A nod to Nora
It’s been awhile, a long while since I’ve treated myself to a Nora Roberts book.
Back in the early to mid-nineties I worked with an elderly woman, Jean, who was an absolute gem. She was late seventies to my early/mid twenties, but we were close friends as well as co-workers. I have always loved to read, especially romance, but I’d never put my hands on a Nora Roberts book until then. We’d talked books and what was good, what wasn’t, and she brought in Born in Ice. I immediately fell in love with the way Nora sucks you in to the story, makes the characters so real and leaves you smiling, and often crying, at the end.
For awhile there, I was pretty good about reading Nora’s new releases and even picking up her back list. I’ll admit, that’s a pretty daunting list and I hadn’t gotten to all of them. I’m not sure when I took a hiatus (sorry Nora) but I think the last trilogy was the Three Sisters Trilogy. (I had to go look that up, and totally winced at what I’ve missed, egads!!!)
It’s not anything Nora did wrong. I started writing, so I started really reading the genre I wanted to write. What used to be solely reading time became writing time. Sadly, I read less than 10 whole books last year (that I had purchased–I won’t count friends’ books).
I have to admit, when I heard about the movies, I wasn’t sure I was going to watch any of them. Number one, my husband, Steven usually commandeers the remote and doesn’t stay on one channel for long, much less two hours. But tonight, I think fate had a hand. First, my grandmother calls me (she NEVER calls me, despite us being close and both having voracious book appetites). She tells me Nora’s movie is on at 8. Sure. Okay. (By the way Nora, my grandma, a feisty 89 yr old romance fan, says HI.)
I was supposed to be helping the husband with research for his homework, but he was dealing with an intense sinus headache and decided to “take a cat nap” on the couch. So I snatched the remote and turned it on. The stars lined up, the fates have spoken.
Nora, if you’re reading, stay tuned.
I didn’t realize he was listening. Then he opened his eyes and was watching, probably more intently than I (who really was trying to make notes about the death penalty debate *groan*). Soon, we both forgot what we intended and stayed glued to the TV. He loved the mystery sense of it, and named his suspicions early on. Nora–he really liked it. He said if you would have stumped him, he’d write you himself, but he managed to guess correctly at the “whodunit” and whooted like a true male fan when the ending was revealed. I salute you, Nora, because if you can get my husband to like it, it’s damn good.
I’m not sure he’s hip on watching all four, but I’ve convinced him to let me see Carolina Moon, since I do recognize that title as one I read and enjoyed. 
Stay tuned. I might have him converted yet. (But if he steals my book thong or creases my pages, he’s gonna have to get his own copies!)
