Novelist Tom Clancy dies aged 66

According to the Publishers Weekly Twitter account, American author Tom Clancy died Wednesday in a Baltimore hospital at age 66.  A cause of death has not been revealed.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Tom Clancy  studied literature at the Loyola College in Baltimore and was  originally an insurance salesman before becoming famous for writing technically detailed espionage and military science books.

He is responsible for best-selling books such as "The Hunt for Red October," "Patriot Games," "Clear and Present Danger," and "The Sum of All Fears" -   all of which were adapted into major Hollywood films.

In 1996, Clancy  co-founded the  video game developer   Red Storm Entertainment  and has had his name on several of Red Storm's most successful games. 

Red Storm was later bought by publisher Ubisoft Entertainment  for an undisclosed sum.

In 2002,  Forbes wrote, "Clancy can produce a guaranteed bestseller just by writing two words: his name."

"When it comes to leveraging his brand across multiple channels, he is positively protean," Forbes continued, noting his income at the time made him  the tenth-best earner on Forbes Celebrity 100 list for 2002. His net worth today is reported to be around $300 million.

Clancy has been a lifetime supporter of conservative and Republican causes in America,  a member of the  National Rifle Association  since 1978, and was  part-owner of the  Baltimore Orioles.

His next book, "Command Authority," is planned for publication on December 3.