Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 12-31-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

My most memorable New Year's Eve was the year my dress fell apart. Well, actually it was shedding. We'd just moved to Florida and some new friends invited us to their New Year's Eve party. We didn't know anyone else at the party, but I made, without a doubt, a big first impression. I was wearing a brand new, black velvet dress--purchased just for the occasion (and it wasn't cheap)--but it started shedding. Everywhere I walked, I left a trail of huge, black fuzz clumps behind. The dress was literally falling apart from the inside out.

I wasn't aware of what was happening until I visited the bathroom. The floor had two huge, white rugs, so it instantly became apparent that I was leaving a trail. I was horrified. I picked up my "droppings" and headed back to the party.

When I walked back into the kitchen, I looked down at the floor and sure enough, there was my dress, all over it. No one else seemed to notice the trail that I'd left around the house. But like a run in your stocking, I was sure they were aware and not saying anything just to be kind.

My first thought was to walk around the kitchen--shuffling my shoe along the floor--so I could sweep up my black fuzz balls. But then I realized that as fast as I was rounding up those little buggers in front of me, I was leaving a new crop behind. My backup plan was to find a dimly lit spot and stay put. And I did, until we left.

I can only imagine what that couple must have thought the next day when they cleaned up from the party! Maybe they thought I'd brought a pet.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 12-29-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I was feeling pretty sad and disappointed a few weeks ago and when I mentioned it to a friend she matter-of-factly said, "Okay, and why is that a problem?"

Her rationale was that most people tend to walk around thinking that they should feel happy and cheerful every day, and if they aren't, they see it as a failure. But it's not. Because that's just the way life is. Up and down, happy and sad.

She sold me on her theory and I decided to stop resisting and give myself permission to feel sad and disappointed. And you know what, it took some of the pressure off--almost immediately, because I didn't need to "fix" the way that I felt anymore. I could just "feel" whatever came my way.

My usual routine, when I'm not feeling great, is to work hard at pretending that I'm happy. This method definitely hasn't proved to be successful in the past. Because if I turn away from what I'm feeling, I'm just postponing a hurt that I'll end up having to deal with later. And the tricky part about later, is that my sad and disappointed feelings then show up as anger. I turn into one angry, irritated Suzanne, and by then I can't explain why.

It's a messy job--working through crummy feelings, walking through the mud and muck, but it's a necessary journey. Having a lousy day? Hey, grab your boots, and let's walk together. I'll be happy to show you the way.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 12-28-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

In a way it's ironic that I sign off with the signature line, "Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends,"
because I've always been pretty much of a loner. In fact, years ago one of my New Year's Resolutions was that I was going to find a friend. One of those "best friends" that I'd always heard other people talking about.

Now before you go feeling all weepy-eyed for me, I was perfectly happy. I didn't feel shortchanged in the relationship side of my life in any way. I just thought that having a best buddy was probably a life experience I shouldn't miss.

I didn't exchange friendship rings with anyone that year, but from the sounds of this reader's email I think I may be off to a good start in the New Year.

"Dear Suzanne, I must tell you I enjoy your daily letters as much as any of the books. I really look forward to reading what you have to say. Sometimes you hit the spots in my life, too, and I either feel the pity, or I laughed out loud. You feel like a friend I've known forever." --Annie

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 12-27-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

From my Holiday Email Bag:

"Suzanne, this is Sophie, one of your faithful readers. Your 'Dear Reader' makes me feel close to you. I think you're the 'richest woman' in the world. Of course it doesn't mean material things, I don't know about that. I mean your heart, your inside, because you open 'your door' to talk to people, and people open their own door to talk to you. This is your treasure that money cannot buy."

(Suzanne responds) Thanks for reading with me, Sophie. You're right, I do feel like the richest woman in the world. It's such a gift to read with a friend like you.

Warm regards,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 12-23/24-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 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 have as much fun reading my traditional holiday card, as I had writing it.

And if you'd like to hear my whimsical reading of our annual book club poem, go to:

http://easylink.playstream.com/chapter/xmas.rm

When you click on the link to listen to me read, if it doesn't start playing, you might need to install Real Player. Don't worry, it's free.

Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/real/

-----------------------------------------------------

'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,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

P.S. I'm out of town this week, but I leave you with gifts. Well, actually author
Douglas Clegg is doing the gift giving. His new book, Afterlife was just released,
and he was kind enough to sign 10 copies. If you'd like to win a copy of Afterlife,
just send me an email, include your mailing address and you might be one of the lucky winners.

Dear Reader Column 12-22-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I was having lunch with a friend and as I was telling her how
great the tomato-basil soup was, she interrupted. "I know
this sounds strange, Suzanne, but I was thinking about it the
other day. I don't think most people are as happy as they could be--
because they've stopped singing. When I was a kid, I used to sing
all the time. I wasn't very good at it, but it didn't matter. But
then when I was eight years old, I decided I was too old to sing out
loud. I think I lost some of my happiness that day."

I wasn't quite sure what prompted her to tell me that story,
but it did stick with me. And last week when I was in the CD aisle
at a bookstore and saw a burly-looking guy with headphones on--
turned way up--singing with reckless abandon, I immediately
thought of my friend.

I couldn't help but look at the singing wonder in front of me. And
he didn't seem to mind, because when he saw me, he smiled. I wasn't
looking his way because I thought he was weird. Actually, I admired
him. You've got to feel pretty comfortable in your own skin to sing
along. And obviously it just came naturally to him.

When I was a kid we used to sing the song, "If You're Happy and You
Know It". If I recall it went like this:

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)
If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands, stomp your feet,
shout "Hurray!". (clap clap)

See you in the music aisle!

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

P.S. I'm out of town this week, but I leave you with gifts. Well,
actually author Douglas Clegg is doing the gift giving. His new
book, Afterlife was just released, and he was kind enough to sign
10 copies. If you'd like to win a copy of Afterlife, just send me
an email, include your mailing address and you might be one of the
lucky winners.

Dear Reader Column 12-21-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 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 have as much fun reading my traditional holiday card, as I had writing it.

And if you'd like to hear my whimsical reading of our annual book club poem, go to:

http://easylink.playstream.com/chapter/xmas.rm

When you click on the link to listen to me read, if it doesn't start playing, you might need to install Real Player. Don't worry, it's free.

Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/real/

-----------------------------------------------------

'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,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

P.S. I'm out of town this week, but I leave you with gifts. Well, actually author Douglas Clegg is doing the gift giving. His new book, Afterlife was just released, and he was kind enough to sign 10 copies. If you'd like to win a copy of Afterlife, just send me an email, include your mailing address and you might be one of the lucky winners.

Dear Reader Column 12-20-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. I'm out of town this week, but I leave you with gifts. Well, actually author Douglas Clegg is doing the gift giving. His new book "Afterlife" was just released, and he was kind enough to sign 10 copies and send them to me.

What a nice guy. And you know, he really is. The first time I met Douglas we had dinner in Manhattan, and again--he came bearing gifts. He reads my column everyday, so he knew how much I love Starbucks coffee, and he brought me a huge New York Starbucks mug.

Douglas says one of the most memorable gifts he's ever received was a membership in the Pet of the Month Club. It was a Christmas gift from his parents. Each month, the Pet of the Month Company would send out a new critter. Two little water plants arrived the first month, two snails the second, then fish, frogs, salamanders and turtles. The reptiles showed up each month, two-by-two, until he'd filled his other present--an aquarium. He has no idea how his parents put up with it (his room was always stinky) but it was a little boy's dream come true.

Don't miss his new book, "Afterlife". It's a good one. "Publisher's Weekly" said, "Many other writers would have taken twice as long to tell a tale half as captivating." And I agree.

If you'd like to win a copy of "Afterlife," just send me an email, include your mailing address and you might be one of the lucky winners.

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

Happy Holidays,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 12-17-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

With Christmas fast approaching, I thought you might want to see my holiday book suggestions again. Here are a few gems for the book lovers on your list:

Suzanne's Holiday Book Suggestions:

The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn.
To sample this book, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/alt/fred1.html

In the Land of Second Chances by George Shaffner

The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness by Joel Ben Izzy.
To sample this book, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/alt/beggar1.html

One Small Step Can Change Your Life by Robert Maurer, Ph.D.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

The Halo Effect by MJ Rose. To sample this book, go to:
http://www.emailbookclub.com/alt/halo1.html

How To Remodel a Man by W. Bruce Cameron.
To sample this book, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/alt/remod1.html

A Cow's Life by M.R. Montgomery.
To sample this book, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/alt/cow1.html

Afterlife by Douglas Clegg
Overachievement by John Eliot, Ph.D.
Gunpowder by Jack Kelly
Bet Your Bottom Dollar by Karen Gillespie

A Complaint is a Gift by Janelle Barlow and Claus Moller.
To sample this book, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/alt/gift1.html

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

Happy Holidays,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 12-16-04

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Chocolate Crackles is one of my favorite cookie recipes. It's a rich chocolate cookie, lightly dusted with powdered sugar and it's just the right size to pop into my mouth. One bite and I'm in chocolate heaven. Let me know if you try them.

Chocolate Crackles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

6 Tablespoons butter
3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt Confectioner's sugar

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and sugar and blend well. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and blend well.

Refrigerate 3 hours, or until firm. Shape the dough into balls about one inch. Dredge each ball in confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar).
Coat thoroughly. Put on cookie sheet, two inches apart. Cookies may seem slightly underdone, but will firm up after cooking, when they cool.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes on a greased cookie sheet or use parchment paper.

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

Happy Holidays,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.DearReader.com