Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 02-28-2020

Dear Reader,

I don't need a second job, but lately a lot of companies seem to think I want to work for them, and they expect me to work for free. When I went to checkout at a big box hardware store, where I frequently shop, I noticed that now there was only one checkout with a human being greeting people and ringing up their purchases. The line was very long. An employee saw me sizing up my options: waiting in the long line, or using one of the six new self-checkout machines.

"We offer self-check now," the employee told me, "it's easier and saves you time." I wasn't gruff sounding in my reply, I merely stated how I felt. "Oh, really, it doesn't feel that way to me. Now I'm expected to spend money in this store, and become an employee, scanning, bagging and doing my own credit card transaction, and of course, to give myself great customer service, I would add, 'Thanks and have a great day, Suzanne. Come back soon.'"

A friend of mine, who works in retail, brought up the self-check issue the other day, too. "I'm ringing up purchases all day long," she said, "that's my job. So when I go to the supermarket why would I want to go 'back to work' scanning and bagging my own purchases?"

I always try to look for something positive in a negative, so here's a thought, since now I'm an "employee" when I shop at the big box hardware store, I wonder if my "new" job offers benefits? And more importantly, will I be invited to the company Christmas party?

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

Today's the last day to enter the Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. I'll do all the work for you, all you have to do is eat--and get some milk, if you're a 'dunker.' For your chance to have my cookies delivered to your front door, be sure to click here.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

Dear Reader Column 02-27-2020

Dear Reader,

This week has been moving day for 33 Monarch caterpillars--but no need to rent a moving truck, because the move was "just around the corner," to a new milkweed plant in my garden.

Years ago I started planting milkweed in my gardens hoping to attract Monarch butterflies and word has definitely gotten around, because now I have Monarch butterflies in my yard all year long (I live in Sarasota, Florida). I do my best to make sure I always have plenty of milkweed plants in my gardens, because it's the only thing Monarch caterpillars will eat, and they eat, and they eat and they chomp, chomp, chomp...until the plant is stripped bare and they are big and fat and ready to spin a chrysalis.

But I'm going to have to make a trip to the nursery to buy some additional plants, because the caterpillars now outnumber my milkweed plants. The past couple of days I've found 33 caterpillars stranded on stripped, bare stems of milkweed plants. It would be a real challenge for those caterpillars to search around my gardens and locate new plants to munch on, so I decided to give them a helping hand. I cut the bare stem the caterpillar was on and I searched around my yard for an untouched milkweed plant, then placed the stem and caterpillar on the new plant and "Dinner is served!"

I'm hooked on those cute little guys. I feel blessed they decided to make my yard their home. So I make the rounds every morning in my gardens, checking on possible new "patients" who might need my assistance. The work is very rewarding, especially when I see newly "born" beautiful Monarch butterflies enjoying my gardens, and laying their eggs, and the cycle begins again.

To see photos, click here.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

I'd like to bake for you. It's time to enter to win the best-you'll-ever-taste chocolate chip cookies (don't take my word for it, click on the link to see last month's winners), and if you're one of the three lucky winners, the cookies will be delivered to your front door. To enter and see photos, click here.

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

With so many new books out every week, we promise this title deserves your attention:

(Fiction) WONDER WITH ME by Kristen Proby

Dear Reader Column 02-26-2020

Dear Reader,

Readers have been asking and YES, YES, YES! Paul and James, my grandsons, "2 Broke Boys Who Bake" sale was a huge success. They were sold out of product three hours after they set up their table at 7:30 a.m. They had over $120 in pre-orders, in addition to the pumpkin and banana bread and chocolate chip cookies they sold at their stand. And folks were leaving contact info, so the boys could alert them in advance of their next sale during spring break.

Paul and James are not the only ones who bake, it's something I do for book club readers once a month. I bake some of my outstanding, best-you'll-ever-taste chocolate chip cookies (don't take my word for it, click on the link to see last month's winners), and if you're one of the three lucky winners, the cookies will be delivered to your front door.

Baking is relaxing for me and giving away cookies--it's one of the little things I'm meant to do in life. I'll be baking this weekend, so enter the Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway today. I'd love to bake for you!

* But if you're a "dunker" you'll have to get your own milk!

To see last month's winners and to enter this month's giveaway, click here.

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

Warmest regards,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

Dear Reader Column 02-25-2020

Dear Reader,

Our guest today is Susan Elia MacNeal. A New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today bestselling author of the Maggie Hope mystery series.

Susan won the Barry Award and has been nominated for the Edgar, Macavity, Agatha, Left Coast Crime, Dilys, and ITW Thriller awards. Her first job was as the assistant to novelist John Irving in Vermont, then she worked as an editorial assistant at Random House, assistant editor at Viking Penguin, and associate editor and staff writer at Dance Magazine in New York City. As a freelance writer, she wrote two non-fiction books and for the publications of New York City Ballet.

Susan is married and lives with her husband, Noel MacNeal, a television performer, writer, and director, and their son in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Susan Elia MacNeal is on a book tour for her brand new book, The King's Justice. She may be stopping somewhere near you. Find out more at http://www.susaneliamacneal.com/

While researching The King's Justice, I read up about serial killers, violins, veterans with PTSD (of course they never called it that during World War II), and the British Italians or "Britalians" of London.

The Britalians were people from Southern Italy, generally from Sicily or Calabria, and their offspring. Many of them lived in a neighborhood of London called Clerkenwell. Although that area is now pretty gentrified, there are still glimpses of the old Italian influence--at St. Peter's Catholic Church and the deli and cafe Terroni of Clerkenwell, which opened in 1878. (If you're lucky enough to go, you'll hear older men and women there speaking Italian over tiny cups of pitch-black espresso and plates of cannoli and tiramisu.) During the beginning of the Second World War, Prime Minister Winston Churchill was quoted as saying "collar the lot" and many Britalians, along with Germans, were sent to internment camps. Later in the war, they were released and allowed to come home.

Since I'm Italian-American (paternal great-grandparents from Calabria, the toe of the "boot" of Italy), one of the ways I tried to connect with the Britalians of Clerkenwell was with cooking. Calabrese cuisine is famous for spicy food, with ingredients like fish, cured meats and sausages, figs, olives, and red-hot chili peppers. Bergamot, the citrus flavor in Earl Grey Tea is grown there, too, and used in desserts. Let's just say my husband and son were pretty thrilled with this aspect of my research!

I'd love to share one of the recipes I discovered that's quickly become a family favorite: Zeppole, or friend dumplings with powdered sugar. The recipe is from Nonna's (Grandma's) Kitchen: www.cookingwithnonna.com

Makes 3 Dozen

Ingredients:
1 pound all-purpose flour
2 medium boiled potatoes
1/4 ounce active dry yeast
pinch of salt
granulated sugar or powder sugar
2 cups lukewarm water
olive oil for frying

Directions

In a large bowl add the flour and the mashed potatoes.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water, add a pinch of salt and add to the bowl.

Mix all the ingredients well and work the dough for about 5 minutes. Alternatively you can use a stand mixer.

The consistency of the dough should be rather soft. Add a bit of extra water or flour to adjust.

Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm environment for about 1 hour.

Get your oil very hot in a deep frying pan and with a spoon drop strands of dough in irregular shapes.

Turn the dough in the oil until it is golden in color. Remove the Zeppole from the oil and quickly sprinkle with a generous dose of granulated sugar on all sides. Alternatively you can use powder sugar.

***

My tip: serve with espresso, a cup of coffee, or a tiny glass of Anisette (a licorice-flavored liqueur from Calabria--Sambuca is close in flavor and easier to find).

And yes, adding potatoes sounds a little odd, but they make the dough creamy and rich without adding butter (Calabria had goats and sheep but not cows). And because you're also frying in olive oil, they're heart-healthy! (Well, that's what I tell myself at any rate....)

Buon appetito!

-- Susan Elia MacNeal

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

Dear Reader Column 02-24-2020

Dear Reader,

I need to toughen up a little bit. Kenny Rogers sings about knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em, and there's a lesson in those words for me. The lesson I need to learn is when to be concerned about other people's feelings, and when to take care of my own. 

Maybe I'm a pushover, but I do my best to look out for other people's feelings, even if my own get trampled in the process. To avoid making someone else feel bad, I choose my words carefully and leave a person with their dignity even when they're acting like a fool. That's the axiom I hold myself accountable to.

But today I'm rethinking that approach.

Maybe the next time someone says or does something rude, I should speak right up and ask them, "What kind of response are you expecting from me?" I always walk away wondering what their answer would be, and since they didn't care about my feelings, perhaps I shouldn't be concerned about theirs.

Maybe the lesson to be learned is theirs, not mine.

Maybe when people are being rude, I should warn them: "You got to know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away. Know when to run."

Start running!

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

WONDER WITH ME (Fiction) by Kristen Proby

I don't know about you, but I absolutely love a romance. Toss in a wonderful little girl, and a sexy dad who's new at fatherhood, and, well, I just can't resist it.

This is where Noel comes in. She's the interior designer Reed has hired to turn his suburban Seattle home into a winter wonderland. Of course, none of them planned to fall in love. But who can resist with so much magic swirling around them?

Go to: Authorbuzz click on WONDER WITH ME to read more and to email author Kristen Proby, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 2-21-2020

Dear Reader,

Step right up! Lately there's been a 3-ring circus performing in my bedroom every night and unfortunately I've had a front row seat. "For your entertainment pleasure, because who needs to sleep, right? In the First Ring, we have an LED light show!" It seems that every time I purchase a new piece of electronic equipment, the manufacturer gives me a gift--LED lights that shine so brightly every night I have to throw a washcloth over my CD player, push a shoe up against the red on/off light on the Roku box, and decorate my alarm clock with a T-shirt.

"In the Second Ring, we have cats!" Not tigers and lions, but noisy, obnoxious every day cats. Barry thinks he's a human, so he insists on snuggling under the covers and putting his head next to mine on the pillow, which is fine, I'm used to sharing my pillow. But instead, last night he sat at the end of my bed grooming his paws, which then made the bell on his collar ding, ding, ding. As soon as Barry's dinging quieted down, Cooper, my set-in-his-ways Maine Coon cat, started flicking the drawer handle (loudly) on the bathroom vanity announcing it was time for a 3 a.m., turkey and gravy canned snack. When I didn't get up, he resorted to jumping over top of me--back  and forth, back and forth--from one side of the bed to the other.

"And finally, in the Third and Center Ring, my dear snoring husband!" Sneezing and wheezing all day long from a cold, his nose was stuffed up, which meant soon after he fell asleep he started snoring--which stopped when I rolled him over. But eventually he rolled onto his back again, so I had to repeat the routine--four different times during the night.

After the fourth rollover I decided I might as well get up, get a drink of water and sit for a few minutes. But my activity alerted the cats--who thought since I was up it must be morning and "It's time to eat!" Each of our five kitties lined up next to their dishes, wondering why I wasn't serving breakfast. I tried to ignore them, but their habits are hard to break. There's no reasoning with them.

LED lights, cats, and a snoring husband. Yes, there's a 3-ring circus going on in my bedroom (tickets still available for tonight's performance), but tonight this ringmaster is sleeping in the guest room.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

P. S. "2 Broke Boys Who Bake" (my grandsons), will be selling homemade pumpkin and banana bread and chocolate chip cookies in front of my house this Saturday, beginning at 7:30 a.m. I live on S. Orange Ave, here in Sarasota, and you can't miss the house because the bubbles will be flying. To see a photo of the boys, click here If you're able, stop by!

Dear Reader Column 2-20-2020

Dear Reader,

There's going to be a bake sale in front of my house this Saturday. If you live in Sarasota, stop by, the fun starts at 7:30 a.m. I live on S. Orange Ave., and you can't miss the house, because the bubbles will be flying out front. My grandsons, Paul and James, do the baking and it's going to be a baking marathon Friday after school, because the pre-orders for "2 Broke Boys Who Bake" are rolling in every day this week--for their chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread, and now requests for banana bread--with fresh blueberries and walnuts.

So today I'm featuring one of my favorite columns, because Grandma's going to lend a hand, doing the shopping then measuring and bagging some of the flour, baking soda and salt ahead of time for them. To see a photo of the boys, click here. If you're able, stop by! 

An obsession took over after I watched a redecorating show. I became obsessed with little white dots in my bathroom. The little white dots have been there for a couple of years, pin-sized places where the wallpaper has been scraped off, probably by my fingernails when I reached for a towel. Most of the blemishes in the wallpaper are covered up by towels hanging down on the rack, but after watching the show--now those 12 spots that aren't covered up are driving me crazy. (Yes, I counted them.)

I called the wallpaper company to see how much it would cost to cover up the little white dots, but the wallpaper man wasn't interested in covering up white dots--unless it meant re-papering my entire bathroom. So onto plan B, the creative, do-it-myself solution. The pattern in my wallpaper has little black "whatevers" scattered throughout the printed background. I figured no one would notice if I filled in the little white spots with the tip of a black marker--and no one has. And the even better news is that I'm no longer obsessed with the little white spots on my wallpaper, instead I've become obsessed with the little white spots on my arm.

When I was dabbing the spots with the marker, I looked down at my arm and noticed little white spots--places where the normal color of my skin had lightened. The marker worked great on the wallpaper, could I implement a similar do-it-myself project to get rid of the white spots on my arms? Off to the art store, where they advertise "We'll match any color you need for your project." 

"What kind of project are you working on?" the salesperson inquired.

"Self portrait," I replied.

"What kind of painting do you do?"

"I'm a connect-the-dot kind of painter. See these white spots on my
arm...?"

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column 2-19-2020

Dear Reader,

Why is it such a big deal? I don't know, but I sure find a lot of excuses not to do it. I used to simply open the front door, turn left at the end of my driveway and start walking--and it felt wonderful. But for some reason now, before I can go for a walk, I have to go through a list of "I'll do it later excuses." It's too hot (I live in Florida), I'm too tired, it might rain, I'm not feeling real good, maybe I should take a nap?"

But the other day, I discovered if I make my walk an "errand" then it doesn't feel like I'm just walking for the exercise, but rather I'm on a mission. So I relax and take in the scenery, as you're meant to do on a nice, afternoon walk, and it's fun.

It was Sunday, the post office was closed, but part of the lobby was open, and I needed to go in and get three express boxes for chocolate chip cookies I was sending out to cookie winners on Monday. Mission in hand, I set out on a walk.

No one else was in the post office lobby and the parking lot was empty except for one van. The hatch on the back was up and a woman was sitting with her legs hanging over the bumper. She was holding a shoe box filled with photos, taking them out one-by-one and admiring them. Her van was completely filled with boxes and some clothes on hangers.

It wasn't until later, on my way back home that I wondered 'Does that woman live in her car and she parks there on Sunday, because the post office is closed and no one will bother her?' I was very troubled, because it felt like she didn't have any intention of going anywhere, because she was Home.

I can't get the woman out of my mind. Tears come when I think of her sitting in the back of her van, with the hatch open as she's thumbing through a box of photos. Next Sunday my "errand" is to walk to the post office to look for the woman, and if she's there, I'm saying "Hello" and I'm going to make a new friend.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column 02-18-2020

Dear Reader,

We have a visiting author today. Please welcome Heather Redmond. She's written two current crime series: the British historical A Dickens of A Crime series and the US contemporary cozy Journaling mysteries. Heather lives in the Pacific Northwest in the United States with her family. She also writes as Heather Hiestand.

Seattle-set Journaled to Death is her most personal mystery to date, featuring Mandy Meadows, a journaling barista amateur sleuth. When Mandy finds her cousin dead in her basement, she assumes it's an accident, until the homicide detectives arrive. Even worse, they treat her like a suspect.

Heather loves to hear from readers! So please email and say, "Hello." Email: [email protected].

I used to have the best memory...until a decade ago when I had a child. Now I can forget the most memorable things, like the time my husband lost his wedding ring in our washing machine. I vaguely remembered him losing it, and replacing the ring with a cheap Twilight branded one I had won in a contest. I believe it said "Change Me" on it, LOL. However, I didn't believe the washing machine story until the appliance died. When my husband disassembled it though, there was the ring! I can forget remembering the day-to-day stuff if I can't even recall that loss. Especially given that I was the only one doing the laundry and therefore it's my fault the ring disappeared.

After a certain point, I had to admit I needed help. I tried wall calendars, magnetized weekly boards, and customized planners for writers, but I only hit my stride when I discovered bullet journaling, which is a life tracking concept developed by Ryder Carroll. For the past few years, artistic types have combined the concept with art-focused journaling, and that's where I found my own life tracking heaven. I love using stickers, watercolors, and pens to set up my monthly and weekly calendar, to-do list, meal, and habit trackers. Tips and tricks are abundant all over social media, as are tools to help if you aren't the DIY type. And the planners! Pretty Archer & Olive, toothsome paper-filled Scribbles That Matter...every country has their own favorite brands.

Another thing I track is my reading. My bookshelves are completely stuffed, but my child is addicted to bookstore visits so I have a lot of temptation. I added a page in my journal for "Print Books Purchased" and "Print Books Read" so that I can try to talk myself into the book-in, book-out policy that is so very sensible in my small house. My Kindle doesn't count. That can be loaded continually. Last year, I only tracked my fiction purchases. This year, I should probably add nonfiction, because those shelves are out of control too. I can happily report that I almost "broke even" with my book tracker in 2019. I continue to refine what works best for me in my completely flexible journal.

-- Heather Redmond

I'd love to hear from you. It was fun to visit the book club.
[email protected].

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column 02-17-20

Dear Reader,

It's a word that never fails to make my grandkids burst out laughing. And they're not the only ones. Even my grown son (their father), smiles and can always be counted on for a sound effect after someone says the word--butt.

I agree, it's a funny little word that's a lot of fun, because there are so many "butts" to choose from. Twenty, come to mind immediately: backside, bottom, behind, seat, rump, rear, cheeks, booty, posterior, caboose, bum, hindquarters, haunches, derriere, fanny, tush, heinie, patootie, rumpy, and buttocks.

Cosmopolitan magazine researched butts and published the article, "There are 5 Different Types of Butts in the World." You're either toting a Square, V-Shape, A-shape, Round, or an Upside Down Heart behind. (And there's a proper style of underwear for each of them.)

Yes, butt is a well-worn word, because everybody has one and to my surprise some people even "name" their butt. I've never personally met anyone who introduced themselves and their butt, too...

"Hello, I'm Anne," and as she gracefully turns around Anne announces, "let me introduce Bert and Ernie!"

Now that would be a funny story, 'butt'...I won't be telling my grandkids or my son. They need no encouragement.

* Congratulations to the winners of last week's Wacky Giveaways: Susan B., Erika S., Kathleen V., Margaret M. and Muriel L. Your wacky gifts are on their way to you!

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]