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.
The book cover of my new Australian thriller, Spiral. To be released by World Castle Publishing. No dates yet. This is a story about a Sydneysider who moves to South Australia to begin a new life. But like his past, new trouble starts to follow him.
The novel was inspired by my past work as an external public relations consultant to the South Australian Tourism Commission to the Singapore office. An account I managed for slightly more than a decade. Part of my role included escorting journalists to various parts of the State on a familiarization trip. So, I thought since I know the place well, why not write a story set here?
Some of the scenes in the novel are real, particularly my encounter with a platoon of penguins on Kangaroo Island around midnight marching outside my hotel room. This island is outrageously beautiful. Would you believe it? The island is like 7 or 8 times larger than Singapore with differing landscapes. You could find yourself in the desert, in the bush land, by the ocean and in the woods with winding rivers.
There are five-star resorts overlooking amazing views, and there are rough-it-out campsites, so the choice is yours. Either way, you’ll be close to nature. I remember during one trip we drove past a Koala who sat by the side of the road. There is always something extraordinary about seeing animals in their natural habitat instead of a zoo.
Spiral takes begins in one of the State’s key wine regions, Clare Valley, before the novel stretches to other parts, including Adelaide, Kangaroo Island with some smaller scenes taking place in Sydney. One of the things I’ve done in this book is to avoid cliches; I am not talking just dialogue but things often associated with Australia. Mind you, it’s there, but not as much. There is a misconception in the form of a stereotype that Australia is Crocodile Dundee. It’s not. The one thing you’ll discover about the city of Adelaide is that it has a European feel to it. I must confess it’s not as exciting as Sydney but some parts can be fun, like Glenelg, the beach-side suburb. I’d visit it again if I had the chance.
By the way, if you are not familiar with South Australia, the capital is Adelaide. Too many people make the mistake of thinking I am referring to Tasmania because of the reference made to the south.
Here’s the teaser trailer of Spiral on YouTube.
Spiral is my fourth work. Meanwhile, I am working on the sequel to Gun Kiss, which is again set in SoCal.
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Hope you like it. I made it myself. Took me years to learn the craft. I am a play it by ear person, but I know how to choose the right song for a theme and how to rouse suspense.
It was trial and error but the end result was satisfying. I’m starting small, but what do you think? Should I make a movie? Managing fictional characters is one thing, and managing actors – real people – is another. Richard Gere once said during an interview that a movie director needs to be “ballsy.” I probably have the patience to manage a fleet, but can I handle a mutiny? Easier to kill a character in a book.
Then again, I don’t know if I want to make movies. I like to write; this is what I want to do more than anything else. Besides, making a movie involves a company, writing a novel relies on your own company. Just you and your mind. Okay, the editor gets involved eventually.
But the one thing creative minds have in common is they are building, a way to show my soul I am listening…
Click to watch the trailer. GUN KISS
KT
