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Hey there word nerds!

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mike Maden.

Mike grew up working in the canneries, feed mills and slaughterhouses of California\\u2019s San Joaquin Valley. A lifelong fascination with history and warfare ultimately led to a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California at Davis with a focus on conflict and technology in international relations.

Like millions of others, he first became a Tom Clancy fan after reading The Hunt for Red October, and began his published fiction career in the same techno-thriller genre, starting with Drone and the sequels, Blue Warrior, Drone Command and Drone Threat. After spending over a decade in Dallas, Maden now lives in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.

Tom Clancy and his unforgettable characters have been a household name for as long as I can remember, and since 2017, Maden brought his ideal background and knowledge of war and tech to the family of Clancy co-authors and collaborators, beginning with Tom Clancy Point of Contact. His books have garnered plenty of attention and acclaim, and his fourth entry in this #1 NYT-bestselling series, titled Tom Clancy Firing Point, is out now.

Once again, Mike taps into his incredible background as an author and expert to hit the trifecta of what makes a great Clancy book: Tom\\u2019s terrific characters combined with edge-of-your-seat action scenes and the over-the-horizon foretelling about world events.

In this episode Mike and I discuss:

• How to create deeply flawed characters that readers still like
• Why figuring out the stakes can help you populate your story\\u2019s universe
• His outline process and how it balances creativity and structure

Plus, his #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/319