If you’ve spent any time around thriller readers lately, you’ve probably noticed a shift: the stories that hit hardest often feel uncomfortably possible. That’s exactly the terrain Nancy S. Thompson writes in, high-stakes suspense with political and geopolitical undercurrents, built around characters whose moral compass keeps colliding with reality.
With five published novels spanning traditionally published and independent paths, Nancy S. Thompson offers a rare, data-rich perspective on what it means to build a writing career later in life, adapt to shifting publishing models, and continue creating in a politically volatile world.
This interview is part of the WriteStats Author Interview Series, an ongoing research initiative studying the habits, motivations, and experiences of authors worldwide. Below, we explore Nancy S. Thompson’s journey, her books, and her unfiltered insights, largely in her own words.
Who Is Nancy S. Thompson?
Nancy S. Thompson is a U.S.-based thriller author best known for the Against Orders series, a set of geopolitical conspiracy thrillers published by Aethon Books. Her bibliography also includes romantic and suspense-driven works such as The Mistaken, Leverage, and the standalone Stirred.
Before becoming an author, Nancy S. Thompson spent 35 years as an architect and interior designer, a career she officially retired from in 2025. Writing, however, has remained a constant creative through line, one that evolved from personal catharsis into a professional, if complex, publishing journey.
As she shared with us, she does not rely on writing income to survive. Instead, books represent what she calls her “disposable income,” funding small luxuries while allowing creative freedom without commercial pressure.
Nancy S. Thompson Books: From The Mistaken to Against Orders
Nancy S. Thompson has published five novels across multiple genres:
The Against Orders Series (Geopolitical Conspiracy Thrillers)
- Against Orders (Book 1, 2024)
- Against Protocol (Book 2, 2025)
- Against Power (Book 3, forthcoming 2026)
The Mistaken Series (Romantic / Kidnapping Thrillers)
- The Mistaken
- Leverage
Standalone
Across these titles, Nancy consistently explores moral ambiguity, personal motivation, and systemic corruption, often reflecting real-world political anxieties without turning her fiction into direct commentary.
How She Became a Geopolitical Thriller Author
Unlike many authors who start young, Nancy S. Thompson began writing at 48 years old, a fact that stands out in our long-term WriteStats research.
“I started writing relatively late in life at the age of 48 after hearing a new song, Hurricane by Thirty Seconds to Mars.”
The lyrics sparked a central question that would shape her debut novel:
“What could make a truly good and decent man commit an unspeakable crime, and could he ever find redemption?”
That question, combined with a personal experience from her twenties, became the foundation for The Mistaken. Importantly, she didn’t write it with publication in mind.
“I didn’t write it expecting to publish, but once it was complete, I thought I might have something and commenced a year-long period of research into the publishing industry and writing genre fiction.”
Writing Geopolitical Thrillers Without Preaching
In our interview, Nancy S. Thompson emphasized that her early writing served as emotional release.
“At first, my writing was mostly about catharsis and getting thoughts out of my head that had manifested in the form of dreams and nightmares.”
Over time, global politics began to shape her work more directly.
“Later, the upheaval of the world’s political landscape led me to seek ways to cope with the realities of corruption and evil.”
Still, she is intentional about restraint.
“While there is no shortage of real-life examples to lean into, I steer away from preaching and allow my characters to affect, and be affected by, issues we all deal with every day.”
What Keeps Nancy S. Thompson Writing During Uncertain Times
Motivation, for Nancy S. Thompson, has shifted over time.
“At first, it was mostly to ease boredom when the Great Recession hit my design business hard.”
Eventually, enjoyment took over.
“Then I found I just really enjoyed it and loved the opportunity to be creative in a field other than design.”
More recently, writing has become something else entirely.
“Lately, it’s been more of a coping mechanism than anything else.”
She was also candid about the pressures of professional publishing.
“I don’t particularly like writing under contract. It’s been a whole ‘careful-what-you-wish-for’ scenario for me.”
The Thriller Writing Process: How Nancy Plans and Writes
Nancy S. Thompson describes herself as “old school.”
“I used to handwrite what I always thought were thorough outlines, but in reality were full first drafts.”
Her process evolved over time.
“These days I no longer do the handwritten first drafts… I’m no longer a pure planner but rather a hybrid planner/pantser.”
She currently writes in Microsoft Word, focusing heavily on character development.
She also reads approximately 15 books per year, aligning closely with the median reading range we see across mid-career authors in our dataset.
Traditional vs. Independent Publishing: A Candid View
Nancy S. Thompson’s publishing path includes both traditional and independent routes and not always by choice.
“My first book, The Mistaken, was traditionally published… then my publisher closed to submissions and eventually shuttered entirely.”
That experience reshaped her views.
“At that point, I vowed to never go the traditional route again.”
However, self-publishing brought its own challenges.
“Independent publishing is a bear to navigate, and I quickly came to loathe self-publishing and all it entailed.”
When Against Orders was finished, she tried again, and the outcome surprised her.
“One of the publishers immediately made me an offer.”
Today, Aethon Books publishes her geopolitical thrillers, a relationship she recommends to other writers.
Marketing Books as a Thriller Author: A Reality Check
When asked about her biggest challenge, Nancy S. Thompson didn’t hesitate.
“As an indie, my greatest challenge by far is marketing and promotion. Honestly, I hate it.”
She added:
“It’s ridiculously expensive and exhaustively time-consuming, especially for my genre (thrillers).”
As a traditionally published author, she relies heavily on her publisher’s efforts while still monitoring sales data and pricing strategies.
This aligns closely with our earlier WriteStats research showing that 40% of readers finish thriller books most often, underscoring why pacing, momentum, and narrative payoff matter so much in the genre.
Nancy S. Thompson on AI in Publishing
Her stance on AI is unequivocal.
“I am against using AI tools.”
She allows limited use for research only.
“I’ve only used AI to help with some research on the Cold War, Russia, and the KGB.”
But creative use is off the table.
“Would it be easier to ask Claude or Sudowrite to plot out my novels? Sure, but then it wouldn’t be my story.”
Looking Ahead: Against Power
Nancy S. Thompson is currently working on Against Power, the final book in the Against Orders series.
“It’s going much slower than all of my other titles… as it entails a great deal of research.”
Set across Cold War–era Germany and present-day Moscow, the novel will expand the series’ scope while deepening its moral core.
The Legacy Nancy S. Thompson Hopes to Leave
Her expectations are modest.
“I lack the necessary hubris to expect… my work will approach the greatness of my favorite authors.”
Yet, her goal is clear.
“Readers will be able to see some semblance of the existing political landscape and recognize it for what it was: chaos and corruption.”
That humility is telling. It also reinforces what makes Nancy S. Thompson’s answers so useful for writers reading this: she treats writing as craft, and success as something that happens inside constraints, not inside fantasies.
Key takeaways from the Nancy S. Thompson interview
- Starting late is not a disadvantage when curiosity is strong and research habits are real.
- Publishing paths are rarely linear, and even “traditional vs. indie” can become a forced choice, not a preference.
- Marketing is often the highest-friction component—especially in thrillers—so planning for it matters as much as planning the plot.
- Process evolves over time: “planner” and “pantser” are not lifelong identities; Nancy S. Thompson became a hybrid as her career developed.
- AI boundaries are personal and principled: for Nancy S. Thompson, AI-assisted research is acceptable, but writing the story itself is not.
