Based on the BBC radio programme ‘Desert Island Discs’, we’ve adapted this idea to ask castaways to list up to eight books, one song and one luxury item that they couldn’t do without on a desert island.

The rules are fairly simple, any type of book can be selected, but we ask that at least half are lesfic. Choices should be justified in a paragraph or two. Any type of music is allowed. The luxury item must be inanimate and of no use in escaping the island or allowing communication from outside.

Other Desert Island Choices

My Book Choices

The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett

Ann is my very favorite writer. I love the way she puts a sentence together. She is the only writer in the world whose work makes me stop and read it out loud to somebody else in the room, simply because her words are beautiful. And this particular book has a sapphic element to it that I love.

And Playing the Role of Herself by KE Lane

This book is a master class in how to write chemistry between your leads. I am not a person who rereads books. I’m generally one and done. But I had an instance where I was working on a book and I was struggling with my characters’ chemistry, so I went back and read KE Lane again, and it helped immensely!

The Complete Works of Shakespeare

I know people will likely roll their eyes at this, but I have a book from my college years that’s The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Some people hate him. I love him. So that book should keep me entertained for a good long while (it’s enormous) on a desert island.

First Position by Melissa Brayden

I have to have a book from my bestie, Melissa Brayden, and it was a toss-up for me. I tend to prefer her books that fly a little more under the radar than most, so I’m going with First Position, her book about two rival ballet dancers who fall in love. It’s sooooo good.

Curious Wine by Katherine V Forrest

I would not be the writer I am today without having read Curious Wine by Katherine V Forrest. The atmosphere alone is delicious. At a cabin with a bunch of people you don’t know well, but at night, you’re in the secluded and private loft with a beautiful woman? Talk about sexy! Wow. I had SUCH a crush on Lane. Still do, really.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

I know Dan’s not a fantastic writer, but as a girl who was raised Catholic and struggled to believe the things the Catholic Church wants you to believe, this book was incredibly enlightening for me. The fact that there was another person on earth who said, “But what if it went like *this* instead?” was something I am forever grateful for. Plus, the puzzles are fun!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I have never finished this book. I want to because it’s the first book of Austen’s that I’ve read and even in the first few pages, it was evident just how witty she was, how intelligent. But I keep getting distracted by other things and putting it down for months on end, so I figure if I bring it with me to a desert island, I’ll have all kinds of time to finish it.

On Writing by Stephen King

This is my very favorite book about the craft of writing. Being on a desert island with no editor, this will help me stay on track of being a decent writer. It’s fun and it’s witty, but it’s also hugely informative….except for the part where he says adverbs are not your friends. I disagree with that. I think a well-placed adverb can work perfectly. (See what I did there?)

My Song Choice

My one song is going to be Gravity, by Sara Bareilles, mostly because it’s my favorite song in the world. I know it’s a sad one, but I’m stuck alone on a desert island, what do I have to be happy about? LOL Also, it’s beautiful.

Luxury item

The inanimate object was hard! I was initially going to say paper and pen (I know, I know, that’s two items), but then it occurred to me that I’d run out of ink pretty quickly. And then I thought I could probably find something on the island to write on/with, maybe. And then I thought maybe a box containing photos of everybody in my family and all my friends, but I think that would just make me sad. So I decided on Elphie. Elphie is a stuffed elephant that I’ve had since I was a kid. My favorite aunt gave him to me when I was, like, 9 and he still sits in my bedroom. When I’m sad or lonely or need a good cry, I always reach for Elphie and he gets me through. I think alone on a desert island, I’d need him. (Corny, I know, but there it is.)

About Georgia Beers

Award-winning author of sapphic romance, lover of wine and dogs, hopeless romantic
www.georgiabeers.com