221 Tips & Tricks from Master Gardeners by Stephen Shade

Hey everybody.

I just wanted to let you know about my new ebook, "221 Tips & Tricks from Master Gardeners." It is available for pre-order here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XUORAVK.

For a limited time I am giving away a free PDF copy of the book to you, my fellow permies. You can find it here: http://www.livingoffgridguide.com/221download/ This will only be available until June 1st when the book is released on Amazon.

I need your help though. I need Amazon reviews. If you download the book please, read it and go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XUORAVK and leave a review. Every review counts and it will help the book get in front of more people. Also, I read every review. Be detailed, so I can know how to do better with my next book.

Cheers,
Stephen Shade

Hi Stephen -

Welcome to permies! And congrats on your first book -- you are ahead of me on getting an ebook done and ready! I have some feedback about simple typos that I'd rather give you 1-on-1 instead of so publicly on Amazon. So, I will be sending you a "Purple Mooseage" - a semi-private email within permies. To get your "PM," look at the top of any permies forum page when you are logged in, and you will see a link called "My Purple Mooseages." Click on it, and you can read my message.

Best wishes,
Mariamne

awesome cool, thank you!

looks great, so far, but... amazon says it is not eligible for review yet, tho...

Being a five time author, nothing is a fun as your first book.

I am wondering if you want to know about an error on page 7? Between items 15 and 16. I think the language is out of place based on the formatting of the rest of your book.

Love the tips. Will go and leave my review.

GOOD LUCK!!

Natalie

thanks Stephen, I will certainly read through this and submit a review.

Thank you so much for the preview, I will definitely put a review up for you... still reading.

#34 you do have a typo!

Solid advice though Again, thank you for sharing, and congrats on your new book. I will have to go sign up as well.

http://www.livingoffgridguide.com/221tips/ Everyone, go sign up for the newsletter!

Thank you, awesome!

Thanks, Stephen! I just downloaded your book. Just skimming through it - it looks great! Looking forward to reading it for real very soon. Congrats!

Thanks Stephen! That looks like a concise distillation of wisdom. I'm looking forward to the read.

Hi again, Stephen I just looked at your web page for a contact email but couldn't find one. I've got some suggestions about your book that may be of interest. If you want to email me at reeds@wetlandsystems.ie I can email you an edited pdf version with some thoughts.

#27: use mylar, not foil, foil does not reflect light nearly as much as mylar, kinda of an illusion... also keep it on flat surfaces to avoid hot spots. I cant imagine ever using that outside but might be a useful tip when setting up an indoor garden in early Spring. Lots of useful tips, Id say everyone will learn some cool tricks but some tips I dont agree with also lots of spelling mistakes, and I am French Thanks for sharing!

I like the book. Can't leave a review yet...I will aim to remember to get return to Amazon next week to leave a review once they allow it. Thanks!

Wow thank you so much! I will be happy to write a review. I have already found it useful and helpful as a somewhat beginner so THANK YOU!

Miguel Laroche wrote:#27: use mylar, not foil, foil does not reflect light nearly as much as mylar, kinda of an illusion... also keep it on flat surfaces to avoid hot spots. I cant imagine ever using that outside but might be a useful tip when setting up an indoor garden in early Spring. Lots of useful tips, Id say everyone will learn some cool tricks but some tips I dont agree with also lots of spelling mistakes, and I am French Thanks for sharing!

Sorry about the typos guys. I actually had someone help me edit it last week. I've uploaded the edited copy. If you have a copy with lots of typos, go download it again to get the corrected copy. Cheers.

I wasn't done reading when I posted my review on here, I learned a lot, thanks!

I got the free e-book and started reading yesterday. I saw some useful tips, but also some I couldn't use here in the Netherlands (f.e. other plants growing here, other climate).
One thing I missed: images, pictures, illustrations! I'm an illustrator myself and I like to 'see', not only read ...

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:I got the free e-book and started reading yesterday. I saw some useful tips, but also some I couldn't use here in the Netherlands (f.e. other plants growing here, other climate).
One thing I missed: images, pictures, illustrations! I'm an illustrator myself and I like to 'see', not only read ...

I agree. I love images too. I am working on the illustrated addition of the book now. Hoping to release it this fall. Join my email list to get updates on it's release.

I did an e-book recently - take caution with pics - the sale price is super high with pics and author gets little.... (my book sale price with three full color pics 12.99 and I get less than $3 on sale)

perhaps consider alternative - reference another space/internet you "own" with the pics for buyers of the book?

Stephen Shade wrote:

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:I got the free e-book and started reading yesterday. I saw some useful tips, but also some I couldn't use here in the Netherlands (f.e. other plants growing here, other climate).
One thing I missed: images, pictures, illustrations! I'm an illustrator myself and I like to 'see', not only read ...

I agree. I love images too. I am working on the illustrated addition of the book now. Hoping to release it this fall. Join my email list to get updates on it's release.

Thanks for the free download.
I looked for some contact info on your website, but couldn't find any, so I'm going to use this forum as a way of contacting you.
Following are some edits you may consider. Many are pretty straight forward, and a few may be subjective, I'm not sure... A few spelling mistakes, some missing words, etc... just trying to help.
Anyway, I hope this comes in time before any printed version goes out, not that things are impossible to understand, just in the interest of propper grammar and context, etc.
I'm sure I've missed some things, too, but anyway...
Most edits are in CAPITALS. I'm sure you'll get the point.

3. ...AS an experiment.
29. in the bottom OF pots...
34. 'WRITE', not 'Wright'
36. ...allow you TO grow...
49. Last sentence is weird. Should it say "...but the majority of your crops..." ?
66. ...a crop has given ITS all. ( It's is a contraction for 'it is' )
72. ...like carrots, want hardly any... or don't want much... "don't want hardly
any" is a double negative er sumthin... in fact, carrots DO want hardly any...
85. Second sentence says "...cooking IN THE IN THE sun..."
100. Sometimes it IS OK... ('IS' is missing)
106. last sentence: I'm not sure "one's" should have an apostrophe., your call...
111. with A vermiculite? do you mean 'with A LAYER OF vermiculite'...?
128. ...replace the organic material WITH rocks.
129. ...summer grains with tall STALKS ... ('stocks' has a different meaning)
151. You can drown YOUR plants...
154. This statement strikes me as untrue. I could fix or patch a leaky soaker
hose, one way or another, depending on the style of hose. I'm sure others
could, too. Not really an edit, just saying...
156. ...some is always LOST to evaporation.
157. ...some of YOUR houseplants.
160. ?? what?? 1 inch a week, or deeply 2 or 3 times a week??? which one?
173. ...and recoverING from insect damage.
174. you don't need to capitalize the words 'early' or 'often'
178. ...flats or pots with warm ?WATER? before reusing...
189. no apostrophe in 'ones', I believe...
193. Are there 'good' slugs? you mention bad slugs...
194. ...wrappING copper tape...
203 . ...insects like beatleS. The S is missing...
214. HOW and CAN don't need to be capitalized.

Thanks again.

Dan

Dan Last wrote:Thanks for the free download.

...

Thanks again.

Dan

Thanks Dan,

It is too late for the initial launch, but I'll get those edits submitted asap.

Stephen

Thank you all that downloaded the book and gave feed back. The book is now available on Amazon, and able to be rated. If you are done reading, please head over to Amazon and leave an honest review. Thank you so much for all of your help.

Here is the link http://www.amazon.com/221-Tips-Tricks-Master-Gardners-ebook/dp/B00XUORAVK/