Real Spies, Real Lives

Feb 06 2025 220 ep. 32 mins 24

Real Spies, Real Lives Podcast artwork

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

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Plot vs Character

Feb 06 2025 24 mins

A writing talk about plot vs character and which drives a story. The 2021 standalone espionage novel LOVE DEATH is the featured sale book for February 2025. The eBook version of the novel is only 99¢. You can find it at amazon.com/dp/B08QDLXBCS

Back to Spy-Writing Basics - Archetypes

Jan 16 2025 27 mins

Learn all about the archetypes that should appear in spy fiction, courtesy of author Graeme Shimmin. P. A. Duncan's new novella, Every Day is a Test, is FREE to download through 1/19/25. amazon.com/dp/B0DRPNH4VS Unexpected Paths Publishing announces its first publication by an author other than P. A. Duncan: Secondhand Hugs, a chapbook of poetry by Mel Jones. amazon.com/dp/DRTGZKL7

Annus Horribilis

Jan 02 2025 20 mins

Apologies for no music. Technical difficulties or operator error, take your pick. In this first episode of 2025, we learn that the podcast will now be twice a month, not weekly as it was previously. And a new novella by P. A. Duncan debuted on 1/1/25, and you can find it as an eBook or Paperback here: amazon.com/dp/B0DRPNH4VS Look for a new episode in two weeks.

The Real Spies, Real Lives Podcast is on Indefinite Hiatus

Nov 07 2024 2 mins

Play the recording. It explains it all.

No 10/31/24 Podcast

Apologies for no podcast today. My flu shot kicked my butt. I'll be back next week, but in the meantime, keep an eye out . . . for spies!

What Could Possibly Go Wrong with a Writer's Browser History?

Oct 24 2024 32 mins

You've seen the memes: "Don't mind my browser history; I'm a writer." But is there anything to worry about? Maybe. Maybe not. We're in the final few days of the October promo: the 3 novels and the reader magnet for SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS will be 99¢ each through 10/31/24. Find them at amazon.com/dp/B08L3886FP.

The Writing Life

Oct 17 2024 30 mins

Fifteen years of the writing life, and what do I have to show for it? Everything I ever dreamed of. The three novels and the reader magnet for Self-Inflicted Wounds are FREE to download through Sunday, October 20. amazon.com/dp/B08L3886FP

It's the 200th Episode

Oct 10 2024 26 mins

To celebrate the 200th episode of the Real Spies, Real Lives Podcast, here is a history of how the podcast got started and some stats on how it's fared up to the 5th season so far. And the October eBooks sale is still on. The three novels and the reader magnet for SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS are 99¢ each, and you can find them HERE.

Open Channel D

Oct 03 2024 35 mins

Some insight into how the 1960s TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. inspired the author's fiction and an homage to the ground-breaking television spy series. The sale books for October are the books in the series Self-Inflicted Wounds plus the trilogy's reader magnet, Dateline: Belgrade. The four eBooks are 99¢ each, and you can find them HERE.

Sun Tzu Says . . .

Sep 26 2024 26 mins

Sun Tzu's THE ART OF WAR and its take on espionage. Five days left to score all four ebooks in the series, A PERFECT HATRED for 99¢ each. Find them HERE.