Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 08-31-09

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Dear Reader,

Telling a story is easy when you're sitting across from a friend, "You won't believe the funny thing that happened to my Aunt Nellie last weekend." But sometimes when you sit down to write that same story--suddenly facing a blank computer screen makes it feel frightening and the words get all jumbled up.

Today's column is made up of notes I wrote to myself on a day when I was thinking, 'Suzanne, you'll never be able to write again.' I'm sharing this glimpse of a writer's bad day, in case you haven't entered this year's "Write a Dear Reader Contest." Perhaps you haven't entered yet because you're experiencing writer's block, or maybe you're just plain scared to even try? But don't worry. If that's what you've been feeling your fears are completely normal, and after you finish reading "Notes from a bad writing day," you'll be inspired to begin. Because even though I write for a living there are days when that blank computer screen frightens the bejeebers out of me, too.

Notes from a bad writing day...

Can't seem to write anything. I start writing, running with an idea and then I fall off the cliff. Can't remember what I intended to do with it. Maybe it just sounded better when I first thought of it, like the dress that looked so cute on the hanger, but when I tried it on, what a mess!

Usually when I sort through things I recognize the difficult part I'm facing, but I always face that part, that's nothing new. I wade through the hard part of writing, but today I can't find my way. I want to write, want to feel the high of being in the groove, but it's just not anywhere that I can grab a hold of it.

There isn't any other option but to continue on until something becomes clear to me. I have a daily column that's due, so unless I want to post a sign, "Writer Temporarily Out to Lunch" or "Writer Temporarily Lost her Mind" I'm going to have to churn out a column. I used to tell myself if I sit in the chair long enough "IT" will come. And IT always does show up eventually, but right now my Mojo isn't within reach.

What do you do when IT won't come to you? Well if IT isn't going to come to me, then maybe I'm going to have to go looking for it. Maybe it's hiding out down by the water, I could walk down there and take a look. Maybe it's hiding out in my cookbook? Instead of "Where's Waldo?" Where's Suzanne's IT that allows her to write? Perhaps I'd find IT in the fingertips of a massage therapist, or shopping for shoes?

Those notes (and I confess, a new pair of shoes) helped me find my missing Mojo. So if you've been having problems getting started on your Write a Dear Reader Story, you've now been given permission to get a massage or buy some new shoes. What a deal! But don't forget about the actual writing part--because there's only 13 days left to send your entry and I'm looking forward to reading your story.

To see the prizes, read last year's winning entries and to get the details about the "Write a Dear Reader Contest," go to: http://tinyurl.com/55n995

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: New authors, old favorites--all wonderful books you can win: John Shors, Dragon House; Michelle Moran, The Heretic Queen: A Novel; Jane Velez-Mitchell, iWant: My Journey from Addiction and Overconsumption to a Simpler, Honest Life; James R. Benn, Evil for Evil; Maureen Lang, Look to the East. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

 

Dear Reader Column 08-28-09

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,

Yesterday's Eat-and-Run Column inspired Chris to write. If you missed the column, you'll find it at: http://tinyurl.com/myomdp

Feel free to drop me a line any time. I'm never too busy to read mail from readers, in fact, it's my favorite part of the day. If you haven't entered the Write a Dear Reader Contest yet, please do. If you're feeling a little nervous, don't think of it as a column, it's just simply an email that you're sending to your reading buddy, Suzanne. The link for more information is after today's column.

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne,

Funny to read about your turkey, because I am also planning a turkey-and-all-the-trimmings dinner for next week! I love your idea of how to get together without the need to stay longer, but in my case, I am having the dinner BECAUSE my family IS staying afterwards!

My daughter moved across the country eight months ago and this will be her first visit home since then! She is bringing her new boyfriend along with her dog, and for some extra fun my brother and his family are coming, also. What better time to be thankful, as when all the family is gathered around the table? My own mother used to just sit and smile when we were all home at once for a visit, and we used to remark how cute she was, how she just couldn't stop smiling, she was so happy. Of course now I know how she felt, but she is gone now, and I can't tell her.

What I can do however is feel thankful. Thankful for the return of my darling daughter, for all of my family and also thankful for my parents, who taught me the importance of a close family--simply by being one. We didn't have much growing up, but we had lots of love, and we were taught to always be grateful for life's many blessings. When the worries of life start to get to me, all I have to do is think of all I am grateful for, and I am overwhelmed with the happiness that fills my heart. So should it be for all of us. Happy Thanksgiving tonight!"

Your reading buddy, Chris Hudson

*For information on the Write a Dear Reader Contest, go to: http://tinyurl.com/55n995

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 Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child then read about great thrillers from: Teresa Burrell, Liz Jensen, Carla Neggers, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Thomas Sawyer, Sophie Littlefield, Tim Maleeny, Bob Mayer and Brent Ghelfi. Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

Dear Reader Column 08-27-09

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,

When I listen to the crazy talk inside of me, I end up with some pretty cool ideas. For instance tonight I'm having a family Eat-and-Run Dinner. It was an idea that came to me a couple of years ago. Everyone seems to love getting together to eat a big meal, but along with the big meal, is a big commitment of time. So I decided to create the kind of dinner that everyone has secretly wished for at some time in their life, 'I love Mom's cooking, but I'm so tired tonight, I wish I could go over to her house, eat dinner, clear my plate from the table, pop it in the dishwasher, say thank you, wave good-bye, drive home, and go to bed early.'

So that's tonight's agenda, Eat-and-Run, though my son, daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and my 89 year old father-in-law may be crawling home, because the menu is a 16 pound turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, cole slaw, green beans with a hint of tomato, deviled eggs, skunk beans, homemade blueberry muffins and brownies, still warm from the oven, with a small side scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Talk to you tomorrow. My turkey is waiting...

*If you haven't entered the 'Write a Dear Reader Contest' go to: http://tinyurl.com/55n995

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: New authors, old favorites--all wonderful books you can win: Hank Phillippi Ryan, Air Time; Debbie Macomber, 92 Pacific Boulevard; Debbie Macomber, Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook; Preetham Grandhi, A Circle of Souls; and Leanna Renee Hieber, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader.

Dear Reader Column 08-26-09

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,

You don't need to be a writer to enter my annual "Write a Dear Reader Contest." All you need to do is grab a notebook and your favorite pen, sit down and start writing about whatever is on your mind. "Life is filled with miracles, only we need to stop and observe." Rita, a woman who reads at the book clubs included this sentiment in a note she sent the other day--and she's right. There are miracles all around us, every day stories waiting to be shared.

Simple is better when you write. Those are my words of advice. Last year's winners and runner-ups wrote about Grandpa's old Dodge pickup, raising children, teenage neighborhood vandals, and "One of our own is down!" It was a frantic cry from blackbirds coming to the rescue of a fallen friend.

If you need some inspiration, read what last year's winners wrote, go to: http://tinyurl.com/lt4yjy

Write a Dear Reader column, see it published at the book clubs and win your own library of books!

Two First Prize winners will each receive an 80 book library (most books are signed by the author), a book bag from Vanguard Press and their column will be published at the book clubs. Four Runner-up winners will each receive 35 books and the winning columns will be featured at the book clubs.

To view the books that will be given away and read the guidelines go to: http://tinyurl.com/qmahqu

A special thank you to author M.J. Rose, and to all of the other authors who signed and donated a copy of their book. I appreciate it.

Don't be shy, there's a story inside of you and I can't wait to read it.

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

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

P.S. Congratulations to the winners of last Thursday's Bubble, Book and Muffin Recipe Card Giveaway: Joyce Edmeier, Jessica McInish, Robin Steinweg, Shonna McPherson and Millie Henderson.

Dear Reader Column 08-25-09

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,

The world seems to be speeding up, but I want to slow down. In fact, currently, slowing down is at the top of my daily "to-do" list. I actually write it down in the number one spot every morning. I can keep up with the best of them, and in the past I have, but I've decided that I enjoy life more and my body seems to function better at a slower speed.

Slowing down is actually more difficult than speeding up. Folks who manage to find joy and success in the slow lane should get a gold star, or a plaque to hang on their wall. Not only is it a challenge to move at a slower pace, there's always "somebody" who gets tense when I do.

For instance, yesterday when my husband and I were driving back home from the nursery, we couldn't go over 25 miles per hour. We were pulling a trailer behind our car filled with plants for my garden, and if we drove any faster the wind would have shredded the leaves. My husband commented, "This is what it must have been like riding somewhere in a Model T." Then he sat back and enjoyed the scenery, pulling over every now-and-then as a courtesy when a string of cars formed behind us.

But then "somebody" got tense and ruined the moment. It would be much less humiliating to report that the "somebody" who got tense about us moving so slowly were the folks behind us. But I must confess, that the scenario of angry motorists grumbling about how slow we were moving--it was all in my mind--an imaginary tale because I'm still learning the art of slowing down.

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 Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child then read about great thrillers from: Teresa Burrell, Liz Jensen, Carla Neggers, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Thomas Sawyer, Sophie Littlefield, Tim Maleeny, Bob Mayer and Brent Ghelfi. Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

Dear Reader Column 08-24-09

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 a love story. Boy meets girl. The girl was in her 70s, the boy in his 60s. From the very beginning it was a sweet, tender love and it became the kind of marriage that neither of them had experienced before, or even dreamed possible. I remember the first time my mother called to tell me about Ron. "This nice man who lives here in Cuba City brought a bouquet of flowers to my door and asked if I'd like to go to dinner this weekend and take a ride in the country. I was so nervous. I said yes, but I don't know what I'll wear. What am I going to talk about?"

Who was this woman on the other end of the phone? Never in my life had I heard my mother talk like this before, I couldn't imagine, but here she was as nervous as a teenager who'd just been asked to the Freshman Prom. It was a magical first date, my mother and Ron were married a few months later and they lived happily ever after, but being together only lasted for a couple of years. Two years after they were married my mother passed away from lung cancer.

Ron never stopped loving and pining for my mother. Frequently he'd call re-living stories about the things they did together. Nothing fancy, just simple things like the time they sat together on a bench looking out over the water and a light mist of rain was falling on them, or the flowers Ron planted in the backyard for my mother. A flower garden he still lovingly tended, "When I'm in the garden, it still feels like your mother is right beside me." And each time, before Ron would say goodbye, the tears would flow, even though it had been three years since my mother passed away.

Ron was diagnosed with lung cancer last year and last Sunday when he called, it was to say good-bye. "I'm going to be with your mother, Suzanne."

Writing it down this moment, it sounds a little like a fairy tale, but in a strange sort of way, I do believe it was one of those true love stories and my mother and Ron are finally together again, happily ever after.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: New authors, old favorites--all wonderful books you can win: Hank Phillippi Ryan, Air Time; Debbie Macomber, 92 Pacific Boulevard; Debbie Macomber, Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook; Preetham Grandhi, A Circle of Souls; and Leanna Renee Hieber, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader.

 

Dear Reader Column 08-21-09

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,

Dust off your notebook--it's that time again--vacation time for me and time for you to enter the annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. Write a Dear Reader column, see it published at the book clubs and win your own library of books!

Two First Prize winners will each receive an 80 book library (most books are signed by the author), a book bag from Vanguard Press and their column will be published at the book clubs. Four Runner-up winners will each receive 35 books and the winning columns will be featured at the book clubs.

To view the books that will be given away, read the guidelines and to see last year's column winners go to: http://tinyurl.com/qmahqu

A special thank you to author M.J. Rose, and to all of the other authors who signed and donated a copy of their book. I appreciate it.

Don't be shy, there's a story inside of you and I'd love to hear it. Have fun. I look forward to reading your column.

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

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

 

Dear Reader Column 08-20-09

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,

Nine-year-old Meghan stopped by to visit the other day and the two of us ended up barefoot and baking muffins. We tried two new muffin recipes and we both gave them a thumbs-up. They're easy to make and they were oh, so, good!

Below is the Marbled Chocolate Muffin recipe. To see baking photos, the Buttermilk Mixed Berry Recipe, and to enter a drawing for a free book, a handwritten copy of one of my muffin recipes, and a bottle of bubbles (bubbles, books and Buttermilk Muffins make for a delightful summer day), go to: http://tinyurl.com/mtk7c9

Marbled Muffins

6 Tablespoons melted butter, cooled
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder Pinch of salt
1/2 cup overflowing extra-fine granulated sugar
2 eggs Generous 1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease 12-space muffin pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, then stir in the sugar. Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add to the eggs the milk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid ingredients into the center of the dry mixture (create a little well to pour into) and then stir gently, just until the ingredients are combined.

Divide the batter into two bowls. Sift the cocoa into one of the bowls and mix. Then spoon the batters into the muffin pan alternating between plain and chocolate. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool in the pan for five minutes, let completely cool, or start eating right away.

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 that there are five that deserve your attention: Julia London, Summer of Two Wishes; Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, An Amish Christmas; Raymond L. Atkins, Sorrow Wood; David Golemon, Leviathan; Erin Quinn, Haunting Beauty. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader.

Dear Reader Column 08-19-09

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,

Yesterday's Mac distress column brought numerous cheerleading emails from readers assuring me that after a few miserable days, I'd fall in love with my new Apple laptop. Frustration with a new computer sounds like one of life's minor problems, and to be sure it is, but when your job is writing and suddenly technical stuff takes priority over creativity, it's very unsettling.

A few readers, like Deb Mann, were curious about why I decided to make the switch from a PC to an Apple in the first place. Initially switching wasn't the plan. My old HP laptop had been good to me, but I'd been limping along with numerous problems for months. The list of repairs was too long, so I decided it was time to go shopping for a new PC.

The feel of a laptop's keyboard is one of the main criteria in my buying decision, so I visited four different stores and typed on every laptop. Since I'm 5' 2" most of the displays were too high for me to reach, so I'd borrow a stepstool from another department in the store, climb up a couple of steps and start typing. I finally settled on a small laptop that I loved but when I took a closer look, there was a pattern of concentric circles on the cover and near the keyboard. I tried to ignore those circles, but now that I knew they were there, I hated them!

"It's only a design," my son was trying to convince me to buy the computer, because he'd just purchased the same model. But how a machine makes me feel is important, and since I'd be using it every day, I just couldn't get past those ugly circles.

Obviously people buy this machine, so somebody out there must like these circles. I figured it must be a generational thing, the manufacturer must be marketing to a younger demographic. But then I noticed that my son had left the manufacturers' plastic stickers overtop of the circle pattern on his own computer. "Oh, so they're just circles? But apparently you can't stand looking at them either." And then the next day, when I was testing more keyboards in an office supply store, I noticed a mother and daughter looking at the same laptop and I heard the daughter comment, "I don't want to buy that computer, I can't stand those circles." So just who 'is' the manufacturer marketing to? Because I'm 55, my son is 30 and the young woman in the store was 21 and we all hate those circles!

So Deb, that's the long answer to your question. The short answer is, ugly circles drove me to try an Apple computer. And even though I've been moaning the past couple of days about my decision, I must admit, I'm starting to love my Apple.

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

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

* ENTER this year's "Write a Dear Reader" contest! Fill in for Suzanne while she's on vacation. Your column will be published, you'll win 80 books (most signed), and a book bag from Vanguard Press. It's a lot of fun! Prizes, guidelines and deadline, go to: http://tinyurl.com/55n995

 

Dear Reader Column 08-18-09

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,

Today's column was slow going because I'm using my new Apple laptop and every time I touch a button, it takes me five minutes to find out what happened to the copy. This is my first Apple experience. In the past I've been a PC user, so now nothing is where it used to be, not that I don't appreciate change, but every single thing I do takes four steps when it used to take one, because I don't know what I'm doing. Type, clip, zip, save, my fingers used to fly across the keys. My fingers are still lightning fast on the keys, but if I want to do anything with the copy I just finished typing, that's when the problems begin. Last night when I was typing an email to a friend, I was interrupted, so I clicked a button to pull the email off the screen and that email and I have been playing a game of Hide-and-Seek ever since.

'What have I done? What have I done?' was becoming my mantra over the weekend, but then I remembered the words of a stranger, who I'm beginning to think must have been an angel on computer duty.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the salesperson," my computer angel with an English accent said. "I used to be a PC user and switched to Apple. I absolutely love my computer now, couldn't imagine using anything else, but I remember my first couple of weeks. You're going to have several days where you're going to be frustrated and you'll do a bit of yelling at the computer, but don't worry, it won't last long. Soon you'll fall in love with your new computer."

I sure hope the stranger was right.

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

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