From CIA to Novelist: David McCloskey & The Art of EspionageOn today’s 208th episode of The Thriller Zone, host David Temple welcomes back former CIA analyst and author David McCloskey to discuss his latest thriller, The Seventh Floor. The conversation explores the intersection of social media and author branding, the development of McCloskey's protagonist Artemis Proctor, and the balance between authenticity and storytelling in espionage thrillers. McCloskey shares insights into the challenges of writing a series and the evolving nature of his characters, emphasizing the importance of engaging narratives over strict adherence to realism. In this engaging conversation, David McCloskey also shares his insights on the writing process, emphasizing the importance of perseverance through creative challenges, the solitude of writing, and the discipline of daily word counts. Temple and McCloskey discuss the value of learning from established authors by copying their prose longhand and the necessity of reading one's work aloud to ensure clarity and flow. The conversation also touches on the craft of dialogue and the complexities of Middle Eastern policy, reflecting McCloskey's background and expertise, before ending with Temple’s signature Best Writing Advice.Learn more at: DavidMcCloskeyBooks.comKeywords: David McCloskey, The Seventh Floor, CIA, espionage, thriller, social media, character development, authenticity, writing challenges, author branding, writing, creativity, editing, discipline, authorship, dialogue, Middle East, storytelling, craft, literatureChapters:00:00 Introduction to David McCloskey and The Seventh Floor06:04 The Role of Social Media in Author Branding12:35 Character Development: Artemis Proctor's Journey18:48 Authenticity in Espionage Thrillers24:54 The Challenges of Writing a Series27:33 Overcoming Creative Obstacles30:33 The Loneliness of Writing34:05 Daily Writing Discipline37:39 Learning from Great Authors39:30 The Importance of Reading Aloud41:10 Crafting Dialogue and Prose42:55 Insights on Middle East PolicyBest Sound Bites:"You're just a great natural entertainer.""I need to throw it away and be done.""It's an imposter syndrome for sure.""The feed loop is a really long one.""Writing has really become about the editing.""Just write the effing story.""You should probably be spending time longhand copying.""Read your stuff out loud to yourself.""Give the reader some credit to use their own imagination.""It's always interesting to get back into that world.""We have a real case of main character syndrome."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqhSNxKuWBEMentioned in this episode:LIFE IN TWO COLUMNS: e/paper/audiobook