Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 05-15-15

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,

Suzanne is taking a long weekend, so today we are running one of her favorite past columns.

I get myself into some bizarre situations, and yesterday was a doozey. I'd eaten a chicken salad sandwich right before I left for an appointment. Thank heavens I decided to do a vanity check in my rearview mirror, because there was a hunk of chicken salad stuck between my front teeth.

The light changed and I had to flow with the traffic, but my mind was on that chicken salad. It's not as if anyone could see it, but I knew it was there, and I'm the best person to drive myself crazy. And I did. I usually have floss in the glove compartment, but there wasn't any. I checked.

So--being the ingenious troubleshooter that I am--I started taking an inventory. What did I have close at hand that could flush out this piece of chicken salad?

A pearl, chandelier, pierced earring....now that would do the trick. And I just happened to be wearing a pair. I know it's not recommended, but I can drive and do other tasks--like putting on lipstick--so taking off one earring and sticking the end of it between my teeth was an easy assignment. The chicken salad problem was quickly remedied. But now I had a different problem. For the life of me, I couldn't get that earring out from between my teeth.

The traffic was getting heavier. I had to keep both hands on the wheel, and now I was driving down the road with an earring hanging between my front teeth.

I knew I wouldn't be able to do anything about it until I hit the next long red light. The best I could hope for was that the person in the car next to me would be a teenager--with their own piercings--who'd merely think I was starting a new trend.

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 SAD END OF POLICARPO QUARESMA, by Lima Barreto. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin tote bag, just in time for your summer reading! Goto: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqR1AFEF3957A1&c=CLASSICS

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

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-14-15

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 did something yesterday I haven't done for 20 years--I made my own potato salad. Yes, potato salad is for sale in every deli counter, but I've never found any that tastes as good as my mother made when I was a kid. Mom didn't leave her recipe behind for me, but I helped her make it so often I remember all of the ingredients. Making potato salad might seem like a big production, especially hard boiling eggs, but since I discovered a microwave hard boiled egg gizmo, there's really nothing to it. (I'm giving one of the egg cookers away today, be sure to enter the drawing.)

While my peeled potatoes were boiling, the eggs only needed to cook 8 minutes and 30 seconds in the microwave, and they were a cinch to peel. Then I chopped an onion and some celery, mixed the mayonnaise and mustard together, added some seasonings and 30 minutes later, my potato salad was marinating in the refrigerator. Potato salad is at its best the day after it was made.

I think my mother didn't leave a potato salad recipe behind, because she just mixed together a little of this and that. When the potato salad looked "right" it was ready to eat. That's the method I used yesterday, but I measured my this-and-that, so I could share it with you today.

Real Good Potato Salad

6 potatoes, peeled
4 eggs, hard boiled ½ cup chopped onion
1 cup mayonnaise Add yellow mustard to the mayonnaise until it has a light yellow color (I forgot to measure the mustard. I just squirted it around and around, over top of the mayonnaise like a mustard artist)

2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup of chopped celery chunks garlic pepper to taste paprika sprinkled over the top when finished

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and cool slightly. Slice or cut into chunks. Combine, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper together. Add potatoes, celery, onion and eggs, stir gently together. Sprinkle paprika over the top. Chill in refrigerator.

Let me know if you try the potato salad, and be sure to enter my drawing for a microwave egg boiler.

To enter the drawing for your own microwave egg boiler, just like mine, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/giveaway.html

* Congratulations to the recent winners of my Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway: Felice P., Susan I. and William F.

And the lucky winners of The Wood's Edge by Guest Author Lori Benton are: Cyndi W., Sharon B., Beverly D., Lois V. and Jackie S.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

(Fiction)
ADORED: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella by Lexi Blake

(Fiction)
AMISH PROMISES by Leslie Gould

(Thriller)
THE ORGAN BROKER by Stu Strumwasser

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

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE SAD END OF POLICARPO QUARESMA, by Lima Barreto. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin tote bag, just in time for your summer reading! Goto: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqR1AFEF3957A1&c=CLASSICS

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-13-15

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 little things in life that make me smile, and today, author Dan Pope's guest column has me smiling and laughing. Not only is Dan entertaining us today, he's graciously offering a signed, first edition of his new book, Housebreaking. And he'll even inscribe it for you with a drawing of a radish in color--his favorite thing to draw.

Please welcome author Dan Pope to the book club, send him a "hello" email and you'll also be entered in the drawing for a signed first edition of Housebreaking (Please include your shipping address in case you're the winner.)

Email: [email protected]

Welcome Dan Pope...

CORVID

I once rented a house in Iowa City, about a mile from town. It was small house--about 900 square feet, two bedroom upstairs--with a grassy backyard that led to a creek at the rear of the property. I lived alone and worked on the second floor in one of the bedrooms, which looked over the street. I was trying to write a novel. This was about fifteen years ago. In the fall I could hear the marching band from the nearby high school in the distance, practicing their steps.

Each day I would work until about noon, then break for lunch. I wasn't much of a cook, so I usually made waffles. I had a brand new non-stick Belgian waffle iron. I worked on the recipe, trying to perfect it, trying to make the perfect waffle. I used olive oil to grease the iron. I bought organic waffle mix of different varieties--whole wheat, buckwheat, buttermilk. I mixed in various fruits--blueberries turned out to be the best.

As any short-order cook will tell you, the first waffle "goes to the dog." It never turns out right, no matter how long you heat the iron, no matter what you do. Don't ask me why. It's one of the great mysteries of waffle-making. I had no dog and no garbage-disposal, so I got into the practice of opening the back door and flipping the first waffle frisbee-style into the backyard.

The first time I did this, I heard a squawk about a minute later. I looked out the window and saw a crow, flying away with my waffle in its beak.

The next day, the same thing happened. The crow quickly appeared and made off with my waffle.

The creature quickly learned my routine. He would be there in the backyard each afternoon, waiting.

"Hello, crow," I would say. "Here you go."

I would toss the waffle to him, and he would grab it and fly away.

(I'm pretty sure it was the same bird, but who can tell where crows are concerned? Maybe another member of its "murder"--as a group of crows is so delightfully called--made an appearance now and then).

One time, I tossed the waffle directly into the mouth of the crow, without touching the ground, like some kind of circus act.

That's what I remember about living in Iowa City--trying to write my first novel, working in my quiet office in my little house. And at noon, the crow would be waiting in my backyard for its waffle.

--Dan Pope

About the author: Dan Pope graduated from the Iowa Writers Workshop in 2002, which he attended on a Truman Capote fellowship, and where he won the Glenn Schaeffer Award and the John Leggett Prairie Lights Fiction Prize. Also the author of In the Cherry Tree, Pope lives in Connecticut.

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

Have a wonderful day,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE SAD END OF POLICARPO QUARESMA, by Lima Barreto. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin tote bag, just in time for your summer reading! Goto: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqR1AFEF3957A1&c=CLASSICS

AUTHORBUZZ: THE ORGAN BROKER (Thriller) by Stu Strumwasser

For eighteen years Jack has been a "transplant tourism director," sending wealthy Americans to third world countries where they would buy life-saving organs from transplant centers on the take. A crisis of conscience forces Jack to choose between a two million dollar commission--and participating in a murder.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE ORGAN BROKER to read more and to email author Stu Strumwasser, you'll get a reply.

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-12-15

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,

Every other month at the book clubs you can sample a Penguin Classic. Today's link will take you to a sample from The Sad End of Policarpo Quaresma by Lima Barreto. Enjoy the read and be sure to enter-to-win a Penguin Classic tote bag. I love mine. You'll find the Penguin Classic and the tote bag giveaway entry at: http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclassqqxqR1AFEF3957A1&c=CLASSICS

Some days I just want to be grumpy. I know when my editor reads that opening line she's going to want me to change it. She worries about what kind of impression I'm making on readers. But it's the truth. It's shameful. But there are some days when I just want to tell the world to get out of my way. Don't mess with me, 'cause I'm fed up. I'm ready for the fight and losing is not in my vocabulary.

Whenever I get like this it actually feels good to savor that want-to-be-angry, with a touch of sarcasm feeling--at least for a little while. Then I give in, come to my senses and start working on trying to figure out why I'm in this terrible place.

It's not always easy. Sometimes I feel like I'm in the middle of a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle and some prankster is standing on the sidelines smiling, because he's hidden one of the pieces. It's an internal struggle between my wanting to be nice and then justifying why I have the right to be cranky. After all, every weirdo who's out there ended up on my doorstep early this morning. How's a woman supposed to react?

But in the end I realize it's merely a choice. Good mood or bad mood? And I really don't want to spend the rest of the day feeling nasty, so--the choice is simple. There, I'm all better now.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: AMISH PROMISES (Fiction) by Leslie Gould

From the time I first visited Lancaster County in 1987, I've been intrigued with the Amish and in particular their pacifism. My father is a World War II vet. My husband served in Afghanistan. Both would say they're happy their service means the Amish can live out their convictions. And I agree. Yet, I've wondered what would happen if a military family moved next door to an Amish family. How would the children interact? What if romance ensued?

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on AMISH PROMISES to find out more about the book and the author, Leslie Gould. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 05-11-15

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 husband and I play hide-and-seek, he hides the licorice from me and I hide the bubble gum from him. He's a better player though, because he's had more practice. His three brothers were nosy and if he didn't hide things, they'd help themselves. I was an only child so there wasn't anyone to hide anything from.

I thought I'd found the perfect hiding place for his giant tub of Dubble Bubble. I zipped it inside a suitcase in my closet. I was even bragging to him that there was absolutely no way he'd ever find that bubble gum. But later when I went into my bedroom, there was a trail of bubble gum wrappers; it started in the hallway and led right up to the edge of the suitcase. Case closed.

Why do we hide candy from each other? Because we're hard up for entertainment at our house...no seriously, my downfall is licorice, my husband's is bubble gum. Hiding it keeps us honest about how often we indulge.

I used to put the bubble gum in my grandmother's old candy dish on the counter, but every time my husband walked by the dish he'd grab a handful. I think the day we started playing hide-and-seek was when my husband discovered he could get 6 pieces of bubble gum in his mouth at one time.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: ADORED: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella (Fiction) by Lexi Blake

The entire idea of family is foreign to Mitchell Bradford. Laurel Daley is so close to hers she can't imagine life without them. So when one night of passion leads to a very small consequence, sparks fly. What happens when one man realizes it's time to let go of the past and embrace the future--and the family he discovers.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on ADORED to read more and to email author Lexi Blake, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 05-08-15

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 my children were little sometimes I swear they grew four inches overnight. Their pajamas fit just fine when they went to sleep, but when they got out of bed in the morning, it looked like they were wearing "high-water" pants.

Every now and then, even though I'm all grown up, when I wake up in the morning, I feel like I'm wearing high-water pants, too. I haven't grown taller. I've leveled off at 5' 2". My growth spurt is a feeling that something is coming my way, but I have no idea when it will show up, or what it will be. Suddenly, I know for certain something big is going to happen.

At first, it's exciting to think about the possibilities of a big change in my life, but then out of the blue--when you'd think I would be feeling at the top of my game--my self-confidence takes a dip. I get nervous, concerned that possibly I've oversold myself. And all of a sudden the things I do everyday, without thinking--I feel like a beginner. It's nothing people around me notice. But it's no secret to me that my timing's off, because like a mantra, I'm constantly reminding myself, "Suzanne, you know how to do this. You've done it a million times before. You're just thinking about things way too much." And I probably am.

I doubt that a little girl spends any time thinking about the fact that she's grown two inches taller than she was the day before. It's just a little life adjustment. Her mom buys her longer pants, and she just keeps on doing what she does best. Being herself.

Hey, I can do that. And while I'm waiting, in anticipation of something new in my life, I should go shopping for new pants.

* Congratulations to the winners of Reservations for Two by Guest Author Hillary Manton Lodge: Pauline B., Nancy R., Becki M., Debbie S. and Mary W.

And the lucky winners of The Masque of a Murderer by Susanna Calkins are: Julia K., Sharon B. and Nancy R.

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 COLD BURN OF MAGIC by Jennifer Estep; BACKLASH by Sarah Darer Littman; and INVASION OF THE OVERWORLD by Mark Cheverton. For a chance to win, say hello to the authors and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

AUTHORBUZZ: THE SEVEN SISTERS (Fiction) by Lucinda Riley

This is the first of a seven book series based loosely on the mythical stories of the star cluster. All the modern-day sisters have been adopted from around the globe by a mysterious billionaire. When he dies they are left clues to their real heritage. This is Maia's story and follows her journey back to the Bel Epoque of the 1920's, in Rio and Paris. Not only does she discover her past, but in the process, herself too.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE SEVEN SISTERS to read more and to email author Lucinda Riley, you'll get a reply.

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-07-15

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 chair is falling apart. I keep finding pieces of it on the floor by my desk. At least I think those little, black pieces, scattered here and there, belong to my chair. Yet, when I investigate nothing appears to be missing. I admit I really didn't do a thorough search. I kinda, slightly, only bent down a little bit and peeked--I was afraid to look too closely, because it's my favorite place to sit.

Several years ago my husband found a vintage chair for my desk in a second hand store. Beautiful and what a great swivel! (I'm talking about the chair, not my husband, though come to think of it my husband's got a pretty cute swivel, too). A good swivel in a chair is important--swiveling helps me think when I'm writing, especially if I'm stuck.

Normally, when something in the house isn't working, I like to address the problem right away. No sense putting things off, because the situation might get worse--like I might end up on the floor the next time I try to sit down. Yet my husband insists I should try his approach to solving problems. He waits-to-see if the problem will remedy itself, ...BUT he cautions, "While you're waiting, keep a close eye on the situation."

But isn't keeping a close eye on my chair what I've been doing? Now I'm really confused. Pretending my chair isn't falling apart--avoiding the inevitable--this is new territory for me. I don't like my husband's approach, yet while he's sitting in a comfy desk chair, he continues to insist my chair problem will work itself out in time.

Yes, the problem may work itself out in time, but in the meantime--it's time to switch chairs with my husband.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

(Fiction)
THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN by Sarah McCoy

(Fiction)
SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN: Exodus by Cliff Graham

(Mystery)
MING TEA MURDER, Tea Shop Mystery #16 by Laura Childs

(Fiction)
THE SEVEN SISTERS by Lucinda Riley

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

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-06-15

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,

You could be dunking and munching some of my homemade chocolate chip cookies in just a few days. But you have to enter the drawing to win. Every month I bake cookies for readers. Sweet, smooth chocolate chips, they're cookies made with joy. I'm wearing my apron and I'm ready to bake. Today is the last day to enter the drawing. So do it now. Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/form_cookie.html

Maggie and Bubbles: Gems from My Inbox...

"As my husband and I were walking down Decatur Street in New Orleans this weekend, lo and behold, a bubble machine was pumping away from a second story balcony. What a beautiful sight! The first words out of my mouth were,"'That must be just like Suzanne's bubble machine!'"

My husband responded with a puzzled 'Suzanne?' So I was able to share your story about your bubble machine. Well, guess who's getting a bubble machine for Mother's Day? Thanks for making my mornings better."--Charlotte

"Wow, [my question about whether to keep my journals or destroy them before I die] certainly drew a lot of responses. I have been reading the responses you've put in the daily columns, and the website may certainly draw a lot of readers. http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path3-1.html

I think I'll go for a sort of compromise and destroy parts [of my journals] I wouldn't want read, but keep the parts I don't mind sharing. It hasn't been a steady routine. I've done it in spurts and have been away from writing for a while.

Thank you for sharing my e-mail and letting me read all the different perspectives."--Maggie

If you've never entered the Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway, do it right now: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/form_cookie.html

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 COLD BURN OF MAGIC by Jennifer Estep; BACKLASH by Sarah Darer Littman; and INVASION OF THE OVERWORLD by Mark Cheverton. For a chance to win, say hello to the authors and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

AUTHORBUZZ: MING TEA MURDER, Tea Shop Mystery #16 (Mystery) by Laura Childs

I'm thrilled to bring you my latest in my bestselling mystery series. This is a book you can identify with--from my entrepreneurial main character, Theodosia, to the cozy environs of her tea shop. With pacing that moves like a thriller, highly relevant story lines, and a carefully crafted sense of place, many readers tell me that reading a Tea Shop Mystery is like taking a vacation in Charleston. And they're just as enthusiastic about the tea lore and recipes.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on MING TEA MURDER to read more and to email author Laura Childs, you'll get a reply.

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-05-15

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,

Lori Benton, author of The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn and her newest release, The Wood's Edge, was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history.

Today Lori writes about "Encounter on a Logging Road." Don't miss her guest column. Please do send Lori an email, welcoming her to the book club. And when you say hello, you'll automatically be entered in the drawing for one of the five copies of The Wood's Edge. Email Lori at: [email protected]

Encounter on a Logging Road

Once upon a time in the 1970s, a girl in the suburbs of Washington DC discovered a book that launched a lifelong fascination with Canis lupus. The girl was me. The book (The Wolf, by Dr. Michael Fox, illustrated by Charles Frace) led to others like it, to countless artistic endeavors centered on wolves, and to dreams of visiting places like Montana, where wolves reportedly still roamed.

Time passed. I married a man with kin in Montana. We visited Yellowstone National Park where I glimpsed (with the aid of high-powered binoculars) a reintroduced wolf pack.

In 1993 we moved to southern Oregon, a wild and scenic but wolf-less place. More time passed--twenty years of exploring our mountains, encountering plenty of impressive wildlife, including one notable incident with a black bear. Then came the day my husband and I stopped on the logging road we were walking to gape at the tall leggy canine that stepped out of the forest to stare back at us. In that moment my mind ran on two tracks.

That is a wolf/There are no wolves in these mountains. I know a wolf when I see one/There are no wolves in these mountains.

The animal vanished back into the forest. We walked on, debating what we'd seen. Wild dog? Strayed pet? Giant coyote? I was sure we'd just seen a wolf.

Later we learned of OR-7, a lone wolf that, in 2011, had made an extraordinary journey from far eastern Oregon to take up residence in the mountains we'd been hiking for years. A mounted camera on the logging road caught a photo of him and then I knew for certain--that was the wolf we'd seen.

I began following news of OR-7, wondering how he'd get along, if he might one day find a mate or give up and move elsewhere. Find her he did, though she caught everyone by surprise, showing up mysterious and Eve-like, a small black wolf who is now the mother of several pups, raised over the previous summer.

Recently another wolf pair has been sighted, not far from OR-7s territory.

Now each time we hike those high-mountain roads and trails I wonder if we'll be graced with another glimpse of a creature that has fascinated me since childhood. Perhaps on one of these hikes I'll hear a distant howl. Even if I never do, that little girl with a passion for wolves, who still resides in me, has been dancing in delight since that startling encounter on the logging road.

--Lori Benton

For a chance to win one of five copies of The Wood's Edge email: [email protected]

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN: Exodus (Fiction) by Cliff Graham

I spent many years seeing men lack interest in what it meant to be a man of God. The Bible, they thought, was boring. I realized no one had written about the gritty battles of the Bible, the epic adventures of the warriors that God used to do great things. This is the first book in a series recounting the life of Caleb from the Old Testament, from his early days as a mercenary in Egypt to the battle for the Promised Land.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN to find out more about the book and the author, Cliff Graham. Send him an email, he'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 05-04-15

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 writing a daily column for 15 years and Maggie's question about whether to keep her journals or destroy them before she dies, has stirred more readers to passionately respond than any other topic. I haven't published my own thoughts, and really don't need to, because the replies from readers have touched on everything I would have said, with one exception.

The only thought I have to add is that when Maggie says, "I'm now nearly 70 years old, should I destroy these things [journals] before I die and my daughter sees them?" Actually it's a decision that doesn't come with age, because we never know how long we'll be here.

Thank you to everyone who shared your thoughts. I've really enjoyed reading your emails.

A few more readers' suggestions for Maggie:

"When I went through my mother's papers, notes, etc., after her death, I kept looking for and wishing for one last letter that had a message of love and words of encouragement to live a full life. I am writing that letter."--Joyce

"I too have journals that if made public could be embarrassing--but if I'm dead I can't be embarrassed. They would give my loved ones a glimpse of my innermost emotions. I do not write hurtful things about others, but I do write about past hurt and regrets inside myself...I will not destroy my journals."--Camille

"You posed a tough question, because we want to be open and honest with our children. But sometimes too much transparency can hurt a relationship...I don't know every detail about my children's lives, and they don't need to know every detail about mine."--Loree S.

"While in grad school I had the opportunity to intern in an archive. Maggie could opt to donate her papers to an archive and ask for them to be sealed for X number of years. That would prevent her daughter and friends from seeing the files while also ensuring the papers could be useful to researchers in the future. One never knows how the papers could be helpful down the line as social history records."--Amy

"Well, I can only say this--my great-grandmother, who lived to be 103, left her journals to me and they have been an amazing treasure. It's really funny how things she was feeling and thinking are the very same thoughts and feelings I have had over the years."--Deborah

"The truth is, if I knew they [my children] would one day read my journal, its content would be edited, and wouldn't this defeat the purpose of a journal? So, you see, by writing this response to you, I have answered the question, at least for myself."--Sharon

"In 1983 I was about to get married and moving out of my parents' home. I kept a diary through my teens and twenties that revealed The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I had a bonfire in the backyard and destroyed the evidence. My family had a good laugh. No Regrets."--Terry

"Maggie's question is also my question. For the very same reason, I do not journal. For now, my journaling is all conversation with myself in my head and also in my prayers."--Tami

"Nope, I don't think for one moment those journals would be helpful now. You've changed and your maturity level/times have, too. Your problems or situations are different. Going backwards in time may confuse the present. Stay on course with the present."--Olga

What's the verdict on your journals Maggie? We're hoping to hear from you.

If you would like to read more responses to Maggie's question, we've posted many of the reader responses at: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path3-1.html

Post your thoughts on Maggie's question on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/DearReadercom/291327524280953

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

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN (Fiction) by Sarah McCoy

I'm thrilled to present my historical-contemporary hybrid novel with a literary mystery twist! Set in West Virginia over 150 years apart, Sarah Brown, the daughter of abolitionist John Brown, and Eden Anderson, a modern-day woman struggling with infertility: two fates woven together when dark secrets are unearthed. History and destiny are interconnected in a riveting story map.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN to read more and to email author Sarah McCoy, you'll get a reply.