Former Air Force Thunderbird pilot Michelle "MACE" Curran joins the podcast for an in-depth conversation about her three-year journey to publish The Flipside with a major publisher.
Michelle shares her path from small-town Wisconsin to the cockpit of an F-16, the rock-bottom moment in Japan that transformed her, and why she walked away from military retirement to become an author and speaker.
This episode pulls back the curtain on the traditional publishing process—from working with a ghostwriter and securing an agent to surviving five rounds of edits and the all-consuming six-month pre-launch campaign.
If you want to know what it really takes to write a book with a Big 5 publisher, this is required listening.
Key Topics Covered
Why Michelle chose the Air Force over the FBI and how watching F-15s take off changed everything
The Japan assignment: imposter syndrome, divorce, and the lowest point of her career
How she earned the call sign “MACE” (and nearly lost consciousness at 9 Gs)
Building a LinkedIn audience from 260 connections to LinkedIn Top Voice in 18 months
The three-year traditional publishing timeline from proposal to bookstore shelves
Working with ghostwriter Jen Singer: the collaborative writing process
Securing a literary agent and getting into a bidding war with publishers
What a book advance actually is (and isn’t)
Five rounds of editing and why you’ll hate your manuscript by round six
The pre-launch marketing grind: trying to hit 7,000-10,000 pre-orders for bestseller lists
Why platform matters more than manuscript when pitching to publishers
Guest Background
Michelle "MACE" Curran is a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot, USA Today bestselling author, and keynote speaker. She flew the F-16 for 13 years, including combat missions from Japan and three years with the elite Thunderbirds demonstration team.
After leaving the Air Force, she built a speaking business focused on leadership, overcoming self-doubt, and taking bold action. She’s the author of The Flipside and two children’s books about pursuing big dreams.
Resources & Links
Michelle’s Books:
The Flipside: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear into Your Superpower
Connect with Michelle:
Mentioned in This Episode:
Jen Singer (Ghostwriter): https://jen-singer.com/
Javelin Literary Agency: https://javelindc.com/
Grand Central Publishing: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/imprint/grand-central-publishing/
Key Takeaways
Build your platform first - Publishers want to see 20K+ engaged followers before they’ll consider you
Traditional publishing takes 3 years - From proposal to bookstore is a marathon, not a sprint
Ghostwriting is collaborative - It’s not dictation; it’s deep interview work and extensive editing together
Marketing is on you - Even with a Big 5 publisher, driving pre-orders is the author’s job
LinkedIn is essential for non-fiction authors - Especially if your audience is business leaders and decision-makers
Best Quote
“These moments where I would see inspiration happen in real time—with little girls seeing a female fighter pilot—felt like I had the honor of giving people an incredible gift. That was more fulfilling than any flying, any mission I had done in the jet. That had become my purpose.”
Next Episode: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 9:00 AM (ish)
The Author and Audience Podcast helps writers become authors and authors build audiences for their work.
