Made ME laugh.

That's cheap compared to some of them.

Not everyone has your point of view. Good for him. Perhaps someday when you're laughing on the way to the bank someone will post an equally derisive statement about your published book....truly the sign of success to be nipped at by a flea.

I happen to like Ken, he has visits my albums and WS. I wish him all the luck.

Mnn. Nice Trudi. Where was the bit about me not liking Ken Druse, or expecting everyone to share my point of view? I was talking about his book, which in my opinion is not up to his usual standard.

Which is what -- unfortunately -- happens too often when publishers and promoters catch a writer in a vise grip.

On a different note, I have also seen it happen to one-issue writers who were pressured to expand beyond their limited area of expertise in which they were an undisputed authority.

I hope someday to be a one-trick-pony and get out that one book that's in me but I am beginning to wonder if my old mother will live to see it. Sometimes I am in a quandry as to how much strictly gardening to put in and how much wild and crazy stories about myself and my family.

Eddie:
Both! Too many gardening books lack the sort of lively writing you exhibit in your blog. There's nothing wrong with "candy-coating' important information -- it makes the lessons go down much easier. (Most garden books currently on the market put me to sleep; yours would not.)

Sit beck, relax, smell the flowers, and write away!

I once taught art to people who had led successful lives until the drawing and painting bug hit them. They arrived at the first class, tied into knots, telling me how badly they needed to draw and paint but knew nothing about composition, perspective, et al. and were thus very nervous about the quality of their [as yet potential] work. I told them to ignore all that and start to draw [or paint]. How, they asked. By putting a pencil [brush] to paper [canvas]. It worked. When they needed technical support, I provided it. They rarely did. Most of them had a natural talent which they had, until now, not allowed to burst forth.

I feel the same way about writing. Write first; fix it later. I have a friend who could be a great novelist, if only he allowed himself to relax enough to write well. So far, he has been unable to do so. He worries so much about what the great American public and the critics might think about his writing that he is unable to give them anything to think about.

Oops, I'm rambling. Better quit.

Interesting stuff John. Tell us more.

Thanks, Eddie. I'll try -- as soon as I can say it in a sensible way.

I had a similar experience teaching a field sketching class while working at a zoo. The evening class ended up being made up of elderly, retired and wealthy folk who had already taken enough art classes to know that they didn't want me to hold their hand, they wanted to do it themselves. I had a blast. They loved being in a small social group and getting all the criticism I could heap onto them. We both learned so much.

Yup! Just like that. Thirty years later, some of us are still staying in touch.