Man, I haven’t done one of these thingies for a while… Thanks, Jilbur.

1. What book would I like to be? Be a book? I guess the kind of book would be a crazy joy-ride of a book with a happy ending, as I can be very sentimental. But to answer the question, any of Roald Dahl children’s books. They are all filled with humour, dark twists, and underdogs overcoming adversity.
2. Have I ever had a crush on a fictional character? I reckon part of the sign of a good book is its ability to seduce you into personally involving yourself with the characters. Oddly, though, I am more drawn to stronger male characters, but not in the erotic sense. That said, remember ‘Janet and John’?  Did you see the way that girl could jump! Whooo-hooo! Also, the character ‘Bootsie’ in the James Lee Burke novels that is married to Robicheaux, but only because she dies tragically of Lupus.
3. What is the last book I bought? I get given book proofs and advance copies for work purposes, so if I buy a book it’s a really special occasion. The last one was a big book on rats, in preparation for the adoption of one into our household, from a second-hand bookstore.
4. What is the last book I read? ‘The Center of Winter’ by Marya Hornbacher. One of those where the characters are words that rise like Frankenpeople from the page, to live in one’s head for a while. Loved it!
5. What book am I currently reading? To diversify: a non-fiction title called ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s all about our ability as humans to make decisions in a split second. He debates whether or not our conscious or unconscious minds help us to decide our likes and dislikes, our preference for certain personality types over others… Very interesting, especially as I loathe decision making.
6. What five books would I take with me if I was stranded on a desert island? Back to fiction, as non-fiction would be harder to choose from many favourites. Here are some I would reread and reread until the glue disintegrated…The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I loved her evocation of the Congo in the sixties, and her ability to write in the different voices of her characters. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings: A classic story of coming of age in the Florida everglades. Again, she created a brilliant sense of place. The Shipping News, by E Annie Proulx: Hey! There’s that ‘I can picture that town’ writing style. I guess I enjoy books that put me there in the story…To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. ‘One of those ‘Must Read Before You Die’ books. I was in love with all the characters. And finally: Anything by James Lee Burke. Good books don’t have to be literary, even a thriller can entertain you and lift you up for that quick-fix feeling. Wading through books for pretension’s sake is a waste of time, don’t you think? I dig his Louisiana heartland plots, and his passively malevolent baddies. (And please try any of Robert Crais’ ‘Elvis Cole’ books…)
7. Tag, you’re it… Thanks, Jill, for the task. Hmmm. I guess Neen, because I like her taste in reading, even though it differs from mine, and maybe Lee, because his Pa wrote one.