Dear all, I'd be incredibly grateful if any of you felt you could register a vote for my novel "The Snowdrop Garden" which has been selected by the organisers to feature in The People's Book Prize competition for new and "unrecognised" authors. I'm hoping to get onto the short list.
As far as I'm aware, it's the only published novel to be set in the intriguing world of snowdrop collectors and has received very kind reviews from, amongst others, John Grimshaw, our very own Maggi Young and Paul Moir of Painswick Rococo Garden.
The book has enjoyed moderate success, largely amongst fellow snowdrop growers and collectors, but this is a chance to bring it to the attention of a much wider audience, and perhaps help to spread the word about the appeal of snowdrops and snowdrop collecting to the general public.
Just follow the link and register to vote. Shouldn't take more than a minute or two:
http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/book.php?id=1196Reviews:
Maggi Young: I have very much enjoyed reading Martin's book .......I will not say much about it, since I would not wish to spoil the story for others who have yet to read it....
An absolute MUST for all Galanthophiles, but amusing for us normal folks too.....I rather think Martin has "cracked it" with this tale of romance, snowdrops derring-do.... and slovak cuisine!!!!!
I thoroughly recommend that you seek it out and enjoy it for yourself. I rather think it would make a super gift for any gardening chum, too, because they will find the galanthophilia fun and non gardeners will be amazed.......I wish you terrific success with the book, Martin..... I enjoyed it immensely!
John Grimshaw: Having now read this highly improbable-seeming book, what to make of it? It is certainly a curiosity. Despite the usual disclaimer about coincidental similarities, one feels it must be heavily autobiographical of either fact or fantasy, with heavy details of Slovakian cuisine and lingistics that could not be dreamt-up, for example. Into the fantasy mix are dropped some fairly substantial chunks of galanthophilia, including references to the paper "The Systematic Value of Nuclear DNA content in Galanthus by B.M.J. Zonneveld" (actually B.J.M Zonneveld, with co-authors J.M. Grimshaw and A.P. Davis - one wonders how such a mention scores in a citation assessment). Even better for the ego is the first Christmas gift the loving and attentive Ben presents to his fiancee Katka: "Katka looked a little disappointed by her first present from me, a signed copy [!] of 'Snowdrops, a Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus', the best book to date on snowdrops, illustrated with close-up photographs that I thought might help her to appreciate the differences between the many named forms." How sweet of him. At least we learn later that she has studied it well enough to be familiar with snowdrops in Lady C's collection (she must be more diligent than most of our readers).
While I can't imagine sales of The Snowdrop Garden will make Martin Baxendale's fortune, it is certain to provide a talking point at snowdrop lunches and gatherings for a year or two.
Paul Moir: I heard about Martin's book in the Cotswold Life and thought it ideal to sell in the shop during our snowdrop season at Painswick, particulalry as he is a local author. Martin dropped off some signed copies and I thought I would leaf through it to see what is was all about. After no more than a couple of paragraphs I was hooked and the book has become a great source of amusement amongst our staff and volunteers.
Some of the language may be a bit fruity but that is the charm and I would strongly recommend it.
Thanks you in advance for your support.
Martin
