Barbara Winkes’s Desert Island Books
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
Come Away with Me by Rachel Lacey
The cover had intrigued me for some time, and I finally picked it up before Valentine’s Day which turned out to be the perfect timing. I loved the characters, the settings, and the references to fandom. The show one of the main characters stars in is one my wife and I would love to see on TV.
Dr. Todson’s Home for Incorrigible Women by Riley LaShea
Riley has written in multiple genres, and I’ve enjoyed every single book I’ve read. I love her writing style, and her characters are always compelling.
Steele Shield (Jasmine Steele Mysteries 5) by Kimberly Amato
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of wlw detective books, and Jasmine has become my favorite since I picked up the first book. I’m going with the latest because I know there’s a new one coming sometime soon, and I’d hope I’d be back from the island by the time it’s out.
Night Songs (Gianna Maglione 2) by Penny Mickelbury
Twenty-something years ago, I walked into the women’s archive, a small independent library in the city where I went to university. For the next few weeks, I would walk out with a dozen books once a week. This was where I discovered authors like Penny Mickelbury, Claire McNab, JM Redmann etc. I couldn’t get enough of those reads, for the first time finding an abundance of books in my favorite genre that also had two women in a relationship in them. Gianna and Mimi were among my favorites right from the start.
The Headmistress by Milena McKay
I am often embarrassingly late to the party, and I was with this one, but it was so worth the wait. Magdalene Nox was my first ice queen, and now I look forward to more! This particular book got me hooked until the end, and I loved the final twist that brought it all together.
Wind Dancer (Darkness Series 4) by KC Luck
I read this one last year on the beach after a fairly difficult period, and it will always be associated with the sound of waves. I have to be in a specific mood to read dystopian, and one of the things I enjoy about this series is that it reads like suspense. That, and all the characters/couples are compelling, though Meg and Grace are my favorite.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
No list of badass women getting the job done would be complete without Lisbeth! This is one of the books that grabs you and won’t let go until you’re done. Miri doesn’t appear until the second book, but they still count, right? I also always thought of Lisbeth and Mikael’s friendship as one of the most interesting relationships in thriller fiction, specifically because they’re not the romantic endgame. Works fine for them—and me.
1st To Die (Women’s Murder Club 1) by James Patterson
This one almost counts, considering how often Lindsay and Cindy say I love you (and they danced at a friend’s wedding together!). When the book series was turned into a TV show, I had the most amazing time in fandom. It’s where I met my wife – so this book would represent all the magic that came out of it for me
My song choice
Born To Be My Baby
Back in the late eighties I was dealing with bullying and general teenage angst, and I was listening to this song and the album A LOT when I wasn’t reading or writing. And I had no idea that one day I’d move far away from the small town I’d grown up in, marry the most amazing woman, and being a writer would be my actual day job.
My inanimate object choice
A pair of Michael Kors shoes I bought for our 10th wedding anniversary
They would be completely useless on the island, but a great reminder of a beautiful romantic date my wife and I had on that day.
About Barbara Winkes
This is where you can find me on social media etc.:
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dGvo_1
Website: https://barbarawinkes.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbarawinkes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarawinkes/
