📖From the Gridiron to the Cold War: Ace Atkins & Everybody Wants to Rule the World

In this powerful and wide-ranging episode of Amazing Women and Men of Power, Raven the Talk Show Maven welcomes Ace Atkins—former Auburn football star, Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist, and best-selling novelist with more than 30 books to his name. From the cover of Sports Illustrated to the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame, Ace’s real-life journey is as gripping as his newest Cold War thriller, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, out now and already earning major critical praise. ✨In this episode, you’ll hear:How Ace’s early love for books shaped his lifelong passion for storytellingWhat it was like going from college football stardom to crime reportingWhy he refused to let naysayers derail his dream of becoming an authorThe inspiration behind Everybody Wants to Rule the World and its 1985 Atlanta settingHow Cold War tension, MTV culture, BMX bikes, and 80s pop icons shaped the novel’s worldWhy Ace blends humor with high-stakes espionage and dangerThe real-life roots behind unforgettable characters like Hatch and Jackie DemureHow Atlanta’s diverse underground culture helped inspire the storyHis thoughts on diversity, community, and what truly makes America strongWhy this novel is both a heart-pounding thriller and a powerful social statementThis episode is a masterclass in resilience, creative risk-taking, and the power of honoring truth, history, and humanity through fiction.