Hi, I’m Stan.
I’m an author, Marine veteran, and podcast host. I’ve written more than a dozen books — mostly thrillers, mysteries, war stories, and Westerns — and somewhere along the way, readers have bought more than 70,000 copies of them.
These days, I also spend a lot of time behind a microphone, talking about politics, war, national security, faith, and whatever else seems worth talking about.
But it’s been a fairly strange road getting here.
I’ve pretty much always been a writer
I wrote my first real story when I was nine years old. It was more than 20 pages long and told the story of four young Native American men fighting against encroaching white settlers after their village chief signed an unfair peace treaty.
Apparently, even at nine, I wasn’t interested in writing anything simple.
Years later, after leaving the Marine Corps, I headed to college convinced I should major in English literature because I wanted to become a better novelist.
There was one problem.
I discovered I didn’t particularly like most literature.
I still loved Steinbeck and Hemingway, but I eventually found my way into journalism at the University of Tennessee. That turned out to fit me much better. I earned the Kelly Leiter Scholarship for academic excellence and professional promise and then spent more than a decade in journalism.
For nearly ten years, I owned a weekly newspaper.
It was thrilling, exciting, and terrifying, all at the same time.
All the while, I kept writing fiction at night.
In 2012, I finally left journalism to pursue writing more seriously. My breakout novel, Sold Out, introduced readers to retired Marine sniper Nick Woods. Its success eventually led to a multi-book deal with Audible.
Since then, I’ve written more than a dozen books and sold more than 70,000 copies.
And I’m still writing.
Before all of that, I was a Marine
I joined the Marine Corps in 1995 and insisted on going infantry. In fact, I nearly joined the Army when the Marine recruiter told me there weren’t any infantry slots available.
Thankfully, one opened up.
After boot camp at Parris Island, I served with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines.
During my time in the Corps, I was selected as Marine of the Quarter for the 2nd Marine Division, graduated as the Honor Graduate from Corporal’s Course, and made Sergeant in less than four years.
I also earned the Combat Action Ribbon during Operation Silver Wake in Albania in 1997, when our unit helped evacuate hundreds of civilians during the unrest there.
I eventually served six years in the Marine Corps.
Being an infantry Marine was thrilling, exciting, and terrifying, all at the same time.
Sound familiar?
If you want the longer version — including more about my deployments, training, and military career — I’ve written about it in much greater detail.
[Read about my military career →]
Somewhere along the way, I bought a microphone
Today I host The Stan R. Mitchell Show, where I talk about politics, the military, national security, war, and world events.
My goal is pretty simple:
Military and world events — explained clearly, without the outrage.
I spent six years in the Marine Corps and more than a decade in journalism, and I try to bring both of those experiences to the show.
I also believe good people exist on both sides of our political divide. We ought to be able to disagree without hating each other. And I think our country desperately needs more people willing to talk about difficult issues without constantly screaming at one another.
That’s what I try to do every week.
[Listen to The Stan R. Mitchell Show →]
Faith has become a big part of my story, too
I grew up as the son of a deacon in a small Missionary Baptist church.
Later, after being deeply wounded by the church, I walked away. I spent years questioning Christianity and exploring other beliefs.
Eventually, I found my way back.
My faith journey restarted in late 2022, and Christianity has become an increasingly important part of my life and work.
That journey led me to create The Search for God, a podcast about faith, doubt, the Bible, and what it actually means to follow Christ in the real world.
I certainly don’t pretend to have everything figured out. In some ways, that’s the entire point of the show.
If you’re wrestling with some of the same questions, you’re welcome to come along.
[Explore The Search for God →]
And if you’re interested in Christianity but have absolutely no idea where to begin, I’ve also put together a simple place to help you start reading the Bible.
A few other things about me
I am an extremely picky reader.
I hate slow books. I want something to happen. Preferably soon.
Some of the writers who have influenced me most are Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Robert B. Parker, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck. If you like Clancy, Flynn, or Parker, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find something you enjoy in my fiction.
I’m also a longtime martial arts guy. I’ve studied and trained in several styles over the years, including Shotokan Karate, Wing Chun, Shaolin Kung Fu, Isshin-Ryu Karate, and others. I lift weights, read far too many books about subjects that have absolutely nothing to do with one another, and remain fascinated by military history, leadership, courage, and why people do the things they do.
Those subjects tend to find their way into just about everything I create.
Books. Podcasts. Essays. Even the occasional story about somebody who did something courageous when it mattered.
Maybe that’s the thread connecting all of it.
I’m interested in people under pressure — what they believe, what they’re willing to fight for, and who they become when life gets hard.
And, yes, I still believe writers are crazy.
I’m probably crazier than most.
Official Bio
Stan R. Mitchell is an author, Marine veteran, former journalist, and host of The Stan R. Mitchell Show.
He served six years in the United States Marine Corps, including with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, and earned the Combat Action Ribbon during Operation Silver Wake in Albania. He was also selected as Marine of the Quarter for the 2nd Marine Division and attained the rank of Sergeant.
After leaving the Marines, Mitchell studied journalism at the University of Tennessee and spent more than a decade in the field, including nearly ten years as the owner of a weekly newspaper.
He later left journalism to concentrate on writing fiction. Mitchell has written more than a dozen books, including the Nick Woods military thriller series, with more than 70,000 copies sold.
Today, in addition to writing fiction, he hosts The Stan R. Mitchell Show, covering military and world events, politics, national security, and faith.
He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.
One last thing
A lot of what I write and talk about comes back to courage, character, and the people who shape us.
My Dad was one of those people for me.
When he died, I tried to put into words what he meant to me and how much of the man I became was built on the foundation he gave me.
[I stand on the shoulders of a giant — my eulogy to my Dad →]
