Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 08-17-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
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 pulled up to the Hyatt Hotel, a doorman opened the door on my side of the car and asked if I had any luggage. "No luggage," I told him, "just two hula-hoops."

The Mystery Writers of Florida held their annual conference this past weekend at the Hyatt here in Sarasota, and they'd asked if I would do a presentation about the online book clubs. I always learn a lot whenever I attend a conference, but I also do a lot of sitting. So I thought I'd shake things up a bit in the middle of my presentation with two hula-hoops and two bags of homemade chocolate chip cookies.

The doorman insisted on helping me with my hula-hoops and to my surprise, even asked if he could give one a try. I bet it was a first: a doorman dressed in fancy Hyatt attire, trying to twirl a lime green hula-hoop (with flashing lights) around his waist. But even though I was cheering him on the hula-hoop fell to the ground. Plop! "It's these phones--they're the problem!" he took two cell phones off his belt and handed them to me. Plop! The hula-hoop hit the ground--again. Frustrated, yet determined, he decided the problem was the heat. "It's too hot today, let's go inside the lobby." The air conditioning didn't help the doorman's hula-hoop attempts, but he did draw a crowd, and when I left him, he was having fun telling a "back-in-the-day" hula-hoop story.

People smile at you when you're carrying two hula-hoops around in a hotel. Everyone I walked by on my way to the conference stopped and wanted to talk, and when I walked up to the conference registration desk, the woman behind the table took one look at me and said, "You look like fun! I haven't hula-hooped since my childhood."

My plan was to introduce the hula-hoops and chocolate chip cookies to the audience in the middle of my presentation: "In my daily column I rarely write about books, instead I write about the little things in life and I give away unusual stuff. I've shopped for socks for book club readers, sent heating pads to cats (in northern states in the middle of winter) and every month I bake chocolate chip cookies for readers. We like to have fun at the book clubs, so today I brought two hula-hoops and two bags of my homemade chocolate chip cookies." I then suggested to the moderator that she could hula-hoop while asking me questions and I'd hula-hoop while I was answering. But as soon as I saw the horrified look on her face, I asked if there were two people in the audience who'd like to give the hula-hoop a try, and as an incentive I had a big bag of chocolate chip cookies for them. One brave woman volunteered right away (she was great at hula-hooping) and later on before my session finished, another woman came up front and gave it a try, too.

The hula-hoops weren't as big of a hit as I'd hoped. But then again, maybe that wasn't the reason I was supposed to bring them with me. After my presentation was over an older gentleman came up to me, "Thanks for bringing your hula-hoops today. They made me think about my sister. When we were young, every week she'd stand in front of the television and hula-hoop while she watched 'American Bandstand.' My sister would hula-hoop through the entire show. I made fun of her and gave her a hard time like brothers do. My sister died a few years ago and your hula-hoops made me remember. I wish she were here today. I'd give anything to be able to watch her hula-hoop again."

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

 

Dear Reader Column 08-16-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
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 I'm bothered by something and can't figure out what's going on, answering the question, "What am I feeling right now?" is self therapy. That simple line has rescued me many times. Writing down the question "What am I feeling right now?" gives me a place to start when I feel emotionally stuck. Confused and anxious, I tend to make things more complicated than they really are--writing is my savior. Haunted by feelings I can't verbalize, if I work at it, eventually I do write my way out of the pain, but the writing doesn't come easy.

"What am I feeling right now?" is one simple question, but it might take a while--maybe days--to get to the answer. Nervous and afraid, because the answer I'm looking for might suddenly show up, and maybe I'm not ready to see it yet. So I continue to write, skirting around the answer I know in my heart to be true.

"What am I feeling right now?"

I don't know, I'm still writing.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Get in on the fun! This week authors are giving away LAX Beach Bags, free books, a Trouble Prize Pac, a Sweet and Sour surprise and watch a cool video of one of the authors in Guatemala! Meet authors: William Jablonsky/THE CLOCKWORK MAN, Amy Boesky/WHAT WE HAVE, Susan May Warren/LICENSED FOR TROUBLE (Book 3 in the PJ Sugar series), Maya Jax/ESCAPADES OF ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED ME, and Deborah Clearman/TODOS SANTOS. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

 

Dear Reader Column 08-13-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
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,

If your email is in my column today send me your mailing address and I'll mail you a surprise. Thanks for taking the time to write.

Enter this week's free drawings:

Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway, go to:
http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/3147

The Pie Bird giveaway, go to:
http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/2006

From my Email Bag and Facebook Page:

"Suzanne, my husband was going to an out of state high school reunion--his first. We'd made friends online with a few of his classmates, so I sent Chocolate Crinkle and Snicker Doodle cookies to some of them by mail. [One of his classmates] told me at the reunion that she had a great time, but she wouldn't have come if I hadn't sent her the cookies. Cookies are magic! Thank you for giving me the idea."--Nancy H.

From Linda in Lakewood:

"Suzanne! You're in my latest [August] copy of Better Homes and Garden magazine. How awesomely hip. How amazingly wonderful."

"Hi Suzanne, it's fun to hear about the baking you love to do with your grandkids. I love to bake with my nephew, Otto, who is five. I think he really likes to turn the mixer on and watch the flour fly--but we have such a good time together. Today when I was reading your column, I about fell over. My sister and I have been garage saling, antiquing and plain old bargain hunting, and when she asked what I was looking for I told her pie birds. I don't know many people my age (27) who even know what a pie bird is, so I end up explaining it to them. I think I might have been born in the wrong era. Thanks so much for the column...finally someone besides me who collects pie birds!"--Sarah H.

"Dear Suzanne, just a note to tell you how pleased my daughter was when I gave a copy of your book for her birthday, along with the signed bookplate, book mark and personal letter you sent. A really nice touch, and one we were both impressed with. She is a busy young mother who loves to cook, but who doesn't think she has time to read. I think your book is going to change her mind. I have been an avid reader of your book club for years, so my mind doesn't need to be changed."--Norma

To request an autographed bookplate for your copy of Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/content/special-offers

Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

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

 

Dear Reader Column 08-12-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
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,

"Did somebody bring the cookies?" is Chapter 19 in my book, Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life. And today, I'm bringing the cookies. Two dozen. If your name is drawn in this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway, I'll overnight two dozen homemade cookies to your front door.

You need to enter to win. So do it right now. No strings attached--except one tiny request. If you're a cookie winner, would you please send a photo of yourself happily munching and dunking my tasty chocolate chip cookies after they arrive? I love to see photos and so do other readers.

The cookies are baking in my oven, this very minute, and I'm ready to put your name on them, but you need to enter if you want to win. To see smiling faces of past cookie winners and to enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/3147

To read a sample from Muffins and Mayhem go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com:80/content/start-reading

From my Pie Bird Email Bag:

"Suzanne, I just had to laugh when I saw the pie bird column on Tuesday. We watch a lot of Food Network and my husband saw a show with Alton Brown about the best apple pie ever last Thanksgiving. Since then, my husband has been searching out a few of the crazy ingredients, including Grains of Paradise instead of cinnamon and tapioca flour. It also requires a pie bird. I knew what they were and have seen them on and off for years, but we don't have one. We asked everyone we knew if we could borrow one, but most people looked at us like we had two heads! They had never heard of these!!

We finally found one, as well as all the other key ingredients. My birthday is in October and I LOVE pie! So, I told him he has some time to practice (YUM) so that we'll have a perfect pie for my big day. We haven't had time to try yet, but soon.

Your pie bird is a lot cuter than the generic looking one we did find, so it would look great on our pie--but your column really brought a smile to my face! Thanks for remembering some of the 'older' traditions!--Joan

Enter this week's Pie Bird giveaway and see photos, too. Go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/2006

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

Want to have some fun? Be sure to visit AUTHORBUZZ today. Every author is giving away free copies of their book, win a Starbucks gift card, or a gift basket filled with goodies, and if you help an author name the five new goats now living on her farm, you can win a signed copy of her book. Great books from authors who know how to have fun: Kate Ledger, Remedies; Charles Brokaw, The Lucifer Code; Renee Thompson, The Bridge at Valentine; Brett King, The Radix; and Sarah Pekkanen, The Opposite of Me. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 08-11-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
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'm a short-term collector. (Except for vintage aprons. This girl can never have too many aprons, and if she does, she gives them away to book club readers.) Over the years I've collected cows, bowls, fountain pens, and salt and pepper shakers, but after a while I run out of space, so I keep my favorites and give the rest away.

At the moment, I'm crazy about pie birds. When I was scanning e-Bay for vintage aprons, an antique pie bird was mistakenly listed in the apron category, and instantly I was sold on the cute little bluebird. A pie bird, vent, whistle, funnel or pie chimney (a bird of many names), is a ceramic bird that's plopped down in the middle of a fruit or meat pie, so the steam can escape while the pie is baking. Older ovens were notorious for uneven heating and a pie bird helped prevent a boil-over.

I don't use the pie birds to solve baking problems, I just think they're adorable and I have three pie birds to give away to readers today. If you're not a pie baker and you need inspiration, or if you're looking for a pie crust recipe that will make you look like a pro, you'll find both in Chapter 8 of my book, Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life. Chapter 8 was inspired by Amy, a 96-year-old-woman, who taught me how to make a pie crust, but also taught me a life lesson. It's a sweet story that will make you laugh, cry and wanna bake a pie.

To enter today's pie bird giveaway, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/2006

BookReport:

Don't be shy about asking for a signed bookplate for your copy of my book, or if you're giving Muffins and Mayhem as a gift. Go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/content/special-offers

"Suzanne, the bookplate is for my own copy. After all, I do consider myself your number one Canadian fan! I wasn't going to ask for a bookplate because I figured you already had thousands upon thousands of requests, and didn't want to add to your long list. However, ever since I've read the book, and it's been proudly sitting up on my mantel for all to see, I keep thinking: 'Hmm...it WOULD be really nice to have a bookplate from Suzanne.' So, here I am now adding myself to your thousands of thousands. Thank you very much, I just love ya to pieces!"--Louise

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

 

Dear Reader Column 08-10-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
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,

My mom and dad didn't share stories from their growing up years, and unfortunately I never thought to ask. So the other day when my father-in-law and I were sitting together--waiting (for something or other) I took the opportunity to find out more about him. "Francis, what did your parents do for a living when you were growing up?"

I think Francis was tickled that I asked, and I'm so glad I did because he told me the sweetest story. Francis said he grew up in the depression and to help put food on the table his mother taught piano--50 cents a lesson. He wasn't ever able to master the piano, so his parents encouraged him to play the violin. "But I never caught on to that, either," Francis said.

Almost every household owned a sewing machine and since Francis' father was an expert at repairing them, he maintained a regular route visiting numerous homes during the day. When the depression was in full bloom, his dad would still get paid, but it might be in the form of a chicken or vegetables from his customer's garden. Frequently Francis got to ride along with his dad and this special memory has stayed with him.

"I remember one day when my father and I were out on his route and we stopped by the side of the road to have lunch. Dad made a fire because we were going to cook up something he'd brought along for lunch, but then he spotted some corn in a nearby field. It wasn't sweet corn; it was field corn. But when field corn is young it's still tender and sweet tasting. I don't ever recall my father taking anything that didn't belong to him, but I think the corn was just too tempting. Dad only took two ears, and we boiled the corn over the fire for lunch. It tasted so good."

Writing my book Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life allowed me to remember and record stories--the recipes from my life--for not only readers, but my children and grandchildren, too. You don't have to be a writer to assemble recipes from your life. Visit my website: www.MuffinsandMayhem.com and create your own Cookbook of Memories. You can even email members of your family and invite them to submit stories and recipes for your Cookbook of Memories, too.

Have fun and thanks for reading my book, Muffins and Mayhem and for reading with me everyday at the book clubs. It's so good to read with friends.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

SHOUTOUT: He's written 25 crime fiction novels, won awards--too many to mention--written adventure books for young adults, his post-college decade was spent on the road with a folk band (playing and writing most of their material), currently in-between writing and appearances he plays bass guitar in the Rock Bottom Remainders band (writers who rock for a good cause). Let me introduce you to best-selling author Ridley Pearson, and his newest book, In Harm's Way, released August 3rd. More info about the book and enter a surprise giveaway, go to: http://tinyurl.com/38plqmy

Dear Reader Column 08-09-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate,
by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

I rented an Earth DVD the other day anticipating beautiful scenes from around the world and close ups of animals in Africa and the Antarctic, but I spent most of two-hours closing my eyes and hitting the NEXT button on the remote. Someone always gets eaten. I realize we all have to eat. Lions and tigers and bears need to dine, (especially by moonlight when the main course can't see you coming) and what is it that I think I'm doing when I eat a cheeseburger and fries, or when I stuff Tom turkey and pop him--correction...pop "it" into the oven? If I name "it" I can't eat it for dinner. Just where do I think these culinary delights come from? I guess I've never spent much time thinking about my food. Good thing, too, or come next Thanksgiving my family would be sitting down to Tofu turkey.

I'd never make it living on a farm. All of the animals would have names, including their aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas and cousins. Every other year I'd invite their "relatives" from neighboring farms to a family reunion for a vegetarian potluck with chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I pray I don't start talking to my plants, or I'll be doomed to dining on things like: whey protein concentrate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, sorbic acid, apocarotenal and vitamin A Palmitate--tasty ingredients in processed American cheese.

This wasn't the first nature documentary I'd ever watched, so I've been trying to remember how I used to rationalize the "dinner chase." I guess I just chose a side and rooted for the tiger or the gazelle. But this particular tiger I was watching the other day was scouting the herd, looking for a grandma gazelle, who couldn't run as fast as the others, and I think her name was Suzanne, blonde, green eyes, a daily columnist and author, who loves to bake chocolate chip cookies--but since tigers are partial to steak and don't have a sweet tooth, the cookies weren't received as a gift of friendship. The gazelles in the herd started running, but Grandma Gazelle was lagging behind--and "CLICK" that was THE END of all nature documentaries for me. Andy Griffith is more my style. Aunt Bea loves to cook, food brings the family together (everyone stays in one piece), everyone sits down at the table for a huge feast, and no one ever talks about where it came from.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@EmailBookClub.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

Want to have some fun? Be sure to visit AUTHORBUZZ today. Every author is giving away free copies of their book, win a Starbucks gift card, or a gift basket filled with goodies, and if you help an author name the five new goats now living on her farm, you can win a signed copy of her book. Great books from authors who know how to have fun: Kate Ledger, Remedies; Charles Brokaw, The Lucifer Code; Renee Thompson, The Bridge at Valentine; Brett King, The Radix; and Sarah Pekkanen, The Opposite of Me. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 08-06-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate,
by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 year before my grandchildren from Wisconsin come to visit I make a "Things to Do" list. Since my husband and I only get to see the kids once a year, I'm hoping to make their visit a memorable occasion--enough to last until next year. But I realize now, in reviewing everything I scheduled during this year's visit, that I planned too many activities in advance. I wish I had allowed more time for things to happen naturally, because the things I enjoyed doing the most with my grandchildren weren't planned, they just happened.

I remember the afternoon when Bailey, my 15-year-old granddaughter, and I were sitting together in the living room. I took the Tickle Monster book off the shelf, put on the blue, fuzzy tickle mittens and started reading the young children's book aloud. "I may not be right, but I'd venture to say you ought to be tickled ten times a day. So please don't you move, you better stay putsie, my first stop will be your adorable footsie!" I've never seen Bailey laugh so hard. Grandma was tickling with the blue, fuzzy mitts, and Bailey was transformed into a little girl anxiously waiting for the next verse.

I made sure I had a variety of kits on the shelf; things the grandkids might like putting together. When 13-year-old Seth started assembling a rocket I asked if he needed help. "Nope, I think I can do this myself." He was right. Late one evening after a family dinner with Great Grandpa, his aunt, uncle and cousins watching, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...Lift off"--the rocket shot high into the sky. A successful launch! Seth was so proud of his accomplishment.

Three-year-old Paul, our grandson who lives here in Sarasota, rode along when my husband and I took Seth and Bailey to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. One evening when Seth, Bailey, and Grandpa went to see a Blue Man performance, Paul and I stayed behind. Sitting out on the deck of our hotel room watching the giraffes and zebras (the hotel is surrounded by a savannah) Paul whispered, "Grandma, I like the quiet."

"I like the quiet, too, Paul."

"Grandma, do you want to have a tea party?"

Two round coffee mugs became delicate bone china teacups, pretzels were trimmed for tea sandwiches, and the small ice cubes in the hotel's ice bucket magically became sugar cubes. Orange plastic spoons clinked as they brushed against the sides of our teacups. Paul enjoyed moving "tea" from one china cup to another. From his perspective you can never have enough sugar in your tea.

"Do you need some more sugar cubes Grandma?"

Pouring, stirring, watching the animals, and having a tea party with my grandson.

"Yes, Paul, I think I do need more sugar in my tea."

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

*Look through your recipe box over the weekend, pick one of your favorites and then share a memory about food, cooking, dinners with your family, or if you hate to cook write about that--but do it now, because Monday is the deadline for my annual Write a Dear Reader contest. Win an 80-book library. Winning entries will run in my column and at BookTrib. I'm looking forward to reading your entry. For info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/writedr

Warmest regards,

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@EmailBookClub.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

Dear Reader Column 08-05-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 year when Bailey and Seth, our grandchildren from Wisconsin, come to visit I send them home with a photo album filled with vacation pictures, and it's a good thing I followed tradition again this year--because I don't clearly remember much of our vacation.

Looking at the photos it sure looks like I was having a great time, but only the photos know for sure, because I was sick for most of our trip. (I think I even wore the same outfit two days in a row.) Not only was I sick with a horrible cold, my husband came down with the "bug" too. Getting sick at the same time--was a first for us. Thirty-two years ago we made a pact: if one of us gets sick, the other has to wait patiently for their turn. Nevertheless, on the very first day of vacation, even before we picked up Bailey and Seth at the airport, we were wheezing, sneezing, and downing ibuprofen every four hours. But when you only get to see your grandchildren once a year, getting sick isn't an option.

Paul, our 3 ½ year-old grandson, who lives here in Sarasota, traveled with us, and our first vacation stop was in Lakeland, Florida to feed the ducks and swans. Then we were off to the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando. Grandma doesn't "do" Disney (too many crowds for me), but the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a self-contained vacation. It's an African lodge-style resort plunked down in the middle of a 43-acre wildlife preserve. Day and night, 30 different species of animals including, zebra, giraffe, antelope, wildebeest, Guineafowl, and Red River hogs were right alongside the balcony of our hotel room. It's amazing and very relaxing to be able to share space with the animals. A giraffe even slept right outside our balcony one evening.

Two connecting rooms, one for the grandkids, one for my husband and me, a huge pool, a little bit of Africa, storytelling, bead classes, an African drum parade for Paul and Grandma, and a game room for Seth and Bailey, it was a vacation delight--to the best of my foggy recollection. More tomorrow...

If you'd like to look at some vacation photos complete with music, so be sure to turn on your speakers, go to: http://www.screencast.com/t/MDg3NjkzY

*THERE ARE 5 DAYS left to enter the annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. Monday is the deadline. Submit a recipe and a story about food, family, why you love to cook, or how you hate to cook. Win an 80-book library and more. For prizes and guidelines, go to: http://tinyurl.com/writedr

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@EmailBookClub.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Donna Andrews, Stork Raving Mad; Ron Malfi, The Ascent; Shobhan Bantwal, The Unexpected Son; Jeane Westin, His Last Letter: Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester; and Justin Kramon, Finny. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 08-05-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 year when Bailey and Seth, our grandchildren from Wisconsin, come to visit I send them home with a photo album filled with vacation pictures, and it's a good thing I followed tradition again this year--because I don't clearly remember much of our vacation.

Looking at the photos it sure looks like I was having a great time, but only the photos know for sure, because I was sick for most of our trip. (I think I even wore the same outfit two days in a row.) Not only was I sick with a horrible cold, my husband came down with the "bug" too. Getting sick at the same time--was a first for us. Thirty-two years ago we made a pact: if one of us gets sick, the other has to wait patiently for their turn. Nevertheless, on the very first day of vacation, even before we picked up Bailey and Seth at the airport, we were wheezing, sneezing, and downing ibuprofen every four hours. But when you only get to see your grandchildren once a year, getting sick isn't an option.

Paul, our 3 ½ year-old grandson, who lives here in Sarasota, traveled with us, and our first vacation stop was in Lakeland, Florida to feed the ducks and swans. Then we were off to the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando. Grandma doesn't "do" Disney (too many crowds for me), but the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a self-contained vacation. It's an African lodge-style resort plunked down in the middle of a 43-acre wildlife preserve. Day and night, 30 different species of animals including, zebra, giraffe, antelope, wildebeest, Guineafowl, and Red River hogs were right alongside the balcony of our hotel room. It's amazing and very relaxing to be able to share space with the animals. A giraffe even slept right outside our balcony one evening.

Two connecting rooms, one for the grandkids, one for my husband and me, a huge pool, a little bit of Africa, storytelling, bead classes, an African drum parade for Paul and Grandma, and a game room for Seth and Bailey, it was a vacation delight--to the best of my foggy recollection. More tomorrow...

If you'd like to look at some vacation photos complete with music, so be sure to turn on your speakers, go to: http://www.screencast.com/t/MDg3NjkzY

*THERE ARE 5 DAYS left to enter the annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. Monday is the deadline. Submit a recipe and a story about food, family, why you love to cook, or how you hate to cook. Win an 80-book library and more. For prizes and guidelines, go to: http://tinyurl.com/writedr

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@EmailBookClub.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Donna Andrews, Stork Raving Mad; Ron Malfi, The Ascent; Shobhan Bantwal, The Unexpected Son; Jeane Westin, His Last Letter: Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester; and Justin Kramon, Finny. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader