Real Spies, Real Lives

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 .

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.

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...

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 .

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,...

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 .

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/B...

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

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 .

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,...

Was anyone surprised that Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash? The author describes how she would write it -- and maybe one day she will. We wind up the promotion for the novella A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER . Coming next month will be the promo for the trilogy SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS about the 2000 elections in the former Yugoslavia. Today is the last day to get A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER for 99¢...

We're almost, but not quite, done with the novella, A Change for the Better , this month's featured promo. The author talks about how she used her experience as a manager to write portions of the novella about Mai Fisher's managerial style. A Change for the Better is 99¢ for the eBook, but -- drum roll -- starting Monday August 21 through Friday August 25, the eBook will be FREE. Find...

A deeper delve into the first half of A Change for the Better , the author's novella about the 2016 election, plus an extra reading from the novella this week. A Change for the Better eBook is on sale for the entire month of August for only 99¢ -- yep, a novella for under a dollar. You can find it at amazon.com/dp/B08376X37B . Warning: Some adult language used.

Writing can heal wounds, whether you're a soldier with PTSD or a citizen who was traumatized by the 2016 election. The author discusses the origins of the novella she wrote about that election's results. The featured August promotion is A Change for the Better , and the eBook is only 99¢ for the entire month. Find it at amazon.com/dp/B08376X37B . Note: Some rather salty language.

A couple of mini-reviews of the movie, Oppenheimer , and the TV series, Slow Horses . Plus, the four volumes of A Perfect Hatred and the reader magnet compilation Quintet are free to download through July 29, 2023. You can find them at amazon.com/dp/B07QNMHPBT . Quintet is under the "Related Material" tab. Act now. The free days end on Saturday. Next month's promo: the novella A Chan...

Duncan delves more into the writing life with some advice on how not to let a timeline bog down your historical fiction. The four volumes of A Perfect Hatred plus the reader magnet compilation Quintet are 99¢ each, and you can find them at amazon.com/dp/B07QNMHPBT. Look for some free days starting on 7/25/2023.

Duncan talks about reviews and how to cope with the bad ones, plus a documentary that validates how she presented her story in A Perfect Hatred . The four eBooks in A Perfect Hatred , plus the reader magnet compilation, Quintet , are on sale this month for 99¢ each. Find them at amazon.com/dp/B07QNMHPBT .

The author talks about how she merges her spy fiction with history and how cathartic writing historical espionage fiction can be. To learn more about this month's featured sales books, books 1-4 of A Perfect Hatred (plus Quintet ), go to amazon.com/dp/B07QNMHPBT .

Thoughts from a writer of espionage fiction about the alleged, almost, maybe coup attempt in Russia last week. Today, 6/29, is the last day to download free eBooks of A War of Deception ( amazon.com/dp/B06Y5ZZ7FQ ) and its mini-sequel A Face in the Crowd ( amazon.com/dp/B01N2WCHMM ). Today, 6/29, and tomorrow 6/30, are the final two days to enter to win a copy of a Meeting the Enemy short story, &...

As of this broadcast, we're two days away from the launch of P. A. Duncan's latest novel, TREACHERY , book 3 of her 9/11 series MEETING THE ENEMY . To celebrate the launch, the two books that were on sale for June will be FREE from 6/25/23 to 6/29/23. Also, you can enter to win one of five copies of a MEETING THE ENEMY related short story, "It's in the Blood." Starting June 2...

The author talks about how to improve your fiction with "quotidian details" -- look it up. This week we have a longer reading from TREACHERY because next week, June 15, there will be NO podcast while the author is at a writing workshop. TREACHERY , book 3 of MEETING THE ENEMY , is still available for preorder at amazon.com/dp/B0C55ZXWYT . June Sales: A WAR OF DECEPTION - eBook on sale fo...

The author philosophizes a bit about bringing her characters to an appropriate end and whether a second retirement is in her future. Bonus - a reading from book 3 of Meeting the Enemy -- TREACHERY . Preorder TREACHERY for $1.99 at amazon.com/dp/B0C55ZXWYT . June featured sales books: 1. A War of Deception (2017 debut novel) -- $1.99 at amazon.com/dp/B06Y5ZZ7FQ 2. A Face in the Crowd (mini-sequel t...

The author talks about her favorite spy movies and television series compared to the top 5s from IMDb. Plus, a reading from TREACHERY , book 3 of the series Meeting the Enemy . From 5/27 - 5/31, the author's 2016 short story collection SPY FLASH II , will be FREE to download at amazon.com/dp/B01N5D7GEP . TREACHERY can still be preordered at a special, low price at amazon.com/dp/B0C55ZXWYT . TR...

The author discusses the feasibility of the premise that a counterintelligence officer from one spy shop could go undercover inside the CIA. We get a brief history of one traitor in the CIA who might be considered an "undercover agent." Plus, you'll get a reading from the author's upcoming novel, TREACHERY , book 3 of the series Meeting the Enemy . The featured May sales book is...

Because the host is out of town, there will be no podcast episode this week. The podcast will return on 5/18/23. Thank you!