Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 04-30-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

 

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,

Reading and responding to your emails is the highlight of my day. Thank you for taking the time to write. Enter this week's Bubble Machine giveaway, go to: http://tinyurl.com/25mn97s Bubble machines like good china, shouldn't be saved for special occasions. When you turn on a bubble machine, you create a special occasion.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, I am not entering our library for a bubble machine, but I have to tell you that the one we won from you several years ago has been a big hit. Our summer reading theme is 'Make Waves @ Your Library,' but I'm thinking about 'Making Bubbles @ Your Library.' Thank you again. The fun continues."--Kathy Bretschneider, Director of the soon-to-be new Lied Battle Creek Public Library.

"Dear Suzanne, I love bubbles too. Last year I bought a bubble machine for our booth at Relay for Life. It was a big hit with all the children. I had so much fun watching them play in the bubbles. I haven't used it again since then, but you have inspired me to pull it out of the closet and watch the bubbles. If I'm lucky some of the neighborhood children will come enjoy them with me. Thanks for the fun you give us each day."--Hannah Hunter

"In Buffalo NY, you know it's spring when someone says, 'I saw the Bubble Man today!' At the corner of Allen and Main Street, a man sits in a third floor apartment with his bubble machine, and he spends hours blowing bubbles through the intersection. If you are lucky enough to commute through this intersection, you can count on a daily grin in the good weather. I love bubbles, but I usually only generate enough for my own enjoyment--and I blow all those bubbles myself. But I'm so thankful that other people (both you and the Bubble Man) understand what a gift it is to make enough bubbles to share."--Liz Parke

"Dear Suzanne, last Saturday I was going past a local appliance store. In their show window were a bright red washer and dryer! I thought of you and how you were going to get a set of red ones for yourself. I hope that you are liking them and that they were worth the wait!"--Sincerely, Martha Troxel

(Suzanne replies:) Martha, yes indeed my new ruby red washer and dryer were worth the wait! Last Friday morning I was up at 5 a.m., and after a quick peruse of the manual, I washed everything in my house, including rugs and bedspreads. I didn't stop until 8 o'clock that evening, and the magic is still with me. I love doing laundry. I looked so disappointed when I ran out of things to wash yesterday, that my husband suggested I go knocking on neighbors' doors, offering to do their laundry! Who would've thought I could get so excited over a ruby red washer and dryer? I'm not sure if I should be smiling about that realization, or feeling embarrassed?

Have a wonderful weekend. Remember, you can still enter for one of three bubble machines, go to: http://tinyurl.com/25mn97s

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 child and teen readers about imagination and inventions, dinosaurs, hot dogs, friendships and sisters from Wouter van Reek, Coppernickel, the Invention; Laura Joy Rennert, Buying, Training, and Caring for your Dinosaur; Adrienne Sylver, Hot Diggity Dog; Barbara Dee, This Is Me From Now On; and Amy Kathleen Ryan, Zen & Xander Undone. For a chance to win free books and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

 

Dear Reader Column 04-29-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 give away fun stuff. Who wins these crazy things? Someone always wins and there's still time to win one of three bubble machines I'm giving away this week. If you haven't entered yet, go to: http://tinyurl.com/25mn97s

Here's a list of some of the recent book club winners:

Baseball winners (autographed per request): Mary L. Johnson, Linda Kalend, Barbara Zuwala, and twin sisters Margaret Resendez and Mary Crisafulli who are celebrating a birthday.

Journal winners: Judy Kauk, Neka Isaac, Kris Aasheim, Donna Lee Spray, Steven M. Avery and Janet Roberson.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Winners (I'm baking next week): Renee Bennett, Nancy Kluisza, Cathy Kittell, and Karen Hart.

Library Winners and Libraries who received a stimulus check:

Dimetrous Nixon/W.Walworth Harrison Library, Greenville, TX
Linda Lee/Casey County Public Library, Liberty, KY
Kristen Kearns/Dighton Public Library, Dighton, MA
Evelyn Scullawl/Bartlesville Public Library, Bartlesville,OK
Carolyn Behrens/Shadle Branch, Spokane Public Libraries, WA
Annett Hughes/Eastern Lancaster County Library, New Holland, PA
Priscilla Ferguson/Bulverde/Spring Branch, Bulverde, TX
Sohnia Hong/Nashville Public Library, Nashville, TN

Congratulations to all of the winners.

* If you requested a book plate for a book you ordered for a Mother's Day gift, all of the letters, book plates, and bookmarks went out in yesterday's mail. Thank you for letting me share in this special day. If anyone would still like to take advantage of the Special Mother's Day promotion, go to: http://tinyurl.com/mother2010 Then send an email immediately and I'll make sure that your mom receives her gift in time.

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: Debbie Macomber, Summer on Blossom Street; Debbie Macomber, Hannah's List; Jennifer Stanley, Path of the Wicked, Jeffrey A. Cohen, The Killing of Mindi Quintana; and Leanna Renee Hieber, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

 

Dear Reader Column 04-28-10

 

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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's a guaranteed smile for me, and anyone who happens to be walking, riding a bike, or jogging by my house. Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles! Such a simple pleasure. Fill up a bubble machine, turn it on, sit back and enjoy the show. And when the wind is just right, like it was yesterday afternoon, after the bubbles came out of the machine, they were whisked up, up, up and away. Floating higher than the treetops, hundreds of bubbles blew over the street, up over the roof of my neighbor's house, sailing away until I couldn't see them any more.

Bubble machines are for special occasions: when grandchildren come to visit, friends are invited to dinner at my home, or a family birthday. But the most important reason I turn on my bubble machine is "just because." Whether I'm out in the yard sitting in a lawn chair, working in my garden, or I'm bubble-watching through the window in my sunroom while I'm writing--there's magic in bubbles. People walking by my house smile, laugh, and wave their arms in the air, calling out with the excitement of a little kid, "Look at all the bubbles!"

Wondering why a grown woman is sitting in her yard with a bubble machine, at least one person passing by will ask, "Special occasion?"

"No, I just love watching the bubbles!"

I'm sending a friend of mine a bubble machine today, "just because" complete with batteries and bubble solution. It'll be an out-of-the-box, afternoon of fun. The only thing she'll need to add is the courage to turn it on.

When I bought a bubble machine for my friend, I also bought three others to give away to readers. All you have to do to enter the drawing is promise to send a photo, and tell me what happened when you turned on the bubble machine in your yard. To enter the drawing, go to: http://tinyurl.com/25mn97s

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 child and teen readers about imagination and inventions, dinosaurs, hot dogs, friendships and sisters from Wouter van Reek, Coppernickel, the Invention; Laura Joy Rennert, Buying, Training, and Caring for your Dinosaur; Adrienne Sylver, Hot Diggity Dog; Barbara Dee, This Is Me From Now On; and Amy Kathleen Ryan, Zen & Xander Undone. For a chance to win free books and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

 

Dear Reader Column 04-27-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

Fear is familiar to me. It shows up in different ways and it's not always easy to identify. I just know that something doesn't feel right. It's more difficult to do my job, and more of a struggle to live my life. Fear is always present when I'm implementing a new idea, but the gravity of the situation doesn't really hit me until I'm much further down the path. 'Oh my, this little idea I had is working; it's successful.' And that's when fear burrows deep in my gut, affecting decisions that yesterday I was so sure about, but now I question.

Maybe fear is less confrontational in the beginning of an idea because at that point it's just a dream, and I really don't have much to lose. I could simply tell people, "Well, I had this idea; I pursued it, but nothing really came of it." No big deal.

People applaud you for the fact that you had an idea in the first place, and that you had the courage to pursue it. So even though you failed, you're a hero for trying.

But once the idea is up and running and successful, then I'm on less forgiving ground. There comes a day when I realize that now this thing is too big. Now if something goes wrong, I'm beyond telling people "Oh, well it was just an idea." Now I would have to refer to my demise as a failure.

Yes, fear is familiar to me and so is this conversation. Every time I pursue a new idea, I have this little talk with myself, but thank heavens I don't listen and I give it a try anyway.

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

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

 

Dear Reader Column 04-26-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 my husband's brother, Jim, came to visit for a few days last Thanksgiving, I was sad when it was time for him to leave. I really meant it when I said, "Come back soon!" because he was so much fun to be around. Such an easy going guy. Whatever I was doing, especially when I was cooking, he jumped right in and helped. And even though Jim doesn't have any children of his own, he was a natural playing with grandsons Paul and James.

My husband has three brothers and after Jim left I was feeling a little jealous, because I'm an only child. But my husband pointed out that sometimes sibling relationships can get complicated, and after reading the book A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White, I've decided to be content with enjoying my husband's brother and not wishing for one of my own.

Author Susan Rebecca White writes this about her latest book:

"A Soft Place to Land is about the enduring love between Ruthie and Julia, tight-knit sisters whose relationship unravels after the sudden death of their parents.

As girls Ruthie and Julia played a game called 'Biscuit and Egg.' It was about breakfast items that were separated, breakfast items that each missed the other terribly. The game is nonsensical, ridiculous (a pining biscuit?) but the girls played it repeatedly, almost as if they could intuit their future grief.

When I was first drafting the novel I did not realize the poignancy of Biscuit and Egg. I was simply enjoying reliving my childhood by writing about a quirky game my own sisters and I used to play. It was a happy memory, yet bittersweet in its own way, if only because we grew up.

I hope that reading my book will bring back childhood memories of your own, and will transport you to the elliptical days of youth, to the silliness and 'nonsense' you once engaged in, 'nonsense' that ultimately means so much."

Enter this week's giveaway, tell me a story: Did you and your brother or sister get along growing up? Did you play silly games you laugh about now? Or were you an only child like me? Simply tell me a story and if your name is drawn, you'll win one of my fun, crazy surprise gifts. To enter, go to:  http://tinyurl.com/33sqm68

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: Debbie Macomber, Summer on Blossom Street; Debbie Macomber, Hannah's List; Jennifer Stanley, Path of the Wicked, Jeffrey A. Cohen, The Killing of Mindi Quintana; and Leanna Renee Hieber, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

 

Dear Reader Column 04-23-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

In 1994 my son, Brian, was 16-years-old when he gave me a Mother's Day gift that's framed and hangs on the wall in my sunroom--the place where I do most of my writing. I was homeschooling my son at the time, including, once a week offering an English and creative writing class to Brian and three other homeschooled children. But reading, writing, and spelling were difficult subjects for my son. So he never looked forward to my class, like he did the electronics and robotic lessons his grandfather taught him twice a week. Constructing circuit boards and designing a soda pop assembly line in his bedroom, these were fun lessons and they came naturally to Brian.

Never the less, I kept plugging away. I remember feeling at the time, that it was hopeless. But what's a mother to do, but try? Reading and writing are still a challenge for my son, who's all grown up now and has children of his own. But sometimes trying is enough to make a lasting difference in someone's life.

This is the gift my son wrote and gave to me for Mother's Day in 1994.

"To struggle and fight for something, that you believe in, is to live. If you believe in nothing, then you have nothing.

You worked to teach me a gift, one that I will always cherish, till the day I die, but my gift will never die. It will live with all of those who read it.

You gave me more than a gift; you gave me remembrance after I die. For all who read my writings will remember me, and my gift will live on. It will be passed to generation, after generation. Till there is no one to remember.

Joy and happiness have been made by this gift, and to try to repay a debt as big as this would take a lifetime of trying. I will always think of you when I sit and take a pen and write, as I slowly fade into my world where my thoughts are contained."

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

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

*You can still enter this week's chocolate chip cookie drawing, http://tinyurl.com/y3ko88f

And there's still time to take advantage of my Mother's Day special, http://tinyurl.com/mother2010

 

Dear Reader Column 04-22-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

Step right up! Lately there's been a 3-ring circus performing in my bedroom every night and unfortunately I've had a front row seat. "For your entertainment pleasure, because who needs to sleep, right? In the First Ring, we have an LED light show!" It seems that every time I purchase a new piece of electronic equipment, the manufacturer gives me a gift--LED lights that shine so brightly every night I have to throw a washcloth over my DVD player, push a shoe up against the red on/off light on my flat screen television, and decorate my alarm clock with a T-shirt.

"In the Second Ring, we have cats!" Not tigers and lions, but noisy, obnoxious every day cats. Abby thinks she's a human, so she insists on snuggling under the covers and putting her head next to mine on the pillow, which is fine, I'm used to sharing my pillow. But instead, last night she sat at the end of my bed grooming her paws, which then made the bell on her collar ding, ding, ding. As soon as Abby's dinging quieted down, Rudy, my set-in-his-ways-18-year-old cat, started flicking the drawer handle (loudly) on the bathroom vanity announcing it was time for a 3 a.m., turkey and gravy snack. When I didn't get up, he resorted to jumping over top of me--back and forth, back and forth--from one side of the bed to the other.

"And finally, in the Third and Center Ring, my dear snoring husband!" Sneezing and wheezing all day long from a cold, his nose was stuffed up, which meant soon after he fell asleep he started snoring--which stopped when I rolled him over. But eventually he rolled onto his back again, so I had to repeat the routine--four different times during the night.

After the fourth rollover I decided I might as well get up, get a drink of water and sit for a few minutes. But my activity alerted the cats--who thought since I was up it must be morning and "It's time to eat!" Each kitty lined up next to their dish, wondering why I wasn't serving breakfast. I tried to ignore them, but then the outdoor cats (the ones my husband and I take care of) heard the commotion, jumped up on the window sill and stared, "Where's the fish?"

LED lights, cats, and a snoring husband. Yes, there's a 3-ring circus going on in my bedroom (tickets still available for tonight's performance), but tonight this ringmaster is sleeping in the guest room.

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: Jennifer Schaertl, Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens; Dr. Dorree Lynn, Sex for Grownups; Colleen Coble, Lonestar Homecoming; DiAnn Mills, Sworn to Protect; Jassy Mackenzie, Random Violence; Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

 

Dear Reader Column 04-21-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

Fear is a familiar companion in my life. Whenever I'm deliriously excited about trying something new, there's also the possibility I might throw up at any minute. But I don't allow these feelings to paralyze me; because I've learned that the combination is a sure-sign I'm about to experience an exciting adventure. And it sounds like a book club reader from Alberta, Canada knows what I mean...

"Dear Suzanne, I want to tell you about an incredible weekend I shared with a fantastic group of people. I attend a United Church in Alberta where I am in a choir of about forty people. In January our minister, who is also a soprano in the choir, challenged us to take risks and be willing to make mistakes. So we decided to put on a show! We usually do religious music in choir, but we decided to try something new--Broadway! We took on two huge numbers--Sister Act, a medley of three songs from the show that was originally a Whoopi Goldberg movie, and Mamma Mia, a medley of about seven Abba songs from the musical.

Our amazing choir director was a bit reluctant, because we had to practice Mamma Mia every week as well as preparing to sing anthems at the service every Sunday. Once we plunged in however, her enthusiasm grew. We decided to combine with the teen choir. For almost four months we had been practicing. The two choirs combined came to sixty or seventy people. Imagine a choir of mostly over 50's and a bunch of teenagers singing their hearts out on Dancing Queen and Waterloo! We were definitely out of our comfort zone but having a blast.

Sister Act was even more of a stretch. The women of the choir, with our new director who had never done anything like this before, became the Bad Habits (dressed as nuns). We managed to learn the notes and the words, but then we decided to add choreography! It was hilarious! Most of us had never done anything like this before. Two weeks ago you would have thought it would be a disaster, but of course it all came together at the last minute.

The big show was Sunday, and it was a triumph. You have never seen so many smiling faces and excited people. It was an amazing, fantastic weekend. We never thought it would all come together and we were so nervous--but it worked. What an experience! ...leave your comfort zone, you never know what will happen!" --FC from Alberta

*It's time for another Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. To see past cookie winners and to enter this month's drawing, all you need to do is enter your name and mailing address, in case you're a winner, go to: http://tinyurl.com/y3ko88f

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

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

 

Dear Reader Column 04-20-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 needed a break from the world the other day, so I invited Paul, my three-year-old grandson, over to help me plant flowers. You're probably smiling, wondering how much serious planting can you get done with the help of a three-year-old? You'd be right to smile, because you don't actually get many plants in the ground, but it's the journey.

Paul's helped Grandma plant before, so he knows the routine: dig a hole, lay the plant on its side, lightly tap on the plant container, then carefully slide your fingers in-between the plant's stems, so they're supported as you tip the plant out of the pot and carefully drop it into the ground. Fill up the leftover space in the hole with dirt, pull dirt around the top of the plant and then pat, pat, pat, the ground around the plant. Digging and patting and screeching--whenever we meet up with a big, fat, night crawler--are Paul's favorite parts of helping Grandma in the garden.

After finding homes for three plants, grandma and grandson, move onto to other projects, because a three-year-old's attention span demands you keep moving onward. So after making a paper caterpillar, then running through a sprinkler while dodging soap bubbles from one of my bubble machines, Paul and I made dinosaur-shaped sandwiches.

What a delightful day! Stress-relieving therapy for Grandma, and memories Paul and I won't ever forget. If you'd like to see photos, go to: http://tinyurl.com/y3lnbr9

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

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

SHOUTOUT: Cemetery Dance is pleased to announce Blockade Billy by Stephen King, an original, ever-before-published novella that only the King of Horror could have dreamed up! Even diehard baseball fans don't know the true story of William Blakely, but you can learn more at: www.cemeterydance.com

 

Dear Reader Column 04-19-10

June 1st is the release date, but you can preorder "Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life" and request a free autographed bookplate, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 have for you, something old, something new and something blue!

Something Old--I'm ready to bake chocolate chip cookies. It's time for another Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. To see past cookie winners and to enter this month's drawing, all you need to do is enter your name and mailing address, in case you're a winner, go to: http://tinyurl.com/y3ko88f

Something New--now there are two ways to read your daily book club email. You can continue reading the text version, or click on the link, at the beginning of each day's read, and you'll find a new HTML version. Every genre at the book club, (except for audio) now offers a choice. Two ways to read, take your pick. Look for the new link, (right before today's read) take a peek and let me know what you think.

Hmm, Something Blue? Okay, I guess I don't really have anything blue for you. But once you start writing that little "something old, something new" ditty it just kind of rolls off your tongue and you have to keep going until the end.

Two ways to read and I'm ready to bake, so be sure to enter the cookie drawing, go to: http://tinyurl.com/y3ko88f

And don't forget to visit AuthorBuzz today. The link is right after my column.

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: Jennifer Schaertl, Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens; Dr. Dorree Lynn, Sex for Grownups; Colleen Coble, Lonestar Homecoming; DiAnn Mills, Sworn to Protect; Jassy Mackenzie, Random Violence; Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader