Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 07-31-14

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,

Have you? Tell me you have...sent in your entry for this year's 10th Annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. The deadline is Monday, August 4th. For all the contest info, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

You don't have to be a writer to enter, the contest is all about having fun. Tell me a story, here's one of mine...

My 7-year-old grandson, Paul, says he wants to be an artist and a 'sew-er' when he grows up. Grandmas are expected to ooh and aah over their grandchildren's artwork, because that's what Grandma's do. But Paul does have a unique way of expressing himself when he draws. He's truly amazing. A local Sarasota artist, who came to my house to paint the walls and sketch vintage designs in my sewing room, asked about Paul's artwork hanging on canvases. She was quite impressed. (Oh no, I think I'm oohing and aahing.)

Paul does love to draw. My black and white tuxedo cat Barry, was sitting on the counter (which is a no-no, but that's another story) and Paul fixated on Barry, did a rough first sketch and then drew two cats holding hands; one in a tuxedo, the other in a wedding dress and veil, and he titled the drawing: "Wedding."

Yes, my grandson loves to draw and he loves to sew, too. Paul is sewing a quilt right now. I cut the squares for him (7-years-old is too young to use my cutting wheel), but after I hand him the squares, he takes it from there. Paul winds the bobbin, threads the machine, sets the dials, pedal to the floor, and that boy sews on his own. I don't even have to be in the room to supervise him any longer.

But a 7-year-old's attention span needs variety. So the other day on a sewing break, Paul suggested we play a game of "Sorry." I suggested we crank up the volume on the old tune, "Do You Love Me?" and dance. "Do you know how to do the Twist?" I started twisting, then moved on to the Jerk, my arms swinging up and down in front of me. Paul's face was turning crimson red, and he was staring at me like I was nuts. Unfortunately I couldn't persuade Paul to dance. What a disappointment. But then when Paul suggested if he won "Sorry" he would get an ice cream cone as a prize, I saw my opening. "Okay," I told him, "but if I win the game, then you have to do the Twist with me." He agreed.

It was a slow start for Paul. My game pieces were sailing around the board. I was drawing cards in my favor, "Move 12 spaces, move 6 spaces"--great I'm on a slide area, so I get an extra free five spaces. I had moved two of my game pieces all the way around the board, tucked them safely away on my Home square, and Paul still hadn't even got one of his pieces started. My grandson was getting worried. Dancing fear was in his eyes, "Grandma, I think we should play two games to decide who wins."

But I told him no, we agreed on one game, and I assured him that things can change quickly in this game--and they did. Pretty soon, Paul and I were neck-and-neck, racing around the board to get our final game piece "Home." But Grandma WON!

Paul's a good dancer. His face turns bright red, but he's a good dancer.

Now, you tell me a story. Enter the 10th Annual Write a Dear Reader Contest today, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: AuthorBuzz authors are enjoying summer vacation this week, sipping lemonade and developing new story ideas. They will return next week.

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 07-30-14

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,

One, two, three, four, five, six days are left to enter this year's annual Write a Dear Reader Contest! I've started reading the hundreds of entries I've received so far.

All you need to do to enter this year's Dear Reader Contest is tell me a little bit about your life. Share a funny story, or write about a day when you were feeling so lost and sad, you were afraid you'd never stop crying. Write about a life lesson you've learned along the way, or tell a tale that your grandpa told you.

Opening up and sharing a little bit of myself is one of the greatest gifts I feel I can give to someone else, so that's what I try to do every day. Don't miss the opportunity to share a little bit of you. I'm waiting to read your entry.

You'll find all the info, cash prize amounts, guidelines, and last year's winning entries at: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: AuthorBuzz authors are enjoying summer vacation this week, sipping lemonade and developing new story ideas. They will return next week.

 

 

Dear Reader Column 07-29-14

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,

What a treat to introduce today's guest author Tessa Afshar who was voted "New Author of the Year" by the Family Fiction sponsored Reader's Choice Awards 2011 for her novel Pearl in the Sand. Her novel, Harvest of Gold won the 2014 Christy Award for Historical Romance. Tessa was born in Iran to a nominally Muslim family, and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She moved to England where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDiv from Yale University where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School.

Tessa is really looking forward to talking with you. Be sure to send her an email welcoming her to the book club and when you do, you're also entered in a drawing for a copy of In the Field of Grace. She has 10 copies to giveaway. Email Address: tessaafshar@cox.net

Welcome Tessa Afshar...

LESSONS FROM SHERLOCK

The British love their Sherlock Holmes. They love him so much that they have actually built a flat on Baker Street in London that claims to be the home of this fictional character. So it's not such a shock that they would come up with another Sherlock Holmes television production. Sherlock is a contemporary retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective stories. There are cell phones and cabbies and traffic jams and websites in this series. Personally, I can't get enough of it. There are several reasons for this delicious fascination.

As a writer, I see parallels between the techniques used by a popular television series like Sherlock and what makes for a satisfying read in a novel. Although I am comparing two completely different mediums, there are certain overlaps. Writers could pick up a lesson or two from our unstoppable detective that may mean the difference between a fan returning to your work a second time or regretting the time they spent with your work in the first place.

In my novels, it is important for me to develop imperfect characters that still manage to make you like them. Like Sherlock who is emotionally challenged, vain, and arrogant, my characters have plenty of imperfections. But hopefully, like Sherlock, you still manage to develop an affection for them, because unless you have a vested interest in these protagonists within the first few pages, you will put the book down.

The way characters communicate with each other is just as vital in a book as it is on film. Dialogue, while believable, needs to be absorbing. I write historical novels, but I don't see why I should write them with a heavy hand. How can you survive life without humor now or twenty five hundred years ago? I want my readers to laugh. I also want them to be moved to tears at the appropriate times. I wish to create a genuine movement in the heart. As a writer, it is my job to create the illusion of a relationship between my reader and my character. I feel that way about Holmes each week.

At one point in the series Sherlock Holmes comments: What it must be like in your funny little brains; it must be so boring!

The funny little brain of a writer cannot afford to be boring; it's the worst crime to commit as a story-teller. I don't produce internationally successful television programs, but I must still come up with believable plotlines that make the readers care about the outcome.

--Tessa Afshar

Email Address: tessaafshar@cox.net

Enter the 10th Annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. The deadline is approaching quickly. Find out about all the goodies, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: AuthorBuzz authors are enjoying summer vacation this week, sipping lemonade and developing new story ideas. They will return next week.

Dear Reader Column 07-28-14

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,

One of the highlights of summer when I was a kid, was spending time at my grandparent's home. Grandpa Hale was up early every morning, because he delivered gas to the county repair road crews. His delivery route started at 6:00 a.m., and I was thrilled whenever he'd ask me to ride along.

Grandpa Hale was a quiet guy, I guess my grandma said enough for the both of them, but he had a lot of interesting talents and ideas about life. He didn't talk about his views, or his personal take on things too often, instead the old saying, "Actions speak louder than words" described my grandpa to a tee. I got to know and love my grandpa by watching.

Every afternoon when Grandpa got home he'd sit in his dark green recliner. The recliner had a pull down light above it with a long cord, and kind of like doodling, I'd pull it up and down when I was sitting in his chair watching TV. He always told me not to play with the cord, "It might break!" but of course I didn't listen and one day I broke it.

Howdy Doody was grandpa's favorite TV show and every afternoon he got home from work just in time to tune in. Howdy-Doody was labeled PG, a kid's cartoon program, the host, Howdy Doody, entertained kids with tricks and jokes, and in-between his on-air shenanigans there were cartoons. Grandpa LOVED cartoons! Now when you're a kid and it's apparent your grandfather likes cartoons, in fact, he may just be more serious about them than you are, it does cause you to pause and reflect. But once the show started I'd forget all about such nonsense thinking, and we'd just enjoy each others' company.

Grandpa Hale was also a caretaker of the city squirrels that lived in his neighborhood. He built tree platforms for the squirrels, keeping them stocked with dried corn throughout the year. Thinking about it now, I suspect he felt it completed some natural cycle of life, because he was a hunter of squirrels in the wild, too.

What a nice trip down memory lane this morning. I hope you enjoyed my story and have yourself a Howdy-Doody Monday, and if you haven't entered this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest--come on--I'm waiting to read your entry. It's a writing contest for fun. No need to call yourself a writer. Everyone has a story to tell, a memory, a hope, a dream that came true. Tell me yours. For all the info about the contest, including the cash prizes (Deadline, August 4th), go to: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: AuthorBuzz authors are enjoying summer vacation this week, sipping lemonade and developing new story ideas. They will return next week.

 

Dear Reader Column 07-25-14

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 yesterday's column I began sharing some favorite summertime memories and ran out of room. The column is continued below. If you missed Thursday's column, you can find it here: http://dearreader.typepad.com/dear/2014/07/dear-reader-column-07-24-14.html

Enter the 10th Annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. Cash prizes and the three winning columns will run in place of mine in all the book clubs! For all the information and to read last year's winning entries, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

continued from Thursday...

When I was a kid I spent two weeks of summer vacation at a Girl Scout Camp, where one of the "Always Be Prepared!" skills I learned was how to dispose of cooked prunes when no one was looking. Every morning a huge bowl of warm, cooked prunes was part of the breakfast fare. Thinking about it now--come on--how many kids did they really think were going to be excited about eating cooked prunes? Maybe the camp cook got a real deal on prunes he couldn't pass up? I understand what they were trying to accomplish, but there must have been something else better tasting that would have kept 160 campers "regular" while they were away from home.

Skill sets were presented each day and I volunteered to demonstrate the proper way to use an axe when cutting wood. I was trying to earn a Safety Badge, and in order to get it, the final requirement was to do a demonstration in front of a group of fellow campers. I was a motivated kid, I wanted that Safety Badge. The front of my sash and half of the back side of it was already filled with badges, and I knew exactly where I was going to sew this one on, too.

I could tell I was impressing the camp counselor with my demonstration, she was smiling and nodding her head at me in encouragement. And I'm sure that she would have given me my badge, if I hadn't miscalculated one of the swings of the axe. Instead of splitting the wood, I split my left leg open alongside of my knee. (You can still see a small scar there and unfortunately, it's the only "badge" I earned on that particular day.) That axe was good and sharp because I had also demonstrated how to sharpen it before I started my demonstration.

My leg required stitches, so the nurse took me to see a doctor in a nearby town. The trip was one of those good news/bad news things. The good news was the nurse bought me an ice cream cone and a box of candy before we went back to camp. The bad news was the local doctor thought the best way to clean out my cut, before he stitched me up was to pour alcohol on it.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: Meet authors, win free books and more at this week's Authorbuzz. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

 

 

Dear Reader Column 07-24-14

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,

Seth has been counting down the days until he gets to visit his grandparents. My husband and I are the grandparents, and Seth is our 17-year-old soon to be senior in high school grandchild, who is flying into Sarasota today for a nine-day visit. I'm feeling kind of special that a teenager still feels visiting his grandparents is cool, and that he says it's going to be the highlight of his summer. My husband has a small sailboat and he's planning on teaching Seth how to sail and I'll be cooking and shopping with Seth--carrying on the tradition of sending him home with two new pair of tennis shoes.

Seth loves to fish and so do James and Paul, our other two much younger grandsons, who live here in Sarasota. So I'm sure we'll be doing a lot of catch-and-release from the seawall at the end of our block.

When I was a kid the first thing I'd do after school got out for summer vacation was head to the store for some new summer clothes, and pajamas were at the top of the list--at least three pair. Frequently the neighborhood kids (the girls anyway) would have an outdoor pajama party. It wasn't planned, but when the sun started to go down, we just seemed to end up on the front stoop of one of our houses, all decked out in our new pj's.

The conversation usually included a stimulating kid debate of the Catholic religion verses the Protestant (we'd repeat things that we heard our parents saying). We were passionate about our (parents') views, and strong debaters, but I don't remember anyone ever converting. Then we'd move on to formulating Friday night plans, checking to see if our Catholic friends would be allowed to go to the movies. Every week the priest would give the local theater owner a note--thumbs up or down--on whether his flock could see the movie that week, and the note was always posted on the front of the ticket window. After our weekend plans were confirmed, we'd move on to a game of hide n' seek.

I always had a Monday through Friday baby-sitting job during the summer (had to raise money for fall school clothes), and when the kids were down for naps, I'd sit out in the sun drinking Diet-Rite Cola and squeezing the juice from a fresh lemon over my hair, about every 15 minutes. It was supposed to lighten my dark brown hair. (Obviously it worked, today I'm a blonde!)

Two weeks of the summer I spent at Girl Scout Camp...you know I'm getting a little wordy today. I think I better continue my walk down memory lane tomorrow....talk to you then...

If you haven't entered this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest, you have 12 days left to enter. It's a writing-for-fun contest, so you can't go wrong. No experience necessary. You'll find all the info, including the cash prize amounts (cash for summer clothes shopping) go to: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these titles deserve your attention:

(Fantasy)
POISON PROMISE by Jennifer Estep

(Fantasy)
THE SHADOW PRINCE by Stacey O'Neale

(Fiction)
AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

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

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 07-23-14

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 Paul Doiron is the author of the award-winning Mike Bowditch series of crime novels, including the newly released The Bone Orchard. Before leaving his full-time job to write books, he was the editor in chief of Down East: The Magazine of Maine for eight years, and he has also worked as a fly-fishing guide in the North Woods, which he describes as his "favorite place in the world." He lives in a village on the coast that bears a resemblance to Cabot Cove--except with fewer dead bodies and more convincing Maine accents.

Enjoy Paul's guest column and then be sure to drop him an email and enter his book giveaway.

Take it away, Paul...

I am writing today, as I often do, in the least ergonomic position possible. There is a cat in my lap. I have a wooden board that I place on the arms on my armchair and on which I set my MacBook Air. You would think a lap desk would be a formidable obstacle, but anyone who shares a house with cats knows that they will not be persuaded from pursuing warmth and pleasure. Somehow my tabby Rooney has wormed herself under it. She is snoring lightly: all ten pounds of her resting on my thighs.

I write novels of suspense set in the Maine North Woods, and by all rights I should own a gun dog--a German short-haired pointer or a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Instead I own a cat. I was raised with dogs and always saw myself as a "dog person," but that was before I met my future wife who introduced me to a barely domesticated calico named Emma. I still bear the claw marks of that vicious little creature who saw me as an invader in her house and a competitor for her "mother's" affections. Over time we made peace and, in her later years, Emma became my first real writing companion.

Rooney came to us as a stray, and she is as trusting as Emma was ornery. She also took a liking to my lap, and now I barely notice her when I am writing, reading, or watching an episode of Justified on TV. Initially, I felt a reluctance to admit that I had become a cat person in my middle age. The New York Times, after all, has described me as a writer of "manly mysteries," so I have a certain reputation to live up to. It feels like I should own a wolfhound or a pit bull, some breed that is supposed to project true machismo.

On the other hand, I have been reminded recently of Ernest Hemingway's deep affection for cats. He owned something like fifty-two at his farm in Cuba, and the descendants of his polydactyl cats have become national treasures at his former house in Key West. If a man as manly as Papa Hemingway could be a cat person, then I can be one too.

And so I am proud to say that I have a cat on my lap. She probably isn't good for my spine, but she is good for my soul. The fictional game warden I write about, Mike Bowditch, is a pretty rugged guy. I've been thinking lately that it's about time I show what a real man he is and give him a cat.

--Paul Doiron

Email Paul and be included in his drawing for one of five copies of The Bone Orchard. Email: paul@pauldoiron.com

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: AZAGOTH (Fiction) by Larissa Ione

I'm often asked how I can write romances set in dark worlds full of violence and monsters. My answer? The human world is also full of violence, darkness, and monsters, but we still find the beauty, love, and laughter in life. When I wrote this story, which is set almost entirely in the underworld realm of the Grim Reaper, I definitely had my work cut out for me! It's dark and gritty, and yet, steamy and romantic. Hope you enjoy!

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on AZAGOTH to read more and to email author Larissa Ione, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 07-22-14

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,

Marlene, a book club reader, asks:

"My writing question to you is, how do you get started writing?

I have set up the perfect place to write with a beautiful view, have all the tools ready, my favorite pens and writing pads, the computer and Roget's Thesaurus at hand, a comfy pillow in the chair to ease the strain of weary bones, a cup of my favorite tea made, dog and kitty treats nearby for the inevitable interruptions. But every time I sit down to write, all the wonderful ideas I've been thinking about for days have somehow become not write-worthy. I've taken how-to classes and read how-to books. I feel over-prepared and under-able to write anything worth reading. So I go clean the kitchen or weed the garden, tasks that I know I'm good at and that give spectacular results with a small investment of time."

--Marlene

Dear Marlene,

Sounds to me like "you're all dressed up with no place to go." I chuckle because I've been there. Years ago I bought a fancy pen, picked out the "just write" notebook, created a romantic writing nook, poured coffee into my favorite mug, twisted up my hair, tucked a glittery pin in it, and finally--I was ready to write. But the moment had passed, so I took a nap instead.

The window dressings in life serve a purpose. They inspire us to dream about what it would feel like to wear that gorgeous skirt on page 23 in the latest designer catalog, or what it would feel like to see our words published in a book. Those dreams keep us pushing forward, but how does a writer get started?

My advice is to forget the window dressings (for now). Grab any pen and pad of paper that's handy, rewrite the paragraph you wrote to me word-for-word about your writing preparations, and after you finishing rewriting the last line, "So I go clean the kitchen or weed the garden, tasks that I know I'm good at and that give spectacular results with a small investment of time," ask yourself why you are good at doing those tasks, then write down your answer and keep on writing. You see, Marlene, you already 'have' started writing--don't stop now.

And when you're finished writing, submit your entry to this year's 10th Annual Write a Dear Reader Contest. Find all the info you need at: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

I can't wait to read your entry.

* Please LIKE DearReader.com on Facebook, I sure do appreciate it. https://www.facebook.com/pages/DearReadercom/291327524280953

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: THE SHADOW PRINCE (Fantasy) by Stacey O'Neale

Before sixteen-year-old Rowan can ascend to the throne, his vengeful mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the fire court by killing the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE SHADOW PRINCE to find out more about the book and the author, Stacey O'Neale. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

 

 

Dear Reader Column 07-21-14

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 60th birthday showed up a couple of months ago. At my age people don't ask how old you are. Yet on this year's birthday and I have the feeling for the rest of this year, when the opportunity allows, I'm going to casually work how old I am, into my conversation. Because I think I need to hear the words, "I'm 60," as frequently as possible so I can settle into the idea.

Sitting on the sofa, in my living room, two days before my 60th birthday, suddenly I was having a little panic attack, 'Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I'm going to be 60!' I couldn't stop repeating it in my mind. (Somebody, somewhere, should make sure every 60 year old receives a calm-me-downer pill as one of their birthday gifts.) 'Panic, panic, I'm 60! Where can I run to get away from it?' Wanting to flee reminded me of when my kids were little and all four of them had head lice at the same time, and of course they passed it on to me. Bugs in my hair and a bug peeking up at me from my hairbrush. I desperately tried to run away from the problem, but wherever I went, the bugs were right there with me--until a couple of good head lice shampoos.

But there's no shampooing away age. And truthfully when I really get down to thinking about it, I wouldn't want to wash away the years and go back to a younger time. Been there, done that, once was enough. Being 60 (see how easy it is to slip that into a conversation?), now I have more freedom to do different things in my life. And I have more life experiences to draw from to help me make good choices about how I want to spend my time.

So today this very moment I'm choosing to stop talking about the fact that I just turned @@...

* Be sure to enter this year's Write a Dear Reader Contest. $600 in cash prizes and you'll have a lot of fun. Get the info: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: POISON PROMISE (Fantasy) by Jennifer Estep

When her friend witnesses a horrific crime, Gin Blanco, the assassin known as the Spider, will do whatever it takes to protect her from a ruthless vampire. You can read more about Gin in this latest book in my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on POISON PROMISE to read more and to email author Jennifer Estep, you'll get a reply.

 

 

Dear Reader Column 07-18-14

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 the writing question most frequently asked by book club readers. Some folks put a different spin on the question, but in my way of looking at it, it all boils down to "How can I get out of the way and let myself write?"

Everyone has to discover their own path. Mine is music, and I realized the other day that I'd been missing the music. How could I forget the most important tool that inspires and allows me to stop feeling self-conscious about every word I write, and just let go?

So I cranked up my current favorite tune, "Home" by Phillip Phillips, listened to it three times while dancing around the living room and finally--I felt ready to write. I don't know for sure if it was the music, or that I was just so exhausted from dancing, but finally I let go and could freely write. Don't be shy, grab your notebook, put on your dancing shoes, turn up the music, get out of the way and soon you'll be writing.

You'll find all of the information: cash prizes, rules, samples from past winners, and the deadline for this year's writing contest at: http://www.dearreader.com/contest2014/index.html

I can't wait to read your entry.

* Congratulations to the winners of Booty Bones, by Guest Columnist Carolyn Haines: Mildred A., Debbie F., Crystal B,. Linda H. and Judy K.

And the lucky winners of Expecting by Guest Columnist Ann Hamilton are: Heidi Z., Joanne H. and Claire B.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book THE BIRD'S NEST by Shirley Jackson. Start reading now and don't forget to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin Totebag: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqB1AFE3FA7A33&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: Meet authors, win free books and more at this week's Authorbuzz. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader