“The more that you understand your villain’s plan or your villain, what your villains want, the better your story is going to end up being.”
Welcome Mark Greaney:
We’re joined on the Starline by New York Times Bestselling author. Creator of the Gray Man series of books, You’ve seen his work on Netflix his latest thriller is “Sentinel”, we welcome Mark Greaney.
Mark, let’s go Beyond the Mic. Josh Duffy doesn’t look for trouble, but it seems to find him. What makes him such a great character to write?
You do extensive research before you write any book, stunt driving, firearms training and your stories are integrated into today’s events. As the world is changing faster and faster, have you almost created a situation that you thought would be “maybe too impossible for today” that almost came true?
What makes a great story?
The Rockin’ 8:
It’s time for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, answer with the first thing that comes to your mind. There is no Pressure.
1. Favorite non Tom Clancy book you’ve read?
2. Best thing about your three stepchildren?
3. What country that you have written about and visited would you never live in?
4. Best food you had in Ghana?
5. What do you do to cool off on a hot day?
6. One thing your wife will always challenge you about?
7. One thing your dad Ed taught you that you will pass on to your kids?
8. You met your wife Allison for dinner at Café 1912, do you remember what you had for dinner?
The Back Half:
My dad and I had the same tradition as you and your father, exchanging Tom Clancy books. How did working with Clancy change the way you see yourself?
Why has writing help you become a better man?
What do you want to take away from the “Sentinel” series
As you are publicizing Sentinel, you have the latest Gray Man novel coming out in February, “Midnight Black”. Your first book took 15 years to write and you fell into every writers trap possible. How did those mistakes made writing easier today?
How many books do you have going on right now?
When you saw the Netflix version of The Gray Man what was your initial thoughts?
How was transforming from when you weren’t social, to the pandemic when none of us were social to finding your wife and having now an instant family change you?
One Big Question:
How do you see the world differently after meeting the men and undergoing the training you’ve experienced in writing all these books?
A Question From My Dad:
Mark, have you ever written something and then thought, “Clancy would kill me if I wrote it that way?”
The Wrap:
His step kids give him as much love as they can, sleeps when it gets too hot and wants you to read his book “Sentinel”. We thank Mark Greaney for taking the time to talk with us today.
And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut.
Listen to other Beyond the Mic Conversations with authors here.
Check out Mark at his website here.
