My favourite book and how I'd cast it for a movie

 I've decided to go a little off-piste for this topic from Long and Short Reviews, as I was struggling to think of a favourite book of mine that hasn't already been made into a film. My automatic response when I like a film is to check out the book. So I decided to do this with my favourite of my own books, because I would love to be able to cast it for a film.

Photograph has one particular trick in that the two heroines are fraternal twin sisters - as written, Tara and Azure are facially identical but have opposite colouring. As a result, I would prefer to cast one actress in a dual role and have her wear wigs and coloured contact lenses. My favourite actress for this role would be Katharine Isabelle, who I've loved in every film I've seen her in.

For Tara's love interest Ryan, I would cast Taron Egerton. Ryan is American, but I'm pretty sure Taron Egerton could manage an accent. I loved him in the Kingsman films and also Rocketman.

For one of the side characters, Tara's roommate Kiki, I always saw Kirsten Dunst. She's possibly a little old for the role now but I don't believe I ever stated Kiki's age, so I don't think that would matter.

The most difficult character to cast would be Liam, Azure's husband, who is a celebrity theme park owner and was originally inspired by Gene Wilder's performance as Willy Wonka. I eventually settled on Benedict Cumberbatch. He's very good at playing genius characters.

So which book would you like to cast for a movie?

My fantasy vacation

 I'm currently on leave from work and just back from a short holiday, so this topic from Long and Short Reviews was quite appropriate. However, in our case we're just back from the Scottish Highlands. It was a lovely few days, but certainly not fantasy level.

My fantasy holiday? A driving tour of America, taking in New York City. Niagara Falls, Route 66, the Grand Canyon and everything in between.

I've always been fascinated by the USA. As a teenager I fully intended to emigrate and become a citizen as soon as I finished university, and I memorised as much information as possible in service of that process (state capitals, presidents and so on). However, life happened and I never went, and since I couldn't do without the NHS I'm never going to move there now. But I still love the place, and would love to do a driving tour - or maybe a fly-drive, as there are a lot of wide open spaces in the middle of the USA.

If I did drive the whole way, it would be in a pink Cadillac Eldorado. Just because.

So what would be your fantasy vacation?

My favourite indulgence

 I really had to think about this topic from Long and Short Reviews, because the timing isn't ideal - I have just started a WW diet, and while it's going well (lost a stone already) I've had to cut back on basically every indulgence known to man. I haven't even eaten cheese for three weeks, and coming from me, that's something.

There are, of course, low-calorie versions of a lot of things, but it's often a balance between saving the points and enjoying the food. Low-calorie bread tastes like cardboard to me, so I would rather just use the points and have real bread. As for low-calorie wine, forget it.

However, I have discovered one indulgence I can still have - low-fat chocolate ice-cream.

There are a few companies like Halo Top and Oppo that do great ice-cream, so I've been keeping a tub of chocolate fudge brownie in my freezer for those days when nothing else will do. It's not quite up to the level of Phish Food, but it tastes amazing.

So what's your favourite indulgence!

Fictional character I'd love to meet and why

 After a break last week due to being away, I've picked up this topic from Long and Short Reviews and, just for a change, I had an idea straight away.

I've been very into reading Kazuo Ishiguro lately. His novels have a contemplative air which somehow draws the reader even when you realise that very little action has taken place. I read "Never Let Me Go" some years ago and "Klara and the Sun" just recently, so after that I took up "The Remains of the Day".

For which reason I've decided that I would like to meet Mr Stevens, the famed butler.

Why? The central point of the novel is that Stevens has dedicated his entire life to serving as a butler, never allowing any time for a personal life, and as he grows old he goes on a journey and starts wanting to enjoy what is left of his days. So I would like to follow Stevens on his journey and introduce him to a few places and life experiences he hasn't known. Frankly, given how limited his life has been, even taking him on a tour of the UK would be an adventure for him.

So which fictional character would you like to meet?