I found the graphic content the hardest to write because of the torture that the victims were put through. To have to describe in depth this kind of torture was excruciatingly difficult.

Kay Sparling – 14 August 2025

The Back Flap

Near the end of the Cold War, Kaitlyn Stewart lands an apprenticeship at the Vienna State Opera. Soon after arriving, she is recruited by the CIA as the only female high profile operative in Mission: THAW. Both CIA and MI6 are in a race against time to uncover a human trafficking cartel set up by fascist Western politicians who are in business with the East Germans and KGB. They are exploiting refugees from the former satellite countries of the USSR. Mission: THAW must infiltrate the cartel in order to shut down the trafficking and destroy the slave labor in East Germany. If the GDR economy fails, the Berlin Wall will come down. Covering as an opera singer, Kaitlyn infiltrates the inner circle of the KGB and neo-Nazis, only to find out that they have a much more deadly, lucrative plan in the making: blueprints for a dirty bomb. MI6 agent Clive Matthews, who is considered the best secret agent in the free world, skillfully guides Kaitlyn through the crazy maze of the mission.

Based on fact.

About the book

When did you start writing the book?

In 2015.  This book started as a PTSD recovery journal.  My doctors encouraged me to turn the story into a book.

How long did it take you to write it?

I published it in 2024. It took me nine years due to my busy musical career.  I had to grab time to write whenever I could.  Plus, I also experienced a couple of life crises during that period of time.

Where did you get the idea from?

This book is mainly based on true facts that I witnessed.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes, I found the graphic content the hardest to write because of the torture that the victims were put through.  To have to describe in depth this kind of torture was excruciatingly difficult.

What came easily?

Writing about the inner relationships of the spy rings and describing the opera scenes.  Also, the romance that threads through the story.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Definitely, my characters are based on real people.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

James Patterson.  I believe he is a master at pacing a thriller story.  I took his masterclass and studied many of his techniques.

Do you have a target reader?

I have many groups that I am targeting with this book.  Fans of espionage, female readers who enjoy a feminist protagonist, and fans of the Cold War Era.

About Writing

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I do outline minimally.  It’s just a couple of sentences.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I edit as I go.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes, I did at the end of what I thought was my final draft, and I also used local writers to help me edit throughout the number of drafts that were written.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Being a musician, absolutely not.  If I listen to music, I end up focusing on the music when I am trying to write.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes, I submitted to a lot of agents.  Both in person and online.  I fared better with the in-person pitches.  Sometimes I would be the only writer at a conference that would receive a nod from the agents preset. But at the end of the day, those agents were told by the agencies they worked for that they would have to pass.  Many agents encouraged my writing but said they didn’t think they could sell an opera singing spy.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I chose to go with an indie publisher about a year after submissions and attending one large conference.  I didn’t want to waste any more time or money.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Yes, my indie publisher took care of my cover.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

After my book was out six months, I hired a publicity team.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Don’t give up, carry on if you really believe in your story.

About You

What are you working on now?

I am presently working on my second book in the Kaitlyn Stewart spy novel series.  I hope to have it ready for professional editing by the end of this summer.

End of Interview:

For more from Kay Sparling visit her website and follow her on Twitter, Bluesky, and Instagram.

Get your copy of Mission Thaw from Amazon US or Amazon UK.