Podcast Appearances
He did not want to do a book at the time in 2015 and 2016. He was going through things in his life, you know, marriage issues and... sobriety. And so we stayed in touch. My wife passed away in 2019 and I moved to Cave Creek, Arizona. And, you know, a couple of years ago we met in Chicago for dinner and he said, you're still interested in doing a book. And I said,
Absolutely, but I'd rather do a novel where the protagonist is based on your life. And he said, I'd rather do it that way. And we signed a contract. You know, we took a few months of research, and I went to his house in Crown Point, and we did hours of taped interviews. And then I go back to Arizona, and then I... I'd ask him to give me 2,000 words on this and 3,000 words on that.
Absolutely, but I'd rather do a novel where the protagonist is based on your life. And he said, I'd rather do it that way. And we signed a contract. You know, we took a few months of research, and I went to his house in Crown Point, and we did hours of taped interviews. And then I go back to Arizona, and then I... I'd ask him to give me 2,000 words on this and 3,000 words on that.
Absolutely, but I'd rather do a novel where the protagonist is based on your life. And he said, I'd rather do it that way. And we signed a contract. You know, we took a few months of research, and I went to his house in Crown Point, and we did hours of taped interviews. And then I go back to Arizona, and then I... I'd ask him to give me 2,000 words on this and 3,000 words on that.
And then I'd adapt it into the novel and send Tom chapters. And it was a great partnership. It worked great. This sounds great. This doesn't. This work on this. I'm sorry.
And then I'd adapt it into the novel and send Tom chapters. And it was a great partnership. It worked great. This sounds great. This doesn't. This work on this. I'm sorry.
And then I'd adapt it into the novel and send Tom chapters. And it was a great partnership. It worked great. This sounds great. This doesn't. This work on this. I'm sorry.
Yeah, it's a great question. And the answer to it is both. as far as me as an author is concerned, you know, there's 12 authors. There might be 12 different ways they approach it.
Yeah, it's a great question. And the answer to it is both. as far as me as an author is concerned, you know, there's 12 authors. There might be 12 different ways they approach it.
Yeah, it's a great question. And the answer to it is both. as far as me as an author is concerned, you know, there's 12 authors. There might be 12 different ways they approach it.
So I'll outline a book and have a general idea of where I want it to go. And I like to have, a beginning and an end in the outline. So I know what the ending's going to be. And then you start writing the book and you literally get to know the characters better. And they take you places that you didn't think you'd go. And people ask me all the time, well, how is that possible? You're writing it.
So I'll outline a book and have a general idea of where I want it to go. And I like to have, a beginning and an end in the outline. So I know what the ending's going to be. And then you start writing the book and you literally get to know the characters better. And they take you places that you didn't think you'd go. And people ask me all the time, well, how is that possible? You're writing it.
So I'll outline a book and have a general idea of where I want it to go. And I like to have, a beginning and an end in the outline. So I know what the ending's going to be. And then you start writing the book and you literally get to know the characters better. And they take you places that you didn't think you'd go. And people ask me all the time, well, how is that possible? You're writing it.
It is. It'll take turns that you weren't thinking about or you get to a certain point in the book and You know, like I'll write, you know, 2,500 words, come back the next day and erase all of it. Or I'll come back the next day and read it and the hair on my arm stands up because I think it's good. So, yeah, I mean, this book, the ending changed completely about halfway through the book.
It is. It'll take turns that you weren't thinking about or you get to a certain point in the book and You know, like I'll write, you know, 2,500 words, come back the next day and erase all of it. Or I'll come back the next day and read it and the hair on my arm stands up because I think it's good. So, yeah, I mean, this book, the ending changed completely about halfway through the book.
It is. It'll take turns that you weren't thinking about or you get to a certain point in the book and You know, like I'll write, you know, 2,500 words, come back the next day and erase all of it. Or I'll come back the next day and read it and the hair on my arm stands up because I think it's good. So, yeah, I mean, this book, the ending changed completely about halfway through the book.
Yeah, I had an interesting trip. The last part of this book, the main character, Declan, becomes an FBI agent. And I got in touch with the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and put in an application for me and Tom to get a tour there. Because if I'm going to write about a former SEAL that joins the FBI, you know, it's got to be legit. And normally they wouldn't do that.
Yeah, I had an interesting trip. The last part of this book, the main character, Declan, becomes an FBI agent. And I got in touch with the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and put in an application for me and Tom to get a tour there. Because if I'm going to write about a former SEAL that joins the FBI, you know, it's got to be legit. And normally they wouldn't do that.
Yeah, I had an interesting trip. The last part of this book, the main character, Declan, becomes an FBI agent. And I got in touch with the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and put in an application for me and Tom to get a tour there. Because if I'm going to write about a former SEAL that joins the FBI, you know, it's got to be legit. And normally they wouldn't do that.
And because Tom was associated with that, they granted us this tour. And it turns out that there's a section of the FBI training academy at Quantico. That's called Hogan's Alley. Oh, I know what you're talking about. Okay. And the guy that runs Hogan's Alley is a former SEAL. Oh, no kidding. John Lauer. I don't know him or that name, but that doesn't surprise me though either. Yeah.