About John
Patrick Greenwood is the pen name of John Gormally — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, MBA graduate, and 28-year cybersecurity professional. Based in Oro Valley, Arizona, John writes fiction drawn from decades of real-world intelligence, threat analysis, and global travel.
Becoming Patrick
The Writing Journey — Finding the story from within.
Every great story begins with a single decision. In 2019, John — a content strategist, brand builder, and digital marketing consultant — made his: to start writing fiction.
The View from the Writing Locations
Where the stories were written
Writing Locations
Every location in the Jack Kendall series is drawn from real experience — places John has cycled, traveled, lived, or worked. The geography is never invented. It is remembered.
Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon
🇻🇳 VIETNAM
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
The heart of Book 1. John's travels through Vietnam — the chaos of the streets, the weight of the war's legacy, and the final desperate days of the US embassy — form the historical backbone of Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon. The 2023 Firebird Award-winning novel.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
California
Carlsbad and Pasadena California appeared in several sections of the novel, including Sushi ROKU, Carlsbad cycling shop, Carlsbad beach, and the Rose Bowl.
Shores of Okinawa
🇯🇵 JAPAN
Okinawa
The Pacific island where some of the bloodiest battles of World War II were fought. John's firsthand travels through Okinawa gave Shores of Okinawa its visceral authenticity — the landscape, the memorials, and the weight of history that still hangs over the island.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
Portugal
One of John's most beloved cycling destinations — and a country that shaped his voice as a storyteller. The Atlantic coastline, the azulejo tiles, the unhurried pace of Lisbon's backstreets. Portugal is where John first understood that the best fiction is written between the miles.
🇹🇼 TAIWAN
Taipei
Taiwan sits at the center of the world's most volatile geopolitical fault line — the semiconductor supply chain, cross-strait tensions, and the shadow of great power competition. John's travels through Taipei gave Red Scorpion: Rising the authentic street-level detail its threat scenarios demand.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Maryland & Virginia
The intelligence corridor. Home to the NSA, the CIA, the Pentagon, and the quiet office parks where the real cyber wars are fought. John's professional background in the US cybersecurity industry gives the domestic scenes in Red Scorpion: Rising an insider's authenticity that can't be faked.
Red Scorpion: Rising
🇮🇹 ITALY
Italy
A country that reminds any writer why stories matter. John's travels through Italy — most recently to visit his son — reaffirm the timeless truth that the best thrillers are grounded in the human connections between missions, not just the missions themselves.
🇯🇵 JAPAN
Okinawa
Okinawa returns in Book 3 — this time as a geopolitical flashpoint in a modern threat landscape. The US military presence, the strategic geography, and the simmering tensions of the Pacific make it the perfect stage for Jack Kendall's most dangerous mission yet.
🇭🇺 HUNGARY
Budapest
One of Europe's most architecturally dramatic cities — and a historic crossroads of Cold War intrigue. Budapest brings old-world espionage tradecraft into collision with a modern cyber threat in Red Scorpion: Rising, and sets the stage for the next novel, Bridges over Budapest (2027).
🇹🇼 TAIWAN
Taipei
Taiwan sits at the center of the world's most volatile geopolitical fault line — the semiconductor supply chain, cross-strait tensions, and the shadow of great power competition. John's travels through Taipei gave Red Scorpion: Rising the authentic street-level detail its threat scenarios demand.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Maryland & Virginia
The intelligence corridor. Home to the NSA, the CIA, the Pentagon, and the quiet office parks where the real cyber wars are fought. John's professional background in the US cybersecurity industry gives the domestic scenes in Red Scorpion: Rising an insider's authenticity that can't be faked.
Home Base & Writing Inspiration
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Oro Valley, Arizona
Home base. John Gormally writes from the Sonoran Desert foothills north of Tucson — a landscape that rewards quiet mornings, long cycling routes, and uninterrupted thinking. The Jack Kendall series was shaped here, chapter by chapter, espresso by espresso.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is Patrick Greenwood?
Patrick Greenwood is the pen name of John Gormally — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, MBA graduate, and 28-year cybersecurity professional who has worked with companies including Cisco Systems, Citrix, BlackBerry, and IBM. Based in Oro Valley, Arizona, Gormally writes military and geopolitical thriller fiction drawn from decades of real-world intelligence, threat analysis, and global travel.
What order should I read the Jack Kendall series?
Start with Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon (Book 1), followed by Shores of Okinawa (Book 2), and then Red Scorpion: Rising (Book 3, available July 1, 2026). Each novel stands alone but rewards readers who follow the series in order.
Has Patrick Greenwood won any awards?
Yes. Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon won the 2023 Firebird Book Award for Historical Fiction and Romance — a prestigious independent publishing award recognizing exceptional storytelling.
Where can I buy Patrick Greenwood's books?
All titles are available on Amazon in Kindle and print formats. Red Scorpion: Rising is available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle now, ahead of its July 1, 2026 launch.
How much of the Jack Kendall series is based on real events?
More than you might expect. John Gormally draws on nearly three decades in cybersecurity, global travel, and military service. The threat landscapes, tradecraft details, and geopolitical tensions in the series reflect real-world intelligence and experience — fiction built on a foundation of fact.b
What comes after Red Scorpion: Rising?
Bridges over Budapest is planned for 2027. Jack Kendall moves into a secondary role as the series expands — with fan-favorite character Regina stepping fully into the spotlight as the primary protagonist.
Does John support any charities?
Yes. Twenty percent of net sales from the Jack Kendall series is donated to the Wounded Warrior Project — a cause close to John Gormally's heart as a USMC veteran.