DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS: Aiden Ainslie
Our favorite MM authors a.k.a. castaways are asked, what books, songs and luxury item would they take to a desert island?
This is a monthly series inspired by LezReviewBooks.com’s ‘Desert Island Books’, which in turn is based on BBC’s ‘Desert Island Discs’.
The rules are fairly simple:
List up to ten books, a playlist and one luxury item that you couldn’t do without on a desert island.
Any type of book can be selected, but I ask that at least half are LGBT+ books. Choices should be justified in a paragraph or two. Any number of songs and 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.
Let’s welcome our August castaway, Aiden Ainslie!
DESERT ISLAND BOOKS:
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
My all-time favorite MM romance. Two very flawed characters grope through life’s trials and tribulations and finally figure out that they can do so better together than alone. Alexis Hall has an enviable command of the English language, and his British humor has me laughing out loud. Some of the supporting characters are so over-the-top that their actions border on melodrama. I could read this book repeatedly and every time I would find more linguistic gems and more little digs in the banter.
Borrowing Blue by Lucy Lennox
This is the first MM romance I ever read, and its straight-to-gay trope remains one of my favorites. The story is set in Northern California where I live, and it was so relatable that it helped inspire me to try my hand at writing this genre.
A Fashionable Indulgence by K. J. Charles
I only write contemporary fiction and am in awe of authors who do the research necessary for writing credible historical fiction. (Badly researched historical fiction can be truly annoying). K. J. Charles doesn’t only create wonderful characters, but she does so against a meticulously researched and detailed backdrop. The book transports readers to the gritty streets, lofty manors and smoke-filled clubs of nineteenth-century London. And of course, there are all those layers of clothing to deal with. Since we live in an age of jeans, T-shirts and baseball caps, I do like reading about a time when men paid more attention to what they wore.
Lost and Found by Lucy Lennox and Sloane Kennedy
I like romances set in the wilderness where the main characters don’t only have to confront their inner demons but also the challenges of nature. This is a heartwarming story of two men who got separated in their youth, carried all manner of emotional scars, and had to fight their way back toward each other. When I’m sitting out on my desert island, I will be able to relate to this story.
In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish
Roan Parrish is one of my favorite authors. She does not shy away from putting a little grit into her books. Some of them should probably have trigger warnings for sensitive readers. In Middle of Somewhere she brings together two very different characters who share only one thing – they are both outsiders.
Ruler of the Waves by Aiden Ainslie
I couldn’t possibly go off to a desert island without taking at least one of my own books 😊. But seriously, reader reviews confirm that Ruler of the Waves has engaging characters and a gripping plot. I would pick this particular book because most of the action plays on an island, albeit a very civilized island: Nantucket. Reading and re-reading Ruler of the Waves would allow me to continue to have endless conversations with the characters who are like family to me.
The Boyfriend Game by Stella Starling
This one always makes me smile. Such a cute, low-angst story with all my favorite tropes: gay awakening, fake boyfriends and a great happy ending.
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
A truly inspiring story. It has nothing to do with MM romance but just imagine if it did.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
When you have all the time in the world to read, you need a few books that take more than a day to read. Ken Follett’s masterful tale, spun around the building of a medieval cathedral, would certainly help one ponder the meaning of life, civilization and the human condition.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (Kingkiller Chronicle Book 1)
You have to admire an author who has the sheer chutzpah to write two very long books of a trilogy and then just keeps his readers waiting with bated breath – for years – for the resolution of it all. I’d want to reread the Kingkiller Chronicles so the story is fresh in my mind, just in case Book 3 has been published when I return to civilization.
The Bible
Who knows, if I’m stuck out on that island by myself, I would probably try and have some conversations with God.
DESERT ISLAND PLAYLIST:
I never listen to music when I work but, when I’m not working, I like to sing along to sentimental love songs and Broadway shows. If I’m stranded on an island for any length of time, I’d better also have some classical music with me. You can only listen to “I Dreamed a Dream” so many times before going crazy.
“Believe”, Adam Lambert
“Shallow”, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
“I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Mis
“Tell My Father”, from The Civil War
“Blue Ain’t Your Color”, Keith Urban
“Any Dream Will Do”, from Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat”
“I Don’t Know How to Love Him”, from J.C. Superstar
Clarinet Concerto by Mozart
Slave’s Choir from Verdi’s Nabucco
“You Raise Me Up”, by Westlife
LUXURY ITEM
I’d want a gallon of toothpaste and my toothbrush. I’m obsessive about clean teeth and, just in case some billionaire swings by the island to rescue me onto his fabulous yacht, I’d want to be ready.
ABOUT AIDEN AINSLIE
Aiden Ainslie lives in the Diablo foothills, east of San Francisco. He grew up in various small towns and loves to draw on that small-town feel for his romances: the sense of community but also the petty grievances, intrigue and rivalries. “An author has to draw on personal experience to create authentic stories.”
According to Aiden, setting and mood are critical parts of a romantic story; hence he is always taking pictures of romantic settings to be used in future novels. Check them out on his website www.aidenainslie.com and follow him at Aiden Ainslie | Facebook
When Aiden is not writing or listening to audiobooks, he likes to cycle and hike. During those solitary pursuits, he dreams up the characters and plots for his MM romance novels. He also enjoys zipping around town on his motor scooter, drinking coffee at the local coffee shops, and watching people to get inspiration for his writing.
Facebook | Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter
A big thank you to Aiden Ainslie for joining us on this month’s Desert Island Castaways!
Check out our other Castaways:
Natalina Reis
V.L. Locey
J.P. Jackson
A.E. Wasp
Elle Keaton.
Elouise East
J.K. Jones
Colette Davison
B.A. Tortuga
Casey Cox
Amanda Meuwissen
A.M. Johnson
Becca Seymour
Alexa Piper
Rick R. Reed
C.P. Harris
K.L. Hiers
A.E. Lister
S. Rodman
Kaje Harper
M.A. Church
Karenna Colcroft
Hope you enjoyed this post. Don’t forget to check out next month’s Castaway.
What books would you take with you to a desert island?
What’s on your desert island playlist?
Who would you like to be the next Castaway?
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