Thriller writer Stephen Coonts began his writing career with the 1986 Vietnam war bestseller Flight of the Intruder, which introduced the character Jake Grafton, and was inspired by his own experiences flying an A-6 Intruder plane in Vietnam. The book was later adapted to film. In the years since, Coonts has produced a number of bestselling series, including the Saucer series, the Jake Grafton series, the Deep Black series, and others.