Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 02-26-10

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Dear Reader,

A reader sent an email in response to the column I wrote about my grandma's journals, and in her reply, she mentioned a journal jar. I'd never heard the term, you probably have. (Frequently, I'm the last to know things. Which isn't bad, because on many occasions my naivety has given me the courage to try new things.) A journal jar is a place where you keep slips of paper with questions on them. Then each day you pull out a slip of paper from the jar, and the question is meant to prompt you to begin writing.

"What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail?" is a typical question, but I wouldn't need to do any journaling to figure out that answer, because I don't think I'd do anything different than I'm doing today. The security of knowing I wouldn't fail is not the way I want to live my life. Yes, sometimes my heart aches to know what the future will bring. But truth-be-told, the anticipation of wondering things like, 'Will my idea work?' 'Can I learn how to do this?' or 'If I say this, or do that, how will people react?' These unknowns are where the action and excitement in life are for me. There's a lot of fear tucked away in that mix, but I wouldn't want it any other way because that same fear drives me to do my best.

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

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

Dear Reader Column 02-25-10

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,

Thanks for telling me a story. If your story is in today's column send an email, including your mailing address, and I'll send you a free book.

Below are readers' stories, inspired by Wednesday's column about Grandma's journals. If you missed it, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yg5mjbb

"Dear Suzanne, your grandma sounds a lot like me! I'm 66 and I've kept a journal since I was about nineteen. That is exactly what I do to this day! I write down that I did the laundry, changed the bed, cleaned the floor, went to my granddaughter and grandson's ball games, etc. Many times I've gone back to see when something happened. When my family wants to know about an event in the past, they know I can look it up. Keep up the good work, Suzanne. I love your daily reads!"--Verna B.

"My dad kept journals all through his life, and wrote in them every little thing that happened. He traveled a lot and when he came home, he would ask my mom what went on while he was gone, and then he'd write it in his journal. Thanks to his journals, we know how many quarts of tomatoes were canned on a particular day, or when I won the blue ribbon at the fair and even when my brother had the diarrhea (much to his dismay). Oh, the memories that came flooding back when I read your story. My dad has been gone for 33 years now and these memories made it feel like he was still there, sitting at the kitchen table, writing in his journal."--Katherine M.

"Hi Suzanne, Reading about your Grandma's Journals brought back memories of stories my mother used to tell us about when she grew up. My mother was a sharecropper's daughter, born in 1925, gone now seven years this month. Your grandmother cooked coon, my mother made "hog jaw & chittlins" and use to take the seat out of the Model-T and put it in the living room to sit on when they weren't driving the car. I think the reason these things mean so much to us is the connection factor. The stories we read or hear about, connect us by blood to history, whether our own, or the world around us. It's an innate need to belong. The stories you tell us about you, your friends and family--you belong to us--your readers. You are part of our lives. And the fact that so many of us write back to you shows you that we belong to you also. It 'is' so nice to read with friends, but it's also nice to belong to such a wonderful group of readers."--Linda G.

*Congratulations to the winners of Tuesday's Stationery Giveaway: Jody Pearch and Dar Penn.

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: New authors, old favorites--all wonderful books you can win: M.J. Rose, The Reincarnationist; Robyn Carr, Moonlight Road; Michele Scott, A Toast to Murder; Paul McHugh, Deadlines; and Julia Hoban, Willow. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 02-24-10

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Every night after the dishes were done, before my Grandma Hale would put on her pajamas and settle in for the night, she'd sit down at the dining room table and write down the doings of her day. Grandma's journals are simple school spiral notebooks, and knowing my thrifty grandma, she probably bought a year's worth every September when they were on sale. Grandma was also the shutterbug in our family, and thank heavens a picture tells a thousand words, because she was pretty closed-mouthed in her journals.

I write about feelings, Grandma wrote about accomplishments. Most of the entries in her journal are a list of "things I did today." But I can understand how reviewing "what I did today" would have brought Grandma a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. It's the same reason I like to do the dishes by hand. I wash 15 dishes; rinse and stack, then stand back and admire my work. Too many days as I'm pulling up the covers at night, and getting ready to go to sleep, I'm thinking, "What the heck did I do today to make me feel so tired?"

Grandma knew. Year after year she kept track. And now I have the joy of learning more about my grandmother as I'm reading how she chose to spend her time. And in-between the happenings of Grandma's day, I'm learning a little bit more about myself, too. I ate coon for lunch at Grandma's one day (Yikes!), and in case I ever need the information, (after finishing reading Grandma's 1958 journal last night) I now know the exact day I came down with the three-day measles, when I started taking tap dance lessons, and that on November 30, my parents bought a trailer home and we moved in two days later.

Knowing these facts doesn't change anything. Most people would say, "big deal"--and they'd be right. But learning these things about myself, it brings me comfort. Makes me feel part of a family, even though my family unit was weak when I was growing up. Grandma was my life-line when I was a kid, and by golly last night, feeling a bit melancholy, she came to this little girl's rescue again. I love you Grandma.

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

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

Dear Reader Column 02-23-10

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,

Thanks for taking the time to write. I love reading mail from readers. Today's ideas and comments are from last Friday's column. If you missed it, you'll find it at: http://tinyurl.com/ye7vf4d And if you have children, or grandchildren, be sure to enter today's fun giveaway (at the end of today's column).

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne, Here's a little idea. I have started to keep those kinds of things [letters] to give back to my nieces, and granddaughter when she is older. I'm a scrapbooker so I have contemplated doing a book. But for now I just have a folder that I tuck any, or all the collectibles from my extended family. Some day I will have a niece visiting and I can give them to her. I look forward to that, what fun it will be! I have a box of collectable school art from my children's elementary years. They got a hold of it the other day (they are both in their twenties now) and oh the laughter and enjoyment! Priceless! Enjoy your letters!"--Sandi V.

"Suzanne, I feel similarly about letter writing because every time I visit my grandmother's grave at the cemetery, I leave her a card or a letter, and update her on my life and how it has changed since the last time I visited. Realistically, I know that the groundskeeper throws out my letters with the shriveled flowers and wreaths from graves, but I like to think that it is my way to reconnect with her, and that she reads the letter when no one is there. It may be just naive, but it comforts me."--Melissa K.

"Good Morning Suzanne, loved your story about your granddaughter and letter writing. When my grandsons go on vacation, I give them a plastic zip lock baggie full of writing paper, envelopes, pens, and stamps. I also include return address labels that they can either use to address my letters, or use to copy the address onto the envelope. I have received such things as little, tiny seashells and 'hats' made from paper, also letters explaining what they have been doing. As a former teacher, I too, feel the art of letter writing is being lost."--Margaret L.

Enter to win fun stationery you can give to your children or grandchildren. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/ydjbtok

* Congratulations to the winners of Thursday's Dried Fruit Giveaway: Ervis C Hiatt, Kathy Fannon, Sally Yung and Gail Curtin.

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

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

Dear Reader Column 02-22-10

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 is normally my sounding board when I have a problem, but the past few days he's been consumed with his own work problems. So I haven't wanted to bother him with mine. I miss being able to ask for his advice (and I certainly could this time), but being on my own now and then is probably a good thing. Eventually I'll come up with a solution, or my problem will mysteriously work itself out--problems always do, don't they?

No matter how deeply I care about my husband, I have to keep myself in check, because it would be easy to start taking him for granted. My husband's an easy-going guy, not a push-over at all, but frequently he plays the part of a white knight in shining armor, rescuing his damsel in distress. I need to remember that sometimes, my husband needs rescuing, too. Not in the same fashion as me. No, my husband doesn't want suggestions on how to solve his problems; what brings him comfort, is a kind and gentle listening ear. A smile and an "I love you."

My husband and I have an unbelievably wonderful marriage; we've been married 31 years. We do practically everything together, because it's more fun that way. But going emotionally solo the past couple of days has been a good thing, because now I appreciate him even more than I did before my problems showed up.

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 you can win: M.J. Rose, The Reincarnationist; Robyn Carr, Moonlight Road; Michele Scott, A Toast to Murder; Paul McHugh, Deadlines; and Julia Hoban, Willow. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 02-19-10

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,

Last month Bailey, my 13-year-old granddaughter, sent an email saying she was going to be studying letter writing in English class--and she was excited about it. "Grandma, I plan on writing you a lot of letters." (I sighed a sigh of relief.) I figured these days, instead of letter writing, English teachers would be teaching sentence structure for one finger text typing.

So of course this grandmother jumped on the Internet and with one-click ordering, sent four different styles of stationary to Bailey. (Yes, I realize the irony in that response.) And I even included a book of stamps in her Valentine card. Yesterday, Bailey's first letter arrived in the mail.

Emails from my grandchildren are nice, but for most people, including myself, typing an email doesn't invite the sort of leisurely "tell-a-story" conversation, that handwriting a letter does. Reading that girl's letter was the delight of my day. I learned so much about my granddaughter. She's made a decision not to be one of the popular girls in her school. The type of girl who's "overly concerned about her tan fading, and so that's her main topic of conversation." My granddaughter said she loves to write, (ah, that's my girl!) and she also recognizes students who cause drama in the classroom. Describing in detail some of the things that go on in her classes. Now I've seen Bailey in action, and she can be a 13-year-old drama queen with the rest of them. But thankfully she seems to realize that the classroom isn't the place for that kind of behavior. And then, four pages later, before my granddaughter signed off, she wrote, "I hope things are going good for you and Grandpa. I can't wait to come visit again this summer."

What a lovely granddaughter. "Out of the mouths of babes, or 13-year-olds...." Such a sweetie. Thank heavens for English class, and English teachers. I think I'll go read Bailey's letter again, and then of course, I'll have the joy of replying.

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

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

KIDSBUZZ: This week, books for tweens and teens about comedy and adventure, the Vikings and boarding schools--and the serious issue of cyber-bullying from Jim Jennewein and Tom S. Parker, Runewarriors: Sword of Doom; Ridley Pearson, Steel Trapp: The Academy; and Julie Ann Peters, By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead. For a chance to win free books and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

 

Dear Reader Column 02-18-10

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,

Pinch my nose, load up the spoon with a wet, warm, narly-smelling stewed prune and try not to gag too much when I tossed it (in one-piece) down my throat. Every summer, when I was a kid, I went to Girl Scout Camp for two weeks, and serving stewed prunes was the counselors' remedy for keeping campers regular. Yuck! Even today, I get nauseous just thinking about the breakfast camp ritual.

Presentation is important when you're serving food. A tuna fish sandwich tastes better when it's a Tuna Delight: cut in half, lightly toasted, a swirly toothpick decorating the sandwich and a crinkle cut pickle on the side. Warm stewed prunes however, do not suddenly become more appealing just because a camp counselor pitches the benefits of staying regular.

Considering my childhood camp trauma, it's amazing, but I'm a huge prune lover today--but only if they're dried. Actually I love dried prunes and eat them as a snack every day. Or should I say I love dried plums? A few years ago prunes got a marketing make-over. The younger demographic, including Girl Scout campers, are now eating dried plums, but for people over 50 like me, we're still eating dried prunes, because the benefits they were pitching to me at Girl Scout Camp--have finally become relevant.

In addition to a new name, prunes and dried plums now come in flavors, too. And book club reader Marie Bradley, who works at Sunsweet, introduced me to them all. Marie sent me one of the best food packages I've ever received. Dried plums, dried apricots covered in milk chocolate, a mix of dried blueberries, cranberries, cherries (the antioxidant blend), jumbo raisins, dried mangos, lemon essence prunes, and individually wrapped super-select California prunes that I can carry in my purse.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness Marie, I really loved this gift! And just to be sure that campers aren't still facing a bowl of stewed prunes in the morning, could you send one of these tasty, "keep-you-regular" care packages to the Girl Scouts, too?

To see a photo and to enter the dried plum (or prune) giveaway--depending upon your age and "needs," go to: http://tinyurl.com/yb4xlxw

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Beth Solheim, At Witt's End; Tara L. Masih, Where the Dog Star Never Glows: Stories; Pam Jenoff, Almost Home; C.J. Darlington, Thicker than Blood; and Rene Gutteridge, Listen. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 02-17-10

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 tell you a story (yesterday's column about the kitty hotel at my house) and you send one back to me.

Once upon a time there was, and still is, a cat named Max...

"Dear Suzanne,

My wife's cat, Max, would probably not appreciate me making reservations for him at your kitty hotel, although I might be able to sleep rather well!

You see, I came into my wife's life after the cat did, and apparently Max was quite used to sleeping on what is now 'my' side of the bed. When I moved him over the first night, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy change for him. The first week he wouldn't move unless I physically picked him up, at which point he would head right back to the same spot--whether my head was already there or not. After about a week of this, he decided he had really had enough. Just as I would start to doze off, Max would 'nibble' at my big toe--just enough to wake me, at which point he would jump down and lie in wait for his next opportunity.

My wife and I have now been married for two years. Although Max and I have come to a truce, of sorts, he now likes to sleep above my wife's head in bed and hit me 'gently' with his tail as I try to fall asleep, as if to say: that will always be my spot!

So, you see, it's not Max that really needs a vacation at your kitty hotel--it's me!! Thanks for what you do--always enjoy your daily read."--Joe Shimp

*Congratulations to the Glaring Error Winners from Monday's column. I have a bad habit of writing, "Oh know," instead of "Oh no." Over one thousand people spotted the error, and these were the lucky random winners: Libby Pasztor, Lisa Frabott, Dianne Shehan, Toni Worlitz and Henry DiRocco.

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

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

KIDSBUZZ: This week, books for tweens and teens about comedy and adventure, the Vikings and boarding schools--and the serious issue of cyber-bullying from Jim Jennewein and Tom S. Parker, Runewarriors: Sword of Doom; Ridley Pearson, Steel Trapp: The Academy; and Julie Ann Peters, By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead. For a chance to win free books and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

Dear Reader Column 02-16-10

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 cold Florida temperatures have been holding steady here in Sarasota, and I can appreciate the fact that my husband is concerned about Mama and Papa, the outdoor cats we've taken care of for the past four years. But this morning, when I got up and saw Mama and Papa bundled up in blankets, sleeping on a leather ottoman--the one that matches the chair in our living room--I decided it was time for an intervention.

"It was a middle of the night emergency!" my husband explained. "The ottoman was the only thing handy."

When it gets too cold outdoors for Florida kitties, my husband and I routinely set up a "room," on our side porch, so Mama and Papa can get out of the cold. A roadside motel of sorts, nothing fancy; a cardboard box with a few towels inside, but it's nice and clean and warm.

But clearly our kitty motel was renovated last night. Because when I woke up this morning, my side porch had been transformed into a fancy feline hotel, complete with room service. Feeling a little chilled at 3 a.m.? No need to pick up the phone, just meow loud enough to wake up my husband and he'll come running with hot water bottles. And since they're up (the cats) how about a snack in the wee hours of the morning? Sorry we don't have a hotel mini-bar set up yet, but not to worry. The Beecher Hotel kitchen is open 24/7. Turkey with cheese and gravy, or how about a can of shredded beef delight?

Yes, this morning, when I looked out the window there were two deliriously happy and content Florida kitties, covered in my fancy guest blankets, and sleeping on top of my leather ottoman. It's supposed to be cold again tonight--I hope they don't refer their friends.

To see a photo of the Beecher Four-Star Kitty Hotel, in case your kitty would like to book a room, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yjclzhd

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

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

 

Dear Reader Column 02-15-10

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 love to laugh at myself and I was red-faced and quite amused, when I read last Thursday's column, after it was published at the book clubs. Since the column was all about mistakes, and there was an unintentional glaring error in the midst of it, I thought it was hysterical.

If you'd like to test your proof reading skills, read the column (below) and if you spot the mistake, click on the link to enter the Glaring Error Giveaway. Five winners and five cool gifts. Have fun searching. To enter, go to: http://tinyurl.com/ya99vtw

(last Thursday's column)

I'm excited and feeling a little bit stressed. (Which is normal for me, I can't ever seem to experience one emotion without the other.) The past five days I've been engrossed in reading 2nd pass pages for my upcoming book, Muffins and Mayhem. One of the reasons I wanted to write a book was so I could learn something new, and I haven't been disappointed.

I knew a lot about the publishing industry before writing a book, because I'd worked with publishers for ten years through the book clubs. But getting an agent, submitting a proposal, visiting editors who were interested in my manuscript, the sale of my book at auction, finishing the manuscript (there were days when I was certain I was in way over my head) and then finally the day when I typed, "The End," what a ride.

Writing the book has added a brand new collection of words to my vocabulary. "Editor Speak Category" for $200, $400, $1,000, I could clean up on Jeopardy! Learning copyediting marks, and after the corrections have been made, 1st pass pages show up. 'Oh know, there's a terrible sentence, how could I have written that? Why didn't anyone point it out to me?' Corrections, rewrites, and then the manuscript goes back to the editor. A few weeks later, let's do it again--2nd pass pages arrive. Now it's really do or die time--find any final mistakes--or forever hold your peace when the book comes out, because that's it. Almost every author has warned me that when I finally see the published book I'm going to spot something that I wish I had seen sooner.

My husband has already informed me, "Suzanne, if there's a mistake in the book after it's published, you can't point it out like you do when you discover a run in your stocking."

Excited and stressed, excited and stressed, I think I better get used to it!

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Beth Solheim, At Witt's End; Tara L. Masih, Where the Dog Star Never Glows: Stories; Pam Jenoff, Almost Home; C.J. Darlington, Thicker than Blood; and Rene Gutteridge, Listen. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader