1118. A Day in the Life: What’s It Really Like to Be an Intelligence and National Security Expert?

“I had never thought of myself as an author really. The ‘bug’ to start writing definitely began after I retired, and in 2015 books began to be published right after our government finally began to declassify files about the 1983 nuclear war crisis. Two well-regarded authors, one American, one British, wrote books about the crisis in early 2018. Later that year I was talking with a good friend about the books, who was himself a very successful writer, and I said to him that even though I had first-hand experience on the topic, in my view the world did not need another non-fiction book describing what really happened. He quickly replied, ‘Well, why don’t you write a novel then? You have deep personal insight and can humanize the story while making it both educational and entertaining. Why not take a shot at it? Your book will probably stink, but maybe it won’t.’ I took his comment as a dare and in October of 2018 I began writing the first draft of “The Able Archers.” While writing came fairly easily to me, I want to say here that my wife deserves a great deal of credit on so many levels–from character development, to story arc, editing and much more. I’m happy to report that a major motion picture company has optioned the rights to this book and the other six that I plan to write. One possibility would be a TV series.”

Brian Morra has spent his career in intelligence and national security beginning with his time as a decorated Air Force Intelligence officer and through his many years as a senior executive in the aerospace and defense industry. He was encouraged to write the story of “The Able Archers” by many friends who convinced him that his unique, personal insight could bring the story to life of how humanity narrowly avoided extinction in the fall of 1983. His writing is based on first-hand experience. When Brian isn’t writing, he is a corporate board member, enjoys cycling, playing guitar and piano, and visiting with his two grandchildren.