5 Nuts for Pushing The Limits

Blurb from Pushing The Limits from GoodReads:
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

First off, I saw this book everywhere and people were talking about it but I didn't have time so I added it to my TBR list. Then I attended the Reader Author Get Together in Cincy back the second weekend in June and Katie was slotted to attend as a special guest.

Okay, I'm totally going to geek out on you.

When I arrive with my donated gift baskets, I was standing in line behind her. I didn't know it was "her" until I saw her gift. Then, Saturday morning, I sit down to breakfast with some co-workers and a few ladies I didn't know and BOOM Katie is sitting with us. I kept it cool and we talked about our kids, our love of donuts (because the hotel kept running out of them at the buffet) and where we were from. Which turns out, the other ladies I didn't know where also from Missouri! They live like 20 minutes from me.

Anywho, I had to buy her book and have her sign it. And I did. And I started reading it that night and couldn't put it down. BTW, I stayed up until 2:30 and needed to be up by 5ish to drive 5.5 hours back home. And even on the drive home, I couldn't let the story rest. I kept replaying scenes and I honestly think that's how I arrive back home so fast.

I had to finish that book!

I loved it! I absorbed every word until I moved onto the next. Love, love, love it!

For the Love of...

Last night I watched Julie & Julia.  The movie about a girl in NY who blogs about following Julia Child's cookbook for a year and preparing every recipe in the book just to see if she can and because she loves to cook.  Super cute movie BTW.  After watching the movie I felt inspired.  Not inspired enough to buy the same cookbook and prepare the same recipes (not much into French cuisine) but inspired to share with you my love of cooking.

Remember a few posts back when I mentioned how a book I'd read inspired me to plan a trip and travel somewhere and I asked you to share any similar situations.  This is the same idea.

I love to cook.  Not bake.  But cook.  I can sit and watch the Food Channel (yes I know it's called the Food Network but around my house we insist on calling it the Food Channel) all day.  In fact, while I was staying with my grandmother during her hospital and hospice stay we watched the channel all the time.  Each recipe and show got us talking about whether it was good or what we'd change about it.  My grandmother was a huge fan of Iron Chef because of the Japanese guy on it.  He's a famous actor in Japan and since she's Japanese, he wore a soft spot in her heart.  Plus, she had taped episodes from Japan's version (and they might have started the idea) and we'd watch those for hours.  I didn't understand a single word they said but I didn't have to.  I could tell they were sauteing something in this pan and braising something in the next.  

Anyway, no one taught me to cook. I didn't take a class and I didn't spend hours in the kitchen being taught as a kid.  I watched my grandmother cook and I absorbed.  The same thing happens when I watch a Rachel Ray (love her) show or a Giada at Home show.  I watch and I memorize the ingredients and how a dish is prepared. Just like them, I love to create a dish from scratch.  Sometimes, I watch what they make and I alter it to fit my needs.  I love to cook but I don't advertise it with my friends.  Sure my family knows I do and can attest to the great taste but like my writing, if I have no proof, I feel silly talking about it.  Because like Julie in the movie, I too love to cook after a long crappy day of work and just create something tasty to share.  The sound of my knife tapping away as I chop ingredients or the sizzle of garlic cooking in a pan drenched in EVOO are all things that I enjoy about cooking.  No one bothers me or demands things from me.  It's just me and my pan of yummy smelling stuff.

What about you?  Do you love to cook?  Or is there something you just love doing that you're not an expert at or you don't make money doing?