My Favourite Things by Vicki Bowles, Author & Blogger

Food Savoury and sweet

Yes definitely a favourite of mine, is food! It depends what mood I'm in though. But when eating out, I've found myself opting for fish. As long as has it hasn't got loads of bones in it.

Mashed potato. Cheese. Eggs. Though not necessarily all together. Ooh and soft, freshly baked bread.

Sweet stuff: raspberries. So much more flavour than strawberries. And of course, chocolate. But not white chocolate. That's not proper chocolate.

And I have been known to have a bit of a thing for cake.


Drink
Who me? Well if you're asking... I don't like disappointing someone trying to refill my glass, especially if it's champagne.

I am rather fond of a gin & tonic. With lots of ice. Then I have to have a refill so I don't let the ice go to waste.

Tequila - it makes me happy. And also very silly. If it's in a margarita, even better.

For my non alcoholic favourite, I'd have to say orange juice. Pure sunshine in a glass. Oh and a nice strong coffee, with quite a bit of milk. Although if I'm not feeling well, I go off coffee and on to tea. Which has to be strong, sweet and just the tiniest dash of skimmed milk. Not that I'm fussy or anything...

Film
I love films – I go to the cinema quite a lot with my friend, and we usually go for really silly, gross-out humour. I do like some sci-fi, however, which I usually see with my husband. It's really hard to pick a favourite film. Star Wars would probably be my favourite film of all time. I was three when it came out, and I had the biggest ever crush on Luke Skywalker. Then Aliens and Terminator... I love those!

I loved La La Land! It wasn't quite what I expected, but I thought it was a fabulous love story with a difference, and has ignited an interest in Jazz, although I don't still don't quite get it...


Book
I read a lot of books, my favourite genres being women's fiction and psychological thrillers. For escapism I love reading Jilly Cooper's books about that rascally Rupert Campbell-Black. You can find a lot of the books I love on my blog (sneaky plug here!) vikbat.blogspot.co.uk. But when I was younger I read a lot of horror; Stephen King, James Herbert etc.

Then I read Watchers by Dean Koontz.



Two animals escape from a government laboratory. One is a hyper intelligent golden retriever, the other a highly efficient killing machine.

I adored Einstein, the dog. He was so perfect. But I also felt so sorry for The Other, even though he was a ruthless killer. That book made me cry more than once.

Author
Probably Jilly Cooper. I live in terror of the time when she no longer writes.

Character
Rupert Campbell-Black. The naughty, loveable rogue. Such a bastard, but so sexy with it.


Song
I don't have a favourite single song. Anyone who knows me knows that anything by Muse is my favourite, so it is one of theirs. It really depends on my mood, but Exogenesis Symphony Part 1 from The Resistance Album is amazing, with the most perfect sound ever happening around 3 mins 45 seconds.


Holiday destination
We went to the Maldives for our honeymoon, and I read 5 books in 10 days. On honeymoon! I know! But really, it is idyllic and the 'no news, no shoes' edict they have is perfect for relaxation.

My other favourite holiday destination is Crete. My first foreign holiday involving an aeroplane was to Crete ,when I was 15. I fell in love with the island there and then. I've been to other Greek Islands, but none have quite matched Crete. It has its own particular smell, of thyme and other herbs, and warm sun, and it is just perfect. I went back a few years ago and it still had that scent in the air.


Animal
A dog. I had a golden retriever called Elliot when I was 21. He was my first 'child'. I would have another fur baby immediately if only my husband would say yes. That is main bone of contention in our marriage. I am dogged in my determination to convince him. He always says I'm barking.



Person
Matt Bellamy. Frontman of Muse. Inspiration for Matt Tennant, the hero in my first novel (sorry, another shameless plug) My Unintended (it's a story of wishful thinking on my part and I like to think my writing has improved since then!)



My husband would be my favourite person if he'd let me get a dog.

My favourite person who I actually know IRL (my husband is excluded, because, see above, as are my kids cos that's a given) is the amazing force of nature that is Sara-Jade Virtue. Without this fabulous woman, I would never have met so many lovely people, read so many lovely books. Met so many fabulous authors or made so many great friends. But it's not just that; SJ herself is one of the funniest, kind-hearted women I have ever met. I would include a photo but she'd kill me if she found out!

Place to write
My sofa.

I'd like to say my parent's place in North Devon, because it is so beautiful and peaceful. But I just find myself staring out of the window at this view:



Season
Hmm this one is tricky. I'd always have said summer - if it is one of those warm lazy days with a cloudless sky. Not if it's pissing down with rain and 13 degrees Celsius.

But then as I get older I find myself appreciating colours. So autumn, with its rich reds, bronzes and gold's, is particularly beautiful.

And Spring, when new life begins to peep through the dormant branches, every vibrant shade of green imaginable filling the trees with energy.

I'm not too fond of winter, although a bright blue sky against a snowy backdrop, when the air is so cold but the sun shines on diamond-like frost is beautiful.

But mostly I'd rather stay under the duvet in winter.


Thing in the whole world
To be with the people I love.


BIO
I'm a mother of four fabulous children, I work full-time as a Technical Associate, and in my spare time(!) I read and review books for my blog vikbat.blogspot.co.uk. I am also writing a novel and I'm a member of the Romantic Novelists Association on their New Writer's Scheme. I self-published my first novel My Unintended on Amazon three years ago but my new book will be much, much better!

Thanks for joining us today Vicki.


Sincerely
Book Angel x