Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 03-30-07

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 absolutely love to hear from readers. Thank you so much for writing. Terry and Barb emailed responding to last Friday's column about how difficult it is these days to just walk up to someone and start a conversation.

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne, I would like to be able to approach someone, but usually shy away, unlike my mother. Mom is the type of person that everyone engages into a conversation wherever we are. They want to know if she likes the shoes they are trying on, or what did she order to eat, and did she like it, or coming out of a movie they want a review. Sometimes I have to break into the conversation and remind her we need to get moving along. She even gets people who call the wrong number at her home and have a half-hour conversation with her. At the end they ask for her phone number, so they can call her again. I don't know how, but just being around her makes people want to talk to her. She is a wonderful person, I'm blessed to have her and she always has time for each and every person she meets. Thanks for reading with me,"--Terry

"Suzanne, I've often felt that instead of thinking I'll rob them, people don't want to chat anymore because now they bring their home/friends/work, basically their everything--life with them via the cell phone. Most people sit around, totally unapproachable for that initial eye contact that used to lead to a nice friendly chat. Especially on long train trips, bus trips, sitting in waiting rooms, etc. Have you experienced the guy at the market discussing the carrots that are on special, with his wife, via the Blue Tooth yet? It looks like he is either self-important, whipped, or off his rocker talking to himself. It's all so confusing and isolating. I wish trains and buses and other public spaces would have a No Cell Phone sign, like the No Smoking sign. Then we'd all be forced to do what comes natural--talk! And I might be able to drum up small talk with someone at the market about those great carrots, maybe swap a recipe or two. Have a great day,"--Barb

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

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

P.S. Every month I bake two dozen of my famous chocolate chip cookies for a reader. If you've never entered, you should. Someone has to win and it might as well be you dunking and devouring my cookies. To enter this month's drawing all you need to do is email me a copy of your favorite cookie recipe. Email your recipe entry to: [email protected]

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 03-29-07

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 not as tough as I used to be and sometimes it makes me feel like a failure--like I'm settling for less. I've always prided myself in being strong. People admire you, "Look at her, nothing fazes her."

Being tough was something I learned from my mother. My father was an alcoholic and even though my mother was a woman who struggled with her self-esteem, somewhere along the way she latched onto how to be strong, how to be tough. She never talked about it, but I knew from watching her, that my mother felt she could always find a way to do what needed to be done. And she did. But being tough, it took everything my mother had, and unfortunately it left her with nothing to give back, except a daily lesson about how to be tough.

I used to be angry, where was my mother's softer side? Why were the words, "I love you," and "I'm proud of you," so difficult for her to say. But then, when I thought about the day-to-day things that happened in our family when I was growing up, I realized there wasn't any room for her to let down. You can't be soft when you're struggling to survive.

Having a sense, that I will be okay, that I can make it through no matter how bad things might get--I have my mother to thank for that gift. And through the years I've come to realize that it really was a gift. Love comes in many forms. Sometimes it's disguised, looking rough around the edges, but being tough was the skill that got my mother through her life and she wanted to make sure that I made it through, too. She did indeed love me and she passed along the best she had to give. And I thank her.

I'm not angry any more, because now I understand. I've taken my mother's gift and softened it, which means I'm not as tough as I used to be, and it feels pretty good. I wish my mother would have had a chance to feel it, too.

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

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

P. S. Every month I bake two dozen of my famous chocolate chip cookies for a reader. If you've never entered, you should. Someone has to win and it might as well be you dunking and devouring my cookies. To enter this month's drawing all you need to do is email me a copy of your favorite cookie recipe. Email your recipe entry to: [email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: Prizes for more than 50 winners including a basket of San Francisco specialties (including Ghirardelli chocolates), along with signed copies of books from these stellar terrific authors: Heather Graham, The Dead Room; Michelle Richmond, Year of Fog; Karin Tabke, Skin; Lisa Jackson, Absolute Fear; and Lynn Darling, Necessary Sins, a Memoir. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 03-28-07

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 baked 230 chocolate chip cookies before I went to New York City two weeks ago, because I always give a big bag of cookies to the people I see on my appointments. But apparently baking 230 cookies, all in one evening, was just too much for my 10 year old oven and it's now on strike--permanently, refusing to heat above 200 degrees.

A new oven's on order, but in the meantime, I've been experiencing baking withdrawal. Most people stress at the thought of having to measure and mix from scratch, but for me, baking is fun--actually it's a form of therapy. I knew I was addicted. But I guess I never realized just how much I rely on my "baking fix" until last night, when I found myself in the kitchen, pacing back and forth anxiously waiting the new arrival, but my oven isn't due for another couple of weeks. My husband suggested an evening walk to distract me from thoughts of cookies, cupcakes and blueberry muffins, and it did the trick until we met up with our neighbor John.

"Hey, great to see you guys. I'm on my way to the store to get some flour and sugar, so I can bake some oatmeal cookies."

Baking cookies? Be still my heart. And as soon as I confessed baking withdrawal, John invited us over. We finished baking and sampling a tasty batch of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies around 11 p.m. last night. And he said I could use his oven anytime, so now I can bake cookies for the March Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway.

Every month I bake two dozen of my famous chocolate chip cookies for a reader. If you've never entered, you should. Someone has to win and it might as well be you dunking and devouring my chocolate chip cookies.

To enter this month's drawing all you need to do is email me a copy of your favorite cookie recipe. I'm looking for new recipes, because I plan on doing a lot of baking when my new oven arrives. Email your recipe entry to:

[email protected]

If you'd like to try our late night oatmeal cookie recipe, and see my other favorite recipes, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/256cnk

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

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

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 03-27-07

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,

There's a glob of mayonnaise sitting on top of my new antique desk. It's intentional. I put two tablespoons of mayo on a paper towel, turned the towel over, and applied light pressure to the watermark on my desk.

It's not fair--that was my first thought. I followed the rules, "coastered" every bottle and glass before I set them down on my desk. But the water droplets from the sweating glass transferred through the coaster to the top of my new antique desk anyway. Worthless coaster. How could this happen?

Can you believe everything you read on the Internet? I'm hoping I can believe the woman who recommended I smear mayonnaise on my desk and wait. Fifteen minutes, the timer is ticking. I keep peeking--lifting up the paper towel. The answer woman didn't mention anything about not peeking. It's always been difficult for me to wait.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one--the watermark is gone! It disappeared!

Isn't life--and mayonnaise wonderful?

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

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

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 3-26-07

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/

The man I met at Crane & Co. when I was in New York City last week, said that nothing happens by chance. He believes that everything happens for a reason and after meeting him, I do too. It's one of those stories I can hardly believe myself--and I was there.

I had to check out of my hotel room two hours before I needed to go to the airport, so I went for a walk and eventually I ended up at Crane & Co., a paper store near Rockefeller Center. I found a great pen and some dark blue paper clips, and while the clerk was ringing up my purchase, I was admiring the business cards that were on display underneath the glass at the counter.

"Hey, that looks kind of like my business card," I was pointing to one of the cards underneath the glass.

The man behind the counter stopped ringing up my order and asked, "What color ink is on your business card?"

I told him it was light blue and when I pulled out one of my cards and showed him, he ordered me to "Stay put" and then he disappeared into the back room. When he returned, he had several sheets of paper with sketches of business cards and stationery on them. The clerk--McGarrette Fowler, the general manager of the store--was practically out of breath he was so excited.

"The order for your business card was sent to us: chocolate paper, light blue ink, writer/cookie baker underneath your name, we loved it and it's inspired us to create similar cards and stationery. You have no idea what you started Suzanne," he kept repeating it over and over again.

I was speechless. This was unbelievable. What were the chances? Think about it, I live in Sarasota, Florida, visiting New York for the week, staying in a hotel I've never used before, so I'm not usually in this part of the city, and I just happen to walk into this store where my business cards were made, just happen to point to a card underneath the glass that looked like mine--if I hadn't been hearing the man tell me the story himself I never would have believed it.

"Mr. Fowler, this is quite a coincidence," I told him.

But Mr. Fowler assured me that nothing happens by chance. Then he asked me for one of my business cards and he reached underneath the glass and replaced the sample card with mine. What are the chances? If you stop by Crane & Co. Mr. Fowler will tell you it was meant to be.

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

*If you'd like to see the photo, go to: http://tinyurl.com/399672

Warm regards,
[email protected] 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Prizes for more than 50 winners including a basket of San Francisco specialties (including Ghirardelli chocolates), along with signed copies of books from these stellar terrific authors: Heather Graham, The Dead Room; Michelle Richmond, Year of Fog; Karin Tabke, Skin; Lisa Jackson, Absolute Fear; and Lynn Darling, Necessary Sins, a Memoir. Go to:
http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 3-23-07

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,

I don't think I know how to meet people anymore. It used to be as simple as walking up to someone and saying hello. But things are different now. When I was in New York City last week, sitting alone in a Starbucks, I thought about walking over to a woman who was sitting by herself, saying hello, and striking up a conversation. But I was afraid that if I offered a sincere greeting like, "Hi, I'm Suzanne. I'm just killing a little time right now before an appointment and I thought you looked like an interesting person to meet. Would you mind if I sat down?" instead the woman might interpret my words to mean, "Hi, I'm Suzanne and I'd like to get to know you better, so I can find out where you live and rob you when you're not home."

So instead of relaxing and enjoying my cup of coffee, I'm sitting here rehearsing possible greetings--trying to figure out if there's anything I could say that wouldn't make me sound like a weirdo. Maybe instead of introducing ourselves to people, we need to go back to passing notes like I used to do in school. I'm a writer, I ought to be able to draft a compelling note, walk over, hand it to the woman, stand nearby while she reads it, and wait for her review.

"I'd give that note four stars Suzanne. Yes, I'll talk to you and I'll recommend that my friends talk to you too."

It's a complicated world, and unfortunately I've looked in the woman's direction too many times. She's onto me--at least the scary part. I've gotten way too close to her personal space and she's heading out the door. Now I'll never know who she is, what she does for a living, what her favorite coffee is, and why she was carrying a small "Happy Birthday" bag.

Yes, things are different now. I think I better get used to sitting alone.

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

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

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 3-22-07

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/

Today Suzanne is running one of her old favorites.

I had to get some routine blood work done the other day, which is something that always makes me really nervous. Actually, I can't remember the last time I felt any pain when someone took a blood sample from me. But nevertheless, I always manage to work myself into a mild panic by the time I sit down in the lab chair and stretch out my arm.

So this time I was going to try an experiment. To take my mind off of what was about to happen, I decided I'd talk to the lab technician nonstop. My chosen topic--plants. I started telling the technician about my beautiful flower gardens and just as she was putting the needle into my arm she said, "I'm not good with plants. In fact, everything I touch, I seem to kill."

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Win a sweetgrass basket and signed copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Nicole Seitz,The Spirit of Sweetgrass; Karen Rose, Count to Ten; Gayle Lynds, The Last Spymaster; Tim Maleeny, Stealing the Dragon; and Amy Hest, Remembering Mrs. Rossi. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 3-21-07

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/

Today Suzanne is running one of her old favorites.

When I was a kid, I was a train watcher. My Grandpa and Grandma Tindell had a trailer house parked on a lot in a little fishing community, snuggled in along side of the Mississippi River. At the top of the hill was the world and at the bottom was a fisherperson's paradise. Serious fisherpeople (is that the politically correct word these days?) took up summer residence there.

The fishing was great, but I fell in love with the trains. Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, every couple of hours a train with over 100 cars would roll on by. I liked to get as close to the trains as I could, but in order to do that, I had to cross rattler country. The train tracks were high up on a ridge. Huge rocks had been dumped on the hill that led up to the tracks and rattlesnakes lived there.  Hundreds of rattlesnakes.

I didn't mind walking by a rattler sunning himself on top of a rock. It was the ones that might be hiding down in between the rocks that always worried me. But the only way to feel the "whoosh" of the cars passing by, and to make sure that the engineer saw me waving--and then he'd always tip his hat and blow the whistle--was to take the risk and climb the hill.

There aren't too many trains for me to watch anymore. But there are a lot of exciting opportunities that come my way every day, and if I want to feel the "whoosh" and hear that whistle blowin', I've got to take the risk and start climbing the hill.

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

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

P.S. Congratulations to the winners of last week's giveaway for "Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund" by Blaize Clement: Sue Dekart, Kara Rockwell, Bobbi Marion, Bonnie Zeitlin, Juliann Korolyk, Gina Francis, Sylvia Buzas, Bernadette Pajer, Bobbi L. Conliffe, Sandy Opsal, Lynda Gordon, Onie Wallace, Mauvice Murphy, Joanna McFalls, Denise Kohl, Jan Stinson, Lou Thornhill, Toni Grady, Robin Roumeliotis and Carolyn Evens.

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 3-20-07

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,

Due to the weather, Suzanne got stuck in New York City. Here is another of her favorite columns.

I can go on a ride with my husband and not even leave the station, because when he's sitting, his leg vibrates. Up and down, up and down, a perpetual flight that a hummingbird would be envious of. And soon, everything within close proximity picks up the beat and starts vibrating right along with him.

Whenever I've pointed out that his leg motion is taking the entire row in the movie theater along for a jog, he's always defended himself saying it's his weight control mechanism. If he quit jiggling his leg, he'd probably gain an extra 20 pounds. Now I didn't want that, did I?

But I never believed a word of it until he had me listen to a report on the news the other evening. Apparently, researchers at the Mayo Clinic are siding with my husband. They've determined that it's not the trips to the gym, but the everyday pacing and fidgeting that might help determine whether someone's fat or thin. If you fidget, sway, or pace back and forth enough during the year, you could trim off an extra 33 pounds. Or in my husband's case--he was grinning from ear-to-ear by now, I hate it when he's right--he could avoid that extra 20 pounds.

OK I guess I better just learn how to sit back and enjoy the ride.

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

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

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 03-19-07

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,

Today we feature a new Penguin Classic, Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.

If you've never sampled one of our monthly Penguin Classics, you should give it a try, and I might send you a Penguin Classic book bag too. I have 25 to give away to readers. I use my Penguin bag all the time. Everywhere I go people want one, even my doctor. He practically begged me to give him my bag before I left his office the other day. He's a big classic fan.

Go ahead, read a little bit from Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, and enter the Penguin book bag giveaway--I'd love to send you one, just like mine. The Classic link always runs after my column, but today all you have to do to read the sample and enter the book bag giveaway is click here: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Let me know if you're enjoying the Penguin Classics and if you've finished reading any of them. I always pass your feedback on to the publisher, who has been such a wonderful sponsor of the Classics for the book club.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Win a sweetgrass basket and signed copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Nicole Seitz, The Spirit of Sweetgrass; Karen Rose, Count to Ten; Gayle Lynds, The Last Spymaster; Tim Maleeny, Stealing the Dragon; and Amy Hest, Remembering Mrs. Rossi. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader