Here it is… the cover of FAR OUT. I hope you like it. I promise a story to be as thrilling as the design, which purports a sinister element on a dreary night. FAR OUT will be released on 8, January 2024 by Running Wild Press in California.
The idea behind the cover design was inspired by one of the many ideas I proposed to the publisher’s designer. It was based on a scene from the book.
The novel received praise from several notable authors including Josie Brown, author of the Housewife Assassin’s Handbook series, former Hollywood screenwriter Dennis Palumbo and Haris Orkin.
FAR OUT is available for Pre-Order at Amazon & Barnes & Noble.
Synopsis: Screenwriter Blake Deco’s life is upended when his Hollywood movie-star wife, Goldie Saint Helen, comes out of a coma after a car accident with a makeshift identity. Her lawyers see her condition as an opportunity to swindle her.
Since getting back my rights from World Castle Publishing, which had released this Vatican thriller in 2017, I decided to give the book cover a fresh look for the second edition. There is no doubt it spells an intense thrilling read.
A Readers’ Favorite award recipient, Incognito tells the story of three specialists assigned by a secret organization to find the Pope who is missing. The artwork was created by Juan Padron from Venezuela who took some of my visual suggestions.
Synopsis
Pope Gregoire XVII was last seen waving to the crowd at Saint Peter’s square from the famous Apostolic Palace window.
Despite several layers of tight security, neither the Gendarmerie nor The Entity (the Vatican’s secret service) or the Swiss Guards claim to know anything about his sudden mysterious disappearance.
As the world mourns for the pope, a frantic search begins in Italy and beyond its borders amid speculation that the Holy See may know more than they are telling.
Ayden Tanner, a former British SAS commando officer — who is officially dead — is dispatched with two other crew members to find the Supreme Pontiff by The League of Invisible Knights, a covert division of Anonymous. But trouble unexpectedly starts from the moment Ayden arrives in the city that winter day…
In a gasping chase that races from the snowy mountains of Switzerland to the secret passages under Saint Peter’s Basilica to the hilly terrains of Istanbul to the harsh desert air of Egypt, Ayden and his crew are forced to match wits with lethal assassins as they struggle on a desperate quest to prevent a terrifying tomorrow.
This is the new cover for the second edition of my thriller, Smokescreen.
What do you think? It was designed by Venezuelan Juan Padrón.
I like the first cover but it was time for a fresh look to create mystique and suspense: The partial face, the blood spatter, the bullet hole.
I had organized a little voting session on Facebook asking people to choose from a choice of several covers.
Inspiration for the novel
Singapore’s relationship with Israel, and the time I spent in Cairo, Egypt inspired the story idea. The protagonist, Jet West, came out during my workdays as a magazine reporter for a high society magazine.
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.
Goldie St. Helen – the co-protagonist in Gun Kiss – is being generous…one reader will walk away with this exotic green handwoven Oriental rug when I reached the target of 5,000 copies in digital sales for my thriller novel, Gun Kiss.
For those of you who are are already subscribers and followers, you are automatically included in the raffle. Good luck!
Product: Handmade Oriental rug, exotic green, and brand new. A fine item for any room in the house or office.
Goldie St. Helen is a fictional character in Gun Kiss; a Hollywood movie star who lives in Los Feliz, Los Angeles. Meanwhile, I am working on a sequel, Far Out, and I can only hope readers will find it as riveting as the first one.
Truth be told, all my books are sequel-friendly but I decided on Gun Kiss because I received more requests for it from both the young and old. It’s going to take a while before the next one is done. But it’s always fun reuniting with your characters. It would be interesting to see them in a virtual game where the player gets to join them in some action-packed environment.
The new book trailer forSmokescreen, my debut, published in 2013/2014. Thought I give it a fresh coat. Hope you like it. The novel is available at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. You can start atAmazonor get it at the given links at my store.
Praise for Smokescreen
“Boundary-Breaking” Indie Reader (2016)
“A well written and totally absorbing political spy thriller” – Midwest Book Review
“Original and Bold Plotting” – The Examiner
“Authentic and Compelling”e-thriller.com
“An intriguing international thriller of conspiracy and espionage” – Crime Thriller Hound
“Bourne-like” – Times of Israel “A Must Read for 2014”- Digital Journal “Ample Adrenaline” – Millennium Post (India) “International, Realistic, and Above All Intense ” – Book to the Future “Extraordinary Thriller” – Expat Living Singapore
“Talib’s skill with settings was reminiscent of Barry Eisler’s fabulous John Rain series.” – Rabid Reader’s Review.
Blake Deco, the man who rescued Hollywood movie star Goldie St. Helen abducted by drug lord has sold his screenplay, Gun Kiss, to a movie producer. We met up with him recently at his Sunset Boulevard restaurant, Mama Tacos, where he tells us how he is adjusting to his new world.
Reporter: Congratulations on selling your screenplay, Gun Kiss, to Hollywood. How does it make you feel?
Blake: Super, man. Never thought it could happen.
Reporter: It’s not your first attempt on writing a screenplay, is it?
Blake: I have a drawer of rejected works. As far as I’m concerned they are all good.
Reporter: So, how did you get lucky?
Blake: Lady luck was on my side.
Reporter: How does it feel being married to a world-famous movie star, Goldie St. Helen?
Blake [smiling]: She never acts when she’s with me.
Reporter: Why did you decide to write Gun Kiss?
Blake: The events almost cost us our lives. I felt compelled to write the story. You probably won’t believe me if I told you what we went through. Just wait until the movie comes out.
Reporter: What advice would you give aspiring screenwriters?
Blake: Don’t give up. Rest, take it slow, retreat if you have to, but don’t give up. It’s kinda like waiting for the big catch out at sea.
Reporter: You’ve worked with the F.B.I. and H.S.I. Ever thought about writing thriller novels based on your experiences?
Blake [chuckling]: Do I look like a recluse to you?
Reporter: Who do you see playing you and Goldie in the movie?
Blake: Oh, there are so many outstanding talents out there. I like Leonardo DiCaprio, but he’s old now. We need someone younger. They’ll show up, they always do. I’ll leave it to the casting director to decide who plays who.
Reporter: What are you up to these days?
Blake: I’m working on a new screenplay.
Reporter: Awesome. Can you share with us what new one is about?
Blake: It’s top secret.
Reporter [laughing]: I had to try, Blake. Any thoughts about the movie industry these days?
Blake: There are enough forward-thinking people in the industry to keep Hollywood alive.
Reporter: It’s a tough business, even for screenwriters. Think you’ll survive?
Blake: No fuel, no rocket.
Reporter: What draws you to the movie business?
Blake: Probably a gene thing I inherited from my parents. They both wrote for television.
Reporter: So, why do you still bother running a restaurant like Mama Tacos?
Blake: I like being here. I treat it as a recreation. Customers need not worry about food quality since I’m not the one who prepares the dishes. I’ve got an expert in the kitchen. Then again, what’s new about wearing many hats? Lots of stars owned restaurants and other business. Just do what you want, man. Whatever you think is right for you.
Reporter: Do you think your industry promotes sex and violence?
Blake: Which one?
Reporter: The movie business.
Blake: Hollywood didn’t exist during the Roman Empire. Have you read what those people used to do back then?
Reporter: Have you attended any Hollywood parties?
Blake: We have been invited to a few, but Mama Tacos demands a lot of my time, especially at night.
Reporter: What goes on at these parties?
Blake: Sometimes it’s just a private dinner, sometimes it’s loud. We don’t stay long enough to know what goes on past midnight.
Reporter: Your wife is richer than you. How do you feel about that?
Blake: We complement each other in many other ways.
Reporter: What do you most like in life?
Blake: Not hearing a gunshot.
Reporter: Any holiday plans with her soon?
Blake: Yeah, maybe we’ll go to Egypt. We’d like to see the pyramids.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Blake. All the best with Gun Kiss.
Blake: Great chatting with you too. Oops, sorry, I forgot to offer you a drink. What would you like to have?
It’s cover reveal day for my new thriller, GUN KISS. The amazing cover was done by my publisher, Imajin Books. Gun Kiss will be available in print and ebook formats on 1 December.
The novel has been a long time coming, but you can pick up your kindle PRE-ORDER at this universal link. It will be automatically delivered to your device on the release day.
A stolen piece of history, an abducted actress and international intrigue…
When the Deringer pistol that shot Abraham Lincoln is stolen and ends up in the hands of a Russian military general, covert agent Blake Deco is tasked by the FBI to head to the Balkans to recover the historical weapon. Meanwhile, the United States media is abuzz with news of the mysterious disappearance of Hollywood movie star, Goldie St. Helen.
After Blake’s return from overseas, he receives a tip from a Mexican friend that a drug lord, obsessed with the beautiful actress, is holding her captive in Tijuana. With the help of a reluctant army friend, Blake mounts a daring rescue. What he doesn’t expect is to have feelings for Goldie—or that a killer is hunting them.
