Writer's Routine

David Goodman, author of 'A Reluctant Spy' - Thriller writer discusses juggling projects, soft word-counts, and day-notes

Writer's Routine

Show Notes

David Goodman writes edge-of-your-seat spy thrillers. His debut, 'A Relucant Spy', was published in 2024. We follow Jamie Tulloch, a successful exec at a top tech company, who has a secret... he's part of the Legend Programme. It's a secret intelligence effort to help provide backstories for undercover agents. It's simple, real people, living real lives and are willing to hand over their identities for a few weeks to help a spy blend in. Yet, when Jamie gets a tap on the shoulder, and things go wrong... he needs to play himself well enough to save the world.

It won the McDermid Debut Award at the Theakston Old Peculiar Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, also the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, and was nominated for many more. He's publishing the second in the series, 'Solitary Agents', in June.

David is at a really interesting time of his writing life. He's in between novels, had debut success, things are being optioned for TV, and whilst still busy with the day job, has been able to give up fridays for writing. We discuss how his writing life has changed now he's firmly in the publishing business. Also, why his 'day-notes' keeps the writing muscle going. You can hear about future writing plans, juggling projects, and waking up early.

Get a copy of the book(s) - uk.bookshop.com/shop/writersroutine

This week's episode is sponsored by Philippa Hall's 'Quick Book Reviews Podcast', take a listen wherever you get your shows.

Support the show - patreon.com/writersroutine ko-fi.com/writersroutine

Read the newsletter - writersroutine.substack.com

@writerspod writersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More from Writer's Routine

Oct 22, 2026

Daisy Stephens is a journalist who has written stories forever. When she was young she filled notebooks with them, now living in a house-share with 3 friends and a grumpy cat, she fills notebooks with ideas and plots. During lockdown, she tried to turn one into a novell. It didn't go well. After 100,000 words she fell out of love and put it away. Then, for her job, she interviewed an author who did what she hadn't. An author who carried on. That writer turned her lockdown project into a published novel... why couldn't Daisy?

Oct 15, 2026

Laurell K. Hamilton is a pioneer of romantasy and urban fantasy. One of the biggest names in the genre, Sarah J. Mass has cited Laurell as an enormous inspiration. She's published more than 40 novels and has sold over 20 million of them. She's a Number 1 New York Times bestseller known for her 'Anita Blake' series and the 'Merry Gentry' books - the first of which was published in 2000.

Oct 8, 2026

Elif Shafak is an incredibly successful and influential author. Born in France to Turkish parents, Elif was raised by her single mother and traditional grandmother. She spent her childhood moving across the world, living in Madrid, Cologne, Amman and Istanbul.

Oct 1, 2026

Jenna Helwig is a food editor, a cookbook evangelist, and now novel writer. She's a culinary school graduate, and in 2025 launched, the Cookbookery Collective, a very successful Substack for cookbook lovers. Jenna has published 5 cookbooks herself focusing on everything from feeding a baby, to cooking on a budget.

Sep 10, 2026

Benjamin Abravenel practiced medicine for 35 years, whilst in snatches of spare time, started work on a novel with a message he was passionate to get heard in the world. When he retired with something like a first draft, he hired a Professor to help him edit into something publishable - she said there was very little chance it would ever be traditionally published. Benjamin went the hybrid-route, and has spent the last few years putting the finishing touches on 'The Past, Again'.

See all episodes →