Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 06-30-15

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,

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says, USA Today bestselling author Wendy Wax, "writes with breezy wit and keen insight," in her new novel A Week at the Lake.

Today author Wendy Wax has written a guest column for us, and she has two copies of her new book waiting to send to book club readers. Other books by Wendy Wax, While We Were Watching Downton Abbey and her Ten Beach Road novels--including the recent The House On Mermaid Point. Wendy lives in Atlanta where she is at work on her next Ten Beach Road novel.

Welcome author Wendy Wax to the book club, and enter her book giveaway. She has two copies of A Week at the Lake for readers. Email: [email protected]

Friendship and Inspiration...

Friendship. It's at the core of my novels, infusing the plot and my characters with meaning I sometimes discover only as I write them. No matter where I begin or what I plan to put on the page, I find that, again and again, it's always there--hiding around the corner, lurking within the laughter, stalking off in anger, offering hugs when the going gets tough.

I guess it's because I keep discovering new heights within my own important friendships, especially when it comes to my women friends. I've learned to never take them for granted. Because these are the relationships that endure, that sustain in times of trouble, adversity and downright grief. And that celebrate the successes, happiness and moments when life is its most wonderful.

My friendship hall of fame is filled with All Stars. It includes the women who mentored and opened doors for me when I worked in radio and television. My critique partners top the list. A group of us banded together as newbies just hoping to be published. Today we're all bestselling authors. Three of us still meet every year for our own writing retreat and trade chapters as we write them, knowing we'll give and receive fresh insights, honest opinions, and unconditional support. We've shed a lot of tears and shared a ton of frustration along the way. We've also cheered each other's successes at the top of our lungs knowing exactly what it took to achieve them. Then there are the women who stood by me during the long years of my mother's decline and shared the pain of her loss. All of these women have been there for me in so many different ways. I'm deeply grateful to have them in my life.

I guess that's why I make sure my characters find those sorts of friendships, whether they're looking for them or not. Why, after assailing them with life changes, obstacles and events out of their control, I help them discover the strength they already own and just haven't recognized. And why I bring them into each others' lives when they need it the most. Then I keep writing and watching as they share laughter, secrets, dreams, and insecurities, waiting to see how and when they'll come to appreciate each other and the strengths and weaknesses that make them who they are.

Like my friends, my characters' journeys inspire me and lift me up. With each new novel I sit back, fingers crossed, hoping they'll do the same for each reader whose path they cross.

--Wendy Wax
Email: [email protected]

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: A PARIS APARTMENT (Fiction) by Michelle Gable

When April's boss tells her about the discoveries in a decrepit Parisian apartment, the Sotheby's furniture expert doesn't hear the words "dust" or "rats" or "shuttered for seventy years." She hears escape. With the help of a salty Parisian solicitor and a deceased courtesan's private documents, April tries to uncover the secrets buried in the apartment, as well as those hidden in her own life.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on A PARIS APARTMENT to find out more about the book and the author, Michelle Gable. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 06-29-15

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 never know what day it is anymore. I'm on deadline every day, but it's not for the day I'm on. See how confusing things can get?

I'm supposed to write my column at least two days before it's published at the book clubs, so it can get all tidied up and loaded into a software program, in time to show up in your email. So on Monday I'm writing Wednesday, on Wednesday I'm writing Friday, on Friday I'm already into next week. Sometimes things get even more confusing if I'm going on a business trip and I have to write further ahead. Then I'm not in this week, or next week, but in the week after that.

And that's probably why I showed up for a doctor's appointment, two weeks early. When the receptionist asked me what day my appointment was supposed to be on, I told her, "Today, Tuesday."

"No, it's Tuesday, two weeks from now," she pointed out, but I insisted that I'd already traveled through those days....

What day is it? When my husband first saw it in the magazine, a clock that doesn't tell time--it only displays the day of the week, he thought it was a stupid idea. Who in their right mind would need such a thing? (And then he thought of me.)

But I'm an old-fashioned kind of girl and I think I've found an old fashioned solution instead. When I was a kid, everybody wore them, "Day of the Week Underwear." Monday through Sunday, each pair came in a different pastel color and the day of the week was decoratively stitched on the outside left-hand corner.

It's perfect. I'll always know for sure what day of the week it is because my underwear goes everywhere I go.

Want to know what day it is? Hang on a second, let me check.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: HOW TO MARRY A ROYAL HIGHLANDER (Fiction) by Vanessa Kelly

I'm thrilled to bring you the fourth book in my bestselling Renegade Royals Series featuring the illegitimate sons of England's royal dukes. The dashing Alasdair Gilbride, military spy and heir to an earldom, is finally returning home to his castle in Scotland after ten years in the army. He'll face family secrets and a murder plot, while wooing the strong-willed Sassenach who has a knack for creating scandal wherever she goes!

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on HOW TO MARRY A ROYAL HIGHLANDER to read more and to email author Vanessa Kelly, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 06-26-15

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,

Today wraps up our Beecher-Family Camp Week. Grandsons, Paul and James, Uncle Jim, my husband Bob and I, all had a great time. No doubt about it. And later this summer we've scheduled a second week of family camp.

Paul and James learned a lot of new things at camp, but Grandma learned a lot, too. I learned that the dinners I create for my family, the little things like setting a fancy table--a tablecloth, folding the napkins, using the good dishes, accenting water glasses with a lemon or lime slice--my family may not say anything about these little things, but they don't go unnoticed. My grandchildren are watching.

Eight-year-old Paul made spaghetti sauce from scratch one evening for dinner. "I'll go outside and cut the oregano and basil from the garden Grandma." And after he mixed tomato sauce and seasonings (he's watched me make spaghetti sauce many times), he announced he was going to set the table. Paul picked out a tablecloth, set down the good plates, a fork, knife, spoon and folded napkin were all placed on the dinner table, styled as if we were eating in a fancy hotel dining room. Water glasses filled, a ceramic tchotchke for a centerpiece.

Day after day, I saw in their actions how much my grandchildren have learned from me. What a good feeling. I am a good grandmother. I try to share a little bit of myself and create memories that will stay with my grandchildren and grown children, all of their lives. I think I'm doing that, and those good feelings will continue to inspire me, especially when I'm thinking I'm just too tired to make the special effort. Is it really all that important? Does anyone really care about the little things? But then I'll remember Beecher-Family Summer Camp, and I'll be reminded that my grandchildren do indeed, notice every single special thing their grandmother does, and they've added those little things to who they are.

I'm a very happy camper! I can't wait until our next Beecher-Family Camp Week. If you missed the photos from camp, go take a look. They'll make you smile. Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/camp-2015.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: BALD, FAT & CRAZY: How I Beat Cancer While Pregnant with One Daughter and Adopting Another (NonFiction) by Stephanie Hosford

Little does Stephanie Hosford know--in a few months, she'll be bald. And huge. What woman wouldn't go a little crazy? After receiving a cancer diagnosis and a positive pregnancy test within days of each other, Stephanie is suddenly fighting for her life, her children--and her sanity.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on BALD, FAT & CRAZY to read more and to email author Stephanie Hosford, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 06-25-15

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 Beecher-Family Camp this week at my house. My husband, my brother-in-law and I have activities planned all week long for our grandsons, Paul (8 years old), and James, who's six. Every summer camp has a camp T-shirt, so of course we designed one, too. Counselors and campers roll out of their bunks every morning, put on the camp T-shirt and start sewing, baking, making guitar stands, wind chimes, rock gardens, waterfalls, bike riding, learning a few dance steps, even writing and playing a camp song. The list of activities is never ending, and since the campers stay overnight, the fun starts early--sometimes too early in the morning for this grandma.

"Grandma can't converse until she's had her coffee." My grandsons know it's a steadfast rule at Grandma's house, so they're peeking around the corner, waiting impatiently to see if I've finished drinking my first cup of caffeine.

It's 7 a.m., the bubble machine is running out in front of our house, and Paul is already in the kitchen measuring ingredients for chocolate chip cookies. He bakes on his own now, so he's started without me. Paul's energy never quits. He was still wide awake at 9 p.m. last evening, sewing long body pillows with leftover pieces of fabric. A fun summer camp for Paul, a fitness test camp for Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Jim. (Can we keep up with Paul and James? I think all three of us lost that challenge the first day of camp.)

When I mentioned our Beecher-Family Camp in last Friday's column, book club reader Heidi D. emailed and asked, "Just one question, what time should we show up for camp?"

Nine a.m. would be ideal Heidi. Dress casual, we'll have a camp shirt waiting for you. (Wouldn't it be fun if someone offered "kids" camp for adults?)

To see photos from Beecher-Family Camp, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/camp-2015.html

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)
DREAM OF YOU: A Wait For You Novella by Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Fiction)
THE BOOK OF SPECULATION by Erika Swyler

(Fiction)
DOLLBABY by Laura Lane McNeal

(NonFiction)
BALD, FAT & CRAZY: How I Beat Cancer While Pregnant with One Daughter and Adopting Another by Stephanie Hosford

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

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 06-24-15

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,

People really do win at the book clubs, but you can't win if you don't enter. And yes, if I suggest that you email a guest author, he or she will reply. Author J. Ryan Stradal (Kitchens of the Great Midwest) was a recent guest columnist and he was amazed at book club reader response.

"Suzanne, I just finished reading and responding to all of the emails [from readers] this afternoon. Thank you again for this opportunity to connect with potential readers. As I've said before, the response to this contest is, to me, a clear testament to the impressive size and quality of your readership. Thank you for being so responsive this week, and you'll hear from me soon with a short list of [book] winners!"--J. Ryan Stradal

The lucky winners of Kitchens of the Great Midwest by guest author J. Ryan Stradal are: Marlys F., Maris S., Jennifer I., Tess C. and June V.

Here's a list of other recent winners. Congratulations to all.

The most recent winners of my Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway are: Elizabeth B., Megan G. and Sherri G. (I'll be baking in a couple of days. I'll send you an email and let you know when the cookies are on the way!)

The winner of a set of 4 cutting mats, just like the ones I use in my kitchen, is Angela G.

And the winners of After We Fall by Guest Columnist Emma Kavanagh are: Martha P., Marian W., Nancy R., Chris B. and Aliza R.

Have you shared your book club email with a reading friend?

Emails from book club readers:

"I have always enjoyed reading, so a friend showed me how to join the book club. It is so fun reading about books and trying to decide to take it out and read it. It is fun to be able to e-mail the author also. Thanks for doing this."--Judy

"I do not know how I found your website, but it is wonderful. I am forwarding it on to the chair of our book club...perhaps she might forward to our members. We meet monthly and review a book."--Leona

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: DOLLBABY (Fiction) by Laura Lane McNeal

Bringing to life the by-gone era of New Orleans in 1964, and featuring a winning young heroine and an unforgettable cast of characters, Dollbaby is a sweeping family saga of Southern eccentricities and secrets. A coming of age tale that weaves together the lives of five women who prove family can be found where you least expect it.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on DOLLBABY to read more and to email author Laura Lane McNeal, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 06-23-15

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,

Sink filled with dishes, laundry baskets overflowing, the linen closet is in disarray? Nicole C. Kear, author of Now I See You, shares her secret in today's guest column about how reading keeps her house clean. Not only does Nicole share her cleaning secrets, if you send her an email and your name is drawn, she will send you one of the secret tools to make housecleaning fun. The cleaning giveaway is at the end of today's guest column.

Welcome author Nicole C. Kear to the book club....

How reading keeps my house clean

Dirty dishes used to be the bane of my existence. Unfortunate, considering I have three young children, so my life is full of dirty dishes. The astonishing speed at which dirty dishes appear in the sink never ceases to amaze me. I've done the math, taking into account the fact that one of my children is too young to even reach the sink, and I've deduced that my family produces one dirty dish every minute. It's magic. Dark magic.

"Don't you care about the environment?" I would moan to my children. "Don't you care about your mother's sanity? Do your religious convictions prohibit you from drinking more than one sip from the same cup of OJ? I don't understand this madness!"

I tried teaching the kids how to load the dishwasher but the result caused me to wonder if they had spatial reasoning issues.

"It's full!" my daughter would crow.

"There's one pot and four cups in here!" I'd protest.

My husband has always been very talented at dishwashing, which I was fond of reminding him in dulcet, incentivizing tones. But though my husband was the default dishwasher, sometimes I'd have no choice but to roll up my sleeves and dig into what I considered a tedious, mind-numbing, Sisyphean task.

Then, one day, I had a revelation that changed everything. I discovered I could listen to audio books while loading the dishwasher.

If you read that last sentence and did not hear choirs of angels singing, try it again. Because it was that kind of epic realization. Suddenly, dishwashing--and housework as a I knew it--changed forever.

I now look forward to the half hour of dishwashing that awaits me in the evening. Because I know that for every dirty dish, I'll get 30 seconds of reading time--more for pots and pans.

For every dirty dish, I'll get to hear what it's like to hike the PCH, or spend a year in the clink. I'll get to hear Jake and Brett have witty repartee that will never blossom into an affair, no matter how many bull fights they attend. I'll get to hear Mrs. Dalloway get ready for her party.

Dishwashing has turned from drudgery to luxury, from something I do for others to something I do for myself.

Dishwashing has turned into a gateway drug. Now, once I've emptied the sink, I find myself heading to the laundry room, headphones securely lodged in my ears.

Our house has never been so clean.

--Nicole C. Kear

Today's giveaway: Nicole has copies of her book, Now I See You waiting to send to readers who want to put fun back into cleaning their houses.

To say hello to Nicole and to enter the giveaway, email: [email protected] (If your name is drawn and you would like an audio version of the book, please mention it in your email and always be sure to include your shipping address, in case you're a winner.)

Background about Nicole K. Kear:

Nicole C. Kear is the author of the memoir Now I See You. Her writing appears in the New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Psychology Today, Parents, and others. She chronicles her continuing mid-adventures in motherhood on her blog, "A Mom Amok." A native of New York, she received a BA from Yale, a MA from Columbia, and a red nose from the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, three children and two feisty goldfish.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]



AUTHORBUZZ: THE BOOK OF SPECULATION (Fiction) by Erika Swyler

Have you ever had a book that changes everything come into your life?

An old book arrives one day in June on the doorstep of librarian Simon Watson. Fragile and water damaged, the book is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the 1700s, who reports strange and magical things--including the drowning death of a circus mermaid. Since then, generations of "mermaids" in Simon's family have drowned--always on July 24, which is only weeks away.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE BOOK OF SPECULATION to find out more about the book and the author, Erika Swyler. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 06-22-15

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 Beecher-Family Summer Camp at our house this week. Bob (my husband), Jim (my brother-in-law), and I have created a family camp week for our grandsons, Paul (8 years old) and James, who is six. Official camp T-shirts, a camp song and a schedule filled with crafts and classes, our camp has it all!

One of my fondest memories of growing up is thinking about the two weeks I spent at Girl Scout Camp every summer, with the exception of the stewed prunes the cook served for breakfast. It was the highlight of summer vacation, and I hope to create the same memories for Paul and James.

I'll be posting camp photos in my column all week long, so be sure to tune it. To see the official Beecher-Family Camp shirt my husband created, and to see a photo of a luscious banana cream pie that will be on the camp dessert menu, including the recipe, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/banana-cream-pie.html

The kids are here, I've got my camp shirt on, wish me luck!

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

Camp Counselor,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: DREAM OF YOU: A Wait For You Novella (Fiction) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I started the #1 New York Times bestselling, Wait for You series in 2013 never expecting that one day I'd be writing about a sexy detective who gets a second chance with the quiet, book-loving girl he went to high school with. In Dream of You, you'll get to see familiar faces, but also meet Abby, a very important character who will close out the Wait for You series in Fire In You.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on DREAM OF YOU to read more and to email author Jennifer L. Armentrout, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 06-19-15

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,

Father's Day is supposed to be a warm and fuzzy holiday. A chance for kids to think about what their dad means to them, and how he's made a difference in their lives. If you have a wonderful relationship with your father, it's an easy holiday. But if you don't, it's a day of grieving for a relationship that you always wished for.

My father and I had a tumultuous relationship at best. Yet I am blessed, because in the end, he gave me a gift I can remember every year on Father's Day.

Endings are important to me. Actually more important than beginnings. No doubt about it, the first day of school, when you 'first' knew it was true love, or the day your son or daughter was born are unforgettable moments. They're imprinted on your mind and in your heart forever. But six years ago it was an ending in my life that made all the difference.

Most of our relationship was spent in a silent battle. In fact, my father hadn't spoken to me for over five years, so when I got the call--"your father's dying," I had to decide; should I go or not?

It would feel like a lie to show up after such a long separation. But if I didn't go and regretted it afterwards--this was the end. I didn't get any second chances.

My father wasn't conscious when I arrived at the hospital. We were alone in his room and I pulled a chair over by the side of his bed and bent down, so I could be close to him. He looked so much older than I'd remembered, but I guess I'd always looked at him through the eyes of a little girl. This was my dad--the person I wanted so desperately to have a relationship with, but now here we were, and it was too late.

I started softly singing "The Old Rugged Cross," because I knew it was dad's favorite hymn. I had no idea if he could hear me, but in the middle of the second verse he woke up, looked at me, and smiled. Then he raised his hand, brushed it against my cheek and with tears in his eyes he said, "I never thought it would come to this. I'm so sorry for everything."

I'd pictured an ending similar to this many times before--my dad wanting to make amends at the last minute--and I was prepared. 'No way, forget it, it's too late,' was what I'd rehearsed, but instead, I took his hand and told him that we both did the best we could, and that I loved him.

My father died the following night.

Beginnings, they usually come about on their own and don't need much assistance, but endings--how it all wraps up--it's a choice, and in the end my dad and I came through mighty fine.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: THE WILD INSIDE (Thriller) by Christine Carbo

Where I come from--the US's northern Continental Divide--anytime anyone mentions a grizzly encounter, all ears tune in. In my new novel of suspense, National Parks Service special agent Ted Systead must go to the last place he wants to be--the stunning, haunting Glacier National Park, where at age fourteen he witnessed his father being killed by a grizzly. Twenty years later, Ted's search for a killer forces him to face the perilous, unforgiving intersection between man and nature.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE WILD INSIDE to read more and to email author Christine Carbo, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 06-18-15

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,

Grease, gravy, a pink butter cream frosting stain, these are all signals of a great cookbook. Are your favorite recipe pages as stained as mine? Look through your cookbooks and share some of your favorite recipes.

When you share one of your recipes, you'll automatically be entered in a drawing for a set of 4 cutting mats, like the ones I use in my kitchen. Enter at: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/giveaway.html

Readers share their favorites...send me yours.

"Good morning, Suzanne. I read your column and had to chuckle. I make notes in my cookbooks, too, just like my mom and grandmother did. My favorite recipes have drips and spots all over them. Makes it a challenge to read them sometimes. I make notes on whether the recipe was good or not, if I made any adjustments or additions, etc. I inherited my grandmother's cookbook and it is something I will always treasure. Her notes have allowed me to (almost) duplicate many of her favorite recipes for my family. As far as my favorite recipe, it would have to be Macaroni Casserole. It is a go to favorite as it doesn't require the macaroni to be precooked, because it cooks as it's baking. It also allows me to use the leftover chicken/turkey from a previous day's meal, which now that I have two teenage boys in the house, is a rarity.

Macaroni Casserole (Yummy & easy)

1 1/2 c. cut up cooked chicken/turkey
1 c. (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. (7 oz) elbow macaroni
1 can (4 oz) mushrooms stems and pieces, undrained
1 jar (2 oz) diced pimientos

Mix all ingredients in ungreased 1 1/2 qt casserole or rectangular baking dish. Cover & bake in 350 degree oven until macaroni is tender, 55-60 min. Makes 5 servings.

(Note: I normally leave out the pimientos as no one in my family likes them. 2 c. macaroni is about 7 oz. macaroni. I usually double this as it's such a favorite.)"--Heidi Z.

"Hello, Suzanne, my friend had been telling me that you and I were twins. We were so alike in so many ways! And she is correct, I love all that you love in life, and do so many of the same things that you do.

When I read your column this morning about the recipe books, I felt compelled to enter a Peanut Butter cookie recipe from a 1950's Parkay booklet. I also have my Grandmother's cookbook (it is an old daily planner with her handwritten recipes), that has notations such as yours.....excellent...tasty...fine! It brought a smile to my face just thinking about it.

As for me, I have sticky notes on pages of my cookbooks with notations of what they are. That way, if I need the Toffee Pecan Shortbread recipe, I can easily find it. Same for the Graveyard Cake for Halloween baking with the grandkids. You get the idea. Of course, all has to accomplished with aprons on, one for each person. When we bake I tell them we are going to throw a little flour around the kitchen!

Thank you for your columns, keep them coming, I love to read with you."--Laura H.

Share a recipe and be entered in the drawing for a set of 4 cutting mats, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/giveaway.html

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)
ONCE UPON A SUMMERTIME by Melody Carlson

(Fiction)
THE LOVERS' TANGO by Mark Rubinstein

(Fiction)
WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

(Thriller)
THE WILD INSIDE by Christine Carbo

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

 

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 06-17-15

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,

Tell me a story. Who doesn't love a great story, and today's guest author, J. Ryan Stradal, delivers.

In today's column, author J. Ryan Stradal tells the story about how Millard Fillmore saved him from being beaten up in grade school. Cute story, you won't want to miss.

Welcome to the book club J. Ryan Stradal. Tell us a story...

I have a story about how Millard Fillmore saved me from being beaten up in grade school.

Yes, Millard Fillmore, the thirteenth president, the Whig, and later Know-Nothing, from Buffalo.

It all started in fourth grade, when Pizza Hut introduced a program called BOOK IT! to my grade school in Hastings, Minnesota. They gave you a button, and once you had five stars on that button for reading five books, you earned a free personal pan pizza. They didn't allow me to count the reference volume on U.S. presidents I'd been reading for fun, but I still filled the button in a week.

The problem was, being the first little book nerd with five stars on a BOOK IT! button was not only a little ostentatious, it also attracted the wrong kind of attention. The big, mean fifth graders, the ones with mullets and Metallica shirts--who, let's be honest, had no truck in the BOOK IT! program--viewed my bedazzled button as a Kick Me sign. They stole my backpack and threw it in the street, and took my hat and tossed it into a tree. They promised much worse was to come.

The heavy-metal-loving bullies who lived between my house and the school had paid me no mind before. This was all the fault of the button. I had to do something about it.

So I covered the BOOK IT! button with a picture of Millard Fillmore.

Perhaps Millard wasn't the most time-tested antibullying measure. My reasoning at the time was that the bullies had a problem with BOOK IT!, not with me.

The next day after school, Millard was put to the test. I was barely off school grounds when the big kids got in my face.

"Who the hell is that?" one of them said, pointing at my refurbished pin.

"Oh him," I said, as if he'd been there all along. "That's Millard Fillmore. He was our thirteenth president. He was pretty cool."

"Oh," they said. None of them had yet formed an opinion about Millard Fillmore. I had their attention.

Therefore, I proposed this: "Unless you can tell me who his vice president was, you have to leave me alone."

"Oh, OK, then," they said. They made a few guesses, like Abraham Lincoln, that at least got the time period right. I let them know when they did well.

Ultimately, though, I had to deliver the kicker. "Fillmore didn't have a vice president."

"All right, whatever," the big kids grumbled, and walked away, back to whatever they did in the three o'clock hour before I started wearing buttons.

It somehow worked. Millard had won.

Although stopping bullies cold with presidential trivia didn't work nearly as well two years later in middle school, at a crucial time, Millard Fillmore did a bang-up job.

And I will always be grateful to him for not having a vice president.

--J. Ryan Stradal

About Today's Guest Author: J. Ryan Stradal is the author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest. Born and raised in Minnesota, he remained in the Midwest to attend Northwestern University before moving to California, where he works as an editor at Unnamed Press and The Nervous Breakdown. His debut novel is the story of an orphaned Midwestern girl with an amazing palate who grows up to become the mysterious chef behind an incredibly popular and extravagant pop-up restaurant. Each chapter focuses on an ingredient and the person who introduced it to her, with all of the ingredients, and some of the people, combining in the final chapter at a moving and cathartic feast in the wilds of South Dakota.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING (Fiction) by Heather Graham

Devin Lyle and Craig Rockwell are back, this time to a haunted castle in Ireland where a banshee may have gone wild--or maybe there's a much more rational explanation--one that involves a disgruntled heir, murder, and mayhem, all with that sexy light touch Heather Graham has turned into her trademark style.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING to read more and to email author Heather Graham, you'll get a reply.