Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column - January 17, 2022

Dear Reader,

Herman Martin, the 2017 First Place winner in my annual Write a DearReader Contest, wrote to me...

"Suzanne, this email is my way of thanking you for your kind words and inspiration. A couple of years ago [2017] I wrote a piece for your contest, this was before the pandemic. I did not think I had a chance. (It seemed all of my writings were rejected for one reason or another and I was not in a good frame of mind.) I have always told myself as long as someone reads what I write, then I'm okay. No matter if they like the piece or not. WRONG. I do care. Then you happened. You read my contest entry and book club readers read it too, and all I got back was praise and support. I am truly thankful for that.

Then 'it' happened. Corona. Pandemic. Fear. I was staying home not knowing if the sun would come out tomorrow. (Sorry Annie.) I was becoming bored and angry. What could I do?

The first answer that came to me...WRITE.

But when I thought about all the rejections, I did not want to. Then I reread what you had written about me in your introduction about my winning piece. And this is what I did. I wrote. I created. I published. And I want to tell you again. Thank you."

(Suzanne replies:) Herman, I really appreciate it that you let me know that winning the contest, and the words I wrote about you, have made such a difference in your writing experience.

To read Herman's winning entry and my introduction about him, click here.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

Rory is in sixth grade and he still can't say his r's, but that's just the beginning of his troubles. Nancy Tandon's THE WAY I SAY IT is "a touching story about friendship, feelings, and support" (Kirkus), ideal for for ages 10 and up. For a chance to win a free copies, to talk with the authors, and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz.

 

 

 

This month's Penguin Classics book is HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS LOST THEIR ACCENTS, by Julia Alvarez, with a foreword by Elizabeth Acevedo. 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 - January 14, 2022

Dear Reader,

Congratulations to the winners of the January Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway, Danielle M., Heather M., and Kelly P. Your cookies are going out on Monday, so you'll be dunking and munching soon.

Today our guest writer is Victoria Stuppy, one of 2021 Honorable Mentions from my Write a Dear Reader Contest. The quality of writing in the 2021 Write a DearReader Contest was outstanding. Thank you so much Victoria for sharing your story with us.

I'm not sure who first said travel is exciting and glamorous, but I'm certain they never traveled to the Pacific Rim and back to the U.S. in 10 days. Don't get me wrong, the trip to Hong Kong and onto Thailand was a wonderful experience. My husband and I knew we'd miss the exotic locale and wonderfully sweet people, but there is no place like home when it comes to sleeping in your own bed. And after our non-stop agenda, sleep was fast becoming a precious commodity. The almost four-hour flight back to Hong Kong was mercifully quick and it appeared we'd make our tight connection and be home in time for Mother's Day!

And here's where it all began to go terribly wrong.

Our next flight was delayed by over three hours until nearly one o'clock in the morning. Then four hours into our flight we were awakened by the pilot asking if there were any doctors on board for a medical emergency. About an hour later, the pilot announced that the medical situation had worsened and he would have to turn the plane around and land at Narita airport in Japan. What?! We were nearly halfway to L.A. Okay, perhaps not that close, but I was sleepy and a bit cranky.

Not much to do about the situation short of commandeering the plane and forcing the crew to land at LAX. On to Tokyo. Sadly, the woman was very ill and died just before landing in Japan. While the family had been prepared for weeks that she probably wouldn't make the flight due to congestive heart failure, we felt the shock of their loss and spent time in prayer for her soul and for her family.

Upon landing the plane was swarmed by officials and Japanese police. It appeared that landing a dead body in Tokyo is not something the Japanese Medical Examiner takes lightly and they were not accepting the corpse. So the flight staff had to make some highly unusual arrangements to allow us to fly off the island by encasing one of the passenger seats in numerous sheets of plastic secured with tape, covered the seat with blankets and then with the assistance of four flight attendants, quietly escorted the body back to the seat.

Almost no one on board knew what had transpired save for those of us closest and so as not to alarm all of the passengers, the flight attendants seated the woman in her seat, tucked a blanket up to her chin, balanced her face against a pillow, buckled up her safety belt and then put on the finishing touch--they placed her reading glasses on her face! We were flying this poor woman to the States and we were spending the next eleven hours with a dead body three seats in front of our tray table.

We considered disembarking in Japan, but assumed we wouldn't think anything more about it until the flight attendant came around with the hot moist towels prior to our meal. Imagine our surprise when she stopped at the deceased woman's seat, removed the woman's eyeglasses, wiped her face and then replaced the glasses.

About six hours into the flight, I awoke and I still wonder to this day, did I really see the attendant gently spritzing eucalyptus oil on the body or was I dreaming? The moist towel scene was repeated once again before we landed. It was truly an academy award winning performance by the flight crew.

In the end, it is a lesson for all of us. To the family, it didn't matter where death took place, it was important that life had been lived. And to the few of us that witnessed it, it only reminded us to live and love each and every day.

-- Victoria Stuppy
Honorable Mention, 2021 Write a DearReader Contest

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

(FICTION)
HAUNTED HOUSE by Heather Graham

(FICTION)
THE BAIT by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose

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

This month's Penguin Classics book is HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS LOST THEIR ACCENTS, by Julia Alvarez, with a foreword by Elizabeth Acevedo. 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 - January 13, 2022

Dear Reader,

Something happened over the holidays that inspired my New Year's Resolution.

When Bailey, my 27 year-old granddaughter, visited over the Thanksgiving holiday, she noticed a framed "award" on my dining room wall. When she asked what it was, I told her I used to serve a free meal to 125 folks every Friday, when I lived in Madison, and one of the guests made the award for me.

"You used to serve free meals every Friday? I never knew that about you, Grandma."

I was surprised. Looking back over the things I've done in my life so far, I guess I just took it for granted that she knew everything about me. But thinking about it, there are a lot of things I never  knew about my grandparents, and now I wish I did. And so I told Bailey about the "Best Restaurant in Madison" award.

When I read a story in the local newspaper that "The Neighborhood House" in Madison, Wisconsin wanted to start serving one free meal a month, immediately I knew I had to respond. I was really excited about the opportunity, even though I didn't know anything about it yet.

After I found out more about the proposed monthly free meal, I committed to preparing and serving it myself. Previously, I owned a restaurant (which was another story I hadn't told Bailey),  so serving 125 people wasn't a big deal for me.

"The Neighborhood House" promoted the upcoming meal and I started cooking. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, tossed salad, deviled eggs, coffee, bottles of water and of course, dessert--chocolate cake.

Pretty soon, the once a month meal turned into twice a month, three times, then four, but not without help. My husband and I published a business magazine in the community, so I began enlisting local businesses to get involved. Every week a different restaurant would provide the main course, another would make the salad, mashed potatoes and vegetables, a paper company donated plates, napkins and silverware, a bakery made the chocolate cake and Schoeps Ice Cream topped it off with strawberry, chocolate or vanilla. I needed help serving, so I contacted businesses and each week six volunteers would show up to make the deviled eggs, serve lunch and clean up.

Eventually I even started a program for high school students to come and serve the meal once a month.

The award Bailey noticed on my wall? At one of the meals a guest stood up and announced that everyone wanted to thank me, and she presented me with an "award" and I received a standing ovation. The woman had cut phrases out of magazines and pasted them on the award: "There's a Warm Welcome Waiting for You. Elegant Yet Affordable, Gifts from the Heart, Great times, Quality Taste, Relaxing Atmosphere, Dine with Us."

"I never knew that about you, Grandma!" And just like when Bailey was a little girl and asked, "Grandma will you tell me a story?" I decided that my New Year's resolution was to keep telling my granddaughter the stories from my life, all year long.

Click here to see a photo of the award, that still hangs on my dining room wall. 

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

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

(FICTION)
HAUNTED HOUSE by Heather Graham

(FICTION)
THE BAIT by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose

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

Dear Reader Column - January 12, 2022

Dear Reader,

Rachel Dodge, this week's guest author, teaches college English; speaks at libraries, literary groups, and teas; and writes for the popular Jane Austen's World blog. A true kindred spirit at heart, she loves books, bonnets, and ball gowns.

Rachel is the author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, and Praying with Jane. You can visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com

Rachel is giving away three copies of her new book, The Little Women Devotional. Authors love to hear from readers and when you contact her, you'll be entered in the book drawing. Rachel's email: [email protected]

Fail-Proof Resolutions

Did you make any resolutions this year? Have you already fallen off the wagon?

Me too!

A lot of people I know make New Year's resolutions, start new challenges, or decide on a theme for their year. And while some of them stick with it, most of them don't. Sound familiar?

That's why I prefer to set smaller, more reasonable goals that I will actually meet. Yearly goals overwhelm me, so I tend to stick with weekly or monthly goals I can list out and cross off.

The personal goals I set are things that I want to do and I'm likely to do. It's all about baby steps and reachable, reasonable goals.

Here are a few examples:

*I will finally buy myself new kitchen shears.

*I will treat myself to an ice cream cone when I get the rose bushes pruned.

*I will hug the people I love and tell them I think they're great.

*I will sort through my shoes and coats and donate a bag to help someone else stay warm.

*I will buy a pack of gum for the cashier when I get groceries.

*I will smile when I'm driving through town.

*I will curl up with a good book at least twice this week.

*I will do 20 minutes of exercise that's FUN--like dancing in the kitchen to music from my teen years!

You get the idea, right? These aren't obligations; they are joy-giving, life-enhancing goals. You can make up your own list and be as silly or serious as you like. Honestly, one of my goals is to cuddle my dog every day! Talk about fail-proof.

But you can fail-proof your more serious resolutions as well by making them joyful and by giving yourself incentives and doable tasks. If there's something you really want to do but can't seem to stick with, what about doing it a few times a week, rather than daily? Set a goal you can actually meet. You can always add to it as you go.

One of my goals two years ago was to start journaling each day so I could keep track of my prayers and praises. My goal was simple: Write something every day. My rules: It doesn't have to be fancy. Bullet points count. Bad handwriting is fine. Once I started, I found I enjoyed it. And because I enjoyed it, I stuck with it.

If you're already "over it" when it comes to resolutions, but you really do want to reach a few personal goals, try making your own fail-proof list. If you fall off the wagon, that's okay. Get back up, think about another way to go about it, and try again.

The best way to fail-proof your goals is to make them reachable and reasonable. Start small, have fun, and learn as you go!

-- Rachel Dodge
Email Rachel to be entered in the drawing for a copy of her new book, The Little Women Devotional, [email protected]

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win.

This month's Penguin Classics book is HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS LOST THEIR ACCENTS, by Julia Alvarez, with a foreword by Elizabeth Acevedo. 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 - January 11, 2022

Dear Reader,

Today is the day for Classics and the last day for Chocolate Chip Cookies! To enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway and see photos of previous winners, click here.

Every other month, I feature a Penguin Classic. This month's Penguin Classic is, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win, click here.

In this month's Classics title, the Garcia sisters--Carla, Sandra, Yolanda, and Sofia--and their family must flee their home in the Dominican Republic after the discovery of their father's role in an attempt to overthrow the brutal dictator Rafael Trujillo.

They arrived in New York City in 1960 to a life far removed from their existence in the Caribbean. In the wondrous but not always welcoming United States, their parents try to hold on to their old ways as the girls try to find new lives: by straightening their hair and wearing American fashions, and forgetting their Spanish. For them, it is at once liberating and excruciating to be caught between the old world and the new.

To enter the drawing for a copy of this month's Penguin Classic and read a sample, click here.

Enter my Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway. To see past winners and to enter the drawing for a chance to win cookies, click here. 

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win.

THE BAIT (FICTION) by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose

Revenge is a diamond best served cold.

The second novella in To Catch A Leopard, The Bait is a nail-biting romantic caper by bestselling authors C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose. A year after The Steal, Ania Throne is determined to take back what the Leopard stole from her. Together with her lover and partner, Jerome, she stages a spectacular heist during the Venetian Carnival, to lure out the treacherous mastermind they unmasked.

To enter to win one of 5 copies click on Authorbuzz and the book jacket to enter.

Go to AUTHORBUZZ click on THE BAIT to read more and to email author C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column - January 10, 2022

Dear Reader,

Reading emails from book club readers is always the best part of my day. I know you're busy, thanks for writing.

Christy sent me a cut-out cookie recipe that I'm going to use for my grandson's upcoming birthday party later this month. It's an ocean/beach theme, including seagulls hanging down from the ceiling, and because of Christy's easy to make cut-out recipe, we'll all be snacking on decorated seagull cookies, too.

"Suzanne, I want to share with you my tried and true cookie recipe I have been using for over 30 years. This dough is so soft and pliable you can shape it into desired shapes or roll it out for cut-outs. These cookies stay soft too. I hope you give it a try. I always double this recipe. Wishing you all the best for 2021." -- Christy

CUT-OUT COOKIES

3 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir all ingredients until well blended, add 1-2/3 cup flour to mixture. Knead 1-2 minutes until smooth and pliable. Roll out or shape dough.

Bake at 350 degrees, thin shapes 10-15 minutes, thick shapes 15-22 minutes.

"Dear Suzanne, thank you for sharing yourself and your ideas with the book club [in last Wednesday's column]. Shopping for Christmas gifts can be a chore, but you have given the task new meaning. You remind me to think of others and not just myself.

Your Friend,
Angela K., Delaware County District Library

P. S. At my library, in our department, we talk about 'Suzanne' as if we all know her!"

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

If you've never entered my Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway, today just might be your lucky day, but you have to enter to have a chance to win. To see smiling faces of past winners and to enter, click here.

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win.

HAUNTED HOUSE (FICTION) by Heather Graham

I have never quite understood my love of haunted houses--since I am the world's worst coward. Or, for that matter, just why I love Halloween so much. For the Krewe of Hunters, haunted has a bit of a different meaning. For this Krewe story, we're heading to Salem, Massachusetts, a city I love for its history, and for the way that history influenced our Founding Fathers when they did the work to create our great nation.

I'm giving away five copies, to enter the drawing, click on the link to Authorbuzz and the book jacket or email: [email protected]

Go to Authorbuzz click on HAUNTED HOUSE to read more and to email author Heather Graham, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column - January 7, 2022

Dear Reader,

It's Chocolate Chip Cookie time at the book club.

Every month, for the past 22 years I've baked chocolate chip cookies for three lucky book club readers. If you've never entered the Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway, today just might be your lucky day, but you have to enter to have a chance to win.

You'll see smiling faces of past winners, and you'll be able to enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway when you click here.

Thousands of readers entered my annual holiday Book-a-Day giveaway. Check (below) to see if you were one of the winners. I'll be sending books out in the mail very soon.

Congratulations to: Stephanie M., Thomas D., Cathy S., Laura S., Wendy F., Norma E., LueAnn L., Carrie E., Amina S., Marilynn C., Hanna R., Marci V., Lynn S., Bonnie Jean C., Elton P., Anne K., Rozlyn C. and Barbara H.

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

I'm ready to bake…

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column - January 6, 2022

Dear Reader,

This Christmas my husband and I started a new holiday tradition. We were inspired by an article in the newspaper. The folks at a local community outreach program, were looking for people to "help Santa" by sponsoring kids for Christmas. As I was reading about the program, I recalled my mother mentioning a few years back, "If it hadn't been for your Grandma and Grandpa Hale, there would have been several years when there wouldn't have been many presents underneath the Christmas tree."

And so my husband and I went shopping for two young girls. Each of the children listed in their letter to "Santa" the top three things they wanted for Christmas. One of the lists read: "A bike, fidget toys (I had to Google that one) and new shoes."

It was the most fun I've ever had Christmas shopping, and it was a good thing we started early, because the selection in the stores was slim. Many shelves were already bare. But we did snag the last 16" girl's bike on the shelf, and my husband had a lot of fun putting the bike together. (And yes, we bought a helmet, too.)

I was surprised to see shoes on the list. So of course if a girl wants shoes, she must want more than one pair, and then you need new socks, pants, tops, a dress with matching tights, pajamas, a couple of sweaters, barrettes, a necklace and of course a jewelry box with a ballerina twirling around and music playing when you open the lid. (I used to have one when I was a little girl.)

Shopping for two little girls, it was a mighty fine Christmas, because Santa brought "us" the best gift of all.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column - January 5, 2022

Dear Reader,

The quality of writing in this year's Write a DearReader Contest was outstanding. Today's Honorable Mention piece was written by Connie Blocher. Thank you so much Connie for sharing your story with us.

MY DIET DILEMMA

Many people grow up with nicknames given to them in their youth that are cute and often descriptive of their looks. Names such as Curly or Blondie are harmless and often follow the child into adulthood without embarrassment. During my junior high years, my brothers christened me with not one, but three unflattering nicknames--Fats, Beast, and, my least favorite, Blob. As you may have determined, I had a weight problem and my siblings happened to be brutally honest. I did not consider myself to be obese, but maybe pudgy or pleasingly plump. My grandfather said it in a more polite way when he described me as "healthy-looking". Fortunately, my nicknames were private and did not travel with me into the school environment. From that time forward and through high school, my life became one of constantly fighting flab. I lived a life of food and fun deprivation. All to no avail.

Amazingly, my college years brought a major and much needed transformation. My impoverished state did not allow me to own a car so my legs carried me everywhere. Magic happened! My body shrunk and this Blob deflated into the slim person I desired to be for many years. Life changed and my social life soared. I felt ecstatic and when I looked into the mirror, a thin person greeted me. A very thin person! My new body gave me new life and new confidence.

I married a wonderful man who had the appetite of a wild boar, ate tons of high calorie foods, and never gained a pound. His tremendous addiction to sweets, my pregnancy, and my affinity for baking had me approaching my Fats, Beast, and Blob state once again. Something had to be done. Over the years, I had tried so many diets that I lost count. I ate grapefruit and eggs ad nauseam. Cabbage soup became a staple for weeks. I counted and counted--counted calories, counted fat grams, and counted carbs. I denied myself sugar, wheat, corn, alcohol, pasta, and anything tasty. Denied! Denied! Denied! My whole life revolved around forbidden foods and elastic waistbands. I did lose a little weight here and there and sometimes even a lot, but I could not maintain the slender profile that I so much wanted.

Earlier this year, I decided to give dieting one last try. My bookshelf held reminders of my past endeavors--Atkins, South Beach, Fast Metabolism, and Weight Watchers to name a few. I chose one and vowed to faithfully follow it so by summer I would be so slim and trim that my husband's eyes would sparkle. Honestly, it was tough going. When I passed someone eating a soft-swirled ice cream cone with two flavors, I wanted to rip it out of their hands. While moseying by a pizza shop, I wanted to leap through the glass window and grab a slice. Diet failure quickly became reality.

Then, one day, I took all the diet books from the shelf and threw them in a box and marked it "Rummage Sale". You see, I had learned something albeit the hard way. Through many diet failures I soon came to realize that the best diet book did not sit on my shelf or anyone's shelf. The best diet book of all could be found in my head--the book of common sense. If I ate anything I wanted, chose wisely, did not overindulge, and used self-control, I might just drop a few pounds.

I will never understand why it took me so long to discover such wisdom, but it seems to be working. I may not be the slimmest babe on the block, but I am content. The female once known as Fats, Beast, or Blob has been banished forever. Good riddance! Now I think I'll have some ice cream with whipped cream and, of course, a cherry on top!

-- Connie Blocher
Honorable Mention, 2021 Write a DearReader Contest

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

Dear Reader Column - January 4, 2022

Dear Reader,

Today's guest author, Dallas Louis is the author of the new book, Why Some Animals Eat Their Young: A Survivor's Guide to Motherhood. This laugh-out-loud book that channels Erma Bombeck, will tell you the things your friends won't and the things other books are too afraid to print.

Dallas grew up in Austin, Texas. She earned a BA degree in Christianity from Houston Baptist University and served as the women's ministry director of her church for seven years. A former field leader for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International, Dallas now travels the country speaking to women's groups, encouraging them in their faith, parenting, marriages, and ministries. She is also the author of Girlfriends, Giggles, and God. She lives in Houston with her husband and three children. Find Dallas online at www.dallaslouis.com.

Dallas is giving away five copies of Why Some Animals Eat Their Young. To enter the drawing, simply send her an email.

 

The Holiday Hangover

Well, here we are...the first week of the new year. The holidays are nothing but a memory, many of us are sitting in our homes, looking at decorated Christmas trees, lights on the house, counting leftovers in the fridge, and wondering...

What now?

Do we still keep the tree lit? Should we take it down? How long does turkey keep in the fridge?? We are suffering from a hangover. The Holiday Hangover.

We have put an extra-ordinary amount of effort into making this season literally the most wonderful time of the year. And yet, when it's all over, we doubt whether or not the energy was worth it. Sure, putting the tree up was fun! But now when you look at it, all you see is the metric ton of ornaments and 52 strands of lights that need to be put away.

Sigh.

If you're like me, you have decorations in more than just ONE room. As I sit here and type this, I'm almost overwhelmed by the sheer amount of STUFF that needs to go back (safely) into their boxes. I have SIX trees to undecorate. I have twenty-five (truth) Nativity sets to wrap and store. Don't even get me started on the countless other bits of Christmas paraphernalia that is scattered throughout my two-story home.

It can be overwhelming...check that, it IS overwhelming.

I am suffering from a major Holiday Hangover.

But, today is not the day for me to start this massive undertaking. Nope. As with any hangover, you must take time to rest and recuperate. The week after Christmas and New Year's is a time for re-grouping and coming up with a successful plan of attack. Eventually all of my decorations will come down, and be lovingly stored in their boxes. My heart will ache a little when the last ornament comes off the tree, and the final snowman gets tucked away. But, when my house is clean and orderly, I will be thankful. Then I will start the process of looking forward to NEXT Christmas.

So, enjoy the next couple of days before the holiday season is officially over...before the kids go back to school...before work routines fill our days...and normal life consumes us. Take the time to revel in your decorations for a few more days, and may the true Spirit of Christmas stay with you well into the New Year.

-- Dallas Louis

Dallas is giving away five copies of Why Some Animals Eat Their Young. To enter the drawing, send her an email.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]