Silicon Valley and Spies

This is a social media design I created for the sequel to Masks of Morality. The second book in my Silicon Valley Trilogy, Monster Behind the Masks, drills down to the dark money in politics that’s hidden in so many business deals across the high-tech sector. Business deals within the venture capitalist and CEO’s selling secret military technology to China, Israel and other foreign markets across the globe. Military technology that’s even questionable domestically, yet transferred to volatile markets abroad. Entrepreneurs too eager to make their millions.

I loved working in Silicon Valley. It’s deep in my heart, the best years of my professional career. Yet, I also recognize with a soul-crushing acceptance, the uncanny relationship between a lucrative position I held, Senior Competitive Marketing Analyst to a spy agency. A spy agency of which, to this day, seed funds many technology start-ups. A spy agency which has its own controversial venture capital firm called In-Q-Tel, the “Q” named after a fictional character who makes gadgets for James Bond.

I remember people joking, “you’re in the CIA! Even your title works, “Competitive Intelligence Analyst.” Indeed, I worked in the Competitive Intelligence department for Bay Networks, which was acquired by Nortel. I loved my job, as much of a grind it was. I did great things, helping my company beat out chief rivals for multi-million dollar deals. I helped connect hospitals, universities, public transit, and other critical infrastructure.

After Bay Networks/Nortel, I was a Senior Product Marketing Manager then the Vice President of Marketing and Sales for a few tech-start-ups. It’s all good, and I am proud of my achievements.

I also see the inherent dangers to our privacy and even our lives with the beauty of Silicon Valley innovations so seamlessly blended with its deep origins in government defense contracts. The mythology and inherent splendor of the Valley so hidden behind the fact today we lose more and more freedom of speech as our personal data is sold domestically and abroad. Edward Snowden exposed the controversial surveillance programs so linked to Silicon Valley, yet the game continues under a veil of “national security.”

Today, both the CIA and DIA carry out espionage missions acquiring more and more technology from giant defense contractors. From secret software allowing intelligence analyst to access machines remotely to secret reseller agreements with Asian governments, does this make the world any safer?

In Monster Behind the Masks, the daughter of a rogue CIA agent is running for her life. What is she running from? Will she survive? I’ve discovered I am writing Silicon Valley Fiction. My third installment of the MASKS series, The Money Masquerade , is in the making. I hope to have it released in 2020. Stay tuned, and feel free to contact me with any questions.