Visits to countless garden clubs all over B.C. during the past 20 years provided endless fodder for what was to become Pam Dangelmaier鈥檚 first novel, Flour Garden.

The 53-year-old 91原创 Meadows resident started putting pen to paper, or more often fingers to keyboard, five years ago 鈥� after one particularly lively visit to a Lower Mainland garden club.

As the co-owner of a 91原创-based mail-order plant company that ships bulbs, roses, and perennials across the country, she and her partner Elke Wehinger are frequently asked to speak at countless club events.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity to meet so many neat people,鈥� she said. And those visits provided Dangelmaier a great glimpse inside the politics and personalities that make the clubs tick.

This particular day, she came away 鈥渟wearing鈥� that one day soon she would write a book about garden clubs and all the quirky characters they attract.

That鈥檚 exactly what she did.

The theatre major, turned marketer, turned business owner challenged her creative side to capture what she calls the 鈥渄ynamics of hortsocieties,鈥� and she feels she鈥檚 hit that mark with this new 鈥渓ight-hearted鈥� book.

This 358-page novel tells the story of a fictional garden club teetering on the brink of disaster, and of the aging gardeners who have allowed their 鈥渁pathy to grow like weeds in an unkempt garden, and the club is about to take its final horticultural gasp before plunging into obscurity,鈥� Dangelmaier said.

More specifically, it revolves around two female characters whose friendship had fallen apart and it speaks to how they make up. And it鈥檚 a garden club 鈥渨hich only exists in my mind鈥� that serves as the backdrop for this friendship that begins to grow back together.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a real study in relationships,鈥� Dangelmaier explained. But she was quick to reassured potential readers that 鈥渋t鈥檚 not heavy in any way, shape, or form.鈥�

The response, thus far, has been 鈥済reat,鈥� she said, including from the gardening community.

Since the book was released a few weeks ago, she鈥檚 already had reaction from many who say they want to join the garden club in her book and want to befriend her characters.

Dangelmaier said that鈥檚 the greatest form of flattery she can imagine.

鈥淚 enjoyed creating these characters and the conversations they have had,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f I can create a world in this book that makes people smile, that makes them laugh, and that makes them happy, then that is a good thing.鈥�

She had such a good time creating Flour Garden, in fact, that Dangelmaier is already working on the sequel, and said she wouldn鈥檛 yet rule out a series 鈥� although that was never her intention.

鈥淲ho knows where this story will end, but for now, I know it鈥檚 still continuing.鈥�

She鈥檇 always had a passion for writing, having ventured into the world of poetry and short-story writing in past.

But she said writing a novel was always just a dream 鈥� until now.

Her self-published book is available through Amazon, or signed copies can be ordered through her company鈥檚 website at www.botanus.com.

She鈥檒l also be autographing books this Saturday, June 17, at the 91原创 Chapters, from 1 to 4 p.m. And she鈥檒l be part of the 91原创 Writers Guild Tidewater Festival of the Book at the Fort 91原创 National Historical Site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 1.

How to win a copy of Flour Garden

One 91原创 Advance readers will win an autographed copy of Pam Dangelmaier鈥檚 novel Flour Garden.

How do you win?

鈥� Click here, and tell us why you want to win.

You will be entered into the draw.

Preference will be given to 91原创 residents.

Postings must be received prior to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 22 p.m., and the winner will be notified by email and/or phone. No staff or family of the 91原创 Advance or Black Press are eligible.

This giveaway is restricted to online participants, 19 years or older only. Entries must include your name and phone number.