The Thriller Zone

The Gray Man's Journey: Mark Greaney on Writing, Research, and Realism


Listen Later

On today's 214th episode of The Thriller Zone with Dave Temple, we're diving deep into the thrilling world of writing with none other than Mark Greaney, the mastermind behind the Gray Man series, and his latest page-turner, "Midnight Black."

I'm so pleased that Mark carved out time for a fourth appearance on the Thriller Zone, and let me tell you, it’s a blast! As you can imagine, his new book Midnight Black, promises all the excitement and intrigue fans have come to love.

Mark opens up about how he balances the demands of writing with the realities of public appearances. You might think he spends all his time at book events, but he quickly sets the record straight—it’s just a tiny fraction of what he does!

Mark also shares some juicy tidbits about his characters, particularly the evolving relationship between Court Gentry and Zoya, which adds a sweet twist to the thrill of espionage. With a good dose of humor, we explore the importance of research in his writing process and how he strives to create a realistic world, even when the narrative takes wild turns.

If you’re a fan of thrillers, this episode is a treasure trove of insights, laughs, and maybe even a few tips on how to craft your own gripping stories!

So grab a snack, kick back, and let’s unravel the secrets behind the action-packed world of Mark Greaney's writing!

IF you're looking for a staring place to read Mark's books, may I suggest ordering MIDNIGHT BLACK HERE ... and if you love it as much as I bet you will, then start at the beginning and read all 14 of them!

Learn more at MarkGreaneyBooks.com and follow us at TheThrillerZone.com

Takeaways:

  • Mark Greaney emphasizes that public appearances are just a tiny fraction of his writing life, which consists predominantly of, you guessed it, writing!
  • The new book, Midnight Black, blends classic espionage vibes with modern pacing, and if that doesn't get your heart racing, what will?
  • Greaney describes his writing process as a chaotic mix of creativity and spontaneity, where he often starts with intriguing dialogue lines that could come from anywhere.
  • He believes that the best way to enhance writing skills is to focus on improving the quality of one's writing rather than getting caught up in publicity efforts.

Links referenced in this episode:

  • markgreaneybooks.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Today's episode of The Thriller Zone with Dave Temple has been sponsored by The Story Factory, an entertainment company representing many of the biggest fiction and non-fiction authors in the world.

THE STORY FACTORY

Today's episode of The Thriller Zone with Dave Temple is sponsored by The Story Factory, an entertainment company representing many of the biggest fiction and non-fiction authors in the world.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Thriller ZoneBy David Temple

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

29 ratings


More shows like The Thriller Zone

View all
The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan

The Joe Rogan Experience

221,206 Listeners

The MeatEater Podcast by MeatEater

The MeatEater Podcast

37,938 Listeners

Meet the Thriller Author (Author Interviews) by Alan Petersen

Meet the Thriller Author (Author Interviews)

34 Listeners

The Editors by National Review

The Editors

4,764 Listeners

WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk by Goalhanger

WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

1,180 Listeners

The Crew Reviews Podcast by Gnaw Bone Studios

The Crew Reviews Podcast

59 Listeners

Writers, Ink: Your backstage pass to the world's most prolific authors by J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle

Writers, Ink: Your backstage pass to the world's most prolific authors

52 Listeners

Shawn Ryan Show by Shawn Ryan

Shawn Ryan Show

41,136 Listeners

PBD Podcast by PBD Podcast

PBD Podcast

3,852 Listeners

Ruthless Podcast by Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook

Ruthless Podcast

5,688 Listeners

The Jack Carr Channel by Jack Carr

The Jack Carr Channel

2,883 Listeners

Spies, Lies and Private Eyes by Terrence McCauley

Spies, Lies and Private Eyes

5 Listeners

Dedicated with Doug Brunt by SiriusXM

Dedicated with Doug Brunt

598 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: US by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: US

1,953 Listeners

The Rest Is Classified by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Classified

776 Listeners