Unmasking Suspense:
Crafting Captivating Spy Thrillers for the New Year

Adam Sikes explores the unique elements and techniques for writing spy fiction. He will talk about the real world of espionage and intelligence agencies and examine the basic components of spy fiction, traditional as well as unique facets of character and character arcs, how to develop intrigue and conflict in an espionage context, and the various writing styles that comprise spy fiction.

Adam Sikes left the Marines, worked as a consultant, and then was recruited by the CIA to be a paramilitary operations officer. He conducted activities in Central Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and Europe, but won’t go into the details of his time with the Agency except to say that this was when he gravitated toward becoming a professional writer.

Adam’s debut novel, Landslide, was released on September 20, 2022. His most recent novel is The Underhanded, and he co-authored the nonfiction book Open Skies: My Life as Afghanistan’s First Female Pilot with Niloofar Rahmani.

He has worked as a developmental editor on books concerning the Kennedys and the Vietnam War, several science fiction and fantasy novels and collaborated with Robert Ludlum’s former editor, Richard Marek, and the professionals who brought Die Hard, Death Wish, and American Sniper from print to screen.

Adam received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Georgetown University and currently lives on the West Coast.