# She's Naked. She's Gardening. The Naked Gardener



## LB Gschwandtner (Jun 21, 2010)

Hi: I'm LB Gschwandtner. And for those who are struggling with my name -- and who wouldn't be? -- it's pronounced Shwant-nuhr. But just call me LB. Much easier.

My friend and fellow indie author Karen Cantwell suggested I post a little bit about my novel just published on Kindle and very soon to be on Createspace in print format as well. I hope you'll take a look at The Naked Gardener. And enjoy reading this story about a woman who's not sure if she's ready to be a "wife."

http://www.amazon.com/The-Naked-Gardener-ebook/dp/B003WQBD82/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1280418190&sr=8-1

Artist Katelyn Cross loves Greg Mazur and he loves her. He wants to be married but a previous relationship that went sour has made Katelyn overly cautious about any permanent commitment. And what about Greg's first wife? He lost her to cancer and Katelyn worries that he's only looking for a replacement. What's a girl to do? Canoe down a river with five gal pals, camp out, catch fish, talk about life and men. The problem is, a river can be as unpredictable as any relationship and just as hard to manage. On their last day, when the river turns wild, the women face the challenge of a lifetime and find that staying alive means saving themselves first while being open to help from a most unlikely source. As Katelyn navigates the raging water, she learns how to overcome her fear of change in a world where nothing stays the same. When Katelyn returns to her garden, she'll face one more obstacle and the naked gardener will meet the real Greg Mazur.

From the back cover:
In her first novel, award winning writer L B Gschwandtner explores the push and pull of love, a woman's need to maintain her individuality within marriage, and the bonds that can make women stronger even when the world feels as if it's breaking apart.

A note about how I came to write The Naked Gardener:
At a certain point in my life, I knew three women who gardened naked. They all had different takes on why they did it but they all felt it was really important to them. So I began to think about a woman who goes to her garden naked and what that might mean and in what ways it would be liberating for her and important in her life. I think it's Katelyn's first tentative step toward finding out who she really is and how to get what she wants from the world around her. The garden symbolizes her world. And the rocks in it keep getting in her way. So she has to deal with life's obstacles, even in her garden.

Thanks for taking a look. I look forward to comments and to following the threads.

LB


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Welcome to KindleBoards, LB, and congratulations on your book!

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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

It looks great, good luck with it.

I had also heard of the phenomenon of naked gardening (a bit difficult to do where I live, in a street of terraced houses where all my neighbours have recently decided to build loft extensions) because of some anecdote told in the film star memoirs I like to read. I think it was in Rupert Everett's Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins







(a brilliant book despite the awful title). Anyway, he told of Diana Rigg (I think) gardening naked in Ibiza and her 'chivalrous' neighbour (can't remember who, sorry - some well-known name) going round regularly to 'check that she was OK'.

I like the cover of your book, too.


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## LB Gschwandtner (Jun 21, 2010)

Thanks Ann... and Helen.

Ann what does "PM us" mean pls? And how do I place my book cover as an avatar? Sigh ... so much to absorb.

Helen: Thanks for the kind words about the cover. Love Diana Rigg. So happy to hear she gardened naked. And you for picking up such a delish piece of trivia.

Cheers
LB


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

PM means personal message. You can send someone a personal message by clicking the the little cartton bubble below their avatar, the one that looks like this:







The first topic in the writer's cafe is a tutorial on inserting pictures in your profile.: *Signature Book Cover links and Profile (avatar) pics - A Tutorial (not finished)*


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## karencantwell (Jun 17, 2010)

I just finished it LB and loved it -- wonderful book about women!    Will you be writing more?


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## LB Gschwandtner (Jun 21, 2010)

Introducing Katelyn Cross who gardens naked. Lives in a chicken coop. Takes her gal pals on a canoe trip in the wilds of northern VT. Catches fish with her bare hands. Body paints. And can't decide if she should marry Greg Mazur.

I'm glad to talk about what inspired this love story, my writing process, and anything else.

Cheers
LB


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

LB, as per the note above, you are allowed one thread per book. . . . .I merged your new post with your existing thread.  In the future new posts may be deleted.


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## SuzanneTyrpak (Aug 10, 2010)

Sounds like a great read. I downloaded a sample. I used to live in Vermont (southern) with a naked gardener.

Great title--and I like the metaphor.

Congratulations!
Suzanne


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## 13500 (Apr 22, 2010)

Sounds interesting. I'll sample it.

Good luck,
Karen


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## LB Gschwandtner (Jun 21, 2010)

SuzanneTyrpak said:


> Sounds like a great read. I downloaded a sample. I used to live in Vermont (southern) with a naked gardener.
> 
> Great title--and I like the metaphor.
> 
> ...


Thanks Suzanne. See I keep telling people that naked gardeners are among them & here you've provided proof.


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## LB Gschwandtner (Jun 21, 2010)

KarenW.B. said:


> Sounds interesting. I'll sample it.
> 
> Good luck,
> Karen


Thanks Karen.

And hey everyone, it's got 5 stars from 5 peeps now. Is that some numerological portent?


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