(NewsNation) — A new novel is bringing together two of the greatest writers in modern times. Michael Crichton and James Patterson have together sold more than 675 million books.
Their work includes blockbuster hits including “Jurassic Park,” “Twister,” “Along Came a Spider” and “The Postcard Killings.”
When Crichton died from cancer in 2008, he left behind numerous unfinished projects, including a manuscript he began 20 years ago about the imminent eruption of Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano.
Crichton’s widow Sherri, who is CEO of CrichtonSun, called in Patterson to complete the story: “Eruption.”
“Michael made me better. He made me a better writer. It was such a treat. I loved the whole thing,” Patterson said during a Thursday appearance on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.“
Patterson is very familiar with co-authoring. In recent years, he’s published a novel with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and often shares writing responsibilities on his other novels.
For “Eruption,” Crichton told The Associated Press she gave Patterson all of her husband’s research and he came back with an outline.
Some of the story needed to be brought forward to present day.
“We talked probably every few weeks,” Sherri Crichton says. “It was so much fun to read. It would be hard to tell what was Crichton and what’s Patterson’s.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.