Hi, Patricia, I've received quite a few emails like yours since the first Vin Cooper book was released. The character really seems to strike a cord with the people at the sharp end. I think that when the going gets tough, the tough tell jokes. Cooper's cynicism is a healthy response to the situations he finds himself in. A lot of the people I know in the military handle stress in the same way. I've always thought the square-jawed hero who always does and says the right thing at the right time to be not just unrealistic, but a little dull. I hope you read the book and enjoy it. Incidentally, quite a few of my readers are women. This was a surprise to me at first. Turns out they like the way Cooper carries himself. He's a little bit bad but a whole lotta fun - the kind of guy most women would like to have a drink with and well, who knows from there...