Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 03-31-09

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,

Rachael's search for a soft and chewy cookie in yesterday's column produced a lot of advice from readers. My suggestion was to add more flour, because that's what I do here in Florida when the humidity messes with my cookies and they fall flat. But readers said I was wrong and offered their own soft and chewy tips.

"Foolproof soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies--use butter flavored Crisco. Guaranteed."--Allison Williams

"Dear Suzanne, I must disagree with you. The flour does control the density of the cookie somewhat. Perhaps in Florida altitude and humidity flour power works. However, my north-westerly advice would be to shorten the time the reader/baker allows the cookie to bake. If the cookie 'looks done' then it is already over-baked. Cookies should come out of the oven before the center looks done. This allows the center to remain chewy because of the dough. I try to have the edges crisp but the center soft. It takes guts. Your mind says 'No, they are still raw.' But the proof is in the pudding...I mean cookie. Move them to a cookie rack to cool and then into an air tight container pronto. Well, eat one or two first. The best cookie ever is right out of the oven, cooled enough to prevent scorching your tongue."--Wendy

But a different Wendi says the proof IS in the pudding...

"Try this recipe and you will never make the old ones again. I love the fact that you can use any flavor pudding...I thought I would try strawberry pudding with white chocolate...yum."--Wendi Morris

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Mix flour and baking powder, set aside. In large bowl cream margarine, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in pudding mix. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Stir in chips and nuts. Place rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased tin and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes till edges are golden. You can use any flavor pudding mix...peanut butter chips and chocolate pudding sounds fantastic!

Debra H. sent her mother's recipe...

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. butter or margarine or 2/3 c. canola oil
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. water (mix all above ingredients until creamy) Add: 3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda Add: 12 oz. chocolate chips (stir in)

Drop by rounded tsp. on cookie sheet. Bake @ 400 for 8-10 minutes till med. brown.

Helene agrees that NOT over baking is the secret to a soft cookie...

"My late mother-in-law was a fantastic baker and she told me the secret was in not over-baking. She said cookies continued to bake for a couple of minutes when you take them out of the oven because the cookie sheet retains the heat. She took them out just as they started to brown at the edges and immediately transferred them to a cooling rack."

And finally, if you figure out how to bake soft cookies, but they get hard in the cookie jar, Lori's husband and Dawn Ibach remind us that adding a slice of bread will soften them right up.

There you have it. Everything you need to know about baking soft and chewy chocolate chips. Don't forget to dunk!

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

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

** Congratulations to the winner's of the piggy giveaway. The stuffed pig winners are: Millie Jolley and Linda Hinricksen. The pig key chain winners are: Floyd Bateman, Pegeen Sheakoski, Marnie Castleberry, Samantha Bellefeuille, Isaac Valencia and Brandy Standefer.

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 03-30-09

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,

Congratulations to this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie winners: Jan Vesall, Cindy Schaefer, Tessa Bartels, Ilene O. Bertram, Brenda Riding and Marge Lanthier who have all been busy promoting the book club, so I thought they needed a cookie break. Cookies are on the way! Please send a photo when you get them, I sure would appreciate it.

And then there's Rachael, who's ready to bake her own chocolate chip cookies, but she's searching for a way to make them soft and chewy.

From my Email Cookie Bag:

"Good Morning Suzanne. I have thoroughly enjoyed the books for the past couple of weeks. I always copy and paste them to a work document and wait till Friday when I get to read the whole thing at once as my 'Friday Treat,' and I have a list of the book titles compiled which I am going to buy.

I have a question regarding chocolate chip cookies. I have tried many different recipes with different results, but I am looking for one to keep the cookies soft and/or chewy. My brother in a Culinary Program has advised me that it directly relates to the amount of butter you put in the dough, which has not had very rewarding results so far. Do you have any advice or a recipe?"--Rachael

(Suzanne replies:)

http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path1-13.html
Here's the link for my chocolate chip cookie recipe, but if you want soft and chewy you should try adding up to 1/4 cup more flour than my recipe calls for. When my cookies fall, for who knows what reason, maybe the Florida weather, I add the extra flour and then they puff up and stay soft. I would also suggest mixing up your regular batch of cookie dough, then dividing it in half and adding different amounts of flour in each one. If you turn your cookie baking session into an experiment, then if some of the cookies don't turn out, you won't be so disappointed because after all it was only an experiment. That's one of the little tricks I've used myself.

Let me know if you develop a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe. If I can be of any further help, you know where to find me--and if you need a cookie tester, I volunteer for that, too.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Debbie Macomber, Twenty Wishes: A Bibliophile Mystery; Shilpa Agarwal, Haunting Bombay; Charles Martin, Where the River Ends; Laura Griffin, Whisper of Warning; and Rich Lowry & Keith Korman, Banquo's Ghosts. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 03-27-09

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,

Today I invite you to sign up for this week's final big giveaway...win yourself a pig. Two "cute-as-a-pig," stuffed pigs and 6 pig key chains that will light your way and they even oink! To enter the drawing and to see a photo of the loveable pigs, my new grandson James, and the winner of one of the hot water bottles (well the person who stole the prize from the hot water bottle winner) go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/jamespigs.html

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne, Last week I was surprised when the mailman rang my doorbell. After thanking the mailman I looked at the package and it was from you. I opened it and inside was a brand new hot water bottle. I was so happy and excited that I had won something from one of your wonderful give-a-ways.

I spent the entire afternoon trying to come up with some creative way to thank you for the gift and still haven't come up with anything. Maybe that is because the hot water bottle you sent to me has been confiscated by my children. Oh yes, I haven't even been able to use the item myself. My thirteen year old daughter was the first to use it and then my ten year old daughter. Seems they catch a 'chill' either as soon as they get home from school or at bed time due to the windows being open to catch the spring time warmth. So they fill that water bottle up and either nap on the couch with it or take it to bed and cradle it like a warm, loving stuffed animal.

So there you have it. It seems I literally can't win for losing. The photo is my thirteen year old with the water bottle. You can barely see it peeking out from her arms. She was determined no one was going to take it from her and it was her 'baby'. After the picture she promptly fell asleep.

Thanks for picking me as a winner and providing my children with something they can use to stay toasty warm with in a safe manner. My husband thanks you as well because he does not like the children using the electric heating pad for anything. You truly are an amazing woman to be able to bridge a gap in this family."--Leanna R. Maschino

Don't forget to enter the drawing for the PIGS--go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/jamespigs.html

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

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

SEARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT BIG THRILL? Read the "Between the Lines" feature interview with Barry Eisler then read about great thrillers from: Harley Jane Kozak, Gary C. King, Jonathan Maberry, M. William Phelps, Caridad Pineiro, Steve A. Reeves, Roger Smith, Don Helin, Richard Kunzmann, Bryan Gruley, Michael Robotham and Jonathan Kellerman. Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 03-26-09

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,

I'm ready to bake, are you ready to dunk homemade chocolate chip cookies? If you don't usually click over to view photos, you definitely should today. Pages and pages of cookie winners, the story about the reader who baked for me and photos of people who have won some of our other giveaways.

Not only did reader Lizzie Smiley bake cookies for me, this past Saturday I received a special delivery from bookclub member Margaret Reid--a jar of her homemade BBQ Sauce.

"Dear Suzanne,

After faithfully reading with you each week, I have come to feel that I have a kindred spirit with you. I just spent the weekend in the Bay Area with my sister who was the one who got me hooked on your bookclub. I love coming in to work each day and start off reading and laughing with you. After reading your hilarious stories on the mess while eating BBQ sauce, I thought I'd share my homemade sauce. I make it for all my friends and they keep telling me to bottle and sell it.

I am a member of the Zonta Club of Grant Pass and they have just started a book reading group. I told one Zontian of your hilarious antics and they think I should share my book club knowledge with them. I will be attending tomorrow night.

Early last year they closed our local library as well as the library adjacent to my town (40 miles away). I now utilize the library about 1 1/2 hours away. We are endeavoring to reopen our local library and I'm looking forward to it as are all of the other townspeople.

I hope you enjoy the BBQ sauce, let me know what you think."

Fondly, Margaret Reid

Thank you Margaret! How thoughtful. I love BBQ sauce. I'm saving yours for the big cookout I've planned for this weekend.

To find out how to enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie209.html

** The potato ricer winners from yesterday are: Debby Creager and Juliet Nepomuceno-Uy. The winners of a monkey potato peeler are: Cathy Kittell and Nicole Nichols.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Our writers love to hear from you so much one of this week's authors will send more than one book if you write to her. Be sure to check out all of these unforgettable books written by terrific authors: Kyle Mills, Lords of Corruption; Laura Childs, Eggs in Purgatory; Allison Brennan, Sudden Death; Bill Carmichael and David Lambert, The Missionary; and David Cristofano, The Girl She Used to Be. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 03-25-09

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,

Sometimes I wish there wasn't so much new technology. It's not that I'm trying to hang on to the "good old days," because actually I think "good old day" thinking is a bit of a myth. It's just that I can't seem to keep up with knowing how to do everything that's available. Every morning when I wake up I discover some creative insomniac has been up all night developing another new product--give these people some sleeping pills--because I can't keep up! There are too many options, too many social networks, too much technology and if I tried to stay on top of "knowing" about everything, when would I find the time to shave my legs?

But then again, there are times when the ease and speediness of new technology is just what the doctor ordered. Monday night at 11:47 p.m. an email popped into my box. A woman who works with me at the book clubs just got out of surgery and her husband was emailing from his Blackberry to let me know she was okay and all was fine. Technology to the rescue! Instead of having to phone a group of people, who are probably already tucked into bed, the exhausted and relieved husband could type one simple email and hit send.

So today I'm rethinking my aversion to all the new technology, I'm really not behind. Because when I think about it, I don't even know how to work all the stuff from the "good old days" and I don't have to. I simply need to learn what's useful and enjoyable for me.

To celebrate technology today I'm giving away the old and the new. Potato ricers (the old) and Monkey potato and vegetable peelers (the old with a new look). They're so ugly they're cute. Sign up for this week's daily giveaway and see photos at: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/potato.html

The winner's of yesterday's BIG FEET giveaway are: Elizabeth Dimattia and Mary Frances Doss.

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

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

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 03-24-09

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 one of "those" Mondays yesterday. I write my column one day in advance so it's ready to send to you late at night. The topic for my column is what's going on in my mind and I like to be able to settle my mind before I write, but yesterday--Monday was one of "those" Mondays. Two people I work with went into the hospital, business people I'm working on projects with all needed everything "yesterday." Phones ringing, people needing it "now," but all a girl can do, even in a crisis, is one thing at a time.

Actually I do well in a crisis, probably because I grew up in crisis. I know how to kick in and solve problems when other people are overwhelmed with the bad news. So even though yesterday was definitely one of "those" Mondays, all those years of crisis training when I was growing up helped me make it through, and so did my handy green Big Feet. If you're wading through the messy problem muck today, I'm giving away two pair of Big Feet, so be sure to enter. Your very own pair of Big Feet will lighten your problem load and bring a smile to your face. They worked for me. To see my green Big Feet and to enter for your own pair, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/funnyshoes.html

Yesterday's "Modern Dog" magazine winners were: Davene Carberry, Karen Urias, Marilyn May Cozza, Zelda Mac, Jessica Lara, Joe Macko, Devon Ressler, Brigitta Larsson, Kay Theiss and Nick Goodman.

Have a wonderful day and if you're still wading through one of "those" Mondays, we can wade together, one problem at a time.

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

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

SEARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT BIG THRILL? Read the "Between the Lines" feature interview with Barry Eisler then read about great thrillers from: Harley Jane Kozak, Gary C. King, Jonathan Maberry, M. William Phelps, Caridad Pineiro, Steve A. Reeves, Roger Smith, Don Helin, Richard Kunzmann, Bryan Gruley, Michael Robotham and Jonathan Kellerman. Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 03-23-09

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,

Be sure to tune in every single day this week because every day I'll be giving away something fun. Today I have 10 copies of "Modern Dog" magazine for readers. Jennifer Nosek, the editor of "Modern Dog," reads along at the book clubs with us and she asked if she could reprint the column I wrote about Moochie, my childhood dog.

Click over to see my story in the latest issue of "Modern Dog" and be sure to enter the drawing for your free copy of the magazine. Jennifer has asked me for more dog stories, which I plan on delivering and writing about dogs has inspired me to bake some dog cookies for readers...or rather for readers' dogs. If you have a favorite recipe, or if your dog has a preference, I'd love to hear about it.

Enter today's drawing, tomorrow I'm giving away BIG FEET. If you don't have a pair, you're not cool! (At least that's what I'm told.)

Check out AuthorBuzz, meet authors and sign up for their giveaways, and enjoy today's book.

*To enter the Modern Dog giveaway, go to: http://tinyurl.com/c4f4f8

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Our writers love to hear from you so much one of this week's authors will send more than one book if you write to her. Be sure to check out all of these unforgettable books written by terrific authors: Kyle Mills, Lords of Corruption; Laura Childs, Eggs in Purgatory; Allison Brennan, Sudden Death; Bill Carmichael and David Lambert, The Missionary; and David Cristofano, The Girl She Used to Be. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 03-20-09

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,

From my "First-time" Email Bag:

Apparently my hot water bottle column inspired newlyweds...

"Suzanne, first time e-mailer, long time reader. My wife was complaining about how her feet were always cold in the bed at night. Living in Nebraska where it was -20 degrees every night this past month, she complained three nights in a row. She would put two pairs of wool socks on and dive under three blankets. Then she would start the "Oh my feet are so cold" routine. On the fourth day I bought her a fancy new water bottle and told her I had a surprise for her when we went to bed that night. Since we are still newlyweds, she was not expecting a water bottle to be her surprise. "What is it?" and "What do I do with it?" Well she woke up the next morning and gave me a big kiss to thank me for such a wonderful present. It seems that this was the best night sleep she had in a long while, all because the water bottle kept her feet warm all night. Thanks for the help Suzanne!"--Robert H.

Inspired by the Rudy-boy column... http://tinyurl.com/ctwde6

"Dear Suzanne, I have NEVER written to a columnist of any sort before. So I guess a thanks is in order here, before we go any further, for being my daily friend. I've enjoyed your anecdotes and pictures, recipes and (oh! I should mention this) book excerpts. While aprons and chocolate chip cookies, and even free books don't particularly get to me, Rudy did. Rudy is a smart boy. He's got it good, he knows it, and he appreciates it every day. Otherwise he wouldn't trust you enough to make demands like he does. I have recognized your essential goodness for a long time, and thought we might be friends if we weren't so far distant from one another, but Rudy provided the bridge today.

You see, last week I lost a furry friend. Her name was Beatrice Isabel, after my beloved and long deceased Grandma Bea, but we called her Beaze. She came from under a trailer in the Southern Tier of New York State, where poverty is fairly widespread, and cats and kittens are devalued and frequently gotten rid of in less than humane fashion. Beaze sat on top of a pile of cut wood, in a direct beam of sun, and glowed at me. (I know this sounds hokey, but it really is what happened). She looked like a carved idol of an Egyptian cat, regal and ephemeral and timeless, somehow, and she spoke directly, without a word, into my brain. "Take me home," she said. "I belong with you." She wasn't always regal, though. She had a spotty belly she liked to have rubbed, and a crooked leg that must have been damaged at birth. She liked to be by my right hand, and followed me room to room, meowing expressively. She asked for little: feed me, clean my litter, love me. In April she would have been 17. I have two other cats and a little dog, but I so miss my Beaze. You see, SHE picked ME. She recognized her place in my life before I did. She died in my arms, and as I write this I am weeping the tears for her that have been locked up inside.

So, thanks for treasuring Rudy. Thanks for saying what you think, and for sharing your kind heart. Thanks for letting me honor my Beaze. Your newly non-anonymous friend,"--Sue K.

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

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

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 03-19-09

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,

I screwed up the banana bread recipe and I'm so happy I did. The recipe was one of those after you mix up the main ingredients then you can venture out into several different directions. Add a couple of different ingredients and you could end up with cherry, spice, walnut, cranberry or banana bread. I was shooting for banana bread, but the phone rang in the middle of mixing and even though I'd made the recipe several times before, I ended up following a little bit of another recipe and then for some mysterious reason I added another ingredient that wasn't even listed. I realized my mistake when the bread was in the oven, but I figured I might as well see how it turned out. Turns out it was the best tasting banana bread I'd ever made.

Of course, then the challenge was trying to figure out exactly what I did wrong, but after a couple of trial-and-error attempts, I did and here is the result: Suzanne's Whoops! Banana Bread.

It's delicious and keeps great in the refrigerator. The recipe is below and for folks who want the recipe along with photos, go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path14-12.html

Suzanne's Whoops! Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas (the riper, or browner
the bananas are, the better the bread will taste)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (overflowing) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of either a 9x5x3 loaf pan or 4 smaller loaves. Beat all ingredients together, scraping bowl. Beat just until blended. Pour into pan(s).

Bake until wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. About 50 to 60 minutes baking time for one loaf and about 35 minutes for smaller loaves. Immediately remove from pans after you take out of oven. Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy, share with friends and family and be sure to tell them about the book clubs. Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

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

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: DiAnn Mills, Breach of Trust; Sherryl Woods, The Inn at Eagle Point; Tom Wilson, Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly--How Ziggy Saved My Life; Brad Klontz, Wired For Wealth; and Jules Watson, The Swan Maiden. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 03-18-09

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,

There's a poster that's been hanging on my kitchen wall for the past few days and every time I walk by my eyes fill with tears and it's hard for me not to start crying. My husband made the poster for me after the editor, who's working on my book, sent me an email. My editor's email talked about business, but then she added, "I wanted you to know that I'm very, VERY, much enjoying your book and I was really taken by your honesty and what you are willing to share."

The words were a beautiful confirmation, "Good job Suzanne, I'm proud of you." Of course they were very nice words to hear from my editor, but my husband must have been reading my mind, because later that evening, just before I went to sleep, he gave me a poster he'd just finished making. On the top of the poster was a photo of my mother and me, and the quote my editor had sent to me earlier in the day was underneath, but the signature at the bottom wasn't my editor's, instead it was my mother's.

"Sometimes you have to give yourself what other people wouldn't give to you," my husband said as he handed me the poster.

Even when my mother was alive loving sentiments were difficult for her to express. The words weren't ever there. But thanks to my husband's thoughtfulness, the next morning when I got up and walked into the kitchen to make my coffee, there on the wall was the poster with the words I wish, oh how I wish, I could hear my mother say, "I wanted you to know that I'm very, VERY, much enjoying your book and I was really taken by your honesty and what you are willing to share."

There's still a poster hanging on my kitchen wall--and every time I walk by my eyes fill with tears.

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

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

P.S. I'm happy to share my poster with you, http://www.emailbookclub.com:80/photo/very.html

* This month's Penguin Classic book is The American by Henry James. Tell me what you think of the book, and I'll put your name in the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEA39A127&c=CLASSICS