One of the most joyous things in life is finding a new author to devour. I’ll find one I completely click with and get every book of theirs that I can. And I’m a rereader too—favorite books or series have been read umpteen times.

So imagine my surprise when I found a whole series written by one of my previously favorite authors. I’d gone through a Stephen King phase in high school, and had most of his horror published way back then, but I don’t really care for horror anymore, so I hadn’t followed him religously. Oh, there’s The Stand, which remains one of my very favorite books ever, but I hadn’t gone looking for new ones.

And then The Dark Tower was published, and the Internet was abuzz with discussion. “What’s this?” I thought. “How did I miss a whole series?” I think I must have written it off when it was first started (yes, way back in high school) as a dragons and fairies type of fantasy, and I’ve never been a fan of that. But people on assorted message boards seemed so excited that this book was out, and from their descriptions, I thought that maybe it was something I’d enjoy.

So about a month ago, I ordered The Gunslinger from Amazon. I was uncharacteristically conservative in my book ordering, thinking that I’d start with one and see how I liked it. Well, I did like it, and promptly ordered the next three, and then the next two. I thought I could probably find the last one at Costco or somewhere locally, but I didn’t think ahead quite enough, and I didn’t have it waiting for me when I finished Song of Susannah. My bad.

I made up for that oversight yesterday when I was buying the boys new shoes. I walked by it at least three times before it jumped out at me—it’s like it wasn’t on the shelf until I looked at it at the right angle. But there it was, finally, in my hot little hands. And it’s good; I’m really enjoying it. But I don’t want to dive completely in, because I know this is the one and only time that I’ll be able to read this book for the first time, and the first time is always the best. I’m trying to savor it, to make it stretch all week.

Man, I thought finding a new book or a new author was something; imagine finding a whole new series, and with the timing to read it all at once! I haven’t found something this good since Bujold’s Vorkosigan or Weber’s Honor Harrington series, and those aren’t completed yet, so I have to wait like a peon for the next installments. What a lucky break this was.

I won’t be reading tomorrow though. Tomorrow is the last day of deer season, and Big Jeff and I are going up to see what we can see. Too bad the time change is this weekend, or else I’d have been able to sleep in to the luxurious hour of 4:30. Now I have to get up at 3:30, so it’s a good thing my ear/sinus medicine knocks me out. I’ll be going to bed early, I hope. That surprise nap on the couch this afternoon may have foiled my plans.

We’re taking my truck, ol’ reliable, because I have the tire chains and I’m a little afraid of Jeff’s driving. This is what happens when Jeff drives:

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