For the Love of a Good Book

As a kid I hated reading and writing. I was into Math. Math was my life. I loved anything having to do with math. I hated it when I had to read something out of the newspaper and then summarize it for me. I tricked my folks into reading to me and article instead and asking what it meant. They did it for me - until they caught on and then I had to do it myself. That was a dark day.  

But then I had my 5th and 6th grades in the school library and we had to pick a book and do a book report. 

Oh nooooooo. 

I am in for it now. 

Oh crap. 

I don't know how to do a book report. 

I don't want to read a book. Ewwwweeee. 

How boring. 

Why can't I do extra credit math problems instead. 

I had to read a book. A deep breath, much sighing, much procrastinating later I decided I couldn't get out of it and I ... and I ... well I looked for a book. I looked for a really thin one to read real quick. But my teacher was onto me. She said it had to be a certain length. Crap!

Then I found it. The book that started everything. The book that taught me to read and enjoy it. The book that took someplace else. The book that said the is the doorway to a new life. 

The book was "On the Bank of Plumb Creek" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Yep that was the one. And this was before the series too. They hadn't even made the pilot yet. Oh how I love that book. My first book that I read from cover to cover. I loved it so much I begged my mother to get if for me to read at home. Once she recovered from her shock she bought it for me. I still have that book today. I have moved it with me each and every time. 

Loved the series of books and the television series too. But who didn't.

This was the first of many books I have read. I dream of having a library in my home just like you see in the movies. With the ladder that runs around the floor to ceiling shelves. I have so many books and I love looking at them and I say to myself "I have read all these books."  Ahhhhhhhhh. 

Well like everything else, life takes over. I didn't read for a long time. Then Romance Novels came into being. That was a godsend. I loved romance novels. I read those like drinking water (ok soda in my case - you can read my water issues here.) Then I had my favorite romance writers. I would devour these books since they were only about 150 to 200 pages long. But I loved the adventure of a different time and place. 

There was a problem though. These books were pretty formulaic. After you have read about 30 of these books or so you catch on to the formula. Whether it be a western set with a wagon train in the 1850's or an heiress in the 1700's Britain or girl stranded on the high seas at the mercy of a misunderstood pirate. The formula is pretty much the same. 

Now I don't know about you folks but I got a little bored. Plus I needed more. Something more to chew on. Then I found the next book that did the same thing that Laura Ingalls Wilder's books did for me as a young girl. I found a book that would transport me somewhere else. I found the book that would intoxicate my being for the next 22 years now. 

I found "Outlander". I found Diana Gabaldon. She is a wizard. She is a magician with keyboard. She is AWESOME. She was the reason I read again. Her first book was Outlander which then spawned an entire series. 

It is 890 pages long. It had all the same things as a romance novel but MORE. So much more. It has damsels in distress, it has scottish moors, it has horses, it has a handsome Hero in trouble. It has adventures. It has it all. Plus it is a heroine that is smart and doesn't fall into the same traps as all the others. I fell in love with this book. It was published in 1991 and I was hooked.

I call this author the James Michener of Romance novels. There is so much detail and breadth of scenery description that you think you are there. I felt like I could smell the heather. 

It's now being made into a mini-series and I can't wait. 

Or can I. 

Will I be disappointed or impressed?  

Will I be engrossed or bored?

I have to confess I am bit nervous. Maybe it was best left in my imagination. 

Well whichever it's done. I will be watching. and hoping and dreaming.

Now the best is yet to come. The eighth book is coming out in June and Diana Gabaldon will be here in June 4 days after the release of her book. I can't wait. I will be there and and and I don't know what but I will be there to meet her. I am so excited and I will keep you posted.

So I will be reading and reading and dreaming.