Khaled Talib's Blog, page 2
October 6, 2020
Publisher's Weekly feature_ Smokescreen by Khaled Talib
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/r...
June 16, 2020
The Dead of Jerusalem Ridge by Jean Rabe, USA Today bestselling author
I was honored to have been invited by USA Today bestselling author, Jean Rabe, to write a blurb for her latest Sheriff Piper Blackwell series novel, The Dead of Jerusalem Ridge.
This book is a must-read. It is written in a style where the small-town characters feel so real.
You can now pre-order the book on Amazon. It will be auto-delivered to your Kindle on 25, July 2020.
“Jean Rabe weaves a deceptively staid tempo of a tale in this new Sheriff Piper Blackwell novel that quickly barrels into a starkly taut and terse murder mystery. The main plot, supported by a riveting subplot, is masterly crafted with an intriguing cast of characters, a unique setting, and an ending that feels like a double sucker punch!” ⸺ Khaled Talib, author of the highly praised thriller, Gun Kiss.
Synopsis
Sheriff Piper Blackwell’s three-day vacation with old Army buddies ends in tragedy. At the same time, a vile hate crime along a county road enrages her department.
Their forces divided, Piper and her deputies must solve both cases before tensions boil and threaten the rural fabric of Spencer County, Indiana.
Only eight months on the job, the young sheriff must weave together clues to uncover both a killer and a secret that could scar her soul.
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June 11, 2020
Smokescreen hits No.3 on Amazon Australia bestselling list
It’s nice to see your novel making waves on Amazon Australia’s bestselling list. Smokescreen is also enjoying the No.3 position on Amazon Canada (Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue).
Smokescreen has had a chance of cover, and I plan to redo the paperback version soon. You can see the old book cover here in the Times of Israel.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/spy-thriller-exposes-israel-singapore-ties/
I took a long time to write this book, my first, but it boosted my experience to write another and then another.
After finishing it, I decided to quit. The time I had taken to make this book a reality – wow! Not to mention what it did to my physical and mental well being.
However, I decided to stick with it, hoping for better days. Besides, this is what I do; this is what I want to do. It’s hard to say no when ideas come forward. But when passion calls, you answer…
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March 31, 2020
The mysterious art of Fengshui
I once wrote a story for an Egyptian magazine about Fengshui. Now, I know a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. But I decided to see if this ancient geomancy thing could really work.
Near my old place in Cairo was a Japanese-styled restaurant with a pretty back garden. The menu, oddly, served Arabic, Mediterranean, Continental — and shisha.
For a year, I watched waiters and waitresses lolling here and thereabouts as the place suffered poor patronage.
One night, I decided to have dinner over there. I had no idea what came over me, but halfway through I requested to speak to the manager.
When the manager showed up, I started giving him some Fengshui tips.
I told him to shift the mini bridge they had in the back garden to the right because it was blocking the back gate, which was never opened.
I explained the bridge had been blocking the “energy flow” and only increasing “pressure.” I also suggested leaving the back gate open.
Well, the restaurant decided to explore these options. Nothing to lose, right?
Within two weeks after my visit, the restaurant’s business took off like crazy. As the months went by, you had to queue to get a table, inside and in the garden.
Imagine that.
As they say in the Fengshui world, “Too many things in too small a space cut off flow, block creativity, and bury beauty, much like a bad cold can make it hard to breathe.”
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March 23, 2020
Ever tried the Arabic tea that sounds Chinese?
Photo: Ahmed Sabry @ Pixabay.
There is a type of tea in Cairo called “Yen Soon,” which is popular with the locals. You drink it all the time; day, night, whatever the season.
I thought it was a Made in China tea brand. One day, I decided to give it try; sweet with a flagrant flavor and a calming effect.
Honestly, I thought it was a Chinese brand. I was curious about Mr. Yen Soon. Why is his brand so popular in Egypt?
That’s when I embarrassed myself. Yen Soon is Arabic for Aniseeds, and they use it to make Anise tea.
It’s also spelled Yan Soon or Yansun. Well, you learn something new every day.
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February 21, 2020
Book Cover Reveal: Smokescreen, a thriller set in Singapore
This is the new cover for the second edition of Smokescreen after getting the rights back.
The first edition was published in 2013. What do you think? I like the first cover – it was rad – but I felt there was a need to give it a more mystique feel…the partial face, the blood spatter, the bullet hole.
The new cover was designed by Venezuelan Juan Padrón. I had a little session on Facebook asking people to choose from a choice of two covers. The vast majority chose this one. I had voted the same but kept it a secret. I was glad they shared my sentiments.
The book is available on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo and everybody else.
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February 20, 2020
New cover for Smokescreen's second edition
Hope you like it.
Smokescreen
February 15, 2020
Coronavirus feels like a game of Russian Roulette
Photo: AMRothman/PixabayI am washing my hands more than often these days. The Coronavirus has hit Singapore. As of today, 14, February, there are 72 infected cases as of Saturday, 15 February.
Precautionary procedures have been placed. You can’t enter a bank, for example, unless you agree to have your temperature checked at the door.
On the several visits I made to a hospital, I noticed thermal-imaging monitors in place to scan visitors. Each time, I got the clear to pass. Let’s hope it stays that way. I still want to write more books.
Obviously, I’m avoiding crowds and certain places. I wasn’t one of those people who rush to the supermarket in a panic frenzy. But this virus does feel like a game of Russian Roulette.
I know people who are working from home these days. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Don’t expect me to shake your hand these days.
On the train the other day, I was too scared to cough or sneeze. The way they look at you, it’s like are you one of us or have you turned? In fact, on rare occasions I took the train, I didn’t see anyone sneeze or cough.
There have been stories of alleged discrimination against nurses amid the outbreak. Ignorance is everywhere. In times like these, you can expect all kinds of people coming out of the wood works making insensitive comments.
Would you believe it? On Saturday, I chose a random movie on Netflix entitled Quarantine. Nice timing.
I hope someone finds a cure soon. Meanwhile, life goes on as usual…
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January 31, 2020
Spiral by Khaled Talib
http://www.thebigthrill.org/2020/01/s...
Best wishes,
Khaled
Khaled Talib
January 15, 2020
Book cover for the Italian version of the Vatican thriller, INCOGNITO
What do you think? Hope you like it. The color of the book title obviously represents the official color of the Vatican. The mystery man is none other than the protagonist Ayden Tanner, a man who officially does not exist.
The translation is still in the works and is expected to be ready in a month or so.
The novel is already available in Spanish with a different cover.
The English edition was published in 2017 by World Castle Publishing, and it is available as an ebook, paperback, and hardcover. The story centers around three mysterious individuals assigned by a secret order to find the Pope who is missing. Here’s a review of the English edition by Readers Favorite.
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