it is, the website and social media accounts that they run/maintain and how it keeps us Rapp fans connected! I also would like to thank Kyle Mills for taking the Rapp series on and making it his own. It truly is hard for me to determine where Flynn's writing ends and Mills begins. I didn't think that was possible but he sure proved me wrong! So thanks to him and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward. Lastly, I want to say to Don Bentley welcome to the Rapp universe! Very much looking forward to seeing what direction you take Mitch and his team!!! Just know, if you need any ideas, I would be more the glad to help ya out!!!