Vince Flynn was born on this day in 1966.
Vince authored the legendary Mitch Rapp series along with "Term Limits," the groundbreaking novel that changed the genre.
It established Vince Flynn as the master of the modern political thriller, paving the way for a new generation of thriller writers.
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I was fortunate enough to meet Vince years ago at SHOT Show in Las Vegas, an industry event showcasing the latest gear and weapons in the tactical and outdoor space.
We’ve all read that it’s dangerous to meet your heroes.
I can affirm that he far exceeded all expectations!
He was so generous with his time.
I’ll never forget how he treated me. We were able to walk through SHOT together at the end of the day as it was closing down.
I remember asking him if he ever worried that one day he would wake up and pick up the paper to discover that someone had used "Term Limits" as a blueprint to hold our elected officials accountable.
I’ll never forget his response.
"Every day," he said.
Rest easy, Vince.
Thank you for sharing your gift with the world.
(Follow Jack Carr on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jackcarrusa.)
On Wednesday, April 6, 2022, Flynn — Minnesota born and bred — was top of mind for many Minnesotans as the day was declared Vince Flynn Day in his honor in his home state.
Flynn battled prostate cancer for three years.
He passed away in 2013 at age 47 in the prime of his career, leaving behind his wife, Lysa, and their three children, Dane, Ingrid and Ana.
He was the author of a number of highly successful political thrillers featuring fictional assassin Mitch Rapp, as well as other books and creative works.
"The state of Minnesota meant so much to Vince," his wife, Lysa Flynn, said last year about the April 6 honor.
"He loved this place. He loved the people here. I know he was smiling down on Vince Flynn Day as he watched Minnesota love him right back."
Last year, GOP State Rep. Jim Nash held a press conference at the state capital building in St. Paul to announce the proclamation and resolution.
Members of the Flynn family surrounded him.
Flynn would have turned 57 on April 6, 2023.
His series of novels based around Mitch Rapp have been continued by writer Kyle Mills.
Some years ago, Flynn's publisher, Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., created the Mitch Rapp Ambassador Program in the writer's honor.
That, ultimately, led to the creation of the day in his name in his home state.
The fifth of seven children, Flynn was born in St. Paul. He graduated from the St. Thomas Academy in 1984 and the University of St. Thomas with a degree in economics in 1988.
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He was once asked, "What books on writing have helped you the most? Specifically, where did you learn how to develop the structure and the fast-flowing action of your novels?"
His answer, in part: "I did not read a single book about how to write a thriller. I relied on my instincts and my own sense of pacing and storytelling."
This is the third in a series for Fox News Digital that bestselling novelist Jack Carr is writing in 2023 about key figures and moments in history. Stay tuned for more!
