Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 04-30-07

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 hope you had a great weekend. I was baking and writing.

Doing a little book club housekeeping today.

Some reminders:

1. The new Penguin Classic is posted. Reader response has been overwhelming. Cold Comfort Farm is a hilarious classic. Be sure to read the sample and you can enter the Penguin Book Bag giveaway. I have a book bag just like it and I use it every day. For the sample read and the giveaway go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

2. Remember to keep the book club fun. Only read what you like. Hit the delete key when something isn't a good match for you. If you're going on an extended vacation and you'd like your emails suspended for a bit, just let us know the stop and start dates and we'll be happy to oblige.

3. If you'd like to find out what other readers think of a book, visit the Book Forum at: http://www.emailbookclub.com/talk.html

4. Missing your daily email? Get another copy at the Missing Read Link: http://www.emailbookclub.com/miss But if you miss your reads on a regular basis, please send me an email and I'll figure out what the problem is and fix it.

5. The authors featured at AuthorBuzz this week have been busy signing copies of their books to give away to book club readers. To find out more, scroll down and click on the AuthorBuzz link after my column. The AuthorBuzz link is featured every Monday and Thursday.

Well, that's a wrap. Tune in tomorrow and I'll tell you about Minnie, the woman who used to sell me penny candy when I was a kid. And of course I'll be giving away my favorite "penny candy," too.

If you have a minute, drop me a line. I absolutely love to hear from readers. You're the best.

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

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Humor, Indian-immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters, witches, identity theft and paranormal murder. What a week! Read excerpts and win books from Monica Pradhan, The Hindi-Bindi Club; Natasha Mostert, Season of the Witch; Brenda Joyce, Dark Seduction; Ellen Shanman, Right Before Your Eyes; and Kate Pepper, Here She Lies. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-27-07

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,

SHHH!! It's a Surprise Party!

For Kiki on May 6th at 7 p.m.

The party invitation, addressed to me, included an address and a phone number, so I could R.S.V.P., but the invite didn't say who was throwing the party for Kiki--not that it mattered--because I had a much bigger conundrum...WHO THE HECK IS KIKI?

Obviously a good friend of Kiki's sent me the invitation, because she thinks I'm also a good friend of Kiki's. But now I feel like I'm really losing my mind, because I'm supposed to be good friends with two people I don't know: the party giver and the party girl. Why else would I get an invitation, but...WHO THE HECK IS KIKI?

It was amusing for awhile, receiving an invitation to a party where I didn't recognize any names or the address--when I drove by the house I was certain I'd never seen it before in my life. So to save my sanity, I started questioning my friends (friends I was absolutely certain I knew) to see if 'they' knew a friend, or did 'we' know a friend, did anyone know a friend of a friend, could anyone help me? But they all just wanted to know, "WHO THE HECK IS KIKI?"

"Pick up the phone and just ask," my real friends suggested. But how do I call an unknown "someone" who invited me to a party for "our" dear friend Kiki, and casually inquire, "Who are you and...WHO THE HECK IS KIKI?"

It would be very embarrassing if the reply was, "What's wrong with you Suzanne? Of course you know Kiki. We all had lunch together last week. Don't you remember you ordered the chicken salad?"

So I asked my daughter-in-law to make the call instead. Her story, (well the lie we made up)--if there was ever a time to lie this was it--was that the postman had delivered the invitation to her by mistake, she thought she'd better call and let someone know it went to the wrong address. And of course, then she'd get the chance to ask that ever burning question, "WHO THE HECK IS KIKI?" and the mystery would be solved.

But that's not what happened. Instead, things took a nasty turn.

Instead the woman curtly interrupted my daughter-in-law, "Why are you bothering me? You shouldn't have opened the invitation. If you don't know who Kiki is, the invitation obviously wasn't meant for you, and I'd certainly never invite anyone like you to the party."

"WHO THE HECK IS KIKI?"

Nobody really cares anymore.

But my daughter-in-law and I are dying to meet Kiki's pretentious friend. What was the date and time of that party? Kiki's getting two new friends for her birthday.

*Don't worry the name and date in this column was changed to protect the smarty-pants!

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

** Sample the new paperback version of Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. I have 20 copies of the book to give away, and you can also enter to win my big stuffed cow! Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2nwpn3

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

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-26-07

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,

One of the best things about my homemade chocolate chip cookies is that I get to give them away. I've been giving away cookies for years and I'd have to say it's one of the most enjoyable things I do. Friends, neighbors, publishers, the pest control woman, my hairdresser, and the man who picks up our trash every Tuesday, I've always got chocolate chip cookies in the freezer, just in case.

Handing someone a bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies, it's such a little thing, but every time I do it, I get a great big smile and usually a "cookies-and-milk" story, too. The man who delivered my new refrigerator last week, when I handed him a bag of my chocolate chip cookies, a little boy smile came over his face.

"I remember when my grandma would bake cookies and I'd sit on the stool, in her kitchen, waiting for them to come out of the oven. Grandma made the best cookies," and the look in the man's eyes, it made me believe and I was right there with him, sitting in grandma's kitchen.

It's time for my monthly Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway and I'd love to give you some of my homemade cookies. And if you're this month's lucky winner, I hope when you receive the cookies, you'll take a couple out of the bag for yourself and then give the rest away. I guarantee it will be just as much fun as eating them!

To enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway, send an email with a little note about why you'd like the cookies, please include your mailing address and your name will be put in the drawing. I'm going to bake this weekend, so be sure to send me an email by this Saturday. Send your email to

enter-to-win@emailbookclub.com

Congratulations to last month's chocolate chip cookie winners:
Bertha Ray and Rachel Hawkins.

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

** Sample the new paperback version of Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. I have 20 copies of the book to give away, and you can also enter to win my big stuffed cow! Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2nwpn3

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Five great new books from five wonderful authors plus surprise gifts, T-shirts, and signed copies: Marta Acosta, Midnight Brunch; Patrick Hyde, The Only Pure Thing; Jack Getze, Big Numbers; Wendy Corsi Staub, Don't Scream; and Debbie Macomber, Back on Blossom Street. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-25-07

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,

Andy, my new gardener, is a talented guy, but it's practically impossible to get him to pull an old plant out of the ground and throw it away. A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to spruce up my front yard, so I told Andy to yank the sickly-looking red geraniums and toss them out. But instead, he insisted we transplant the geraniums from the front of the house to the side, where they wouldn't be as noticeable. So, rather than futz over such a minor little detail, I agreed. My crafty gardener positioned the geraniums in-between other strong healthy plants and low and behold, two weeks later, every plant in the side flower bed looks inviting and you can't tell which ones are the "leftovers."

Now I tease Andy, calling him my "leftover" gardener, but he's got me thinking about other leftovers in my life, too.

I live in a historical home and when you think about it, the entire house is a leftover and that's what gives it its charm. When I walk through the low door frames I'm reminded that someone in 1926, (eighty-one years ago), walked through these same doors. The wood floors in my home are original, the curved archways, the dish closet in my sunroom; they're all someone's leftovers that bring me joy every day.

The old end table in my living room, it's a perfect fit in-between the chair and sofa. The bottom shelf on the table looks almost like new, but the top is in terrible shape; rings from water glasses, scratches, and a couple of ink marks. It's definitely showing its age, so I've been searching for a new end table to replace it. But now, after thinking about Andy's leftover approach, I've decided to refinish the table instead.

When I was a kid, leftovers were always a big deal. In our family, leftovers was the name of a main course. Just like pot roast, fried chicken or spare ribs with sauerkraut, "leftovers" had its own recipe card. Open the refrigerator, take out all the bowls that were covered in plastic wrap, and "Dinner is served!" Hmm, sounds pretty good right now.

What's for dinner?

Leftovers.

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

** Sample the new paperback version of Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. I have 20 copies of the book to give away, and you can also enter to win my big stuffed cow! Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2nwpn3

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

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-24-07

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,

If you've never sampled one of my monthly Penguin Classics, this is the month to give it a try. I absolutely love the cover of this month's Classic Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, and if you could use a little more "funny" in your life this book delivers. Don't miss it!

But don't just go on my recommendation, book club reader Joan Moody thought this book was such a hoot, she's read it twice:

"Dear Suzanne, this book brings back some hilarious memories. I read it first when I was about ten. It must have been my mother's library book and I read everything in the house. I took it all quite seriously then and enjoyed reading it again many years later, too."--Joan Moody

To sample Cold Comfort Farm and to enter the drawing for a free Penguin Book Bag--you could win a bag just like mine. I have 20 bags to give away. Go to:

http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Send me an email and let me know what you thought of the sample. I always appreciate hearing from you.

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

**Sample the new paperback version of Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. I have 20 copies of the book to give away, and you can also enter to win my big stuffed cow! Go to:

http://tinyurl.com/2nwpn3

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

P.S. Congratulations to the winners of last week's giveaway for The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux: Zoe Dimassis, Ardia Gutowski, Adriana Zaragoza, Patricia Latona, Monica Buzbee, Christal Chacon, Stacey Dale, Cathy Staeven, Rae Consigli and Terry Gessner.

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-23-07

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 on vacation in the Smoky Mountains, a couple of years ago, my husband and I stopped at a store that featured works from local artists. There was a huge black and white stuffed cow on display and I thought it would be the perfect gift for my friend Anna, because Anna collects cows.

At least I thought she did.

Years ago my friend Anna bought two black and white cow nicknacks for her kitchen, just because she thought they were cute. But for some reason, the next time Anna's daughters visited, those two cows sitting on the counter, signaled that she had started collecting cows.

So every birthday, Christmas, and Mother's Day, Anna's five loving daughters would buy her another cow; cowbells, cow figurines, cow pot holders, cow dish towels, and a cow paper towel holder. Now Anna has cows sitting in her window sills, sun-catcher cows suctioned-cupped to the window above the kitchen sink, curio cows scattered on the shelves, cow magnets on her refrigerator and boxes of cows stored close by, in the hall closet, so whenever Anna's daughters come to visit, she can quickly litter her house with more cows.

But truthfully, Anna hates cows. She didn't start out hating cows, the two black and white Holsteins she originally bought satisfied her need for cows. But now, years later, boxes and boxes of cows later, cows that should have been plush robes, bath salts, gift certificates for massages and pedicures, "I hate cows," she told me. "So thank you for your thoughtfulness Suzanne, but I just can't take any more cows."

I suppose there was a window of opportunity, in the beginning of the cow saga, when Anna could have told her daughters the truth about her non-existent cow collection, but now after so many years, what's a mother to do?

So Anna and I have a gift for one lucky reader this week, a big, plush, stuffed black and white cow. Enter the drawing for yourself, or enter for a friend--but be absolutely, positively sure that your friend really does collect cows!

To enter the cow drawing, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/2nwpn3

*When you're entering for the cow giveaway, you can also sample this week's paperback version of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and I have 20 copies of her book to give away to readers, too.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Five great new books from five wonderful authors plus surprise gifts, T-shirts, and signed copies: Marta Acosta, Midnight Brunch; Patrick Hyde, The Only Pure Thing; Jack Getze, Big Numbers; Wendy Corsi Staub, Don't Scream; and Debbie Macomber, Back on Blossom Street. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-20-07

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 convinced the most important part of a sentence comes after the word "but."

But--usually by then I've already stopped listening. I get excited and start celebrating too early, because everything leading up to the word "but" sounded like just what I wanted to hear.

"I think you're talented...but you aren't getting the job."

"I love you...but I don't want to marry you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...but you started it."

See what I mean? What someone really wanted to tell you, but they chickened out at the last minute, it's hanging out behind the "but." It's the coward's way out.

But there are other ways of looking at it. My friend suggested that perhaps saying what you really mean after the word "but," isn't the coward's way out, it's merely "softening the blow."

And she could be right...BUT...I don't think so.

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 FELL IN LOVE with two poems last week. I found them in the book, The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux. Read a poem, or listen to the poet read to you, get a great recipe and enter the drawing for a free copy of the book. Let me know if you liked the poems, too. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/ypof6d

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-19-07

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,

In honor of National Library Week, would you do me a favor? If you're reading at one of our library book clubs, it would be wonderful if you would send an email to your library to let the staff know how much you enjoy and appreciate the library's Online Book Club. They'd love to hear from you. If you are not reading at a library book club, send your library an email anyway, thank them for being in the community and then tell them about this book club. This is their week, so let's give them some good feedback.

From my library email bag:

"Suzanne, I live in Jackson County, Oregon and all 15 of our county libraries closed their doors at the end of last week. I can't tell you how sad this makes me feel. Our libraries (and other services) are supported by federal timber money, and we lost ours. We've been working to find a solution to the problem and hope the closure won't last long. We consider the library to be a necessity and have lost our greatest resource. I learned to read before I started Kindergarten and have had a library card for 55 years. I feel such a terrible sense of loss. Thanks for all you do."--Becky Longie

"Dear Suzanne, how horrible to read about libraries closing! As a high school librarian, I hear about the possibilities of closures due to cut-backs in funding, etc. at the educational level, but to have a whole city close theirs is a crime in my book! (Where's the library police?!) I think they should hold public funerals for their libraries--after all, it's the death of reading freely in that area. Thank you so much for sending out your emails--I didn't realize how much I looked forward to reading your emails until I opened my email this weekend and there wasn't one from you there. Thank you also for recognizing that it is National Library Week!"--Heather Thomas

"Suzanne, thanks so much for mentioning National Library Week! I am a librarian for a company in Illinois and am planning some festivities for the whole week. I do hope all my engineers and scientists appreciate it! I'm sure there are many librarians who read along with you each morning and we all are delighted to have you honor us by mentioning National Library Week!"--Mary Crompton

Thanks for sending your library an email this week. I sure do appreciate it. The library's email address is probably above my DearReader column, or if you can't find it, send the email to me and I will forward it to them.

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

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

P.S. I FELL IN LOVE with two poems last week. I found them in the book, The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux. Read a poem, or listen to the poet read to you, get a great recipe and enter the drawing for a free copy of the book. Let me know if you liked the poems, too. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/ypof6d

AUTHORBUZZ: Great books, great authors. Win signed copies of this week's special books! Julia London, The Perils of Pursuing a Prince; Minton Sparks, Desperate Ransom; Karen Chance, Claimed by Shadow; ReShonda Tate Billingsley, With Friends Like These; and Alison Kent, The Perfect Stranger. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-18-07

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,

Sometimes I don't get to the little things I want to do, because of my busyness.

Can't visit my chiropractor who's in the hospital, no time, I'll send flowers instead. But he's the guy who always knows how to take care of my upset stomach. Push here on my back, heave-ho there, and I'm fixed. Call him at the last minute, sees me on the spur of the moment, and waits a few extra minutes, so I can get to his office.

When I heard this morning that he had pneumonia, and had just been moved out of intensive care, I immediately felt like I wanted to stop by the hospital and say hello. My decision and desire were strong, but then the busyness of the day got ahold of me, and pretty soon it seemed like sending flowers would be just as meaningful as a personal visit.

But then I thought about the last time someone did one of the little extra special things for me. My friend in Oregon, who is one of the busiest people I know, knew I needed a pick-me-up a few weeks ago. He can always read between the lines in my column. An email would have let me know he was thinking about me. But instead he sent me a letter, the old fashioned kind--his meandering thoughts written out on paper. What he'd been up to, how he hoped the weather would cooperate so he could get his tomato plants in the ground soon, and reminding me that in his old age he doesn't fret over things as much because, "In time, they all work out without my help," and when I sat on the sofa reading his letter, it felt like a comforting visit from a friend. A kind gesture I won't forget.

So I baked some cookies, filled a basket with books and headed to the hospital, because, as my long-distant friend reminded me, what I really want to spend my time doing are the little things.

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 FELL IN LOVE with two poems last week. I found them in the book, The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux. Read a poem, or listen to the poet read to you, get a great recipe and enter the drawing for a free copy of the book. Let me know if you liked the poems, too. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/ypof6d

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-17-07

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,

The last line of the email read, "I hope you are a perfectionist always looking for a chance for improvements, otherwise please disregard."

A perfectionist--I hope that's not me. Attending to details--yes, I'm guilty. But obsessing over every detail, so things have to look just right, I tried that approach for awhile. It was tiring and it never reciprocated. Near-misses, no hope of being perfect, the stuff that looks like it's a reject--these are the things that bring me the most joy in my life.

My husband bought a tribal drum from a woman who had been using it as part of a therapy program for children. Frankly when I first saw it, I couldn't understand why he was even paying money for it. It was a filthy-looking thing. Dirt marks infused into the tan sides of the drum and the skin over the top was reinforced with two wide strips of duct tape, obviously covering worn spots that were about ready to break through.

It was a miserable mess of a thing, but for some reason I fell in love with the drum when we were driving home. Tap, tap, it had a pretty good sound. I didn't know anything about playing a drum, but I was beating on it--loudly--and making up my own songs all the way home.

I found the perfect spot on the living room floor for the drum, and with my husband's permission, claimed it as "mine." My husband was thrilled he'd discovered a treasure for me and he wanted to clean it up and make it look even better. So one afternoon, when I wasn't around, he washed the dirt off the sides, tidied up the skin, took off the duct tape and reinforced it with something clear. When I got home he proudly showed me the "new" drum.

I never played the drum again after that. I didn't want to hurt my husband's feelings, but after a couple of weeks, I finally explained to him that for some reason when he cleaned up the drum, it lost the character that had attracted me to it. The used, tattered-looking drum looked approachable to a novice like me, no rules, no need to do it the right way; instead I could just be myself.

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

To see the "new drum" go to:

http://tinyurl.com/yv4use

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

P.S. I FELL IN LOVE with two poems last week. I found them in the book, The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux. Read a poem, or listen to the poet read to you, get a great recipe and enter the drawing for a free copy of the book. Let me know if you liked the poems, too. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/ypof6d

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr