Episode Description
M.P. Woodward, a former Navy Intelligence Officer turned Best-Selling novelist, explains how his career moving between operational teams and strategic work shaped his storytelling instincts. After two decades in the tech industry, including Amazon Prime Video, he returned to writing and quickly built momentum with THE HANDLER, Tom Clancy “legacy” novels, and now a major collaboration with Jack Carr, with the book, THE FOURTH OPTION.
Chris Walker, the main character in the new thriller, is a modern “stranger comes to town” hero. Woodward frames Walker as a veteran with heavy Afghanistan baggage and an unusually intellectual edge, shaped by serious philosophy training and an unfinished doctorate. That lens matters because perception becomes reality for Walker, twisting him into knots until a call from the widow of a former teammate pulls him toward one last job that becomes mission and purpose. The setup moves from the Pacific Northwest’s wild coast to New Orleans, blending Western DNA with contemporary CIA, SEAL, and Ground Branch influences.
Research drives the book’s sense of place, especially in New Orleans. Woodward describes traveling to the city, staying near locations that appear in the story, and walking the neighborhoods to capture street-level detail. He highlights how history “comes alive” there, from the Battle of New Orleans and Andrew Jackson to the city’s layered culture, while also emphasizing the lasting impact of Hurricane Katrina. Visiting the Ninth Ward and hearing survival lessons like keeping an axe in the attic adds hard-earned realism that fiction can’t fake. He also notes modern security changes and how public trauma reshapes daily life, giving a believable stage for crime, corruption, and the pressure points where villains exploit weakness.
The conversation also pulls back the curtain on professional co-authoring and why collaboration can elevate a series foundation. Woodward explains how a Carr “mood board” evolved into structure: spreadsheets for characters, visual casting to keep voices distinct, and iterative outlining with constant feedback so the story doesn’t drift. Carr’s operator expertise sharpened tactical set pieces, while Woodward leaned into introspection, motivation, and narrative cohesion so the book reads like one voice. For readers searching “Jack Carr new series,” “The Fourth Option Chris Walker,” or “best military thriller research,” the takeaway is clear: great action fiction is project management plus empathy, powered by sources, travel, and relentless revision.
THE FOURTH OPTION
Publication Date: May 12th
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To learn more about M.P. Woodward, visit:
MPWoodward.com
To learn more about the host, George Blitch, visit:
SonofaBlitch.com
IG: "thesonofablitch"