Jim DeFelice Biography: Wife, Age, Net Worth, Books, Parents, Height, Career

Jim DeFelice is an American author, journalist, and game designer renowned for co-authoring the #1 New York Times bestseller American Sniper with Chris Kyle and Scott McEwen, which inspired the 2014 Clint Eastwood-directed film.

With over 50 novels and non-fiction works, including 16 New York Times bestsellers, DeFelice has made significant contributions to military history, techno-thrillers, and historical fiction.

Profile

• Full Name: James DeFelice
• Stage Name: Jim DeFelice, Jeremy Roberts, M.T. Coffin
• Born: August 23, 1956
• Age: 68 years old
• Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Author, Journalist, Game Designer
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Louis DeFelice, Eileen DeFelice
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Married
• Children: One
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $1 million to $5 million USD

Early Life and Education

Jim DeFelice was born on August 23, 1956, in New York City, New York, to Louis DeFelice, a computer programmer, and Eileen DeFelice, a nurse’s aide.

Growing up in a blue-collar family that transitioned to middle-class status, he was the first in his family to attend college.

He earned a B.A. in English from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1977, through an integrative science program emphasizing science and philosophy.

He later obtained an M.A. in English with a creative writing concentration from the State University of New York at Albany in 1982, where he participated in writing workshops.

His ethnicity is presumed Caucasian based on family names, and his zodiac sign is Virgo.

Religious beliefs are not publicly documented.

Career

DeFelice began his career as a journalist in 1976, working at radio stations and newspapers to fund his education, eventually managing a multi-million-dollar media company with multiple publications by his late twenties.

Despite financial success, he left this role on April 1, 1987, to pursue writing full-time.

His debut novel, Coyote Bird (1992), a techno-thriller, received a strong New York Times review for refreshing the genre but faced publishing challenges.

Subsequent techno-thrillers like War Breaker (1993), Havana Strike (1997), and Brother’s Keeper (2000) found success with Dorchester Publishing.

DeFelice’s collaborations include the Dreamland series (2001–2015) with Dale Brown, producing 16 techno-thrillers like Nerve Center and Raven Strike, and the Puppet Master series (2016–2018).

He co-wrote Deep Black with Stephen Coonts and First Team with Larry Bond, focusing on covert operations.

His non-fiction work includes American Sniper (2012, over 5 million copies sold), Code Name: Johnny Walker (2014), American Wife (2015) with Taya Kyle, Omar Bradley: General at War (2011), Rangers at Dieppe (2007), Every Man a Hero (2019) with Ray Lambert, and West Like Lightning (2018), for which he drove the 2,000-mile Pony Express trail for research.

Under the pseudonym M.T. Coffin, he wrote children’s horror books like Camp Crocodile and My Dentist is a Vampire.

DeFelice also contributed storylines to video games, including Afro Samurai (2009) and Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (2011).

He has freelanced as a political commentator and taught as a college professor.

Social Media

• Facebook Handle: Jim DeFelice

Personal Life

Jim DeFelice, now 68, is married, though his spouse’s name is not publicly disclosed.

He has one son, and his wife’s support has been crucial to his writing career.

Residing in the Hudson Valley, New York, he maintains a private personal life.

His height, weight, and physical appearance are not documented.

Hobbies include chopping wood, taking long walks with his dog, and meticulous historical research, such as driving the Pony Express trail in 2016.

Filmography:

• American Sniper (2014) – Co-writer (based on his book, $547 million box office)
• American Wife (TBA, TV miniseries) – Co-writer (based on his book, in development for ABC)

Video Games:

• Afro Samurai (2009) – Storyline contributor
• Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (2011) – Storyline contributor

Net Worth

Jim DeFelice’s estimated net worth is $1 million to $5 million USD.

His wealth derives from book royalties (over 50 titles, including 16 New York Times bestsellers like American Sniper), residuals from the American Sniper film ($547 million gross), and video game storylines (Afro Samurai, Ace Combat).

Additional income includes journalism, teaching, and speaking engagements.