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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,
I'm on my annual vacation, but today I have the pleasure of introducing my friend and author Jessica Keener. Jessica has visited our book club before, readers requested her to stop by again, so I extended the invitation.
Women In Bed, is Jessica's new collection of stories. It releases October 1st, but already it's enjoying early praise. Digital Journal called it "memorable, deep and haunting." Publisher's Weekly says: "She demonstrates a versatile voice and ability to deliver as much exquisite detail as the stories' brevity will allow." And Jessica's debut novel, Night Swim, became a national bestseller.
Email and say hello to Jessica, she writes lovely emails and she will reply, and she's giving away nine copies of Night Swim to book club readers, too. You can reach her at: Jessicakeener1@gmail.com
Take it away, Jessica...
Do you have a hobby?
One of the many things I enjoy about Suzanne's column is her enthusiasm for her hobbies. She has so many of them: baking, bubble-making, sewing, cooking.
It got me thinking about hobbies in general. For a long time, I didn't have one. And then, one day, I realized I did.
Last winter I discovered the camera function on my smart phone. Most of us have smart phones these days and most of us use them as cameras, too. But, I started to use mine in a way that surprised me. On my daily walks around my Boston neighborhood, I began taking pictures of nature--trees, clouds, skies, flowers--as well as architectural details of buildings. After my walk, I'd sit on my living room couch and scroll through my pictures, deleting most of them, except those few that struck me as keepers. I posted my keepers on my blog.
Since then, my camera and I have been going out together on these daily adventures. What will I find today? What flower? What formation of cloud? I'm eager, but at the same time, my picture-taking has encouraged me to slow down. I frequently stop on my walks to observe my surroundings, and take in the sights with a bit more care and thought.
If I forget to take my phone camera with me on my walks, I admit to feeling a bit lost, even lonely. Hobbies have a way of filling something inside us, I think. They offer a different kind of companionship, one that works according to our own unique emotional needs. Some hobbies are communal--book clubs, for instance. Others work well going solo such as reading a book or painting.
Whatever yours is: knitting, wood working, fishing, hiking, bird watching, you can do it in your own good time. You are the boss of your hobby. In our world of rushing and multitasking I'd forgotten how important this kind of activity can be.
But, here's what I really love about hobbies. They don't care if you fail or succeed. Instead, they offer happiness and joy without strings.
So, let me ask you again: Do you have a hobby or one that you secretly wish to pursue? Send me an email and tell me about it: Jessicakeener1@gmail.com. I'll put your name in a hat and will pick nine winners for a free copy of my debut, novel, "Night Swim."
-- Jessica Keener
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
AUTHORBUZZ: THE PARTNER TRACK (Fiction) by Helen Wan
Have you ever felt like an outsider looking in? I have, and that inspired me to write my debut novel about a young Asian American woman poised to become the first female minority partner at a prestigious and powerful law firm. But when an incident at the firm threatens its reputation, Ingrid's "outsider" status is suddenly thrown into sharp relief, and she must decide whether the prestige of partnership is ultimately worth risking the American Dream that is finally within her reach.
Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE PARTNER TRACK to read more and to email author Helen Wan, you'll get a reply.
KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus this week, enter to win a free copy of WHAT'S IN THERE?: ALL ABOUT BEFORE YOU WERE BORN by Robie H. Harris. For a chance to win, say hello to the author, and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz
* This month's Penguin Classics book is MEMOIRS OF A FOX-HUNTING MAN by Siegfried Sassoon. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin book bag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/Sept13Classics
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