"The Snowdrop Garden" - my new book, out soon.

[ashley]

We also have bears in Sweden. (Although the last ones were killed about 300 years ago)

You missed a few in the north Göte

[gote]

We also have bears in Sweden. (Although the last ones were killed about 300 years ago)

You missed a few in the north Göte

Not really. I missed "the last ones in my neighborhood were killed". In fact we have an increasing population of bears but as you say, they are mostly in the north.
The forum members have eyes as eagles - no mistake remains unspotted 
Göte

[Martin Baxendale]

This ranks (alongside Maggi's incredibly flattering review) as one of the nicest reviews I've had for my novel, from Paul Moir at the Painswick Rococo Gardens, posted as a comment on John Grimshaw's Garden Diary blog in response to John's equally nice and very thorough review. I just couldn't resist sharing it here, even though doing so doesn't exactly demonstrate a lot of modesty on my part     I think I need a blushing emoticon here.

Paul Moir said...
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.

[mark smyth]

fruity language? Does this equal swearing?

[Martin Baxendale]

fruity language? Does this equal swearing?

Yes. Mostly from Lady Cherrington. She's quite outspoken.  

[Anthony Darby]

Quite plummy then?

[Martin Baxendale]

Quite plummy then?

Indeed. 

[Anthony Darby]

Really fruity then!

[Martin Baxendale]

Just a quickie to say that I'll be selling and signing copies of my novel, The Snowdrop Garden, at the Snowdrop Gala again this year. So if anyone going to the Gala has a copy they'd like signed, bring it along and I'll be happy to oblige.

Also, just found this incredibly nice review of the book on Amazon which says about the book pretty much everything that I set out to make it. It's right up there with Maggi's review last year in terms of feel-good moments 

"5.0 out of 5 stars light-hearted, funny read, 5 July 2010
By Cap'n Hands - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Snowdrop Garden (Paperback)
Good book. Bought it for a read on holiday and found it really entertaining. The author has a fun style of storytelling in the first person and the dialogue is surprisingly free-flowing considering this is Mr Baxendale's first novel. There are lots of 'brit abroad' type laughs, and a good few digs at us here at home which offer a look at how the things we do in the UK may seem ridiculous to other Europeans. I am not a snowdrop collector or enthusiast, but in reading this was surprised to find out about the extent of the e-culture surrounding gardening, and the book contained a good deal of information that would appeal to gardening enthusiasts without becoming paticularly 'geeky' on this subject, and manages to use it as a good plot device.

All in all a good read, with lots of funny jokes, gardens and Russian gangsters thrown in for good measure. Write some more books please."

I'm blushing as I post this, but it really is nice to get reviews like this and Maggi's equally glowing summing-up.

By the way, I also noticed that Amazon currently have the novel on special offer at £6-39, own from £7-99. Link to the Amazon listing here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowdrop-Garden-Martin-Baxendale/dp/095505009X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296837871&sr=1-1

[Maggi Young]

I knew I wasn't the only person who liked it!! 

[Martin Baxendale]

My novel is now available from Amazon as an e-book for Kindle at just £1.71p, for anyone who has such a thing:



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowdrop-Garden-Romantic-Comedy-ebook/dp/B005XA5PL6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319900821&sr=1-1

[fermi de Sousa]

My novel is now available from Amazon as an e-book for Kindle at just £1.71p, for anyone who has such a thing:

Don't have that sort of thing myself, but I did get to read your book, Martin, while in the UK in April! Sounded awfully autobiographical - where's this manor-house you now live in then?
cheers
fermi

[Martin Baxendale]

My novel is now available from Amazon as an e-book for Kindle at just £1.71p, for anyone who has such a thing:

Don't have that sort of thing myself, but I did get to read your book, Martin, while in the UK in April! Sounded awfully autobiographical - where's this manor-house you now live in then?
cheers
fermi

Quite autobiographical, Fermi. But no rambling manor house in real life, sadly