Mustafa Marwan
Author Interview - Mustafa Marwan
Author of Guns and Almond Milk
PAGE TURNER AWARD FINALIST
Meet Luke Archer, a British Egyptian doctor who struggles to be from two worlds at the same time. He's working in one of the world's most dangerous hospitals in Yemen. When rebel forces take over the city, a group of Western mercenaries take refuge inside the hospital and Luke and his team find themselves in the middle of a deadly clash. To make matters worse, leading the mercenaries is an unwelcome figure from Luke's past. After years saving the lives of others, Luke needs to face the demons of his past in order to save his own.
Set in the UK and Yemen, Guns and Almond Milk is a literary thriller that deals with identity, diversity and old coins of arguable value. It's The Sympathizer mixed with M.A.S.H by the way of Ramy.
"Brilliant noir debut of Mustafa Marwan both traditional and unheard of, and one worth celebrating darkly. Trust me when I say this book goes places you've never been."—Lee Durkee
"Incredible debut, with a gripping voice, enthralling action, and a unique take on geopolitics."—Rob Hart
"A unique war-torn, medical thriller story infused with drugs, capers, and layers of trauma. It's Hunter S. Thompson with a dash of Irvine Welsh."—Richard Thomas
"This un-put-downable thriller weaves together two stories: one among high-end thieves in London and another among mercenaries and aid workers in Yemen. The two stories come together through the narration of a sarcastic, sharp-eyed doctor who can see the world clearly -- except when it comes to his own emotions."— Marcia Lynx Qualey
"Darkly comic and beautifully written with many plot twists. A winner!"—Pamela Paterson
"Tense, fast-paced and propulsive. Marwan has truly arrived."—Awais Khan
"Marwan's masterful storytelling, rich with cultural and psychological insights, is set against the vibrant backdrops of London and the tumultuous regions of the Middle East, where we fellow Luke, a man caught in the crosshairs of his own conflicted existence."—Ahmed Naji
Guns and Almond Milk is a fast-paced story of love, murder, and thrill that provides readers with a fresh perspective on humanitarian work, assimilation, and Middle Eastern politics.
Author Interview - Mustafa Marwan
Author I draw inspiration from:
Lou Berney, Craig Clevenger, Chuck Palahnuick.
Author Interview - Mustafa Marwan | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
in bed
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Ahab from Moby dick. He would go crazy because he has no patience. In contrast, this will make me feel good about myself!
Author Interview - Mustafa Marwan | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I started with one page and then I stopped for ten years. 13 years later, I wrote 4 manuscripts.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Recently, 70% of book I read are audiobooks, 20% are e-books and only 10 are physical copies. I travel a lot, hence this weird combination.
The last book I read:
Dark Yonder anthology. I loved how neo-noir it is. Exactly my taste and that of Guns and Almond Milk
Author Interview - Mustafa Marwan | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Computer all the way. I write key events or memorable lines during the day on Evernote while I busy ADHDing at work or at the grocery store. When I set down on a computer, I try to gather that mess I made into a coherent way.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Eric Ashworth from Dermaphoria book by Craig Clevenger (movie called Desiree). I like him because he is a chemistry genius who invented an amazing drug, and because he lost his memory, so we will start with a clean slate and become best friends (not sure I will be able to help him run away from the book villain though!)
Author Interview - Mustafa Marwan | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Trainer/Facilitator (which I am)
Favorite decade in fashion history:
Current decade. And worst one is definitely the nineties. Check out The Rock with his turtle neck and necklace!
Place I’d most like to travel:
Antarctica. Because my wife wants to go there and I would follow her to the end of the earth.
My signature drink:
Cream soda
Favorite artist:
Michael Jackson (I know, I know, but I can't help it!)
Number one on my bucket list:
Cold weather after spending 4 years in Thailand
Anything else you'd like to add:
When our small tugboat arrived to besieged Misrata in 2011 after a dangerous trip from Benghazi, the city’s harbour was being shelled. We didn’t realize it then, but apart from the shelling over our heads, there were possible land mines under our feet planted by Gaddafi troops who didn’t want anyone in or out of the starving city. As soon as our medical team set foot on land, my pen was poised. I started asking the city’s medical coordinator about their needs and how we can help. The man raised a hand. ‘Relax, my friend. It’s enough for us to see people coming from far away to be with us in our blight. To witness our story.’ This is one of the reasons I wrote Guns and Almond Milk. To tell the story of those unsung heroes. Civilians in war.
Find more from the author:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42851378.Mustafa_Marwan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mustafamarwan
Book Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/326843569979901
Twitter: @mustafamarwan
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@TheMustafamarwan
Website: www.mustafamarwan.com
Blue sky: @mustafamarwan.bsky.social
Instagram: mustafamarwan7
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@mustafamarwan21
About Mustafa Marwan:
Author Interview - Mustafa Marwan
Mustafa Marwan is an Egyptian writer, aid worker, and trainer with over a decade of experience in more
than a dozen conflict zones around the world. His debut novel, Guns and Almond Milk, a 2021 Page
Turner Awards Finalist, is set in Yemen and the United Kingdom, where he has lived and worked. Mustafa
has a Bachelor’s in Pharmacy and a Master’s in Public Health and has lectured and consulted on topics such
as management and leadership, health and social care. He has also facilitated intercultural dialogue programs in several countries. Mustafa currently resides in Bangkok, Thailand.
