Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 04-30-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Talk with the Author! If you're reading at the Nonfiction, Fiction, Mystery, Romance, or Good News Book Club this week you can ask the author anything that's on your mind, or leave a comment about their book and you'll get a reply. Each week we're inviting authors, of our featured books, to be available at the Book Forum to answer your questions. The Book Forum link is in your daily read, or you can bookmark it: http://www.emailbookclub.com/talk.html

Congratulations to April's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway winners. I just finished baking for Charlene Adkins, Staci Priest, Christina Barone, Margaret Resendez and Jennifer Smith. This month I asked readers to send me their cookie dunking techniques as part of their entry and was I ever surprised when I read Margaret's cookie dunking technique. It's the same as mine. Just when you think you're the only "strange bird" out there, you find someone who's just like you.

Margaret's Cookie Giveaway Entry...

"Suzanne you said, 'WANTED: Professional Dunkers!' Well, here I am. I had to laugh when I saw your question, 'How do you master the dunk-and-soak without losing the chocolate chip delight into your glass of milk?'

I don't use a glass. I use a bowl. My favorite thing to do is to have a small bowl of plain cereal (nothing with sugar or a strong taste to....flavor the milk) for breakfast. Not a lot of cereal, because really, I AM about to devour a few scrumptious chocolate chip cookies. Then I pour more milk than I need for my small bowl of cereal. Are you getting my idea...? I eat my cereal and then with the remains of the milk, start dunking!

This is a technique in and of itself. I slowly ease the cookie in, (don't want to crumble it prematurely), then I take my spoon and slowly spoon milk over the top of the partly submerged cookie. I repeat this until the consistency of the cookie is sufficiently soaked. Sometimes I pick up the cookie to eat, but mostly I use my spoon to break pieces off to savor every bite. I like it to crumble a little as I eat it because then I get to drink the remains of the milk with some cookie crummies. Yummmm! Of course, I may repeat the process before drinking the remains of the milk. It's often hard to eat just one cookie!

Although, this week, I'll have to be careful. It's my birthday week and between my husband, my coworkers and my mother, I'm getting treated to lots of scrumptious desserts. Last night my husband made his famous chocolate meringue pie. I don't know if I can share that family recipe. I might be disowned!

Anyways, thanks for making me laugh and asking me to share my dunking technique. Happy baking!"--Margaret Resendez

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

Warmest regards,

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

Dear Reader Column 04-29-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 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 never gets up before me, but this morning when I walked into the kitchen to make my coffee, he was already sitting at his desk studying something on his computer screen. Apparently he'd been up for over an hour working on a strategy to defend himself against the traffic ticket he got the other day when the two of us were out picking up trash in Sarasota. (Keep Sarasota Beautiful--we try to do our part.)

We were driving on an unfamiliar road, spotted some trash, turned onto a side road, drove a little ways and then did a U-turn to get us headed back in the direction we needed to go. But almost immediately after the U-turn my husband saw flashing red lights in his rear view mirror.

"License and registration, please." My husband handed the officer his driver's license while I was digging through the glove box for our car registration.

"I'm sure it's in here somewhere officer." Plastic fork and spoon, extra napkins from the deli, anti-itch cream, baby wipes, a disposable camera, two little packets of ketchup and three insurance cards all from different carriers.

The officer was getting impatient, "If the car's registered to you, I can look it up on my computer." And away he went.

And then we waited--a very long time. And I knew what the wait meant, especially when I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the officer filling out a piece of paper. Once they start writing the ticket, there's no turning back. (I know this from experience.)

I wanted to make my morning coffee but my kitchen counter had been transformed into the scene of the crime, complete with a bag of flour on the left (the CVS Store), a gas station on the right (a can of string beans), the No U-Turn Sign (handcrafted with a straw and construction paper), the painted lines in the road (represented by a line of white candy sprinkles that I use on top of cupcakes) and of course our car--a Blue Toyota--was respectably represented by our grandson's little red triangle block. And my husband had several sheets of paper in his hand--the county government's rules about deciding where a U-Turn sign is needed.

"Let me guess, Dear, you've decided not to pay the ticket and go to Traffic School and avoid being assessed three points?"

And my husband began to present his case.

"Yes Dear, I'm dying to know how you're going to explain that you're Not Guilty when there was a No U-Turn Sign posted in the road, but right now I need to make my morning coffee. Judge Suzanne can't listen to any testimony until after she's had her caffeine. (And by the way, you might get rid of the sarcasm when you tell your story before a real judge.)

I wasn't buying his story, for one thing the red block was heading in the wrong direction and my recollection of what was where, and how it all happened was totally different. Upset that I didn't believe him, my husband grabbed his camera and said he was going back to take pictures to prove his side of the story.

"Great idea, you go take pictures and I'll drink my coffee. And remember, no U-Turns."

It's been proven that eye-witness testimony is unreliable and my husband proved it again this morning. There wasn't any gas station, the driving lanes were positioned totally different from the white cupcake sprinkles on my kitchen counter, the bag of flour was actually on the opposite side of the street, and in addition to "our" No U-Turn sign, there were five others lining the road.

My husband is back sitting in front of his computer. He's signing up for traffic school.

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

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

Dear Reader Column 04-28-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

One of the things I have to keep in check is that sometimes I think other people should do things my way. My way might be the perfect way for me, but it's not necessarily the right way for somebody else and whenever I need a reminder, I think of my Aunt Florence.

I love my aunt dearly, but most people describe her as an overemotional and dramatic woman because of the way she reacts to things. It's true, drama and my aunt seem to travel hand-in-hand, but most of the time it's not her fault. My aunt knows her limits, but for some reason people don't want to believe her when she tells them, "It would be better if I didn't."

When my father died Aunt Florence announced that she wouldn't be able to handle going to her brother's funeral. Instead, she offered to stay at my parent's house and take care of the children and she said that if someone stopped by to drop off a casserole (like they do in small towns) that she'd be there to greet them. It was a job that someone needed to do and it made her feel good to know that she'd be doing something in honor of her brother.

"But you'll regret it later," the relatives told Aunt Florence. "You have to go to the funeral, it wouldn't be right for you to miss the service."

Florence tried her best to make them understand, but everyone insisted that at least before the casket was closed, she needed to see her brother one last time to say good-bye. So my aunt finally agreed and she did go to the funeral home. But shortly after she arrived my aunt collapsed and they had to call an ambulance.

"Oh, you know Florence," the relatives were commenting, "there she goes again being all emotional." But the truth is they didn't know Florence. She knew the best way for her to honor her brother, but they had their own ideas and refused to listen.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: New authors, old favorites--all wonderful books worth your time. Win free copies of books you'll be so glad you discovered: Laura Griffin, One Wrong Step; Debbie Macomber, Twenty Wishes; Wendy Corsi Staub, Dying Breath; Robert K. Tanenbaum, Escape; and Craig Eisendrath, To Enter Jerusalem. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 04-25-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

My father-in-law came over to our house last night for a barbeque. When he walked into the kitchen after saying hello, the next thing he said to me was, "You know Suzanne, I've always wondered why you bear your inner most thoughts to the world in your column every day, but now I think I understand why. You make it all right for people to be themselves, whatever that might be. I imagine it's reassuring to be able to think, 'Suzanne's been afraid and scared-to-death of life--I'm not the only one.' Or if someone feels like doing something a bit on the wild and crazy side, that's okay too--because you've written about walking down Main Street with a bubble machine in hand--so they know there's someone out there who's nuttier than they are."

I don't know if my father-in-law realized it, (I guess I should have told him) but his comments just about made me cry. Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone read my column and it put them at ease--nothing would make me happier. Because I've spent way too much of my life worrying, 'Am I doing it right?' and it was such a relief--such a big relief--when I finally accepted the fact that there are a lot of times when I don't do life the way most people do it, but that's okay.

My strength in life comes from my insecurities. Eventually I find my way and even though it might have taken me longer to figure things out, I've never regretted the journey. Stumbling along, the uncertainty of it all, I learn so much more when I'm not sure about anything. And I hope I never forget it's okay to be me--whoever that might be.

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

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

SEARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT BIG THRILL? Win copies and read about this month's new thrillers from: Andrea Kane, Gregg Olsen, Lisa Jackson, John Ramsey Miller, Gary Phillips, Daniel Kalla, Raymond Benson, and Joel Goldman. Visit the April issue of the Big Thrill now! Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

Dear Reader Column 04-24-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

WANTED: Professional "Dunkers!"

I've got my apron on, the mixer is ready to whirl and I'm in the mood to bake. Can you help me out?

Searching for readers who take their cookie dunking seriously. What's your style? Are you a quick-draw cookie dunker? How do you master the dunk-and-soak without losing the chocolate chip delight into your glass of milk? To enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway simply send an email describing your perfected cookie dunking technique and you'll be entered in the drawing. I'd love to bake for you.

To see some of last month's Chocolate Chip Cookie winners and for the email address to enter this month's cookie giveaway, go to: http://tinyurl.com/6rxpz4

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Win free copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Kim Culbertson, Songs for a Teenage Nomad; Nona Caspers, Heavier Than Air; Thomas Greanias, The Atlantis Prophecy; Mameve Medwed, Of Men and Their Mothers; and Megan Crane, Names My Sisters Call Me. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Sample this week's bonus book, No I Don't Want to Join a Book Club, by Virginia Ironsides. Read the sample, send an email commenting on the book and you're entered in the free book drawing. (Virginia was visiting from England and sat at my dining room table signing 15 copies of her book for readers. I'll forward all of your comments on to her. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/5lcvha

Dear Reader Column 04-23-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Remember to keep the book club fun. Read guilt-free! If you get way too busy, go on vacation, or don't like the book for the week--hit that delete key. Time is precious. Please don't feel obligated to read something that isn't a good match for you. Over 367,000 people read at the book club every day, so it's difficult to pick a winner for everyone, every week. And that's one of the reasons I offer "extras" at the book club.

You'll find the "extras" after my column. Every Monday and Thursday there's AuthorBuzz, and this week, on Friday, you'll find International Thriller Writers "Big Thrill" and also this week, you can sample the bonus book, No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club by Virginia Ironsides. (Virginia lives in England, but she was sitting at my dining room table last week signing 15 of her books for readers.) To sample Virginia's book and enter the drawing, go to: http://tinyurl.com/5lcvha

Hopefully you'll find plenty of "extras" that you enjoy and you'll be a happy book club reader. I aim to please!

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, you always say if a book's not a fit, don't read it. Well, I took it a step further. I was really busy last week so I just deleted the emails each day! And I almost missed your book selling and losing your cat. So my new deal is to always read 'dear reader' and then delete the email if I'm too busy!"--Jeanne Thompson

"In the tradition of Suzanne Beecher, that's you! I sent an email to our local library to celebrate National Library Week and told them to be on the look-out for a small surprise coming up their way--chocolate chip cookies--I delivered them to two libraries. And to Marj who always has a large smile on her face when she is dealing with customers at the Sunset Library in Chandler, AZ."--Therese

"Dear Suzanne, in true 'Suzanne-fashion' I baked some chocolate chip cookies for [National Library Week]. The librarians were surprised and it felt good to do something nice for some wonderful people that work with one of my favorite things...books."--Jess Peterson

"Inspired by your idea to bake for librarians this week, my son and I made chocolate chip cookies this morning and took them to our local branch with a Thank You card. The librarians were so surprised and so grateful. They looked like little children on Christmas morning! I can't believe I never thought of doing that for them before. Thanks for the inspiration!"--Nicole Powers

"Suzanne, after your reminder last year [about National Library Week] my husband and I took a large bag of goodies to our favorite librarians in Vancouver Washington. Madeline and Patsy always greet us with a smile and have our reserved books waiting for us and we appreciate those two more than we can express. They mentioned it was the first time anyone had ever thanked them for being librarians--this year--they were thrilled again! Thank you Suzanne for our read along each day, it is through the book club that we get most of our ideas for check-out books. Of course the best part of our daily reads are your columns, I think we were sisters in another life."--Carol Johnson

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

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

Dear Reader Column 04-22-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Usually I can write my way through any situation in life, but last week, life got so overwhelming that I was paralyzed with fear, and the only thing I could do was hit the RECORD button on my tape recorder and talk to myself.

I'd just returned from three days in New York City, my book was going to auction, Rudy, my cat, was missing and in the midst of trying to sort everything out I started playing an old negative tape in my mind. Unfortunately this all-too familiar tape visits me when I'm feeling emotionally beat up and vulnerable. It's an insane way to think and I don't really believe a word of it, but nevertheless sometimes I tell myself that if something fantastic happens to me, then I'm going to have to pay for it in some awful way.

And that's the message that was playing in my mind over and over again last week, "Yep, sell your book Suzanne--at an auction no less--well that's fine and dandy, but now you're going to have to pay the price for all of that good stuff. You were getting just a little too happy and that's why your cat Rudy has disappeared. Can't have too much joy in your life, and if for some reason a lot of good stuff shows up all at once, well then something bad is going to have to happen to keep the score card balanced."

For a few hours on Tuesday, I was believing every word of it and had thoroughly convinced myself that it was an either-or-situation. "If I sell my book then I'll never see Rudy again, or if Rudy comes home then I won't sell my book. You can only have one Suzanne, so choose. What's it gonna be?"

I don't know when or where I first latched on to this kind of insanity. Maybe everybody walks around thinking this way at some time in their life, but I sure hope not. It's such a painful process to go through. The good news is that fortunately this crazy kind of thinking never lasts too long and I'm able to tell myself the truth. Life definitely has a joyful and painful side, but I don't really believe that anyone is keeping score (except me).

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

Don't miss today's BIG THRILL, go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

Sample this week's bonus book, No I Don't Want to Join a Book Club, by Virginia Ironsides. Read the sample, send an email commenting on the book and you're entered in the free book drawing. (Virginia was visiting from England and sat at my dining room table signing 15 copies of her book for readers. I'll forward all of your comments on to her. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/5lcvha

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

SEARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT BIG THRILL? Win copies and read about this month's new thrillers from: Andrea Kane, Gregg Olsen, Lisa Jackson, John Ramsey Miller, Gary Phillips, Daniel Kalla, Raymond Benson, and Joel Goldman. Visit the April issue of the Big Thrill now! Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

Dear Reader Column 04-21-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

RUDY IS BACK HOME!! I'm still crying, but the tears are tears of joy.

Thursday afternoon I had an appointment to meet Virginia Ironsides, an author from England, who is on a book tour in the states. Our plan was to go down by the marina and talk about her book, No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club. I had just picked her up at her hotel, but before I could start the car my cell phone rang.

"Suzanne, we've found Rudy!" It was my husband on the phone. He was gasping for breath and practically in tears as he told me this story...

Our neighbors had heard strange bellowing sounds in the middle of the night coming from underneath their house. So first thing in the morning they called Animal Control and asked them to come out and take a look. I live in Florida and when something strange is underneath your house or underneath anything, it's a scary thought--alligators for one come to mind. But Animal Control told my neighbors they were on their own, "We don't crawl underneath houses."

Hoping whatever scary thing was underneath their house would eventually just move on, my neighbors decided to ignore the noise they had heard. But later in the day they noticed the big sign in our front yard, "Missing White Cat" along with a picture of Rudy. (Our neighbors had been out of town, so they didn't know Rudy was missing.)

Hmm.., bellowing sound, the neighbor's cat is missing, get the flashlight and investigate. So they tore the lattice off of their front porch, crawled underneath and when they looked way, way back, there was Rudy staring at them. His broken leash was wrapped tightly around a pipe.

After I hung up the phone, I was crying and the woman sitting next to me, (who I'd just met) and who by now was probably having second thoughts about her decision of getting into a car with a stranger, asked me what was wrong. In-between sobbing I explained that Rudy had been missing for four days and we'd pretty much given up hope.

"I have to go home immediately," I told Virginia, looking for a sign whether she was in this for the long haul, or did she want to exit now.

"Well, home we go," Virginia said. And off we went.

On the drive to my house I told Virginia about my insane week, selling my book and losing Rudy and how as the days passed, I started praying for closure. Because it would have been easier to know--even if knowing meant that Rudy had died. Virginia knew exactly how I'd been feeling, because a couple of years ago her cat went missing for three months. (Thank heavens her story had a happy ending, too.)

There's more to this story, but I'm running out of space today. To read more about Rudy and to see the story in photos, go to: http://tinyurl.com/5dnwe9

Virginia's story continues, too. You can sample her book, No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club, see a photo of Virginia, Rudy and me--and you can enter to win your own SIGNED copy of Virginia's book. (She sat at my dining room table and signed 15 books for readers.) Go to: http://tinyurl.com/5lcvha

Thank you so very much to everyone who sent an email about Rudy, it was very comforting to know I wasn't alone.

Isn't it wonderful when a story has a happy ending!

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Win free copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Kim Culbertson, Songs for a Teenage Nomad; Nona Caspers, Heavier Than Air; Thomas Greanias, The Atlantis Prophecy; Mameve Medwed, Of Men and Their Mothers; and Megan Crane, Names My Sisters Call Me. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 04-18-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking the time to write. Reading and answering reader email is the best part of my job.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, do you think Donna would share her Uncle Ronnie's chocolate pie recipe? (from your column on Monday) My mom made a chocolate pie every year at Christmas time. I would love to compare the recipes."--Sandra Souther

Sandra you're in luck. Donna was happy to share her recipes.

"Hi Suzanne, thanks for including my letter in your book club column. What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful Uncle Ronnie! What a treasure you are! I was relating this story to my husband and he couldn't believe that I would just write you a letter about Uncle Ronnie without knowing you. I told him that because you share so much of yourself via your photos, your book selection, and your writings that I feel like I DO know you. My Uncle would be so pleased. I printed out a copy of your blog and am sending it to my aunt (his wife) who does not use the computer at all. I'm happy to share with readers the original Grandma Ballard's Chocolate Pie recipe and I'm also including a newer version that some of my cousins make. Both are delicious"--Donna

Be sure to take a look at Uncle Ronnie's Chocolate Pie recipe, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yu4zu6

And if you have a recipe you'd like to share with book club readers, email it to me at [email protected] and I'll post it at my Reader Recipe Blog.

Have a wonderful weekend.

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

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

Dear Reader Column 04-17-08

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

It was a strange day this past Tuesday. Initially when I started writing my column this morning I was going to focus only on Tuesday's good news: My book sold at auction on Tuesday, April 15th! What an exciting thing!

But Tuesday was also the day that I had to face the reality that Rudy, my 17-year-old white cat, has apparently been abducted by someone. And it was starting to sink in to my heart that I would probably never see Rudy again.

The auction for my book was at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday and I'd decided earlier that morning that I was going to put my sadness on the shelf and concentrate on the joy of what was happening with my book, at least for a few hours. My agent was excited, editors who were bidding on my book were excited, friends and readers were rooting for me--a lot of people had put a lot of time and emotion into such a big day and I didn't want to rob them, or me, of the joy of the moment. And I reminded myself that this was the one-and-only day I would be able to celebrate, 'Today I sold my book!' So I whispered to Rudy that I was going to set aside thoughts of him for awhile, but I'd be back soon.

I felt like it was a count down for the space shuttle. T-minus five minutes and counting... 10:25... 10:26...three minutes more and the auction bids would be submitted. My phone would ring and there would be news. I was a bundle of nerves--surprisingly more nervous than I can ever remember being before.

And so it goes, frequently overwhelming joy and sadness are mixed together in life--same time, same place--and one of the mysteries is finding a way for these feelings to coexist.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Win free copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Jessica Harper, Uh-Oh, Cleo; Megan DiMaria, Searching for Spice; Penny Vincenzi, Sheer Abandon; Meredith Hall, Without a Map; and Jane K. Cleland, Antiques to Die For. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader