Real Spies, Real Lives - podcast cover

Real Spies, Real Lives

Where we talk about writing, spies, and writing about spies.

Episodes

What Shall We Talk About Today?

Some musings on a busy writing life and how writing retreats help you cope. You can preorder the 3-novel, eBook box set SECRETS HERE . You can find the May sale book, A War of Deception HERE .

May 09, 202426 minSeason 5Ep. 18

The Good, The Bad, The Book Event

Book events are key to author/reader interaction. They can go well, but they can also go bad, per the author's recent experiences. SECRETS , the 3-novel eBook box set is now available for preorder for only 99¢, and you can find it HERE . May is the book birthday month for the author's debut espionage novel, A War of Deception . The eBook edition is on sale all month long, also only 99¢. You can find it HERE ....

May 02, 202428 minSeason 5Ep. 17

How About Some Ungentlemanly Warfare?

My thoughts on Guy Ritchie's new movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , and a reading from Book 1 of the upcoming eBook Box Set, SECRETS . This month's featured books, all three in the Spy Flash Series are free through 4/27/24, and you can find them HERE .

Apr 25, 202420 minSeason 5Ep. 16

Benjamin Franklin, France, and Spies

Two Apple TV mini-series show that espionage isn't a 20th century construct: "Franklin" and "Manhunt," about the hunt for John Wilkes Booth. Plus--a reading from the featured April book, Spy Flash II . Find all three books in the Spy Flash series on sale HERE .

Apr 18, 202424 minSeason 5Ep. 15

Rage Against the Dying of the Light

Apologies for the late posting of this week's episode. Listen to the episode, and you'll understand why.

Apr 12, 202415 minSeason 5Ep. 14

No Podcast on 4/4/24

A busy schedule and an annoying cold mean no episode this week. We'll be back on April 11. Apologies, P. A. Duncan

Apr 04, 202439 sec

Irons in the Fire

Old habits die hard. Turns out P. A. Duncan is as much an overachiever as a writer as she was as a public servant. The March sale on Duncan's debut mystery novel, Supreme Madness of the Carnival Season , is on for six more days, so act now before you lose out on the 99¢ sale. You can find the sale book HERE . You can also preview the April sale books HERE . That sale starts on 4/1/24--no fooling....

Mar 28, 202428 minSeason 5Ep. 13

Sowing Some Discord?

Some thoughts on the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who illicitly photographed classified documents and posted them online. The author's debut mystery novel, Supreme Madness of the Carnival Season , is still on sale--99¢ for the eBook through the remainder of March. You can find it HERE . Oh, and Happy Ostara!

Mar 21, 202424 minSeason 5Ep. 12

Welcome to AI -- Maybe

The author plays around a bit with AI--Artificial Intelligence--on what it takes to be an espionage writer. And . . . to celebrate the book birthday of her debut mystery novel, Supreme Madness of the Carnival Season , the eBook of that novel is FREE to download March 14 - 18, 2024. You can download it for FREE HERE .

Mar 14, 202428 minSeason 5Ep. 11

Building a Mystery

With props to Sarah McLachlan for the title. Why it took so long for the author to release a mystery novel, plus reading that grounds the antagonist's backstory. Supreme Madness of the Carnival Season is having its first book birthday this month, and to celebrate the eBook is only 99¢. Find out what secret is hidden behind a parlor wall. You can find Supreme Madness of the Carnival Season HERE ....

Mar 07, 202427 minSeason 5Ep. 10

Secrets, Secrets--Who Has Them? Who Wants Them?

Spies and secrets go together like ham and Swiss, peanut butter and jelly--you get the drift. But sometimes the secrets are personal, something the author will explore in an upcoming eBook Box Set entitled, appropriately, SECRETS . Today is the final day that all four books in the 9/11 series will be 99¢ each, so head over HERE to get that bargain before it expires.

Feb 29, 202425 min

Vision, Optimism, and Dictators

It took a few days, but the author, also an historian specializing in Russia, finally found words to discuss the death of Alexei Navalny. Also, today 2/22 and tomorrow 2/23/24, are the final two days that all four eBook novels of the 9/11 series MEETING THE ENEMY will be free. All four novels right now are comfortable in the top 10 of an Amazon bestseller list. You can find the free eBooks HERE ....

Feb 22, 202431 minSeason 5Ep. 8

Have You Seen Argylle, the Movie?

A review of the new movie Argylle and of an Acorn TV series, Deception . The author's 9/11 series, MEETING THE ENEMY , is still on sale, and FREE days are coming up next week. You can find the series HERE .

Feb 15, 202425 minSeason 5Ep. 7

Thoughts on THE PIGEON TUNNEL

The author discusses John le Carré's memoir, The Pigeon Tunnel , and a documentary where le Carré discusses and expands on the memoir. A "must-see" for le Carré fans, says the author. The February sale books, the four novels in the 9/11 series MEETING THE ENEMY remain on sale for 99¢ each for the eBooks, which you can find HERE . PROLOGUES , the eBook-only box set of the four MEETING THE ENEMY reader magnets also is still on sale for 99¢, and you can find PROLOGUES HERE ....

Feb 08, 202428 minSeason 5Ep. 6

What Makes a Series, Well, a Series?

The author talks about the popularity of book series among readers and what constitutes a series. Plus, is her own work a series? You decide. The February sale eBooks are all four books in the 9/11 series MEETING THE ENEMY , which are 99¢ each. You can find them HERE . The eBook box set of MEETING THE ENEMY reader magnets, PROLOGUES , will remain at 99¢ for February, also. You can find PROLOGUES HERE ....

Feb 01, 202422 minSeason 5Ep. 5

Writing About The Troubles in Northern Ireland

The author provides a bit of background on a work in progress about The Troubles in Northern Ireland back in the 1970s. The sale on PROLOGUES, the eBook box set of Meeting the Enemy reader magnets continues through 1/31/24, and you can find the box set HERE .

Jan 25, 202426 minSeason 5Ep. 4

What's Coming

The author talks about an upcoming project, an eBook box set of three novels pushing some secondary characters to the forefront. And the eBook box set of MEETING THE ENEMY reader magnets, titled PROLOGUES, launched on 1/15 and is available still at its preorder price of 99¢. Find it HERE .

Jan 18, 202430 minSeason 5Ep. 3

Every Story Has a Beginning

Listen to some background on the author's newest eBook release, PROLOGUES, a compilation of all four reader magnets for the 9/11 series, MEETNG THE ENEMY. PROLOGUES is still available for preorder HERE . Hear some stats on how well the podcast did last year (pretty good, actually), and listen to a free excerpt of the lead-off story in PROLOGUES. If you're interested in more from author P.A. Duncan, check out her Substack page HERE ....

Jan 11, 202427 minSeason 5Ep. 2

Real Spies Real Lives Podcast is Back!

I hope you enjoyed your holiday break because I did, but now the podcast is back with weekly episodes. Check out the eBook box set of the reader magnets of the 9/11 series, Meeting the Enemy . You can preorder the eBook HERE , and it launches on January 15, 2024. And I'm now on Substack with some blog posts and some flash fiction. You can subscribe HERE --for free. Happy New Year! And thanks for being patient for the podcast to return....

Jan 04, 202418 minSeason 5Ep. 1

The Spies Will Be Back in January

To make sure each episode is a quality presentation, the host is taking time off from the Real Spies, Real Lives Podcast for the rest of 2023. Look for a new episode Jan. 4, 2024--and Happy Holidays!

Nov 16, 20231 min

Rewriting or Self-Editing?

What's the difference between self-editing and a full rewrite of a manuscript, i.e., a draft? The author gives her opinion. Plus a reading of a free excerpt of Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules . Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules is on sale all this month. The eBook is only 99¢ to download, and there'll be some free days later in the month. You can download Spy Flash III HERE ....

Nov 09, 202329 minSeason 4Ep. 39

No Podcast for 11/2

Life happens, and you don't get to do a podcast this week. We'll be back next week--after the local elections. This month's sale book is Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules. The eBook is only 99¢. You can find it HERE . See you next week.

Nov 02, 202323 sec

50,000 Words in 30 Days?

The author extols the creative benefits of National Novel Writing Month and relates which of her published works got started there. You can still sign up to participate in NaNoWriMo HERE . If you live in a state that has an election cycle this year for state and local governments, make sure you vote, and the author explains why that's important. The 2021 novel LOVE DEATH , a NaNoWriMo project from several years ago, is FREE from 10/26/23 to 10/30/23, and you can download it HERE ....

Oct 26, 202325 minSeason 4Ep. 41

Backstory

The author clarifies how long she'll keep writing and discusses the meaning of the reader magnet PROLOGUE TO RENDITION . Context is everything. PROLOGUE TO RENDITION is available to purchase in eBook and paperback HERE . The October book on sale, Love Death , is on sale HERE .

Oct 19, 202329 minSeason 4Ep. 40

What's Next?

The author discusses what's in the pipeline for publication for the next few years, plus a reading from the October sale book, Love Death . Today and tomorrow are the last two days to preorder PROLOGUE TO RENDITION , the reader magnet for the concluding novel of Meeting the Enemy , RENDITION . You can still preorder (at the special price of 99¢) HERE . Love Death , this month's sale book, can be ordered with reduced prices for the eBook and print editions HERE ....

Oct 12, 202328 minSeason 14Ep. 39

October Means Sales

The author gives some background on October's book-on-sale, Love Death , and on the reader magnet, Prologue to Rendition . Turns out the author had a lot of good story ideas in the 1990s, but she's a much better writer now. You can find Love Death at amazon.com/dp/B08QDLXBCS . You can preorder Prologue to Rendition until 10/13 at amazon.com/dp/B0CJ7C6FBL ....

Oct 05, 202330 minSeason 4Ep. 38

Inspiration Lives On

An homage to the original "international man of mystery," Ilya Kuryakin as portrayed by actor David McCallum who died this week. The Self-Inflicted Wounds trilogy and reader magnet remain on sale through 9/30/23. amazon.com/dp/B08L3886FP . Prologue to Rendition , the reader magnet for the concluding novel of the 9/11 series Meeting the Enemy is now available for preorder. amazon.com/dp/B0CJ7C6FBL...

Sep 28, 202337 minSeason 4Ep. 37

Wrapping Up Self-Inflicted Wounds

The three novels and the reader magnet that comprise the trilogy SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS are FREE to download through 9/24/23. amazon.com/dp/B08L3886FP Also, the final reader magnet for my 9/11 series, MEETING THE ENEMY is now available for preorder. PROLOGUE TO RENDITION has a preorder-only price of 99¢, so reserve yours now. amazon.com/dp/B0CJ7C6FBL

Sep 21, 202339 minSeason 4Ep. 36

When Truth is Dangerous

The author reflects on the Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity (C3) Con and reviews the first two episodes of the Netflix series, Spy Ops . All three books in the Self-Inflicted Wounds trilogy plus the trilogy reader magnet are 99¢ each for the eBooks all this month. Look for some free days next week at amazon.com/dp/B08L3886FP .

Sep 14, 202328 minSeason 4Ep. 35

Some Yugoslavian History

The author provides some background on book 1 of her Self-Inflicted Wounds series, Welcome to Belgrade . Books 1 ( Welcome to Belgrade ), 2 ( Dangerous Truths ), and 3 ( And Justice for All ), plus the series reader magnet Dateline: Belgrade , are on sale for 99¢ each for the eBooks. amazon.com/dp/B08L3886FP . The author will signing her books the evenings of 9/9 and 9/10 at the Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity Con (C3). Go to creaturescrimesandcreativity.com for all the details....

Sep 07, 202327 minSeason 4Ep. 34