On Tuesday, September 17th, I learned the very sad news that Nelson DeMille passed away. He had been fighting esophageal cancer for about nine months. When I saw a note in my inbox last Tuesday night from his children, Lauren and Alex, I literally yelled “No!’ so loudly that my husband came in from the other room to see what had happened.
Over the past week, I have been trying to remember which of his books I read first. I am not sure which of his 23 novels it was! Was it THE GOLD COAST or PLUM ISLAND or THE GENERAL’S DAUGHTER? I truly cannot recall. I do know that when I read one of his books, I was going to be enjoying a smartly written thriller that would make me think. It often would have Nelson’s wry humor laced in, especially with any of his eight John Corey books, the last being THE MAZE, which came out in 2022.
Kate Ayers, who reviewed many of Nelson's books for us, shared these thoughts about him: “I first encountered Nelson DeMille’s writing over 30 years ago with THE GOLD COAST. He made me blush, but he also made me laugh, think, smile and see the world a whole new way. No other author measured up to him after that. I never met him but grew to know him through his wonderfully irreverent and intelligent characters, all of whom must have been as fun for him to write as they were for us readers. The literary world --- indeed the entire world --- has lost a man of great talent, humor, honor and integrity. RIP, Nelson. Your biggest fan, Kate Ayers.”
Nelson wrote longhand on legal pads, and his assistants knew how to translate his handwriting to the typed page. He frequently shared that he was a complete technophobe, and I remember being shocked the first time he texted me. I was sure that someone was impersonating him until I read the note, which had his irreverent and humorous style.
His newsletters were as legendary as his books. His signature humor found its way into every paragraph. You always felt that he was having a conversation with you!
Nelson's book launch parties always were big events, and they were such fun. A few times they were held at The Union League Club, where gentlemen wore jackets (the invite reminded people of this), and it truly was a swell soirée. One time, when he and Linda Stasi had books releasing at the same time, Linda hosted a pre-publication media luncheon with Nelson at Rao’s, the legendary Italian restaurant in East Harlem where you “need access” to get a table. And when their books came out, he threw their launch party at The Yale Club, where the room was filled with publishing folks, media, family and a whole lot of friends.
He also wrote two books with his son, Alex DeMille: THE DESERTER and BLOOD LINES. In Alex, he finally had found a co-author with whom he enjoyed collaborating. And he loved that the two of them spent time together on tour. In 2019, they stopped by our office for an interview about THE DESERTER that you can watch or listen to.
Beyond being a great writer, Nelson was a wonderful friend. Last Wednesday morning, I found myself going through old emails from him where we would catch up not only on books, but also on each other’s families, and banter about publishing and the state of the world. When I would write Nelson a note, it would turn into a day or so of correspondence as one email would always bring a second, and then a third and a fourth. I am going to miss those as much as his books!
As his children noted in a post on Facebook, “True to form, he faced his illness with courage, grace and good humor. He was the kind of person who filled a room with his presence. His warmth, generosity and kindness touched everyone who knew him, and will leave as much of a lasting legacy as his novels.”
I can attest to this. One night, I was giving a talk at the Garden City Public Library. When I got there, I was given a huge arrangement of flowers from Nelson and his wife, Sandy, as he could not make it to the event that night. Yes, he was known as a great writer, but beyond that, he was a great human being.
Friends have been sharing so many stories about how he touched their lives. One said that he paid for three years of her college education, which led to her start in publishing. Another said that reading his books guided her path to go into publishing. And yet another remembered a publishing dinner where he not only was a graceful guest, he followed up afterwards with a personal note.
Nelson lost his wife to non-smoker’s lung cancer in 2018 at the young age of 54. They were a terrific couple. Sandy would both laugh at his jokes and try to keep him in line --- with “try” being the operative word. Harlan Coben had a great line writing about Nelson’s passing: “Go find Sandy.”
A proud Vietnam War veteran, he often spoke of his experience in the war and valued the friendships he made with his fellow soldiers. He also marveled that Vietnam is now a popular tourist destination; he just remembered looking forward to getting out of there alive.
People have asked how they can honor Nelson. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be made to Disabled American Veterans. I thought of another way to honor him so his literary legacy continues. Think of your favorite Nelson DeMille book. Buy it and gift it to a friend who you think might enjoy it. I would love to hear that people continue to discover his work and that his characters live on with a new group of readers.
This is a huge loss on so many levels, and our deepest sympathy goes out to his children: Lauren, Alex and James. He loved a good bottle of Scotch, so raise a glass and toast him wherever you are with whatever your favorite beverage is. A legend has left the room.
