#98 - Ace Atkins: They said he could never be an author from Nothing Left Unsaid

#98 - Ace Atkins: They said he could never be an author

1 hour 12 minutes Posted Jan 14, 2026 at 10:00 am.

– “One of the worst students I ever had”1:14 – The manuscript that started it all3:33 – Football, discipline, and creative toughness10:36 – Journalism as training for fiction15:52 – Quitting a safe job to write novels24:50 – Creating Quinn Coulson and the modern South31:04 – Taking over Robert B. Parker’s Spenser40:17 – Writing Don’t Let the Devil Ride43:07 – New novel: Everybody Wants to Rule the World51:49 – Sustaining creativity after 30+ books59:48 – Faith, conviction, and skepticism1:02:00 – Family, honesty, and final reflections

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Show notes

From being told he would never be a novelist to writing more than 30 bestselling books, Ace Atkins shares the failures, mentors, and risks that shaped his career. A candid conversation about discipline, storytelling, faith, and why honest criticism matters more than praise.

CHAPTERS:

SPONSORS:

ElevenLabs: Thanks to ElevenLabs (⁠⁠https://elevenlabs.io⁠⁠) for supporting this episode and powering Tim’s voice.

SOCIAL:

Website: ⁠⁠https://nlupod.com/⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nlupod⁠⁠

PERSONAL:

Tackle ALS: ⁠⁠https://www.tackleals.com⁠⁠

Tim Green Books: ⁠⁠https://authortimgreen.com⁠⁠

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