Melodie Phelps, News Editor
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.