Every so often a book comes along that is a good deal different from the norm and THE INTERPRETER  is such a book.

Shabir Khan leaves Moscow, after the fall of the Taliban, to

go and live in Kabul.

Whilst searching for work he ends up in Helmand, working as

an interpreter.

In his leisure time he studies and enjoys sports, but 

during a fight with a Taliban in his Karate club he 

injures him badly and is consequently thrown into jail.

Whilst in Helmand, Shabir hears the voice of a Taliban

commander over the ICOM, but is it the same one who 

jailed him?

Living away from his family is soul destroying but 

living with threats of decapitation to himself and 

fellow interpreters leaves him on a knife edge....

Take a journey with Shabir The Interpreter, on daily 

patrols with the American officers as they connect 

to the local village people and Afghan officials. 

Only he can translate for the Maliks and Mullahs.
Join me in the deserts of Helmand and watch Shabir’s 

battle with the Taliban for one day, then imagine 

what he goes through every day. 

                      *******************

 Shah Wali Fazli was born in Kabul, and studied 

medicine at the University of Kabul. He left there 

after the Taliban took over the city. In the year

2000 he came to England, where he studied English 
and computer technology.

His first book was called 'Running from Life',

published in the Dari language. It's also available

in English. 

When NATO went to Afghanistan, Shah's first job in

England was with the British army, advising them 

on the Afghanistan issues. He was also instrumental 

in helping them with cultural training. It was through 

this he got the idea of writing 'The Interpreter'.

Shah worked for years for the British army before moving

to Germany, where he started working with the American 

army, doing the same job. 

He still works with them today and loves the job.

 RUNNING FROM LIFE by Shah Wali Fazli

Take a look at Shah's web page here and learn a 

lot more about him and his life.

http://shahsight.com/home.html

Wish me luck

I'm giving a talk to a writers group on 1st December about the publishing world and how nice it is to be published. I bet they think I'm coining it in. Little do they know......
It's split - a bit for my publisher and a bit for me. Now considering a Kindle download can be bought for under a pound (English) under a Dollar (American) I'll leave you to work out the logistics. :)

Anyway wish me luck peeps.

ERASMUS AT HIS BEST

Here is the new cover for the Eye of Erasmus. It's even worth re buying the book again.....

 And here is the woman he has pursued through centuries.

I loved the original cover which was aimed at the YA market. It was an original painting by John Piggott who has my eternal thanks.

BLACK SHADOWS DOES IT AGAIN

Black Shadows by Simon Swift has got the ultimate accolade and here it is ...........

--Simon Wood, author of THE FALL GUY said,

              "........People ask when will someone write a hard boiled crime novel from the golden age, well   
                       Simon Swift has with Black Shadows......."

It should be noticed that as far as detective fiction goes Simon Wood is massive in the US.

Below is my review.............


Black Shadows is not a book I would normally choose to read, but I'm so glad the opportunity was given to me.

We are introduced to the main character Errol Christopher Black, a rookie private detective as he tucks into a large bloody porterhouse steak. Detectives Terry Shadow and Dyke Spanner of the Shadow Man Detective Agency are helping him work his way through a now half empty bottle of claret.

The story unfolds in Newark New Jersey in 1935 where mobs rule, and we are witness to a typical shoot out of the time. As the table is upended to afford some form of protection from the flying bullets, they realise that they are not the intended targets but Terry Shadow meets his untimely end with two clean bullets to the head.

Ten years down the line we find Errol Christopher Black with a new partner, Hermeez Wentz and now based in Manhattan at the Black and Wentz Detective Agency along with his very obliging secretary Ava Jameson.

Errol seems happy to take on run of the mill cases and his new client Claudia seems to fit into that category. She tells of a straying fiancé George, along with the discovery of a lipstick and pair of lacy panties which don't belong to her.

As he takes on what he considers to be a routine surveillance case, Errol is unexpectedly drawn back once more to the mobsters and gangs of that time.

His one time partner Dyke Spanner is shot to death and Errol finds himself on the trail of a blue diamond coveted by hoodlums and beautiful women alike.

The story unfolds with many twists and turns, whilst the reader is witness to the beautiful women that Errol chooses to bed, in his quest for the diamond and the elusive George. Murder is not a rare occurrence either. To state more would give away too much of the plot.
The strength of the writing led me to imagine that I was entering into a 1940's movie with Humphrey Bogart in the wings.

I also firmly believe that with the right exposure, there is potential here for a film.
Many times during reading BLACK SHADOWS I was convinced that I had all the answers, only to be completely wrong footed by the superb, imaginative writing of Simon Swift.   

An Eye Opener

Yesterday I completed reading and reviewing The Interpreter by Shah Wali Fazli.

 I would urge you to read this powerful book because although it is a work of fiction, the author has in fact first hand experience and knowledge.

It tells the life of an interpreter in Afghanistan (Helmand Province) and the heartache of actually doing the job.

THE INTERPRETER

Shah Wali Fazli

English is not the first language of Shah Wali Fazli and yet he writes clearly and distinctly. I could feel the trials and tribulations of the heat of the desert through the simplistic power of his words along with the knowledge that anyone in a war zone may never see the light of a new day.

Shabir Khan is an interpreter and yet he feels all the intensity of the war raging around him without the benefit of the fight. His constant fear is the safety of his family spread around the world. His parents in Moscow, his siblings in Zurich. His main priority is to do his job and keep his head down, whilst constantly wondering if he will ever lead a normal life again.

Through the story is a back thread of his other fear. His previous jailer and torturer is looking for him and Shabir finds himself with a near death experience courtesy of a suicide bomber.

I was unsure of the storyline at first, but I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to read The Interpreter. Although this is a work of fiction I understand the author was an interpreter.

I feel sure this book will be an instant success with the right exposure in light of the current world affairs. It's the sort of book that would appeal to the military I feel and has just the hint of a suggestion for a good movie.

******

A TASTER .......

The Interpreter

Come to the mountains of Afghanistan and watch my battle with the Taliban, for one day, then imagine what I go through, every day.

The Interpreter is back in town, injured and bleeding. Please shelter him in your homes, if you can, because he is in danger of losing his life and his battle in putting an end to the Taliban era, in Helmand.

Please join the Interpreter and be part of history. It is about someone fighting to rescue his war-torn land and people against their worst enemy, the Taliban.

I am the Interpreter and I don’t lack love and passion towards you, people. Please heal my injuries and stop my bleeding, I am there for you, people. I won’t let you down. I am the saviour. I am the Interpreter.

*****

The Power of Twittering

Whilst twittering away as we all seem to do these days. I came across Jordan Rivers.
Here is part of any extract from her web site and I urge you to visit.....

........................When not writing, I'm shooting an ultra low-budget movie. I've shot 4 so far. I'm also an award-winning script writer. I was a writer in Hollywood for over twenty-five years and wrote for Warner Bros., Universal, and more t.v. shows then I can remember. I'm the writer who always re-wrote others for a pay check instead of credit ..............
 To read the rest of this amazing article pop over to the link below

http://jordan-rivers.com/index.html