Elin Gregory

I have been tagged for the Sunshine Awards, something set up by Shehanne Moor, author of historical romance, to celebrate summer and pass the joy around. The tag was passed onto me by Catharine Cavendish, author of very scary stuff. Thanks both!

Now it’s my job to answer eight questions and nominate another 8 people

1. Favourite song with summer in the title or the words (give the words)

My favourite song about warmth and pleasure in simplicity is Chelsea Morning:

Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning, and the first thing that I knew
There was milk and toast and honey and a bowl of oranges, too
And the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses
Oh, won’t you stay
We’ll put on the day
And we’ll talk in present tenses

But it doesn’t have the word ‘summer’ in it so I’ll have to go with “In the Summertime” by Mungojerry.

2. Favourite book about summer

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about summer but I’ve read plenty of books where interesting things happen during the summer. One of the ones I’ve enjoyed most was “Shining in the Sun” by Alex Beecroft, where over the course of the summer, by saying ‘yes’ to things he shouldn’t say ‘yes’ to, the protagonist gains the courage to say ‘no’ to his families plans for him. Set in sun-drenched Cornwall, there are surfer boys, open topped cars, a trip to Britanny and some angst.

3. Favourite hot summer film

I haven’t got one. Most of the fiilms I enoy have things exploding in them and that can happen at any time of year.

4. Favourite summer memory

Laying out on the boundary with a bottle of cider and a book and listening to the village cricket team get pasted by the team from the next village. Our lads played with immense and random enthusiasm!

5. Favourite summer holiday destination

I dunno. It’s been a few years. I liked France – the Avreyon gorge, all those fabulous castles and medieval town centres! – and when I was a kid it was always the Isle of Wight, but usually it’s Pembrokeshire, which is very like Cornwall only quieter.

6. What books will be in your suitcase this summer?

Probably none, but only because I’m not planning on going anywhere apart from Manchester to the UK Meet for LGBT readers/writers/publishers/artists on Friday. I have a slew of books to read. On my ereader I have Locking Horns by Kay Berrisford, A Place to Call Their Own by Dean Pace-Frech, Damned If You Don’t by J L Merrow, Blooming Marvellous by Jo Myles, Directing Traffic by Charley Descoteaux and The Company man by Becky Black and on the bookshelf there’s the 1951 National Service Infantryman’s Handbook, a book about double agents in WW2, a book about handling heavy horses, and Heroes by Joe Abercrombie. I would REALLY like to write like Joe Abercrombie, only with heroes with a tinge of lavender.

7. What’s your likely destination this summer?

Work – home – work – home – work – home. that’s okay because I find holidays very stressful. It would be brilliant if the rest of the family went on holiday though.

8. What hottie would you most like to be sharing the hot days and long nights with this summer?

This summer I would really like to finish The Fierce Reaping, which means I’d be spending time with Cynfal, who is strong and blond and still has most of his own teeth, and Gwion, who is dark and fraught and damaged and prone to going berserk out of fright. I’m not sure either would class as a traditional hottie but I’ll have a good deal of fun with them.

Oh go on then. Hugh Jackman, because he looks as though he has a sense of humour and he could help the Other Half demolish stuff.

And now I have to pick another eight people:

Charley Descoteaux, Thianna, CC Williams, Eden Summers, Daniel DeLoite, Ben Thomas [but only when he’s finished his novel, next week will do] aaaaand – I’ll think of another two later. It’s too hot and I’m too tired right now.