Recently, I was listening to the radio, and they were having an "impossible trivia" contest. The question was, 90% of Americans did not do this last year. Hmmm....There were many great guesses, such as exercising, or going camping. However these weren't the right answers, and the contest went on for some time. I was thinking writing a letter, with a pen and paper, because no one does that anymore. Well, I do sometimes, as some of my family is not technologically connected.

The answer was read a book! I find it astonishing that no one curls up with a novel at night before bed, or totes a book along to fill the time in waiting rooms at the doctor or dmv office. My mom always has a book along for those types of situations.

I've been on quite a book binge the past couple of months. I'm currently on my....3, 4, 7th book. It's like a disease perhaps, but I can't wait to open a new book, and see what adventure lies between the covers. Where do I get to journey to this time?

The past couple of months, I've been in the Deep South of America in the early 1900's, learning about the horrors of racism, and lynchings. I've criss-crossed the country following a brutal serial killer. Then to Nigeria, learning about the triumph of the human spirit in the face of great brutality. I traveled all over Europe, following the journey of the Shroud of Turin, and to Sweden, and Australia to find someone who didn't want to be found. I've been to Montana, tracking a deranged man with his eye set on the curator of a wildlife sanctuary. Currently, I'm in Washington DC, tracking a huge mess of a scandal that threatens the White House and everyone's good standing.

Characters in a book become friends, family while you share their stories. You cringe, celebrate, cry, and hope with them. You miss them when you're through, their lives put carefully back on the shelf for next time. A life without books? I just couldn't imagine...

Books cited here: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Steig Larsson, The Shroud Harold Robbins, Deeper than the Dead Tami Hoag, Alex Cross's Trial James Patterson, Little Bee Chris Cleave, I, Alex Cross, James Patterson, Black Hills Nora Roberts.