Beyond Borders: Iraq’s Strategic Importance in a New Middle Eastern Paradigm and a New U.S. Administration In light of the rapidly changing circumstances in the Middle East, and the recent …
Shelly Mateer

Shelly Mateer
Shelly Mateer is a former CIA officer and author of Single in the CIA, Mission: Stand Down and the Mingling in the CIA series, as well as two children’s picture books, Mommy Thinks She’s a Monster, The Lemon Seed and an elementary-grade chapter book series The Adventures of Shelly Beach. She’s also the creator of the Cooking in the CIA app, the BurpMitt® product line and a comical children’s music album Mommy’s Gone Mad! Most of her books are inspired and influenced by her experiences working undercover for the CIA’s Directorate of Operations.
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FeaturedNational SecurityOpsLens
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It was the dreaded time of year, the holidays. I inwardly cringed at the incessant questions about where I would spend Christmas, would I be alone, did I have a …
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There it was, my shiny new Mustang that I had just purchased, much to everyone’s envy. I had recently graduated college and had happily begun my first office job in …
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FeaturedLifestyle & HealthOpsLens
Civil War Ghosts, Abraham Lincoln, and Mobsters: An Interview with BloodManor Haunted House
Our family friend’s eyes narrowed as he peered over to see what I was reading in the back seat of the car. The look of shock when he realized was …
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Something grey and covered in whiskers was peeking out of the water. A large grey body surfaced as the large nostrils of the creature sucked in air. “What is that?” …
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Isn’t it strange how today the entire world seems to be turned upside down? For instance, just looking at politics alone, the Republican party used to be considered the party …
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FeaturedLifestyle & HealthOpsLens
A Captive Reindeer, an Easter Chicken, and a Monster Under the Bed: An Interview with KJ Kaschula
I remember it vividly, I had written a story about ants and their world, not unlike the later movies Antz and A Bug’s Life, but written from an eight-year-old’s mind. …
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FeaturedNational SecurityOpsLensPolitics
Decoding Democracy: An Overview of the U.S. Election Landscape
As anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows, the United States has a very important election coming up in November. After weeks of battling to maintain his political …
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The sounds of The Pointer Sisters’ song “Jump” and the happy exclamations of parents and their kids jumping from the top deck of the boat into the Indian Ocean came …
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We crept through the bushes in the early morning light, struggling to be as quiet as a large group of sixth grade school children could possibly be. Up ahead of …