Ward Larsen: From fighter pilot to writing for Jack Ryan

Ward Larsen flew combat missions and commercial jets—now he’s writing in one of the most iconic thriller universes ever created. In this episode, the New York Times bestselling author joins Jon Evans to talk about his first Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan novel, Rules of Engagement—and how his aviation background helped him bring something new to the series. Larsen shares the behind-the-scenes process of writing for the Clancy estate, the pressure of meeting a devoted fanbase’s expectations, and how he balances realism with readability when he puts readers in the cockpit. We also dive into his path from a first solo flight in a Cessna to flying 22 missions in Operation Desert Storm, then spending more than 30 years as a Southwest Airlines captain before retiring in 2026—plus where his thriller ideas come from, and why his writing style is more “seat-of-the-pants” than checklist-driven.