Friday, January 28, 2011

Book and a Recipe Book Club: ONE FOR THE MONEY by Janet Evanovich




Welcome friend, author and blogger, Markee Anderson to Fiction for Dessert for our very first, "Book and a Recipe Book Club."

I'm so excited about this! I hope everyone will join in the conversation!

And now . . .

Here's Markee!

Did you hear that they’re going to make a movie from the first three of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum stories? In honor of that amazing feat, here’s a small description of the first book, One for the Money (found here: for Kindle.)

If you haven’t read it, and you like HILARIOUS books (and I’m serious…her books get even funnier as you read more of the series), read these books. The Stephanie Plum books are the gold standard all other authors want to be compared to. There are sixteen of these books in the series so far, with other Stephanie Plum ‘between the numbers’ books also for sale.

Janet’s website is here: Evanovich.com in case you’re looking for a t-shirt from Stephanie Plum or want to play the contest (click on fun stuff at the top of her home page).

The Stephanie Plum books are primarily about Stephanie Plum and her job as a bounty hunter. She’s a 5’7”, 125-130 pound frizzy-headed brunette who lives in the ’burg,’ a blue-collar chunk of Trenton, NJ. In most of the books, she has to decide if she wants to date one of two suitors, while picking up FTAs (failure to appear) fugitives from the law. In this book, we meet Joe Morelli, a cop who’s been charged with killing an unarmed man, Lula; a woman with a passion for men; and Ranger, another expert bounty hunter. In the meantime, she runs into a crazy prizefighter named Benito Ramirez, and we meet some rather strange characters, but being from Pennsylvania myself, some of them are typical for New Jersey.

If you want to read more of the description of the book, CLICK HERE.

Stephanie Plum is a huge junk food fan. She likes cheese curls, birthday cake, and donuts, to name a few things. Here’s a quick recipe for donuts…with no yeast. I tried it the other night, making donut holes, then poured cinnamon sugar over them. They were really good!

Quick donuts:

1 egg
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup half-and-half
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ cups flour plus flour for rolling
Oil for frying

Beat egg and brown sugar.
Add salt, half-and-half, baking powder, and 1 ½ cups flour. Mix.
Roll out to ½ inch thick on floured surface, mixing in more flour if needed (I added about ¼ cup extra)
Cut out into donuts or donut holes. Let rise (about an hour).
Fry in hot oil, turning before completely browning.
Remove from oil and cool before eating, or coat with topping.

Toppings: cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or melted chocolate.


Now, in honor of keeping spoilers from those who haven’t read it, please keep your comments generic. Don’t give away the ending or any parts that would make a reader howl in laughter.

Feel free to share your recipes, tell us your favorite characters from the Stephanie Plum books, or tell us which man Stephanie should end up with -- Joe Morelli or Ranger? Let the conversation begin!!!!!

31 comments:

Markee Anderson said...

Thank you, Karen, for posting this!!! I hope everyone can comment...I just LOVE these books. :)

Karen Cantwell said...

I've been a huge fan of the Stephanie Plum books. I read One for the Money several years ago - a signed First Edition copy from a friend who used to live a few houses down from Janet Evanovich. I was hooked!

And just for the record: I'm a MORELLI girl through and through. :-)

What's your favorite scene in the book, Markee?

L.C. Evans said...

I love the Stephanie Plum books. I think Morelli's the one for her, but Ranger is so darn sexy and mysterious. Can't she have them both?

Markee Anderson said...

Wow...a SIGNED COPY, Karen?? I'm so impressed!!!

My favorite scene has got to be the shower scene with Morelli. I think Morelli's the best. Ranger...too dangerous, but very hot!

There were a few scenes that had me laughing, but I think some of the future books are even funnier. I used to read these when waiting for kids at school and laughed out loud so much, people in other cars would stare at me. But Janet...she's the master of hilarity, to me.

Markee Anderson said...

L.C...I think she DOES have them both at different times. I just don't understand Morelli's hesitation to make her his. He HAS to know about Ranger and the impact he has on Stephanie, don't you think?

Redameter said...

You are making me hungry Markee. Great post too. have to look those books up.

Now to find something to eat....

Love and blessings
Rita

Markee Anderson said...

Yum...I just finished the donuts, Rita. They were delicious! :) Gotta LOVE donuts!

Markee Anderson said...

I just made MORE virtual donuts and they're HOT and have CHOCOLATE on the top! YUM! What's your favorite type of donut? In this book, Stephanie mentions a Boston creme (or is it Boston cream?) donut. Yum!!!

Linda said...

OK, Gals, I have GOT to get the JE books! And if I do THAT, how will I keep up with my TSW books? I guess I'll have to go to the library for these, since I can't afford to buy them.

I LOVE homemade donuts! My Mama used to make them, when we were kids. Now the only ones I can eat are virtual, but I'm going to copy the recipe, anyway. THANKS, Markee.

I love the review and the recipe. Great idea, Ladies!

Markee Anderson said...

The library should have all of them, I think. I bet you'd howl at some of the antics in some of those books. Some scenes are firmly embedded in my brain, and I can remember sitting at the Dr's office waiting for kids and just laughing so hard at one of her scenes, I was crying. People stared but it was just downright funny! I think that was book 14 or 15, maybe?

Carol said...

Wow - what a treat! I love Janet Evanovich's books, and I get to come to Karen's blog to read a post by Markee - that's like a triple decker ice cream cone! (since we're talking about junk food!)

Joe is definitely the man for Stephanie, but I don't think that Joe is the one hesitating - he has hinted several times throughout the series that they should marry - it is Stephanie that can't make up her mind.

I was reading these books when I was going to physical therapy. Like Markee, I would find myself laughing out loud, and people would look at me like "yeah she needs to be in therapy, all right - just not physical therapy! ;-)

I can't wait for One for the Money on the big screen - just hope it lives up to the way I've envisioned it when I read the book!

Markee Anderson said...

I think you're right, Carol. I think it IS Stephanie...but Joe could convince her more than he is. He's GOT to know about Ranger.

I started reading these back when we were moving from KS to WI. I didn't want to move. I had great friends in KS, and this was MY therapy...I read book to book, cover to cover, for about the first 6 books while the hired company boxed up our house (the new company paid for it).

Karen Cantwell said...

My favorite scene is Grandma Mazur shooting the dining room table. She just CRACKS me up. :-)

I also can't wait for the movie. Evidently, JE sold the movie rights YEARS ago when the book first came out, but Hollywood is only now getting around to making it. Silly Hollywood.

Linda - I can loan you the book through the Kindle loaning program!!! Don't go to the library. Email me: kcantwell02@comcast.net

Markee Anderson said...

I LOVE Grandma Mazur! And her clothing in this one just cracked me up, too.

Yeah...GREAT SCENE!!!

Carol said...

I've read them, but this winter I've been borrowing the CD's from the library and listening to them while I work around the house. They are the abridged version, but I have enjoyed listening to them all the same. Can't wait for the movie!

Speaking of which man is right for Stephanie - good grief, let's get rid of Diesel altogether! What a waste of a Plum experience...

Seventeen shouldn't be too far away! ;-)

Markee Anderson said...

HAHAHAHA!!! Diesel...but I think her latest book has him in it. I don't consider him a love interest, but more of an annoyance to her. But I might be wrong!

What ever happened to Sally Sweet? For those of you who have no idea what we're talking about, Diesel shows up in one of the between the numbers books, I think, and is this guy who can appear and disappear, or so it seems. He's in tune with women, more than any other character, I think.

Sally Sweet is a kid's bus driver who cross dresses. But he's hilarious!

Correct me if I'm wrong...I'm operating on memory for these character descriptions. :)

Karen Cantwell said...

Carol - I've listened to a couple of her books on CD also. I recently took a long car trip alone, so listened to #5 and 6 that way. Great way to pass the time! As for Diesel - he's interesting, but no where NEAR as interesting as Morelli or Ranger. :-)

Markee - I remember Sally Sweet! That one you mentioned where he was driving a school bus was especially funny because he was trying to curb his nasty habit of swearing. Do you remember that? I think he only showed up in two or three of the books, but he was one of my fave supporting characters.

Markee Anderson said...

Sally was a hoot, for sure! I do remember that one...with the rubber band!

Man...I miss those books! I haven't read #15 or #16 yet...I have to wait to afford them. But I can guarantee they'll be on my Kindle at some point! And Wicked Appetite is her new series, I think, with Diesel.

Carol said...

Markee, I've got both 15 & 16, and I THINK they are lending enabled. If you want to borrow from me, let me know - I will gladly loan them to you.

I think Diesel is in all of the between the numbers, isn't he? I still think it is a waste of a Plum experience - they just aren't as good as the numbered books. BUT...I have to read them to keep up on all things Plum...

Carol said...

The new book, Wicked Appetite is a spin off with Diesel. I haven't read it and not sure I will.

Markee Anderson said...

I read the between the plums, too...just to keep up. They still make me laugh, no matter what!

Thanks for the loan info, but I really want to buy them so I can read them again and again and again (they're my therapy, I tell ya...it's pathetic!). I might even get paperback...just so I know I won't accidentally delete them. HA! But that's very kind of you!!!

I'm also studying her technique in writing. For all you writers out there, have you read Janet's 'how I write' book?

Carol said...

Markee, sent you a PM before I read that last post - just disregard! ;-)

Markee Anderson said...

Another character that you'll meet, if you keep up with the Plum series, is Carl the Monkey. Carl is kind of a curmudgeon monkey, if that's possible.

On Evanovich.com, Janet included a character profile for him, as well as Bob the dog, who's just hilarious.

Here's Carl's profile: http://evanovich.com/funstuff/profile/127

And Bob's: http://evanovich.com/funstuff/profile/819

From Janet's FB fan page, she LOVES pets. The pets in her books have their own personalities, becoming a major character at some point.

What do you think about pets in books?

Markee Anderson said...

I'll probably read Wicked Appetite. Those books are great for snowy overcast days, picking up my spirit right away. It's different, though, from what I saw in the blurb.

Markee Anderson said...

Yep...got it, Carol. Thanks!!!

Karen Cantwell said...

I've read several of the in-between books, but not all. I liked them as a way of getting some JE humor, but they were never as good as the true series. I haven't read Wicked Appetite either.

I LOVE Bob the dog, but have a funny (maybe NOT so funny) story about Carl the Monkey . . . wanna hear? Okay, if you insist:
So I had written my first novel and titled it Monkeys in My Trees AND had submitted it to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest where it got all the way through to the Semi-finals. I had high hopes for finding an agent/publisher for Monkeys in My Trees. THEN, June of 2009, I get my brand, spanking new copy of JE's Fearless Fourteen. I started reading, full of excitement, ready to laugh. THEN she pulls Carl the Monkey out of her bag of tricks. NO! JE can't put a monkey in HER books! I have monkeys in MY book. If JE has a monkey in HER book, no one will want MY book!!! Well, that's what I thought at the time. I was actually nauseous. I've overcome THE HORROR now, but I was a mess there for a while! Oh, and I changed the title since then - TAKE THE MONKEYS AND RUN. :-)

Markee Anderson said...

Wow...that would freak me out, too! But your monkeys are NOTHING like Carl. Yours are normal monkeys...well, sort of. :) And those monkeys of yours were a huge part of the book. Hers was more of an aside.

I think you did a great job with your book, and changing the title...smart move! I LOVE that title!

Karen Cantwell said...

Thanks everyone for stopping by and joining in the conversation! It's
been so much fun. We'll announce the next book club book on Friday, Feb 4th.

I hope you had as much fun as Markee and I!

Markee Anderson said...

Thank you SO much for having us, Karen! This was fun!!!

Thanks, everyone for posting today!!!

Diane Craver said...

Hi Markee,
Thanks for the donut recipe -I'll definitely try it! I hate to admit this but I haven't read any of these books. My daughter Christina loves them. She'll be thrilled to learn about the movies.

I have read romances by Janet Evanovich and enjoyed them.

Markee Anderson said...

Hey, Diane!!! It's great to see you here!

Janet's romances...they're okay. I've read some of them, but her Stephanie Plum stories...there's nothing quite like them. They're hilarious!

Have fun with the donuts!! I hope you enjoy them!