Literary coincidence?

Michelle Witte, the editor who helped me with Santa Fe Flavors and Gardens of Santa Fe was in town last weekend for the Mountains and Plains bookseller conference. She had to catch an early flight home, but we squeezed in a breakfast of blue corn pancakes at the Plaza Cafe. Michelle did a great job with both books when she was with GibbsSmith Publisher, and now she's become a bookseller with her own soon-to-open children's bookstore in a Salt Lake City suburb. (Gardens of Santa Fe wasn't released in time for the contest. Next year...)

I had just come from the New Mexico Press Women's Conference, where Flavors and Tony Hillerman's Landscape from HarperCollins both won first place awards and move on to the national finals. I send out a big hug of appreciation to Michelle, Sally Kim at HarperCollins and all the other editors out there who deserve a bit of the credit when the books (and authors) they've assisted get some recognition. I appreciated the chance to share my good news, coffee, Mexican hot chocolate and a hug with one of the smart women responsible. As for Sally, well, I owe her breakfast now, too!

Garden booksigning

Don Strel and I had a lovely time speaking to members of Santa Fe Botanical Garden and the Santa Fe Garden Club in connection with the debut of "Gardens of Santa Fe." The Botanical Garden celebration was held at the lovely home of the one of gardeners featured in the book.

We talked about some of our adventures, answered questions and enjoyed food, wine and great company.

At the Garden Club event, we showed slides from the book and other photos of flowers and gardens that we love at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture on Santa Fe's beautiful Museum Hill.

A good time was had by us....and the people who came. Thanks, everyone, for all your kind words for my words and Don's beatiful photos.

Gardens of Santa Fe gets some attention

Don Strel and I received a wonderful gift this morning, a fabulous story in The New Mexican's Pasatiempo magazine section. I posted it here. The writer did a great job of making us sound good, and the photos look terrific.

We have a busy month ahead, with book signings at Garcia Street Books here in Santa Fe on April 3 and the next weekend at Page One in Albuquerque, at a private Santa Fe home as a project for Santa Fe Botanical Garden and at the Museum of Indian Art and Culture on Santa Fe's Museum Hill. That one is a benefit for the Santa Fe Garden Club. Both those groups helps us with the book. Then, we go to Bookworks in Albuquerque on the 24th of April.

I'm working on a script to go with Don's beautiful slides of flowers, garden walls, sculptures and the views from some of the gardens in our book. We'll show our slides (actually his slides) at some of these venues. It's a challenge. I want to write too much, so I working on learning discipline.

In the meantime, my own garden is practically yelling for my attention. Luckilly, today's cold wind is offering me a fine excuse to work at the computer, at least for now.

Pasatiempo, 02 Apr 2010. Pages 12 - 13

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Pasatiempo
02 Apr 2010