In this episode of Authors Who Lead, I sit down with Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, the powerhouse writing duo behind the riveting thriller Dark Rising. Both veterans with storied pasts—Brian, a former submarine officer with business acumen, and Jeffrey, a trauma surgeon and Navy veteran—found common ground far from the battlefield: at a thriller writing conference.

Their partnership, as Jeffrey jokes, was born of “stalking” at the International Thriller Writers’ ThrillerFest, where their shared backgrounds and values—family, faith, and service—formed a natural foundation for creative collaboration. But it wasn’t instant coauthoring. As Jeffrey explains, “Once we decided that we were gonna do this thing, we went into it knowing we're either gonna become better friends or destroy this friendship forever. Let's see." Thankfully, the outcome was a deeper bond and a writing team that has delivered years of explosive storytelling.

Timestamp:

00:00 Teamwork in writing: military ethos
05:05 Balancing writing with distractions
09:39 Inspiration cycles for writers
13:14 Embracing pantser writing surprises
14:23 Characters’ voices shape the story
17:11 Curiosity and predictability in writing
21:46 Teaching writing to nonfiction leaders
26:19 Embrace imperfection in writing
27:52 Antagonist’s two-week mission
33:01 Balancing passion and obligations
36:33 Supporting veterans in new ventures
38:49 Principled characters in chaotic times
40:43 Honoring unsung heroes through fiction

Full show notes

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Inside the World of Jack Ryan’s Newest Writers | Andrews & Wilson on Co-Writing, Thrillers & Dark Rising