Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 08-17-16

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
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Dear Reader,

"Terrible, terrible me." On Monday I shared how my childhood friend Tommy and I stripped the bark from the side of a tree--just to see what was underneath. I asked you to share some of your 'terrible' stories and you did.

"We had cousins who lived on a farm and we were invited to dinner, so we drove from Philly out into the country. There were six--four girls and two boys in that farm family. Their parents had invited our family and a bunch of other extended family members to a big spaghetti dinner, farm style, pulling out all the stops. I will never forget what happened, because I got blamed for what all six of those brats did that day. They were supposed to help make dinner, and instead of cheese they shredded a cake of soap into the huge vat of spaghetti, with 20 hungry people waiting for dinner. They told their parents it was me, and since they thought their kids could do no wrong, they believed them. I had nothing to do with it. We didn't get invited back for a very long time. We went home hungry, and I was so angry that I got the blame for their horrible mischief."--Dorie F.

"Here's my tale of badness! Back when I was four or five, my mom made me take a nap and I was so mad because I had things I wanted to do. I got some scissors and cut up the most beautiful, handmade quilt you've ever seen, with hand-bound bias scalloped edging. My grandmother, who was so precious to me, had made it and it was one of my mom's most prized possessions! I obviously ruined it and I got whipped with my dad's belt, but the fact that I damaged something so beautiful haunts me to this day. I have the quilt now and I will keep it always--I can't wait to get to heaven to apologize to Mama Irene for not realizing how precious it was. Sad but true!"--Ruth P.

(Suzanne replies:) Ruth, maybe you could take the pieces of the quilt, add some material and make a new one that could be passed down in your family. And you'd have a story to pass down, too.

"I have four older siblings and when I just learned how to write, which was about four or five-years-old, I wrote on everything. I was so proud of my new skill. My parents had just bought this new Bible, it was big and white with gold lettering with beautiful colored pictures. Inside the front cover there was a place for your family names, parents and children. No one had filled it in yet. I guess I had some time, and thought I would fill in my oldest sister's name. I have no idea why I chose her name, but I wrote 'Nancy' in big sloppy letters with a blue ink pen. My parents were really upset with me, but they never did try to fix it and it was a story shared and laughed about through the years. I also learned my lesson after seeing the look of disappointment on my mother's face, and never wrote on things I shouldn't after that. Thank you so much for your morning column, I enjoy reading it everyday."--Sueann W.

(Suzanne replies:) Well Sueann, if you had to scribble in a book, the Bible was probably a good choice, because I think there's a verse or two in there about forgiveness.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: WALKING THE LLANO: A Texas Memoir of Place (NonFiction) by Shelley Armitage

Take a walk with me into a little known landscape, its mesas and deep canyons home to diverse wildlife and rich histories, as I recover the voices of ancient, Native, and Hispano people, their stories interwoven with my own. Time, space, and memory converge to remind us--no matter where our places--of kinship in a world ever changing. "If literature is the study of the human heart, then this is a quiet masterpiece,"--BK Loren

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on WALKING THE LLANO to read more and to email author Shelley Armitage, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-16-16

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Dear Reader,

William Sirls, once a senior vice president in a large investment firm, was incarcerated in 2007 for wire fraud and money laundering. Readers say life lessons involving faith, grace, and forgiveness are evident in his bestselling novel The Reason, soon to be a major motion picture. William makes his home in southern California.

Please welcome author William Sirls to the book club. He's anxious to say hello and he has 10 copies of The Reason to give away to book club readers. Email: wasirls@hotmail.com

WHEN ODDS DON'T MATTER
...William Sirls

I'll never forget that day back in early 2004 when I came across a young couple, probably in their late twenties, pulling their son in a little red wagon. I'm guessing the little boy was around three years old. He had lost his hair, was very thin and frail, and he had that gray and ashen look that suggested the end was near. For me, it was one of those rare moments in life when you realize that your problems aren't as bad as you think they are, and while I was trying to fathom the amount of stress this family was going through, the little boy looked up and smiled at his parents and when they smiled back, it poked a little hole in my heart--a hole just big enough to inspire me to write a story about a character that shows up to make those smiles last. Years later (three of which were spent in federal prison), I decided I wanted to publish the story--and take my word for it--it's a lot easier said than done--unless you have some help. And in my case, I have to call it divine help, because the odds of what happened to me most likely can't be stated.

For starters, most traditional publishers will not accept a manuscript unless it is presented through an agent. I think the obvious reason is that they know the agents will have already read the stories and will only present those that are worth being looked at. With that said, it was my understanding that the odds of getting a decent agent were 1 in 200. To add insult to the new author's odds, I had also read that even once you have an agent, the odds of getting picked up by a traditional publisher were 1 in 12,000.

Yikes. So just based on the math (and my natural dislike of rejection), I decided to forego trying to get an agent and chose to self-publish.

About ninety days before the self-published version of The Reason was to be released, we decided to print one-hundred advance copies to give away to create a little "pre-release" buzz. With each copy, I included a letter with my phone number, email address, and a request for the reader to let me know what they thought of the story.

I was expecting maybe a dozen responses, but within a couple months, we had well over 200 messages from men, women, teenagers, and ministers, sharing how the book impacted them in ways that I couldn't believe. Fortunately, one of those advance copies ended up on the desk of a receptionist at a major publisher, and it was her response to the book that resulted in it being passed on to their fiction team. Now, without ever having an agent or formally submitting a manuscript to be reviewed, the book is in stores and the movie will be out in the spring of 2017.

What are the odds?

God has been too good to me, and I couldn't be more thankful.

--William Sirls

Email: wasirls@hotmail.com for a chance to win a copy of The Reason.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: GOD OF THE INTERNET (Thriller) by Lynn Lipinski

When a hacker known as G0d_of_Internet hijacks millions of computers to do the bidding of an Islamic jihadist group, their first act is to disrupt the water treatment systems in three cities. Is this the start of a digital world war? Not if a band of white hat hackers can help it.

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

Dear Reader Column 08-15-16

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Dear Reader,

Terrible, terrible, terrible me.
Tommy and I stripped some bark off a tree.
Curious kids, we just wanted to see
What was hiding behind the bark of the tree
But our neighbors and parents, they just about died,
When they saw what we'd done. Tommy's mom even cried...

Tommy lived kitty-corner from our house when I was growing up. One afternoon when riding bikes and playing in our fort got boring, who knows why, but we started talking about trees. And soon the big question was, 'What's underneath tree bark?' Since we didn't have the internet to research the answer, we found some crowbars in Tommy's garage and we pulled the bark off of one side of a mature tree. But the discovery was kind of a let-down, because there wasn't much to see, just a smooth, cream colored surface.

We didn't think anymore about the tree, until later in the day when we saw a group of neighbors, including our parents, gathered around the tree. So we wandered over to see what was going on, and that's when someone asked if we knew who did this? "We did," we innocently answered, thinking we'd done nothing wrong. In fact, we were kind of proud of being scientists that afternoon, searching for an answer to a question.

What happened next is kind of a blur. My mother was furious and embarrassed. An hour later she had me outside, painting the bare part of the tree black to cover up our "research." Personally I think if I Googled painting a bare tree, it probably did more harm to the tree than Tommy and I did. Who knows? But fortunately for me and the tree, it lived on and was still there years after I was all grown up.

Terrible, terrible, terrible me--and Tommy.
Innocent kids, we just wanted to see, what was
Underneath the bark of a tree.

Send me an email. I'd love to hear about one of your childhood "terribles." (You don't have to try to write poetry. I've written enough bad poetry today for all of us.)

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: FALLING UNDER YOU (Fiction) by Laurelin Paige

It's been almost three years since the first installment of the Fixed Trilogy released. Since then it's become an international phenomenon, an Amazon #1 bestseller. This is the latest in the series, showcasing the love affair of Norma Anders and Boyd Barrett. We've peeked at these characters throughout the series. Finally, the spotlight is on them.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on FALLING UNDER YOU to read more and to email author Laurelin Paige, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-12-16

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Dear Reader,

Get out your wok or large skillet this weekend and cook Braised Shrimp with Vegetables. It is divine! I love it.

Braised Shrimp with Vegetables (Makes 4 servings, so I always double this recipe)

1 T vegetable oil
1 lb raw medium to large shrimp, shelled (or frozen and thawed)
8 oz fresh broccoli, cut into small pieces
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (not too thin) or canned whole button mushrooms
1 can (8 oz) thinly sliced bamboo shoots

Sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/8 tsp pepper

Combine sauce ingredients in small bowl, and set aside. Heat oil in wok or large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp and stir-fry until shrimp turns pink. Add broccoli and stir-fry for one minute. Add mushrooms and bamboo shoots and stir-fry one minute more. Pour sauce over shrimp and vegetable mixture. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens.

That's how easy it is. You'll love it.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-11-16

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
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Dear Reader,

Is it bad? Is it good? Maybe I should withhold judgement for a few days, because sometimes what seems to be bad, turns out to be something good.

"Quit jumping off the wall," my dad yelled at me. But my mother's L-shaped kitchen had the perfect wall indentation next to the refrigerator to practice the new gymnastic techniques I was learning in phys-ed class. Over and over again, I couldn't resist jumping backwards, higher and higher off the wall, imaging I was a gymnast warming up for competition--and of course I'd win the trophy. But instead, I put my foot right through the wall. I was stunned. This was bad. When my parents came home, I'd be in deep trouble. I was an only child, so I couldn't blame it on anyone else, and there just wasn't any way to cover up the big hole in the wall next to the refrigerator.

So I started building my defense.... Let's face it. It really wasn't my fault. That wall was tempting me every day. What builder in their right mind would design an L-shaped kitchen (creating the perfect gymnast's ramp), when the kitchen could have been rectangular and we would have had enough room for a kitchen table and chairs?

And to my surprise my mother agreed. Not openly mind you, because she nodded her head in agreement while my dad gave me the what-for speech. But when it was all over, as Mom was leaving the room, she looked at me and winked, because really she was thrilled about the hole. For years she'd been trying to talk my dad into extending the wall so we'd actually have room for a kitchen table and chairs. So you see, it was bad (for a while, no TV for two weeks), but in the end it turned out good.

Natie, our new kitten, peed on our bed the first day we brought her home from the shelter. Peeing on our bed seemed like a bad thing, but actually it was good.

One week earlier, I'd bought a new bamboo mattress topper for our queen sized bed, so when Natie peed on our bed: through two quilts, a top and bottom sheet, and right into our new mattress topper, at first I wasn't thrilled. But after I washed the mattress topper (according to the manufacturer's recommendations) and I took it out of the washer, the sides of it were shredded. So I was thrilled that Natie had peed on the bed. Because I only wash mattress covers every six months, so by the time I would have washed the new one, it would have been out of warranty.

Is it bad? Is it good? It was great!

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 deserves your attention:

(Fiction)
A HEART MOST CERTAIN by Melissa Jagears

(Fiction)
ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS by Bryn Greenwood

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

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-10-16

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

 

Dear Reader,

The Darkness Knows, a debut mystery, has just been released. Congratulations to author Cheryl Honigford. The first in the Viv & Charlie Mystery series, The Darkness Knows brings to life the world of live radio drama in 1938 Chicago. Ms. Honigford is giving away three copies of her book to readers, and she's graced us with today's column.

Email: cherylhonigfordauthor@gmail.com to say hello and enter her drawing.

The Magic of Coincidence (or Avoiding Jail Time in Rome)

I was riding a bus on my way back to the hotel after a long day of sightseeing in Rome one New Year's Eve a few years ago. My feet hurt, my head ached, and I didn't have a ticket.* After all, my friend and I had been riding buses legally all week and had never seen anyone check for tickets. Why not risk it this once?

**Cue ominous music**

Shortly before reaching our destination, the polizia boarded and yes, their sole purpose was to check passenger tickets. Since the last thing my friend and I wanted to do was spend our New Year's Eve in a Roman jail, we deftly hopped off at the next stop (along with several other panicked tourists in the same predicament). With guts churning, we realized that it was dark and we had no idea where we were.

Then we turned around and noticed that we were standing in front of a lovely old church and a sign advertising an opera performance being held there the very next evening. I'd never seen an opera performed live. And then I realized that not only was this not a tragedy that I'd been forced off the bus at night in a city I didn't know, but it was instead a happy accident that I was forced off at the exact spot where I could right then buy tickets to do something I'd always wanted to do. Needless to say, we bought the tickets and the experience was one I never would have had but for that abrupt bus departure. It was also an experience I'll never forget.

Since then I've noticed that life is full of these serendipitous events--especially in my writing. Once I have an idea for a story, I get tiny and sometimes not so tiny, messages about it everywhere. Recently, the idea that one of my characters had a backstory involving the Spanish Civil War took hold, and then I found that the very specific book I needed (that I wasn't sure even existed) had actually been published only a few months before.

I admit it's all a bit woo-woo and likely just my subconscious at work, but it's also wonderful to think that the universe is rooting for me in some small way. Believe me, it makes the average day a bit more interesting if you expect that good things might be around every corner--even with the polizia on your tail.

* Please Note: I have since learned my lesson and always pay for my public transportation.

--Cheryl Honigford

Enter to win one of three copies of The Darkness Knows.
Email: cherylhonigfordauthor@gmail.com

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-09-16

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

 

Dear Reader,

Dark suit, white shirt, dark tie, and a book and pamphlets tucked underneath his arm. I knew right away who he was, and what he wanted the minute I spotted the "tools" of his trade. So after he delivered his opening line, I butted in and suggested we just cut right to the chase.

I explained that normally, he'd want to show me 'the way' and then I'd try to tell him that I was already taken care of in that department, but nevertheless, he'd still keep right on talking, because he doesn't like "my way" and eventually I'd politely shut the door in the middle of his sentence.

"So here's the thing," I told him, "my writing muse is on vacation and it's been kind of tough going today. You see, when I get to a certain point in a column, I usually call my writing muse and she listens to me talk. And since I'm without someone to listen to me today, and you're here, and you want to talk and hang around my front porch anyway, how about if you listen to me talk about my column and then it will be your turn to talk, and I'll listen. Have we got a deal?"

And before he could really realize what he'd agreed to, I pulled up a lawn chair and told him to sit down and put his feet up. "Do you want a glass of lemonade? I think we might be here awhile. I can't quite decide on a lead."

Line by line, I delivered my column and he even laughed in the places I was hoping for at least a giggle. But when I got near the end and I was starting to stumble, because I still needed to do some rewriting, he was getting impatient. He looked down at his watch and when I heard him clear his throat, I was afraid that "persuader" man was going to try to slide-in one of his "this is the way" lines. So I just kept right on going at the end of my sentence, rolling right over the period, not even stopping to take a breath--then I slid right into the next sentence and when my substitute muse's attention started to wane even more--I reminded him that we had an agreement.

"Doesn't it say something in that 'persuasion' book you're totin' about keeping your side of a bargain?"

I give him credit, "persuader" man sat back down and he was a pretty good listener--didn't have too many creative suggestions, but then again that wasn't part of our deal. And soon it was his turn. But by then, the sweat was running down his face, (it was 98 degrees even in the shade) and in all fairness, he probably forgot his lines because I'd interrupted his usual presentation flow.

"Not to worry," I told him. "My muse takes two vacations a year, give me your card and the next time she leaves town, I'll call you."

* Congratulations to the winners of my second Surprise Package Giveaway: Becky W., Maureen W. and Misty E.

And congratulations to the winners of Almost Like Being in Love by Guest Author: Beth K. Vogt: Kathryn D., Pauline N., Marci V., Kris A., Sherry D., Sharon R., Angie G., Nancy R., Maureen W., and Donna T.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS (Fiction) by Bryn Greenwood

Eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible "adult" in her life, until she meets Kellen, a tattooed ex-con who works for her drug-dealing father. Kellen offers Wavy and her little brother what they don't get at home: food, safety, and love. When ugly accusations about their relationship pull them apart, Wavy will have to fight to reclaim the wonderful things she lost.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS to find out more about the book and the author, Bryn Greenwood. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 08-08-16

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
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Dear Reader,

Three phrases of simple words that have made a difference in my life and in other people's, too.

"If I knew the way, I'd take you home."

A sentiment I share when I just can't find the right words to comfort someone. From a song by the Grateful Dead, for some reason when I heard those lyrics long ago, they've stayed with me. I reach for them when I wish I could tell someone why such a terrible thing has happened, but I can't. So instead, I wrap my arms around them and whisper, "If I knew the way, I'd take you home."

"Thank you very kindly."

Somewhere along the way, instead of simply saying "Thank you" I find myself saying, "Thank you very kindly." I'm a fan of the old Andy Griffith show, maybe that's where I picked up the sentiment, and I'm sure glad I did. Because "Thank you very kindly," causes people to pause for a few seconds. I even hear their smile through the phone, and I have to say it makes me feel good, too.

"You take good care."

Thirteen years ago, Ann, a reader at the book club sent me an email and before she signed off, Ann closed with these words, "You take good care." I can't explain it, but those simple words continue to stay with me. Every time I think about them I feel loved and cared for. I've never met Ann, but the words she wrote rescued me again just the other day. Everything I tried to do was a struggle. Nothing was going right and then I heard Ann whispering, "You take good care." It's the kind of good-bye that's not an ending, but rather a blessing.

I don't know where your life's journey is today, or where it will take you, but I'm thinking of you today... "You take good care."

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: A HEART MOST CERTAIN (Fiction) by Melissa Jagears

The agony of plucking daisy petals trying to figure out if the person "loves them" or "loves them not" makes the best romances for me. My latest pits two strong willed characters against each other. To impress the politician courting her and help her family, Lydia King is determined to obtain a donation to the Teaville Moral Society from the wealthiest man in town, Nicholas Lowe. But when complications arise, Lydia must decide where her beliefs--and heart--truly align.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on A HEART MOST CERTAIN to read more and to email author Melissa Jagears, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 08-05-16

 KIDSBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

Dear Reader,

I'm not as tough as I used to be and sometimes it makes me feel like a failure--like I'm settling for less. I've always prided myself in being strong. People admire you, "Look at her, nothing fazes her."

Being tough was something I learned from my mother. My father was an alcoholic and even though my mother was a woman who struggled with her self-esteem, somewhere along the way she latched onto how to be strong, how to be tough. She never talked about it, but I knew from watching her that my mother felt she could always find a way to do what needed to be done. And she did. But being tough, it took everything my mother had, and unfortunately it left her with nothing to give back, except a daily lesson about how to be tough.

I used to be angry, where was my mother's softer side? Why were the words, "I love you," and "I'm proud of you," so difficult for her to say. But then, when I thought about the day-to-day things that happened in our family when I was growing up, I realized there wasn't any room for her to let down. You can't be soft when you're struggling to survive.

Having a sense that I will be okay, that I can make it through no matter how bad things might get--I have my mother to thank for that gift. And through the years I've come to realize it really was a gift. Love comes in many forms. Sometimes it's disguised, looking rough around the edges, but being tough was the skill that got my mother through her challenging life, and looking back, I realize she passed along the best she had to give. And I thank her.

I'm not angry any more, because now I understand. I've taken my mother's gift and softened it, which means I'm not as tough as I used to be, and it feels pretty good. I wish my mother would have had a chance to feel it, too.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

KIDS BUZZ: Lana must delve into her past if she wants to live long enough to have a future in Alexandra Sirowy's novel THE TELLING. Perfect "for fans of realistic murder mysteries." (SLJ) For a chance to win a free copy, say hello to the author and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

 

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 08-04-16

 KIDSBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

Dear Reader,

Five Stars. I loved it!

One Star. It fell apart as soon as I washed it and customer service wouldn't replace it.

When I order something online, I always leave a review after I've had a chance to use the item because I use customer reviews to help make my buying decisions--and I have my husband to thank for that very good habit.

My husband is right on the money (yes, pun intended), about taking the time to leave a review. 'Why it's practically a shopping sin if one doesn't,' is my husband's belief, and I had to remind him of that the other day when I was reviewing my latest purchase, Fruit of the Loom Premium Cotton Briefs--for him.

I ordered online, two packages of tidy whities for my husband from JCPenney, and I was able to pick them up in the store later that day. It was a seamless transaction when I went to the store, and a few days later I had the opportunity to share my shopping experience with them.

An email popped into my box from JCPenney...

5 big stars were waiting at the top of the email, hoping I'd click on them, so they'd turn bright yellow. And then a huge headline read:

LOVE IT? LET US KNOW!
And you could win $500

"The more you share, the more you help other customers." (My dear husband's words verbatim.) "Write a review for a chance to win our ratings and reviews sweepstakes!" And on the right-hand side of the email was a 4-color photo of a model wearing the same briefs I'd just purchased for my husband.

LOVE IT? LET US KNOW! Yes, I did. But my 5-star review was about the shopping experience and the product--not the model. In addition, the email offered a BONUS: reviews submitted with a photo would receive one additional sweepstakes entry.

But no bonus entry for me. My husband said "No!" Apparently, refusing to model underwear is not one of his shopping sins.

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

Happy shopping,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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

(Fiction)
Z by Larissa Ione

(Mystery)
ADDRESS TO DIE FOR by Mary Feliz

(Mystery)
SHOW TIME by Suzanne Trauth

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