Author Interview with M. Q. Qureshi by Tamikio L. Dooley

@COLONELKHANMYSTERIES COLONEL

KHAN & the Mystery of the Falcon

Feather

For Readers Classic Detective Novels For those who love the Gentleman Sleuth

Agatha Christie + Knives Out

= Colonel Khan

Author Interview with M.Q. Qureshi Interviewed by Tamikio L. Dooley

1. Tell us about yourself (name, where you live, are you an author, poet, journalist, etc.)

My name is M.Q. and I live in the suburbs of Chicago. By trade, I am a Technology  Executive with a 25-year career across the Midwest, where I’ve had the privilege of leading digitaltransformations for some of the world’s mosticonic brands, including Ford Motor Co. and McDonald’s.

My personal history is a bit of a global mosaic; I was born in Kenya and spent my formative years across Africa—Botswana, South Africa, and Swaziland—before moving to the U.S. at sixteen. Today, I balance the high-stakes world of technology with my passion for mystery, currently celebrating the release of my debut novel, Colonel Khan & the Mystery of the Falcon Feather.

2. I’m currently reading Colonel Khan & the Mystery of the Falcon Feather. I’m enjoying every word.

Tell us what inspired you to write the book?

Where did conjure the ideas, plot and character development, and setting?

I am truly humbled that the book is resonating with readers. As a debut author, there is no greater joy.

The seeds were planted over a decade ago with a single line of dialogue: “What you need is a detective.” I imagined two friends in a quiet café, one of them carrying a burden only a specific kind of mind could unpack. That opening hook lived in my mind for years.

Two friends - one has a problem. A problem that needs a detective. What could this problem be? Who are these people? Where are they?

It kicks off a whole array of interesting questions in the mind of a reader, especially, a reader like me, who thoroughly enjoys the detective novel, a good noir, a murder mystery.

But what I realized quickly after is that I didn’t have a plot, a plan and just a vague notion of the character that eventually became Colonel Khan.

I spent years tinkering, writing story ideas down whenever they came to me.

The real “plunge” happened last year.

Following a devastating career setback, I found myself in a dark place. I turned to the page for survival. The discipline of solving plot problems and breathing life into Colonel Khan became my anchor. In a very literal sense, the Colonel saved me before he ever saved a character on the page.

3. In character developments where did the idea to develop your characters’ personalities resonate? Did anything such movies, music, or other books help you to create character development?

Once I had a solid outline and story arc plotted I had a notion of who the characters were and where they fit into the story.

However, once I started putting them down on the page, and they took shape, they spoke very clearly to me about who they were, what they would do, what they wouldn’t. Especially Colonel Khan.

My goal was to avoid one-dimensional tropes.

I wanted every person on the page to feel "lived-in," possessing real motivations and flaws. I drew heavily from my own life—friends and family provided the mannerisms and physical traits for several secondary characters. I wanted the reader to feel like they might have met these people before.

4. The artistic works and pictures in your book are extraordinary. How did you come up with idea to add graphic artistic images in your novel?

As the manuscript neared completion, the characters became so vivid in my mind that I wasn't ready to leave them behind. I wanted to see them.

Using original photography and generative tools, I began creating high-fidelity visual identities for each character. This allowed me to “flesh out” the world beyond the prose. This visual storytelling has now extended into our social media, where the aesthetic of the “Vibrant Noir” truly comes to life.

5. When creating the story for your first debut novel did you struggle with the scenes? Or did the creation come naturally?

In the beginning, it was a struggle. I had to learn the "rules" of the craft—specifically, that every page must contain conflict. No character leaves a scene without wanting something, even if it’s just a snack they shouldn’t have or a moment of peace they can't find.

Once I established those guardrails, the rhythm took over. Writing the sequel, Colonel Khan & the Mystery of the Disappearing Englishman (which is currently about 75% through the first draft), has felt much more natural. The pace is swifter now that I know how the Colonel moves.

6 .Did you relate to each character you wrote about in your book?  Did you feel your characters’ emotions, taste the words coming from their mouths, smell their surroundings, hear what’s in their thoughts, and see through the eyes of your characters’ development when you wrote about them?

I am a natural empath with a high quantity of emotional intelligence –a blessing, and a curse at times.

I relate deeply with each and every one of my characters. They are all me in some way. And I empathize with each of them. And I have to see their point of view and ensure that it’s real and is true to whom they are – this is when they start to come alive. Understanding their frame of mine, what they see and smell and wear are important for creating a memorable experience of your character in the eyes of a reader, whether they are center stage or in the background.

There is a lot of back story to each of the characters that ended up on the cutting room floor, but those echoes are evident in their words and actions.

7. Where did you come up with the title and cover image for your book?

The title is an intentional nod to the classic Golden Age mysteries. The "Falcon Feather" actually began as a pen, but I evolved it into a pendant—a physical object that could be passed between characters, serving as both a clue and a red herring.

The cover image was born early in the process. I wanted something that captured the "classic detective “trope but with a modern, sharp edge. It puts the Colonel front and center, framed by the supporting cast and the brooding, atmospheric setting where the mystery reaches its boiling point.

8. Tell readers where they can find your book. Share the links to your author page, blog, website, social media where readers can discover more about you.

Web: www.colonelkhanmysteries.com Insta / TT: @colonelkhanmysteries

If you read this, please visit and leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you and I hope you read the book and enjoy the journey!

Thank you for your time!