Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 01-17-07

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,

Baking cookies and giving them away is a lot of fun for me. So every month I bake two dozen of my famous chocolate chip cookies for a book club reader. I used to think giving away cookies was my own idea, but apparently it's in my genes. My mother always hated to cook, so I was really surprised when I was standing in the receiving line at her wake and almost every other person offered their sympathies and then commented that they'd never forget my mother, because she was always baking cookies and giving them away.

Mom's specialty was oatmeal chocolate chip. In fact I found a copy of her recipe when I was digging through her old recipe file the other day. So this month, if you're the cookie winner, I'll send you a mother/daughter treat. One dozen of my chocolate chip cookies and one dozen of my mother's oatmeal chocolate chip.

All you need to do to enter the January Cookie Giveaway is tell a friend about the book club, or if you're reading at a library book club, please email the library director and let them know that you enjoy their book club. I really appreciate it. Send a copy of your email to me at and you'll be entered in the drawing. Send your email to:

[email protected]

I hope I'll be baking for you. If you'd like a copy of my mother's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Recipe, go to:

http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path2-10.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=3

Dear Reader Column 01-16-07

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 the middle of every day situations, I'm always trying to figure out "why." Part Suzanne, part Colombo, I'm theorizing and sorting through the seemingly unimportant details. Doing my best to sum up what's really going on in a situation and usually I come up with a pretty good rationale for "why."

But things aren't always what they seem to be.

I was sitting in an outdoor cafe and the woman next to me was eating a spinach salad. She'd dropped a piece on the pavement and a pigeon kept walking round and round, circling the discarded leaf, hoping he could sneak in and grab the tasty morsel when no one was looking. Or so I thought.

It was quite amusing and I even commented to the woman how the pigeon was desperately trying to give the impression that he wasn't interested in the wayward piece of spinach. We both watched for a while and then the woman bent down, picked up the shiny green leaf, and threw it right in front of the bird. The pigeon jumped back a bit, looked at the single green leaf--there it was just waiting for him--but he turned and walked the other way.

No, things aren't always what they seem to be.

The earrings looked gorgeous. I asked the clerk if she would pull them out of the display case, so I could try them on. "How do you think they look?" I asked her. But she didn't comment. Instead she suggested I try on a different pair. Was this her polite way of telling me the earrings looked terrible?

But I really liked them, so I just came right out and asked her, "Don't you like how these earrings look on me?"

"Oh, I love them," she said. "Actually I made them and I was so nervous when you asked to try them on, I was holding my breath, hoping you would like them."

Things aren't always what they seem to be.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Yes, I bought her earrings and I love them!

Congratulations to the winners of last week's two giveaways. Winners of the journal are Ceil Stryminski and Becky Peterson. The winners of the rearview mirror covers are Evelyn M Willis, Tom Hill and Elizabeth St-Marie.

READ THE CLASSICS: Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=3

Dear Reader Column 01-15-07

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 planting geraniums in front of my house the other day, feeling all calm and relaxed, it started to drizzle and the drizzle turned into a pretty good rain. But I kept on working anyway until all of a sudden, in the middle of the downpour, I was surrounded--they were everywhere. Snails! Slimy, disgusting, huge--I'm talking Texas-sized snails crawling all over the very plants I'd just been lovingly tending.

I've never been squeamish about garden creatures before. Bugs, grubs, they've never bothered me. Big, fat night crawlers--no fear--I bait my own hook, and I even talk to them when I'm gardening, "Keep up the good work, guys. Thanks for hanging out in my dirt." But apparently I've met my match, because when I saw an army of snails crawling all over my geraniums--I freaked.

It's no exaggeration. 'What to do, what to do?' I picked a bunch of them off the geraniums, but when I saw them crawling on my gardening glove--what was I going to do with them now? Scream! and fling them into the street. The people in the cars passing by thought I was a nut. 'What is this woman throwing at us?' But I couldn't help myself.

"Help!" I threw my gardening gloves on the ground and went running into the house, yelling for my husband. "You've got to come out and get rid of these snails!"

That was the end of my gardening for the day, and the day after that, and the day after that. I was getting worried I'd never be able to garden again, so I decided to find out how to get rid of snails.

Every website I visited on the Internet had a photo of a snail, but I couldn't even stand to look at it, so I started visiting websites for children. "Meet Mr. Snail!" Yeah, Mr. Snail is supposed to look like a cute little cartoon character, with his smiley face and his little wiggly tentacles, but I knew the truth. Those smiley, little, slithering, things would invade your garden and hunt you down.

Unfortunately the best way to get rid of snails is to pick them off the plants, put them in a sealed bag and well, you know what. But since I'd already attempted that method and failed, I decided to get them drunk. Yes, option number two was to sink a jar into the ground, so the top is flush with the dirt, fill the jar almost to the top with beer and watch those snails conga line right up to the bar, fall in and party to the end.

It's been a couple of weeks since I've seen any snails in my garden, but when I walked by my neighbor's house the other day I noticed they've put a ceramic snail in their front yard. I know it's supposed to be cute, but I still don't like it. I think I'm going to have to get it drunk.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: These great writers are giving away dozens and dozens of great reads this week: John Lescroart, The Suspect; Linda Fairstein, Bad Blood; Tom Sullivan, Adventures in Darkness; Pamela Samuels-Young, In Firm Pursuit; and Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson, The Essence of Tantric Sexuality. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=3

Dear Reader Column 01-12-07

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,

My husband and I babysat the other day. We pulled an all-nighter. Our son and his wife had a baby right before Christmas--it's their first--and they were looking so sleep deprived that I offered to take the night shift.

They're the typical nervous new parents, well at least our son is. "Mom, it's not that I don't trust Dad and you, but how about if we sleep in your guest room, but you'll be on baby duty?" So I fluffed up the pillows in our spare bedroom and fixed dinner for our guests.

The baby hand-off didn't officially take place until 10:30 p.m. when my son couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. Our daughter-in-law had already been sleeping for two and a half hours.

It had been a long time since I'd prepared a bottle or changed a diaper, but how hard could it be? I'm sure that Paul, our new grandson, keeps my son and his wife up nights because they're simply still inexperienced parents.

The diaper changing, testing the bottle, pleading with a 10-day old baby, "Aren't you tired? Grandma is." It all came back to me at 2 a.m. in the morning.

There are a lot of new baby rules since I've had one of my own. New fangled bottles, baby can't sleep on his stomach, wake up a sleeping baby to feed him, (not on my watch!). Let a sleeping baby lie. He'll be crying soon enough and he was at 3 a.m.

Here we go again, feed him, listen for a burp, rock him a little, and when I sat Paul down in his car seat, so I could make another pot of coffee, his crying and fussing stopped. By the time my coffee was done brewing, Paul was fast asleep. And just when I thought about going to sleep myself, I started worrying, 'What if the "New Rules" don't allow babies to sleep in car seats?'

So I stayed awake, keeping watch over a sound asleep baby in a car seat for the next three and a half hours--just to make sure I was following the New Rules.

My son and his wife were very grateful the next morning because they got 10 hours of sleep. Me, I slept for one hour, but I could have slept more because, "Yes," baby Paul is allowed to sleep in a car seat.

Somebody really needs to give me a copy of these New Rules!

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 01-11-07

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 tailor was marking the hem in my skirt when a woman raced into the shop. Her arms were filled with clothes and without the slightest hesitation she pushed back the curtain and walked right into the room where the tailor was doing my fitting.

"I have a lunch appointment in 20 minutes and I'm a frequent customer," the woman was babbling. And then for added emphasis, she did a little hemming and hawing with an ever so slight sighing expression thrown in. And she stood staring at the tailor.

Now the tailor and I both knew the woman was expecting all work to stop and he did turn and start walking toward her. (Squeaky wheel gets the oil, you know.) But I quickly interrupted, "We're just about finished here," I told her, "when the tailor is done marking my hem, then it will be all about you."

I don't think the woman liked me.

"It's all about me." It makes for a cute character on television's Boston Legal show, 'Hello, I'm Deny Crain.' But in real life, people who think it's all about them are unbecoming to be around and I am thankful for today's reminder, because sometimes I catch myself being one of them.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Like a good Western? I have 20 to give away. Send me an email and you'll be entered in the drawing. Make sure to include your address, in case you win. Send your email to:
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: Read about terrific new books by these wonderful writers who have signed copies for you to win! P.D. Martin, Body Count; Sibella Giorello, The Stones Cry Out; Linda Fairstein, Bad Blood; Natalie R. Collins, Behind Closed Doors; and Susan Mallery, Sizzling. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 01-10-07

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,

Every month in 2006 I baked homemade chocolate chip cookies for readers and I've decided to continue baking for readers in 2007. I love to bake and you seem to enjoy eating my cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies, vintage aprons, bubble machines, journals, Japanese lanterns, great garage sale finds, I'll be giving them all away to readers this year. So be sure to tune in every day and tell your friends about our wacky, fun, book club.

To see recent cookie winners and the winner of my vintage apron, go to:

http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie6.html

Today I have two journals to give to book club readers. If you'd like to enter the drawing all you need to do is tell a friend about the book club. Please send them an email and then send a copy of your email to me at: [email protected] and you're entered in the drawing.

Thanks for reading with me in 2006. I'm looking forward to reading with you in this New Year.

Warmest regards,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Like a good Western? I have 20 to give away. Send me an email and you'll be entered in the drawing. Make sure to include your address, in case you win. Send your email to:
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column 01-09-07

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 constantly listening for direction. I rely on past experience, on my smarts, and the advice of other people when I'm trying to make a decision. But the most consistently right-on advice is tucked away deep inside of me. Years ago I discovered this gem, a gut feeling most people call it, and it's always been the most credible thing for me to listen to, but of course I'm not always a good listener.

It's strange, sometimes there's no question I should be saying "no" instead of "yes" because my gut feeling--that little voice inside of me--is saying, "No!" It's loud and clear. I can hear it, but I insist on saying yes anyway and then days, sometimes years later when things aren't working out, I'm reminded, "Suzanne, I tried to tell you. You didn't listen."

My gut feeling is so right-on, if I was a betting woman I'd be rich by now. But on the other hand if I'd simply pay attention and listen, my life would be more richly rounded and I'd have fewer derailed messes to clean up along the way.

Yes, there's a place deep down inside of me and when I want to know what I should be doing, all I have to do is ask. And hopefully I'll listen.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Like a good Western? I have 20 to give away. Send me an email at and you'll be entered in the drawing. Make sure to include your address, in case you win. Send your email to:
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column 01-08-07

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 doing a little re-gifting today. I have three "still-in-the-box" rearview mirror covers to pass on to some readers. Don't worry, if I send you one of them nobody in my family will hunt you down and demand that you return the lovely gift they gave me, because I got the all clear from my daughter. She bought me four rearview mirror covers, but we only have one car.

My daughter is a very talented woman and it's not that anyone in our family critiques her gift-giving abilities, but you do have to remind yourself, "It's the thought that counts," when you open one of her presents. The problem isn't necessarily the items she picks out, it's that her gifts tend to multiply (one mirror turned into four), disappear, or self-destruct before they arrive.

The two pounds of fudge she sent my husband last June for his birthday didn't travel well in the 98-degree Florida heat. (If you pucker up real hard, did you know you can suck chocolate through a straw?) Then there was the year my daughter sent me some red and black licorice for my birthday. Yes, it was my favorite kind and apparently hers, too. Because when I opened the heavily re-taped package the note inside read, "Happy Birthday Mom. One of the packages of licorice is already opened, but don't worry, it's okay to eat it. I got hungry standing in line at the post office."

This year my daughter visited us on Christmas so she hand delivered the "goods". She was so excited Christmas morning, "Open mine first!" She was jumping up and down just like when she was ten. "Open mine first, because I really did good on the gifts this year."

And she was right. "Ah, just what I wanted," I told her when I opened her package and there was a lovely fountain pen, with none of the pieces missing.

Everyone in our family was complimenting her on the great gifts this year and that's when my daughter handed me the package with the four rearview mirror covers.

Remember, it's the thought that counts.

I'd love to re-gift to you. To enter the drawing, simply send an email to:

[email protected]

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Read about terrific new books by these wonderful writers who have signed copies for you to win! P.D. Martin, Body Count; Sibella Giorello, The Stones Cry Out; Linda Fairstein, Bad Blood; Natalie R. Collins, Behind Closed Doors; and Susan Mallery, Sizzling. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 01-05-07

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,

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne, I just realized how comforting it is to receive your e-mail everyday. I'm an addicted mystery buff so finding you was great luck for me. But that is not what I'm talking about. The constancy of your musings before the book every day has become personal, because it's so real and a part of your every day life. I am a cynic and a hard-nosed Headhunter for a living, so it is unusual for me to use the word 'comforting'. Nonetheless, when I open my mail from you, I am starting to view you as a pen pal. You are so right when you say, 'It's so good to read with friends.' You must have a lot of us out there. Happy New Year Suzanne to you and that new grandchild."--Meg

(Suzanne responds:)

Meg, thank you for your email and your kind words. There's a folder on my laptop labeled "Writing Inspiration," and that's where I'm going to keep your email.

I read a lot of books so I couldn't possibly save them all. But every now and then I read one that inspires me to be the best person I possibly can. A precious book like that doesn't come along every day, so when it does I add it to my library. My library is filled with books I'm saving for a rainy day--a day when I need inspiration, a day when things feel out of control and I need to get myself grounded again.

Those special books and emails, like yours, come to my rescue because when I reread them, I find the Suzanne I want to be.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Be sure to sample this week's alternate book, Before I Wake by Dee Henderson. I have 15 copies to give away to readers. To enter the drawing simply read the sample then send me an email and tell me what you thought of it. I'll forward your comments on to the author. To sample the book and enter the drawing, go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=805&site=17

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 01-04-07

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 looking for the "funny" in 2007. Forget New Year's dieting resolutions or vowing to keep track of people's birthdays. Instead I'm determined to look for the "funny" in life. The serious stuff, no problem, I can easily spot things to fret about. But sometimes I feel like I've lost the art of recognizing the humorous things in life. And when I do notice them, I don't laugh or smile nearly long enough.

The slightly amusing, or it's-just-so-funny-I-can't-stop-laughing, I'll take anything I can find this year. Heck, I even unwittingly volunteered to be the brunt of a joke. My family was quite amused over holiday vacation when I lost track of what day it was and kept going out to the mailbox on Sunday. Yes, they thought it was pretty funny every 30 minutes when one of them would ask, "Hey, Mom, would you go see if the mail came yet?"

Losing the art of funny, this is a serious problem. (There's that word again--serious.) I wanted to write about another funny thing that happened over the holiday vacation, but I couldn't think of a thing. And my husband couldn't either. For fifteen minutes we tried to recall something funny, but instead we ended up with a list of 10 somber holiday happenings.

The serious stuff sticks with me, the funny stuff doesn't. Why is that? Nevertheless, I'm determined to look for the "funny" in 2007. I'm not quite sure where to look, any small amusing thing would probably get me started... and since it worked before, maybe I'll check the mail.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Win new signed books to start off a Happy New Year! Colleen Gleason, The Rest Falls Away: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles; Jackie Kessler, Hell's Belles; Lori Handeland, Rising Moon; Laura Wiess, Such a Pretty Girl; and Laura Fitzgerald, A Veil of Roses. 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