Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 05-31-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

"Read me a story." You're never too old. Sit back, relax and listen to an audio book--my treat! I have five to give away to readers. Be sure to enter, because someone always wins, and it could be you.

Enter-to-win at: http://tinyurl.com/DRbookaday

Recent book winners: Suzanne Gonneville, Susan Starts, Kristin Ems, Barb Hunsberger and Tami Kietzmann.

Guest Columnist, Jeanne Kalogridis is sending a copy of her new book, The Inquisitor's Wife to the following lucky readers: Marilyn Fuller, Linda Dolan, Linda Hitchcock, Jim Kimnach, Jennifer Mattson, Kathy Fannon, Lois Tekavec, Becky Haase and Iris Sachs.

The winners of Guest Columnist Sue Halpern's book A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home are: Betty Billingsley, Elliot Berger, Sandi Visconty, Etta Frain and Arlene Fisk.

And finally, the May Cookie winners are Kathy Spealman, Karen Mayers and Eileen Trupia. (I'm overnighting your cookies to you this coming Monday.)

Have a wonderful weekend.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: THE TROUBLE WITH FATE (Fantasy) by Leigh Evans

What happens when "Mr. Too Pretty For Words" walks into your Starbucks? If you're half-Fae, half-Were, Hedi Peacock, life as you knew it goes poof. Darkly delicious, a tale about the one thing you can never outrun--Karma.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE TROUBLE WITH FATE to read more and to email author Leigh Evans, you'll get a reply.

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free copy of THE NEPTUNE PROJECT, a non-stop middle-grade adventure by Polly Holyoke. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the author, and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-30-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

A Recipe for an Unforgettable BINGO Birthday Party

Serves 15

Prep time: (more than you think it will take, but it's worth it)

Ingredients:

- Yellow tissue pom-poms and lanterns hanging from the ceiling

- Lime green and white polka-dot pom poms on the back of each guest's chair

- An easy menu that looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen--but you didn't

- A festive table setting of yellow and white polka-dot tablecloths; flowers in the center of each table; colorful paper plates and napkins

- Your best silverware

- Pint-size mason jars with petals cut in the lids and a hole in the middle for a yellow/white paper straw (I filled these glasses with ice, water, a slice of lemon and a cherry)

- BINGO cards and prizes

- A chalkboard sign on the door, "What happens at Bingo stays at Bingo"

- Birthday cupcakes made from scratch by my husband and 6-year-old grandson

- Cookies made in the shape of BINGO cards

Directions:

1. Hang decorations a few days in advance so you can enjoy them longer.

2. Blend together: colorful paper plates, napkins, your best silverware, and unique water glasses.

3. Sift place-cards on the tables, so that guests are arranged with thoughtful conversation in mind

4. Mix well: for a BINGO party theme, where every guest goes home with a prize.

5. Add: family and friends excited about celebrating and--they all brought presents!

It was a BINGO birthday party to remember, and there wasn't a dry-eye in the room when Grandpa played guitar and 6-year-old Paul read the birthday poem he wrote for me.

Happy Birthday to a Special Grandma

She can sew
She can console

She can cook
And she can write a book, and she did

She can throw a party
Don't be tardy

She grows lots of flowers
Her green thumb has super powers

She is pretty
and sometimes a bit giddy

Everyone loves her bubble machine
Even butterflies come to see

She feeds Papa, Mama, Barry, Cooper,
Abby and even Newton

She likes to go for walks to see what's in the sea
And we find many strange things, what could they be?

Today she's a year older, a bit wiser and
just that much more special to us

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Don't miss the photos, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/birthday-052913.html

A warm thank you to all of the readers who emailed birthday wishes and left notes on Facebook for me.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: Fun, free books and meet authors. Ask questions, they'll reply and read samples from their books. Visit AuthorBuzz at: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

(Thriller)
PERFORMANCE ANOMALIES by Victor Robert Lee

(Fiction)
SIGHT READING by Daphne Kalotay

(Fiction)
THERE ARE REASONS NOAH PACKED NO CLOTHES by Robert Jacoby

(Fantasy)
THE TROUBLE WITH FATE by Leigh Evans

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-29-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Today's guest author is an after-50 go-getter. A real go-getter! Author Miralee Ferrell began her writing career after she turned 50, and she now has six books in print, and seven more under contract.

"You go girl!"

Blowing on Dandelions is her latest release and will soon be featured at the book clubs. Miralee has 10 copies of Blowing on Dandelions to giveaway to readers. Be sure to say hello. You can email her at: [email protected]

Welcome to the book clubs Miralee Ferrell...

I pondered what to share with you today, trying to come up with something that everyone doesn't already know. It's apparent by the books that I write, that I'm an avid horsewoman, so that was out. I'm not sure how many people would care that we owned and operated a saw mill for 14 years, and I drove equipment, stoked the 110 year-old boiler, or offloaded boards from the planer or big head rig. I could talk about my kids, but that's a subject closer to my heart than my average reader.

What does that leave? I have it now--you might not know that my husband and I owned two cougars, yes--mountain lions--for a number of years. Don't worry, we didn't capture them--in fact, the male (Spunky) was 21 generations in captivity. We got him as a cub from a breeder, and a few months later that breeder called, as he'd rescued a full-grown female (Sierra) from an abusive & neglectful owner. We built huge homes for them--30' x 30' chain link enclosures built around standing trees, with natural dirt for the floor. They had platforms they could jump onto, and underground dens to sleep in, as well as toys to play with.

I spent time with Spunky when he was a cub--taking him to work with me each day in the back of my Subaru wagon, until my husband was able to get the kennels built. I sold newspaper advertising, and sales increased that couple of weeks as clients came outside to see Spunky. As he grew larger and stronger, I was no longer able to handle him without Allen close by, but still loved petting him. Sierra was Allen's project. She didn't like women, and barely tolerated Allen. But he spent hundreds of hours working with her and slowly gained her trust. She had one set of kittens, but was a very nervous mother. Allen was worried when she kept dragging the cubs out of her den and packing them around. He finally calmed her down by crawling head first into her den and talking to her. A few days later, she brought a cub out and laid it gently on his lap, then stretched out beside him, purring.

We moved to Alaska a few years later and had to give the cats to a private game park where they were well cared for, and Sierra bonded with the owner, and we still miss them. It was an awesome experience and one I'm glad I got to share with you!

To see photos of Spunky and Sierra go to: http://www.miraleeferrell.com/bio_photos.html

Also, we're giving away 10 copies of Blowing on Dandelions! If you'd like a chance to win, simply email your name & mailing address to me at [email protected] and thanks so much for your interest. I'd love to hear from you.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: THERE ARE REASONS NOAH PACKED NO CLOTHES (Fiction) by Robert Jacoby

The story of 19-year-old Richard Issych, who wakes to a harsh new reality inside an inpatient unit. Now Richard's journey turns into one of revelations and struggling to find new meanings for redemption, hope, and love.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THERE ARE REASONS NOAH PACKED NO CLOTHES to read more and to email author Robert Jacoby, you'll get a reply.

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free copy of THE NEPTUNE PROJECT, a non-stop middle-grade adventure by Polly Holyoke. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the author, and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-28-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

It's a real pleasure to hear from readers. Thanks for taking the time to write. Reading your emails makes my day. If your email is featured in my column today, email your mailing address and I'll send you a free book.

From my Email Bag:

A recent column about e-readers verses a traditional books generated tons of mail. The original column is at: http://tinyurl.com/DR051713

"I had to chuckle when you asked if boys still walked girls home from school and if so, would they ask to carry the girl's e-reader. I could picture a boy asking the girl and then taking it and running away with it! Boys will be boys. Enjoy reading thru your emails each day and hearing about new books to read. Keep on charming us."--Anne

"For travel and portability you can't beat the reader. It saves me money in luggage fees. But I'd never prefer a reader over a book at any other time. It's similar to the loss of card files in the library. You could flip through and find all sorts of possibilities you didn't know were there. Now, if you don't know what you're looking for you won't find it by chance. The computer files are easy to update, but we lost a real treasure when the card file was retired."--Julianne

"I find this topic fascinating. As a blind person who has recently bought an iPod touch, I appreciate the vast array of eBooks which I can just download and read without having to scan them in. As much as I miss scanning, it is nice to know there are so many worry free eBooks to just enjoy."--Julia

"I love to read and have invested in an Amazon Kindle (and was given a Nook by my mom, who decided she preferred physical books). I thought that I would end up buying fewer books and thus reduce my book expenses (not to mention, my library space). However, I discovered that I use the Kindle and Nook to explore 'new' territory and authors that I would not normally buy and then end up buying copies of the books I love. Reading via an electronic format certainly is a convenient and often times a less expensive experience but it cannot match the rich all-senses experience of reading the actual book; the touch, the smell of paper and ink, the heft of the book all enhance the reading experience for me."
--Kind regards, Kim J.

*And from last Thursday's column:

"Thank you for this today, it was one of those wish I could fix it all for those I love days and nothing went right days....I needed to hear maybe I'm just not supposed to fix it and maybe it will fix itself eventually. My problem is I'm not a patient person and I can get sucked into thinking it's all bad when just a little is bad. But anyway, thank you for reminding me to breathe....Hope you have a great day."--Emily

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: SIGHT READING (Fiction) by Daphne Kalotay

My passion for the arts has led me to the world of professional musicians. Diving into matters of the heart, Sight Reading explores the sources of creativity, the fluidity of marriage, friendship and love--and the secrets we keep, even from ourselves.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SIGHT READING to find out more about the book and the author, Daphne Kalotay. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-27-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

I am enjoying the long holiday weekend with my family. My column will return on Tuesday.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: PERFORMANCE ANOMALIES (Thriller) by Victor Robert Lee

A protagonist to rival the most memorable espionage heroes, Cono is a startling young man of haunting heritage who has been gifted--or cursed--with an accelerated nervous system. Exploiting his strange talents as a freelance spy for dubious organizations, Cono is sucked into maelstrom of betrayal that pits him against a brutal Beijing agent in exotic Kazakhstan.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on PERFORMANCE ANOMALIES to read more and to email author Victor Robert Lee, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-24-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

I've planned a big ta-do for my birthday this year. I'll only be 59 this Saturday, so it's not one of the milestones. But the tragedies that have occurred during the past few months have made me realize I want to take advantage of every opportunity to celebrate joy. I tend to sail right by joyous happenings in my life, acknowledging them and basking in the bliss for a day or two. But further on-down-the-road, when I'm reviewing my life, for some reason it's the tragic memories that are easier for me to access.

Why is that? I don't know for sure, but my theory is when bad things show up in life, I dig in and give them my full attention. Perhaps if I gave that same focused attention to the good stuff, then happy memories would be just as easy to grasp when I'm looking back and remembering "when."

So this Saturday I'm celebrating in a big way. Yellow is the color. "BINGO Birthday Party" is the theme. Tissue pom-poms, and an assortment of paper lanterns appear to be hovering in mid-air over my dining room table this very moment. (Thin fishing line did the trick.) Yellow and white polka dot tablecloths, pint mason jars with petals cut in the lids and a hole in the middle for a yellow and white paper straw, lime green plates, flowers for the tables, BINGO prizes, and instead of a cake, I've asked my husband to bake cupcakes. When it's time to blow out the candles and make a wish, everyone at the party will have their own cupcake with a candle, to make a "remember-what-fun-we-had" wish.

Wish you were here. Wish you could come to the BINGO Birthday Party but instead I'm inviting you to enter my Birthday Book Giveaway. Enter-to-win a new book, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRbookaday

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: SUDDENLY BEAUTIFUL (Fiction) by Boone Brux

The first book in my humorous Modern Goddess Series. Nikki Triano has pined for her boss, billionaire, Toraos Stephanos, for the past six years. Unfortunately he's never shown her anything but professional respect--until he mistakenly drinks a bottle of Ambrosia. Yowza, things heat up when the world of the gods collide with Nikki's organized life! Love, laughs, and a little well-deserved revenge ensue.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SUDDENLY BEAUTIFUL to read more and to email author Boone Brux, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-23-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

In the back of my house, alongside of the steps going out to the patio, there's a little shaded patch of dirt where for years, nothing would grow. I'd experiment with different plants, but it didn't matter what I put in the ground, there was 3-foot bald spot. It was like there was an invisible line. Plant flowers on one side of the line, and they'd take root and flourish. Plant those same flowers on the other side, and they'd die every single time. Finally I got so frustrated with the area that I just ignored it, and didn't try to plant anything there.

But then one day, I noticed a plant starting to grow on the barren side of the line. I didn't know what kind of plant it was, or where it came from, but without any assistance from me, soon it reproduced and filled-in the entire empty space--and it looks like it was meant to be. And now it's put out the Welcome mat. Three other types of plants have made themselves at home, too.

I'm the kind of person who likes to fix a problem right away, and I'm easily frustrated when I can't think of an instant solution. But sitting here, looking at this area where nothing would grow and now it's filled with gorgeous yellow flowers, maybe sometimes I need to just sit back and let things happen naturally. Quit trying to intervene, and let whatever is going to happen, happen. Because I've learned from the plants, sometimes things are just meant to be.

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

Suzanne Beecher 
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: Fun, free books and meet authors. Ask questions, they'll reply and read samples from their books. Visit AuthorBuzz at: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

(Fiction)
SLEEPING IN EDEN by Nicole Baart

(Fiction)
IMPERFECT PAIRINGS by Jackie Townsend

(Fantasy)
SUNDAY GIRL by Kalliope Lee

(Fiction)
SUDDENLY BEAUTIFUL by Boone Brux

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-22-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Author Ingrid Thoft's interest in the PI life and her desire to create a believable PI character led her to the certificate program in private investigation at the University of Washington. Loyalty is Ingrid's first novel, and she is today's guest columnist. Please welcome her to the book club. When you send an email you'll also be entered in the giveaway. Ms. Thoft has five Advanced Reading Copies of her upcoming thriller, Loyalty for readers. Be the first to read her book. Email: [email protected]

Welcome author Ingrid Thoft...

Loyalty takes many forms--from the military directive to "leave no man behind" to Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man." But loyalty also plays a role in our everyday lives, our routines and habits. Only after many years of grocery shopping for my own family did I question my choice to always buy thin spaghetti. Every shopping trip I bypassed the regular, more substantial spaghetti for its thinner cousin. Did I really prefer the delicate strands? No, it turns out. I'm a woman who likes my spaghetti to have a bit more heft, but I'd been raised in a household where thin spaghetti was the norm--the only explanation for my loyalty to one kind over the other.

Blind loyalty to a cause, a person, a preference may not be wise, but loyalty can also equal tradition and creates ties that bind across families and cultures. An apple pie in the Thoft household--most likely any Thoft household across the globe--won't feature a thick syrup and a top crust. It will be Scandinavian in its process and presentation, a recipe and an allegiance that connects me with my family, both near and far. Sticking to a family recipe or pasta preference is harmless, but it can be illuminating to look at your life and think about the allegiances that you maintain, if only because that's the way it's always been.

Some loyalties are practically encoded into our DNA. A few years ago, my husband and I were on the island of Oahu, waiting in a long line for an overdue lunch. A young man stepped in front of us, seemingly oblivious to the hungry diners around him. When he realized his mistake and turned to apologize to us, I saw the bright red "B" emblazoned on his baseball cap. He was sorry; I told him it was no big deal. After all, he wasn't a Yankees' fan! I don't even watch baseball, but 5,000 miles from my birthplace, I shared a point of intersection--a sense of team loyalty--with this young man. It prompted me to view his behavior as mere cluelessness, not rudeness, a context I was happy to accept in light of our shared Red Sox.

My publisher is offering five ARCs of my upcoming thriller, LOYALTY, for giveaway. Please email me at [email protected] and tell me about the loyalties and allegiances in your life that you've questioned and changed. What loyalties are encoded in your DNA? Don't forget to include your US mailing address!

--Ingrid Thoft

Email: [email protected]

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

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: SUNDAY GIRL (Fantasy) by Kalliope Lee

Full moon night in Seoul. Victim of a brutal crime, beautiful, mentally troubled Jang-Mee dissociates from her body and becomes a channel for an ancestral ghost who hints at historical secrets. Seeking the ghost again, Jang-Mee becomes addicted to dangerous situations that bring her to the edge.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SUNDAY GIRL to read more and to email author Kalliope Lee, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-21-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Which do you prefer, a real book with pages you can dog-ear, or an e-reader?

Readers replied.

"I still love reading a book over using a device. I love my Kindle, don't get me wrong, but not for reading a book. There's just something about holding a book in your hands and physically turning each page. I checked with my son, who is as much of a reader as me, and he prefers books, too."--Heidi

"First I want to tell you how much I enjoy the email book club! It gives me great suggestions for good books and your daily messages are always enjoyable. There are times that I am tempted to buy a book just because the paper feels nice and I love interesting book covers and reading all the information on the back and the inside flaps. It just isn't the same with an e-book."--Cheryl J.

"I find reading an e-book easier, because I can increase the size of the type which causes little strain on the eyes. I love the immediate response to downloading a book for free from my library. And when I am extremely tired at night, it feels good to have someone read to me as I listen to an audio book. No I won't give up on books, but I need to stay updated with the times with the new technology."--Diane S.

"Well my Kindle is now my purse, traded after months of attempting to operate, no one could understand that, but hey, I'm 82 years old. Love books and purses so my friend and I exchanged one for the other. Totally happy with no longer having that worry."--Joyce B.

"It's apples or oranges! When reading in bed, or a thick book, or traveling, I prefer the comfort and portability of my device. But in a comfy reading spot at home, there's nothing like glancing at the cover picture as I pick up a book, or flipping back quickly to a favorite part. The book in my hand gives it an identity that is lacking in the device. But the device is so practical in certain conditions. Faithful reader since early 2000's."--Pat D.

"I had favored a book in my hands until my husband and I went to Europe. My Nook is great for traveling, or to pull out of my purse in the doctor's waiting room. So, there is room for both in my life."--Sharon

"Definitely prefer a book! Even the sound of a turning page is pleasurable. I do use a Kindle from time to time (gift from husband), but it's like comparing two dimensions to three: FLAT! My 21-year-old daughter feels the same way and her career is all about technology (digital animator). She actually worries that sometime in her lifetime libraries, as we know them now, will be obsolete or merely 'curiosities.' Thanks for letting me stand on my soapbox for a moment!"--Jacqueline

"I love reading books. I have loved them since my grandmother first took me to the library when I was five and my first books were picture books. I take a book with me everywhere. I have a theory that if I have something interesting to read I don't mind waiting and the time goes faster. I have an electronic reader and I have loaded it with interesting reading material, but there is just something about holding a real book in my hands. I love to turn the pages as I read, and to see how much I have left to read. The electronic reader is handy, and can store a lot of books, but I am still an old fashioned girl with book tucked under my arm."--Anne R.

Real books, or reading on an e-reader, which is your favorite? They both have advantages, but like book club reader Anne, the old-fashioned girl in me wonders: Do boys still walk girls home from school, and if they do?

"Can I carry your e-reader for you?"

It doesn't quite have the same charm.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: IMPERFECT PAIRINGS (Fiction) by Jackie Townsend

Can love cross borders? A woman's love for an Italian leaves her confronting this question. He's Jack in America, but he's Giovanni in Italy; understanding him means understanding his culture. It means losing the foundations of her identity to become entangled in the deep-rooted vines of his family's troubled past.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on IMPERFECT PAIRINGS to find out more about the book and the author, Jackie Townsend. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 05-20-13

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

"Save 75 cents, save 25 cents, save a $1.50 when you buy two." Who wouldn't want to save money on products they're going to buy anyway? Who wouldn't want to clip coupons?

Me.

Yes I want to save money, and it feels good thinking about being a thrifty shopper, but it's agony when I'm in the store and I realize I've left my coupons at home. Or truth-be-told, what really happens: Suzanne, the thrifty shopper, cuts out coupons, but then can't remember where the heck she put them. And the final humiliation, I watch the person checking out in front of me hand the clerk a fist-full of coupons--some of the same ones that are hiding somewhere in my home.

Then there's a new kind of coupon that doesn't require me to cut coupons, instead, they offer a Reward program. "Use our Reward card, or you don't get the sale price on any items, and if you forget to bring your Reward card with you, you're gonna have to work to get your Reward. Now get those fingers moving." Of course I never have my card with me, so I have to enter my phone number on the keypad, push a green button, then push another button to indicate whether or not I want to donate to the charity on the next screen, then hit another button to indicate whether I am using a debit, credit, or stolen card, and yet another question "Do you want cash back?" and finally I push a button acknowledging that I'm agreeing to the amount of purchase that's showing up on the screen. I could choose not to patronize this store, but the competition has a Rewards program, too.

So I've given up on coupons, don't care if I save 25 cents or not, at least I'm saving my sanity.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PURPLE CLOUD by M. P. Shiel. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May2013Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: SLEEPING IN EDEN (Fiction) by Nicole Baart

The lives of a middle-aged doctor and a love-struck young woman intersect across time in Nicole Baart's haunting novel about love, jealousy, and the boundaries between loyalty and truth.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SLEEPING IN EDEN to read more and to email author Nicole Baart, you'll get a reply.