A lonely winters night is only enjoyable when you have a good book as company

I’m suffering a little from writers block at the moment. If you haven’t experienced it imagine trying to suck a roast meal through a straw. Unpleasant, exhausting and the parts you manage to get up the straw aren’t the enjoyable bits.


So with that part of me on the blink I rely more heavily on my other favourite activity, like leaning on a crutch. Reading. I have consumed more books over the last few weeks then I have in months. I am literally finishing a novel a day. This is helped by the fact that I’m re-reading, for possibly the seventh or eight time, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.


I was a lonely kid, sometimes by choice, sometimes circumstance. As a result the majority of my childhood was spent lost in either my own dreamed up fantasy worlds, or those created by others. This is what I love about the Stephanie Plum series. I can so easily get lost in the world that Janet Evanovich creates for me. Forget my own. This is what I resort to at my lowest moments: the awfulness that accompanied my final year at high school, the break up of a year long relationship, the death of my grandfather and bouts of depression.


The series follows it’s main character Stephanie Plum’s antics. She is a less then successful bounty hunter with a knack for running in to trouble. It’s almost a relief that, no matter that she is fictional, whatever stupid thing I have done that day she can trump it. I am in love with Janet Evanoich’s wit, light hearted humour and superior writing ability.


Considering the copious amount that I read I’m extraordinarily picky when it comes to books. I have been known to put a book down if I’m not impressed by its first few sentences. The fact that I have read this series so many times and am likely to continue to do so is the highest compliment I can give. If anyone’s interested in experiencing it the books for themselves the first one is One for the Money and is found in the crime section. Consider yourselves converted.


If you’ll excuse me I think I’ll be off, Fearless Fourteen awaits me.