Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment

Have you ever wanted to write a book but not known where to start? We’ve got some answers for you. Jane Friedman, the author of “The Business of Being a Writer” joins us to explain the ins and outs of deciding what kind of publisher is right for your writing, how to approach a literary agent, what to include in a book proposal and much more. She offers author-wannabees a wealth of advice and resources on how to navigate the publishing landscape.

Former British diplomat and current Cipher Brief expert Tim Willasey-Wilsey is just out with a book called “The Spy and the Devil: The Untold Story of the MI6 Agent Who Penetrated Hitler’s Inner Circle” We’ll talk with him about the never before told story of Baron Wilhelm Von de Ropp, a German aristocrat, who became a British citizen and who spied on the Nazis for the UK from 1931 to 1939.The book is a deeply researched and documented work of history. “Bill de Ropp” as he came to be known had multiple personal meetings with Adolf Hitler and was credited in 1938 as providing at least 70% of MI-6’s German political intelligence.

Author and former Marine Elliot Ackerman’s latest tale is about an ex-CIA Ground Branch operator who goes by his call sign, “Skwerl” and a former Afghan special ops pilot who goes by the name “Big Cheese” so you’re probably already getting a good picture of Ackerman’s latest novel Sheepdogs, which follows Skwerl and Cheese on a globe-trotting adventure from Uganda to Marseille. Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly welcomed Ackerman to the Cover Stories Studio to talk about missing handlers, hidden cargo and shadow war.

Ambassador Joe DeTrani’s The North Korean Threat: Intelligence and Diplomacy — A Personal Memoir is a candid insider’s account of more than three decades navigating the perilous world of U.S.–North Korea relations. We’ll talk with him about some of his experiences as a CIA officer, senior U.S. negotiator, and Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks. In his book, which is available for free at this site, DeTrani blends gripping personal stories with sharp analysis of nuclear diplomacy, intelligence challenges, and the delicate regional dynamics that shaped negotiations. The memoir offers rare insights into the mindset of Pyongyang’s leadership and the enduring importance of vigilance, credible intelligence, and sustained dialogue.