Real Spies, Real Lives
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Justice or Injustice
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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-Infli...
When Truth is Dangerous
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 Wou...
Author Backlists - What and Why?
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan explains author backlists, gives us a brief Balkan history lesson, and reads from Welcome to Belgrade, book one of the trilogy, Self-Inflicted ...
Baseball and Spies and Life and Writing
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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, Pr...
No Podcast This Week
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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.
Setting as Character
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Character Development
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan explains how an extensive character worksheet helped discover traits about her characters even she didn't know and provides a brief homage to f...
Introducing PROLOGUE TO REVENGE
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 bo...
An Emotional Episode
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 Do...
Reminder: NO Podcast This Week
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
P. A. Duncan is at a writer's retreat working on her next book. She'll be back next week.
Prologue to Terror - Part 2
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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. S...
Prologue to Terror Part 1
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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....
Wrapping Up a Book Birthday
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan concludes the month-long birthday celebration for Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules, gives a review of the new Netflix "espionage" movie, The Gra...
Vary Your Pattern
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 pa...
Stay Within Your Cover
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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, "Sta...
You Are Never Completely Alone
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're revisiting the Moscow Rules for the first book birthday of Duncan's short short collection, Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules. In the reading part...
We Have Met the Enemy . . .
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 tit...
Why Do Writers Retreat?
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan talks about why and how writer retreats are so conducive to creativity, whether spies get retreats, and provides a reading from TERROR, book on...
REMINDER: No Podcast Today
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No episode this week because spy novelist P. A. Duncan is at a writer's workshop.
Who Spies on the Spies
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 sal...
Suspending Disbelief
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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. ...
100th Episode!
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episodic or Serial Series - Who Said This Was Easy?
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 Ope...
Public Figures and their Fictional Representations
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Writing historical fiction means dealing with public figures, living and dead. Duncan defines public figures and talks about the unique challenges of ...
Fact vs Fiction in Historical Fiction
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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,...
Sometimes Endings are Hard
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan talks about the struggle to bring her ground-breaking series A Perfect Hatred to its logical conclusion. Turns out she had to wait for justice ...
Femme Fatales and the Woman Spy
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan discusses a webinar from the International Spy Museum she recently watched and describes how real women spies who were not femme fatales inspir...
Why Bad Company?
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan explains how book 2 of A Perfect Hatred (Bad Company) came by its title, and she describes the pitfalls of conducing research into people and g...
An Old Problem
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Duncan gives us some background on the history that inspired the series A Perfect Hatred, and in a reading from book 1, End Times, she shows us the le...
Writer Balance: History vs Sensitivity
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episodes winds up the month-long look into the author brand of P. A. Duncan, and, as a prelude to her upcoming series, Meeting the Enemy, she als...
Real Spies and Family Lives
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The importance of keeping a low profile and blending in for spies and their families. What on earth is a blood cover? And some teaser readings from my...
Does Romance Belong in Espionage?
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It does, but not how you've been conditioned to think of it. Some fans do go for exploitation of either sex, but mostly it's women being exploited, bu...
Real Spies With Real Lives - What Does it Mean?
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is a spy's life really like? Well, I found out, from a reliable source. Reader Magnet Giveaway: dl.bookfunnel.com/vpayastekc Find out more about ...
Everything You Ever (Maybe) Wanted to Know About Author Branding
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Like Apple, McDonalds, or Nike, authors have brands that identify the author and what he or she writes for marketing purposes. This week we delve into...
Authorship vs Writing
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to be an Indie author? A lot of non-writing related "stuff." Plus closing out a month of celebrating Love Death's book birthday. Lov...
Where's the "Love" in LOVE DEATH
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A bit about what inspired me to write Love Death and some readings from the novel. Love Death is free for your Kindle or Kindle App through Saturday F...
Accurate History
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're not a believer in teaching a country's accurate history, you might want to fast forward to 18:53 because this week I was in a mood to rant a...
Symbolism in Writing and Espionage
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Writers use symbolism, but so do spies, so why not symbolism while writing about spies? Plus some readings from this month's featured book, LOVE DEATH...
Spy Tools, Writer Tools, and a Book Birthday
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I'm coming off my social media break soon, so if you haven't already, follow my Facebook Author Page, join my Facebook Readers Group, or follow me on ...
Some Excerpts from the Upcoming Novel, TERROR
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some other espionage podcasts you might be interested in, an excerpt from Meeting the Enemy: Terror, and all about the FREE reader magnet you can down...
Taking On Sensitive Historical Events in Fiction
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When to use dramatic license in writing historical fiction, and a reading from a new reader magnet.
What to Expect in 2022
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! Get the down-low on what P. A. Duncan will have published this year and a reading from a brand new, upcoming reader magnet.
The Final Episode of 2021 - Happy Holidays!!!
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The only reading is my 2017 holiday story, "A Visit from Grandfather Frost." Enjoy, and my heartfelt wishes for a happy holiday season. See you next y...
Tying up the Loose Ends - Maybe
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Just when Mai Fisher and Alexei Bukharin think their Belgrade mission is wrapped up, something else pops up. Starting December 23, And Justice for All...
The Things Mai Fisher Does for a Mission
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Would you let yourself get captured in order to close out a mission? Not me, but, then, I have Mai Fisher to live vicariously through. Don't forget bo...
Yes, Another Book Birthday
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're ending season two of the podcast with the conclusion of the Self-Inflicted Wounds trilogy, book 3, And Justice for All. And because December is ...
No Podcast Today
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No podcast today because the host is celebrating Thanksgiving with her family. But. . . You can still enter to possibly win a signed, hardcover editio...
Concluding the Book Birthday Celebration for DANGEROUS TRUTHS
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Winding up our celebration of Dangerous Truths, Thanksgiving wishes, a holiday special with Dangerous Truths being free, and don't forget the hardcove...
More Readings from DANGEROUS TRUTHS
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Alexei is alive, but some disturbing news about his family dampens his relief. And there's the matter of his connection to Irina Pishkatova and the fa...
Happy Book Birthday to DANGEROUS TRUTHS
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, another book birthday for book 2 of Self-Inflicted Wounds, Dangerous Truths. A mini-review of the new animated series Star Trek: Prodigy and a mi...
We're All Done Celebrating WELCOME TO BELGRADE
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Readings from the ending of Welcome to Belgrade, a mini-review of Denis Villenueve's Dune, and don't forget the giveaway. If you want to put your name...
Another Reading from WELCOME TO BELGRADE
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Three-quarters of the way through Welcome to Belgrade during its birthday month, we'll see that Alexei will do almost anything for the mission; a revi...
More from WELCOME TO BELGRADE
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We delve a bit deeper into Welcome to Belgrade, book one of the Self-Inflicted Wounds trilogy, and I have a mini-review of No Time to Die, the latest ...
Happy Book Birthday to WELCOME TO BELGRADE
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're celebrating the first book birthday of Welcome to Belgrade, book one in the Self-Inflicted Wounds Trilogy. As part of that celebration, I'm givi...
Wrapping up THE BETTER SPY!
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some final readings from the novel in stories, THE BETTER SPY, a mini-review of American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally, and what's coming up in Oct...
The Conclusion of THE BETTER SPY
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Two readings from "The Better Spy," the title story for the novel in stories, a Netflix series review, and a book review. I was quite talkative this w...
You Always Were THE BETTER SPY
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why writing conferences are cool, a reading from my novel in stories, The Better Spy, and the expected COVID/vaccination rant. If you want to learn mo...
Finishing Up BLOOD VENGEANCE
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The IRA kidnaps the daughter of U.S. Secret Service Agent Henry Munro. Who can he turn to for help? A woman he met briefly in the aftermath of the Kan...
The Podcast is Back!
02 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After a two-week hiatus, "Real Spies, Real Lives" is back with more about writing, spies, and writing about spies. Oh, and some books are on sale, too...
Oops! Another Delay
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I'm at a writer's retreat with limited internet access, so tune in next week for a return to our regular programming! Have a wonderful weekend.
No Podcast This Week
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Explaining why there’s no podcast this week.
Winding up A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Reading from the second half of A Change for the Better, a couple of mini-reviews, some baseball talk, and, yes, the weekly COVID rant.
More Novellas
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some readings from a recent novella, A Change for the Better, and how it came about. Plus, wear you d****d mask!
An Introduction to an Upcoming Trilogy
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A reading from book 1 of a new trilogy starting in 2022, Meeting the Enemy, about 9/11. A couple of mini movie reviews, too.
Concluding Our Look at The Moscow Rules
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Readings from the final two stories of Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules, a bit about the writing life, what's coming next month, and, of course, my COV...
"Pick the Time and Place for Action"
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A couple of reviews: the Netflix series "Spycraft" and. . . Black Widow! And some readings from another story in Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules, "Pic...
"Lull Them Into A Sense of Complacency"
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Moscow Rule number seven's story introduces two hapless SVR officers given the task of following Cybill Fleming in Moscow. A beta reader called the tw...
Vary Your Pattern/Stay Within Your Cover
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The next Moscow Rule is "Vary Your Pattern and Stay Within Your Cover"--again a somewhat long and cumbersome story title, so I wrote two stories. "Var...
"Don't Look Back; You're Never Completely Alone"
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The 4th Moscow Rule--Don't Look Back; You're Never Completely Alone"--was a bit long for the title of a single story, so I split it and wrote two stor...
"Everyone is Potentially Under Opposition Control"
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Moscow Rule number 3 and story number 3 from SPY FLASH III: THE MOSCOW RULES. If things seems too good, like this really beautiful woman--or guy--payi...
"Never Go Against Your Gut"
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The second Moscow Rule and the title of the second story in Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules--Never Go Against Your Gut. Sage advice for anyone. Preord...
Assume Nothing
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Assume nothing--the first Moscow Rule, and the first story in my new collection, Spy Flash III: The Moscow Rules. Hear some excerpts and learn about t...
Winding up MY NOBLE ENEMY
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode concludes the look back at two of my novellas, The Yellow Scarf and My Noble Enemy, and it has a tease for my July new release. Also the ...
Another Novella!
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features the second novella published in 2015, My Noble Enemy--where I, gasp, kill off a character. A bit of a warning: adults discussing...
How THE YELLOW SCARF Got Its Title
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode wraps up the focus on my 2015 novella The Yellow Scarf before we move onto the other 2015 novella My Noble Enemy. Also, you get a movie r...
What's a Novella?
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A brief discussion about novellas and reading from my first novella, The Yellow Scarf. It and my second novella, My Noble Enemy are on sale this month...
Concluding a Look Back at A PERFECT HATRED
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A writing lesson, some readings from Collateral Damage--the concluding volume of A Perfect Hatred--and a little preaching about civics. Plus, two days...
Revisiting Descending Spiral
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Readings from Descending Spiral, book 3 of the series, A Perfect Hatred, and a bit of a chat about ethical dilemmas facing undercover operatives. Look...
Revisiting Bad Company
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing my revisit of my series A Perfect Hatred, I read from book 2, Bad Company, and discuss music and writing. WARNING: Both readings end with a...
Revisiting A Perfect Hatred
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 3rd anniversary of the start of the series A Perfect Hatred. What better way to celebrate than with special pricing and a reading from Book 1...
Reading from a WIP Plus a Movie Review
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some readings from my rough draft of a new novel and a brief review of the new movie, The Courier, with Benedict Cumberbatch. To celebrate the three-y...
The Conclusion to A War of Deception
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We tie up all the antagonists' threads in this episode, and you get a preview of the books I'll be featuring in April--my four-book series, A Perfect ...
Real Spy Results vs Fiction
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
More reading from A War of Deception and a brief discussion of an interesting, unclassified report from the Office of the Director of National Intelli...
More from A War of Deception
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
And A Face in the Crowd. Some thoughts about Bobby Sands on his birthday, and the podcast has its own website: realspiesreallives.com.
A Trip Back in Time
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 disc...
Nearing the End
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 mea...
Planning and Spycraft
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 discu...
Going Off Topic
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Always Good To Have A Plan
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mai learns something about Alexei she didn't know when she meets Kolya Bukharin.
Approaches and Pitches
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Another taste of my upcoming book, Love Death, with some history and German politics. Oooh, exciting.
Out With the Old...At Last!
31 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 on...
Character Origins
10 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
The Trilogy Concludes
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The final few chapters--and some editorializing about Slobodan Milosevic--of the trilogy Self-Inflicted Wounds, after its conclusion with the publicat...
The Last Mission?
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 missio...
Improvising
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 warn...
The Beginning of the End...of the Trilogy
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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...