Course of Action

Welcome to Episode 101 of the Course of Action Podcast. Today, we welcome Ryan Steck, also known as The Real Book Spy to the show. Ryan is a bestselling author of the Matthew Redd series, including his newest book that drops on June 3rd called "Out for Blood". Listen in as Ryan drops some serious knowledge about the publishing industry, writing, finding an agent, and much more. Ryan's Matthew Redd...

Welcome to episode 100 of Course of Action. This episode is incredibly special, not just because of the Memorial Day release, but because it's also the 40th Anniversary of the legendary book by Tom Clancy, "The Hunt For Red October", a book that started the techno-thriller craze. Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson, already legendary authors in their own right, were tapped to write the next several Jack...

Welcome to episode 99 of Course of Action. Today, our guest is Michael Hearns, former South Florida police detective, narcotics expert, author, and Hollywood production advisor. Michael also writes as an author in the fiction genre, focusing on counter-narcotics crime stories with his main character of Cade Taylor. LIsten as Michael rehashes some of his career, including some great stories and an...

Welcome to Episode 98 of the Course of Action podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Jerome Preisler, a New York Times bestselling author and author of the new book, "First to Jump." Listen as Jerome shares his insights on publishing industry trends and his expertise in World War II history. Topic 1: Publishing Industry Trends The conversation begins with Jerome Preisler discussing the current t...

Welcome to Episode 97 of the Course of Action podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Dan Horgan, a former Air Force TACP and Director of Communications and Outreach for the Warrior Bonfire Program. Listen as Dan shares his insights on veteran transition, the Total Archery Challenge, archery equipment, and the Warrior Bonfire Program's support for Purple Heart recipients. Topic 1: Veteran Transit...

Welcome to Episode 96 of the Course of Action podcast! Today, we have a special guest, TR Hendricks, a former military intelligence officer and bestselling author. Listen along as TR shares his insights on debut author advice, survival tactics and strategy, his time in Iraq working intelligence, and writing his newest book, "The Infiltrator." Topic 1: Debut Author Advice and Writing Succ...

Welcome to Episode 95 of the podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Zach James, an Army veteran and military contractor turned author. Tune in as Zach shares his insights on writing horror books, world-building, deploying with special gear, and the Ukraine-Russia war. Topic 1: Writing Horror Books and World Building The conversation begins with an exploration of Zach James' journey as an aut...

Welcome to Episode 94 of the podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Pete Turner, a former Army combat spy, producer, and podcast host of the Break it Down Show. Join as Pete shares his insights on the Ground Truth Center, movie production, podcasting, and veterans issues. Topic 1: Ground Truth Center - Reducing Failures in US Foreign Policy The conversation begins with an exploration of the Grou...

Welcome to the Course of Action podcast! In this episode, we have special guests Brian Andrews, a former submarine officer, and Jeff Wilson, a former combat surgeon with an east-coast based SEAL Team, both of whom are award-winning and internationally best-selling authors of the Tier One Series, The Shepherds Series, The Sons of Valor Series, and the recent hit The Sandbox, as well as their newest...

Welcome to the Course of Action podcast! In this episode, we have a special guest, Adam Sikes, a former Marine and paramilitary operations officer for the CIA. Listen as Adam shares his experiences in covert operations, navigating the CIA book review board, and his journey as a fiction writer. Topic 1: The Underhanded - A Thrilling Fictional Account The conversation begins with an exploration of A...

Welcome to this bonus episode of the Course of Action podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Matt Gallagher, an author, veteran, and American journalist. Listen as Matt shares his insights on Ukraine, the current US political climate, journalism, his new book Daybreak, and the dynamics between global leaders. Topic 1: Ukraine - Geopolitical Dynamics and Challenges The conversation begins with an...

Welcome to episode 90 of the Course of Action podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Chatham Love, a former Marine, rocket scientist, and CEO of Gila Conceal, a new-age camouflage company that combines science and nature in their designs. LIsten as Chatham shares his expertise in camouflage design, insights into the Marine Corps, and his experiences in the world of rocket science. Topic 1: Desig...

Welcome to episode 89 of the Course of Action podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Gary Edgington, a renowned counterterrorism task force commander, thriller author, and 40-year law enforcement veteran. Gary Edgington, shares his experiences and insights into high-profile cases, overseas deployments, and fighting crime in Beverly Hills. Topic 1: The OJ Simpson Case The conversation begins with...

Welcome to the Course of Action Podcast. In this episode we have special guest, Sarah Adams, an award-winning targeter, global threat advisor, COO of the Ukraine NGO Coordination Network, and author of "Benghazi: Know They Enemy" The conversation begins with an exploration of the current state of global politics, including China, Taiwan, and the South China Sea, and the impacts on variou...

Welcome to episode 87 of our podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Mark Greaney, a #1 New York Times bestselling author known for his thrilling Gray Man Series, which was been picked up by Netflix and stars Ryan Gosling. Mark is a master storyteller who combines his deep knowledge of military and intelligence operations with gripping narratives. His Gray Man series is considered one of the best...

Welcome to episode 86 of the Course of Action podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Terrence McCauley, an award-winning and bestselling author known for his captivating westerns, crime novels, and his latest novella, "Chicago '63." Terrence McCauley is a talented author with a passion for storytelling and a deep understanding of the publishing industry. In this episode, Terrence shares insights...

Bestselling author Nick Petrie, author of the Peter Ash novels, joins today to talk about writing fiction, his research behind veterans issues and how that plays into his characters, and much more. His character, Peter Ash, a former US Marine, must follow his closest friend, Lewis, into the criminal underworld when secrets from the past threaten everything they hold dear in this propulsive new thr...

In episode 84 of the Course of Action Podcast, Terry Hayes, international bestselling fiction author, scriptwriter, movie producer, and author of I Am Pilgrim and the brand new, certain to be a bestseller, The Year of the Locust, joins the show to talk about his decade-long absence from the thriller world, how he got back into writing, and what he's been doing all this time! Terry is widely known...

FX Regan, retired FBI agent, law enforcement officer, and private investigator joins the show to talk about his career, his writing, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702.His newest book, Rosalyn Station is out soon and is an absolute thrill ride. FX uses his time in the FBI, law enforcement, and as a private investigator to fuel his stories and paint a unique and cinema...

USA Today bestselling author Robert Swartwood joins the show to talk about his newest hit, "The Killing Room". Robert has published several fiction books including "The Serial Killer's Wife", "Legion", and "Man of Wax", as well as multiple novellas and collections of stories. "The Killing Room" on Audible crushed it and surpassed "The Fourth Wing" recently, and we kick off this episode with a cele...

Former Spy and body language expert Gavin Stone joins to talk his lengthy intelligence career, breaking into buildings as a professional security expert, and the importance of body language. Gavin is also the author of How to Tell If Someone is lying, a critical must-read for those wanting to get a better understanding of human communication. Find more about Gavin Stone here: https://www.amazon.co...

Anthony Anderson, bearded hooligan, razor hater, and Army veteran joins the show! Anthony is the owner of LiT Beard CO, the best beard products company on the planet. He specializes in making good beards look GREAT! And hates razors! Anthony also walked across the country, a journey documented on Amazon Prime's "Almost Sunrise" documentary. In 2023, LiT Beard Co made it a goal to fill 10,000 order...

Brian Nelson, Fullbright Scholar and creative writer joins to talk his futuristic "Course of Empire" Series, global politics, and the future of artificial intelligence. His newest book, THE GREAT UNMAKING, is a propulsive, mind-expanding thriller—and the world-shaking conclusion to the Course of Empire trilogy—about bold scientific dreams turning into nightmares … or perhaps new beginnings … Find...

Rising star Claire Isenthal stops by on this episode to talk about her new, bestselling book, RISING ORDER. A Native to Chicago, Claire graduated from Purdue and worked in Digital Marketing for over 10 years before she released RISING ORDER. Hailed as the "debut of the year" by The Real Book Spy Ryan Steck, Isenthal tells riveting new thriller that mixes unforgettable characters with a chilling, m...

For this episode we are honored to have #1 New York Times Best-Selling author, and legend in the thriller genre, Brad Thor visit. Brad is considered one of the best to ever do it, with his name often being mentioned alongside Clancy, Cussler, Flynn, & Crichton, and many other legends. It's no dispute that he's on top of his game 23 books later. His newest book, Dead Fall, sees his protagonist Scot...