July News from Susan Wiggs

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July News from Susan Wiggs In this issue… Can a romance novel save a life? I would love to meet you! Upcoming Tour Dates Coming soon Connect with me My most-requested recipe Dear Friends, Lakeside Cottage won the RITA Award. I’m not gonna lie, I’m ridiculously proud of this achievement. It’s an award granted by fellow writers, who are notorious for being the world’s pickiest readers. However, what I’m proudest of when it comes to this book has nothing to do with awards and everything to do with a particular reader. Alma M. wrote me a letter saying that she believed reading this book saved her daughter’s life. Whether this is true or not, I’ll never know, because I’ve never met this woman or her teenage daughter, Kimmy. But the letter was sincere. Kimmy had been suffering from mysterious symptoms, just like the fictional teenager Callie in Lakeshore Cottage. Kimmy felt terrible but they could never pinpoint what was going on with her. While reading the book, Alma realized Kimmy might be suffering from the same problem as Callie, so she took her back to the doctor. Turns out the diagnosis was exactly the same. (Trying not to include a spoiler here.) Anyway, this is by far the proudest moment for this book. I can’t promise Lakeside Cottage will save your life, but I bet it will brighten your day. A struggling single mom, a mysterious man with a secret past, a secluded cottage by a lake, a fun recipe collection in the back of the book…come on, what’s not to like? Jump on in. The water’s fine! Upcoming Tour Dates – see my web site for details August 11-14 RWAustralia August 27 Mad Men Party, Bainbridge Island WA September 12 Puyallup Fair October 1-2 Northwest Festival of Books, Kirkland WA October 15 A crazy Seattle event – stay tuned What’s Next? Home Before Dark, in a special edition with extras, including a reading group guide The Goodbye Quilt trade paperback edition Table For Five with a sneak peek of the upcoming new hardcover The Apple Orchard, a new hardcover in May 2012 A new Lakeshore Chronicles book about Sonnet Connect with Moi For book recommendations, silly updates, occasional pictures, provocative questions, snarky comments, funny stuff, library stuff, instant giveaways and more, please follow me on Twitter or go to my Facebook page and click “Like.” For more in-depth reporting, subscribe to my blog here. My most-requested recipe: Wendy Gaynor’s “Perfect” Chocolate Chunk Cookies * *I have nothing to do with this recipe other than forwarding it to people who ask. It appeared in The New York Times on October 27, 2002. Skip the parchment paper at your own peril. 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 cups semisweet chunks (preferably imported) 1. Place the butter in a large bowl and cream at high speed until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until completely mixed. 2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture at low speed until just combined and add vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl down, until blended. Do not overmix. 3. Add chocolate chunks and mix till thoroughly combined. Refrigerate batter until cold, preferably overnight. 4. Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees or a convection oven to 300 degrees, and line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop heaping spoonfuls of batter 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets and bake, turning tray once, until golden brown around edges and soft (but not bubbly), about 9 minutes in a convection oven or 12 in a conventional one. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 36 to 72 cookies, depending on size. Enjoy, www.susanwiggs.com You are receiving this email because you have visited our site and entered your email for a contest or to request information on Susan

Martinis & Mad Men Party – save the date!

Martinis & Mad Men Party

Save the Date!

Saturday evening, August 27

More tickets are available…see below

You’ll meet well known and up-and-coming local authors including Susan Wiggs, Garth Stein, Bob Dugoni, Stephanie Kallos, and Kathleen Alcala. During the 60s themed party, you’ll enjoy tasty appetizers, desserts, and a full bar, all at a stunning Bainbridge Island waterfront home that’s been featured in a number of magazines. 60s party music will be provided by professional DJ Matt Sayers. A party photographer will be on hand to capture shots of you having fun with friends. Put on your 60s garb – or come as you are – and join the fun!

Do you know someone who’d like to join in the fun? We still have tickets available, for $100 each. Call Elsa at elsa before August 8 to reserve tickets.

ahhhh, summer

Perfect reading-outside weather. I’m currently reading LOVE AMONG THE RUINS by Robert Clark. It’s wonderful, nostalgic and haunting. What are you reading this summer?

Hello, Mococa, Brazil

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every day is a fresh adventure

Now available: “Lakeside Cottage” by Susan Wiggs on Amazon.com

Dear Amazon.com Customer, Customers who have purchased or rated books by Susan Wiggs might like to know that Lakeside Cottage will be released on July 26, 2011. You can pre-order yours by following the link below. Lakeside Cottage Susan Wiggs Price: $7.99 Release Date: July 26, 2011 Other Versions and Languages Kindle Edition (Kindle eBook) Product Description If you trust your heart, you’ll always know who you are… Each summer, Kate Livingston returns to her family’s lakeside cottage, a place of simple living and happy times—a place where she hopes her son, Aaron, can blossom. But her quiet life gets a bit more interesting with the arrival of a mysterious new neighbor, JD Harris. JD has a good reason for being secretive. In a moment of sheer bravery, the Washington, D.C., paramedic prevented a terrible tragedy—and became a national hero. He’s hardly able to remember who he was before the media frenzy…until he escapes to this lovely, remote part of the Northwest. Now Kate and Aaron have rekindled the joy of small pleasures and peace, something JD thought he’d never have again. But how long will his blissful anonymity last before reality comes banging at his door? More to Explore Summer by the Sea Susan Wiggs Table For Five Susan Wiggs The Summer Hideaway (The Lakeshore Chronicles) Susan Wiggs See more in Books Literature & Fiction See more in Books Romance Contemporary More New Releases Top Sellers Recommended for You Sincerely, Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/

glassware

I’m not allowed to have proper stemware because I tend to break glasses on a regular basis. Each year I go to the Rotary Auction and buy them for pennies a glass. 🙂 Here is this year’s haul.

Do you know a real-life heroine?

If so, my publisher wants to hear about her…and maybe offer her a grant to pursue her good works. See below:

Kindness. Compassion. Inspiration. Real-life heroine.

Quick Link www.HarlequinMoreThanWords.com

Program News Welcome to the first edition of Harlequin’s More Than Words quarterly newsletter! We are excited to share the latest program news, including the whos, whats, whens and hows-to help you stay in the know. We hope this newsletter will present you with an opportunity to learn more about the authors, past recipients, volunteers and colleagues who all play an important role in making a difference in our communities! As many of you know, at Harlequin, we are dedicated to enhancing the well-being of women, which is why every year we solicit nominations of ordinary women who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities. This year, we will choose three recipients and a $15,000 donation to each of their chosen causes will be made. Short stories, inspired by these women and their charitable work, will be written by some of our authors and distributed for free as ebooks. Each of these real-life heroines encourages, invigorates and challenges us to get involved and we hope they inspire you to make a difference. Currently, nominations for the 2012 More Than Words program are open, so spread the word and tell your friends to nominate a woman who has been an inspiration to those around her. The deadline for submissions is August 5, 2011. For more information, visit www.HarlequinMoreThanWords.com. If you have any thoughts or comments, we would love to hear them! Please email us at: MoreThanWords. Stay tuned: The next issue of the Harlequin More Than Words newsletter will be published in October. Putting Words Into ACTION! Rhonda Clemons, 2009 More Than Words recipient

I (heart) writers’ conferences

Hello, I’m Susan and I’m a writing craft geek. Please join me, Bob Mayer and others at the 20th annual RWAustralia conference in glorious Melbourne! Details here. http://www.romanceaustralia.com/conference_melbourne.html See you there!

welcome to the camp

I have such thoughtful readers. Look what someone sent me, after reading Summer at Willow Lake.

I have such nice readers.