Dear Reader Column 09-29-08

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Dear Reader,

One more day--and I'll choose the winners of this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. Tell me something interesting about yourself. That's what I asked readers to do when they entered the cookie giveaway. Everybody's got a story to tell and readers have been telling me some interesting tales. To enter go to: http://tinyurl.com/4mrb98

Kathy knows how to write a great lead..."I have a little secret...I am into politics. When I was a kid and even now, politics held 'dirty word' status in the Midwest where I come from. But a few years back I found myself saying yes, when I should have said no and now I am the Mayor of my city. The pay is small, the town even smaller--population 240 including cats and dogs! But in a silly way it makes me feel like I'm doing something big. Like I'm right up there with Bloomberg and Daley--same job only on a smaller scale. I have another full time job as a Social Worker, but that's not near as exciting. How many social workers can anyone name? Please consider me for cookies, I'm far too busy to bake."--Kathy B.

"I am now 80 years old. I live in the house I was born in, sleep in the room I was born in, and sleep in the bed I was born in. But--I have a new mattress!"--Joanne F.

"Something interesting, huh? Well...at 37 I had to have a hip replacement. How did I celebrate my brand new hip? With a hip new life! I took up fly-fishing and got back on my Harley! Great job with the book club!"--Kim M.

"My husband and I have applied to the Peace Corps. We are waiting to hear if we'll be accepted. We are both in our early 70s. It is exciting to think what the future might bring us. Where will we be in a year from now? What language will we be speaking? What challenges will we have to meet in a new country and culture?"--Ruth E.

"My wife and I just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. I am 50 years old and I was looking to make plans for the 'golden years.' Our daughter is 16 and we are making plans for her to go to college. However, we just found out we are expecting our second child! My wife and I are both in shock and will appreciate any comfort food you can ship out to us."--Alex M.

Melissa met her husband thanks to chocolate chip cookies..."We both attended the same Superbowl party in 1997. My contribution was cookies. He LOVED them and searched me out to say so. We married in 1999 and the rest is history. However, to this day I am unable to replicate the taste and texture of the batch that day!"--Melissa S.

"On the twenty fourth of last month my wonderful wife of almost 65 years went to be with the Lord. She suffered with AZ for a long, long, time. I keep telling myself she is in a better place but, oh how I miss her. While she was in the nursing home for seven years, I went to be with her every morning and stayed until after I fed her lunch. Now I am having trouble knowing how to fill that void, thus I have joined the book club looking for a way to spend my time and I will say it helps a little. Thank you for providing this service, God Bless."--Dan M.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: New authors, old favorites--all wonderful books you can win. Anna Kennedy, Not Stupid; M.J. Rose, The Reincarnationist;  Michael Largo, Genius and Heroin: The Illustrated Catalogue of Creativity, Obsession, and Reckless Abandon Through the Ages; Debbie Macomber, A Cedar Cove Christmas; Linda Lael Miller, The Rustler--A Stone Creek Novel; and Laura Griffin, Thread of Fear. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/65j7z7