My Favourite Things by Laura Wilkinson

Food  Savoury:

Vietnamese. I adore the freshness, the fragrance and the heat that runs through the dishes.

And sweet:

Victoria sponge cake. What’s not to like?

Drink:

Amaretto Sour. One of my favourite cocktail bars in my home town of Brighton is Valentino’s where they serve a mean Sour. Yum!

Film:

I find it impossible to name only one because I love so many. Here’s a small selection:

El Cid, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman, Raise the Red Lantern, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Doctor Zhivago, Life of Brian, Dangerous Liaisons…

Book:

Ditto above! Rebecca, Emma, Beloved, The Handmaid’s Tale, Slaughterhouse 5, The Secret Garden, Perfume, After You’d Gone, One Day, The Friday Gospels, Animals, Heart of Darkness, Atonement, Possession, The God of Small Things, The Night Watch, The Time Traveler’s Wife, the list goes on and on…

Author:

I am constantly humbled by the talent out there but I am consistently awed by the likes of Maggie O’Farrell, Margaret Attwood, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Emma Donoghue, Claire Keegan, Kate Atkinson, Toni Morrison, Jojo Moyes, Sarah Waters, Louise Doughty, Jenn Ashworth, Sarah Rayner, Kate Harrison. Of the classics I adore Jane Austen, Daphne du Maurier, Kurt Vonnegut and Bernice Rubens (not strictly a classic but her work is incredible. I miss her).

Character:

Emma, from Austen’s classic, Mary Lennox from The Secret Garden, Cathy in Never Let Me Go, Laura in Animals, I could go on. You’d never guess I’m a list person, would you?!

Song:

It all depends on mood but I’m always up for Let Down from Radiohead’s OK Computer, Cut Here by The Cure and any Abba Song.

Holiday destination:

Greek islands, probably Crete, New York City, almost anywhere in Italy.

Animal:

Dolphins, otters, penguins. I’m a water sign and I’ve often wondered if this is why I am so fond of watery creatures. That said, I’m not keen on most fish (!)

Person:

My husband, Fred, aka The BigFella, and my sons, the Gingers (1 & 2). It’s a cliché but they really do make the good things worthwhile and the not-so-good bearable.

Place to write:

I have a garden office and it’s quite new, and I love, love, love it! After years of writing wherever I could find a corner in our not-terribly-big house it is such a joy – and privilege  - to have such a space. I’m very lucky.

Season

Summer all the way. I’m passionate about clothes and style (not that you’d often know it to look at me) and a beautiful dress gets me very excited. And most dresses look soooo much prettier with bare legs. Or thick black tights. God bless the person who invented opaque tights. To summarise: Jamaica over Siberia, though I do love that we have four seasons in the UK. Change is good.

Tradition:

Phew, I’m not huge on tradition though I recognise how important it can be. We humans mark significant transitions in order to understand and give voice to our joy, pain, confusion, sense of being part of a whole, something bigger than ourselves. Christmas, Easter and the like are fantastic for family gatherings but I enjoy the smaller traditions like fresh coffee in the morning and marvelling at a full moon as much.

Inspirational quote:

‘We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars’ (Oscar Wilde)

Thing in the whole world:

Life itself. What an incredible adventure it is.

Skin Deep Blurb:

It’s what’s inside that counts…

Art student and former model Diana has always been admired for her beauty but what use are good looks when you want to shine for your talent? Insecure and desperate for inspiration, Diana needs a muse.

Facially disfigured four-year-old Cal lives a life largely hidden from the world. But he was born to be looked at and he needs love too. A chance encounter changes everything; Cal becomes Diana’s muse. But as Diana’s reputation develops and Cal grows up, their relationship implodes.

Both struggle to be accepted for what lies within.
Is it possible to find acceptance in a society where what's on the outside counts for so much?

Buy links

Amazon:

Waterstones:

WHSmith:

About Laura:

Liverpool born, Laura is a taff at heart. She has published six novels for adults (two under a pseudonym) and numerous short stories, some of which have made the short lists of international competitions. She’s spoken at festivals and events nationwide, including the Frome Festival, Gladfest, University of Kingston, The Women’s Library and Museum in Docklands. She lives in Brighton with her husband and sons.

www.laura-wilkinson.co.uk   Twitter @ScorpioScribble Facebook: Laura Wilkinson Author Instagram: laura_wilkinsonwriter Pinterest: laura1765 Goodreads: Laura_ Wilkinson

Thanks so much for joining us on My Favourite Things

Sincerely

Book Angel x