More from A War of Deception
And A Face in the Crowd. Some thoughts about Bobby Sands on his birthday, and the podcast has its own website: realspiesreallives.com .
Episodes
Real Spies, Real Lives
Where we talk about writing, spies, and writing about spies.
Episodes
A Trip Back in Time
In March, I'll be reading from my 2017 debut novel, A War of Deception , and its mini-sequel, A Face in the Crowd . Find them HERE .
A New Novel and Spycraft
I'm reading from the rough draft of a new novel, The Devil Passed By , and discussing episode 4 of the Netflix series Spycraft --"Clandestine Collection."
Love Death and ... Sexpionage
A final reading from the new novel, Love Death , and my thoughts on Spycraft Episode 3, "Sexpionage." Note: Though not explicit by any means, I do discuss the use of sex as a way to recruit, control, and blackmail subjects.
Nearing the End
Alexei's incursion into The Annex is complete, and he's escaped with Gunter Metz, who wants only to see his family. A glitch at Checkpoint Charlie means Mai has to be the diversion to get Alexei safely into West Berlin--or she'll be the target. This episode is marked clean but warning for a post-sex scene between a married couple; nothing explicit.
Planning and Spycraft
There's mission planning, but then there's Mai Fisher's intuition. Alexei has learned to trust it, even when she strikes out on her own. Also, I discuss episode two of a new Netflix series, "Spycraft." The episode fits right in with Love Death ; it's called "Deadly Poisons."
Going Off Topic
More reading from the upcoming new novel Love Death , but also NASCAR and baseball. What? (Note: I've marked this episode "Clean," but there is a scene of a married couple in bed, post-coital.)
Always Good To Have A Plan
Mai learns something about Alexei she didn't know when she meets Kolya Bukharin.
Approaches and Pitches
Warning: I talk a bit about politics. Otherwise, get a glimpse into how two different spies make their approaches and pitches.
New Year, New Mission
Another taste of my upcoming book, Love Death , with some history and German politics. Oooh, exciting.
Out With the Old...At Last!
Some refections on 2020 and a reading from an upcoming new novel, Love Death . Happy New Year!
Old Spies Don't Die...Until They Do
My personal appreciation for John le Carre, who died this past weekend at the age of 89. Also, no podcast for 12/25/2020. Happy holidays--whichever one you celebrate or not. Be safe!
Character Origins
In this episode, I talk about who inspired the characters Mai Fisher and Alexei Bukharin. You'll get a little back story and an insight into how much fun writing these characters is for me.
The Trilogy Concludes
The final few chapters--and some editorializing about Slobodan Milosevic--of the trilogy Self-Inflicted Wounds , after its conclusion with the publication of And Justice for All , book three. Tying up loose ends seldom happens for spies, but Mai Fisher generally gets what she wants. Find the trilogy HERE .
The Last Mission?
We're closing in on the conclusion of And Justice for All . Mai and Alexei wrap everything up in Belgrade and prepare to return home--but is the mission really over? And is it, as Mai promised, their last? Please note: There will be no podcast on Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy your holiday, everyone!
Improvising
It's well known that Mai Fisher will risk almost anything to have a successful mission, but let herself get captured? Not the first time. Trigger warning: Mention of rape.
The Beginning of the End...of the Trilogy
And Justice for All brings Mai and Alexei's mission in the Balkans to a close, but in the process, they deal with an old enemy, discover a devastating betrayal, and save a marriage--not theirs. And Justice for All is available for preorder HERE .
We Reach the End of Book Two
The final chapters of Dangerous Truths , book two of Self-Inflicted Wounds , also end on a bit of a cliffhanger. You might say all of book three is the denouement!
Plausible Deniability and Dangerous Truths
Some more chapters from book two, Dangerous Truths , and my philosophy on sex scenes in thrillers. That got your attention, right?
A Fateful Encounter
Mai and Alexei get a hint of who might be involved in the murders of the "friends of Milosevic" and someone takes care of a complication for them. More from Self-Inflicted Wounds book two, Dangerous Truths . Preorder book two HERE .
The Plot Thickens
Another reading from Self-Inflicted Wounds Book Two, Dangerous Truths . Mai Fisher confirms that if it is Russian mercenaries behind the murders of Yugoslavian officials, they're a sadistic bunch, and she finds that out the hard way.
Dangerous Truths
Launch day for Welcome to Belgrade (which you can buy HERE ), a resolution to our cliffhanger from Welcome to Belgrade and a few chapters from book two, Dangerous Truths, which you can preorder HERE .
A Cliffhanger!
Cliffhangers are a tried and true thriller trope, perhaps overused on occasion, but certainly a good way to keep a reader reading. Welcome to Belgrade is still available for preorder and launches a week from today.
Let's End This on a Cliffhanger
Why not? Cliffhangers are one of the oldest tropes in a thriller. I try to avoid cliches, but a trope? Sometimes they can be an author's best friend. Welcome to Belgrade is available for preorder and will launch on October 1, 2020.
Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave...
Episode 14! A few more chapters from Welcome to Belgrade , book one of the trilogy Self-Inflicted Wounds , and I ramble on a bit about John le Carre, British interrogation techniques, and 9/11.
Deception Shouldn't Surprise a Spy
From Self-Inflicted Wounds: Welcome to Belgrade (book one): Mai Fisher arrives in Belgrade for her mission to stop the political murders in Yugoslavia, unaware that Alexei has reactivated himself and is following her surreptitiously. Mai visits an old acquaintance, now a low-level Russian Mafiya boss in Belgrade to see what information he might have on the "friends of Milosevic" murders. Alexei, however, can't quite convince himself that Mai isn't behind some of those murders. Preorder Welcome t...
Small Talk
Episode 12! We're moving along--and the audience is growing. Wish I knew what caused that so I can keep it up! This week's episode revolves around the opening scene of the first book in my trilogy Self-Inflicted Wounds . In Welcome to Belgrade , my character Mai Fisher meets with the notorious Serbian war criminal Arkan, and he insists that they make small talk so as not to raise suspicions about his motivation in meeting her. His version of small talk, however, means bringing some of Mai's wors...
He is Finished!
"He is finished" was the opposition's campaign slogan against Slobodan Milosevic in the election of 2000. It took a couple of weeks post-election to accomplish that, but it did happen peacefully. I'm winding up readings from my reader magnet, Dateline: Belgrade this week. Next episode--more background on why I wrote a trilogy about a European election.
When Protesting Made a Difference
More reading from the new reader magnet Dateline: Belgrade , with an emphasis on a change in the purpose and nature of street demonstrations in Belgrade in the year 2000. Why did the police lay off--most of the time? What did a student group and a radio station have to do with activism? And a hint about how changing a constitution backfired on the man it was supposed to benefit. I'm talking 20 years ago; I swear. You can still preorder Dateline: Belgrade at a special introductory price (99cents)...
Introducing a Reader Magnet for a New Trilogy
Some background on a reader magnet entitled Dateline: Belgrade came about, and an introduction for the upcoming trilogy, Self-Inflicted Wounds . You may learn more about the Balkans than you ever wanted to know. And, yes, a thunderstorm passed over while I was recording. This episode contains some excerpts from Dateline: Belgrade and the trilogy. One excerpt touches on the disturbing topic of human trafficking.