Stephen Coonts, Author, Papers
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 4037
Papers of Stephen P. Coonts, American thriller and suspense novelist born in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Includes typescripts, printed material, letters, clippings, photographs, and other material regarding the author's publications. Highlights include typescript drafts of some of his books, foreign language editions of some of his books, letters from fans, and typescript movie scripts for Flight of the Intruder.
This collection includes the following series:
Series 1. Writings; 1985, 2014, undated; box 1 - box 3, folder 2. This series includes typescript drafts of books written by Coonts. Many include a handwritten note by the author, written when he donated these materials in 2014.
Series 2. Foreign Language Publications; 1990-2004; box 3, unfoldered. This series includes six foreign language editions of novels by Coonts.
Series 3. Correspondence; 1988-2010; box 4 - box 5, folder 4. This series includes mostly incoming letters, as well as clippings, typescripts, cards, photographs, and printed material. Materials include biographical information on Coonts (box 4, folder 1), speeches prepared by Coonts, letters from fans, and letters from business associates.
Series 4. Movie Material; 1989 - 1991, undated; box 5, folder 5 - box 6, folder 1. This series includes two typescript movie scripts for Flight of the Intruder, as well as press kit material.
Series 5. Clippings; 1988-1995; box 6, folders 2-5. This series includes chiefly newspaper and magazine clippings, most of which contain reviews or commentaries of work by Coonts.
Addendum of 2015/01/15. 1986-2009; boxes 7-30. This series includes books (mostly foreign language editions) and papers.
Addendum of 2017/11/29. 2015-2016; boxes 31-34. This series contains three drafts of Coonts' novel "The Great Republic."
Addendum of 2017/12/05. 1998-2000; box 34. This series contains one signed book, "Fortunes of War," and one program from "An Afternoon with Author Stephen Coontz."
Addendum of 2018/04/09. 2017; box 35. This series contains three copies of The Armageddon File: an audiobook on disc, an uncorrected page proof, and a signed copy of the hardcover.
Addendum of 2019/11/05. 2019; box 36. This series contains one uncorrected page proof of The Russia Account.
Addendum of 2021/06/05. 1984; box 36. This series contains original typescript draft of Flight of the Intruder.
English
No special access restriction applies.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Portions of this biography were taken from the "About Steve Coonts" web page of the author's website (see link in External Documents).
Stephen Paul Coonts (b. 1946) grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia. He majored in political science at West Virginia University, graduating in 1968 with an A.B. degree. Upon graduation he was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and began flight training in Pensacola, Florida. He received his Navy wings in August, 1969. He served as an attack pilot during the Vietnam War.
He left active duty in 1977 and moved to Colorado, where he entered the University of Colorado School of Law. Mr. Coonts received his law degree in December, 1979, and moved to West Virginia to practice. He returned to Colorado in 1981 as a staff attorney specializing in oil and gas law for a large independent oil company, while writing in his free time.
His first novel, Flight of the Intruder, published in September 1986 by the Naval Institute Press, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover. After the success of his first novel, Mr. Coonts began writing full-time.
Coonts has been recognized with a variety of awards. The U.S. Naval Institute honored Coonts with its Author of the Year Award for the year 1986 for his novel, Flight of the Intruder. He also served as a trustee of West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1990-1998. He was inducted into the West Virginia University Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 1992.
His writings include:
Jake Grafton series novels:
Flight of the Intruder, 1986
The Intruders, 1994
Final Flight, 1988
The Minotaur, 1989
Under Siege, 1990
The Red Horseman, 1993
Cuba, 1999
Hong Kong, 2000
America, 2001
Liberty, 2003
Tommy Carmellini Series:
Liars and Thieves, 2004
The Traitor, 2006
The Assassin, 2008
The Disciple, 2009
Pirate Alley, 2013
Saucer Series:
Saucer, 2002
Saucer: The Conquest, 2004
Saucer: Savage Planet, 2014
Deep Black Series (first six coauthored with Jim DeFelice; final three coauthored with William H. Keith):
Deep Black, 2003
Biowar, 2004
Dark Zone, 2004
Payback, 2005
Jihad, 2007
Conspiracy, 2008
Arctic Gold, 2009
Sea of Terror, 2010
Death Wave, 2011
Anthologies:
War In The Air: True Accounts, 1996
On Glorious Wings: The Best Flying Stories, 2003
Victory, 2003
Combat, 2001
The Sea Witch, May 2012
Non-fiction/Others:
Fortunes of War, 1998
The Cannibal Queen: A Flight into the Heart of America, 1992
The Garden of Eden, 2006, writing as Eve Adams
14.2 Linear Feet (Summary: 14 ft. 2 in. (32 document cases, 5 in. each); (4 document cases, 2 1/2 in. each))
Papers of Stephen P. Coonts, American thriller and suspense novelist born in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Includes typescripts, printed material, letters, clippings, photographs, and other material regarding the author's publications. Highlights include typescript drafts of some of his books, foreign language editions of some of his books, letters from fans, and typescript movie scripts for Flight of the Intruder. See Scope and Content note for more details. See Historical Note for more information about Stephen Coonts.
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository