Real Spies, Real Lives
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
The Big Four, Plots That Is - Part 1
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We've talked about the archetypes in spy novels, now let's talk about The Big Four -- the plots for spy novels. First up, The Mission.Book 2 in my mys...
Protecting Covert Operatives
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why it's important not to reveal the identity of covert operatives, the laws ensuring protection, and more.The Cold War novel LOVE DEATH is still on s...
Plot vs Character
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Back to Spy-Writing Basics - Archetypes
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Annus Horribilis
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The Real Spies, Real Lives Podcast is on Indefinite Hiatus
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Play the recording. It explains it all.
No 10/31/24 Podcast
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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?
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 d...
The Writing Life
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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-In...
It's the 200th Episode
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 fare...
Open Channel D
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 se...
Sun Tzu Says . . .
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Inside the Heads of Spies - Part 2
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A spy's training enhances skills they already have, but what are the effects of information overload, AI, and ethical quandaries. All 4 eBooks in ...
No 9/12/24 Episode
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I've run out of time while preparing for the convention I'm going to this weekend, so Part II of getting inside a spy's head will be next ...
Inside the Heads of Spies - Part 1
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are the characteristics of a good spy and how do spies use them for a successful operation? The September sale eBooks--all four books in the seri...
The 5 Most Realistic Spy Movies -- IMHO
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How does my Top 5 list of realistic spy movies compare to The Google's? Listen and find out. Note: If you haven't watched any of these, you ne...
No Podcast for 8/15/24
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
P. A. Duncan is on a writer's retreat where she's writing, not podcasting, so a new episode will drop next week on 8/29/24. See you then!
Celebrity Spies?
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What about a celebrity could possibly make them a good spy? Listen and find out. The paperback edition of TAKING HER BOWS dropped earlier than expect...
Why Do Writers Write?
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An answer to a question writers always get--why did you become a writer. The August sale book The Better Spy is 99¢ HERE. The paperback edition of Ta...
Who Won the Cold War? - Part Two
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Computer issues made this late yet again. Many apologies. This episode concludes the answer to the reader question "Who won the Cold War?" T...
Who Won the Cold War? - Part One
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Apologies for a late upload. Updated software offered some incompatibility issues, which I hope to resolve by next week. This episode is where I try t...
Wait, There Are Food Spies?
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A look into the world of culinary espionage. Nope, not a typo. You can find the July sale book, Love Death, for only 99¢ HERE. You can find the paper...
And We're Done (with Classified Info)!
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The third and final part discussing the protection of classified information. On to new topics next week. On July 13, 2024, the paperback edition of F...
Mishandling Classified Information - Part 2
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We explore some of the reasons people mishandle classified information, and the real world results of such actions. The sale book for July is LOVE DEA...
There's a Reason Why It's Classified
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
P. A. Duncan talks about why securing classified information is so important and what the repercussions may be for mishandling it. This is part 1; par...
Writing from the Rabbit Holes
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The author talks about the benefits and the distractions of researching historical fiction on a search engine. For a few more days, you can get the eB...
Spying, Spying Everywhere
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Another form of espionage is corporate or economic espionage, which may have started with secrets about how the Chinese manufactured porcelain. No sal...
Retreat? Whatever For?
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Apologies for the poor audio. In our rush to record, edit, and upload this episode we must have used the laptop microphone instead of the cool, fancy ...
A Mixed Bag of Thoughts
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tradecraft in 18th Century France? Yep. The author discusses the conclusions to two historical streaming series, A Gentleman in Moscow and Franklin. A...
No Podcast on 5/16/24
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A busy publication/production week left no time for podcasting. Back next week! You can preorder the eBook box set SECRETS for 99¢ HERE and grab May&...
What Shall We Talk About Today?
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The Good, The Bad, The Book Event
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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-...
How About Some Ungentlemanly Warfare?
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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. T...
Benjamin Franklin, France, and Spies
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Two Apple TV mini-series show that espionage isn't a 20th century construct: "Franklin" and "Manhunt," about the hunt for John...
Rage Against the Dying of the Light
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Apologies for the late posting of this week's episode. Listen to the episode, and you'll understand why.
No Podcast on 4/4/24
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A busy schedule and an annoying cold mean no episode this week. We'll be back on April 11. Apologies, P. A. Duncan
Irons in the Fire
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 debu...
Sowing Some Discord?
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some thoughts on the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who illicitly photographed classified documents and posted them online. The author's deb...
Welcome to AI -- Maybe
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Building a Mystery
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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&#...
Secrets, Secrets--Who Has Them? Who Wants Them?
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 au...
Vision, Optimism, and Dictators
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Have You Seen Argylle, the Movie?
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 da...
Thoughts on THE PIGEON TUNNEL
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The author discusses John le Carré's memoir, The Pigeon Tunnel, and a documentary where le Carré discusses and expands on the memoir. A "mu...
What Makes a Series, Well, a Series?
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Febr...
Writing About The Troubles in Northern Ireland
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 eBo...
What's Coming
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Every Story Has a Beginning
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 TH...
Real Spies Real Lives Podcast is Back!
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 magne...
The Spies Will Be Back in January
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fo...
Rewriting or Self-Editing?
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fr...
No Podcast for 11/2
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 S...
50,000 Words in 30 Days?
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Backstory
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The author clarifies how long she'll keep writing and discusses the meaning of the reader magnet PROLOGUE TO RENDITION. Context is everything. PRO...
What's Next?
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
October Means Sales
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Inspiration Lives On
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An homage to the original "international man of mystery," Ilya Kuryakin as portrayed by actor David McCallum who died this week. The Self-In...
Wrapping Up Self-Inflicted Wounds
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
When Truth is Dangerous
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 boo...
Some Yugoslavian History
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The author provides some background on book 1 of her Self-Inflicted Wounds series, Welcome to Belgrade. Books 1 (Welcome to Belgrade), 2 (Dangerous Tr...
Winding Up a Promo and More
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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. W...
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Second Guessing
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 novell...
Writing as Catharsis
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 origin...
Slow Horses and the Like
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 c...
Timelines Out of Control?
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Fiction and Reality Merge
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 f...
Historical Fiction Can Be Fun
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Private Armies, Prigozhin, and Putin
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 downloa...
A Book Launch is Coming!
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ENE...
Don't Forget the Deets
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The author talks about how to improve your fiction with "quotidian details" -- look it up. This week we have a longer reading from TREACHERY...
Me, Quit Writing? Never!
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Spy Movies and TV Shows -- Top 5s
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 s...
Undercover in the CIA?
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
No Podcast Episode 5/11
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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!
The Why of Spy Flash II
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan explains how Spy Flash II came about and what inspired the writing of each of the four stories in the collection. Duncan also reads from the fi...
Prologue to TREACHERY
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan talks about the background of her series MEETING THE ENEMY, specifically the upcoming book 3, TREACHERY. Two of Duncan's novellas will be f...
By Any Other Name . . .
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A traitor is a traitor. Duncan offers her take on a U.S. Airman accused of stealing classified material and posting it on Discord, allegedly to impres...
Old Spies and Old Pilots
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan explains the tagline for her novella My Noble Enemy -- "There are old spies and bold spies, but no old, bold spies." Also, some chat ...
Capturing an Audience
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
P. A. Duncan talks about why her books are often on sale and how she uses "organic" marketing to increase her audience. The reader magnet/pr...
3/30 Episode on Hiatus
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Because it's tax season, the podcast is on hiatus this week and will be back on April 6, 2023. Catch you then!
Researching Historical Fiction
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan talks about the importance of research when writing historical or any genre of fiction and gives some researching tips. Duncan is also conducti...
Is Espionage Ethical?
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan explores the ethics of espionage, i.e., is it a black and white issue, or are the ethics of espionage dependent upon perspective, what side you...
The Whole of its Parts
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
P. A. Duncan talks in-depth about the plot, characters, and setting for her debut mystery novel, Supreme Madness of the Carnival season and reads an e...
Mystery vs Espionage - More Alike than Not
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan compares and contrasts the mystery and espionage genres and find some commonalities you might not realize. We conclude with a reading from Supr...
Why Are We So Fascinated with Spies?
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After experimenting with AI for a podcast outline, author P.A. Duncan talks about why spies and espionage is so appealing to the average person. It's ...
You Can't Ignore Racism
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some more observations on Chinese spy balloons and a discussion about how the author couldn't ignore the thread about racial relations in her novel se...
Spies and Balloons and Shoot-Downs, Oh My!
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some thoughts on the Chinese spy satellite saga, a history lesson on balloons used in spying, and a reading from the soon-to-be-released mystery novel...
Inspired by Poe
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan talks about some spy movies to brighten a dreary day and about her upcoming new book, a mystery, which is a genre change for her. Also explaine...
Uncomfortable History
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan winds up her promotion of her first collection of espionage short stories, Blood Vengeance, with a bit of Balkan history and a reading of the a...
Spies -- At Career Day?
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when your parents are spies but your teacher insists they come to career day? The second story in Blood Vengeance is "Career Day," and Na...
A Blast From the Past
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Time to give some love to P. A. Duncan's first collection of espionage short stories, Blood Vengeance. Published in 2012, these stories are the earlie...
Time for Season Four
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's Season 4, Episode 1 of the podcast where we talk about writing, spies, and writing about spies. Today, though, we're talking more about writing a...
Taking a Holiday Break
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's going to be a busy couple of weeks to the end of the year for P. A. Duncan, what with family holiday "stuff" and a book launch on 12/24/22, so th...
Getting It Right
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When you're a writer focused on historical accuracy and you can't verify something through research, where can you turn when all else fails? A subject...
Revenge Abounds
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How does a writer deal with making a secondary character the main character? What happens if there's not much action? A NaNoWriMo update and a free ex...
Art Imitates Life -- Again
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan is still building up to the launch on December 24 of Meeting the Enemy Book 2: REVENGE. She explains how an incident in her work life found its...
Better Late Than Not at All
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan apologizes for doing her civic duty as an election officer and missing the recording of a podcast for last week. This week we learn about the o...
No 11/4 Podcast
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Real Spies, Real Lives Podcast is taking a break this week because P. A. Duncan's time has been taken up with election officer duties. So, don't f...
Finishing up the Series Birthday
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some current Balkan history, or current events, and a final reading from Self-Inflicted Wounds. All 3 eBooks are FREE today and tomorrow only, so grab...