Lots has been happening in the media this month as Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways appears in print (newspapers and magazines) and online. We’ll even be featured on TV later this month, when Central Texas Gardener (Austin PBS station KLRU) airs a half-hour segment and interview (click here for air-dates).

GARDEN RANT invited me to post today as “guest blogger” and I was thrilled to participate. Thank you to Amy Stewart, Susan Harris, and their partners-in-crime, Michele Owens and Elizabeth Licata, for the wonderful opportunity. Click on over to read my essay, “In Praise of Sheds,” and to see which reader-post wins the free copy of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways. I’ll choose the winner who gives the best answer to my question:

“What’s your dream shed and how will you use it?”

SUNSET magazine: Thanks to my friends at Sunset for embracing the Shed-Lovers Lifestyle! Kathy Brenzel, garden editor, with support from editor-in-chief Katie Tamony and executive editor Irene Edwards, commissioned a version of the book’s “Newsroom” chapter for Sunset’s July issue. It’s titled: “Home Office With a View.”

The mini-profile about Pulitzer Prize-winning Associated Press reporter Martha Mendoza, featuring Bill Wright’s photographs of her closet-sized shed-office, allowed me to include details that didn’t make it into the book. The piece captures a-day-in-the-life of this talented, versatile writer and mom, as she moves effortlessly between the Santa Cruz bungalow she shares with husband Ray and their four children, and her 64-square-foot potting shed-turned-office.

Kathy Brenzel also produced a vibrant sidebar about Stylish Sheds, including photographs of three west coast sheds in Bellingham, Wash., Los Angeles, and San Diego County. We couldn’t be happier with the coverage!

READ MORE…

Thanks to a connection made by my Seattle-based PR whiz-friend Cindy Combs, I was invited to be a guest on “Living Today,” the daily afternoon show on Martha Stewart Living Radio. The segment originally aired on April 28th, the day before Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways was published.

I had a delightful 25-minute conversation with gregarious host Mario Bosquez.  We discussed the ideas and inspiration for one of my very favorite subjects: Creating Your Dream Shed.

 

The “Living Today” team (from left to right): associate producer Lauren Gould, producer Naomi Gabay, host Mario Bosquez, and engineer Chris Hauselt [MSL Radio photo]

The interview was completely enjoyable, enhanced by Mario’s enthusiasm and constant affirmation, which gave the impression that talking about “elegant hideaways” was to him the most exciting topic on earth!

Obtaining an audio copy of the interview was nothing short of a miracle, however. It involved (a), signing up for a free 3-day subscription to Sirius Radio; (b) setting up my crappy little cassette recorder next to the computer so I could tape the show as it streamed live on the net; and (c) racing into the other room to do the interview by phone with Mario.

Once my segment of the show was finished, I returned to my office and rewound the recording of the interview. Not only was it kind of scratchy and there were all sorts of pinging sounds from my computer (probably some kind of AOL affectation that lets you know if a new message has arrived), I also discovered that the tape ran out before the interview was over. I begged my publisher to try and obtain a professional recording from some kind of media monitoring service, but that request went nowhere.

So, finally, thanks to my wonderful collaborator Bill Wright, who figured out how to convert a cassette recording into a digital file (and who, I’m sure, devoted many hours to clean up the poor quality sound captured by my amateurish recording), we have a reasonable facsimile of the interview. Thanks, too, to Bob Meador, aka the web guru, for further enhancing and editing the file, filtering out background noises where possible, and posting the audio to my web site.

Thanks to the support of my friends, I actually have the interview to share, albeit more than a month after it originally aired. Click here to listen: Debra on MSL Radio.

“Shelf Life,” by Adrian Tomine, from the February 25, 2008 cover of  The New Yorker

 

Only a writer (or possibly an editor or book-seller) could appreciate the ironic narrative played out across the nine frames of cartoonist and illustrator Adrian Tomine’s spot-on perfect cover for The New Yorker earlier this year.

 

Yup. It starts with an author, toiling away at her laptop, alone in her little office. Nothing but a cup of coffee (tea, in my case) and a bare window to stare out of when she is searching for the correct word or phrase. Next, we follow the further adventure of a book’s life: When the agent presents the wonderful, finally-completed manuscript to the editor; when the editor gives it a thumb’s up; when the book is printed and bound (probably in Taiwan); when the bookseller displays a stack of crisp, fresh-smelling, just-published books; when the beloved customer first buys, and then actually sits down to READ it.

 

But then, as is depicted in frame number 7, we arrive at the waning years of a book’s life. The period of time from a book’s conception through gestation to its birth may seem to drag on forever, folks. Yet the final days of a book’s life can occur at lightening speed, as is witnessed here. Perhaps its owner needs to “simplify” or “clean up the clutter,” thus: the tome is set out on the curb in a cardboard box filled with other household discards. But someone reaches for it. Has the book gained new meaning? A new purpose? Yes, indeed. That hard-back cover and high-quality paper makes for great kindling on a cold night. As it burns away in a metal drum, in a desolate urban alleyway or corner, perhaps this frame can be described as “book cremation.” Its ashes live on. Somewhere.

 

My friends Robyn and Don framed the cover, entitled “Shelf Life,” as a gift commemorating the publication of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways. Along with other dear friends, they signed the huge white mat-board that surrounds the artwork, wishing success with sentiments like:

“While you have always impressed me as a ‘can-do’ girl and accomplished your goals, this tops the cake – Stylish Sheds is a Big Deal!” (Robyn)

 

“Cheers to your biggest, best and brightest, with many more to come. Can’t wait!” (Braiden and Spencer)

 

“You’ve always been the ‘bright’ light in our neighborhood, but baby, you’re on ‘fire'” (Don)

 

The print is now hanging in my office, a tribute to the highs and lows of this rare creative process, one that’s still steeped in something more tangible than letters appearing on a flat-screen monitor.

 

But how do others see the product of the heartfelt efforts to which Bill Wright and I devoted several years of our lives? It’s a useful tool, all 224 pages of it, according to my blogging friends. Here are two observations. It’s pretty funny when you think about it. The life of a book. I’m happy mine gets around, even in nontraditional ways:

 

Lydia Plunk, whose blog A Very Good Life is all about living, gardening and loving her Southern California backyard and home, used Stylish Sheds as a distraction during her exercise routine (see her photo above). She posted a shot of the book, resting on the handles of her treadmill. In her May 17th blog-entry, entitled “Perspiration and Inspiration,” Lydia had this to say:

 

By slowing the pace, the layers of visual pleasure are better appreciated for their individual flavor components. That is why Stylish Sheds became my companion on the treadmill the past few weeks. It was a delightful companion, helping make the road back to my pre-accident self enjoyable. . . . Perspiration mixing with inspiration, I began to re-imagine my own shed. Using the matrix Debra used as an executive summary for each project, this is how I plan to make the highest and best use of my own shed.
Mission: My shed is the playhouse I always wanted, but growing -up never had. Think denim and lace for style. The shed serves as a big treasure chest of the parts for the hobbies integral to my lifestyle (doesn’t that sound so much better than “storage”)? Started with great intentions, it is in need of tlc. . .

 

Daniel Mount, a gardening and writing pal in Seattle, confessed to NAPPING with my book (see his photo above). In his May 26th blog-journal entry, entitled “A Nap in a Shed,” Daniel had this to say:

I decided to treat Memorial Day as at least a half-holiday and left Michael out in the garden planting and came in to the house, on a sunny day no less, and napped and read. I read Debra Prinzing’s Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways. I had already wandered through the pictures several times, envious and awed at what passes for a shed these days. Many were better than our house. But it was Debra’s writing on the subject and the inspiration she found when visiting these sheds, that caught me on fire.
I always though of my suitcase as my home away from home. But as I get older and travel gets more expensive, I realize the necessity of retreat space in my own back yard. Well now I have a back yard. Of course living in a flood plane makes siting such a space complicated, but Michael had the idea for a tree house high above the floods grasp, where we could monkishly retreat together or separately and leave the messy kitchen, the paper work and the shovels behind, without getting into the truck. . . Maybe you will start to dream about a shed of your own, too.

 

I have to admit, reading as a prelude to napping is one of my very favorite activities. Just ask the males in my family. “Mom’s napping,” is an oft-uttered Sunday afternoon phrase around here. So of course, I love the image of Daniel, sprawled out on his sofa, with this book propped up on his chest, alternating between snoozing and dreaming about the future incarnation of his backyard treehouse-shed! I also love the image of a slim, trim, healthy Lydia, jogging away on her treadmill, her imagination miles away from that grind as she mentally redesigns the storage shed for a more personal expression of her design style. The creative mind doesn’t stop working, even when the body is sweating!

 

I’m so curious to see what other activities this book inspires. What other “chapters” it lives, all before landing in someone’s bonfire as a source of heat. For now, one of the best uses seems to be stashing Stylish Sheds inside a one-gallon zip-lock bag (to keep the soil off the cover) and taking it with me to the garden! That’s what I’ll be doing this summer.

 

Los Angeles Convention Center – BookExpo 2008

I’ve heard about Book Expo for years and lucky for me, the venerable trade show and book-sellers’ extravaganza came to Los Angeles this week.

We authors often toil alone in our little offices, sitting at keyboards, staring at monitors, listening to the phrases roll around in our heads and banging out one word; then the next one, plus one more . . . all to string together a well-crafted sentence. I’m very dependent upon my sources, designers, gardeners and homeowners who generously share their stories with me. But in the end, I am alone with my words.

So the 65-mile drive to downtown LA was a big adventure that got me out of the office, into the car (fueled by $4.09/gallon gas) and on a route involving no fewer than five freeways! I arrived at the GIANT LA Convention Center on Figuero Street around 10 a.m. and found a $10 parking lot across the street.  Thank goodness for my Garden Writers Association Press Pass: it easily earned me a badge and press access to the giant exhibition hall.

Some people would be overwhelmed by the aisles and rows of publisher displays. But not book people. It’s reassuring to see how many titles are still printed (albeit in Asia). Ink letters appear on paper pages, 4-color photographs are splashed between blocks of text. Hundreds of sheets are stitched together with thread and glued into a hard-back binding to build a book cover. It’s then wrapped in a colorful jacket and included in a sales catalog. And eventually, that book is touched by the hands of a customer, which is our ultimate goal, isn’t it? Sharing words, photographs and creative ideas with readers. It’s still a noble pursuit and a rewarding profession.

Look v-e-r-y closely. You can see Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways between the heads of the two women in Crown’s booth.

I knew that Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways wouldn’t receive much play in the ENORMOUS Random House/Crown Publishing booth. Let’s call it a quadruple booth! Filled with slim, stylish marketers and aloof publicists with interesting eye wear, the RH team had hundreds of titles to publicize and promote. And, as I had been told ahead of time, the emphasis at Book Expo is on fall 08 catalog titles, not spring 08. So, there wasn’t really an opportunity to be the star of the show. My expectations were low. But still, I had to check it out.

I really did find my book on the back shelf in the booth. And, hey, I’ve got connections! As I was standing there, hoping to meet someone interested in talking with me, who should walk by but a college friend of mine who is PRESIDENT of a major university book store Co-op! I haven’t seen him for years, but we rowed crew together and had an immediate recognition and friendly reunion. I actually “sold” him my book while standing in Random House’s booth. How cool is that?

Debra with Roger Waynick, president & publisher of Cool Springs Press

Next, I ventured over to see my former publisher at Cool Springs Press, Roger Waynick. Bless CSP, which “birthed” two of my books and is – remarkably – the ONLY publisher from which I’ve ever earned royalty checks! CSP is still selling The Abundant Garden (with photographer Barbara J. Denk) and the Washington & Oregon Gardener’s Guide (with co-author Mary Robson).

The Abundant Garden (left) and Washington & Oregon Gardener’s Guide (right)

Roger & Co. were actually happy to see me. They wanted to brainstorm ideas for the future. It was really nice to feel welcomed. My pal, Nan Sterman, author of the California Gardener’s Guide, did a book-signing and was enthusiastically greeted by convention-goers. I was proud of her and her wonderful book.

Investigating Book Expo was educational and insightful. Books are still alive and well, and cherished. I’m glad I took the time to attend – and I’m grateful for the connections I made today.

Here are links to a couple recent media mentions:

The first comes as a complete surprise from Newsday’s “Garden Detective” columnist Jessica Damiano. On May 22nd, she ran a column called New Gardening Books, from organics to landscapes:

“It seems every year around this time, bookstore shelves swell with gardening tomes. Most go back whence they came after I drain my latte cup. But a select few stand out. Here are my picks for books that should actually make it out of the store. Drink up! . . .

The Abundant Garden: A Celebration of Color, Texture, and Blooms (Cool Springs Press, $29.99), by Debra Prinzing with photographs by Barbara J. Denk, is one of those books you flip through, drool overthe photos and then try in earnest to recreate what you see in your own patch of dirt. And that’s pretty easy, as the photo captions actually include names of plants depicted, a rarity in the garden-book world. But this guide’s beauty lies deeper than its color glossies. There’s actually a science to the beauty of abundance, which is defined, in part, by the lack of visible soil or mulch between plants. Readers learn nine specific design principles of creating abundance by studying photos and descriptions of gardens on Bainbridge Island in Seattle.”

It’s so wonderful to receive a review from someone like Jessica, a Master Gardener and editor who is a passionate plantswoman. It’s even more gratifying that she could sift through three years’ worth of garden book releases to unearth and highlight our book. Thank you!

Next, thanks to Diana Ransom, a small-business columnist for Smart Money, who features three Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways shed owners in today’s story about creative home-office solutions. Entitled: “Designing a Dream Home Office,” the article includes quotes and Bill Wright’s gorgeous images of our “shedistas” and their locations: Joseph Marek (landscape architect), Liz Lyons Friedman (print maker) and Amy Bloom (best-selling novelist).

The key to a perfectly productive work space, says Debra Prinzing, a Los Angeles author who has interviewed a number of home-based business owners for her new book, “Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways,” is detachment. “You have to be able to walk into this space and have it be fully dedicated,” she says. A truly separate space boosts productivity – and “quality of life so so much more enhanced,” she adds.

Wow, that’s a lot of good news for one day. Nice to end the week on a high note.

 

Mary Martin, with Wallace, her cockapoo; photographed on July 5, 2007 by William Wright

Mary called me on May 15th from Atlanta to tell me of her sudden diagnosis of brain cancer. Four days later, she died, after doctors tried to relieve the bleeding and remove her tumor.  How can one so vibrant and full of creative energy disappear from our lives so quickly?

Featured in “Personal Space,” one of the first chapters in Stylish Sheds, Mary Martin was a consummate Southern lady. She embraced this book with incredible passion and support, investing her own time, money, and energy to promote it to clients of her fine gift business, Mary’s Garden Champagne Savers.

I met Mary through Atlanta landscape designer David Ellis, of Landshapes Garden Design. I fondly remember when Wendy Bassett, my Atlanta “shed angel” (aka fairy godmother), drove me to meet Mary and see her little cabin on a chilly day in January 2007. We came down the driveway, turned the corner into her gorgeous backyard (even in winter, it was in perfect, tip-top shape!), and were immediately drawn down the curving stepping-stone path toward a charming split-log style haven.

A curved path made with stepping stones large enough for two to walk side-by-side travels across the lawn from Mary’s house to her personal backyard retreat

While she wasn’t sure of its provenance, Mary guessed that the rustic, 1930s-era shed might have been purchased by earlier owners from a mail-order catalog, perhaps as a potting shed. She updated the 240-square-foot hut, painted the board-and-batten walls of its two interior rooms in pistachio green, added a fresh coat of  bay-green paint to the two cottage doors and “moved in.”

Beyond the walls of her rather grand Southern Colonial-style home, Mary could be found, secreted away in her backyard studio, which served as a potting shed, storage for beekeeping and honey making, a painter’s easel and a writing room.

“When I first saw it, I thought, What a wonderful place for gardening, but it has also become a nice little project building,” she told us.

Her love of this little building, which Mary later expanded by adding a 16-by-17 foot screened room, was rooted in memories of a childhood playhouse. She played outside and cooked on a real stove inside a little pink playhouse her father, John Martin, built for Mary and her younger sister, Ann. On her desk inside the cabin, Mary kept a framed photograph of the tiny, sweet structure.

“I do think my childhood memories of that pink playhouse tie into my enjoyment of this very private, peaceful ‘retreat’ where I feel hundreds of miles away from the city when I’m inside it,” she said.

I spoke today with Janell Knox, a friend of Mary’s since college, and she told me that Mary faced the news of her illness with incredible courage. “She was out in the cottage on Sunday,” Janell says. Later that day, the pain in her head was so severe that doctors had her taken to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. Efforts to relieve the bleeding failed. In her last moments, Mary was surrounded by friends and loved ones, including her parents, John and Elizabeth Martin. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s obituary of Mary aptly described her as having “enthusiasm for life.”

Selfishly, I am so pleased that in her last year, Mary befriended Bill Wright and me. She had an intensity about everything she did in life, including the way she devoted herself to friends. We will miss her spirit, although having a glimpse of her in the pages of our book is a quiet comfort.

I end with a quote that Mary loved. It is from her late grandfather, Rudolf Anderson, who was a landscape designer and widely known for his camellia and azalea breeding throughout the Southeast. It sums up her philosophy, as well, evident in the way Mary drew her beloved plants and garden into her life.

“I’ve always felt that anybody looking at beauty in nature cannot help but have more noble thoughts.” (Rudolf Anderson, 1967)

“Old garden sheds can see new life as office space, artist studio, dining pavilion, party room or just private hideaway.” 

Alice Joyce, author of Gardenwalks in California and Gardenwalks in the Pacific Northwest, wrote a very kind review of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways in yesterday’s San Francisco Chronicle. We couldn’t be more excited to read her generous words describing this project:

Here is an excerpt:

“Maybe you’ve conjured up a funky backyard folly purposefully set aside for daydreaming. Or considered adding a sophisticated retreat in which to enjoy cocktail hour, an intimate space separate from the home yet connected in spirit. If so, you might be inspired to take action after perusing Prinzing’s handsomely produced sourcebook, with nearly 30 projects pictured, five in the Bay Area. . . .

“Whether restored, refitted or built from the ground up, the ‘cool backyard structures’ presented are brought to life by Prinzing’s engaging writing and Wright’s alluring photographs, revealing personalities and design sensibilities.”

Riding on the celebratory wave of two festive book parties in the Austin area, we are so thrilled with Alice’s affirming review. Here is a link to the full article in the San Francisco Chronicle, May 3rd.

Melanie Munk, features editor of The Herald, a daily newspaper in Everett, Washington, is one of the very best editors for whom I ever had the privilege to work. She was also the first person to “go for it” when I pitched an article idea on beautiful backyard sheds.

I wrote about her role in shaping the concept for this book in the opening lines of our Acknowledgements:

“The roots of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways date to 2000, when Melanie Munk, features editor at The Herald in Everett, Washington, liked my article idea about sophisticated garden sheds and published it as ‘Shed Chic’ in the newspaper’s Home & Garden section.”

So it is very fitting, and makes me so pleased, to see the first review of Stylish Sheds appear in today’s Herald Home & Garden section.

Here’s an excerpt:

Don’t be fooled by the word shed: There are some rustic reclaimed huts filled with antiques, sentimental possessions and comfy old chairs. But there are some spectacular examples of modern design, roofless outdoor rooms and glass extravaganzas built over special pools.

Tackling the hideaways one at a time, Prinzing describes them in mouth-watering detail and sketches out the missions, must-haves, inspiration, challenges and solutions for each. The inspiration comes from the scope and the variety, the reassurance from the controlled size of most. You can picture yourself taking on and completing such a project.

Thanks to you, Melanie, for always encouraging and supporting my ideas. Or most of them, at least. I was so lucky to work for you as you launched and created a wonderful, must-read, home and garden section!

My collaborator, Bill Wright, and I are in Austin, Texas preparing to tape a segment for “Central Texas Gardener,” with host Tom Spencer, on PBS affiliate KLRU-TV. Then we have a couple of Texas-sized book parties, and a signing at Big Red Sun, a hot gardening emporium (pun intended). Stay tuned!

 

Debra and Bill – all that hard work has finally paid off!

Bill Wright and I are blessed with friends and family who rallied together to celebrate the publication of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways!

Sandy set up a comfy wicker table for our book-signing

Whereas tomorrow, Tuesday, April 29th, is the book’s “official” publication date, we jumped the gun and decided to pop the cork yesterday, April 27th.

Gathering in Sandy Koepke’s Beverly Hills courtyard with friends; Debra catches up with “shedistas” Joseph Marek and John Bernatz, whose Santa Monica backyard studio is pictured in Stylish Sheds.

We signed lots of copies!

The setting: Sandy Koepke’s awesome, romantic, Beverly Hills farmhouse and courtyard. This talented designer’s much-published and welcoming home and garden lured no fewer than 80 guests to the Stylish Sheds book launch.

The hostesses: Sandy (left, with Debra), Paula Panich (right, with Debra) and Cristi Walden (seen above with her dad, plantsman Jack Stevenson).

The menu: Tea party fare, including delicious sandwiches, scones, and breads made by my three dear and generous friends. Plus: Shed-shaped cookies (shown above), decorated by my mom, Anita Prinzing.

The temperature: nearly 100-degrees at 4 p.m.! Yes, in April!!!

The guest of honor: Bill Wright, photographer and collaborator extraordinaire, who flew down from Seattle for the occasion. His fellow photographer-friend Winston Hughes was a great addition to the party.

My special guests: Husband Bruce and sons Alex and Benjamin Brooks, my family; plus, my college roommate, Karen Page, who flew down from Seattle for the party.  

 .

Deb and Karen – visiting Lotusland on Friday

Thank you to all who attended and purchased a copy of Stylish Sheds. Proceeds from the book sales benefit the new patio at Phoenix House, a project that will be completed during Big Sunday, next weekend. Sandy Koepke has redesigned a livable and nurturing space for Phoenix House residents in Venice Beach.

We’re off to Austin in 2 days to continue the party!

This posting is intended to THANK the wonderful members of Piedmont and Orinda Garden Clubs for hosting me on Thursday morning. These two groups in SF’s East Bay invited me to fly up to Oakland and visit their beautiful communities. The opportunity to talk about Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways was particularly “sweet,” because even though the event was scheduled five days before the April 29th publication of our book, I was able to show a slide preview of our book and sign advanced copies, shipped especially for this event.

One of the things I noticed immediately was the sense of connection between gardeners and the idea of seeking out a separate, private getaway in the landscape. After the lecture many people in the audience mentioned their own desire for a backyard “shed” or “shelter,” including ideas sparked by seeing Bill’s photographs of some of the best shed designs around.

Joyce Nelson, past president of the Orinda Garden Club, invited us to stop by her place after lunch to see her Hansel-and-Gretel-inspired playhouse. Her grandchildren are growing up and Joyce confided to me that during my talk she looked at Bill Wright’s wonderful photographs and thought of all the new ways she could use and enjoy the gingerbread-style structure. I am waiting to see if Joyce adds an adult-sized door, tosses away the toys and replaces them with a wicker armchair and footstool. Here, she can enjoy quiet afternoons reading mystery novels or perusing seed catalogs!

I flew home last night to Burbank feeling gratified that my “launch” was warmly welcomed by wonderful new friends, including Lani Schulte, my hostess for the 24-hour visit. Thank you, Lani! I know we’ll see one another again.

Bill and I have a big week ahead. Our first big book publication event is scheduled for this Sunday, April 27th, in Sandy Koepke’s Beverly Hills garden. Sandy, Cristi Walden and Paula Panich are hosting the debut of Stylish Sheds. These talented women are baking up a storm – tea party sandwiches and more! But my contribution to the party is a batch of shed-shaped cookies. Yes, the idea took hold and I couldn’t ignore it! I found cookie-cutter choices in the shapes of a cottage, dog house, gingerbread house and barn. I baked dozens of cookies and my mom, Anita, helped decorate them last weekend.

On Wednesday, we fly to Austin for 2 “Shedista” parties, a TV show and a special book-signing at Big Red Sun, a hot Austin garden center. This is going to be a blast….