Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column - January 28, 2022

Dear Reader,

Today our guest writer is Sandra Rafter, one of the 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 Sandra for sharing your work with us.

I've been afraid in my life.

As a youngster, Roy Rogers jerked his head back just in time. The bullet with his name shattered the rock behind him and tiny stone pellets almost seemed to split into my cheek.

All of us in 3rd grade crouched on the cold marble floor at school waiting for the bomb to explode over our heads. Ten of us might die staring at the picture of Lincoln and some of us would live for the next Russian death drill.

At quarter moon, a skeleton reached its arms from under the bed and grey bone claw fingers pulled at my sheet until I opened my eyes and screamed and screamed.

We practiced dance steps with the boys in gym class. Boys chose girls as partners for the real dance. Then, there were two girls left, and I was last. I was alone. I hurt.

There was that awful day when the road was icy when I braked, and the car slid without my steering toward the white concrete barriers no longer side of the road but floating ever so slowly over the windshield missing me and the glass but crushing my right fender and tire.

I watched submarine movies--John Wayne, Cary Grant, Glen Ford--sailor heroes, with rushing water and fire from a depth charge around them and their breath faint. My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer, the sea of disease enclosed her. I gasped along with her raspy cough.

I lived my worries and hurts and knew them like Christmas presents I didn't want but accepted stoically, sometimes, with a brave smile.

I've learned to tamp down the fire of my fears, go along, try not to be too selfish. But, I saw a hermit's cabin in a museum. Small, tight, no extras, but none needed--a place to yearn for these days of pandemic. Outside my house I often seem to be picking daisies.

This petal you live, this petal you die, you live, you die, live, die.

Never so much before as this time in my life, I recede inside myself, aware I can picture winning four million in the lottery but cannot face the terrible truth and loneliness of four million Covid deaths.

Still, I believe this, we may sigh, but survive--fear vanquished, hands entwined, eye to eye, stride by stride, you and I. We hold our hands forever in hope with light near and far. I have been frightened, have hidden, and cried. But, we persevere. We live both silent and bold. Isn't hope trusting beyond ourselves?

-- Sandra Rafter
Honorable Mention, 2021 Write a DearReader Contest

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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 26, 2022

Dear Reader,

In Monday's "Three is the magic number!" column I wrote about how my husband and I can never remember more than three items when we go to the market, so we always need to make a list.

Apparently we're not the only ones. Readers shared...

"Suzanne, I live off of lists. I figure, if it is on a list then I don't have to keep it in my head anymore and there is already way too much up there!" -- Tess C., Public Services Librarian, Lane Public Library

"Well that made me laugh! It reminds me of the saying, 'of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.' Sometimes I'm very good at remembering, almost too good, while at other times you would think my memory was completely gone.

While working on a project one day, I was taking photos with my phone. I received a call and answered it. While talking with the caller I continued to stage and fine tune the items for my photo. Looking at it while the caller and I continued our conversation, I thought it looked perfect and was ready to take the picture. I was so flustered though as I was completely unable to find my phone to take the picture. I'm sure you can imagine how ridiculous I felt when I finally realized I was holding my phone in my hand and talking on it! Thanks for sharing your stories," -- Karla N.

Readers also emailed about my BB-damaged window, now newly decorated...

"So, so LOVE the creative way this window was fixed! All of us need to look outside the box for creative solutions more often. What fun we would discover! Thank you for sharing, love to read with you." -- Jolaine S.

"Suzanne, your window is gorgeous, and it is a statement to taking something unsightly and making it beautiful! Thanks for sharing!" -- Brenda K. Miller, Director, New Madison Public Library

"Just read about your window. I'm the same way about things. Projects that need to be fixed or restored sit for years before I do something. Then I discover it didn't take much money, and like you, I'm thrilled with the results. I wonder why I waited so long. Your window is beautiful. What a great idea. How happy it made both you and the window. Enjoy your new view." -- Sara R.

"Suzanne, the window looks awesome. What a great idea. Love reading you every day. Thanks for brightening my day." -- Patti

If you missed my new painted window column and photos, click here.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

* Congratulations to the winners of Must Love Books by Guest Author Shauna Robinson: Alexandria H., Sandy M. and Linda C.

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 19, 2022

Dear Reader,

Today our guest writer is Dorie Furman, one of 2021 Honorable Mentions from my Write a DearReader Contest. Thank you so much Dorie for sharing your story with us.

The Mistake That Turned Into a Blessing

Mistakes have always seemed to find me. When I bought an electronic air cleaner to attach to the furnace, I paid extra for a remote button to put on the kitchen wall because the furnace was in the crawl space. The electrician installed it in the crawl space. The manufacturer's engineer had to reinstall it in the kitchen.

When I bought new shoes on a lunch hour, I opened the box to show co-workers. Out came two left shoes. When the astronauts were moon landing, I rushed to the department store to buy a TV, got home, opened the box and there in all its splendor was a TV with the picture installed upside down. We rushed to my parents' house. We didn't want to stand on our heads watching the moon landing.

Then one day it happened. The good mistake of my life that made up for all the bad ones. We had recently lost our Beagle. I found a rescue dog online. I wanted a mature dog that I wouldn't have to potty train. They brought out a little Cocker Spaniel whose fur was so matted that I couldn't tell which end was which. He's 8 years old, they said. Since he was a purebred, I asked why he wasn't on the preferred list. They said he was an old dog. Nobody wanted him. He was pathetic, but I took him home.

My niece was visiting, and the dog I named JoJo, was jumping everywhere. That dog, she said, is not 8 years old. I took him to my vet, who said the shelter was mistaken. He's a puppy! I didn't have the heart to send him back.

When I took him to the groomer, he came out looking like new. He was beautiful with soft velvety fur. The shelter's paperwork said he was adopted and returned three times. I soon found out why. He would run to my bedroom, climb on my bed and scream. He screamed at the groomer but I thought he was just scared. He screamed every day for 14 years. He scared the neighbors to death, until I convinced them he was just venting. Everyone got used to hearing him. He had the sweetest nature and loved everyone. His special thing was kissing everyone on the nose.

JoJo loved bones. His collection grew to 50 bones. Every day he picked one, took it to the yard, hid it in bushes and took the one from the day before back inside. I never heard him growl in all the years I had him. He slept on my bed until his legs could no longer lift him. He had moods. In one of them, he stayed on a rug under my dining room table. He and I shared Thanksgiving dinner together under the table.

This year was his last. It was heartbreaking watching him grow old and begin failing. He was such a trooper. Even though blind and almost deaf, he found his way through the dog door, and to his dish. He followed me to the computer room where he liked to sit near me while I typed.

JoJo lived to be 16 and I loved every minute of every year he was with me. The shelter's mistake was the happiest mistake of my life and it was worth going through all the bad mistakes, to have him for over 14 of the happiest years of my life, a mistake that turned into a blessing.

-- Dorie Furman
Honorable Mention, 2021 Write a DearReader Contest

* Congratulations to the winners of Why Some Animals Eat Their Young by Guest Author Dallas Louis: Kathy D., Susan G., Susan M., Paula T. and Rebecca V.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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 18, 2022

Dear Reader,

Today's guest author, Shauna Robinson, is originally from San Diego, but she now lives in Virginia with her husband and their sleepy greyhound. Shauna is an introvert at heart--spending most of her time reading, baking, and figuring out the politest way to avoid social interaction. Her debut novel, Must Love Books, was inspired by her time working as an editorial assistant at a publishing company.

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of Must Love Books, email shaunarobinsonbooks@gmail.com to enter the giveaway.

Please welcome author Shauna Robinson...

How much can you trust your favorite recipe?

For years, I had a go-to chocolate cake recipe, but it wasn't until recently that I stopped to consider why it was my favorite. It wasn't as though I'd tried every recipe in the world--I'd just baked a cake one day and decided I liked it enough to continue using that recipe. But how would it fare if I baked several chocolate cakes, all from different recipes, and then held a taste test to determine, once and for all, which was the best?

And so my great chocolate cake experiment was born.

After some research, I selected four different chocolate cake recipes and set about baking all of them in one day. (I did scale these recipes down so that each one produced a few cupcakes rather than an entire cake. I love cake, but the human stomach has its limits.) I then tasted each one to decide my favorite.

The most surprising result? My go-to cake recipe came in last. Its flavor and texture were lacking compared to the other three cupcakes. While my go-to recipe uses all-purpose flour and butter, the winning recipe uses cake flour and oil. It produced a cupcake that was soft, moist, and flavorful. Since making that discovery, I've ditched my go-to recipe and have been using the new one ever since.

The problem is, now I don't trust all the other recipes I once thought I loved. Cookies, brownies, biscuits, breads--how many of these recipes are favorites simply because I don't know any better? How much of my love for these recipes is born out of ignorance?

But there's a wonderful lesson in this discovery: as much as I loved the recipe I knew well, there was something even better right around the corner. Of course, I'm not suggesting that we doom ourselves to discontent and spend forever chasing perfection. But it's a good (and humbling) reminder that we don't always know what we're talking about. I would have sworn that my go-to chocolate cake recipe was the best--until experience told me it wasn't.

It's also comforting to think that if we're ever not quite content with something--a recipe, a book, a job, a city--there may be other alternatives waiting to be discovered. All we need to do is give them a chance.

--Shauna Robinson

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of Must Love Books, email shaunarobinsonbooks@gmail.com to enter the giveaway.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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 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
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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 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: racheldodgey@gmail.com

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, racheldodgey@gmail.com

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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: 1001DarkNights@gmail.com

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 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
Suzanne@DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column - December 29, 2021

Dear Reader,

My gift to you this holiday season is the Book-A-Day Giveaway. Even though I'm on a staycation, I'm choosing winners every day, so feel free to enter every single day.

Enter today's drawing to win a random book from my bookshelf, click here.

Why not start the New Year with a Penguin Classic? Every other month I feature a Penguin Classic in your daily read, but today you can sample an entire year of Classics. If you missed them the first time, here's your chance to sample them. Enjoy!

ROMANCE IN MARSEILLE, by Claude McKay

UNSUNG: Unheralded Narratives of American Slavery & Abolition, by The Schomburg Center.

THE WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACE, by Gloria Naylor

THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, by Shirley Hazzard

THE TALE OF PRINCESS FATIMA, WARRIOR WOMAN: The Arabic Epic of Dhat al-Himma, translated and edited by Melanie Magidow

THE PENGUIN BOOK OF DRAGONS, edited by Scott G. Bruce

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

Happy Holidays,

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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

 

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

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