The Protectors® with Jason Piccolo

We talk with Dirk Cussler about the real pressures behind writing adventure fiction, especially when you inherit a hero readers have loved for decades. We also dig into how history, shipwreck research, and real NUMA expeditions shape Obsidian Sky and the Dirk Pitt series.

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We sit down with SOF veteran and author Alex Dekker to talk about his debut novel Desert Heist and why it grabs us fast with real tradecraft, real history, and a protagonist you can’t stop following.

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We talk with the co-authors of Beyond Honor about breaking into the spy thriller world and nailing the details that readers love to fact-check. We dig into their research, their co-writing process, and the moral gray areas that drive their CIA characters past the point of easy choices.

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We talk with Todd Fox about what tour security and executive protection really demand, from detailed advances and site surveys to building global teams that can execute under pressure. We also dig into why backstage passes and “all-access” laminates can create the very risks they’re supposed to prevent, and what a smarter credentialing system looks like. You can find Todd's book at www.tourprotection.com

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We sit down with crime thriller author Peter James to talk about why research is the secret ingredient that makes a story feel real and why smart readers can spot shortcuts fast. Peter shares how a single burglary led to lifelong police friendships, the creation of Roy Grace, and the kind of access that changes how you write every scene.

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Jason Allison is a writer and former detective who spent twenty years with the NYPD. His award-winning fiction has appeared in journals and anthologies. THE KILLING YARDS is his first novel.

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We catch up with New York Times bestselling author Alma Katsu on her new novel, Incarnate, a modern reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray that explores AI, identity, beauty, and the darker side of our digital lives. We also talk about her path from a 30+ year career in intelligence at the CIA and NSA to becoming an award-winning author, and how that experience shapes the stories she tells.

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We catch up with Jack Stewart on the leap from Navy fighter pilot to high-output thriller author and what it takes to earn a seat in the Tom Clancy universe.

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We catch up with indie author Eric Bishop on how he's built a growing thriller catalog — nearly 10 books deep — while working a full-time job and doing everything himself. We talk the real tipping point that got The Body Man written, why he chose the indie route over traditional publishing, the writing routine (or lack of one) that keeps him producing, and his new release, Downfall. Along the way we get into live music, bucket-list concerts, and the advice he'd give anyone thinking about writing their own book.

Link to DOWNFALL https://a.co/d/05zPn7JO

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We catch up with director William Kaufman on how he keeps his action films grounded in real tactics while still making audiences care about the people on screen. We talk New Orleans as a home base, Man Of War as his latest swing, and the teams and habits that make lower budget filmmaking hit like a bigger box office movie.

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We sit down with our friend Garrett to talk through a real 24-year CIA career and why it looks nothing like the movie version people expect. We also unpack what happens after retirement and how intelligence tradecraft can translate into business intelligence, networking, and travel security.

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We talk with Ward about moving from A-10 fighter pilot life to airline flying and then into a full-time career as a thriller author. We dig into what it takes to write authentic military fiction and how he handles the pressure of writing in the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan universe.

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We catch up with Doug Brunt on the leap from cybersecurity CEO to full-time author and the surprising pressures that come with building a second-act career. We also dig into his research-driven storytelling on Emmanuel Nobel and how power can erase people from history.

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The ticking clock. The pressure to keep sprinting like you're 30. The moment you realize your resume isn't your identity. Brad and I get into all of it — legacy as parents, discipline that shifts from external rules to internal standards, and what it actually means to build a creative career that depends on self-direction.

We also get honest about fitness after 50: staying consistent, adapting, and respecting recovery when old injuries stop bouncing back overnight.

Plus — what younger people are chasing that deserves a warning label, the hardest parts of raising kids when you've seen what the world can do, and a practical reset for anyone who feels stuck but not broken: protect time for something that's only yours, no audience required.

We wrap with Japan travel picks for teenagers and a deep tease of Brad's new Pike Logan thriller, Shadow Strike.

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We dig into Royal Diamonds, the real mechanics of self-publishing, and what it takes to build a writing career from scratch.

Jack's a retired Army colonel who treats writing like discipline — wide reading (Clancy, Griffin, Cussler, Carr, Taylor), professional editing, repeatable process. Then we open the hood on indie publishing as a business: LLCs, cover design, Amazon, marketing. Writing the book is one part. The rest is operations.

The story: Jake Steed, former Marine with an Oxford PhD, chasing a family piracy legend across the Caribbean. A British royal hunting a blood diamond. Enemies everywhere. Pure action-adventure — with an audiobook narrated by Tucker Smith on the way.

Building a second career or planning life after the uniform? This one's for you.

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After 536 conversations on Protectors, one thing keeps showing up: every guest has a moment where life demands a pivot. Not always a catastrophe, not always a dramatic turning point — but a real shift where career, identity, or purpose has to change direction.

We're still bringing incredible guests, still keeping it human, but we're done glossing over the most meaningful part of the story. We dig into how people recognize the moment, what they do when certainty disappears, and how they build the next chapter — whether that's a military-to-civilian shift, a leadership change, a mental health struggle, or a recovery journey. No politics. Just practical lessons and real-world resilience.

You'll also keep hearing from authors who've pivoted into writing — shorter, straight-to-the-point conversations covering who they are, the book, and how they got there.

Main guest conversations drop bi-weekly. We want your input on who to bring on and what to ask — follow @DrJasonPiccolo on IG and send suggestions. Then subscribe, share, and leave a review so these pivot stories reach the people who need them most.

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Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo

Support the show

Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo

• The powerful impact of peer pressure in drinking culture, especially among first responders
• How alcohol addiction can become intertwined with personal identity and social connection
• The physiological effects of alcohol consumption including weight gain, poor sleep, and depression
• Nick's journey from losing his police career due to drinking to becoming a licensed mental health professional
• Frank's experience maintaining sobriety while still serving as an active NYPD officer
• The challenges of red flag laws and how seeking help can sometimes create professional consequences
• Different paths to recovery including AA, therapy, fitness, and personalized approaches
• The transformative benefits of sobriety including improved physical health, better relationships, and being present as fathers

If you're struggling with alcohol or substance use, remember you're not alone. Reach out to Reps for Responders or visit a local AA meeting. There are multiple pathways to recovery, and finding the right support system can change your life.

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Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo

Tom Young joins the Protectors podcast to discuss his ninth novel and third World War II standalone work, "The Mapmaker," which explores the dangerous operations of the French Resistance.

• The novel follows Charlotte Deneau, a French-American woman who uses her artistic skills to create maps of German positions for the Resistance
• Charlotte becomes hunted by the Gestapo for her exceptional mapping abilities
• The second protagonist is Philippe Girard, a French pilot flying dangerous moonlight missions for the RAF's special operations squadron
• Philippe must locate and extract Charlotte from occupied France while determining if intelligence is reliable or a Nazi trap
• Tom draws inspiration from real-life resistance figures like Virginia Hall and Violette Sabo
• Tom describes his writing process as "by the seat of his pants" rather than outlining extensively
• Writing daily with a goal of 500-1000 words helps maintain progress on long-term writing projects
• Tom's writing career began unexpectedly during an aircraft emergency layover in South Korea
• Research for historical fiction includes nonfiction books and WWII training films on YouTube
• Tom's next potential novel may explore the little-known story of Jewish teenagers who escaped Germany to Virginia before joining the US military
• Advice for aspiring writers: attend conferences, network with the writing community, and remember it's normal for first drafts to need improvement

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We often limit ourselves by age, thinking our best contributions are behind us, but life offers multiple opportunities for reinvention regardless of your current age or stage.

• Different versions of ourselves emerge throughout life's journey – from career phases to parenthood to retirement
• Finding your "why" creates the foundation for discipline when motivation inevitably fades
• Consistency matters more than intensity when building new habits or pursuing new paths
• The transition from high-adrenaline careers requires having a clear purpose ready for the next chapter
• Shifting from "I have to" to "I get to" transforms obligations into opportunities
• Physical fitness serves as both literal and metaphorical preparation for life's challenges
• Taking care of others provides powerful motivation beyond personal achievement
• Preparation before major life transitions prevents destructive mindsets and behaviors
• Success in one area often indicates how you'll approach challenges in completely different domains
• The discipline to show up, especially on days you don't want to, separates those who thrive from those who merely survive

Whatever season of life you're in, remember that your story isn't over – it's just entering a new chapter that requires the right mindset and consistent action.

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Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo