Published: August 04, 2009 11:32 am         

Bestselling author honors brother-in-law with book dedication

Monticello — Reading the dedication in Catherine Coulter's new bestseller "Knock

Out," always brings a few tears to local resident Larry Horton's eyes. The

words pay tribute to the courageous battle Larry has waged against cancer

this year.

"To my brother-in-law Larry Horton, who has the biggest heart I've every

seen and a kindness of spirit that's bone-deep. You are well loved,"

Catherine Coulter writes in the dedication of her latest novel.

"I just cried," said Larry, as he talked recently about the first time

he saw the dedication. "It was a big surprise that she did that."

Larry, who operates Horton Motorsports in Monticello, just completed

chemotherapy treatments and all the recent tests have been good. He was

diagnosed with colon cancer in November 2008 and it has been a tough journey

since then. On the day he spoke with The Outlook, he had just taken his

first motorcycle ride since his diagnosis.

He and his wife, Diane Coulter, have a lot to be thankful for. The

couple recently celebrated their third wedding anniversary, and their story

is almost like one that her famous sister would write. Larry had moved from

Ohio to Florida after his divorce, and Diane was vacationing there. They met

at a restaurant, where he was dining with family members.

He came over and asked her to dance. He will tell you that it was love

at first sight. She said she knew that something definitely happened when

they met, but was uncertain about any future.

After all, she had to go back to Texas to take care of her elderly

mother. And he was living in Florida. They began a friendship that continued

via telephone for several months. They had a chance to visit again and in a

short time, Larry asked Diane to marry him.

"In four days he asked me to marry him and I thought at my age, why

not," said Diane.

She did have one stipulation‹they had to live in Texas where her mother

was now in a retirement home. He agreed, and after Larry met her family and

answered a lot of questions for them, the two were married in July 2006.

They came here the following year to attend a family wedding and stayed

a little longer that expected for car repairs. They liked the area and

decided to have a home in Monticello.

"I just fell in love with Monticello," said Diane.

They found floor plans for a manufactured house they loved and bought

property near the lake.

"It just all fell into place," said Larry. "It was meant for us to be

here."

"Everybody is friendly," said Diane. "I just love it here."

Larry noted that he has ancestors who are from Wayne County and his

brother also lives here. The couple live in Wayne County part of the year,

but do travel to Florida in the winter. They also visit Diane's mother in

Texas.

Larry, who ran a motorcycle shop when he lived in Ohio, decided to open

a similar business here. He and his brother run Horton Motorsports together.

Diane is a senior reader for her sister, Catherine. She reads

manuscripts for the author, including those of new writers who are hoping to

be published. "Knock Out" is her 66th novel, and the latest installment of

her FBI series.

Catherine was always an avid reader, according to Diane, something that

she got from their mother. "My mother was a reader and she read to both of

us as much as she could," said Diane.

Catherine began writing in 1978, Diane said. She was reading a

historical romance and thought the story was dumb. Catherine told her

husband, Anton, that she could do a better job at writing a book. He

challenged her to do it and the end result was her first published novel

"The Autumn Countess."

She sent the manuscript to Signet, which published Regency romances.

Diane said that a reader at the publishing company decided to take the book

home over the weekend, since it was about a two-hour read. The other

manuscript she considered was about a three-hour read. By Monday, Signet was

ready to offer Catherine a book deal.

"She will be the first to tell you how lucky she was," said Diane.

Catherine Coulter has topped the New York Times bestseller list numerous

times in her career, but Larry will be the first to tell you that his

sister-in-law is anything but a celebrity.

"She is down to earth and she doesn't want everybody to make a big deal

about her," he said.

They have visited Larry and Diane in Wayne County several times, and

were here in the spring, while Larry was undergoing treatments.

"Catherine and Tony have called me about every day. He is a physician

and he has followed by progress...They have just been super," said Larry.

And Larry doesn't have to wonder how his sister-in-law feels about him.

All he has to do is open his autographed copy of "Knock Out" and read the

dedication.

     

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.