Ask the Author: Alex Finley

“Hey, look! I finally have a Goodreads author page! Ask me anything. Seriously, anything. I'll probably lie, but I'll try to make it entertaining.” Alex Finley

Answered Questions (3)

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Hi Ms. Finley. I've read all three of your books and they're all great. How tough was the review process by the CIA, if you had to go through a review?
Alex Finley Hi, Steve. Thanks for the nice note!
Everything I write related to the agency or intelligence goes through the review board. Generally, I find them fair. The process can be a little slow sometimes (although other times they turn things around quickly... so it's kind of hit or miss there). My only real problem arose when there was a government shutdown just as Victor in the Rubble was under review. My editor was left waiting way longer than anticipated!
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Hey! When is Victor in Trouble going to be added to goodreads? I bought it this morning and I'm reading it, but goodreads doesn't think it's a book.
Alex Finley Hi! I see it here on my dashboard. Can you see it now? Sometimes it takes time for everything to sync. If you still don't see it, please let me know. Thank you!
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I thoroughly enjoyed Susan Hasler's, "Intelligence: A Novel of the CIA". Have you read it? If you have, what did you think of it? The first time that you (and your novel) were brought to my notice was a post by The Center for Public Integrity which you authored. It concerned the Mueller Report and AG Barr's foot dragging. What is it about the CIA that moves it's former employees to write satirical novels about it?
Alex Finley Hi, Paul. I have read Susan's book and found it highly amusing. I can't speak for her, but I can tell you about why I use satire to write about CIA. Victor in the Rubble was a bit of a catharsis for me, to deal with some of the absurdity I experienced. Using satire allowed me to pluck out the absurd parts of real events and use them in a wholly fictional way, thus allowing me to share my experiences without giving away any secrets. Also, I really like to laugh, and satire is great for that.
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