“Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid of standing still.” – Chinese Proverb
When A. Marc Ross in college, he made a deal with his dad so that he could spend a couple of summers writing. He’d spend half a day writing and half a day working around the house. By the end of the deal he realized that he wasn’t ready to match the literary giants of the time.
So he went to law school. After a successful career as an international lawyer, Marc was ready to circle back to that dream of writing. He’s now published two thrillers with two more on the way.
I love Marc’s story because it reassures me that it’s never too late to pursue our lifelong dreams. It also reminds me that our experience along the way is helpful. In his book, Attacking the Dragon, Marc’s knowledge of China gained from his work as an international lawyer is part of what makes the action and intrigue so compelling.
My co-host Vicki Atkinson and I had a fascinating conversation with Marc on the How to Share podcast about his fabulous geopolitical thriller and his journey as a writer. We celebrate the art of reinvention—exploring how accomplished professionals like Marc transform their expertise into page-turning fiction and embark on a thrilling second act as authors. We get to hear firsthand how Marc turned his lifelong dream of writing novels into reality, overcoming challenges along the way.
This episode is packed with intrigue, inspiration, and actionable insights for anyone looking to excel not just in one career, but two! Don’t miss your chance to meet Marc Ross and fall in love with Attacking the Dragon—a must-read for fans of international suspense and powerful storytelling
Takeaways:
- Marc Ross’s book ‘Attacking the Dragon’ explores China’s geopolitical landscape.
- The Belt and Road Initiative is a significant yet under-discussed topic.
- Ross aims to portray China as a victim rather than an aggressor in his narrative.
- His legal background provides a unique perspective on the thriller genre.
- Character names in Chinese culture are complex but manageable for storytelling.
- Ross’s writing journey reflects a long-held dream to become an author.
- He emphasizes the importance of creating unique protagonists in thrillers.
- The art of storytelling involves engaging readers through vivid descriptions.
- Ross enjoys the process of writing and values reader feedback. His experiences as a lawyer enrich his fictional narratives.
Here’s a short clip of Marc giving the elevator pitch for this great book:
Here are some ways you can watch this compelling and inspiring episode:
- The podcast player embedded below
- Click this link to watch in a browser: How to Share: International Lawyer to Thriller Writer
- Subscribe to How To Share on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts
- Subscribing to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@howtosharepodcast
Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.
Links for this episode:
How To Share: From International Lawyer to Thriller Writer transcript
A. Marc Ross’s website: https://www.amarcross.com/index.html
Attacking the Dragon on Barnes & Noble and Amazon
From the hosts:
Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/
My book about my beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith
(featured photo from Pexels)
Surprised By Joy 
This…this…this! Such a fab conversation, Wynne! I loved reading “Attacking the Dragon” and the chat with Marc was amazing. So many insights into his craft…what a storyteller! ❤️😉❤️
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I totally agree – such a fun conversation!! Thank you, my dear friend!
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🥰❤️🥰
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Sounds very interesting!
And no, it’s never to late in most situations to revisit one’s dreams from one’s youth. Our life experiences bring so much to whatever activity we choose to involve ourselves in, and even if it doesn’t work out that it becomes a new career, it can at least bring a lot of enjoyment and depth to one’s life.
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Enjoyment and depth — yes, well said, Tamara! Never too late!
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Kudos to Marc for his books and second career. I think the belt and road initiative has helped China become a benevolent superpower. We could learn from them instead of our aggressive approach to geopolitics.
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What a great point, Brad. Right – I thought we knew that but recent history says otherwise.
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I love hearing stories like this, of finally living your dreams. It gives me hope!
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I know – it’s inspiring, isn’t it?
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I look forward to listening! You reminded me of a quote by C.S. Lewis, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Thank you for the encouragement, Wynne and Marc!
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Love that quote. So good! Thank you, Dana!
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What a great elevator pitch and enticing story which is sure to be a great read!!! Congratulations to Marc!
Love it, Wynne!!! XX
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This is so good, “The art of storytelling involves engaging readers through vivid descriptions.” While reading I love to close my eyes and let the description paint the picture in my mind’s eye!
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I like suspense and thriller books, and with vivid descriptions, Marc’s book would be a top-notch. I’m intrigued by its narrative influence of his work as a lawyer.
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Congratulations to Marc for getting back to his dreams of writing. I admire anyone willing to return to something they once abandoned.
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Wonderful conversation, Wynne and Vicki. International thrillers are a great genre and it’s always intriguing when the author has lived experience in the game and brings those relationships and travels into their world building.
As someone who’s Chinese and has family in that part of the world, it’s fascinating to see China emerge as a world leader and also concerning to see the growing tensions between China and the US – definitely a potential next war-like situation which I hope does not come to fruition. There’s so much the East and the West can learn from each other. But I know that’s not how politics and economics work unfortunately!
I love what Marc said about mutual enjoyment about writing. That does sound like the best part of writing and being a writer!
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Oooo, I would love to be a fly on the wall to watch the games translators play – that’s a fascinating concept! But seriously, I like that Ross has always wanted to write, and even with an entirely different career, he felt the pull to try again. He’s the real deal. He’s picked a strong topic (China) and then made it a thriller – that’s a potent combination. Thanks for allowing us to take a peek into Marc’s fictional world.
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Marc’s story certainly reminds us once again our story is never complete until it ends…so keep on writing it…and in his case that is exactly what he did. Timely subject matter for his book as well.
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