John Gilstrap
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — In his widely shared essay, “Psst… They Secretly Want You to Fail,” New York Times bestselling author John Gilstrap delivers a candid and deeply personal message to writers and creators, reminding them that perseverance ultimately conquers doubt. Published on The Kill Zone Blog, the essay has resonated across the publishing and entertainment industries for its honest portrayal of creative struggle and its powerful call to embrace persistence, passion, and unwavering self-belief.
“Talent. Relationships. Persistence. The ability to tune out the naysayers. Those are four legs on the stool that define success,” Gilstrap writes. “Your work has been rejected? Get over it and try again. And again. And again. Or quit, but know that quitting was your choice.”
The essay also chronicles a major moment in Gilstrap’s storied career. His acclaimed nonfiction book, SIX MINUTES TO FREEDOM, was the first book ever to receive cooperation from the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force, and now slated for release as a Netflix feature film in 2027, but when he wrote it, experts in the industry insisted it would never sell. SIX MINUTES TO FREEDOM tells the extraordinary true story of Kurt Muse, who co-authored the book, an American who risked everything to oppose General Manuel Noriega’s brutal regime in Panama.
Finally published by Kensington Books, SIX MINUTES TO FREEDOM details Muse’s resistance efforts, his arrest, and ultimately his daring rescue from the notorious Modelo Prison by Delta Force operatives in the opening moments of Operation Just Cause.
The book’s journey from rejection to Hollywood adaptation mirrors the very message of resilience Gilstrap champions in his essay. “SIX MINUTES TO FREEDOM was my pivot point,” says Gilstrap. “Everyone told me it would never sell. But I knew they were wrong and persistence paid off. That project not only reignited my career, it launched the Jonathan Grave thriller series and everything that followed.”
With more than thirty novels to his credit, including BURNED BRIDGES, ZERO SUM, and CRIMSON PHOENIX, John Gilstrap has become one of America’s most respected voices in the thriller genre. His books have been optioned for film, his screenplays have adapted the works of Nelson DeMille and Thomas Harris, and his deep knowledge of weapons, tactics, and human nature continues to captivate readers worldwide.
“Failure isn’t fatal, and rejection isn’t the end,” Gilstrap concludes. “You don’t need anyone’s permission to succeed, just the persistence to keep going when others stop believing in you.”
About John Gilstrap
John Gilstrap is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 30 novels, including the Jonathan Grave, Victoria Emerson, and Irene Rivers thriller series. A former explosives safety expert, he is also the author of SIX MINUTES TO FREEDOM, the first nonfiction book ever written with the cooperation of the U.S. Army’s Delta Force. His screenwriting credits include adaptations of works by Nelson DeMille, Thomas Harris, and Norman McLean. Gilstrap is a sought-after speaker, instructor, and contributor to The Kill Zone Blog. He lives in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
For more information, visit www.johngilstrap.com or follow him on social media @JohnGilstrapAuthor
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