Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 08-31-15

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Dear Reader,

The Write a Dear Reader contest launches two weeks from today, on September 14th. As I know from past experience, inspiration can hit anytime...

Inspiration seems to find me when I'm in the bathtub and that's okay. Soaking and writing, I can handle that. It's the jumping out of the tub part--when I've forgotten to set a notebook and pen on the white wooden bench that sits beside my old clawed bathtub--that drives me crazy. And I could actually injure myself some day.

I'm not sure how or why creativity strikes in the tub, but here's my theory: I like my bath water hot. So hot that I can barely slide into it without feeling a burn. It's a major shock to my system, but maybe it's that stinging jolt that dislodges something creative that's been stuck in my mind. An explosive, water-born idea that has to be addressed immediately.

I jump up--no time to reach for a towel--and run into the other room desperately needing to fill the prescription for my relief. But on the way to locating a pen and paper, it's a perilous course. I have wooden floors in my home--the original ones from 1926--and my wet feet slip and slide across them, keeling over out of control.

I can see it now when the paramedics arrive.

"How did this happen Suzanne?"

Naked, still dripping wet, with a cordless phone in my hand: "Well, I was in the bathtub, inspiration hit me--you know how it is, don't you? The words are right there, so clear in your mind, just beggin' you to write them down. I didn't have any paper and I was running to get some, so I wouldn't forget the idea. Did you know wooden floors are really slippery when your feet are wet? And here I am. Would you hand me a towel?"

* Congratulations to the winners of It's a Seashell Day from Guest Author Dianne Ochiltree: Donna, Nancy and Susan.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: SLAUGHTER (Thriller) by John Lutz

Like the other books in the Frank Quinn series, my new book is calculated to make you want to finish it as fast as possible. The idea is for the reader to experience something like a ride on a roller coaster. It should provide some vicarious thrills and fears, but more than that it should incite the powerful urge to want to stay on for another ride. There is real danger in a roller coaster ride and I hope the readers of my books can feel it.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SLAUGHTER to read more and to email author John Lutz, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-28-15

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Dear Reader,

It's a ritual. Every night before I go to bed, I open the sexy, maroon glass container of micro-sculpting cream, take off my glasses, dip my fingers into the silky lotion-potion, and smooth it on my face in upward strokes. Wrinkle experts insist that massaging the magic cream in upward strokes is important, when you reach a certain age, because gravity pulls everything down--I must be at that age. So dutifully, I do my part to smooth the wrinkles away (I love an assignment, a mission, if you will), but just between you-and-me, all I've seemed to accomplish is to soften up the wrinkles so they don't stay in place as much as they used to.

My husband says he doesn't see any wrinkles (isn't he a sweetheart?), but if one or two wrinkles do happen to show up some time in the future (way in the future), like a run in a nylon stocking, he reminds me, "If you don't point it out to people, Suzanne, no one will notice."

So why do these saggy-baggy wrinkles bother me? After all, they're really well-earned badges of life experience. But the wrinkle experts (most likely the makers of the magic lotion-potion) insist that if I stop my ritual, those well earned badges will multiply quickly. So just in case, every evening I'm lotioned-and-potioned, and (I warn my husband) just a little bit slippery.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free copy of KEEGAN'S POINT by HD Smith; COUNTRIES: MACK'S WORLD OF WONDERS by Mack; and STEWIE BOOM! STARTS SCHOOL by Christine Bronstein. For a chance to win, say hello to the authors and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-27-15

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Dear Reader,

Bzzz, bzzz, bite! If you missed Monday's mosquito dilemma, catch up at: http://dearreader.typepad.com/dear/2015/08/dear-reader-column-08-25-15.html

Readers replied:

"Hi, Suzanne! I just wanted to say hello and to let you know I laughed so hard when I read the end of today's column that I had tears.. That was just so hysterically funny to me. Thanks for the belly laugh!"--Dorine

"Those little buggers love me too. Spreading Skin So Soft from Avon really helps. Get the oil! I also use it on my dog after grooming him. They will definitely leave you alone!"--Phyllis

"For mosquitoes, I think you can repel by put citrus and cloves on yourself ..I grew up in FL and have survived lol--(No name, the mosquitos might want revenge)

"I laughed out loud when your husband discovered he gave you toothpaste by mistake! It reminded me of the time my Dad put cream deodorant in his thick, curly hair because someone put the deodorant in his jar of shampoo by mistake. He was not a happy camper."--Beverly

"Those mosquitoes see me and they think 'the banquet is here.' My husband sits beside me and never gets one bite on him. I have this fantastic patio furniture that I cannot use, because it's outside where the feeders attack. I have been told it was because I used perfume, so I quit. I was told it was because I used scented soap, so I quit. I was told it was because I used scented hair spray, so I quit. I was even told early this year if I took 1,000 mg of garlic tablets twice a day, for two weeks, and then once a day every day, that the families coming to dine would ignore me. I went through an entire bottle of garlic tablets and they still came to dine. I love reading with you and do it inside."--Bonnie

"So sorry to hear about your mosquito problem--you must be warm-blooded--these creatures really go after them and you being so warm-hearted and warm-blooded can't change your constitution! In India, they rub Vicks Vaporub to repel these creatures--wouldn't hurt--it has been a long, hot summer!"--Rowshan

"Suzanne, if you rub raw honey on the bites, it will take the itch out; if that doesn't do it, someone I know swears by rubbing a raw onion on the bites. I got bitten last week and the honey really helped. I didn't have any onions!"--Dorie

"Have you tried using fresh ammonia on your bites? By fresh I mean stuff that still smells strong. It does something to neutralize them and they not only stop itching, but deflate. The trick, however, is to do it before you scratch. Otherwise it really stings. Good luck!--Pam

"Your column had me laughing out loud. Just dab a bit of bleach on those newly formed bites and they almost disappear."--Dee Dee

"I've been known as a picky proof-reader and I think you may be confusing the words itching and scratching--your sentence below where you say,

'I can't stand it and I shouldn't be itching because I followed the rules'--yes, you should be itching, because you were bitten by mosquitoes and that's how they operate--maybe you mean you shouldn't be scratching because you followed the rules? Itching is something the body does to you, and scratching is something you do to your body--love your daily comments."--Mildred

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:

(Fiction)
ADORED by Lexi Blake

(Fantasy)
DRAGON KING: A Dark Kings Novella by Donna Grant

(Thriller)
ONE TO GO by Mike Pace

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

 

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-26-15

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Dear Reader,

Today's guest author, Cara Luecht, released her second novel, Gathered Waters, just a few months ago. Her first novel, Soul Painter was released last year.

While Cara was writing her family history, she was inspired by hope shown by her ancestors. What she wrote made me pause and took my breath away. Be sure to read her column.

Welcome to the book club, Cara...

Writing Family History

My family, like so many others, came to America in search of religious freedom. As Americans, that phrase, that reasoning, that rebellion, is a thought that carries very little weight anymore. We've heard it too many times.

But it is profound in its simplicity.

They left everything they knew, only because they wanted the ability to live as they wanted. They left family, friends, homes, and their lives, and moved to the other side of the earth. And they did it during a time when travel burdens made it nearly impossible to return. It is deeper than that, though. Not only did they leave all the comforts they knew, but also they embraced dangers they couldn't imagine.

For me, at the beginning of my research, I was cheaply impressed with the concept that they gave up so much. I was fascinated with the stories of the bad food and the horrific ship passage. It was only much later, as I dug deeper into the history, where I learned to appreciate that the sacrifices went far beyond giving things up. Their real sacrifice was in embracing the insecurity of hope.

Hope is dangerous. It leads us to risky choices. It disallows mindless contentment. It spurs us on to strive for something better. And the line between the mindset of clinging to hope, and that of dissatisfaction is a fine one, and one that people like to point to whenever someone makes a decision that appears risky to outsiders.

I learned my ancestors, our ancestors, were brave enough to step over that line and do so without apology. They were sure enough in their own convictions to stand in front of opposition and face the rejection by everyone they knew. They had the fortitude to defend their decision to leave as one that was not selfish, not foolish, they not birthed of a dissatisfied nature, but rather born of unapologetic hope, and the assurance that they were masters of their own fate.

This is what I learned, that I do not have to apologize for hope. I can dream big and I do not have to listen to people who think I reach too far. I have the right to hope. The sacrifices our ancestors made paid for that right. They stood in the face of opposition and believed they could do better for their families and through that belief, created a place where the right to hope has become a value, an ethic, a code.

And I will no longer take it for granted. Today, I will do something brave.

--Cara Luecht

Email Cara to say hello and enter her book drawing for one of five copies of Gathered Waters. She'd love to hear from you, cara.luecht@gmail.com

About Cara:
Cara Luecht lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin with her husband, David, and their children. In addition to freelance writing and marketing, Cara works as an English Instructor for a local college. Cara's next novel, Soul's Prisoner, is scheduled to release in December 2015.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: ONE TO GO (Thriller) by Mike Pace

Young lawyer Tom Booker texts while driving across Memorial bridge, loses control and crashes into a minivan containing five children, killing them all. One is his own daughter. A young couple appears and offers him a time "re-wind," allowing him to miss the van and save the children. All he has to do in return is kill a random stranger by a 2 week deadline for each child in a soul exchange. He agrees, all are saved. Two demons? Ridiculous. Obviously an hallucination. The first deadline passes and the van driver dies a horrible death. And the clock's ticking...

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on ONE TO GO to read more and to email author Mike Pace, you'll get a reply.

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free copy of KEEGAN'S POINT by HD Smith; COUNTRIES: MACK'S WORLD OF WONDERS by Mack; and STEWIE BOOM! STARTS SCHOOL by Christine Bronstein. For a chance to win, say hello to the authors and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

Dear Reader Column 08-25-15

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 Dear Reader,

I'm trying my best to write a column, but welts, actually big, pink mosquito bites are bubbling up, especially around my ankles and it's really getting difficult to concentrate on anything except this itching. It's driving me crazy. I can't stand it and I shouldn't be itching, because I followed the rules. Life isn't fair.

I pre-planned and sprayed myself with a bottle of advanced insect repellent before I went outside to pot some flowers. So instead of being a lunch buffet--my legs, an arm, both ankles and even my big toe--the mosquitoes should've been pinching their noses in disgust. "Phew, that woman stinks." Yes, when that hungry swarm of skeeters buzzed near me they should have been repulsed, because the spray is supposed to trick them into thinking that this blood bank is tainted.

Maybe I need to get a refund, because they seem to love the stuff. I swear I saw a swarm of six mosquitoes flying around with straws in their mouths. The buzzing swarm congregated, battle plans were formed, and I heard a loud, humming war chant and they attacked. I'm so tasty, they even came back for seconds--good to the last drop.

Again, I stress life isn't fair, because I didn't buy the cheap stuff. I bought the top of the line, "Guaranteed to repel mosquitoes, chiggers, biting flies, no-see-ums, gnats and fleas." But apparently these mosquitoes, now filled with my fresh, red blood, don't read labels, or they don't believe everything they read.

And apparently I don't either. My husband handed me a tube of Hydrocortisone cream. "Put a layer of this on and the itching will stop." So I followed his advice, layered it on my arms and was spreading it real thick on my legs, topping off my big toe, when my husband ran back into the room. "Wait! Stop! I gave you the wrong tube. That's the special toothpaste the dentist gave me last week."

So--I'm still itching, but at least I smell minty-fresh and my legs are tartar-free.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: DRAGON KING: A Dark Kings Novella (Fantasy) by Donna Grant

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to write a series about dragons. I got that chance with the Dark Kings when my publisher asked me to spin-off my Dark Sword/Dark Warrior world. You'll get to see some familiar faces that have become a part of the series, as well as being introduced to one of the Dragon Kings woken from his sleep--Arian. Remember, follow the magic!

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on DRAGON KING to find out more about the book and the author, Donna Grant. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 08-24-15

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Dear Reader,

A six foot Cat in the Hat, colored flags zigzagging and hanging down from my dining room ceiling, handmade letters of the alphabet posted on the walls, chocolate cupcakes with brand new crayons standing at attention (don't miss the photos), red dessert paper plates dressed up to look like an apple for the teacher on the first day of school, grilled burgers, homemade potato salad, crock pot beans, deviled eggs, and even a special guest, Mrs. Whackamore, attended our family's Back to 'Shocol' Party last weekend.

I never need a reason to bring my family together for a Sunday noon meal, but it's definitely even more fun when I create a theme and the meal becomes a party. My family walks through the door and "Wow!" the decorations and homespun creativity set the stage for another memorable day at Grandma's house.

My husband always helps me decorate, but this time he was the hit of the party--the main event. After a trip to Goodwill and trying on several outfits, he finally fit into a size 20 dress, then he picked out a gaudy looking, green purse (that he filled with new school supplies). Together with the gray wig he'd ordered online, my fuchsia lipstick, and a green "whackamore" ruler, he suddenly appeared after dessert calling out the grandchildren's names, asking them if they were ready for school, and introducing "herself" as their new teacher. It was hilarious!

The story of our Back to 'Shocol' Party is really found in the pictures, so don't miss them. See Mrs. Whackamore, and the other party decorations at:
http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/back-school.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: ADORED (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 flies. ADORED is about what can happen when one man realizes it's time to let go of the past and embrace the future--and the family he suddenly 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 08-21-15

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Dear Reader,

When I first started my writing career the thought of anyone seeing my notes or reading a first draft...I couldn't have imagined such a thing. Even after writing for 20 years, I'm choosy about inviting someone to see something I've written before it's polished. There has to be a lot of trust in order for me to share my "not-cleaned-up" thoughts, because what I'm really allowing someone to do is take a look inside my heart. But at some point, it's a risk that must be taken. Every writer needs to have someone they can get honest feedback from along the way. For certain this writer does and I'm blessed, because I have my very own writing muse.

The dictionary describes a muse this way: '...a source of inspiration, especially a guiding genius.' And I would add, the kind of person I can trust with my heart and soul. When something doesn't work, or even if it's downright horrible, my writing muse hardly even notices. Instead, she finds something good in what I've written and comments on that first, then works her way to bringing up what could be better. When I say, "I can't," my muse gently reminds me, "You can."

Having someone on your side, trusting them with your heart and your words, that's some kind of special person. Today I'd like to introduce you to a special person, my writing muse, Valerie Farman. In addition to being a gifted writing muse, she's a detail person, too. What I forget, Valerie remembers. When I need a nudge or a cheerleader in the stands, Valerie knows the cheers by heart, choosing just the right words to inspire me. (I bet she could still even do a cartwheel!)

Life muses, writing muses, they are gifts; and when they reach out to us, we are truly blessed. Thank you, Valerie.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-20-15

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Dear Reader,

I was lucky to meet today's guest author, Dianne Ochiltree when she stopped by my home a few years back. It was an honor to meet her in person, she's delightful. Enjoy reading her guest column and be sure to enter the giveaway, a signed copy of her newest book, It's a Seashell Day.

Welcome to the book club, Dianne Ochiltree...

Late August always brings childhood goodbye-to-summer memories home to me: helping my grandma bring in basket after basket of late harvest vegetables from her bursting-at-the-seams backyard garden; floating in an old rubber inner tube on Mosquito Lake, after the last Wednesday egg-salad-sandwich-and-grape-Koolaid picnic with my mom and siblings; sitting in the rickety, wooden "grand stand" of a dusty speedway with my grandpa and dad, taking in the thrills and spills of a local demolition derby just one more time before the track was shuttered for the season in September.

Late August brings goodbye-to-summer feelings to mind as well: the excitement of riding the bumpy city bus downtown to buy new school clothes and supplies; the little butterflies of worry about new teachers and new classmates; and a hint of sadness in the air as we all--kids and grownups alike--savored summer's last days of freedom.

Most especially, late August never fails to bring the memory of a hot, angst-filled night during the summer between my 6th grade and 7th grade school years. In less than a week, I was facing huge changes: metal lockers and multiple teachers, strange hallways and unfamiliar classmates--and a gym class for which you had to change into an ugly blue uniform beforehand, in the company of a locker room of other girls. Yikes!

One night when my parents thought I was asleep, I crawled out my bedroom window onto the roof just outside. It was a favorite summertime place to sneak to whenever I needed to be alone to think things through.

The moon shone down through a cloudless night sky. As I looked up into the face that deep and sparkling span of black velvet, I felt very small, as usual. But I was surprised to realize that I did not feel alone! I understood in that moment that even a small piece of the universe--namely, my worried 11-year-old self--was connected to it in a big way. And if the universe could hold great galaxies and tiny planets in place for eons, it could certainly be counted on to hold me my hand through anything junior high school might throw at me. All of a sudden, all my worries seemed small. Even gym class!

Does late August bring you any treasured end-of-the-summer memories? If you'd do, I'd love to hear them. To share, please email me at Dianne@dianneochiltree.com Wishing you late summer days to savor!

--Dianne Ochiltree

If you share an end-of-the-summer memory with Dianne, you'll be entered in a drawing to win a signed copy of her latest book, It's a Seashell Day. It's wonderful! Email and enter at: Dianne@dianneochiltree.com

Dianne Ochiltree, author of the new book, It's a Seashell Day, is a nationally-recognized author of books for young readers. Her picture book, Molly, by Golly! The Legend of Molly Williams, America's First Female Firefighter was included on the ALA's Amelia Bloomer list of exemplary feminist literature for young readers, and received the Florida Book Awards bronze medal in the children's literature category. Her picture book, It's a Firefly Night, was awarded the Florida Book Awards silver medal for children's literature in 2013. She and her family live in sunny Sarasota, Florida.

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:

(Thriller)
PASHTUN by Ron Lealos

(Fiction)
PLAY FOR ME by Celine Keating

(Thriller)
THE RIPPER GENE by Michael Ransom

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

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-19-15

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Dear Reader,

This year's annual Write a Dear Reader Contest launches September 14th. The hardest part about writing is facing a blank page and coming up with an idea. Here's one to think about: If you could do somebody else's job for a day, what would you like to do? I took the challenge and I wrote about it...

The last time I went to the garden section in a Walmart store, people thought I worked there. I spent over 30 minutes answering customers' questions about plants, fertilizer and top soil. Most of the people I talked to were Northern snowbirds, who had decided to become year round residents in Sarasota, and when they started gardening, they realized they had a lot to learn about the different kinds of plants in Florida.

All of the employees in the garden section wear a dark green top, and on that particular day, when I was planting a row of pink pentas in front of my house, my gardening outfit was a plain, dark green T-shirt, tan shorts and tennis shoes. I was short six plants, so I jumped in the car and headed to Walmart to buy some more. I didn't get cleaned up before I went, so I guess my dark green shirt, and the dirt under my fingernails suggested I was a seasoned, garden center employee. I didn't mind the questions at all, in fact it was a lot of fun doing somebody else's job for a while.

This wasn't the first time I did somebody else's job. I used to write a column called "Sorry We're Closed," when I published a business magazine (in Madison, Wisconsin), and I thought it would be fun to work in a grocery check-out line for a day, and then write about it. So I contacted the manager at one of the local grocery stores and he thought it would be great PR for the store. He gave me an employee manual for cashiers. and set me up with a two-hour, hands-on training session to learn how to run a register and check groceries.

When my big day came, I wore a smock with the store's logo on it and a badge that read "In Training." The manager put me in the "10 items or less" check-out aisle, I wasn't convinced his idea was a good choice. Because when I go through the 10 items or less aisle, I assume I'm going to get quick service. I wasn't sure I could guarantee fast service to any customers whose groceries I rung up, especially if they were buying fresh fruit and vegetables.

I had memorized the codes that had to be punched into the register when you ring up fruits and vegetables--but a Gala apple and a Fuji apple look pretty much the same when you don't have the sign in the fruit department telling you the difference--because they're both a pale red color.

But eventually, I did get in the groove, and by the time the lunch rush started, I was ringing up items like a pro. It was a wonderful experience!

Start thinking about ideas for my annual Write a Dear Reader Contest today. I'm looking forward to reading your entry this year.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: THE RIPPER GENE (Thriller) by Michael Ransom

Are we all really created equal? FBI agent Dr. Lucas Madden discovers a genetic pattern in the world's most notorious serial killers...and must revisit his mother's unsolved murder when a new psychopathic killer emerges in the Mississippi countryside of his youth.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE RIPPER GENE to read more and to email author Michael Ransom, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-18-15

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Dear Reader,

Today's guest author, USA Today bestseller novelist Rosanne Bittner, is known as the "Queen of Western Historical Romance" for her thrilling love stories and historical authenticity. Her epic romances span the West and are often based on her personal visits to each setting. Her latest book, Do Not Forsake Me, is the long-awaited sequel to her beloved title Outlaw Hearts, which was published more than 20 years ago. Rosanne lives in Coloma, Michigan, with her husband and two sons.

Rosanne has five copies of her book Do Not Forsake Me to giveaway to book club readers. Email: rbamericanhistory@parrett.net (Please put DearReader on the subject line.)

Welcome to the book club Rosanne Bittner...

My Love for Westerns by Rosanne Bittner

My love for westerns began at a very young age, when my grandmother lived in an old converted shed and we listened to radio programs. I loved staying with my (maternal) grandmother and felt like a pioneer there because before she got electricity she cooked on a wood-burning cook stove and used an ice box. I remember the ice man coming to deliver those big blocks of ice. I slept on a feather mattress and light came from oil lamps. When Grandma finally got electricity we would sit and listen to "stories" on the radio, and just like on TV now, there were series-type programs on the radio.

My favorite radio program was Gunsmoke with the now-famous Marshal Matt Dillon. What an absolute iconic western. I can't remember how I pictured Matt then, but when Gunsmoke was created for TV and James Arness came on the (then "little") screen, I had a crush on Marshal Dillon from day-one. I was probably around 12 years old. When other teens had Elvis Presley and Pat Boone pictures in their bedrooms, I had James Arness pictures. I almost never missed a Saturday-night episode of Gunsmoke. And today I still watch them, even though I've seen most of them several times over. There is something about that particular TV western that ran truer than Roy Rogers or Gene Autry or The Lone Ranger. Those programs were too "put-on" and they tried in silly ways to make heroes out of the stars. But Matt Dillon was just a regular man doing his job and he never tried to be a hero. I think Gunsmoke was one of the first westerns to try being more realistic of how life really was back then.

Of course after that, television was saturated with westerns for several years--The Big Valley, Wyatt Earp, Cheyenne, The Rifleman, Bonanza, Have Gun-Will Travel and so many others. I grew up on those westerns, as well as the epic John Wayne movies and of course the icon of westerns, Clint Eastwood. Though I've always lived in Michigan, those programs planted a love of the West in my soul that has never left me. I've traveled pretty much the entire West and I am soon making yet another trip to the grand Rocky Mountains and the Sierras. The landscape doesn't get much more spectacular than the four most beautiful western states--Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah. The magnificent West, to me, represents all that is brave and beautiful about those who settled America!

--Rosanne Bittner

Email: rbamericanhistory@parrett.net to enter the book drawing. (Please put DearReader on the subject line.)

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: PLAY FOR ME (Fiction) by Celine Keating

A mid-life coming of age story that's part romance and part classic road-trip tale as a motif for self-discovery, turning one woman's mid-life crisis into a universal story underscored by the themes of motherhood, music, fidelity, and creative fulfillment.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on PLAY FOR ME to find out more about the book and the author, Celine Keating. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.