Simon Barrett Book Review: Killing Time In Saudi Arabia by Matthew D. Heines

Posted on November 19th, 2014 

by Simon Barrett in All News, Book Reviews, Reviews

An American Experience
I think it is fair to say that Killing Time In Saudi Arabia was not quite what I expected. I have known several PMC’s (Private Military Contractors) over the years. They are a unique breed, often working at the behest of a government but somehow not quite getting the respect and protection deserved. It was with this preconceived notion that I started to read Killing Time In Saudi Arabia.
While names and places have been changed to protect those still in the region Matthew Heines maintains that the story is factual. The first thing I noticed was that Matthew Heines was not a wanna be Rambo, he is a teacher of the English language, a noble task and unfortunately one not often appreciated.
The book opens in a rather strange way, Matthew has completed a two year contract in the Sultanate of Oman, a place that he rather enjoyed, however, due to a non-compete clause with his employer Matthew is prevented from seeking employment in Oman for a period of two years.
Good at his job and few openings for his skills in his hometown of Seattle, he accepts an 18 month contract to teach English to the Saudi Arabia National Guard as an employee of BF Milicon a company that provides a number of services, mainly of the military nature in the country.
The terms of the contract seemed favorable, a decent wage, free lodging, use of company vehicles, etc, etc. Although Mathew plays it down somewhat he must have been impressed by the method of transportation to Saudi. A 747 in the livery of the Saudi national airline. While this in itself may not be strange, the passenger manifest certainly was. It was just Matthew and three other BF Milicon employees. Now that is what I call leg room on a flight!
I think it is fair to say that this was the highlight of the entire contract, once in Saudi Arabia life was not so exotic. Life in Saudi was completely different to Oman. In a strange way, it was not the culture difference between countries so much as the culture system inflicted by BF Milicon that caused most distress. At the apex of unreason lay a gentleman by the name of Garth Viller. Darth Vader oops Garth Viller seemed to have a particular dislike for English Teachers and one Matthew Heines in particular.
Killing Time In Saudi Arabia is billed as humor, and indeed there is a surface layer , a veneer that does indeed reflect that concept. Being an ex-pat Brit I love dry humor. However, when you strip that layer off a very different book is revealed.
The question becomes how do you maintain a sense of normalcy in an environment that is essentially alien to you? You can hardly nip off to the local bar for a couple of drinks and maybe find some female companionship. Dating local women is off the list, that will just get you on the fast track to a very short and unhappy life.
Matthew Heines took a different approach, he joined a local Hash House Harriers group. I have to admit that I had not heard the term for decades. At its most basic form it is a drunken treasure hunt. Purists may disagree and explain that it is all about cross country running crossed with a dose of cartography, although it has been my experience that the map reading was limited to the next place that had beer! Of course in Saudi such activities would have been frowned upon. For the Hashers however there was a silver lining, the Hash became a social event that western nurses would come and watch. Anything to get out of the city and enjoy both the rugged landscape and company of fellow westerners.
The Hashers are just one aspect of Killing Time In Saudi Arabia. The book is rich in strange tales. Many are humorous, but taken as a whole it is a book that anyone planning on taking a contract in the middle east should take some time and read.
You can order your copy from Amazon by using the link above.
Simon Barrett

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Diane Donovan Book Review Another Year in Oman: Between Iraq and a Hard Place by Matthew D. Heines

Review

Another Year in Oman: Between Iraq and a Hard Place
Matthew D. Heines


Print ISBN 9780990879312      
Print Edition $11.99
$3.99 Kindle/iBook/Ebook

Another Year in Oman: Between Iraq and a Hard Place is the second of a three-book series that describes the author's life in the Middle East and once again offers a powerful perspective, continuing the saga begun by Heines' venture into Oman post-9/11.
At this point the U.S. is about to invade Iraq, and Heines is the only American in the region - so he's viewed with undue suspicion and faces the additional challenges of being involved in a clandestine relationship with an Arab woman and struggling with a very different culture.
Like My Year in Oman, this book is neither 'fish nor fowl' - it's not a travelogue; so don't anticipate that direction. Neither is it strict autobiography: there's a lot of cultural observation and history that would be lacking in a more egocentric production and it's this cultural interaction that forms the backbone of Heines' experience and story.
It's about Muslim faith, cultural values, the interaction of Arab countries with the rest of the world, and how Heines' decision to live in Arabia succeeds in changing not only his life, but those around him.
Expect more details about Omani culture than were provided in the first book, expect more rich viewpoints of male and female lives and how they are changed by Muslim faith and politics, and most of all, anticipate a deepening romance set against the backdrop of protests and heightening tensions in the Middle East.
Most accounts of the region come from relative outsiders. Even reporters who have extensively traveled throughout the Middle East and who have more in-depth background in the region's political turbulence don't have the personal associations that Matthew Heines develops in the course of working and developing a love relationship in Oman.
Another Year is about adventure and romance - but more importantly, it's about one average American's understanding of the underlying forces that drive Muslim culture and heritage, offering a rare opportunity for understanding based not on so much on history or politics as upon personal interactions.

And that's a rare perspective, indeed - especially in a post-9/11 world which too easily equates 'terrorism' with 'Muslim' and negates individual matters of the heart.
  D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer, MBR

Diane Donovan Book Review of My Year in Oman by Matthew D. Heines

My Year in Oman: An American Experience in Arabia During the War On Terror.
Matthew D. Heines

Print ISBN 9780990879305

Print Edition Price $15.99

My Year in Oman: An American Experience in Arabia During the War on Terror should be read by any who have an interest in Middle East culture and affairs in general, and terrorism and education in particular. It's that important, and comes from the perspective of an American teacher, ex-paratrooper and writer who taught in the U.S. before challenging himself by accepting a teaching job in Oman.

One of the delights here is Matthew Heines' exploration of his own pre-conceived notions about what Oman will be like, in contrast with its reality. Not only does the country little resemble his imagination, but his experience there is something he couldn't have prepared for. (In fact, before he left for his new job, he couldn't even definitively identify Oman on the map!)

How many teachers would travel to a land they didn't know in pursuit of money and a challenging new position? How many would rent their own cars at a strange airport in the middle of the night and head off into what looks like a desert when they are stranded at the airport? And how many would fall in love with a beautiful Indian girl while on a two-week vacation, only to run into the secrecy that often permeates Indian society and relationships?

Layers of intricacy and cultural encounters come to life in a story that is far more than a travelogue. In fact, readers who come to My Year in Oman might be disappointed in its lack of 'fluff': there are no insights on where to stay, what to eat, what to do. This is autobiography and cultural inspection at its best and, as such, is a recommendation not so much for the armchair traveler as it is for those passionate about other cultures, other worlds, and thinking outside the box of the familiar travel or work pursuit.

Matthew Heines had many choices in his career. He chose to accept something different - and then, to share these insights in a powerful book that moves beyond autobiography into the realm of truly experiencing life and all of its swings.

Heines writes that "Humans have occupied Oman for the last ten thousand years. Archaeologists have uncovered settlements near Muscat that date back at least that far."

Given that this culture is ancient and its position in the region is central, it's a no-brainer that My Year in Oman should be considered for any reader interested in Middle Eastern culture and peoples.

Any who pick up the book expecting an entertaining travelogue will be in for a treat: it's so much more, and packs in the depth and attention to detail that doesn't just entertain: it educates. And, after all, that's where Matthew Heines's passion really lies.

Simon Barrett's Book Review of My Year In Oman by Matthew D. Heines

Book Review: My Year In Oman by Matthew D. Heines

Posted on December 11th, 2014 

by Simon Barrett in All News, Book Reviews, Reviews

An American Experience In Arabia During The War On Terror

Most people today seem to have lost the will to read a book, the world revolves around incomprehensible encoded messages 140 characters in length. So here is the review:
IMHO #MattHeines GR8 book US teacher in #Oman, local ppl ^5, culture dif, h8s uni teaching sys, falls 4 #Indian, 5*
OK, now let’s actually talk about My Year In Oman. Although I deny it if asked, under torture I will admit that I subconsciously put books in genre pigeon holes, however this one eludes my neat filing system, it has so many facets. It is part travelogue, part biting criticism of an education system, part love story, and part reflection of the differences between cultures.
It is September 11 2001, Matthew Heines finds that sleep is eluding him, he catches CNN right as they are showing The Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre with gaping holes in them.
What could a teacher do to fix the obvious rift between the US and the Middle East? No one man is capable of changing the world. Sure many have tried, but few have succeeded, at least not for the better.
For Matthew Heines 9/11 was the perfect storm, for six grueling years he had toiled in the public school system, what a waste of a Masters degree in education. Schools were not interested in teaching, all they were looking for were coaches that could push students to pass standard tests.
It was with sadness and a huge amount of empathy that I read this biting criticism of our school system. Teaching alas is a lost art. To me a teacher is someone that imparts the skill to learn, the thirst for knowledge and the ability to think. Not some moron cramming test answers into kids heads.
Within two weeks Matthew had found his calling, teaching English in a University in Oman. What could possibly go wrong?
Actually quite a lot. The school turned out to be a university in name only. The students were indeed of university age however their abilities in the English language were anything but. While this lack of English was a hurdle it was compounded by culture. Many of the students came from wealthy backgrounds and had little enthusiasm for learning, this was compounded by a management philosophy of too rich to fail.
Matthew writes all of this with humor, however it was clearly a less than humorous situation. I have great admiration for the lengths that he went to attempting to motivate his students. Oddly enough this effort seemed to create an air of resentment, not with the students, but with the faculty. New brooms they mused were no more effective than old ones.
The second aspect of My Year In Oman that caught my attention is Matthews personal life. Omani men do not take lightly to foreigners messing with their women. It is a sure fire way to end up with broken or missing body parts or worse! The solution therefore was to find social contacts among the other foreign workers in Oman. Americans were a little scarce, I am sure that Matthew was not the only one in the country, but they were hard to locate. Brits, Ausies, South Africans, and Indians were more plentiful.
Having spent extensive time working and socializing with people from all over the world, I found the stories pretty darn funny.
Matthew does fall in love with a very pretty Indian woman, there is little humor in the story, and once again he is faced to accept the fact that love cannot always conquer culture.
I give very high marks to My Year In Oman. We all look for aspects in a book that we can relate to. I found many. On the humor side was his love of camping and BBQ’ing burgers. Why on earth you would travel half way around the word to make burgers is beyond me. On the envy side, Indian food. It is a very fine cuisine. It has been 6 years since I had an Indian meal, apparently it just doesn’t work in rural Mississippi. On the Culture side, Culture is what it is, we may live in a global world, but it is not going to change anytime soon.
To get your own copy of My Year in Oman use the Amazon link above, you will not be disappointed.
Simon Barrett

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Deceptions of the Ages: "Mormons" Freemasons and Extraterrestrials-Another Testament of the Latter-day Saint Faith

The premise
     In 2010, I spent an entire year writing a book that would not only explain the Book of Mormon and the beliefs of the Latter-day Saint Church, but also how the corporation/government/media culture have created an entire class of non-thinkers. I wrote the book in response to the fact that growing up in a small town as a member of the Latter-day Saint Church, I could never understand why people would take someone's word (especially if it were a malicious lie) instead of reading the Latter-day Saint books (which cost nothing) for themselves and coming to their own conclusions. Before I published the book, I was very concerned that I would suffer the fate of those individuals who have crossed the Freemasons and the banking establishment in the past. (See Andrew Jackson, Joseph Smith (Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Roberto Calvi (God's Banker) etc. etc.)
The Response
     How ironic it was, that on the first day the book was publicly available, the first person to attack Deceptions of the Ages was an editorial writer for the Standard Examiner in Ogden, Utah, the very place I was born! He could not possibly have read the book since it is over five hundred pages. He called it a "tome" along with a lot of other degrading remarks. Once I explained to him that I was a member of the Church and my family was still living in Ogden, he printed a retraction. Since then, I have been stigmatized by members of the Latter-day Saint Church, including my own family as well as people I have known most of my life as someone who wrote a book that was "anti-Mormon" simply because of the book's title.
     In other words, just like the people who were too lazy to read the Book of Mormon for themselves, the members of the Church were even quicker to judge a book written specifically for them.* How crazy is that? It only takes a mere scan of the first ten pages to realize the book is written from the perspective of a Latter-day Saint who chose to take an objective view in order to establish that all information in the book is based upon the beliefs and views of the individuals mentioned and in no way are my own personal beliefs included in any of the book. Well, with the exception of a few of my classic one-liners and zingers, meant to entertain the reader with my loquacious wit.
The Problem
     The problem with the Latter-day Saints is the very same problem that afflicts the rest of the world and has led to almost two hundred years of ignorance, superstition and, worst of all an easily pliable populace of people who are too lazy to find the answer to anything for themselves. Although this has created a political and economic bonanza for the Republicans, oil companies and the health care industry, this kind of thinking (or complete lack thereof) has created a mentality whereby people cannot see a problem as long as people are constantly telling them there is no problem. The cost of ignorance has become so overwhelming that the price has reached the point where it is no longer possible to pay it.
Example 1: The national debt. People in the United States still believe that the lie of the corporation/government/media that the debt we owe is "owed to ourselves" because the media and corporations who own them are the same people who own the Federal Reserve Bank, which is owned by the Rothschild family and their minions in the United States. That debt will be repaid and it will be repaid the same way it has always been repaid in the past. If you wish to know how, read my book.
Example 2: The War On Terror. The Bush family has had a long history of dealings with nefarious groups like Nazis, drug dealers, president killers and an intelligence community that is nothing more than a group of organizations whose purpose is the advancement of a global banking empire (or just empire) under the cruel thumb of the Rothschilds. In 2004 the Prophet of the Latter-day Saint Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, said the following words in General Conference regarding the War on Terror.
     "In a democracy we can renounce war and proclaim peace. There is opportunity for dissent. Many have been speaking out and doing so emphatically. That is their privilege. That is their right, so long as they do so legally. However, we all must also be mindful of another overriding responsibility, which I may add, governs my personal feelings and dictates my personal loyalties in the present situation."
     The overriding responsibility to which he speaks is that of a person who has no knowledge of the history of the Rothschild banking empire, the real causes of every war since Waterloo, the Bush Family and their associations with sinister organizations or the real criminals behind the 9-11 attacks. How could he, he had never read my book! Had he read my book one has to wonder if the thousand of dead and maimed young men and women of the US and the hundreds of thousands of Muslims who have been butchered would still be alive or with their families today.
      The overriding responsibility President Hinckley is referring to is one of the basic beliefs of Latter-day Saints written by Joseph Smith and are known as the Articles of Faith. In Article 12 it says: 

"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."

However, as Deceptions of the Ages: "Mormons" Freemasons and Extraterrestrials points out, those very words were written a year before the "Extermination Decree" made it legal to kill Latter-day Saints in Missouri, and Joseph Smith was arrested because a printing press calling for the extermination of the Latter-day Saints was destroyed under his orders. Would the Latter-day Saints sustain the laws that called for their own extermination?
     The point here, is that then and now the world is full of evil men, some of them in the US and some of them outside. To stick one's head in the sand and quote scripture, hoping someone is going to give you the right answers and take care of you, is the commonest mistake in history. From the Israelite bondage in Egypt to their conquest by the Babylonians and the Romans, hoping the murder of Jesus and the continued support of the Pharisees and Sadducees would save them, to the modern day Federal Reserve system that is now turning an entire country into bonded slaves, never able to get out of debt, history, and the ignorance of it, is no excuse and certainly will not lead to any kind of happiness in this world or the next.
     In conclusion, to my brothers and sisters in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; I have given you a gift that will not only reaffirm your own faith, but will give you the knowledge (and power) to understand the world around you. Deceptions of the Ages will help you to discuss the historical context of the Church and why it and the teachings of Jesus are so necessary in the world of today. I have lived for twelve years where Christianity is not allowed to be preached. Where women are slaves and men are forced to worship in one way, or be killed. We live in a country where we seek to better each other and ourselves. We cannot hang onto that for much longer if we ourselves are mired in ignorance of our history and of the evil that surrounds us and depends on that very ignorance in order to maintain control of our lives. 
Testimony of the Gospel
     I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was restored by God and his Son Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price are correct and I believe the Bible is the living history and Testament of the Israelites. Things may or may not have been exactly as they say because of the barriers of language and time, but they are books and ideas that are daily being reaffirmed in our science and our philosophy. The Freemasons and the Extraterrestrials know the things in Deceptions of the Ages: "Mormons" Freemasons and Extraterrestrials. Latter-day Saints, pull your heads out of the sand and please, please read this book before it is too late.**

*People have openly criticized the title and I myself wanted to call it "Connections of the Ages" but in my heart I felt this was the best title, as it may attract and teach people who were indifferent about the Church.
**The US government is bringing as many non-christians into this country as they can. It will not be long before they will begin to use racism as a tool to eliminate Christians. As Christians, Latter-day Saints need to embrace the Muslims, the Hindus and the people of the Jewish faith and show them that all religions are ways to worship the Living God. Anyone in the Church who preaches fear and intolerance of any religion or creed, is merely preaching the intolerance of the devil.

Matthew D. Heines

   

Welcome to the Self Publishing House of Horrors Part 2 Library Thing or Library Thug?

As a self published author, marketing and publicity are some of the most important endeavors beyond writing and editing your creation. In the modern world, where there is a website for everything, I found that there is also a plethora of websites for readers, authors and librarians as welI. For the author, having good reviews on these sites is conducive to positive sales numbers. Goodreads, Author Database and Bookdaily are just some of the places authors can be listed with their works and readers can go to look for books and their reviews.

     With so many sites to choose from, my first mistake was to think that all the sites were basically the same, and that misconception, along with previous editions of my books pre-empting my current editions, were the catalysts for some very stressful moments. Seeing books that were retired years ago (See Nightmares in Self-Publishing Part 1) and not my recently released versions, of course made me want to correct that error as soon as possible. While I was contacting these websites regarding the issue, I went through and checked my reviews and the number of stars. When it came to Library Thing, I saw no stars for any of my books, and so, waiting for some to appear, both my wife, independent of me, and I put stars to rate my new edition books. In addition, I created a profile to match my books, thinking that the author profile was where they put the author’s books. Initially, they only listed those withdrawn editions of my books. That opened me up for an attack from the people at Library Thing who accused me, thanks to my wife posting reviews she had every right to post, of being dishonest, among other quite negative things.

     Within one day, some person named “Ravic3” gave me 1/2 a star for each of my books. I received a correspondence from a “Rybie3” that said I could not give reviews to my own books and their staff all the way up to the CEO accused me of being a liar because my wife had posted her reviews. When I complained that Ravic3 and Rybie3 were the same people I was called "delusional" and told me I had no idea what was going on. I kept getting these scathing emails about how I didn’t understand and they were removing my wife’s reviews from the site.

     In conclusion, I have given up on these sites completely. Beyond listing my books and making sure I at least contacted the site managers to get them to list my books with my profile, I have found so much negativity through my experience with Library Thing, I don't dare interact with anyone on any other site. I hope that this will help you a little if you are trying to make it as a self-published author. It is best to just create a profile, jump through their hoops and, as they say in buffalo country, let the chips fall where they may.

Matthew D. Heines

www.heinessight.com

BookBuzzr's Featured Author Matthew D. Heines

In December of 2014, BookBuzzr chose my website, www.heinessight.com as one of the top four website designs, based on my use of their widgets and how I use them to create a "buzz" if you will, around my books. In January, they elected me as their feature author. Here is that interview:

1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am an author and teacher, which is reflected in all of my writing I guess, because I write to educate people, as well as to entertain them. I have a Bachelors degree in History ad English from Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu and a Masters degree in Secondary Education from the University of Alaska in Anchorage http://www.uaa.alaska.edu. Although I do love teaching, my real passion is writing. I chose teaching as a way to contribute to society and as a way to keep food on the table. Coming from a poor family, becoming a teacher took over ten years between the time I enlisted in the military to pay for college and the time I actually graduated with a Masters degree. By the time I started writing, I had already been out of high school for twenty years and had some incredible experiences all the way from Egypt and Israel to Panama and Oman.

All of my life, I've had very interesting things happen to me which I wanted to write about but never really had the opportunity or the desire, until my experiences in the Sultanate of Oman. I think when someone reads the book they will understand why I chose to describe that particular time in my life to begin my writing career.

2. Describe your book My Year in Oman: An American Experience in Arabia During the War On Terror (American Experiences in Arabia During the War On Terror Book 1) in 30 words or less.

The book is the true story of an American teacher who goes to Arabia during the beginning of the War on Terror to show that there is a better way.

3. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Writing on my free time and teaching at the same time was very difficult. Worse than that however, was wondering if I would be able to find the right person or people that would give book its proper attention.

4. What books have had the greatest influence on you?

The Bible, The Book of Mormon the Republic by Plato, the dialogues by Plato, the lives by Plutarch, the Histories by Herodotus, the Peloponnesian war by Thucydides, Chariots of the Gods by von Daniken, the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Schirer, a Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, American Caesar by William Manchester and the Elegant Universe by Brian Green.

5. Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?

1) I bought ads on Google and found they brought traffic to my site but few conversions.

2) I bought ads on Facebook and had the same results, although I ended up spending a lot more money.

3) I bought a BookBuzzr Author Pro Plus account and my traffic to my site increased immediately by ten to twenty percent and stayed at that level even after I stopped my Google and Facebook ads.

4) I maintain my own official website (http://www.heinessight.com) In addition to my website, I make daily posts called ‘Wisdom of the Ages’ (https://plus.google.com/u/0/106911704190992072030/posts) on various author sites like Author Database and Goodreads. I also post my ‘Wisdom of the Ages’ on social media like Twitter and Facebook and Google+. My posts are either humorous or thought provoking and they bring traffic to my website.

5) I am a regular panelist on The Week in Review with Simon Barrett. Mr. Barrett uses me as his Middle East expert as well as his expert on history and political affairs and the strategies of both US political parties.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/simon-barrett/2015/01/11/the-news-in-review--barrett-and-guests

6) I have sweatshirts and t-shirts with my heinessight company logo that both my wife and I wear in public as much as possible.

7) I have an extensive YouTube channel with videos and pictures I have made from all over the world (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpr1u2t0S7OqLuVeMVCCSBQ).

6. How do you spend your time when you are not writing? 

See my YouTube channel for the best answer to this question.

7. What are you working on next?

A sci-fi thriller about Time-Travel, Bigfoot and a lot of cantankerous retirees.

In conclusion:

Every little bit helps! The best marketing I have done has been undoubtedly through purchasing BookBuzzr Author Pro Plus widgets to put into my website, as well as their giveaways and other promotional ideas. They allow people who, for whatever reason might not purchase from Amazon, to still have a glimpse inside of my books. 

I believe that allowing people to see my writing style, as well as the content of my books, thus letting me to “sell myself”  has done more than anything to increase my sales. Right now, I have sales from Amazon, Kobo, Nook, ibooks and each day I get orders to ship my print editions from my home business. Everyday, I see those sales rising and it is exciting!  

I hope that this information will help any future authors toward success. I also published a blog called “Nightmares in Self-publishing” for any authors out there who are experiencing trouble and think that you are all alone in your endeavors.

Best of luck,

Matthew D Heines

(I have received no compensation in any way shape or form for this post, other than a lot of support from the fine folks at Bookbuzzr.-MDH)