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Dear Reader,
PJ's on, snug-as-a-bug tucked in underneath the sheets. When my kids were little, before I'd turn out the light I'd hear, "Tell me a story." Thankfully it seems we're never too old.
When Danny, my cousin, read my story about the time I made our Grandma Hale's Red Velvet Cake recipe, and after I took it out of the oven, one side looked like a ski hill (I filled that side with frosting and served it to guests anyway), he sent me a story of his own.
"Suzanne, I smiled when I read your story about Grandma's red velvet cake. Don't take this the wrong way, because it's really a compliment, but it reminded me of a cake disaster when I was a kid in the Cub Scouts. Each of the scouts were supposed to bake a cake for our fundraiser. My parents were at work, so they didn't help me, but even if they'd been around they probably wouldn't have. Similar to them saying, 'Do your own homework,' they would have told me it was my project. I had a clear vision of how I wanted my cake to look, but...
...the night of the fundraising event, when I looked at the other cakes, obviously not made by my fellow Cub Scouts, I was dreading having to hold my cake up to be auctioned and then having to deliver it in person to the buyer. After seeing other cakes sell for more than fifteen dollars (which I considered at that time to be a lot of money), it was my turn. Bidding started very slowly and stopped quickly when someone yelled, 'Eight dollars!' The auctioneer grabbed the bid, 'Going once, going twice, SOLD to the lady in the back.'
As I was walked the cake towards the back of the room, all I could see was a hand waving. When I was almost there, I saw Grandma Hale sitting with her arm high up in the air. I was so relieved. Grandma and I shared my cake with chocolate milk when we got home (probably in the frog mug--do you remember that? The mug with the frog inside.), and even though the cake didn't look very good, Grandma thought it tasted pretty good.
That being said, because you made the Red Velvet Cake and it was Grandma Hale's recipe, I wanted you to know that if your lopsided cake was being auctioned off, I would have bid on it and got it!" -- Cousin Danny
"Tell me a Story." I'd love to read your story--your entry in this year's Write a DearReader Contest. Write your story, enter it in the contest, and you'll be giving a gift to yourself, too. Because when you remember and write it down, the story stays with you forever.
Enter this year's Write a DearReader Contest. You'll find all the info, including cash prizes and you can read last year's winning entries. Click here.
* Congratulations to the winners of Firstborn by Guest Author Tosca Lee: Sharon B., Sheri R., Carol M., Louise P., Flo K., Jennifer M., Valerie K., Pat H., Gloria A. and Rick M.
And the winners of a digital copy of Murder in Disguise by Guest Author Mary Miley: Penny T., Karen I., Nancy A., TC, and Cav.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
KIDS BUZZ: Two compelling and hilarious new reads for middle-graders: find out what happens when a kid decides to take a stand against sitting down in ETHAN MARCUS STANDS UP by Michele Weber Hurwitz; and THE PRINCIPAL'S UNDERWEAR IS MISSING by Holly Kowitt, a funny, cartoon-packed story of two very different girls thrown together accidentally. For a chance to win a free copy of these fabulous books and learn more: http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.
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This month's Penguin Classics book is THE WOMAN WHO HAD TWO NAVELS AND TALES OF THE TROPICAL GOTHIC, by Nick Joaquin. Click here to start reading, and be sure to enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin tote bag.
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