Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 12-29-06

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Suzanne's on holiday, so today we're running one of her favorite columns.

Dear Reader,

The magic words, they've been on my mind lately. What's happened to them? I rarely hear them anymore. You know, the magic words my mother and probably yours too, always reminded us to say after we unwrapped a present or when someone paid us a compliment.

"Now, Suzanne what do you say?"

"Thank you." (And of course, it was delivered with a smile.)

I've spiffied up the traditional "thank you" and adopted the personal style of Constable Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police--the fictional character from the 1994 television show Due South. The Canadian Mountie had some interesting adventures every week with his companion Chicago Detective Ray Vecchio, but the thing that wooed me the most, was the Mountie's manners. A tip of his hat, opening doors for people, stopping to help an elderly woman across the street in the middle of his chase scene, please and thank you's peppered his vocabulary. And not just a simple thank you--he always replied, "Thank you very kindly." (Followed by a smile and a slight tilt of his head.)

His decorum left such an impression on me that instead of merely delivering a "Thank you," I frequently say, "Thank you very kindly." See, manners do really stand out. (Of course, he was one good looking Mountie, too.)

Thank you very kindly for reading with me.

It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-28-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Suzanne's on holiday, so today we're running "The Best Of."

It's been a frustrating morning. I've spent most of it looking for a receipt.

This is not supposed to happen to me. Security is tight when it comes to my receipts. Immediately after I buy something, the receipt goes in a manila folder--the expensive kind with the sides--so nothing slips by me. And then those manila folders are tucked snugly inside of hanging folders. Each of the hanging folders has a designated position in a filing cabinet drawer--a drawer devoted only to storing my receipts. And as a last line of defense against receipts going AWOL, there's a hand-lettered sign on the outside of the filing cabinet drawer warning: "Don't Mess With My Receipts!"

I implemented this system because two months ago, after spending an entire morning doing just what I did this morning--looking for a receipt--I publicly vowed to anyone within ear shot of my desk that never, ever, again would I waste time looking for a receipt. Heads turned--the people I work with were in awe of my proclamation. I assured them it would be a sight to behold because all of my receipts would be in order, and at my fingertips by the end of the week. And I made good on my promise. I felt so proud. It was such a satisfying feeling knowing that all of my receipts were safely tucked away.

Unfortunately, today is the first time I actually had to retrieve one.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: 'Tis the season to win free books you can curl up with over the holidays--from these terrific authors: Alyson Noel, Fly Me to the Moon; Carla Neggers, The Widow; Ward Larsen, The Perfect Assassin; Robert Alexander, Rasputin's Daughter; and Laurel Dewey, Protector. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-27-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I cleaned out my refrigerator yesterday. It was still filled with "holiday" leftover items. Some of them I shouldn't have bought because we didn't even eat them, and we never do, but I keep buying them every Christmas season anyway.

I guess it's just hard to break old habits. I have this picture of Christmas in my mind and it includes certain foods from my childhood. French Onion dip, vegetable dip, cheese, salami and crackers, all displayed on a Lazy Susan accompanied by an assortment of vegetables for dipping into those dips, and pecan pie. Those were the foods that were always in our house at Christmastime.

But now there aren't enough of us in my family to eat all the "holiday" foods I buy, and no one eats dip except me, and absolutely no one in our family eats pecan pie.

So why do I buy these things?

I don't understand it. I could buy these things any time of the year, if I wanted to, but I don't--until they start piping Christmas music into the supermarket, and then I head straight to the chip and dip aisle.

The pecan pie?

My Grandpa Hale loved pecan pie. His birthday was the day before Christmas, and he'd start eating his favorite pie on the 24th and he was still eating it until New Years Day. It was a once a year treat, because nobody else in our family liked pecan pie. But even long after Grandpa passed away, my mother kept making his pie, and I've kept up the tradition.

But I did make a little bit of progress this year, because Grandpa Hale also loved chocolate covered cherries--last year I bought three boxes--this year I walked right by.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-26-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

A big part of the holidays is creating memories, but I never really thought much about it, until this year. I guess it's been on my mind because everyone is gone--Grandma, Grandpa, Mom and Dad--I'm an only child, so there's no one left but me. I know, it's kind of an exaggerated way of thinking, because I have a wonderful husband, grown children of my own and two grandkids. Nevertheless, that's the way I've been feeling.

The "way back when" part of my life is now a time gone by. But I still have memories, and the ones that I choose to remember warm my heart and make the holidays extra special for me.

When I was a kid, every year we would go to my Grandma and Grandpa Hale's house for Christmas. And every year Grandma's house would look the same. The living room would have Christmas cards strung up around the side window. The coffee table was filled with Christmas figurines and a gold candle-type mobile. Four miniature candles sat on the bottom and on the top were four angels that twirled around in a circle, when the candles were lit. The Christmas tree, decorated with bubbling lights, was in front of the big picture window. Poinsettias sat on the floor and end tables, and Grandma's huge Christmas cactus was on a wooden pedestal table next to the television. I don't know how she did it, but her Christmas cactus was always blooming by December 25th.

Someone older than me always seemed to be in charge of creating family memories. But now that everyone else is gone, suddenly I feel a lot of responsibility because the traditions won't continue, unless I make sure they do.

I know I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself and that's what my daughter-in-law told me a few days before Christmas when I was telling her that I was worried I might not be up to the task of keeping family traditions alive.

But she looked at me and smiled, "Suzanne, don't you think you've already been doing that? I'm coming to your house for Christmas dinner and I know exactly what the menu will be and I know how the table will be decorated, because you've made it a tradition."

What a lovely daughter-in-law. How did she know what I needed to hear?

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-25-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I'm celebrating today with my family. My grandchildren are here and I imagine my granddaughter has opened her 5 1/2 foot giraffe by now. I know she'll love it. The trick will be shipping it back to Wisconsin where she lives.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: 'Tis the season to win free books you can curl up with over the holidays--from these terrific authors: Alyson Noel, Fly Me to the Moon; Carla Neggers, The Widow; Ward Larsen, The Perfect Assassin; Robert Alexander, Rasputin's Daughter; and Laurel Dewey, Protector. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-22-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Tuesday's column was about my favorite Christmas gift when I was a kid and hundreds of readers wrote and told me about their favorite gift, too.

From my Email Bag:

"Hi Suzanne, my favorite holiday gift was my shortest-lived gift. When I was about 9 I received a copy of 'Black Beauty'. I was so thrilled. I loved horses and Black Beauty was gorgeous. I had to leave my present under the tree when we went to church. When we came back, we found our dog in the midst of shredded wrapping paper...and shredded 'Black Beauty'. I was heartbroken! I got another copy shortly after, but I didn't talk to my dog for weeks."--Lisa E.

"My best Christmas present was a llama. No, I didn't actually get a llama. My family gave a llama to a family in a developing nation through Heifer International. To go with the gift, I got a llama marionette that reminds me of how valuable charities like Heifer are. It's a tradition now for my family to give to a charity in my name rather than buy a gift. And you know what? I don't even miss the presents."--Jan W.

"Believe it or not, my favorite holiday gift was a roll of field fencing from my father with a promise to put it up! We raised cattle, and they kept coming to the house at 5 or 6 AM and rubbing on the wall right outside my window. So my father gave me that fencing and put it up the next week. I will never get a better gift!"--Linda

"One of my favorite childhood gifts was an action figure of Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man. I had the biggest crush on Lee Majors and never missed that TV show!"--Stacey D.

"Hi Suzanne, when I was seven Santa brought me an Easy Bake Oven. It was a wonderful Christmas not just because of the Easy Bake Oven, but it snowed as well. What more could a kid want? Well, it wasn't good enough for me. I was sick with a bad cold and feeling sorry for myself. Poor little grumpy me! My father took pity on me and had my mother bundle me up, scarf, hat, mittens, snow boots. He wrapped a blanket around me and carried me out to the sled. It was a clear night with a million stars. My Dad towed me up and down the streets of our neighborhood for what seemed like an hour. He jogged right down the middle of the snow covered street. When we finally arrived back at the house, I wanted to do something for him. Mom made hot chocolate and I made a cake with my new Easy Bake Oven. Dad ate the whole thing in two bites and said it was the best cake he'd ever eaten. My father's been dead for ten years now and I still miss him. This is one of those special memories that I'll always treasure. Thanks for reminding me! Have a beautiful Christmas
Suzanne."--Christi

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-21-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

A few years ago, I tried my hand at writing some poetry--an amusing version of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, and now it's become a tradition at the book clubs.

Okay, I admit it's a bit hokey, but it's really kind of a catchy little number once you start reading it. It's got a syncopated beat, and if you throw in a little sing-song rhythm, you'll be smiling by the end.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas at the Book Clubs

'Twas the night before Christmas and in every house
All good book club readers were clicking their mouse.

They'd hung all their stockings, decorated their trees
And now it was time to sit down and see
What their email had brought them on this Christmas Eve.

A five-minute break to read a good book
Was just what they needed, but oh my--look...

When they opened their email, no read could be found.
"Oh no, we're afraid Suzanne went out of town.
Could she have forgotten to send us our read?
How could she do this in our time of need?"

The readers all panicked, they shivered in fright,
They pined for their emails and settled in for the night.

"Could we have misplaced them? Did we hit the wrong key?
Did it go in our deleted files?" Oh such misery.
And then in a flash, with a stroke of a key,
One by one, they discovered their Christmas Eve reads.

Their eyes how they twinkled, they laughed and they smiled
And they settled into their chairs to read for awhile.

Their hearts were delighted, they felt just like kids,
But it's still such a mystery where that email had hid.
Was it there all the time and they just didn't see?
Or did Santa step in and do a good deed?

Good boys and girls are on Santa's list
And good book club readers he vows never to miss.

It's been a long night, time to climb into bed,
So they shut down their computers and laid down their heads.

But in the quiet of night, before things came to an end,
They heard, "Thanks for reading with me, It's so good to read with friends."

I wish you peace and joy,

Warm Holidays Wishes,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: WIN A FREE TRIP TO IRELAND! Along with signed free books from these terrific authors: Douglas Clegg, The Lady of Serpents; Brenda Joyce, A Lady At Last; Sam Moses, At All Costs; and Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral's Kiss. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-20-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Today I made a holiday call to a friend. "What have you been up to? How is everyone?" were her first questions. We hadn't seen each other in quite a while, so I brought my friend up to date with the idle chitchat of everyday things, but in the back of my mind I knew eventually we would have to get around to talking about it.

She's my age--an old girlfriend from high school. Fifty-two years old, has a wonderful husband, an eleven year old son, and she has ovarian cancer.

Why does there have to be bad news at Christmas?

'Don't want to hear no bad news.' That's how I'm feeling today. The holiday lights are twinkling, kids are writing letters to Santa, 'Oh why can't there be a time out?' But even in the midst of the holidays, life keeps going on and sometimes it comes to an end.

Last year was the first Christmas after my mother died and when I think about it today, it reminds me that families are coming together this holiday season, but some are not. Someone is missing.

My friend and I talked for quite a while. The conversation was amazing. Everything she talked about had to do with the care and concern of someone else. "You know, Suzanne, I'm the one with cancer, but it's so much harder on the people around me."

And at the end of our conversation she said that one of the things that troubled her the most was how useless she felt--because she didn't have anything to give anymore.

"Oh, but you're wrong," I assured her. "Today you've given me such a wonderful gift."

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Take a minute, and email me and tell me about your favorite holiday gift and I'll enter your name in a drawing for a free book. My gift to you. I have 30 books to give away. Send your email to: enter-to-win2@emailbookclub.com

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-19-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

When I was a kid, my friends thought getting pajamas for Christmas was boring, but not me. New pj's were the highlight of my Christmas bounty. It was the first package I'd look for under the tree. Actually, it was pretty easy to find because it was "shake-less". The quietest package under the tree, but the one that always delighted me the most.

I could always count on Grandma Hale for pj's. They were never boring, but always a little too big in case they "shrunk" or I grew.

When my assistant asked me the other day, "Suzanne, what's the best Christmas present you ever got?" There was no doubt in my mind--no runner up: My red and white jammies with the matching cap to keep me warm.

To see me wearing my favorite Christmas gift go to:

http://www.emailbookclub.com/pajamas.html

Take a minute, and email me and tell me about your favorite holiday gift and I'll enter your name in a drawing for a free book. My gift to you. I have 30 books to give away. Send your email to:
enter-to-win2@emailbookclub.com.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. I hope you get pj's this year!

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25

Dear Reader Column 12-18-06

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

My husband and I are celebrating today. Twenty nine years ago we were married by a Justice of the Peace. Nothing fancy.

"Do you take this good looking guy to be your husband?"

"Do you take this crazy woman to be your wife?"

(Remember Mr. Beecher, this is for better or for worse.)

"I do."

"I do."

And we were married.

No one threw any rice, but we did get a big bag of samples. When you're married by the Justice of the Peace in Dubuque, Iowa they give you a 2-foot long plastic bag filled with product samples--at least they used to 29 years ago. Things like miniature laundry soaps, shampoo, mouthwash, toothpaste, tissue, aspirin, potato chips, coupons and a trial sized can of pork and beans.

It was a strange wedding present, but also a blessing--what a memorable wedding story. And every year when my husband and I are celebrating our anniversary and we're retelling our favorite "remember when" stories, we always start with our bag of samples.

And then we remember what happened on our eighth anniversary. We always go out to eat on our anniversary--just a casual dinner. But that year we decided to get dressed up--I mean really dressed up. Suit, tie, long dress, heels, a stunning wrap around my shoulders and I even went to the hairdresser. All dressed up by five o'clock, but no where to go.

It was too early for a fancy dinner, so we decided to take a drive. I have no idea how it happened, but eventually we ended up at the mall. Yes, we looked a little strange all gussied up walking up and down the aisles of Payless Shoes, but we looked even more out of place when we ended up celebrating our anniversary at Wendy's.

We hadn't made a dinner reservation anywhere because we wanted to keep the evening spontaneous, but by the time we'd driven around town and spent time window shopping at the mall, it was eight o'clock and we were starved. And the first restaurant we saw was Wendy's. Oh, what the heck and we ordered two singles with cheese, fries and even ice cream frosties--after all it was our anniversary!

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: WIN A FREE TRIP TO IRELAND! Along with signed free books from these terrific authors: Douglas Clegg, The Lady of Serpents; Brenda Joyce, A Lady At Last; Sam Moses, At All Costs; and Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral's Kiss. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=25