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Spotlight on Patsy Collins, Up The Garden Path and Giveaway!

We invited author Patsy Collins to share with us. She also brought along a gift! Over to Patsy now...
 

My dad is a farmer, my grandparents were all very keen gardeners, my
Uncle regularly wins prizes for the vegetables and flowers he grows 
and my brother is a landscape gardener and nurseryman. I was destined 
to either hate all forms of plant in rebellion or become a keen 
gardener myself. Clearly I'm not the rebellious type.

Gardening and writing seem entirely compatible interests. They're both 
creative and require time and patience to get right. A handful of 
seeds is similar to the initial idea for a story. Both need tending 
carefully if they're to reach their potential. Editing and pruning 
aren't so very different and getting a rejection slip is as bad as 
discovering slugs have eaten all your marigolds!

I find working on my allotment often leads to me thinking up story 
ideas (maybe it has something to do with there being nothing to write 
them down on!). You could say I spend time plotting on my plot. That's 
not the only benefit though as many of my stories are directly 
influenced by plants and gardens. It's not something I did 
intentionally at first but once I managed to sell a few with a garden 
setting it seemed sensible to write more. A lot more. I'm delighted 
that Alfie Dog Fiction have published a few (24) of them in a 
collection. So delighted I felt the need to run round in circles and 
tell everyone! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQO6loDMtS0

Up the Garden Path


Eleanor has a traditional garden her grandchildren will love; won't 
they? Mrs Dalrymple's country home seems the perfect refuge for Daryl 
and there's no reason Emma can't call the big house home, is there?

Homes and gardens aren't always peaceful havens though. Ted's 
tranquility is under threat from a BBQ for teenage twins, Penny the 
Jack Russell is called upon to protect her mistress from a terrifying 
intruder, avoiding Frances's annoying neighbour was almost the death 
of her and Rachel can't bring herself to step out the back door.

A walk in the countryside might be less traumatic, unless your beloved 
tree has been damaged as badly as your heart or Mrs Bishop is lurking 
to find fault with all you do. Even the simple act of arranging 
flowers causes problems if your boss is as mean as Brenda's.

Valerie managed to dig herself out of depression on her allotment but 
Sally was faced with the perils of half an hour in the potting shed 
with the attractive yet infuriating Jim.

Gardens, plants and people all have their story. Let me lead you up 
the garden path and tell you a few.

Buy links
 

38 comments:

  1. "Plotting on your plot." Cute.

    Interesting analogies, and this sounds like a clever book, too. Me, I'm better with the writing than I am with the gardening. (I can write in the air conditioning...)

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    1. I switch between the two depending on the weather, Susan.

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  2. I too, enjoy gardening. It's funny how something like that can inspire a story!

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    1. Sometimes it helps not to be thinking too hard about the writing, Sherry.

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  3. I absolutely agree that gardening and writing are compatible interests. I do a lot of writing in my head while I'm turning that dirt and praying for rain. So much you can learn about life by tending a garden.

    What a lovely path you've created.

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    1. It's true, gardening does teach us about life.

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  4. Congrats on the collection of your stories! Exciting!

    Waves to Nas :)

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  5. I love the comparison between gardening and writing. I've just begun gardening, so I'm sure I'll experience the similarities firsthand :)

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  6. I loved Patsy's comparisons between gardening and writing. I love to write and garden. I also find gardening therapeutic and I look forward to checking out these books. Thanks for sharing and congratulations to Patsy. :)
    ~Jess

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    1. It can be therapeutic - depends on how many critters are nibbling my seedlings, Jess!

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  7. I love what you said about plotting while you plot! I get so many of my ideas when I'm doing other things.

    Congrats!

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  8. What a great analogy! I've never thought about the similarities of gardening and writing, but I totally have to agree :)

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  9. great idea to incorporate the love of gardening into writing!

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  10. Fun getting to know you, Patsy! Gardening is in your blood! So clever to incorporate it into your writing:).

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  11. Thank you Nas for having Patsy Collins on your blog. Bravo to Patsy for being good at gardens and plants. I seem to kill everything I touch. And congratulations on your new book, Patsy. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. It helps to have been brought up by gardeners, Victoria.

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  12. Lovely to meet Patsy and I love how she compares writing to gardening!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  13. Hi, Nas,

    It's good to meet Patsy. I like the play on the gardening theme as used in the title.

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    1. I was quite pleased with that myself, JLC.

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  14. I've been growing plants since spring and my mind churns with ideas while I'm doing it.

    I'm pleased to meet Patsy and learn about her work.

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  15. It must be so rewarding and peaceful to work in a garden! I've got two black thumbs, but I love learning about trees and flowers - and reading garden related stories!

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  16. Good luck with the new book, Patsy.

    Getting into gardening is something I really must do - but unfortunately, until now, time is very scarce.

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  17. Good to meet you, Patsy!

    I've no luck with gardens... I tend to inadvertantly kill plants.

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  18. Thanks so much for hosting me, Nas. Sorry not to have got over and commented until now - I was away when this went up and somehow missed it on my return.

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  19. Congratulations to Victoria Marie Lees. Please email me at nas_dean@ymail.com You've been chosen the winner of this contest.

    Thanks to all my friends for coming along!

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