My Stonegate series is filled with spies, detectives and mystery, along with a whole lot of romance. In order to do some down and dirty research for these stories, I’ve volunteered to go on a series of Super Secret Spy Missions. I travel a lot, but it’s almost always to New York and Los Angeles for day job related stuff.

This is different. I’m hitting out of the way points of interest and doing super secret spy stuff, along with my research at the same time. Each trip has a mission, which I unfortunately can’t share, but I also manage some fun along the way. I mean, where does it say in the spy handbook that spy girl can’t go shopping? As long as I get the “job” done, the rest of the time is mine.

Below the first few pictures are from the last mission. Piece the clues together and see if you can come up with what you think the mission was about.

I’m so lucky for this next mission. GM is actually providing me a Chevy Traverse, because part of this trip means hauling stuff. (I have to tell you I’m loving this car. Cool gadgets and super secret compartments galore. Perfect for a spy.) I’ll be posting pictures on my own blog at www.candacehavens.com. Make sure you keep up with what I’m doing, because you might just have a chance to do some spying of your own very soon.

And tell me about your favorite getaway. Where do you go to hide from the world? Where is the one place you are most relaxed? Have you ever had to keep a secret so big you thought you might burst? Tell me, I really want to know.
-Candy
www.candacehavens.com

Sherwood Forest Plantation

A Mystic Garden

The Infamous Whoopie Pie

The beginning of Mission #2

This is one awesome spy mobile.

Chevy Traverse Spy Mobile

Do you ever find yourself eaves dropping on conversations while out in public? Or making up entire scenarios for people you see at a mall or restaurant? Writer’s do this a great deal,and I think it’s the secret spy in all of us. Writer’s can’t help but create characters for almost everyone we meet, and listening to other people’s conversations, well, that’s just part of the job.

I make up stories all the time for people. Sometimes I turn them into covert agents and other times what they say is enough to send my mind whirling. Last fall I was traveling through Oklahoma and stopped at gas station to grab snacks and fill up the tank. I was coming out of the store when I heard a woman say, “I can’t do nothin’ on Wednesday, I got to go to court every Wednesday.” It took everything bit of restraint I had not to stop and ask her what she did that she had to go to court. Two hours later as I made my way into Oklahoma City, I had an entire scenario for her in my head. Actually I had several ideas, including one where I was a spy and I infiltrated to truck stop to find out who was carrying illegal cargo. Snort. I kid you not.

But I digress… I’m rather fond of those covert operatives. That’s one of the reasons I have so many in my books. The Stonegate series for Blaze is filled with spies. They are mysterious and clever, and I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of them. I like books, television and movies about spies. The Bourne films are some of my favorites. And hello, Tom Cruise in those Mission Impossible films, well that’s just fun.

Spies are also trending in the entertainment world. We have the adorable Ashton Kutcher starring with Katherine Heigl in “Killers.” Then Mr. Cruise is back in a new spy film “Knight and Day” with Cameron Diaz. (He’s also doing Mission Impossible IV for 2011.)

In television we have a couple of new spy series coming up. One of my favorites so far is “Nikita” coming up on the CW this fall. I was a big fan of the original French film “Nikita” with Anne Parillaud, the American film “Point of No Return” and the first TV series “Le Femme Nikita.” The new version stars Maggie Q as Nikita, but there’s a big twist in this one that I won’t ruin for you. I like that Nikita has a heart, but she’s also one lethal assassin.

Another interesting spy TV show coming up is “Undercovers” on NBC. This one is about a couple played by Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw who come out of retirement to rejoin the CIA as spies. It was created by J. J. Abrams, who did one of my all-time favorite spy series “Alias.”

There are some other series like, CBS’ “The Event,” which also has spies, but they aren’t the focus of the show.

So obviously I’m not the only one who is obsessed with spies. Have you ever dreamed of being a spy? Do you have a favorite spy TV show or film? Tell me I want to know.