Dirty Nails unveiled with new book launch at Dike's

24/09/08

Dike’s of Stalbridge brings you Dirty Nails – in person

LOCAL author and anonymous contributor to the gardening pages of the Blackmore Vale Magazine, Dirty Nails, is at last going to reveal his true identity.

And he has chosen Dike & Son Superstore in Stalbridge as the place to do it.

Stalbridge is where the writer’s alter ego, Dirty Nails, was first born, in the pages of the BVM almost five years ago.

Packed with invaluable tips and entertaining descriptions and written in his gentle, easy style, Dirty Nails’ weekly column has become regarded with great affection among amateur vegetable gardeners.

His first book, a collection of his gardening columns called How to Grow Your Own Food, was published last year to great acclaim and is currently in its third reprint. But people were still left baffled over who the writer could be.

Now he has decided to come forward and meet his readers for the publication of his second book, A Vegetable Gardener’s Year, which launches at Dike’s on Saturday 4th October.

“To launch it in Stalbridge makes sense, as that’s where Dirty Nails started – and I heartily approve of what Dike’s is all about,” he says. “It is a very local supermarket. You can tell it is unusual when you go in there as everyone is on first name terms. And they are so enthusiastic.”

As shown by its recent Taste of Dorset Award, Dike & Son’s ethos is a strong commitment to local producers – and that includes its authors. The store actively promoted Dirty Nails’ first book, selling dozens of signed copies each inscribed with an individual message from the author.

Store Manager Adam Vincent said: “We are greatly looking forward to meeting Dirty Nails in the flesh, after almost five years of wondering who he is! And we will be selling the book at a special reduced price of £10 on the day. The idea is that people can come in, have a coffee, chat with the author and get their copies signed, as well as doing a bit of shopping.”

A Vegetable Gardener’s Year is a weekly ramble through the vegetable and fruit growing calendar, complete with lists of jobs to do, recipes and extracts from the author’s journal about the changing year and his surrounding locality – Shaftesbury, where he has worked and lived since 1991.

He says: “This new book is much more personal – It is full of my jottings and there are a lot of local references. So it makes sense for people to know who I am.

“I am greatly looking forward to meeting and chatting with people at Dike’s, and I’ll try to help answer any gardening queries they may have – if I know the answer! After all, I’m an amateur gardener, same as anyone else.”

Dirty Nails will be signing copies of his new book at Dike’s from 10am on Saturday, 4th October in William’s Farmhouse Café. A Vegetable Gardener’s Year, by Dirty Nails and illustrated by Douglas Childs, is published by Spring Hill, an imprint of How To Books Ltd. Normally retailing at £12.99, it will be available to buy on the day at a special price of £10.