It certainly didn't start in school where I was forced to read books chosen by my teachers. I struggled to get through most of those.
No, it was watching my mother as she eagerly awaited her copy of Reader's Digest to arrive in the mail. She would devour each page of that little magazine, smiling at times and wiping away a tear at other times as she read the stories inside. Or maybe it was when she took the time to read one of my children's books to me, and how she would change her voice to match the character, and how animated she would be as she read.
My mom got so much enjoyment out of a book! Perhaps it was just a little momentary escape from reality for her. With four very active children I suppose she needed that occasional escape!
As I got older I realized that a short story, or condensed version, like in the Reader's Digest, just wasn't enough for me. I wanted more. I wanted to stretch out those stories so that they would last longer and I could really get into the heads of the characters. I guess that's why I became "The Novel Lady", because I always had a full-length novel in my hands.
But now, even that full length novel isn't enough for me. I want to totally emerge myself into a book series. One that goes on and on for several books.
The first adult series I read... and I'm skipping the Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twins stuff I read as a child... was Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel. But as great as this series was, I got so frustrated waiting for the next book to be written!
Some of the more recent series-type books I've been in love with include Amanda Bouchet's Kingmaker Chronicles Series with that hint of fantasy, romance and mythic adventure.
And of course "The Hunger Games Trilogy" by Suzanne Collins. And that one even had a decent follow up on the big screen.
For a more contemporary series, I love Susan Mallery's "Happily, Inc." and "Fool's Gold" series.
Oh! And Robyn Carr's "Sullivan's Crossing" series.
And then there is Wendy Wax's "Ten Beach Road" series.
And to get my cowboy fix, I love Kim Turner's "The McCades of Cheyenne" books! Each book focuses on one of the brothers.
When I'm in the mood for a really good murder mystery/romantic suspense series, I love Karen Rose's books... ALL of them!
Oh my! So many great series out there! I just can't name them all in one sitting!
But I think my all-time favorite is Jamie A. Waters' "Omni Towers" series. Action, adventure, romance, and so much more. I'm hoping this one never ends! There are six books out right now and I heard she's writing a prequel due to be released soon. And she left just a wee bit of a hint in that last book that more could possibly come in the future. I'm hoping so anyway!
Okay, I know I got a bit side-tracked. Once I start talking about books, I can't seem to stop.
Chicken-Broccoli
Casserole
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (8
halves), pre-boiled
1 bag frozen broccoli
Fresh mushrooms (washed
and sliced)
1 can Campbell's Cream
of Chicken Soup
1 can Campbell's Cream
of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup sliced almonds
12 oz. pkg. grated
mozzarella cheese
Salt & pepper to
taste
Procedure:
Tear cooked chicken into
bit-sized pieces or shred with a fork and cover the bottom of a 9" x 11" baking dish with
them. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover this with broccoli and sliced
mushrooms.
In a separate bowl,
combine soups and wine. Spread this mixture evenly over the chicken,
broccoli and mushrooms. Cover with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle the top with almonds.
Bake at 350 degrees
until cheese begins to brown, approximately 30 minutes.
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