Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 06-01-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Writing inspiration comes from anywhere, can be any little thing--even an avocado. Enjoy reading today's note from book club reader, Debbie, enter the writing journal giveaway, and then try my new recipe.

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne, just a little note to say how much I'm enjoying your daily columns. I love reading with you, as well as about you. I also wanted to letcha know your advice on writing has helped me to just sit down and write randomly, each day. For instance, I had a dream about an avocado, I've never tasted one, didn't even know whether its a fruit or vegetable till I looked it up on the Internet. Since my dream I've done some research, and in my dream I was cutting one up and adding sugar. (Ha-ha) I plan to follow through with my dream and document what I discover about this fruity vegetable."--Debbie

Debbie, lately I've been thinking about avocados, too, because there are hundreds of teeny-tiny avocados on the tree in my yard. And as soon as they get bigger and ripen, I'll be making my favorite avocado dip. Can't wait.

Enter today's writing journal giveaway, (I have 5 journals for readers) and to see my avocado dip recipe. Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/journals060112.html

Congratulations to recent book winners:

Winners of A SIMPLE MURDER, by author and Guest Columnist, Eleanor Kuhns: Ardice Kuehner, Rita Pierini, Vicki Huber, Norma J. Sundberg, Carol Royce, Kathleen Fannon, Marti Hill, Beth Ford, Nancy Reynolds, Vicky Kellen, Dee Stillings, Lynda Harrison, Joyce Bartley, Pat Harmer and Marge OLeary.

And the winners of NO BIKING IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT A HELMET, by last week's Guest Columnist Melissa Fay Greene: Mary Rodriguez, Mildred West, Laura E A Brack, Carol Szymanski and Flo Kropilak.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free (signed!) copy of the latest teen fiction featured books from Jennifer Estep, DARK FROST; Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER; and Ursula Poznanski, EREBOS. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the authors, and more, see www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

AUTHORBUZZ: SKELETON WOMAN (Fiction) by Mingmei Yip

Left in an orphanage after her parents are killed, Camilla is happy to be adopted. Then she discovers she will be trained as a singer to cover her deadly mission as a spy--eliminating Shanghai's most powerful gangster. Her life is made even more difficult by two other femmes fatales--"Skeleton Women"--a mysterious magician and a cross-dressing gossip columnist.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SKELETON WOMAN to read more and to email author Mingmei Yip, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-31-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Rattlesnake eggs are on the way to book club winners: Gail Aquila, Cindy Martinez, Elizabeth McGowan, Lisa Bockelie, and Patricia Revzin, and are they ever going to have a lot of fun with them.

When our kids were little they used to sell rattlesnake eggs at the local Farmer's Market in Oregon, Wisconsin, and I sold my homemade blueberry muffins. At six a.m. on a Saturday morning the kids and I would set up a table with blueberry muffins, a picture of a snake, an old aquarium, and a sign that read Homemade Muffins and Rattlesnake Eggs FOR SALE. I know, I know, homemade muffins and rattlesnake eggs--strange bedfellows for sure, but we'd sell out of both every single week.

A sign was posted on our aquarium: "Keep hands out, beware of snake!" and people believed us. Especially since we'd filled the aquarium with pine shavings, cut a little hole in the back of it, with just enough room to insert a bended wire coat hanger. So when we'd move the coat hanger back and forth, it looked like a snake was slithering underneath the shavings. Plant a "snake seed" and when an unsuspecting customer opened up the rattlesnake envelope, and it shook and RATTLED like crazy, first we'd hear yelling and screaming, then laughing, and then they'd buy the package of rattlesnake eggs.

Planting a "snake seed" is the most important ingredient when you're showing someone the rattlesnake eggs, which is why James, my 3-year-old grandson, showed his preschool teacher a picture of a snake before he invited her to open the package of eggs. "RATTLE, RATTLE," not only did his teacher scream and jump up and down, she admitted later (to James' parents) that she almost yelled words inappropriate for children's ears, especially since classes are held in a church.

Gail, Cindy, Elizabeth, Lisa and Patricia, your "eggs" are in the mail and it's easy to set the trap. There's a metal washer and rubber band inside the envelope with the rattlesnake drawing on the front. Rotate the washer and rubber band 8 or 9 times (until it's very tight), then carefully slip it inside the envelope. Then plant the "snake seed," you might simply mention the humungous snake you saw slithering across your backyard last weekend, hand the Rattlesnake egg package to your victim, and be prepared for a lot of fun.

If you entered the drawing for Rattlesnake Eggs and didn't win, or if you were too scared to enter, now's your chance. Enter to win at: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/snake052212.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: THE ART OF FORGETTING (Fiction) by Camille Noe Pagan

Forgive and forget--but not necessarily in that order. Marissa Rogers is content to follow the lead of her charismatic, alpha best friend Julia. But when Julia suffers a brain injury that steals her memory and alters her personality, their roles reverse. Worse, Julia begins dredging up memories Marissa would rather forget--including the fact that Julia once asked her to abandon the love of her life.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE ART OF FORGETTING to read more and to email author Camille Noe Pagan, you'll get a reply.

*Fun, free books and meet authors. Ask questions, they'll reply and read samples from their books. Visit AuthorBuzz at: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

(Fiction)
BIG SKY COUNTRY by Linda Lael Miller

(Fiction)
SHOUT HER LOVELY NAME by Natalie Serber

(Fiction)
LOVE IS MURDER edited by Sandra Brown

(Fiction)
THE ART OF FORGETTING by Camille Noe Pagan

(Fiction)
SKELETON WOMAN by Mingmei Yip

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-30-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

I'm not a doctor, but I play one when I Goggle symptoms on the Internet. Self-diagnosis, it's as insane as reading through an 8-page list of possible prescription side affects--discovered in clinical trials--that could possibly attack my mind and body after ingesting the medicine. (If I wasn't feeling sick enough before taking the prescription, now for sure there's "No hope, no hope!")

When I'm not feeling well, instead of letting real medical tests and real doctors diagnosis the problem, first I go online. After checking boxes on the Symptom Checker: fatigue, headache, constantly thinking about eating Dove chocolate (the new raspberry swirl flavor), excessive sweating, lower back pain and occasional disorientation, I was presented with three choices: insomnia, obesity, or an aortic dissection.

Worry-wart me, "I'll take aortic dissection for $500, Alex."

How silly is that? But I'm not the only one. In the midst of telling a friend about my self-diagnosing, "Me too, me too," she confessed, "I did the same thing, just last week." (My friend's a nurse.) And if I stay plugged into the Internet long enough agonizing over ghastly possibilities, eventually, to quote Mark Twain, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Yes, the possible outcomes I can dream up are frightening. My legs and feet might become numb, I could be constipated for the rest of my life, my index finger could suddenly turn purple and fall off, or face it, Suzanne, it's time to prepare a list for my dear husband. How to do laundry, the passwords to all of my online accounts, be sure to rub Papa (the stray cat who comes in for dinner every evening) until he burps, and don't make a fuss, simply cremate me, throw my ashes on the garden and turn on the bubble machine.

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

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

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free (signed!) copy of the latest teen fiction featured books from Jennifer Estep, DARK FROST; Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER; and Ursula Poznanski, EREBOS. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the authors, and more, see www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: LOVE IS MURDER (Fiction) edited by Sandra Brown

An anthology of short stories penned by some of our most popular romantic suspense authors, LOVE IS MURDER also features stories by writers better known for their thrillers, but who often incorporate into their books the relationship layering that is the trademark of traditional romantic suspense.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on LOVE IS MURDER to read more and to email author Sandra Brown, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-29-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF INFLUENCE, I was intrigued by the title of Dan Seidman's book, and even more intrigued in the midst of reading it, and anxious to experiment with some of the concepts. The subtitle of the book is, Master the One Skill Every Sales Pro Needs. But the book is really an excellent read for anyone, because when you think about it, we're all trying to influence someone every day. Trying to influence our kids, our boss, coworkers, our spouse, or we're trying to influence the furniture salesperson to give us a great deal on the dark blue leather recliner that would look perfect in our living room.

Dan is a World Masters Athlete with three gold medals playing on the US Basketball Team. As a competitive athlete, he hates losing more than he enjoys winning. So he takes that attitude into the selling profession to turn salespeople into sales pros. "The Secret Language of Influence" is his sixth book. As a sales trainer, Dan travels globally, teaching the latest best-practices in influence. His next two trips are to the exotic locations of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Istanbul, Turkey.

Contact Dan directly at Dan@GotInfluenceInc.com. He'd love to hear from you, and he'll enter your name in a drawing for a copy of three books he's giving away, and he'd be happy to email you three unique articles for business professionals, THE ONE SALES TEST YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO FAIL, THE 800 POUND LIE OF GUERRILLA MARKETING and AAAAHHHHH! (how to evoke emotions when you sell).

Welcome Dan to the bookclubs, email: Dan@gotinfluenceinc.com

Take it away Dan Seidman . . .

INFLUENCE & STUFFED ANIMALS

Want to get a good laugh out of your kids?

Tell them you are going to win a staring contest--with one of their stuffed animals.

I lay in bed, eyes locked on the small, but fierce-looking pug. He was a Webkinz, meaning he also had the power of the Internet backing his tail.

The world began spinning as I fought to keep my eyelids from flickering. The dryness was the worst part of the contest; my eyes felt as if they'd been rubbed, wide open, in the fur of the little beast.

Children cheered, but my concentration was so intense, was it for me, or him?

In an instant it was over. My kids began to laugh at my loss. "Dad, you can never win against a stuffed animal. He has no eyelids."

You can never win.

That's a nasty thought. Here's a nastier one--what activities during your day are absolute losers? And I'm including mental activities, too.

The big one? ATTITUDE

You can actually alter and improve an individual's attitude with an exercise I ran with a major non-profit, World Vision.

World Vision uses phone callers to garnish donations. They work hard, getting tons of NOs, even from people who are current or past supporters. How do you help manage all that negativity?

Focus on gratitude to improve your attitude!

Create a HEART & HEAD CHECK self-test

On paper, create POSITIVE RESPONSES to your feelings about...

The economy
Things are hard now, but if someone gives up a case of soda a month, they can help.

Fundraising Industry
We do great work, helping the under-resourced.

Your company World Vision
I work, proudly, for one of the most respected and ethical organizations on the planet!

Donors' perception about World Vision
They trust that 10c on every dollar goes to operations; while 90c helps people they see at http://www.worldvision.org/.

Your office
My work environment is bright, with fun employees, newer computers and phones.

Your boss
Larry really cares about me personally and my work.

Your job
I get to interact with interesting people from all over the country and all walks of life. It's a cool reflection of God's diverse creation, all experienced on the phone.

Your self
I landed a job here! It's hard work and fun.

Healthy responses found light at the end of every tunnel. For example, the Industry response was about serving people, not donors' tight wallets.

Print and put this up. It's uplifting for anyone walking into the work area.

You just branded healthy attitude inside the company.

What other ways can you use this idea?

The best learners become teachers as soon as they come across new knowledge. Who needs to know about this? Run this exercise at work, even at home.

So change attitude by focusing on gratitude. And change it forever by giving your team and your family printed evidence of all the good they encounter and offer each day.

Who will you share this with? When?

Send an email to Dan, just say hello, ask for the three articles he's giving away or ask to be entered in his book giveaway. (Please always include your mailing address, in case you win).
Email: Dan@gotinfluenceinc.com

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: SHOUT HER LOVELY NAME (Fiction) by Natalie Serber

Flawed, free-loving Ruby Hargrove adopts strays--cats and men. She and her steadfast daughter, Nora, scrutinize, criticize and inspire one another in a suite of stories that make up the center of SHOUT HER LOVELY NAME, a collection focused on the intense love and sandpaper relationship between daughters and their mothers.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SHOUT HER LOVELY NAME to find out more about the book and the author, Natalie Serber. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 05-22-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

This week's columns are all about bugs, slugs, snakes and other creepy crawlers. And be sure to enter today's Rattlesnake Egg giveaway.

I don't mind sharing my space with creatures, because I realize they're probably thinking they're the ones that are tolerating me. But the big black snake--the "bigger around than a garden hose" snake, the one that's been hanging around my house lately--we have to come to some sort of an agreement, because he's scaring the bejeebers out of me.

As far as I know, black snakes are harmless. (Usually I want to hear from you if you know something I don't, but not this time. Please don't write and tell me I'm wrong--I think I'd rather be in the dark about what this snake likes to eat.)

Black snakes, at least the one that likes to sun himself on my porch, are docile. He doesn't rattle and he doesn't rise up and hiss at me. We haven't discussed it, but I get the impression that I make him just as nervous as he makes me. There's plenty of sun to go around, so I don't understand why all of sudden this snake wants to sunbathe on my back porch.

Once you nearly step on a snake, then everything that moves, means snake. But after a couple of days with no snake on the steps, I forgot about him--until today, when I went out the back door, stepped down, and put my foot right beside his head. Snake and Suzanne, side-by-side on the same step, he side-winded off, insulted that I'd almost tromped on him--and I was screaming.

There's always a reason for everything and since I've seen some little baby black snakes around lately, maybe this is really a mother snake in desperate need of a few minutes away from her demanding children. Maybe she's searching for a day at the spa--a little sun, and a little snake cocktail, topped off with one of those fancy umbrellas.

I raised four children, and heaven knows, I can relate.

To enter the Rattlesnake Egg giveaway, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/snake052212.html

* Congratulations to the winners of my most recent apron giveaway: Ivy Shows, Kara Hash and Cornelia Donovan.

* And congratulations to the May Chocolate Chip Cookie Winners: Marcia Barker, Gail Currier, Vickie Rosier and Rita Rae Rogers.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: LOVE IS MURDER (Fiction) edited by Sandra Brown

An anthology of short stories penned by some of our most popular romantic suspense authors, LOVE IS MURDER also features stories by writers better known for their thrillers, but who often incorporate into their books the relationship layering that is the trademark of traditional romantic suspense.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on LOVE IS MURDER to find out more about the book and the editor, Sandra Brown. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 05-18-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

I'm not the only one who feels like being "bad" every now-and-then. Readers wrote in and confessed, many were quite amusing. If you missed my column, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRcol514

From one bad "girl" to another, enjoy this book club reader's confession...

"Dear Suzanne, as a middle-aged, long-married librarian, I lead a pretty tame life. When I feel like being 'bad' I take a personal day and go to the nearest multiplex movie theater. Before leaving home, I go on Theatertag.com to plan my schedule, so as to fit in as many movies as possible. I load up my largest purse with lunch, snacks and bottled water. Then I buy a ticket to the bargain matinee. Once in the theater, I go from auditorium to ladies room to auditorium until I run out of movies, or I get tired. (So far my record is three and I have never been caught!:-) None of this "wickedness" is illegal. If you do get caught, the ushers can ask you to leave and might not let you back in for awhile, but as long as you bought one ticket that day, they can't have you arrested. Enjoy!" --(Of course I've omitted the name, bad girls stick together.)

* Congratulations to the winners of Guest Columnist Barbara Bradford Taylor's new book LETTER FROM A STRANGER: Bernita Madott, Ann Younger, Carol Conerly, Mary Garrett, Barbara Lamb, Jan Tindall, Carol Milton and Louise Hulsey.

* And Congratulations to the winners of Guest Columnist Sandra Dallas' new book, TRUE SISTERS (There were so many people who emailed Sandra ended up choosing 15 winners instead of 8): Dennis A. Riggs, June Venable, Lisa Porter-Burt, Ann Boles, Nancy H. Reynolds, Krista Weis, Vicky Kellen, Brenda Logan, Mari Rusk, Rita Pierini, Linda Shafer, Susan Daniels, Linda Hitchcock, Ramona Young and Jim Simm.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: MURDER ONE (Fiction) by Robert Dugoni

Thirteen months after witnessing the murder of his wife, Sloane is back in court amidst a swirling media frenzy to defend Seattle attorney Barclay Reid, once his adversary. Reid, accused of the murder of a Russian drug dealer, proclaims her innocence, but as Sloane and his investigative team dig deeper, they find Barclay is a woman of many secrets that could jeopardize not only her case, but Sloane's life.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on MURDER ONE to read more and to email author Robert Dugoni, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 05-15-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

The journey of a beautiful, yellow, homemade apron, that used to belong to someone else, then they gave it to me and I used it for several months, and now I've passed it on to Aida, a member of our book club, and I think some day the apron just might be passed on to her niece. How far can an apron travel?

The aprons I love wearing the most, used to belong to somebody else, and I'm hoping that "somebody" was a fantastic cook, and that some of their tasty magic was passed on with the apron.

Aida was one of the winners of my recent apron giveaway and she was kind enough to send photos. A lovely tribute to the women in her family and what aprons mean to them.

To see Aida's photos and to enter today's apron giveaway, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/Apron051512.html

(Thanks for taking the time to send a photo when you win chocolate chip cookies, a book, an apron, or any of my giveaways. I really appreciate it, and readers do, too.)

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

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

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: EATING FREE (Nonfiction) by Manuel Villacorta

Through many years of experience I have witnessed suffering, deprivation and the demonizing of food. I hope to put an end to that with EATING FREE. I want readers to love and celebrate food. Here's a big revelation: we don't need to cut out whole categories of foods and ingredients to lose weight. You can return to foods you love and celebrate eating again--all while losing one to three pounds a week.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on EATING FREE to find out more about the book and the author, Manuel Villacorta. Send him an email, he'd love to hear from you.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-11-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

"Nesting?" my husband asked, when he saw five huge trash bags filled with shoes and clothes lined up next to the front door. I'd pared down so much, I was even giving away a shoe tree and a clothes rack.

I'd never thought about it until he asked, but my husband's right. There's a burning need inside of me and I can't ignore it. I have to, I must, clean, organize, and clear out my walk-in closet (which is really a small room with french doors adjacent to my bedroom), to make room for the light pink, gently-used bassinet I saw on Craigslist last week. Yes, I'm a grandmother experiencing wild, sometimes out of control urges, in a sympathetic pregnancy. Yes, my daughter-in-law is expecting--and it's a girl!

I may not be craving fish tacos with a dollop of mint chocolate chip ice cream, like my daughter-in-law, but whenever I'm in a store I magically end up in the newborn section admiring anything pink. I've sewn two baby blankets and am working on two more (yes, I'll post pictures when I'm finished). My friend Linda and I scoured consignment shops last week, "Oohing and awing" over tiny dresses and frilly little panties with colorful daisies on the back. I left the store with two overflowing bags. Oh, won't my new granddaughter look cute!

Even my five-year-old grandson Paul is excited about having a sister. He's been practicing feeding the cat with a baby bottle. Three year old James has donated some of his super hero figures, so his new sister will have some "cool" toys. And Paul, the planner in our family, has already organized a grandchildren sleep over. "Grandma, three days after my new sister comes, we can all sleep over at your house, watch a movie and Grandpa can pop popcorn!"

"Yes, Paul, we can all have a sleep over." Though I'm not sure how much sleeping this grandmother will get with a newborn, but in the meantime, I'll be sewing, shopping and preparing a "nest." What a blessing, I can't wait!

* Mmm, good! It's time for my monthly Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway and I'd love to bake for you. To see photos of satisfied cookie winners and to enter this month's giveaway, goto: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie050812.html

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

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

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free (signed!) copy of the featured books from Jen Bryant, KALEIDOSCOPE EYES; Sheila Walsh, GABBY'S STICK TO IT DAY; and T.J. Garrison, TREASURES OF THE LOST KNIGHT. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the authors, and more, see www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: SALVAGE THE BONES (Fiction) by Jesmyn Ward

SALVAGE THE BONES follows Esch, a 15 year-old girl in coastal Mississippi, and her family through the 10 days preceding Hurricane Katrina, and through the immediate aftermath of the storm. Esch's mother died in childbirth, so her family consists of all men: her brothers and her father, who don't really know how to usher Esch into womanhood when she finds she is pregnant at the beginning of the book. Even though this book is about a hurricane, it's about so much more than a hurricane: about fighting and love and loyalty and survival and hope.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SALVAGE THE BONES to read more and to email author Jesmyn Ward, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 05-10-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Thanks for taking the time to write. If you have a question about writing or about the book clubs, I'm happy to reply.

Annette reads at the book clubs and she was wondering . . .

"Hi Suzanne,

May I ask you a couple of questions?
How many people work for you?
How many books do you try to read in a week/month?
Do you still bake/cook with your grandson, Paul?
How do you do everything?!!!

(Suzanne replies:)

Yes, Annette, I still bake with my grandson, Paul, every Friday afternoon. We've been baking together since he was three years old. Paul's brother, James (who is 3-years-old now), isn't ready for baking yet. James has a completely different kind of personality, maybe when he gets a little older he'll be interested in baking. Not only is Paul learning how to bake, he's also learning how much fun it is to give homemade baked goods away. Every Friday, after we finish baking, he takes some of his goodies to our neighbors next door.

Thirteen people, including myself, work at DearReader. My husband and I own the company, and in addition to working with libraries to produce online book clubs for them, we develop other software programs, too. Our newest program is Library WishList. I'm extremely excited about it, probably because for 11 years I ran my own nonprofit, Meals For Madison. Every Friday, we served a meal to 125 people. The WishList allows a library, or Friends of the Library group, to do fundraising and recruit volunteers in a fun and simple way. Here's a link to our website, http://www.dearreader.com/Services/ and if you click at the top of the page, on the ABOUT US link, you'll find out more about Dear Reader, and you'll see the photos of everyone on staff. Most of the people are part-time, and most of the part-time people enjoy the opportunity to be available for their children.

I don't set a goal for the number of books I want to read every month. Way back in June of 1999, when I started DearReader, there was only one book club, so I used to read all of the books myself. Of course that would be impossible now, so people on staff help preview books. You need to sample a lot of books to find ones that you think might be a good match for the book clubs. I seem to go on reading sprees. I'll read non-stop for weeks, and then I might not dig into a book for two weeks. Reading, writing, gardening, baking, blowing bubbles, spending time with my wonderful husband, life gets busy, doesn't it?

How do I do it all? Well, the truth is that often I "over-do." Being lazy has never been a problem for me. So actually, one of my challenges in life is to try to be lazy--more often. Slow down, do nothing, and be at peace with myself and my surroundings.

Thank you for taking the time to write, I'm so glad you asked.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: THE POWER OF GRACE BETWEEN NASTY AND NICE (Nonfiction) by John and Linda Friel

America suffers from an epidemic of incivility, pseudo-self-esteem, narcissism, entitlement, and victim-perpetrator cycles of behavior that run from the halls of Congress to our own back yards. We are some of the unhappiest, meanest, and unhealthiest people on earth.
But we don't have to be.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE POWER OF GRACE BETWEEN NASTY AND NICE to find out more about the book and the authors, John and Linda Friel. Send them an email, they'd love to hear from you.

*Fun, free books and meet authors. Ask questions, they'll reply and read samples from their books. Visit AuthorBuzz at: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

(Nonfiction)
MOONLIGHT ON LINOLEUM by Terry Helwig

(Mystery)
SUBMERGED by Dani Pettrey

(Fiction)
AFTER THE FOG by Kathleen Shoop

(Nonfiction)
THE POWER OF GRACE BETWEEN NASTY AND NICE by John and Linda Friel

(Fiction)
SALVAGE THE BONES by Jesmyn Ward

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-09-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Hmm, good! It's time for my monthly Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. Even if you aren't entering this month's drawing, be sure to check out photos of past cookie winners. One bag of cookies made six different stops in a city, before the last one was eaten. I'd love to bake for you. Browse through two pages of cookie photos, and all you need to enter is a hankering for a homemade chocolate chip cookie (and be willing to send a photo when you get the cookies, if you please).

To see photos of satisfied cookie winners and to enter this month's giveaway, goto: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie050812.html

Congratulations to last week's cookbook giveaways: Carleen Melendez, Dorothy Jelleyman, Caroline Inman, Caren Nicolds, Nancy Vehrs, Darlene Thoresen, Rhoda Alves-Packard, Pat Groshong, Trisha Huffman, Chris Merton, Pat Bjerke, Jacqueline Stuts, Barbara Rion, Jean Paquin, Polly Swesey and Dana Tulloss.

And Mary Rodriguez and Dan Valdez each won a copy of Strength for the Moment: Inspiration for Caregivers by Lori Hogan.

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

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free (signed!) copy of the featured books from Jen Bryant, KALEIDOSCOPE EYES; Sheila Walsh, GABBY'S STICK TO IT DAY; and T.J. Garrison, TREASURES OF THE LOST KNIGHT. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the authors, and more, see www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

AUTHORBUZZ: AFTER THE FOG (Fiction) by Kathleen Shoop

Set against Donora, Pennsylvania's historical five days of killing smog (1948) it's the story for every woman who thinks she left her past behind...

As a stagnant weather pattern traps poisonous mill gasses in the valley, neighbors grow sicker and Rose's nursing obligations thrust her into conflict she never could have fathomed.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on AFTER THE FOG to read more and to email author Kathleen Shoop, you'll get a reply.

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics