These days, book tours involve a combination of in-person events, radio segments, and one of my favorite forms of media, podcast interviews. In case you missed these conversations during the weeks when I was promoting the book, here are a few links to get you up to speed on the current state of Mitch Rapp and how Oath of Loyalty came into being. Enjoy!
Video Interviews
The Crew Reviews
“Holy cow!”
“The pacing was phenomenal!”
“I read this faster than anything I’ve read this entire year!”
Who wouldn’t want to spend an hour with such nice guys? Since the Crew are writers too, we also talked a bit about the craft of writing. Character point of view, for instance. In Oath of Loyalty, I went out on a limb and retold the ending of the last book but from Mitch’s perspective. We also chatted about pacing and how to ensure there’s enough conflict to push the story forward. But the best is when the guys pointed out that I did the thing editors say should NEVER be done in a book. Yeah, I went there.
Hugh Hewitt Show
Hugh told me that the hardest thing to do when we talk is to not give away any spoilers, and I think we managed. “Legion is a pretty doggone good villain… It’s so well thought out. The whole backstory….” It was fun to talk about the genesis of what might be the most formidable enemy Mitch has ever faced.
The Professional Noticer
Andy Andrews posed a question I’ve never been asked before: Does fiction have to be more true than nonfiction? Find out about this, the philosophy behind writing Mitch Rapp, and more in this new-to-me podcast.
Break It Down Show
It was great to sit down with Pete Turner, an engaging counterintelligence specialist, to once again talk Mitch, writing, and politics. With his focus on operations, he always comes up with unusual and intriguing questions. But he also wanted to know what Mitch thinks of the world we live in today and will there ever be a spin-off featuring some of the other fascinating characters from the Rappverse?
The Poisoned Pen
Barbara Peters’ famous bookstore is a favorite spot for readers to rub shoulders with authors while picking up the latest bestsellers. The always entertaining Don Bentley joined us for this conversation to compare notes on legacy writing and challenges we both face when writing in someone else’s world. Of course, we also talked a lot about Oath of Loyalty, sacrosanct characters, and Don’s favorite “Mitch Moment” in the book.
Larry O’Connor Book Club
A longtime fan of the series, Larry O’Connor’s depth of knowledge always results in a rich conversation about characters, plot, and motivations. In Oath of Loyalty he really liked what he called the “rogue all-star group of villains,” and said he’s intrigued by Claudia’s circle of frenemies. For me, Mitch’s partner is a writer’s dream because her closet is full of nearly as many skeletons as Mitch’s and she has contacts in the lowest of places. With her I don’t have the parameters I’m bound to with Mitch and, therefore, anything goes.
Freddy's Huge ASK Podcast
“You danced the line rather gracefully when you’re talking about America imploding from within,” Freddy Cruz said during our chat. While our country’s internal problems are perhaps dangerous ground for a novelist, they’re too intriguing not to explore. What appealed most to me is thinking about how I would bring down democracy if I were president. A criminal at heart, I now have my playbook.
Audio Interviews
No Limits: The Mitch Rapp Podcast
Hosts Chris and Mike like to go deep into the series, scrutinizing motives, parsing dialogue, and deconstructing characters. This attention to detail makes for good discussions and unique perspectives.
One of my favorite moments of this SPOILER-PACKED interview is when Mike says, “This is your Consent to Kill,” the book widely regarded as Vince’s best. If you like the sort of analysis you’d find among friends at a book club, definitely give this podcast a try.
KOGO At Night With Mark Larson
“It’s scaring the daylights out of me,” Mark said.
I think that’s what Vince did so well, right? He wrote about the threats on the horizon. The ones that you wouldn’t be surprised to see in the newspaper the following day.
We talked about what’s happening in the US right now. Are the things we’re fighting about as important as we think they are? Or is fighting the goal?
Bumper to Bumper with Dan Barreiro
I always kick off my tours in Minneapolis and part of that tradition includes an interview with Dan Barreiro on his afternoon drive-time show. Dan was a close friend of Vince’s and he’s one of my favorite stops when making my promotional rounds. If you don’t live in the Twin Cities area, you can catch the interview here at the 1:10 mark.
The Bruce Ciskie Show
“Highly recommended!” is always my favorite way to start off an interview. This year Bruce was curious about Mitch’s new challenge: dealing with a president who hates him. Leaders in the past were about helping their country but Anthony Cook is rotten to the core. We also talk a bit about what’s next for Mitch.
Author Stories Podcast
Hank Garner and I didn’t have a chance to chat last year so in this episode, we discuss both Enemy at the Gates and Oath of Loyalty—something that worked well because it’s really just one long story arc. We talked about a lot of things including where I get ideas, George Orwell’s brilliance, and how the further you get from yourself, the harder it is to inhabit a character you’re writing.
The Self Defense Channel
“I think this is going to be a great screenplay,” Greg Pasden told me before we jumped into a discussion about betrayal at the highest level, writing action scenes, and the bad actors in Oath of Loyalty. This is an episode full of SPOILERS so if you haven’t read the book yet, bookmark it until you do.
Print Interviews and Reviews
The Real Book Spy
I always look forward to seeing what the Real Book Spy has to say about my new release each year. “Mitch Rapp is still the genre’s most badass character, and as long as Mills is on board, that doesn’t appear likely to change anytime soon,” he said as he wrapped up his thoughts. That was just what I was hoping to hear.
Elise Cooper
I caught up with Elise Cooper once again to discuss Rapp and the changing universe he inhabits in Crimespree Magazine, MysteryandSuspense.com, Alternative-Read, Avonna Loves Genres, and Military Press.
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