72 Virgins--Fiction or Facts-based Story?

The idea was born years ago when I was still working as a VP at a hi-tech company. I wanted to write a non-fiction facts-based book on Islamic Terror. I realized that the American culture was growing exceedingly politically correct. America was not playing by the same rules as its Islamic enemies. The Geneva Conventions guidelines were no longer applicable when fighting international Islamic terror organizations. Laws had to be amended. And I was about to facilitate that change. Or so I believed.

In preparation for my book project, I embarked on a reading spree of all of Robert Spencer’s books, Karen Armstrong’s, John Esposito’s, Bernard Lewis’s, and more.  Two months later, I concluded that my book had already been written. There was no point in repeating what these masters had already articulated—and so well. But then—a spark, a flash of genius—how could I have missed it?

All facts-based non-fiction books I had read did little to highlight the human disposition behind the suicide bomber’s, the Islamic mad man’s personality. How does he think? how does he talk? how does he move around? How does he communicate, and with whom? what targets does he seek, and why those? And what about all of these law enforcement and intelligence agencies? Can we trust them? Are they protecting us? Will they be able to stop the next attack before it comes about? How do they see the Islamic terrorists? Are they as politically correct as their master politicians?

There were more questions with no answers, more ideas with no… Wait a minute. And this is when it hit me.  I could still write about it, deliver the goods by way of a thriller, where I create fictional characters, make them feel, say the things that unearth their character’s make up, while, nevertheless, move them through real events and real places where these events have materialized; just change names and dates to stay within the fiction genre.

As you can imagine, the story told in 72 Virgins takes its inspiration from real events. Some of the book reviewers caught on to the concept. I could not have said it any better. Here is a sample:

Fighteningly realistic!, September 16, 2009 By RebeccasReads.com (Austin, Texas)

The plot reads like a wonderful thriller, but brings facts and figures to life. Kim's Reviews, Sunday, October 18, 2009

72 Virgin is one of those books that isn't real, but borders so close to "real" that it is scary. Ginny, October 19, 2009

72 Virgins - A MUST READ! It might be fictional but it strikes home.  gautami tripathy

An action-packed, fictional account of what could possibly happen on US soil…or what has already been prevented behind the scenes of normal American life  by Erin N. November, 2009

It was a real eye opener. I found it to be extremely realistic and I found the Jihad mindset to be really shocking. Simply Stacie November 30, 2009

Well, if you wish to learn about Islam and about Islamic terrorists, you ought to read the books by the authors I listed at the top of this post. If you wish to go down, deeper into the terrorists’ soul, 72 Virgins may be your answer.