Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 02-14-18

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

My husband and I share our household chores. We haven't written down an official list of "who-does-what," but through the years we've each adopted a few tasks as our own. I take care of our flower gardens, planning vacations and, out of necessity, washing and drying clothes--my husband tends to shrink clothing.

Taking out the garbage, cleaning litter boxes, picking up dead bugs and kitty hairballs, and mowing the lawn, are on my husband's list. When and how they get done, I don't get involved. But sometimes I shamefully confess if the lawn looks like it needs mowing on Tuesday, but my husband's planning on getting the lawnmower out on Saturday, I've learned some magic words to get him to change his schedule.

No, not please, thank you and you're welcome, the magic words we learned as kids. Instead my magic words sound more like: "Dear, I know you like to take care of the lawn, but I thought since the lawn needs mowing and I really need the exercise anyway, how about letting me cut the grass this time?"

"How long have we been married?" is my husband's reply.

Which translated, means we've been married long enough for me to know that my husband doesn't want me mowing the lawn, pumping gas or taking out the garbage, unless he's flat on his back in bed and has two broken legs.

But amazingly, even after 40 years of marriage the magic words (used sparingly) still work every time and continue to be my own little secret--or at least I thought so. But after last Tuesday's exchange, I'm not so sure anymore. (Remember, I live in Florida where the grass grows all year long.)

"Dear, I know you like to take care of the lawn, but I thought since the lawn needs mowing and I really need the exercise anyway, how about letting me cut it this time?"

"Sure, Suzanne, you mow the lawn today, and I'll get started on doing that big pile of laundry." (Wink, wink.)

Okay, I've been had. But I still have the magic! My husband did mow the lawn right away.

*Congratulations to the winner of the fidget cube, Charlotte S.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 02-13-18

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

Mister Tender's Girl (released February 13th) is the latest thriller of today's guest author, Carter Wilson. A USA Today and #1 Denver Post bestselling author, Carter explores the depths of psychological tension and paranoia in his dark, domestic thrillers.

But today Carter shares some insight about how to fulfill every young child's request, "Tell me a bedtime story." Please welcome author Carter Wilson...

How To Tell Your Kids a Bedtime Story

All little kids want bedtime stories. It's easy to read them a book. But then it turns into the same book. Every night. Over and over, until you have waking fantasies of killing Curious George.

The better thing to do is make up a story. An epic fantasy, a continuing tale, one that picks up every night where you left off. When my kids were little, that's what I did. We had a world named S-T-Fan (pronounced like Gloria Estefan--don't ask) in which versions of my kids found themselves hopelessly lost, and their goal was to find their way back home.

But wait, what? My own story? That's too hard. I'm not creative enough. I wouldn't be able to think of anything. I'd rather subject them to another depression-laced Grumpy Bird book.

OK, calm down. I got you. It's not hard. You don't have to be a fount of creativity. And if you make up your own story, I promise you your kids will remember. Here are my top tips for getting you started:

1) Put your kids in the story. Of course you do this. Little kids are about nothing if not themselves. Having them in the story is a sure-fire way of grabbing their attention.

2) Put them in another world. Magical, wondrous. Silly. Sometimes boring, but often scary. In S-T-Fan, there was a Cloud City, Halloween Town, magical forests, castles galore and lots of creepy cemeteries.

3) It's all about the characters they meet. Use accents, be cliched, be over-the-top, have lots of slapstick, physical humor. Nothing kills with kids like a giant talking rat getting smacked upside the head.

4) Have peril. Real peril. Balance silliness with high stakes. It's okay to scare your kids a little. OK, or a lot.

5) Have more than one kid in the story? Make their characters interact. Have them fight, but also make them save each other. Give them their own story arcs and watch them grow.

6) End each night on a cliffhanger. It doesn't have to be huge. You can mostly even do this with the tone of your voice (and then HE SAID....). But if your kids aren't begging for five more minutes, you're doing it wrong.

Set a goal. Try it for two weeks. Two straight weeks, every night, your own epic tale. You might find it's easier than you think. And who knows? You might realize you have a heck of a story brewing in you that was just waiting to come out. And most importantly, write me at me@carterwilson.com and let me know how it goes!

--Carter Wilson / Mister Tender's Girl

Authors love to hear from readers. Please email and say hello: me@carterwilson.com

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 02-12-18

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

I love what I do, but every now and then I need to take a detour. It doesn't require a major life change. I simply need to go down a different path for an hour, an afternoon or for a day. And that's what I did a couple of weeks ago.

A friend of mine owns a retail store, and when she told me that she'd rented booth space at an upcoming holiday show, I offered to help. I rattled off my credentials: experienced in doing trade shows, a great smile, I love her products and I'd work for free. Did she need help setting up? What time should I be there, and what would she like me to wear?

Initially she thought my offer was a bit strange--even for me--and she knows me well. But then I explained that I was looking for a "detour." And I was "hired."

I arrived promptly Saturday morning, thirty minutes before the show opened. But after a couple of hours it was apparent that business was going to be slow--real slow--unless the exhibitors decided to start buying each other's products.

I felt terrible for my friend. She looked exhausted, her work schedule had been crazy lately and now she was stuck spending the day at a show that probably wasn't going to be profitable. "Go home and get some rest." I told her. "Leave the booth in my hands. I'll treat it like my own."

I got a teary-eyed smile and a big hug. I think we both needed a detour.

Congratulations to Kathy S., Deer Park Public Library, the winner of the Pie Contest in a Box giveaway.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: DIRTY FILTHY FIX (Fiction) by Laurelin Paige

Two of my most popular billionaire universes collide in what might be my dirtiest story ever. Trish, Hudson's secretary from the Fixed Trilogy, has a secret kinky side. Enter Donovan's partner, Nathan Sinclair. Tall, dark and oh, so sexy. After a dirty rendezvous, Trish thinks he'll never recognize her again. Only, he does...

Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on DIRTY FILTHY FIX to read more and to email author Laurelin Paige, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 02-09-18

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

In yesterday's column, I announced I wasn't going to say anything negative for one week. I've been deluged with problems lately. I thought problems were supposed to only show up in threes, but my average lately is 12 a day. So I'm taking it one day at a time and thanks to some readers who are helping me out.

There are some good suggestions in today's email bag on how to keep the negativity away. Another tool I use is my fidget cube. If I'm sitting on hold for 15 minutes, trying to solve a problem, I fidget while I wait. Fidget your negativity away. Enter today's giveaway for your own fidget cube. To enter to win, click here. 

"Suzanne, I have been part of the book club for awhile and just have to tell you how much reading your column every morning means to me! I really can identify with your column today. I laughed when you wrote 'If you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all,' that was my mother talking in my ear. I really enjoy your column and love the books. I keep a list of the ones I know I have to read, can't read them fast enough." -- Linda K.

"Hop on board the 'No-more-negativity-train' with us! A group of us at work had this discussion back in August, about being more positive in our thoughts and actions. If one of us slips, we catch it and encourage positive thinking. It really has been going well. It's funny when we see each other now, we usually smile and give a positive comment, 'What a beautiful day', or 'Oh, you look great today', or 'Have a fabulous evening'. These little bits of upbeat conversation can really improve your mood and day. Good luck with your vow. I have faith that you can do it. I think you should start with that double scoop of ice cream. No way you could be negative and eat ice cream at the same time! Have a positive day." -- Maria M.

Enter to win a fidget cube just like mine,  click here. 

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

KIDSBUZZ: You don't have to be a grownup to be a hero--plus there's a warrior goddess in YOUR daughter. Read I AM A WARRIOR GODDESS by Jennifer Adams to learn more. For a chance to win a free copy and learn more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

Dear Reader Column 02-08-18

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

I'm sick of dealing with problems. Problems that seem at the moment impossible to solve. Consequently, now those problems are all I think about all day long, so that's all I end up talking about--problems. It's getting bad. My husband hasn't complained, but he should. I can't even stand to listen to myself anymore. Because when another problem shows up (the way things have been going), I get ready for the battle, strategizing and rehearsing a two-sided conversation: what the enemy is going to say and how I'm going to defend myself. I know that talking about a problem keeps it in the limelight, which means I never get a break from it, but I can't seem to help myself. "I'm not going down without a fight," has been my battle cry, but it takes a lot of energy to stay on high alert. I'm getting tired and I miss thinking about nice things like flowers, a two scoop strawberry ice cream cone, my bubbles, and how Barry, my tuxedo kitty, loves to sit with me in the sun.

So I've decided for one week, beginning tomorrow, I'm not going to say anything negative about anything. Even about little things. If my husband and I go out for dinner and the soup is cold, or even if a fly is doing the backstroke in my tomato bisque, fine with me. Down the hatch--no complaints.

I've taken a vow, so if I'm tempted to complain about something, instead I'll repeat the old adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

And since my husband isn't a talker, I think it's gonna be a really quiet week around my house.

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:

(Fantasy)
THE KING OF BONES AND ASHES by J.D. Horn

(Fiction)
THE ATOMIC CITY GIRLS by Janet Beard

(Fiction)
HALLOW BE THE HAUNT by Heather Graham

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

Dear Reader Column 02-07-18

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

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

Dear Reader,

When a health insurance company sends you a letter, they should be required to send a pill with it--a calm-you-down pill, because undoubtedly after you read their letter you're going to have to be sedated.

"Dear Member,

This letter explains your claim rejection. (Come on, get real. You didn't think we were really going to pay, did you?) Take the enclosed pill with a glass of water, lay down for 15 minutes (giving the pill time to kick in) and then read the letter. We suggest reading the letter only once, because we won't authorize a refill on this "calm-you-down pill".

Good Luck! You're gonna need it.

Your friendly insurance company

P. S. Would you please log on to the address (below) and take a 20-minute survey about our customer service? We strive to deliver outstanding service. One to five are your choices. Five being outstanding. We are putting together an advertisement talking about how pleased our customers are with our service, and we need some more 5's to make the percentage numbers work, so be sure to only give us 5's."

Guess what arrived in my mail today? I wonder what tomorrow's mail will bring? I hope I don't need another pill.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 

AUTHORBUZZ: HALLOW BE THE HAUNT (Fiction) by Heather Graham

Jake Mallory and Ashley Donegal are thinking of marriage and a wedding. Where else could they be married other than Ashley's family home, Donegal Plantation? The plantation welcomes visitors as a bed and breakfast, and--at Halloween--as a haunted attraction. Coming home in October to make last-minute plans for a November wedding may not have been such a great idea. Especially when the plantation is decked out in full Halloween regalia--and costumed killers are suddenly prowling the streets of New Orleans and neighboring countryside.

Go to AUTHORBUZZ click on HALLOW BE THE HAUNT to read more and to email author Heather Graham, you'll get a reply.

KIDSBUZZ: You don't have to be a grownup to be a hero--plus there's a warrior goddess in YOUR daughter. Read I AM A WARRIOR GODDESS by Jennifer Adams to learn more. For a chance to win a free copy and learn more, see KIDSBUZZ.

Dear Reader Column 02-06-18

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

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

Dear Reader,

Authors love to hear from readers, so today please say hello to Nina Sadowsky, a New York City native, an entertainment lawyer (in recovery) who has worked as a film and television producer and writer for most of her career and this week's guest author.

Nina served as executive producer for the hit film The Wedding Planner, starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, and produced the telefilm Northern Lights, starring Diane Keaton for The Disney Channel. She is also currently serving as adjunct faculty at USC's School of Cinematic Arts program, teaching both writing and producing.

Nina's first novel, Just Fall is now in development as an original series for STARZ. Her second thriller, The Burial Society, was released in January.

Contact Nina by clicking here. Please put Dear Reader on the subject line.

Please welcome Nina Sadowsky...

Authoring Change: On the Page and in Life
by Nina Sadowsky

As one year slinks away into memory and another bursts on the scene, I've been thinking about change. For example, how hard it is for most of us to manifest change even when we want something badly. (Has anyone else already broken a handful of New Year's resolutions? I know I have.)

I've also been wondering about why so many of us seem to struggle with change when it is thrust upon us--resisting it, fearing it, unable to accept that it is the only true constant.

Looking squarely at the obstacles ahead, both self-created and external, requires courage. Whether facing a belligerent colleague, a tender spot in a marriage, a self-sabotaging trait, a negative pattern of behavior with a parent or a child--virtually any self-motivated change is going to require self-examination, honesty, humility and the desire to be happy, rather than "right." No wonder it's so hard to motivate change within ourselves.

When change blows into our lives like the weather, we're resistant, using a combination of emotions like denial, anger and grief to keep the impact of change at bay. How often do we suppress or misdirect the pain and fear we experience in the face of every kind of change from the loss of a loved one to a perceived minor slight?

Even "good" or "happy" change can be monumentally stressful. Have you ever planned a wedding or bought a new house? Sent a kid off to kindergarten? Or to college?

I write because I need to make sense of the world around me, particularly the actions that frequently leave me asking the rhetorical question "what is wrong with people?" There's been a lot of change in the world of late; and that's meant that question has come up a lot. Sometimes I feel like I can hardly keep up.

But I want to advocate for acceptance of change. After all, it's inevitable. And I hope that if we wrap our collective arms around change we can make it less of a fearful proposition. In my novel, The Burial Society, I wrote a heroine far braver than I will ever be; someone who endured numerous upheavals in her life, but who learned flexibility, resourcefulness and daring as a result. Her principles are firm as is her moral code. She takes no guff. And no prisoners.

The experience was unexpectedly enlightening as I found that writing my protagonist's story made me braver in my own life. More able to speak my mind freely and to accept that if I wanted to change things in myself I had to roll up my sleeves and get to it. And that if I wanted to survive the changes that life will inevitably throw at me, I'd better learn to deal with them head on, roll with them and also take no guff. We'll see about the prisoners.

--Nina Sadowsky
Contact Nina by clicking here. Please put Dear Reader on the subject line.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 

AUTHORBUZZ: THE ATOMIC CITY GIRLS (Fiction) by Janet Beard

1944, Oak Ridge, Tennessee: a city that doesn't officially exist. June arrives to work in a factory, curious about the top-secret purpose of her job. But she learns the price of ignoring the Army's warning: "What you see here, what you hear here, what you do here, let it stay here."

Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on THE ATOMIC CITY GIRLS to read more and to email author Janet Beard, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 02-05-18

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

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

Dear Reader,

It's feast or famine. I hit the keys but nothing happens, or when I type the 's' it slidess across the computer ssssssssssssssscreen. I've meticulously cleaned underneath each key, but my computer keyboard continuesss to hisssssssssssssssss back at me. I'm pretty creative, but I don't think I can sssssssssspin an entire column with sssssssss's, or about a hissssing sssnake, so I'm going to let readersss write to you today.

Emails from Readersss:

"Suzanne, I so appreciated your story of cooking fails. Anyone who cooks with any regularity will have a few--some small and some epic. My most recent epic one was making chili--a very simple dish. I reached in the pantry and grabbed what I thought was chili powder--it turned out to be nutmeg! Three tablespoons of nutmeg is a truly awful addition to chili. We really enjoyed the pizza that we ordered later.

Your column about the teen book club brought back some memories. My daughter who is now 24 wrote for you two or three times and truly enjoyed the experience. She still loves to read and her tastes and mine are very similar. We pass book finds back and forth all the time. Thanks for helping me start off my day with a smile!" -- Sara B.

Our Teen Club has given many young people the opportunity to hone their writing skills. Do you know a teen who likes to write? Please share this link with our Teen Writing Program information. CLICK HERE TO VIEW

"Dear Suzanne. I just finished reading your book, Muffins and Mayhem. I could really relate to so much in the book. I loved the book. I am in Alabama taking care of my 96-year-old Mother. I am away from my family in Florida. Mother had a stroke yesterday and it won't be long. It is going to be very hard. Just wanted you to know how much your book meant to me." -- Joyce P.

"Suzanne, I too find great [writing] inspiration inside my bathroom [like you mentioned in your column]. When I was getting my Masters Degree in Library and Information Science and I had three children to contend with, I would lock myself in the bathroom to get some work done. When I had a week to complete my finals, five papers of five pages each, I set up a card table in the bathroom and set to work. The walls are painted a Cabana Turquoise and my husband laid the grey tile floor himself and there is a big claw foot tub. It is one of my favorite rooms in the house, and also one of the only rooms with a lock! I received very good grades on those final papers thanks to my bathroom oasis! Thanks for all you do Suzanne! Take good care." -- Jennifer G.

"Good Morning, I just wanted to thank you. I was excited before the holidays to win Endurance by Scott Kelly. I didn't take a picture of myself with the book, because I immediately included it in a holiday package I was sending to my niece's husband who is presently serving on a deployment. He loves to read and Endurance seemed to be a perfect gift for a military officer far from home at Christmas time. It was the exact right time to receive the book, and now I'll just go to my favorite place--the Cranston Public Library, Knightsville branch--to get the book to read myself. You make a lot of people happy, including military personnel away from their families. Have a great day!" -- Gratefully, Irene S.

* Congratulations to the winners of Deadly Dance by guest author Hilary Bonner: Judi K., Carolyn B. and Marlys F.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 

P. S. Enter the drawing for my fabulous garage sale find. A Pie Contest In A Box: Everything You Need to Host a Pie Contest. Click here to enter.

AUTHORBUZZ: THE KING OF BONES AND ASHES (Fantasy) by J.D. Horn

Magic is seeping out of the world, leaving the witches who've relied on it for countless centuries increasingly desperate. While some see magic's demise as an inevitable end of their era, others are courting madness, and willing to sacrifice former allies, friends, and family to retain power.

Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on THE KING OF BONES AND ASHES to read more and to email author J.D. Horn, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 02-02-18

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

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

Dear Reader,

It was one of those garage sale fantastic finds and it was only $1.00. Sold! I bought the unopened treasure, A Pie Contest In A Box: Everything You Need to Host a Pie Contest, by Gina Hyams. I could see it now, a family pie contest. The perfect activity for one of our family birthday parties I host at my house. Dinner, a homemade cake with candles, I pick a theme and decorate the dining room like crazy (it's so much fun), and after dinner and opening presents, we "play."

BINGO, with an assortment of prizes, is one of my family's favorite activities. It's so coveted that I have to post a security guard by the prize table, so no one hides their favorite out of sight until they win a round and can claim it. Whoopie cushions, a big bottle of ketchup, movie theatre size boxes of candy, bubble bath, airplanes that soar through the yard (and sometimes go over my fence and into the neighbor's yard), measuring cups, vintage looking cars, there's always something new on the BiNGO table. But I think our next party activity should be a pie contest.

On second thought, I'm not sure if I can get everyone to bake a pie from scratch. Knowing my group, I think my 11-year-old grandson Paul and I, might be the only ones entering actual "made from scratch" pies. I think the rest of the family might stop at the bakery on the way to the party.

But it is a great idea, so today , in a way, I'm re-gifting the Pie Contest in a Box. (After all it was only a $1.00, so it felt like a gift). So be sure to enter the drawing. If you can't interest your family, how about a pie contest at a library, book club, neighborhood activity, fundraiser for your local humane shelter, or invite your family over, bake a pie, take one of the numbered pie toppers on toothpicks out of the box, stick it in your pie and proudly attach a blue ribbon.

"Would you like a slice of pie for dessert? I won the contest!"

Enter today's giveaway. Win the A Pie Contest In A Box: Everything You Need to Host a Pie Contest. Enter the drawing for this fabulous find, click here.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 

KIDS BUZZ: A compelling read for middle-graders! ABC's Shark Tank meets The Terrible Two in PAYBACK ON POPLAR LANE by Margaret Mincks, a pitch-perfect comedy with heart. For a chance to win a free copy and learn more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

Dear Reader Column 02-01-18

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

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

Dear Reader,

Failure: the omission of expected or required action.
"Their failure to comply with the basic rules."

We failed. Guilty as charged! My grandson Paul and I failed to comply with a basic baking rule--and we both were guilty of the omission of a required action.

Apron strings tied, the ingredients standing by ready to be measured, and the oven preheating, Paul was making a cookie recipe that he'd created himself, and I was making pumpkin bread.

These weren't new recipes. Paul had tested his cookie creation before, and they were delicious, and a batch of pumpkin bread (Paul's favorite), is a regular in our kitchen. But both ended up being baking disasters. We had a front row seat, looking through the oven door glass window, watching Paul's cookies fall flat, spreading out over the sides of the cookie sheets. My pumpkin bread looked inviting, but tasted like salt--like a salt shaker fell into the batter.

It was a first, both of us dumping our baked goods into the trash. We've had mishaps in the kitchen, but we've never both struck out on the same day.

So what happened? Well, I knew before I popped the pumpkin bread into the oven that I'd forgot to add salt. So I figured no problem, I'd just stir some salt into each of the six miniature loaf pans, before I put them in the oven. You'd think I'd be good to go, after all it's just salt. But it tasted like a lot of salt after it was baked. It tasted like salt was the main ingredient.

After reviewing his recipe Paul realized he forgot to add the flour. His recipe called for a three cups of powdered sugar, so it appeared thick, like he'd added flour.

I confess it was comforting that we both forgot, it's not simply that Grandma is getting old(er). My grandson is 11 years old and he lost track of where he was in his recipe, too. So why did we both make mistakes in our recipes?

Paul's explanation, "Grandma, I think we talk too much when we're measuring."

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)
THE UPSIDE TO BEING SINGLE by Emma Hart

(Fiction)
MIDNIGHT UNLEASHED by Lara Adrian

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