Some stories don't die.
They wait.
At 19 years old, Rodney Phillips began writing a novel about conflict — about how a single disagreement can fracture trust, unravel loyalty, and ignite consequences no one can control. Then life happened. Career. Coaching. Fatherhood. Leadership. And the manuscript — handwritten in notebooks and on furniture store layaway cards — sat untouched in a filing cabinet for 37 years.
Until one quiet weekend in an empty nest, he opened the drawer.
In this powerful episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Rodney shares the journey behind Dissension: A Disagreement That Leads to Discord — a gripping cartel thriller set in Miami that explores loyalty, betrayal, ambition, communication breakdown, and the fragile line between order and chaos.
We explore:
- What 19-year-old Rodney understood about conflict
- How 37 years of life experience reshaped the story
- Writing strong female characters in male-dominated worlds
- Loyalty versus blind obedience — and where the line sits
- The psychology of disagreement and fractured trust
- Why unfinished dreams don't disappear — they wait
Rodney reads the prologue of Dissension, and we dive into the emotional core of a story that spans decades — both on the page and in the writer's life.
This episode isn't just about publishing a novel.
It's about reopening a drawer.
It's about finishing what you started.
It's about proving it's never too late to return to the dream that once defined you.
Dissension is currently ranked #9 on Goodreads under Spy Thriller.
Learn more about Rodney Phillips and his work at:
https://RodneyPhillipsAuthor.com
Because sometimes the storm you wrote at 19…
is the one you're finally strong enough to finish at 56.
Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups
Hosted by Doyle
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