GUN KISS by Khaled Talib
Hello Khaled, and welcome to my blog! Can you tell me a little about yourself, and how you became an author?
I was born and raised in Singapore. I began my career as a magazine journalist before switching to the field of public relations. My job has taken me around the world, and I once lived in Cairo, Egypt where I worked for several publications. I have since authored three novels and presently rewriting my fourth.
What is your book about?
Gun Kiss is a fun and breezy read about a man wearing many hats who rescues a Hollywood movie star from an obsessed drug lord only to find himself in trouble. The drug lord launches a campaign of revenge against him and the actress. The novel is primary set in southern California with some scenes in Mexico.
Tell us about your hero and your heroine! Are they based on someone in real life?
The hero is a fictional character I created. He is a former Delta-Force commando who toured Iraq. He now runs a taco restaurant in Sunset Boulevard while moonlighting as a relic hunter for Homeland security and the FBI. In the past he dabbled in screenwriting but got nowhere in his career. So, certain life choices had to be made because things didn’t go as planned in his life.
The heroine was inspired by a real-life movie star. I was watching an old movie one night with a famous actress. Something about her made me want to create my own character. Coincidentally, I had submitted my first novel to a movie agent at Creative Artists Agency after pitching it. Although the book was rejected, the idea about including the business side of an actress’s life came into the picture. I was a big fan of Entourage, the series produced by Mark Wahlberg, so I had some idea how I wanted the story to be. I had also read articles about Sean Penn and El Chapo, so I thought of including the drug theme.
What are your favorite times for writing? Morning? Evening?
I don’t have a specific time, but I normally write in the morning till lunch time. These days, I tend to get sleepy in the afternoon, so I don’t push it. I used to continue writing at night, but not anymore because I need to rest my eyes. The weather is hot and humid here, so it makes you feel malaise.
Who are your favorite authors? Did they influence your writing, and if so, how?
Too many authors to list down, but yes, many have influenced my writing. Some reviewers have described Gun Kiss as a novel fan of Clive Cussler would enjoy.
Did you have a favorite book as a child? Did it influence your choice to become an author?
My all-time favorite book as a child was The Mystery of The Green Ghost from the Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigator series. It didn’t inspire me to be an author, but it certainly encouraged by imagination and formulative years. The book that encouraged me to be an author was written by a sixteen-year-old French girl whose name and book title I can’t remember. I was around eleven at that time and I found her book in a box at home. It had been translated into English. I didn’t read the book but seeing her photo on the back cover made me feel that writing a book is important.
Thank you! Now - learn more about Khaled's book:
Gun Kiss
by Khaled Talib
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GENRE: Thriller
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The United States media is abuzz with news of the mysterious disappearance of Hollywood movie star, Goldie St. Helen.
Ex-Delta Force Blake Deco 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.
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Excerpt:
They continued through an arch that separated the living room and what was once a kitchen. The general pointed at a trapdoor’s opened hatch with stairs leading down. “We go inside,” he pointed below.
“After you, comrade.” Blake gestured him with the gun. “Do you guys still call each other that?”
No response.
They descended into a glowing stalagmite cave and walked past a grotto toward a metal bridge running above a narrow canyon. The temperature felt warmer here.
They reached a storage area with doors on both sides. Blake took a moment to study the few soldiers guarding the area.
“Tell them to drop their weapons and go join the rest upstairs,” Blake said.
Popov gave the order.
When the soldiers had walked past them, the Russian military leader led Blake to a steel door with a fingerprint lock system. He frowned at Blake.
“Do the Open Sesame thing,” Blake said.
Popov pressed his right thumb against the authentication device. The door slid open into a brightly lit chamber and shut after they’d entered.
The temperature-controlled environment had perforated steel walls, a concrete floor, and embedded ceiling lights. The center of the room displayed a series of pedestal casings with various treasures: a red Fabergé egg, a diamond ring, a dagger, and a gold pocket watch. The Deringer rested on a small, purple velvet pillow inside one of the glass cases.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
The author's works have been praised by NY Times bestselling author Gayle Lynds, NY Times bestselling author Ruth Harris, USA Today bestselling author Jon Land, NY Times bestselling author Keith Thomson, K.J. Howe, and Jon McGoran.
His debut thriller, Smokescreen, was listed as one of the six "boundary-breaking indies" in 2016 by the IndieReader. His second novel, Incognito, won the Silver Award for the AuthorsDB Book Cover Contest 2017. Gun Kiss is his third novel.
Khaled, who is also a member of the International Thriller Writers, resides in Singapore.
Authors website : http://www.khaledtalibthriller.com
Twitter account: https://twitter.com/KhaledTalib
Author Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/khaled.talib/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khaledtalibbooks/
Author Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00DYPSB72?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6940359.Khaled_Talib
Gun Kiss (YouTube) Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6uhYvbY7KQ
GUN KISS Buy links:
The book will be on sale for only $0.99.
Author website direct: http://khaledtalibthriller.com/books/
Amazon Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Gun-Kiss-Khaled-Talib-ebook/dp/B07CVGKQY6
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/823918
Kobo
https://www.amazon.com/Gun-Kiss-Khaled-Talib-ebook/dp/B07CVGKQY6
B&N
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gun-kiss-khaled-talib/1127553149?ean=2940155243199
Ibooks/Apple
https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/gun-kiss/id1380716623?mt=11
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:
Khaled Talib will be awarding a Amazon Fire 7 8GB tablet to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. The prize is limited to U.S. and Canada only.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me, Jennifer.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for bringing to our attention another great book out there to read. I appreciate hearing about them since I have so many readers in my family.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the excerpt!
ReplyDelete