Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 08-16-13

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column at: DearReader.com


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

Dear Reader,

Yesterday was a Bubble 911 Emergency for me. Bubbles are a seasonal item in Florida.

Go figure! It's beyond my logic. Yet somewhere, someone in charge of bubble distribution has decided that by August 31st bubble solutions must be removed from store shelves. I guess so they can be replaced with snow shovels?

Since I turn on the electric bubble machine in front of my house four days a week, I use hundreds of bottles of bubbles a year, so buying bubbles is serious shopping for me. Before the end of August I always stock up for winter, but yesterday when I stopped at my usual bubble store, the shelves were bare.

So onward I went. But just a tad nervous now. Perhaps I'd waited too late this year to stock up? The next store I stopped at, it took some looking, but finally tucked away on the lower shelves of an end-cap display were 15 bottles of bubbles. I loaded all of them into my cart. But 15 bottles won't carry me through the cold Florida winter.

My next stop, I grabbed two carts on my way into the store. I figured some positive thinking was in order, and by golly it worked. I walked out of the store with 75 bottles of bubbles. Yes, people stare at you. Yes, by the time you get out of the store you've been asked at least 40 times, "Having a party? Can I come?"

Librarian and book club reader Barb Dudich did have a bubble party at her library.

Barb's bubble story...

"I have enjoyed reading about your bubbles. I enjoyed it so much it inspired me to make bubbles the theme of my end of summer children's program at the library. I titled it Bubble Magic, and researched bubble solutions (who knew there were so many ways to make a bubble solution?) and bubble wands. My husband and I made several different batches from different recipes and tested them all. We even entertained the lady across the alley one evening, as I spied her standing across the fence watching us create giant bubbles. She probably went in the house and called her friends about her wacky middle-age neighbors who are making bubbles in their backyard!

The program was a success. We had 29 children and 15 adults attend. They all tried the different bubble blowing items we had. We utilized everything from fly swatters to strawberry baskets. The favorite by far, was the homemade wand with string that created giant bubbles. We even had each child get into a pool of bubble solution and we put them inside a giant bubble! Everyone had a good time, young and old alike.

I had hoped to have a bubble machine going the entire time as well, but I couldn't find one in this area, and I didn't have enough money in the program budget anyway. I am still on the lookout for one though. I'm sure the kids would like a background of bubbles at our other future outdoor programs as well, don't you? (Wink, wink!)"

Barb Dudich, Westville Public Library

(Suzanne replies:) Barb, I've tried to make my own bubble solution without success. So how about you share your bubble recipe with me, and I'll send you a bubble machine for your library's next Bubble Magic party. Have we got a deal?

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: DEATH BE NOT PROUD (Fiction) by C. F. Dunn

Traveling to America in search of a historic journal, British historian Emma D'Eresby discovers love and a deepening mystery. But what is the connection between a broken tomb in an English church and American surgeon Matthew Lynes? What is he hiding?

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on DEATH BE NOT PROUD to read more and to email author C. F. Dunn, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-15-13

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,

Four weeks ago Sandro, the painter, finished painting my living and dining room walls a warm shade of Palladium Blue, the ceilings Linen White and the original 1926 crown molding and door frames a dusty Cotton White. Freshly painted walls begging to be fancied-up, but I still haven't tacked one single thing back up on the wall.

Until last week I hadn't even put any do-dads back on the shelves, and before I did, I re-assessed each and every item. One at a time, I picked something up, held it in my hand, closed my eyes, and asked myself the standard "shrink" question, "How does it make you feel?"

Even my friend who helps people de-clutter their homes suggests periodically a little "stuff" therapy is in order for a harmonious home and mind. "Only keep things in your home that you really love," she advises her clutter patients.

And I agree. Sometimes love lasts and sometimes it doesn't. That's why I tossed out the old pair of aviator glasses with a broken strap and the lenses falling out. But deciding the fate of other past loves required more deliberation, "How does this thing really make me feel?" Frequently I discovered love was still in the air, so I kept the knick-knack. But then there were times when I could only hope and pray that the lovelorn advice, "If you love something let it go, if it comes back to you, it's yours forever," was just a bunch of hooey. Particularly when I picked up the unattractive bird that used to sit on top of the bookcase--'what was I thinking when I bought this thing? Fly away, please fly away and don't come back.'

Thank heavens love is patient, because my walls are still bare. But the floors--you have to watch your step, they've become my staging area for creative possibilities. It's a crazy mixed-up love fest at my house. I'll keep you posted, with pictures, too.

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)
A SIMPLE CHANGE by Judith Miller

(Thriller)
DEAD RUN by Adam Mansbach

(Thriller)
THE OMEGA PROJECT by Steve Alten

(Fiction)
DEATH BE NOT PROUD by C. F. Dunn

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

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-14-13

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,

When today's guest author Marci Nault isn't absorbed in the world of words and working on her next book, she can be found figure skating, salsa dancing, hiking and wine tasting around her home in California.

In addition to releasing her newest book, The Lake House Marci is the founder of 101dreamscometrue.com, a motivational website that encourages visitors to follow their improbable dreams. Marci is also the owner of Elegantbridaldesigns.com, an online bridal boutique.

Talk about energy. Where does this woman find the time to write? But she does and you'll love her newest title, The Lake House.

Email Marci Nault, welcome her to the book club, (she answers all of her mail) and your email will enter you in a drawing for one of five copies of The Lake House. Send your email to Marci at: [email protected]

Take it away Marci Nault...

I'm so honored and grateful to Dear Reader for asking me to guest post today. I admire what Suzanne has created, for anyone who champions the written word is a hero to those who write them.

Finding Home

I grew up in a small house in New England surrounded by woods. The home had been constructed on a concrete slab and it had more problems than structural qualities, yet for many children in the neighborhood it was the place to gather.

Hot summer nights were spent tucked into a tent in the yard with my girlfriends, our heads outside the door to watch for shooting stars as the fireflies sparkled their magic around us. In the morning my mother made pancakes and we drenched them in my grandfather's homemade maple syrup. Lazy days were spent floating in the cool lake down the street as we dreamt of bigger places and adventures.

In adulthood, I felt confined by my surroundings. I needed to know the world on my own terms, to step out of my comfort to find out who I was without preconceived ideas. I moved to California in my late twenties and for the first five years felt more out of place than right, but I wasn't ready to return. Determined to know the world better, I set out to explore. I've now danced at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, flown a hang glider over the Rocky Mountains, and rafted the biggest rivers of the world. I've kissed men on the banks of the Seine and in the Tuscan hills. I've been welcomed into each culture by locals and felt part of families I'd just met.

I have a beautiful house in California where I can ski in Tahoe or drink wines in Napa Vineyards with close friends. It's a dream life that I'm humbled to experience, but something always feels slightly uncomfortable.

I don't realize how desperate my heart is for that sweet resting place until I fly over New England on my way to Boston. "Home," whispers in my heart as I drive along Storrow Drive flashing past the famous Citgo sign, the city skyline, the Charles River, and Harvard University.

Then I'm home, not to the address of my childhood, but to the house my grandfather built in the fifties. Here the decorations haven't changed: the ugly little pot I made for my grandmother's sixtieth birthday, the old Reader's Digest Hardcovers, and pictures of my nine cousins and their families.

I don't know if it's the place or the sanctuary of familiarity, I just know that though I love exploring the world, it's with my actual family and where I grew up that will always be the home of my heart. And when I write, it's New England, the place I once needed to escape, that calls to me the deepest.

--Marci Nault

Enter the drawing for one of five copies of The Lake House. Send your email to Marci at: [email protected]

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: THE OMEGA PROJECT (Thriller) by Steve Alten

Planet of the Apes meets Castaway is how I describe my new novel, my 12th and favorite thriller. A scientist on a 30-day mission is cryogenically frozen in a habitat submerged beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet and awakens--12 million years later.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE OMEGA PROJECT to read more and to email author Steve Alten, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-13-13

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,

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles! You could win your own bubble machine today.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, little things add up! Like your bubble machine, your cupcakes, your blogs about little things, the way you decorate your house, the cats you take in, the photos you share with us, the two dozen chocolate chip cookies you mail every month (I was a cookie winner got a package and had so much fun sharing them and taking pictures). The aprons you wear, baking cupcakes with your grandsons (I did a lot with my grandson, just because I saw that you did). These are all little things that make our life worth living."--Michel

"I wish I lived in Florida I love bubbles. I always thought of bubbles as being cheerful and when you are down in the dumps just blow bubbles, and it makes you feel better. You know happy, and if I saw your bubbles, you would have made my day brighter."--Andi

"I'm going to have to get a bubble machine! Does it run by battery or electric? I had a bubble gun years ago that I used with children who I visited in my work as a hospice social worker. It brought lots of smiles and laughter. Then at one visit I gave it to a family whose child was close to dying and who could not have afforded to go out and buy one. I never got around to buying another one. Instead I found the big bubble wands and pans at the Dollar Tree. I could afford to use those a few times and then leave them at homes. The bubbles were fun, but they also helped to relieve some apprehension about talking to the social worker. Unfortunately, the only knowledge some people have of social workers is that they take away your children. Bubbles helped us talk about some hard things-death and dying, funeral planning...thanks for the memories"--Judy

(Suzanne replies)I have a heavy duty standard electric bubble machine, but the other day I spotted something new--something the grandkids are sure to love--a bubble cannon. Enter today's giveaway for a Gazillion Bubble Cannon, but if you win, you have to promise to tell me how it works and please send a photo.

To enter and see a photo of the bubble cannon, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/bubble081313.html

The winners of The Cat Sitter's Cradle by Guest Columnist John Clement are: Mari Rusk, Debbie Floyd, Kathy Fletcher, Qin Tang and Luminita Serbanescu.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: DEAD RUN (Thriller) by Adam Mansbach

I'm a fan of exciting, unpredictable, well-plotted stories with mythological underpinnings, I dig books driven by voice and character, and I love novels fueled by prose that's beautiful, muscular, and rhythmic. The thing is, you don't usually get all that in a single book and I don't see any reason you shouldn't. The United States/Mexican border has always fascinated me, as a kind of liminal space in American life, where everything blurs and sharpens at the same time. I knew I wanted to set this supernatural thriller there, in this place where worlds collide.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on DEAD RUN to find out more about the book and the author, Adam Mansbach. Send him an email, he'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 08-12-13

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,

Rose, a book club reader, wanted to know...

"Suzanne,

It's interesting that you think your strength in life comes from your insecurities. That sometimes you feel afraid, lost, like a wanderer. Can you please explain more about other insecurities you have and how they strengthen you."

Thanks, Rose

Dear Rose,

Thanks for asking. Though I have to admit writing my response to you made me feel a bit insecure, which I find amusing. I started thinking if I go on-and-on about feelings of insecurities, people are going to think I'm a walking emotional mess. I'm not. So now that I've put that to rest, let me answer your question.

Not only do I find strength in my insecurities, I'm grateful for them. Because if I didn't experience feelings of fear and insecurity, I wouldn't recognize those feelings in someone else. And that would be very sad. Because when I'm feeling bad, it's not easy to tell someone how I'm feeling. I feel embarrassed to say it out loud. But oh, how I'm wishing someone would see my pain and come to my rescue.

Even little uncomfortable situations that cause me angst, like going to a party where I only know the host, I consider a training ground for when something big comes along. I'm squirming in my party dress if the host is the only person I know at the event. I feel uneasy and out of place, because as I'm looking around the room I see groups of three or four people having conversations. These people seem to know each other, and they move easily from one conversation to the next. But not me. I'm hovering near the hors d'oeuvres table pretending I'm choosing between a chicken salad or egg salad finger sandwich. Whew! A chill runs through me just thinking about it.

Yes, my strength in life comes from my insecurities. It's sort of a circle for me. Feeling insecure can make me feel lost and afraid, but it also gives me the courage to reach out to other people. And I only have that courage, because I've experienced the feeling myself.

Start writing, you have until midnight tonight. For details, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRContest2013

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

Suzanne Beecher 
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: A SIMPLE CHANGE (Fiction) by Judith Miller

In 1881 Jancey Rhoder's affluent lifestyle comes to an abrupt halt when her family decides to return to the Amana Colonies in Iowa. Her journey transforms and changes both her future plans and the idyllic harmony of Middle Amana. And her decisions impact the futures of three young men, an orphaned girl, and the financial future of the village.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on A SIMPLE CHANGE to read more and to email author Judith Miller, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-09-13

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 would be remiss in my duties as a book club coordinator if I didn't make a suggestion today. If you haven't already entered, sit down this weekend, write something, and submit it to this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest. The deadline is this coming Monday, August 12th.

Story after story, people have been sharing a little piece of their heart. Funny, sad, horrifying, or just taking an easy walk down memory lane, after I finish reading a writing entry the three personal notes I read most often are:

"It was very cleansing for me to write about it."

"Whether I win or not, this was a lot of fun."

"Have never entered a writing contest before but you have inspired me!"

Indeed, I hope these comments from readers have inspired you to enter the 9th Annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. The deadline is Monday, so there's still plenty of time.

Guidelines, samples, prizes, you'll find all the details at: http://tinyurl.com/DRContest2013

Get writing.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free copy of MIDNIGHT FROST from teen author Jennifer Estep. For a chance to win, say hello to the author, and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

AUTHORBUZZ: THE SERPENT AND THE PEARL: a novel of the Borgias (Fiction) by Kate Quinn

For the perfect Renaissance-era read: Take a vivacious blonde with floor-length hair, a cynical bodyguard hunting a mysterious killer, and a fiery female cook with a dangerous past. Add a Borgia pope who is head-over-heels in love. Stir, light on fire, and serve: a fun, fast-paced, Renaissance romp.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE SERPENT AND THE PEARL to read more and to email author Kate Quinn, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-08-13

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 columnist, author Anita Higman loves exotic teas, which has inspired her fun giveaway. Enter to win a copy of Ms. Higman's latest book, Winter in Full Bloom, a box of tea and a lovely mug.

A good book, a cup of tea in a brand new mug--sounds relaxing. Be sure to enter.

Thanks for visiting us today Ms. Higman. Take it away...

The Fragrance of Life

by Anita Higman

Stinkbugs.

I got your attention, didn't I? It's because if you've ever encountered the offensive off-gassing from one of those creepy-crawly beasts, you'll never forget it. While growing up on a farm in Oklahoma, I remember many a time in the land down under--our storm cellar--when those bugs would anoint us with their stink bomb. I can never forget it. So, that smell will be forever linked in my mind with storms and cellars and anxious nights.

We humans are like little memory machines, and the events of our lives are infused with powerful sensory details. We file this data away, but many times our memories will be triggered by a scent.

Which is why I love to go to the Macy's perfume counter at the mall. I have a routine, you see. I stroll up to the counter, pick up a bottle of Youth Dew by Estee Lauder and breathe deeply. And then a miracle happens...

I remember my grandmother--Flossie Metzler.

As far as I know, that was the only perfume my grandmother ever used, so when I smell that wonderful scent I can go back into the past for just a few moments. I can recall the pleasant way Grandma used to chat with me. The way she never grew tired of playing round after round of board games with me. The way she always made up an Easter basket for me with lots of my favorite goodies. How she made the best homemade cherry cobbler I've ever eaten. How she made my birthday feel as if it were the most important day in the world. How she could make a summer evening on the outdoor glider--with a sprinkling of fireflies--into a magical moment. But most importantly, I can remember the way my grandmother cherished me and the way I truly loved her. So, I really can get all of those beautiful remembrances out of a bottle of perfume?

Indeed.

What scents are your favorites and what memories are they connected to? I'd love to hear from you and when you send an email you'll be entered in my drawing for a copy of Winter in Bloom, a box of tea and a mug. Visit my website at http://www.anitahigman.com/ and drop me a note by clicking the "Contact Me" button.

--Anita Higman

*There are five days left to enter this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest. For deadlines, guidelines, and to find out about the cash prizes and publication, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRContest2013

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

(Mystery)
HEIRS AND GRACES (A Royal Spyness Mystery) by Rhys Bowen

(Fiction)
THE GHOST BRIDE by Yangsze Choo

(Fiction)
PARIS WAS THE PLACE by Susan Conley

(Fiction)
THE SERPENT AND THE PEARL: a novel of the Borgias by Kate Quinn

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

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-07-13

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,

Lately I've got a one track mind. Like a kid, I want what I want, and I can't think about anything else. "I want to go to a museum and I want to see a dinosaur." I can't explain it. The idea just popped into my head one day, and there's something inside of me that won't feel satisfied until I'm face-to-face with Sue, a massive, huge, gigantic T-Rex, sitting high above the polished marble floor at the Field Museum in Chicago. Sue's 42-feet-long and 12-feet-high skeleton is the largest, most complete and best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. Breathtaking! I can't wait. I only wish I lived near Chicago, so I could sign up to sleep overnight at the museum. Yes siree, you can "Doze with the Dinos." Sleeping overnight in the museum--I would be in heaven.

But I'm thrilled to settle for the next best thing. The initial plan was that my husband and I would fly to Chicago, spend two days at the museum and fly back home. But when I started looking at the Field Museum's website, I realized our two grandsons, Paul (age 6) and James (age 4), would no doubt be as excited as their grandmother was about visiting a dinosaur. So four frequent flyer mile tickets later, we're all heading to Chicago at the end of the month. But I've promised my son and daughter-in-law, that my husband and I won't mention the trip to the boys--at least until the Sunday before, when I've planned a family dinosaur send-off dinner. Dinosaur plates and cups, dinos hanging down from my ceiling and I've ordered Field Museum dinosaur T-shirts.

To rein in my anticipation, just like I used to do with my kids when they were young, I've been marking the days off the calendar. Only twenty-four more days to go. And while I'm counting days, let me remind you there are only six more days until the deadline for this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest. You can write about anything, even dinosaurs!

For contest info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRContest2013

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free copy of MIDNIGHT FROST from teen author Jennifer Estep. For a chance to win, say hello to the author, and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

AUTHORBUZZ: PARIS WAS THE PLACE (Fiction) by Susan Conley

When Willie Pears begins teaching at an immigrant center in Paris, the lines between teaching and mothering blur. Willie's fled to France with her beloved brother Luke, where she falls for Macon, a passionate French lawyer. When Gita, a student at the center, escapes, Willie has to make a choice.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on PARIS WAS THE PLACE to read more and to email author Susan Conley, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 08-06-13

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,

My strength in life comes from my insecurities. Those words remind me that it's okay to be afraid sometimes. It's okay to feel lost, like a wanderer. Eventually I do find my way. It might take me longer than the average Joe, but so far, I've never regretted the journey. Writing is the key to discovering what's really important to me. Writing also helps me find the funny in my life. The more I write, the more I learn about myself, and I think you will, too.

I invite you to enter this year's Write a Dear Reader contest. Yes, writing can be scary. In fact sometimes I can barely breathe when I'm writing, but that's when I know I've found the thing I need to write about.

The deadline for this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest is August 12th. I'm looking forward to reading your words. You'll find guidelines, past winning entries, and more about the $600 in cash prizes, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRContest2013

Take a big breath and start writing.

* I'm ready to bake for you, so enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway. To enter and see past, satisfied winners, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/Cookie-073013.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* Less than one week left to enter this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest. Cash prizes totaling $600. Get the info: http://tinyurl.com/DRContest2013

AUTHORBUZZ: THE GHOST BRIDE (Fiction) by Yangsze Choo

Li Lan, a young Chinese woman, lives in 1890s colonial Malaya with her quietly ruined father, who returns one evening with a proposition--the wealthy Lim family want her to marry their son. The only problem is, he's dead. Night after night, Li Lan is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, with its ghost cities and paper funeral offerings, where she must uncover the Lim family's secrets before she's trapped there forever.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE GHOST BRIDE to find out more about the book and the author, Yangsze Choo. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-05-13

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 been reading entries for the Write a Dear Reader Contest and they've inspired me, made me cry, made me laugh, and made me shake my head in awe, at what great stories folks have submitted so far.

There's one week left to enter the contest. Not only will the winning entries be published at the book clubs and BookTrib.com, the winners will also receive a signed copy of my book, Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes from a Happy (but disorderly) Life and a cash prize. Six hundred dollars in cash prizes are being awarded this year.

What could you write about? Last year's winners wrote about situations and feelings in their everyday lives; a morning walk, a mother with dementia, and watching a daughter grow up.

You don't have to officially be a writer to enter the Write a Dear Reader Contest, because it's a celebration of writing for fun. Everyone has a story to tell. I'm waiting to read yours.

Get inspired, this book club reader is:

"What have you done? I had never entered a writing contest before and now, here I am, submitting my second one to this contest! You've unleashed my inner writer! And it's Fun!"

There's one week left to enter. Guidelines, deadline and to read last year's winning entries, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRContest2013

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: HEIRS AND GRACES (A Royal Spyness Mystery) by Rhys Bowen

Lady Georgie (royal but penniless) is asked to civilize a lad from the Australian outback who has just become heir to a dukedom. No easy task. Neither is finding out who topped the duke. Suspense, romance and a "Downton Abbey" lifestyle create the perfect beach read.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on HEIRS AND GRACES to read more and to email author Rhys Bowen, you'll get a reply.