Skip to main content

Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter

Happy accident

Captain's Log, Stardate 04.29.2008

Okay, confession time: I have a black thumb. Don’t believe me? Here’s what’s left of the cyclamen that Captain Caffeine gave me for my birthday.




I have come to realize that the only plants I can’t kill are the ones that I don’t even bother to try to keep alive.

For example, my lavender is flourishing. Although considering how hard it is to kill lavender, maybe that’s not a good example. After all, lavender can grow from just tossing some cuttings on the ground, because you can plant the stems and they’ll root.

Anyway, my gladiolas correction: bearded irises (thanks, Ausjenny!) are flourishing this year. Why? I have no clue. They are my “happy accident” plants.

Here is the key to my keeping plants alive—I can’t have been given them, bought them, or planted them. I didn’t plant the gladiolas—they were growing in the yard when we bought the house, and I could tell they weren’t weeds, so I told Captain Caffeine not to mow it down.

I watered it when I remembered to. Nothing happened all year (we bought the house in February). Then the following March, I had one stalk with two small flowers.

They seem to like my sporadic watering, because they’ve gotten more bulbs and lots more flowers, after almost eight years.



How about you? Any gardening/plant-killing stories?

Comments

Ausjenny said…
Oh Camy the bulbs at the bottom are actually bearded Iris's. but they look good.
I have them in my garden but they dont flower. some of the accidental ones are one called watsonia. they are bulbs you cant kill.
Dont give up on the cyclamen. just dont water it to much. it doesn't like that.
indoor plants everyone we have had has died.
april penny said…
I think plants only have to see me once and they immediately curl up and die.

My husband had a plant that had been his grandmother's, and it had been alive and flourishing under his care for a number of years. We got married and a couple months later, the plant died.

Someone gave me one of those long vine-y plants once when I moved into a new apartment and told me it was impossible to kill, and even someone like me could keep it alive...

I killed it too.
Denice Stewart said…
I just blogged about this very topic yesterday. I am with you, Camy. I can't keep plants alive, indoors or outdoors, so I don't bother anymore.

But we have to have landscaping in front of our house as part of the neighborhood covenant we signed when we built the house last fall.

We are going to a nursery to talk to the experts about what plants I won't be able to destroy.
www.dcstewart.blogspot.com
Carole said…
Same as you, Camy. Although my grandmother had the gift, any plant I touch dies - and it doesn't take very long either. I've gone to silk flower arrangements in the house, and have even considered purchasing silk-flower hanging baskets for outside.

But my husband is very good with flowers. He planted daffodil and tulip bulbs as my Christmas gift, and I've enjoyed them outside my desk window all spring. Next he'll do bedding plants for Mother's Day. I condider these the perfect gift.
Camy Tang said…
Thanks, Jenny! I will definitely take your advice. And thanks for clearing up what those flowers are--I just assumed they were gladiolas, but now I'm glad I know for sure what they really are.

Thanks also, guys, for letting me know I am not the only serial plant murderer on the planet. :)

Camy
Grateful Gramma said…
The irises are beautiful, Camy! Glads have a similar stem but have several blooms up and down the same stem.

I had several different colored irises but, for some reason, they all appear to have died. They haven't bloomed this year but last year all I had was the standard light purple. Pretty, but I had some beautiful colors....
Ausjenny said…
I really love your bearded iris's and wonder what i need to not do to get mine to flower. a neighbour gave me them and said hers always flower. today she asked if i feed them!
NO i guess that may help.
I do have 520 tulip bulbs to plant. will do that sometime in may.
Oh cyclemens will lose there leaves and look dead just leave it somewhere cool or in the shade dont worry about watering it to much in summer. the end of summer early autumn you will see leaves coming back and then water but try not to water the bulb. We have one mum got for her birthday 2 years ago and i would have sworn we killed it last year but its looking so healthy at the moment lovely leaves (if i can stop mum over watering)
Oh Mum had wonderful carnations only she cant garden anymore and someone didn't water them as we are in our 3rd year of drought they died.
Fedora said…
The black thumb of death lives at our house, too! We have a gardener come a couple times a month to try to stave off the destruction outside the house, and we have one plant inside that has survived our care so far. One. The rest have succumbed and are desperately trying to warn off their friends ;)
Anonymous said…
What do you know--as I cleaned my kitchen today, I realized I had a dead plant sitting on the counter.

Sigh.
Lara said…
Camy - I'm right there with you! The only plants I could ever reliably keep alive were violets. And for a while I had several. Then after I had my first child I decided to do them in (the violets). I reasoned that I couldn't be expected to care for both a baby and the plants, so I neglected them to the extreme. It took a while, but they finally croaked. As for the baby...she just turned nine!
Camy Tang said…
Violets were the very first plant I ever killed. :(
Camy
Want to hear a REAL black thumb moment? I actually really enjoy gardening and my vegetable seedlings are all coming along very nicely, as are the hanging baskets of variety blue flowers.

I had repotted a beautiful green plant (I don't actually know any of the plant names...) and put it in my home office.

As the weather turned cooler here (Australia) I started cleaning out the fireplace and set a fire blazing. This is an old cast iron fireplace that is incredibly dangerous and gets super heated.

Anyway, there I am, enjoying the warmth and crackle of the first fire of the year and there is my poor potted green plant MELTING! The pot was on the bricking beside the fireplace and the poor leaves were blackened by the heat, the soil was devoid of moisture and even the pot itself was second-degree-burn-style hot.

The poor plant is still trying to recover. I've moved him well away from the fire to a bright spot under a window where I can give it regular TLC. I don't think he'll ever be the same but hopefully I can bring him back from the brink of death.
Camy Tang said…
LOL! Somebody send the plant patrol to Rebecca's house for endangerment of potted plants.
Camy
glee said…
Camy,

I have two cyclamen in my backyard and I wrote to the company I bought them from the first year I had them because they sprouted but then seemed to die. They patiently explained to me that cyclamen are cool weather flowers and they look dead in the warmer months (as well as in the dead of winter.) They urged me to be calm and just let them lie dormant in the summer. Sure enough, when fall came, they sprouted new leaves and flowers and everything!

Depending on where you live, yours may be okay, too. Just keep them protected from the sun and keep the dirt moist. They will probably rejuvenate on their own when your weather cools off again!
Camy Tang said…
Thanks, glee! That makes me feel better. I probably shouldn't water them so often, too.
Camy
Unknown said…
Hiya Camy!

You're yellow bearded irises are lovely.

As for having a black thumb, my sister actually killed one of those miniature cactus which is apparently indestructible until they come under her care!

hehe, so yeah, I understand all about that!!

Popular Posts

Chinese Take-Out and Sushi for One

Captain’s Log, Supplemental My agent sent me an article from Publisher’s Weekly that discussed this incident: Chinese Take-Out Spawns Christian Controversy And here’s also a blog post that talks about it in more detail: The Fighting 44s This is Soong-Chan Rah’s blog: The PCS blog In sum: Apparently Zondervan (yes, my publisher), who has partnered with Youth Specialties, had put out a youth leaders skit that had stereotypical Asian dialogue, which offended many Christian Asian Americans. In response to the outcry, Zondervan/Youth Specialities put out a sincere apology and is not only freezing the remaining stock of the book, but also reprinting it and replacing the copies people have already bought. I am very proud of my publisher for how they have handled this situation. The skit writers have also issued a public apology . (I feel sorry for them, because they were only trying to write a funny skit, not stir up this maelstrom of internet controversy. I’ve been in youth work long enou...

I GOT A CONTRACT!

Captain’s Log, Stardate 03.29.2006 I had a wonderfully funny blog post planned for today, but I got sidetracked by some news yesterday! Zondervan has offered me a three-book contract on my Asian chick-lit series ! I’m still stunned by everything that’s happened. The series is actually a 4-book projected Asian chick-lit series about four cousins who fall under the infamous family title "Oldest Single Female Cousin," and their ruthless, wealthy grandma applies pressure on each of them to improve their lack of love interests. I think the first book is tentatively scheduled to be released in August 2007. The blurb on the series is on my website here . Brandilyn Collins posted to the ACFW loop about my writing journey, and Tamara Cooper asked that I share it. And since you all know how much I like to talk , here it is. My writing journey: Like most writers, I have wanted to write since I was very young. (In high school, I wrote a fantasy novel that will never see the light of day ...

December 20, 2024 Weekly Patreon Roundup and Holiday Shutdown

I know I just did a roundup on Monday, but I need to tell you that I’ll be on holiday break on my Patreon. So today’s chapter post is the last one for 2024. I’ll be back on January 3, 2025. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! REMINDER (Tier 3 book boxes): Be sure to answer the question at the end of the update post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/117341237/ BONUS: Free short story: How Laura Met Aya https://www.patreon.com/posts/118057800/ New early access AND bonus annotated chapters this week: (Tier 3: Miss Nell’s Assistant and higher) Protection for Hire : Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 Lady Wynwood and the Senhora’s Bargain (bonus story for Tier 2 and higher): Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 7: Spinster: Completed posting! Access to older chapters has been opened up to other tiers. https://www.patreon.com/posts/early-access-98508510 Thanks again for being my subscribers! Camy

Tabi socks, part deux

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.25.2008 (If you're on Ravelry, friend me! I'm camytang.) I made tabi socks again! (At the bottom of the pattern is the calculation for the toe split if you're not using the same weight yarn that I did for this pattern (fingering). I also give an example from when I used worsted weight yarn with this pattern.) I used Opal yarn, Petticoat colorway. It’s a finer yarn than my last pair of tabi socks, so I altered the pattern a bit. Okay, so here’s my first foray into giving a knitting pattern. Camy’s top-down Tabi Socks I’m assuming you already know the basics of knitting socks. If you’re a beginner, here are some great tutorials: Socks 101 How to Knit Socks The Sock Knitter’s Companion A video of turning the heel Sock Knitting Tips Yarn: I have used both fingering weight and worsted weight yarn with this pattern. You just change the number of cast on stitches according to your gauge and the circumference of your ankle. Th...

Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 7 is here!

You can now buy Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 7: Spinster on my website! I think I managed to get the books set up correctly on my website (I’m not very good with my website software, unfortunately). You can buy the eBook , or if you buy the paperback , you get the eBook FREE! This offer only lasts until the book goes into Kindle Unlimited in February. 10% off coupon code for ALL BOOKS I finally got all the Lady Wynwood’s Spies regular paperbacks in my store, and if you use the coupon code website10 , you can get 10% off all the eBooks and paperback books in my shop!  NOTE: If you’re waiting for the Special Edition paperbacks, those will be available in my Kickstarter in January.

No Cold Bums toilet seat cover

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2008 I actually wrote out my pattern! I was getting a lot of hits on my infamous toilet seat cover , and I wanted to make a new one with “improvements,” so I paid attention and wrote things down as I made the new one. This was originally based off the Potty Mouth toilet cover , but I altered it to fit over the seat instead of the lid. Yarn: any worsted weight yarn, about 120 yards (this is a really tight number, I used exactly 118 yards. My suggestion is to make sure you have about 130 yards.) I suggest using acrylic yarn because you’re going to be washing this often. Needle: I used US 8, but you can use whatever needle size is recommended by the yarn you’re using. Gauge: Not that important. Mine was 4 sts/1 inch in garter stitch. 6 buttons (I used some leftover shell buttons I had in my stash) tapestry needle Crochet hook (optional) Cover: Using a provisional cast on, cast on 12 stitches. Work in garter st until liner measures...

A List of my Free Blog Reads

Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Romantic Suspense: Necessary Proof (Sonoma series #4.1, novella) Click here to buy the FREE ebook on all retailers Alex Villa became a Christian in prison, and because of his efforts to help stop a gang producing meth in Sonoma, he has been set up for the death of a cop. Can computer expert Jane Lawton find the evidence that will prove his innocence before the gang eliminates them both? Fantasy short stories: Pixies in a Garden in Kyoto There were pixies in the garden. Since she was in Kyoto, she was certain they were not called pixies, but she didn't know what they would be called in Japanese, and they certainly looked like what she imagined pixies would look like. The King’s Daughter The trees in the King's garden were full of colored pixie lights. The...

Update

Captain's Log, Stardate 02.10.2010 Hey guys, So yeah, I've been offline lately. Been busy. Teaching an online class on synopsis writing and working on a new proposal. And no, I can't tell you yet. But every so often I'm on Twitter and Facebook , so be sure to check out my Twitter feed (it's also on the right sidebar) or find me on Facebook. Lately, all I've been tweeting is my shock at finding so many gray hairs all of a sudden...and I don't even have children as my excuse for having so many. Then again, Captain Caffeine says I'm the reason he has so many gray hairs, but I know he's just kidding because he had tons of gray hair when I first met him. Or at least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Merry Christmas! Enjoy The Spinster's Christmas

As a Merry Christmas gift to all my blog readers, I’m going to be posting my Christian Regency romantic suspense, The Spinster’s Christmas , for free on my blog! I’ll be posting the book in 1000-1500 word segments every Tuesday and Friday. (When I do the calculations, it’ll finish around the end of May.) Why am I posting a Christmas story when it won’t be Christmas in a week? Because I can! :) The Spinster’s Christmas is the prequel volume to my Lady Wynwood’s Spies series . Right now I’m editing volume 1 of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, and it’s on track to release in 2020. (If you’re on my Camille Elliot newsletter , you’ll be sure to hear when it’s available for preorder.) I anticipate that the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series to be about ten volumes. I think the series story will be a lot of fun to tell, and I’m looking forward to writing up a storm! Below, I’ll be listing the links to the parts of The Spinster’s Christmas as I post them. (I created the html links by hand so please ...