DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS: J. Hali Steele
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 September castaway, J. Hali Steele!
DESERT ISLAND BOOKS:
This was hard because there are so many good stories. My TBR list, mostly erotic/erotica, is outlandish! My list, in no particular order:
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand: My copy of this book is in tatters because I’ve read it so often. The story reinforced my desire to live without conforming to society’s dictates.
Kel’s Keeper by K.C. Wells: The perfect ‘daddy’ to help a man come into his own. Enjoyed the build to an awakening and a really hot relationship!
New Man in Town by Edward Kendrick: Slow burn and a good mystery.
Notturno by Z.A. Maxfield: Who doesn’t love a dark, brooding vampire especially with added twists and turns? I’ve got to read others in series!
Valencia with Love by B.J. Smyth: A second chance love story that proves time is irrelevant.
The Journeyer—Into the West by J.P. Bowie: Three book series and each one enthralled to the end of the journey.
The Keeping of Daniel Meyer by Abigail Lane: A dramatic story about unusual treatment for addiction and a look at how people misconstrue those who enjoy structure and control. I may be the only person who read and enjoyed this story. Recall looking for others by the author and did not find them. That saddened me.
Greyson Fox by TL Travis: The cover. Followed by an enjoyable ride through Greyson’s life.
The Barbours and Bouchards Series by Taylor Caldwell. Includes — Dynasty of Death, The Eagles Gather, and The Final Hour: Immigration, war, family strife, and romance. This is a saga, in my opinion, for all time.
Ten books and the list has to have one of my penned favorites. I’m a sucker for vampires but the biker cum lawyer won out!
Real Arrogant Bastard (Book 2 in a 2-book series): Micah ‘Reaver’ Reeves is an antihero whom I struggled to make likeable but as the story progressed; I fell in love with him along with Chase Van Zant, the youngster he rescues from jail and an unsavory lover!! May/December, bikers, drama, forced proximity – it’s all in here.
DESERT ISLAND PLAYLIST:
Ah, wonderful music! Extremely eclectic, I go from oldies to soul to new age/trance sounds to tango and then mix in pop, country, or orchestral pieces! I play my ‘Make it Write’ list from my YouTube channel whenever I’m writing. Some songs are duplicated especially if I found them by different artist simply because I love the song. It’s not unusual while listening that a song/songs become associated with a character I’m developing – they get played again…and again…and again — until their story is told.
Make it Rain – Ed Sheeran
Take Me to Church – Hozier
I Feel You – Schiller feat. Peter Heppner
Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye
Fatal Love – Mahmut Orhan
You Want it Darker – Leonard Cohen
Way Down We Go – Kaleo
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini – Rachmaninoff
It’s A Man’s World – Luciano Pavarotti/James Brown
Sentimientos – Linetzky & Romeo
Rag’n’Bone Man – Human
You Spin Me Round – Dead or Alive
The Mood I’m in – Maxwell King & His Orchestra
Smooth – Santant feat. Rob Thomas
How Can You Love Me (Beauty and the Beast 2014) – Pierre Adenot feat. Yoann Freget
The Night Has A Thousand Eyes – Bobby Vee
Forbidden Saints – Victor Espinola
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again – Elvis Presley and Tom Jones Duet
Barcelona Nights – Ottmar Liebert
In Your Wildest Dreams – Tina Turner & Barry White
Far too many to list all those that resonate with me or my various characters. Visit my YouTube Channel to see and hear more musical lists.
LUXURY ITEM
This wasn’t hard. Though I’d love to have a laptop — would it work? So… A small saw. Something like a drywall saw. Would that be a ‘luxury’ item? Easy to carry when I explore, very useful for cutting wood/building a shelter, and there’s the likelihood I’d need to hunt because I’d like to eat while stranded. Yes, under the circumstance, this saw would definitely be a luxury item.
ABOUT J. HALI STEELE
J. Hali Steele wishes she could grow fur, wings, or fangs, so she can stay warm, fly, or just plain bite the crap out of… Well, she can’t do those things but she wishes she could!
A multi-published Amazon bestselling author of Romance in Paranormal, Fantasy, and Contemporary worlds which include ReligErotica and LGBTQ stories where humans, vampyres, shapeshifters and angels collide—they collide a lot! When J. Hali’s not writing or reading, she can be found snuggled in front of the TV with a cat in her lap, and a cup of coffee.
Favorite person in the world: My mother. She gave me my first book, John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, and the life-long love of reading. She would be proud of my works.
Writing motto: If I made one person smile, laugh, cry, or love – my job is done!
Favorite quote: Growl and roar – it’s okay to let the beast out. – J. Hali Steele
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A big thank you to J. Hali Steele 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
Aiden Ainslie
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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