Real Spies, Real Lives

Duncan talks about the fact that justice can sometimes be construed as injustice when it doesn't go the way you want. The third book in the Self-Inflicted Wounds trilogy is about some justice gained and some lost. Along with the eBooks of Welcome to Belgrade (book 1) and Dangerous Truths (book 2), book 3, And Justice for All, is on sale for 99¢. You can find all three books at amazon.com/dp/B08L38...

Truth is truth, isn't it? P. A. Duncan explains how sometimes truth can be dangerous, so dangerous in fact she titled book 2 of the Self-Inflicted Wounds trilogy Dangerous Truths . Dangerous Truths along with book 1, Welcome to Belgrade , and book 2, And Justice for All , are only 99¢ each for the eBooks in October, to celebrate the trilogy's second birthday. You can find all three at amazon.com/d...

Duncan explains author backlists, gives us a brief Balkan history lesson, and reads from Welcome to Belgrade , book one of the trilogy, Self-Inflicted Wounds . The three eBooks in Self-Inflicted Wounds are on sale for 99¢ each to celebrate the trilogy's second birthday. You can find them at amazon.com/dp/B08L3886FP .

Duncan reflects on two baseball seasons 61 years apart and tells us writing is just like baseball. Kinda. We wind up our look at the reader magnet, Prologue to Revenge . And Duncan is on the road, keeping an eye out for spies, on a trip to Columbia, Maryland, for a book event. Also, October will bring a celebration of the two-year anniversary of the series Self-Inflicted Wounds with reduced prices...

P. A. Duncan has been under the weather this week, so no podcast for 9/22/22. Many apologies. We'll be back next week.

Can the location and time of a story, i.e., the setting, be the same as a character. P. A. Duncan thinks so and explains why. Today and Friday are the last two days of the preorder of PROLOGUE TO REVENGE, which launches on Saturday, September 17. After that, the special preorder price of 99¢ goes away. You can preorder the eBook at amazon.com/dp/B0BCGGVC5L .

Duncan explains how an extensive character worksheet helped discover traits about her characters even she didn't know and provides a brief homage to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died recently. Preorder link for PROLOGUE TO REVENGE: amazon.com/dp/B0BCGGVC5L

A bit of a history lesson about the Soviet-Afghan War of the 1980s and how that ties into book 2 of Meeting the Enemy , REVENGE . Plus a reading from book 2's reader magnet, PROLOGUE TO REVENGE . PROLOGUE TO REVENGE preorder link: amazon.com/dp/B0BCGGVC5L .

August 29, the launch date for Duncan's new novelette, Old Love Does Not Rust , is also the anniversary of her father's death 40 years ago. Old Love Does Not Rust is a gift for him, one she wishes she could have given him when he was alive. Duncan would also like her listeners to be aware of the National Suicide and Crisis hotline , which anyone can reach anytime by dialing 9-8-8. Old Love Does No...

P. A. Duncan is at a writer's retreat working on her next book. She'll be back next week.

Duncan wraps up the dive into PROLOGUE TO TERROR , the reader magnet/prequel for Meeting the Enemy Book 1: TERROR , and you learn why writers retreat. Special pricing: 1. PROLOGUE TO TERROR - 99-cent eBook at amazon.com/dp/B0B1F64YLQ 2. OLD LOVE DOES NOT RUST - 99-cent preorder price at amazon.com/dp/B0B6RWHHCH (launches 8/29/22)

Duncan explains what reader magnets are for, as well as the structure of a genre novel, and provides a brief review of the Amazon Prime movie The 355 . Heavy on the writing stuff this week--but a bit of early, American espionage history surrounding George Washington's Culper Ring. Prologue to Terror , the prequel/reader magnet for TERROR , book one of the series Meeting the Enemy , is only 99 cent...

Duncan concludes the month-long birthday celebration for Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules , gives a review of the new Netflix "espionage" movie, The Gray Man , and talks about why she likes reading and writing short stories. July 28 and 29 are the last two days to download a free eBook of Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules . You can download it at amazon.com/dp/B093THXD7M . And a new novelette, Old Lo...

The "other half" of Moscow Rule No. 6: Vary your pattern and stay within your cover, offers some advice on personal security--without appearing too paranoid. Links for books on sale or available for preorder: On sale: Prologue to Terror , prequel to TERROR , book one of Meeting the Enemy , is 99 cents at amazon.com/dp/B09ZHZXXF8 (eBook only); Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules is 99 cents at amazon.c...

Why do spies need a cover, and why is it important not to blow your cover? Duncan answers those questions and provides an example from her story, "Stay Within Your Cover," from Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules . Links for Duncan's eBook sales: Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules - amazon.com/dp/B093THXD7M Prologue to Terror - amazon.com/dp/B09ZHZXXF8

We're revisiting the Moscow Rules for the first book birthday of Duncan's short short collection, Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rule s. In the reading part of the episode, please be advised of some sexually explicit dialogue. For the 99-cent ebook sales mentioned in the podcast episode, you can find them at: Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules - amazon.com/dp/B093THXD7M Prologue to Terror - amazon.com/dp/...

Duncan provides us with a bit of a history lesson around the adage, "We have met the enemy and he is us," which was the inspiration for the series title, Meeting the Enemy . We wind up the promotion of TERROR , book one of Meeting the Enemy with a reading from near the end. And we get a preview of July's promotions. To get your 99-cent eBook of Prologue to Terror (reader magnet/prequel to TERROR )...

Duncan talks about why and how writer retreats are so conducive to creativity, whether spies get retreats, and provides a reading from TERROR , book one of the new series, MEETING THE ENEMY . TERROR launches on Saturday, June 25, but you can still preorder it at amazon.com/dp/B09WZ7HRWS . TERROR 's reader magnet/prequel, PROLOGUE TO TERROR , is now FREE through 6/25. Get your freebie at amazon.com...

No episode this week because spy novelist P. A. Duncan is at a writer's workshop.

This week Duncan talks about a message that acknowledged she is, indeed, a spy novelist and how that got her out of a slump because she missed her sales goal in May. We'll hear about her favorite writer's workshop and have a reading from TERROR , book one of MEETING THE ENEMY . PROLOGUE TO TERROR , the reader magnet for TERROR , is on sale for 99 cents (eBook only), and you can find it at amazon.c...

All fiction requires you to suspect disbelief and accept a premise you might find unlikely. In her upcoming new novel, TERROR , espionage author P. A. Duncan wants you to accept that a Directorate operative can successfully go under cover in the CIA. It's her world, and welcome to it. Look for the TERROR cover reveal on June 4 on Duncan's social media. In the meantime, you can preorder TERROR at a...

We celebrate the 100th episode of the "Real Spies, Real Lives Podcast." We learn something about why the right book cover is important, and we have a reading from Terror, book one of Meeting the Enemy . Other authors interested in excellent quality pre-made book covers, take a look at www. SelfPubBookCovers.com . The TERROR preorder is at amazon.com/dp/B09WZ7HRWS . Get an eBook or a paperback of P...

Duncan talks about the pitfalls and joys of writing serial fiction, and we get a couple of brief reviews of the spy movies, All the Old Knives and Operation: Mincemeat . Plus, a reading from Terror , book one of the new series Meeting the Enemy . Preorder Terror at amazon.com/dp/B09WZ7HRWS .

Writing historical fiction means dealing with public figures, living and dead. Duncan defines public figures and talks about the unique challenges of incorporating them into fiction. Plus a reading from her new novel, Terror , book one of the upcoming new series, Meeting the Enemy . Preorder Terror here: amazon.com/dp/B09WZ7HRWS . In celebration of Duncan's debut novel's fifth birthday, you can or...

A potential reader asked P. A. Duncan how could she tell the history from the fiction in one of Duncan's books. Today's podcast is the answer. Terror , book one of Meeting the Enemy is now available for PREORDER here: amazon.com/dp/B09WZ7HRWS . "Out of the Ordinary," the reader magnet for Terror, is still FREE to download here: dl.bookfunnel.com/vpayastekc . If your book club reads one of Duncan's...