Matt Rees's Blog – December 2009 Archive (10)

Beckham guest posts on my crime blog

I don’t like soccer, but I do have a soft spot for David Beckham. Let me explain.

My father-in-law told me the other day he was looking forward to relaxing in front of an American football game. The New York Giants were playing another group of steroidal mutants. Though it was the end of the season, eight teams were… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 31, 2009 at 8:27pm — No Comments

In your face Tom Jones: I'm a Welsh icon

Welsh Icons ("an Encyclopedia and Gazetteer of Wales and all Things Welsh - A Cymrupedia if you like."...uh, "Cymru" being the Welsh word for Wales.) lists me among the "iconic" writers on its site. That puts me in the company of thriller… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 28, 2009 at 12:00am — 2 Comments

My part in saving the environment

I like to do my bit to help the effort to save our planet. Last week in Rome my wife and I confronted a brand new recycling program which, mainly, seemed to consist of workmen loading enormous amounts of bottles into their tiny dump truck outside our window at 5 a.m. We cheered them on and put our bottles in the right bin. Unbeknownst to me, my Palestinian crime novels… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 25, 2009 at 7:59pm — No Comments

Setting up an author blog

Because I’m such a hip and happening author, I’m redoing my blog. Actually, I’m not redoing it. My friend Harry’s doing it. He’s hip and happening (check out his photo and wish for his cool, Daddy-O). The point of the blog is to make me LOOK that way.

Until now I’ve mused about the writing of my books, my book tours and research, about the world of… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 24, 2009 at 11:02pm — No Comments

My Manchurian Candidate

One of my biggest boosters has been Bill Ott, reviewer for the pre-publication review Booklist. Here's his review of my forthcoming THE FOURTH ASSASSIN, which is out in the US and the UK on Feb. 1:

"Road-trips in crime series have the built-in problem of removing their heroes from the landscapes that define them. Rees’ Bethlehem history teacher and occasional… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 22, 2009 at 12:18am — No Comments

4-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians?

My latest dispatch on Global Post -- a week or so after it posted, because I've been in Italy and, well, the Middle East wasn't on my mind...I didn't miss the taste of humus too much either, not with all that saltimboca and gelato...

Palestinians are divided; Israelis too. Not a good basis for negotiation.

By Matt Beynon… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 21, 2009 at 4:26am — No Comments

Big Mouth recommends my debut as "bloody good but a little bit different" for Christmas

Scott Pack, controversial publishing guru and self-declared big mouth (I can tell you he's rather more charming in person than such a description would imply), recommends my debut novel THE BETHLEHEM MURDERS (US title THE COLLABORATOR OF BETHLEHEM) for a Christmas gift on… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 21, 2009 at 4:15am — 4 Comments

PW stars new Omar Yussef novel

Publishers Weekly, the pre-publication review, stars my new Palestinian crime novel THE FOURTH ASSASSIN, which will be published Feb. 1 in the US and the UK. Here's the PW review: "The relentless cycle of violence and retribution follows Palestinian detective Omar Yussef to New York City, where he must deliver a speech at the U.N. on schooling in the… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 21, 2009 at 3:55am — No Comments

Best Mystery Books of Year

The Samaritan's Secret, the third of my Palestinian crime novels, was named one of the Best Mystery Books of the Year for 2009 by Deadly Pleasures, the crime fiction magazine with the best read on websites and what fans like. The cover you see here is from… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 5, 2009 at 12:22am — 3 Comments

Ass-backwards on Gays

When it comes to homosexuals, Palestinians have it all ass-backwards.

That led me to introduce homosexuality as a theme of THE SAMARITAN’S SECRET, my most recent Palestinian crime novel. I wanted to show how negative attitudes toward homosexuals function in the Muslim world, demonstrating the bloody… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on December 3, 2009 at 11:58pm — 3 Comments