Some people plant a few flowers. Some grow veggies in summer. Maybe they have a little spider plant or bamboo in the office.

I am not exactly one of those people. My philodendron extends from one pot on a shelf across three walls in my dining room. The Maple sapling in my front yard cries when temperatures top 100 degrees. Starbucks baristas across the city save coffee grounds for me. Plant catalogs choke my mailbox and, yes, this 67 year old Master Gardener owns a tractor.

I can get somewhat obsessive about it all. My husband has grown accustomed to my insistence that vacations must be planned around key times for vegetable garden harvesting. I write two page long watering instructions for house sitters in the fervent desire that leaving for a week won’t destroy the charm and beauty of my home environment.

I’ve been told my unusual methods of approaching the challenges of the garden are effective, and I’ve given lectures for gardening clubs on various aspects of gardening from creating microclimates in high desert areas to vacuuming squash bugs. My friends smile and call me eccentric, fellow gardeners acknowledge me as competent and my kids just think I’m kinda quirky.

Available on Amazon.

Comments from prereaders:

From Fil Chavez, author of “Unused Towels”
MAD MAD MAD . . . with lots of really good advice!
I am not a serious gardener, I am more of a “Well, I tried but …” Nonetheless, this is indeed CRAZY MAD HUMOR … i.e., “squash bugs …. Horniest critters in the insect world … Live in a constant state of post-coital euphoria … take a cold bath.”
and it gets better! It is definitely worth getting the book. Thanks, Rosie!

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Parris Afton Bonds , Internationally Published Romance Author
THE THRILL OF IT ALL ~ EVEN THE MANURE
Rosie Kern entertains with humor the agony and ecstasy of her gardening experience. Whether you are a gardening afficionado or not, you will enjoy her foray into her passion for gardening

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V.F.R. Fun and Informative
Fun to read while filled with good advice for low-water-use gardeners. As a beginning gardener, the author wasn’t confined with the do’s and don’ts of gardening. She just dumped layers of compost materials and became thrilled with the results. With trial and error, help from friends, and copious coffee grounds from Starbucks, she “created my space and it reached back to transform me.”
Now after many years with spade and trowel, research, and persistence, Rose Kern shares her experience with humor and practical observations. Definitely worth a read.

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Dale Garratt A fun romp through an offbeat approach to gardening
An informative and entertaining read. Rose really thinks outside the box working on her (pretty extensive) garden. I love her high-imagination and low-effort approach to eliminating squash bugs on pumpkins.

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D. E. Williams Humorous take on gardening in the High Desert
Rose Kern has a delightful way of writing that brings freshness to the technical aspects of gardening. Not being a gardener (brown thumb all the way up to the elbow), I wasn’t sure the story would fit my reading taste, but it was witty and interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 3 chapters and eagerly await what follows. Thanks for sharing your skill and your humor, Ms. Kern!
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Michael Hilarious yet educational take on gardening
From the first sentence, Rosie has such an engaging style of writing, laced with humor.
And if you’re not careful, you might even learn something.

Dragonfly:  Poems of Transformation and Spiritual Guidance

Charming, colorful and free….dragonflies have survived for millenium across the word bringing delight to those who capture a glimpse of them in flight, or perched upon a leaf.

                    hija de la tierra

hija de la tierra

     your ancestors were goddesses and kings

     who ruled across lifespans

     steel town girl

     your ancestors are diminished to barrio dogs and cats

     dogs and cats who roam the alleys of society

     dogs and cats teach us how to live

hija de la tierra

     you were born to reign above the mountains

     you should be born to live in peace

Irene Blea’s book of poetry written across the decades from her youth to middle age offers insights into the world of a young Chicana woman breaking through the expectations of her youth with calmly fierce determination and a drive to succeed.

Click here for more information about Irene Blea and    Dragonfly:  Poems of Transformation and Spiritual Guidance   

Rose Marie Kern, President of RMK Publications recently gave a presentation for the SouthWest Writers workshop Series.   During the presentation Rose Marie promised to post her powerpoint presentation so the attendees could access the information.  Feel free to use this information and to contact Rose Marie if you need clarification on any of these points.

*NOTE:  The information given is general in nature and not intended to take the place of any legal determination.  Personal or specific information relating to rights or copyrights should be taken to a copyright attorney for clarification.

Rose@rmkpublications.com

Click Here to view a PDF of Rose’s presentation on Copyright-ISBN-Barcode updtd 7-12-24

“As the author of a definitive biography on 20^th century naturalist and children’s author, Thornton W. Burgess, I was moved to tears in reading his account of watching the last Heath Hen on Martha’s Vineyard, Booming Ben as the Vineyarders named him, emerge alone from scrub brush onto his species’ mating grounds in the final years of the 1920s. This was the sole bird of its kind, without a mate or even a companion to answer his questioning calls.”

Thus began Christie’s crusade to encourage the next generation of children to become aware of how so many species on this planet can disappear for a number of reasons.

Christie writes, “When I was pondering how I could possibly bring this subject of unmitigated loss to a child without causing despair, the book’s final message came to me: we make the effort because life, all life, in its grand and glorious diversity matters. It will always matter. ”

The Last Heath Hen:  An Extinction Story is supported by the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, and by the Thornton Burgess Society.

For more information click here.

Did you know that the US Department of Agriculture updated the hardiness zone map which guides farmers and gardeners as to the expected first and last freeze dates in every area of the country?  Seed companies, greenhouses, and farms large and small have been trying to guess the coming seasons for centuries and they base their annual planting and harvesting around these dates.  We have all been noticing the changing weather patterns as the global temperatures have been slowly rising.

For individuals who enjoy growing, harvesting and preserving their own fruits and vegetables, their are ways of modifying yards and gardens to protect our plants most of which do not require going to the extreme of buying a greenhouse.   Rose Kern lives a mile high in central New Mexico, where it is imperative gardeners learn to take notice of how our location –  geographically, and vertically – affects plants.   At this altitude the cushioning layers of atmosphere enjoyed by sea level dwellers is greatly reduced.  Newbies to the area are surprised by how quickly they can get a sunburn even in mild temperatures – and don’t realize that the increased levels of solar radiation can also burn their vegetables when combined with the increasingly hot temperatures.

The Secrets to Creating Microclimates for High Desert Gardening covers basic weather patterns for the American southwest, and how to identify the microclimates all around us.    It gives ideas and advice on methods for protecting our home gardens using both commercial products as well as readily available and inexpensive options. It includes case studies of four properties located a varying altitudes from 1,000 ft to 7,500 ft. above sea level.

Author, Rose Kern is a veteran Master Gardener with certifications from the National Weather Service.  She’s given lectures on Microclimatology in New Mexico, Texas,  and Arizona for the USDA Master Gardeners program.

This full color book is available on Amazon in both print and ebook form.

During a recent book promotion, Amazon listed Unused Towels as a #1 Best Seller!

Over 904 eBooks were ordered during a free eBook promotion!

Author Fil Chavez writes, “I pray that the book, especially the last chapter “TOSTI,” will get into the hands of those dealing with suicidal depression.   I am pleased that several people found many of the stories uplifting, humorous and/or interesting in the 19 chapters which were included in the book as a counterbalance to the four heavy chapters dealing with depression.

During this process, Amazon listed it as #1 in Happiness, #1 in Death and Grief, and #3 in Personal Transformation.

For more information click here:       Fil A. Chavez 

From author  Fil A. Chavez

A very recent post on Amazon regarding my book, Unused Towels, echoes what the majority of comments sent to me regarding suicidal depression have said, “Looking at suicide from a different perspective was an eye-opening experience for me. Easy reading, like being in the same room with Fil as he shares his stories. Enjoyed it.”  This comment along with the fact that December is the month during which reportedly more suicides occur, especially among the elderly and those living alone, is the reason why I am offering the eBook for free.  I wish to make the book available to as many people as possible.

Irrespective of the month, veterans unfortunately continue to take their lives at unbelievable numbers!  Also, a new group was brought to my attention this last Sunday when it was reported that mothers suffer from postpartum depression at staggering numbers.   “One in seven women experiences postpartum depression (PPD), with more new mothers dying from suicide or overdose than anything else.”

My main objective in writing Unused Towels was to reach out to anyone in the throes of suicidal depression and especially to anyone struggling with how to better understand why a person may be suicidal. The last chapter, TOSTI, tells what worked for me and what did not.

In order to balance the heavy subject of suicide, the book contains many humorous, uplifting, and entertaining stories.

Long story short:  from December 23^rd to December 27^th, the eBook version of Unused Towels will be free.  The link to take advantage of this is: https://www.amazon.com/Unused-Towels-Fil-Chavez/dp/B0BBQ9Y2PW.

Please feel free to share this with anyone who you think may find it helpful.  As always, a review on Amazon is appreciated.  (A last-minute Christmas gift?)

Thanks all!  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each of you!

Fil

For more information go to Fil’s author page:    https://www.rmkpublications.com/fil-a-chavez

My Story is  Written-Now What?

Many of you have been participating in the International writing event NaNoWriMo.  It’s down on paper and ready to go.  RMK publications is working with libraries and writing groups to help you along the next step of your journey.

 Writer to Author

A free event sponsored by the City of Rio Rancho, NM

December 3, 2023 – 1pm       Rio Rancho Enchanted Hills Public Library  The HUB @ Enchanted Hills
7845 Enchanted Hills Blvd NE    Rio Rancho, NM 87144   (505) 891-5008    Free

This presentation is an introduction to the basics of writing as a career – and as a business.  Rose will discuss the various aspects of what decisions face authors who wish to become published.  It includes an overview of the writing industry from short stories and poetry to scriptwriting, memoir, and full length novels.  This live presentation is free of charge.

December 9th – at Noon.   SouthWest Writers workshop at UNM-Continuing Education – Live and on Zoomj!

The Journey From Writer to Author

With Rose Marie Kern & Cornelia Gamlem

• Saturday: December 9, 2023   12:30 – 2:30 pm (MST)
• In Person & Zoom  SWW members: $20 ♦ Non-members: $30

There’s more to being an author than just finishing your manuscript. There are many moving parts that Rose and Cornelia will address: What to consider before you begin writing; Identifying, finding and reaching your target audience; Book Publicity; Pre-publication and ongoing marketing; Financial gains and expenses to be considered. Developing a launch plan and more. This is an in-depth look at writing as a career

Rose Marie Kern is the owner of RMK Publications. She has enabled dozens of authors to realize their dream of being published. Her own stories and books have reached over a quarter million people.

Cornelia Gamlem, speaker and consultant, is a recognized influencer in the business community. She turned her years of business experiences, education, and expertise into writing and marketing her books.

To Register:
Call the SouthWest Writers office at 505-830-6034 (Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–noon) or use the online registration form. Their online payment portal utilizes PayPal, but you’ll be given an option to pay by credit card without signing into PayPal.

The Zoom invitation link and the password will be emailed to those who register. Please contact the class/workshop coordinator at Info@SWWriters.com for more information.

Our authors and the books they publish are important to us – we feel a sense of pride in helping them achieve their dreams!

For most authors, the actual writing of the book is the easiest part.  Then there is a decision as to whether or not to try submitting their work to a traditional publishing house, or take on all the work themselves.

They have complete control over how the book is formatted, what the cover looks like, and which printer/marketing entity(s) they want to utilize.  A self-published author’s greatest challenge lies after all that is accomplished – determining what is their best option for marketing their work.

Here at RMK Publications we want to help them along – on this site each of our authors can choose to have their own author page with links to where people can find and order their books.   To help them a bit more, we’ve created a facebook page for them to use to advertise their books as well as any personal appearances they have scheduled.

Here is the link to the RMK Publications Facebook page – check it out!

RMK Publications | Facebook