Live Life Local: Oh, La La! Home Grown Stories, Helpful Tips, and Garden Wisdom


Live Life Local Blog Post: Oh, La La! Feature Image

Welcome to “Live Life Local”—where we celebrate the books and authors who are rooted in our beautiful, diverse region, helping you connect with it in new and exciting ways. Each “Live Life Local” feature (we do two a month) will also include a chance to win a copy of the book and a gift to a local business!

This month our second pick is Oh, La La!: Homegrown Stories, Helpful Tips, and Garden Wisdom by Ciscoe Morris because May is for moms and we know a lot of moms who love to garden. The weather is perfect for sprucing up the backyard (or wherever you plant and prune), and who better to accompany you on your green adventures than PNW gardening treasure Ciscoe? Find out how this special book came to be, as Sasquatch Executive Editor Susan Roxborough shares her own special story about Ciscoe.

Enter our giveaway to win our book bundle, a copy of Oh, La La! and Ask Ciscoe, and a $50 gift card to Swansons Nursery (“Seattle’s Favorite Garden Store since 1924”). To enter, head over to our Facebook or Instagram page @sasquatchbooks and tag a friend! Stay tuned for our June “Live Life Local” feature in a couple of weeks. (Hint: We’ll be celebrating another special family member.)

Sasquatch Executive Editor (and Mom) Susan Roxborough: “Why I ‘Love the Living Tweedle’ Out of Ciscoe and How This Second Book Was Born”

Dear Reader,

Hi, I’m Susan, an editor at Sasquatch Books. I’m often focused on bringing cookbooks to readers, but occasionally I sharpen my pencil and put it to work on other kinds of books. I recently had the pleasure of working with popular gardener Ciscoe Morris on his new book, Oh, La La! Home Grown Stories, Helpful Tips, and Garden Wisdom.

Ciscoe is widely known and loved throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. His illustrious career has spanned decades, and while he is sought after for his gardening expertise, he is also known for his effervescence, warmth, and good humor. He “loves the living tweedle” out of most things, especially gardening, his dogs, his wife Mary, and traveling in France. (To learn the origin of his most famous expression—”Oh, la la!”—you’ll want to read the hilarious story on page 213.)

Oh, La La! by Ciscoe Morris
Ciscoe in his garden with his dogs.

Sasquatch published Ciscoe’s first book in 2006. Ask Ciscoe was a collection of gardening Q&A’s which is one of our best sellers. He and I first met back in 2013 to talk about a new book; he wanted to write a collection of gardening stories peppered with practical advice and tips. Well known for being a raconteur, I wouldn’t be surprised if fans come to his talks as much for the stories as the gardening advice, so I loved this idea. Soon he began sending charming stories about his dogs, including a 90-pound Lab he would try to sneak onto the Seattle University campus every day; tales of wildlife, insects, and his ongoing obsession with controlling pesky moles in his garden.

But then the stories stopped rolling in. By 2016, I was beginning to wonder if it would happen. In an email he explained, “I’m still most interested in finishing the book. As usual, my problem is that I’m so busy! I keep saying yes to leading garden tours and giving talks. The good news is I’m having the time of my life.” I had loved everything I’d read so I just crossed my fingers and waited. Two years passed before I received another email: “You probably fainted when you saw an email from me in your inbox! I want to finish that book of garden stories.” And he did. A book that was years in the making finally came together and was utterly worth the wait

Ciscoe Cover Images

Spring is here and if you have a garden to putter in, you’ll find plenty of usable information between the pages of this book. But Oh, La La! is also excellent armchair reading, especially during this time of sheltering-in-place. In fact, I’d say it’s ideal: stories to distract, stories to make you laugh out loud, and stories that teach a little along the way.

Happy reading,
Susan Roxborough

Oh, La La! and Ask Ciscoe Book Bundle + Swansons Nursery Gift Card Giveaway

To enter a giveaway to win a copy of Oh, La La! and Ask Ciscoe, as well as a $50 gift card to Swansons Nursery (Seattle’s Favorite Garden Store Since 1924), head over to our Instagram or Facebook page @sasquatchbooks and tag a friend!

OH, LA LA! GIVEAWAY OFFICIAL RULES

IMPORTANT: Please read these Official Rules before entering the OH, LA LA! (the “Sweepstakes”), presented by SASQUATCH BOOKS, a division of Penguin Random House LLC (“Sponsor”). By entering the Sweepstakes, you agree to the terms of these Official Rules. These Official Rules shall govern in the event of any inconsistency with other Sweepstakes-related materials.

Penguin Random House is the sole sponsor of this Sweepstakes, which is no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

ELIGIBILITY: The Sweepstakes is open to residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. If this is a Sweepstakes offer on Instagram, entrants must have a public Instagram profile. All federal, state, and local regulations apply. LIMIT ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PER METHOD OF ENTRY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED. Employees of Sponsor, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, and agencies, and their immediate family members and persons living in their household are not eligible to enter the Sweepstakes.

ENTRY PERIOD: The Sweepstakes begins at 4 PM PST on May 18, 2020, and ends at 11:59 PM PST on May 31, 2020.

HOW TO ENTER: Enter by:

1) Tagging a friend on Sasquatch Books Facebook Page post as required in the applicable Sweepstakes announcement.

2) Tagging a friend @SasquatchBooks’s Instagram post as required in the applicable Sweepstakes announcement.

In the case of a dispute, entries will be deemed made by the authorized holder of the applicable social network account and/or e-mail address used for entry. Automated entries are prohibited, and use of any automated devices will result in disqualification. Sponsor is not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate entry of information by entrants; lost or late entries or transmissions; interrupted or unavailable network, server, or other connections; scrambled transmissions or other errors or problems of any kind whether mechanical, human, or electronic, technical malfunctions of any computer hardware, software, or any combinations thereof; or problems associated with any virus or any other damage caused to entrants’ systems. Incomplete or ineligible entries will be voided. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. If for any reason the Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these rules, Sponsor shall have the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes.

Comments and/or posts including photographs may not include obscene, offensive or inappropriate (in Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion) material or defame any person, or otherwise infringe on any person’s proprietary rights. If you are posting a photograph, you must have permission from the photographer (or be the photographer yourself) and have permission from any persons who appear in the photo before submitting it.

PRIVACY POLICY: All information submitted in connection with entry to this Sweepstakes shall be governed by Sponsor’s privacy policy. By entering this Sweepstakes, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to this privacy policy.

PRIZE:

ONE (1) Grand Prize Winner(s) will receive (i) a copy of OH, LA LA! and ASK CISCOE; and (ii) A $50 SWANSONS NURSERY. (Grand Prize Approximate Retail Value: $90.00).

TWO (2) Runner-Up Winner(s) will each receive (i) a copy of OH, LA LA! (Runner-Up Prize Approximate Retail Value: $20.00).

No transfer or cash or other substitution of all or part of a prize is permitted, except by Sponsor, which reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute the prize or prize component with another of comparable or greater value. Any and all taxes on the prize will be the responsibility of the winners. Sponsor shall not be responsible for any delays, damage in the delivery of the prize, and/or loss of any prize in connection with delivery of the prize via mail. In the event that there is an insufficient number of eligible entries, Sponsor reserves the right not to award the prizes.

WINNER SELECTION: ONE (1) Grand Prize Winner(s) and TWO (2) -Up Winners will be selected in a random drawing on or about June 1 from all eligible entries received by the entry deadline. The odds of winning depend on how many eligible entries have been received. For Facebook and Twitter sweepstakes, winners will be notified via direct message on whichever social media platform their winning entry was posted. For a Twitter sweepstakes, winners must allow for direct messages so that Sponsor can contact winners via direct message. For Instagram sweepstakes, winners will be notified via a comment by Sponsor that he/she is a potential winner and Sponsor will provide an email address (or other contact information) where he/she can make a prize claim. Winners must respond to such notifications within ten (10) days of receipt. Winners must provide Sponsor with full contact details in order to be awarded the prize. Winners may also be required to complete, execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release. Noncompliance with these conditions may result in forfeiture of the Prize, and Sponsor reserves the right to select alternate winners (in random drawing from other eligible entries received before the deadline) in such circumstance. If winner notification of the Prize is returned as undeliverable, Sponsor may, at its discretion, select an alternate winner.

DISCLAIMERS: By competing in this Sweepstakes and/or accepting the prize, entrants agree that Sponsor, Facebook, and Instagram and their respective parent companies, assigns, subsidiaries and affiliates, and advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies and all of their respective employees, officers and directors will have no liability whatsoever, and will be held harmless by entrants for any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind to person and property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of the prizes, or participation in this Sweepstakes. By accepting a prize, each Winner consents to the use of his/her name for publicity and promotional purposes on behalf of Sponsor with no additional compensation or further permission (except where prohibited by law).

Any dispute arising from this Sweepstakes will be determined according to the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law principles, and by entering the entrants

consent to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in New York County and agree that such courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all such disputes.

WINNERS LIST: For a list of the Winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope by November 30, 2020 to SASQUATCH BOOKS, Attn: OH, LA LA! GIVEAWAY, 1904 3rd Ave #710, Seattle, WA 98101

SPONSOR: SASQUATCH BOOKS, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 1904 3rd Ave #710, Seattle, WA 98101