E81 Jack Carr | Joe Wagner

Go With Your Palate: Jack Carr | From SEAL Team to Storytelling Titan

This week, we’re honored to sit down with Jack Carr—former Navy SEAL sniper turned #1 New York Times bestselling author and creative force behind The Terminal List and beyond. After two decades in Naval Special Warfare leading elite assault and sniper teams across Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Philippines, Jack—always a lifelong literature enthusiast—traded boots for books and built a storytelling empire rooted in authenticity, precision, and heart.

Jack opens up about how his real-world experiences fuel his electrifying thrillers, the deep influence of his grandfather—a WWII Marine aviator—on his sense of mission, and how his writing process merges memory and narrative to create characters that feel “as-seen-in-real-life” real. He also pulls back the curtain on his Hollywood journey—bringing The Terminal List to life with Chris Pratt and riding the wave into his most recent hit spinoff, Dark Wolf, which debuted in August 2025.

Of course, we keep it fun: swapping tactical anecdotes over wine (yes, there’s a recurring pour in every one of his books), trading thoughts on balancing family and grit, and laughing through a rapid-fire question round that reveals even more about the man behind the mission. Jack also shares great stories like the symbolism behind his impactful signature tomahawks and how pure manifestation helped align fate and film in ways even he couldn’t have scripted.

Whether you’re drawn to adrenaline-charged origin stories, bold career reinventions, or a real-life hero talking wine, writing, and resilience—this episode hits like a knockout. Grab a glass, settle in, and let’s toast to the journey.