Books in the Hollow

Dean Koontz cannot write faster that I can read. Okay, well maybe he can, but it definitely takes a while for a new book to be published. Every time I pick one of his new novels, I tell myself that this time, I'll read it slowly. Maybe a chapter a day. By the second chapter, I'm greedily devouring the pages. I've been a fan for years. The first book I read was Lightening. If you've never read a Dean Koontz novel, I'd recommend starting with this one. It's an excellent example of what you can expect in his novels.


Lightening has everything you could want in a novel - suspense, romance, mystery. Koontz leads us down a path of what is and shows us what can be with the life of Laura Shane and her guardian. To say more would give away the plot.

From there, I'd recommend his series based on the character, Odd Thomas. Odd Thomas is a simple fry cook in a small California town whose life is anything but simple. His life is filled with secrets. The main one? Odd sees and talks with ghosts. They cannot or choose not to talk to him so the conversations are a little one-sided. For more information on Odd Thomas, check out Dean Koontz's "Odd Passenger" Webisode 1. It will give you a little insight to the character and the series which includes several Odd Thomas books. Of course, I'm anxiously waiting for more. Like I said...I read pretty fast!
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My favorite 'reading' snack is popcorn sprinkled with cayenne pepper. This vintage snack recipe makes me glad for modern conveniences!
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Coconut Chips.
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Set out baking sheets. With an ice pick, force holes through indentations of 1 medium-size fresh coconut.
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Drain liquid from the coconut. Put the coconut in a baking dish and heat at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and break the shell by tapping sharply with a hammer. Remove meat from the shell and, if desired, pare off brown skin. (The skin will add a nutty flavor to the chips). Form chips by pulling the coconut meat across a shredder.
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Put the chips in a single layer on each baking sheet. Sprinkle over coconut on each sheet 1 teaspoon salt. Place in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until chips are light brown.