Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 03-17-2020

Dear Reader,

If you're looking for a smile and a laugh, you'll find them in today's column, written by guest author Tom Threadgill, author of Collision of Lies.

As I sat at the drive-thru waiting to order breakfast the other day, one of those random thoughts occurred. If you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, is the normal state of things being whelmed? For example, say you try a new restaurant and your meal is okay. Not great, not bad.

"Hey," your friend says. "How was dinner?"

"I was whelmed."

That got me trying to remember the last time I was overwhelmed. Submerged by a tidal wave of emotion so powerful it threatened to disrupt my very existence. I didn't have to go back far in my memory banks, and it's an experience I bet all of you share with me. Let's boil it down to a single word, shall we?

Toothpaste.

I don't typically believe things were better in the old days. Simpler, maybe, but not necessarily better. Except when it comes to toothpaste. As I stood in my local megastore surveying the options, my shopping chore moved from whelming to overwhelming. Used to be you had a few different brands to choose from, each with exactly one product. Your family likes Crest? Grab it and go. Not anymore, my friend.

Crest now has slightly under a gazillion kinds of toothpaste, all identical except on some subatomic scale. Whitening, sensitivity protecting, freshening, gum repairing, enamel shielding, deep cleaning, and all possible variations and combinations. And if things weren't confusing enough, it doesn't matter what you want because every box looks the same. It's like looking for a needle in a needle stack.

And forget switching brands. They all flood the shelves. It's so bad, nine out of ten dentists now recommend you use the buddy system when buying toothpaste. Tag out when you start to get woozy.

You'll eventually grab something (the wrong one, your spouse will inform you later) and flee the area, your sanity barely intact. After a while, your pulse will return to normal and the spots in front of your eyes will fade.

Until you get to the toilet paper aisle. I'm not sure what a "regular" roll is, but nobody sells it. Now you have to grab your slide rule to figure out whether the twelve-pack of jumbo rolls is a better buy than the six-pack of mega rolls. Or maybe borrow a forklift and grab the twenty-four pack of double rolls? Oh, and would you like one-, two-, or three-ply? Ultra-strong or comfort plus or gentle care?

And don't get me started on deodorant. Wait...that came out wrong, but you know what I mean.

Is it just me? Write me at [email protected] and let me know I'm not alone.

-- Tom Threadgill

Tom Threadgill is the author of several thrillers, each with a distinct focus on clean, suspenseful action with strong character development. His fourth novel is Collision of Lies. Tom and his wife live in rural Tennessee, where he spends his time woodworking, watching hockey, and dodging phone calls from his editor.

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.

SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS (Fiction) by Jennifer Probst

I love a good office romance, especially when there's high stakes involved. When Jonathan Lake gets the opportunity to run for Governor, his burgeoning feelings for his trusted assistant begins to overshadow his need to win...and may cost him the election. But will Alyssa allow him to gamble his career on an uncertain future? It's full of swoon worthy romance, humor, and some rescue animals along the way.

Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS to read more and to email author Jennifer Probst, you'll get a reply.

This month's Penguin Classics book is The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win.

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

Dear Reader Column 03-16-2020

Dear Reader,

If you're still looking for a St. Patrick's Day recipe, click here for my recipe blog to see reader favorites.

I love it when I share a recipe and readers share one of their favorites. Bell Peppers with Peanuts and Water Chestnuts is a frequent go-to at Marcia's house.

"Hi Suzanne! Like you, I also enjoy trying out new recipes. Lately, I am gravitating towards making more vegetarian dishes. Although this is one of those recipes, I love it because you can easily add leftover pork, chicken or just about any meat after dicing it up first. The water chestnuts and peanuts both add interesting flavors and texture to the dish! I hope that you enjoy it! (Sometimes double the sauce, especially if I am adding leftover meat.)"

Bell Peppers with Peanuts and Water Chestnuts

3 T reduced sodium soy sauce
1 T Hoisin sauce
3 T peanut oil
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 cups cooked white rice (optional)

1. Combine soy sauce and Hoisin sauce in a small bowl. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add peppers and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Add water chestnuts, peanuts and garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in sauce mixture.

Serve immediately, over rice if desired. (Serves 6)

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

* Congratulations to the winners of Wendy Pope's new book, Hidden Potential: Lacy C., Emily O., Paula T., Marci V. and Julie W.

Warmest regards,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

CRUSH THE KING (Fantasy) by Jennifer Estep

I've always loved reading epic fantasy books, and I'm thrilled to share book #3 in my Crown of Shards series. Everleigh Blair, the gladiator queen of Bellona, will have to use all of her magic, strength, and wits to finally crush the evil king who wants her dead.

Go to: AuthorBuzz click on CRUSH THE KING to read more and to email author Jennifer Estep, you'll get a reply.

This month's Penguin Classics book is The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win.

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

Dear Reader Column 03-13-2020

Dear Reader,

At the moment, I'm going nuts, crazy, out-of-my-mind insane, being too hard on myself--all the things I'm so good at doing. I could teach a class on it. Feeling anxious, can hardly catch my breath and my chest is tight. But before you whip an email off suggesting I'm having a heart attack, or you decide to dial 911--"I'm not sure of her address, but she's a writer who lives in Florida and she's having chest pains, send an ambulance!"--I assure you, it's probably nothing because the last time this happened to me, I immediately went to the doctor, they did an x-ray and the pain in my chest turned out to be gas.

Yeah, I didn't believe them either, so the doctor held up the x-ray and pointed to the spot. (For those of you who are curious, gas looks cloudy on an x-ray.) And there were so many clouds it looked like a doozy of a thunderstorm was ready to let loose. 'Where's my umbrella?' Talk about embarrassing.

But it wasn't my first time.

Years ago, when I was publishing a business magazine, whenever a new restaurant was getting ready to open in the city, the owners would always have a first-night, private party. They wanted to "get the word out" in the community and the new kitchen staff needed a trial-run, so the media was always invited and I'd get an invitation.

Free food has never been a very big deal to me, but this particular invitation was for a restaurant specializing in seafood. I love fresh shrimp, and sure enough, there were two heaping platters, with sides of horseradish cocktail sauce on the buffet table--I couldn't resist. And I'm embarrassed to admit that I ate way-more than my "socially-acceptable" share of the jumbo delights, washing them all down with a couple glasses of white wine. Then I jotted down a five-star rating on their "How did we do?" card, went home, put on my pjs and went right to sleep. Woke up forty minutes later and felt like I was dying. Bent over, crawling around the bathroom floor; my chest, stomach, intestines, everything below my neck down to my knees was cramping. "Take me to the Emergency Room!"

Just like in the movies, two nurses were waiting outside of the Emergency Room door for my husband and me. And when they immediately wheeled me straight back into an exam room, no waiting, no paperwork, nobody asking, "What's your mother's maiden name?"--it was confirmation--I must be dying. I'd never seen so many doctors in one room. Am I allowed to die if no one has called my HMO for pre-authorization?

"Suzanne, we're going to have to do emergency surgery, you must have blockage somewhere. We're going to do an x-ray." A surgeon was on his way, nurses were starting to prep me for the operating room and that's when a doctor holding my x-ray appeared.

"I have good news and bad news," the doctor said, "the good news is you don't need surgery. The bad news is you have really, really bad gas. Even we're a little amazed. We'll give you something for it, but it's going to take hours for everything to 'clear-out.' Just how many of those jumbo shrimp did you eat?"

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.

* This month's Penguin Classics book is The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win.

Dear Reader Column 03-12-2020

Dear Reader,

It's a very rare day that writing happens in the "instant" version for me. Open a box, dump the ingredients in the pan, turn on the microwave for 30 seconds and dinner is served. I admit sometimes I wish there was a condensed version sitting on the shelf; thoughts and words laced with preservatives, just waiting for me to add one simple ingredient and "bon appetit"--it's finished. But I realized a long time ago that in order for me to be a good writer I have to be willing to make a pie from scratch.

I'm sure it's different for every writer--a friend of mine who's written several very successful books doesn't even own a mixer and I doubt if she'd even know what to do with a pie tin. But for me, it's necessary to fill the pie tin from scratch. Writing means mixing the dough: flour, powdered sugar, butter, ice water; letting the dough rest on my wooden board for a while, and when the time is right, rolling the dough out and placing it in the pie tin. And then it's time to make the filling: pare and slice apples, mix cinnamon, sugar and a little flour together with the apples, scoop the apple filling into the bottom crust, top it off with a couple of dabs of butter, put the top crust on and then in an orderly fashion, moving around the outer rim of the pie tin, one-by-one, pinch the two pie crusts together and slit the top crust so the steam can escape.

Then I stand back, take a minute to smile and admire my handy work, and cover up the edge of the pie crust with tin foil, so it doesn't brown too soon. Slide the pie into the oven and then I need to be patient. (That's really the hard part.) Watching and waiting for the crust to turn light brown and the juice from the apples starte to bubble up through the slits in the top crust--then the pie is ready to come out of the oven.

But it's not finished yet. It has to sit on the counter and cool. And if I try to hurry it along and cut into my pie too soon, the filling runs and the rest of the pieces won't cut right, they'll fall apart.

No doubt about it, it's a lot of work making a pie from scratch, but it's worth it. I get a lot of satisfaction from the process and other people seem to enjoy my pies, too. It's a real compliment when someone asks for seconds because every single one of my pies include my dreams, fears, happy experiences and sometimes my sadness.

I've learned to accept the fact that not every pie should look the same. If I'm concerned that my pies don't look as fancy as my neighbor's (she's a pastry chef and her pies have been on best-tasting pastry lists), then I'm doomed. Comparing my pies to others always stops my creative juices from flowing.

And that's what writing is to me. It's making pies. I'm always experimenting with new recipes, some turn out tasty and others, once is enough. But even if a pie doesn't turn out quite right, I always learn something new about me.

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.

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

(Fiction) TEASE ME by J. Kenner

(Thriller) THE WILL TO DIE by Joe Pulizzi

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

* This month's Penguin Classics book is The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win.

Dear Reader Column 03-11-2020

Dear Reader,

Today's guest author, Christi Daugherty, was 22 years old when she first began covering murders as a crime reporter for newspapers in Savannah, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. Her series, The Echo Killing, is about a Savannah-based crime reporter named Harper McClain. Revolver Road, the third book in the series was just released. Christi is also the author of a young adult series, Night School, which has recently been optioned for television.

Please welcome Christi Daugherty to the book club. Say hello here.

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Being an Author

Recently I was asked to reveal the thing that surprised me the most about becoming an author. That got me thinking. I came into fiction publishing blind--a true know nothing. Many things took me by surprise. Here are a few of the things I didn't expect.

1. Authors get less from the sale of a book than anyone else involved. When I want to horrify school children on book tours I tell them the truth about how much authors make. So, go on. Guess. What percentage of the sale price of a book do you think authors get. 80%? Nope. 60%? No way, my friends. Try 8%. Yes, you read that right. The average author gets 8% of the paperback price as royalties. That percentage has been shrinking for decades. It's even gone down in the 9 years I've been an author. In 2010, 9% was routine.

2. Everyone wants to take your picture. This may not sound like much, but it took me years to get used to the fact that strangers suddenly wanted my picture. I am not at all famous but at book fairs I've found myself surrounded by cameras. In France, I was once besieged by actual paparazzi and I've never quite recovered. I used to hate having my picture taken, but the only way to survive in this business as far as I can tell is to find your best angle and SMILE.

3. Everything moves slowly in fiction. From the time you finish writing your book, even if you have a book contract, it takes at least two years to be published. Publishers have long lead-in times and your book has to get into line. I'm used to it now but with my first book it really shocked me. I was writing my third novel when my first finally came out.

4. It's a lonely business. Writers spend a lot of time alone. I am an introvert and a separatist and yet I find myself missing humans, and having long, philosophical conversations with my cat. You need tools to handle the isolation. A coffee shop to write in, or friends to work with. Anything that involves social interaction.

5. You never get over seeing your book in shops. It's the best part of this business. All that hard work, all that worry. And then there your book is, sitting right where Dorothy Parker's books sat. It almost makes up for the 8%. Almost.

--Christi Daugherty

Drop Christi a note and welcome her to the book club.

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.

* This month's Penguin Classics book is The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win.

Dear Reader Column 03-10-2020

Dear Reader,

This month's Penguin Classics book is THE AWAKENING, by Kate Chopin. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win right now.

This coming week I'll be pulling out my shamrock apron that book club reader Debbie sent me several years ago, and an oven mitt. Debbie's from Kentucky, but the apron and oven mitt traveled all the way from Ireland. I'll be cooking corned beef and cabbage again this year--it's the only time I make it--even though a few years back readers enlightened me about my yearly tradition.

If you want to impress your family, friends and co-workers with some trivia: corned beef and cabbage didn't actually originate in Ireland. The meal isn't Irish at all. Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by poor Irish-American immigrants in the late 19th century.

My most memorable St. Patrick's day was when I was lucky enough to be in New York City years ago when I was on a business trip, and I got to see the big parade. No floats or automobiles are permitted, yet it's one of the most exciting parades I've ever seen. Bands and more bands and over 150,000 marchers passed by while the crowd went wild.

Readers have sent in a collection of recipes for St. Patrick's Day. To find one that's just right for you--and to see me decked out for St. Pat's Day, click here.

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.

THE WILL TO DIE (Thriller) by Joe Pulizzi

I've written five marketing books over the past decade, and always wanted my wife to read one. Unfortunately, she wasn't interested. She loved thrillers. So, I made it a mission to write a book she would love. My wife was the first reader of my new title and, thankfully, she devoured it. It's the story of Will Pollitt, who, after the death of his father, comes back to his hometown to take over his father's funeral home business. Digging into his father's past, he uncovers a killing conspiracy that nearly brings him to his knees.

Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on THE WILL TO DIE to read more and to email author Joe Pulizzi, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 03-09-2020

Dear Reader,

When it seems like the task before me is impossible, and I'm feeling like an underdog, that's when I pull out my collection of moments.

It's a hope chest filled with moments that inspire me, when I desperately need a dose of, 'You can do it, Suzanne.' They're nothing fancy, these moments, but that's part of their inspiration.

Some are simply sentences from books, notes from my husband, letters from friends, an email from a reader, or an interaction with someone that touched my heart. I've collected and saved these moments to remind me that when others think I can't, maybe I can. When they least expect it, I just might shine. They inspire me to stay in touch with the child inside me that loves to come out and play.

From my collection of moments one that a friend sent to me years ago...

"I just wanted to share this with you. I went to Target today, and as I was getting out of the car I noticed a woman coming out of the store pushing a basket. When she got to the edge of the walk where it dips into a ramp, she raised her hands and let her basket roll down ahead of her while she sort of skipped along behind it. She was obviously just enjoying herself with a little playful moment, and for a second I thought it was you. I had to look twice to make sure it wasn't, in fact, because she was small and cute and blonde. But her blonde was darker and her skin was tanner, so I don't think it was you, but a close twin.

I just thought you should know that when your friends see somebody who's able to enjoy a small moment by themselves like that, they think of you." -- Blaize

Would you share one of your moments with me? I'd love to read one of your inspirations.

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.

TEASE ME (Fiction) by J. Kenner

I've loved writing Jamie & Ryan since they first burst onto the page, and this standalone story is one of my favorites, with romance, secrets and suspense, it pushes all my buttons...

Frustrated by her husband's distraction, Jamie decides to surprise him while he's working out of the country. But when she sees a private text message, her frustration turns to terror that her marriage is falling apart, little realizing that it's so much more complicated than that.

Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on TEASE ME to read more and to email author J. Kenner, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 03-06-2020

Dear Reader,

This past Wednesday I wrote about a woman I interviewed who found herself grieving at the same time, for three people she loved. It was a whirlwind of death that left her stopping and starting a process that seemed to have no clear beginning or end. So she labeled three shoe boxes, one for each of her relatives that had recently passed on, put the boxes on a shelf, and took them down one at a time.

Carolyn, a reader at the book club, sent me an email cleverly giving the process a name...

"Hi Suzanne,

Shoeboxing... What a wonderful idea!

Visually and physically compartmentalizing grief, sadness, challenging struggles....all very therapeutic. Many would journal, but not a strong point for this lady. Shoeboxing would lend itself to a specifically focused issue. A capsule to deposit photos and collect memorable thoughts, in jot note brevity for oneself, creating an avenue to process. Simply comforting. Thanks for sharing." -- Carolyn D.

Shoeboxing--what a clever, easy to remember tool. It's perfect for me, because I tend to stack worries and problems thinking about them one after another in a loop that never ends. Round and round in my mind all day long, It's overwhelming and just makes my situation worse. But shoeboxing would interrupt the "loop" for me.

Thanks for writing Carolyn and thanks for reading with me every day. It's so good to know I'm reading with a friend like you.

Warmest regards,

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

JOURNEY (Fantasy) by Andrew Zimmerman

Paul, a driven, highly successful and increasingly disenchanted executive, struggles to reconcile the digital world of his unrelenting career, the material world of his tony Central Park existence, and the spiritual world opening up to him.

He visits Glastonbury, England, a mecca for would-be witches, goddesses, druids, where he meets Christine, a beautiful soul reader. When he returns to New York, his wife, Mary, is skeptical. Is Paul having a spiritual awakening or is he falling for a beautiful charlatan?

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on JOURNEY to read more and to email author Andrew Zimmerman, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 03-05-2020

Dear Reader,

It was the sewer pipe that kept "going and going and going." Yes, pun intended, but no kidding, my historical house was built in 1925 and it wasn't until two months ago that my original sewer pipe failed. The guys who replaced the pipe informed me the city's sewer pipe, that connected to mine, had three holes in it. "Here's a letter and a video link you can give to the city to show them the problem. You'll want to get that fixed Suzanne, because eventually it will affect your new pipe."

I don't know why, but when I thought about going down to the city building and lobbying to get someone to fix their sewer pipe, I was anticipating a real struggle. So while I was driving there, I was rehearsing what I would initially say and a rebuttal, if necessary.

"Hello," I told the woman at the counter and then I explained about the sewer pipe and gave her a copy of the letter and the link to the video showing the problem with the city's pipe.

The woman smiled, read the letter, typed in the link to the video, and replied, "Thanks for bringing in the additional materials. We'll get right on this."

Okay, so I didn't need to practice a rebuttal, but "We'll get right on this" probably means two or three months. I felt extremely ashamed of myself when later that afternoon three men from the sewer department came to my house and did a more comprehensive video of the pipe. "We see the problem," one of the men told me, "we'll get right on this." And three weeks later (the Christmas holiday was in the midst of the time period), the city did indeed fix their sewer pipe.

My "white glove sewer" experience will forever remind me not to prejudge situations and people. (And of course I baked some of my homemade chocolate chip cookies for the repairmen.)

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

* Not only was I baking for the city repair crew, I made chocolate chip cookies for lucky book club winners in my latest Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway. Congratulations to: Marlene H., Shasta Q.,West Oaks Library & Genealogy Center and Karyn W., Westchester Public Library.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

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

(Fiction) THE DARKEST ASSASSIN by Gena Showalter

(Fiction) WILLA'S GROVE by Laura Munson

(Mystery) LAVENDAR BLUE MURDER by Laura Childs

(Fiction) JOURNEY by Andrew Zimmerman

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

Dear Reader Column 03-04-2020

Dear Reader,

Years ago I wrote and published an article about how people grieve. One of the women that I interviewed had three very close family members die, one after another, over a few months time. Consequently, just when she would finish arranging one funeral, she had to begin planning another. It was a whirlwind of death that left her stopping and starting a process that seemed to have no clear beginning or end.

Grieving for all three people at one time was too overwhelming. The woman's work and health were suffering and it quickly became clear, that she had to find a way to grieve for one person at a time. This was her solution:

She found three shoe boxes and labeled one for each of the three People who had passed on. The boxes were physically empty, but in her mind, they held the memories and the consuming grief that she felt for each person. The boxes allowed her to concentrate on grieving one person at a time, without fear that the memories of the others would slip away.

One box she kept with her and the other two she put high up on a shelf. It comforted her knowing the memories were safe and within reach, and whenever she felt ready to move on, she could take another box off the shelf.

Her solution was a lifesaving one and has been my personal savior when everything "bad" seems to hit me at once. Whenever I find myself overwhelmed with too much sadness and I feel lost, I label the boxes, putting them all up on the shelf, except one--and I begin.

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.

LAVENDAR BLUE MURDER (Mystery) by Laura Childs

As tea shop owner Theodosia and her tea sommelier Drayton enjoy a British-style day of shooting at Creekmore Plantation, gunshots explode like Black Cat firecrackers. But the distinctive pop of a handgun sounds too close for comfort. Theodosia wanders into a neighboring lavender field and discovers their host Reginald Doyle bleeding to death. Hours later, a fire rips through the Doyle's plantation house. A shooting and a fire feel way too coincidental, so Theodosia launches an investigation. This is one of my most action-packed mysteries yet!

Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on LAVENDAR BLUE MURDER to read more and to email author Laura Childs, you'll get a reply.