A FLORIST who lives in Gillingham has secured a US publishing deal despite being told by mainstream UK publishers that her illustrated book was "too English" and that she was "not famous".

Sally Page set up her own publishing company, Fanahan Books, after constant rejections from UK publishers who were unable to see the potential in her book, The Flower Shop.

The first print of The Flower Shop was 1,500 and sold out in just a few months, so Sally has ordered a second print run, this time of 8,000 copies.

Now Half Full Press in California has agreed to publish and market the book in the USA, along with her latest venture, The Flower Shop Christmas, which was launched this week.

They have also asked Sally to undertake a book-signing tour of several US cities.

Her books will also be available in UK bookshops after the Manning Partnership, a book sales, marketing and distribution company in Bath, said they would take on the books in the UK and Europe.

The books are about an English country flower shop, Ted Martin's of Tisbury, where Sally works part-time.

The first book charts a year in the life of the florist and the second takes the form of the 12 days of Christmas and reflects on life in the flower shop at this time of year.

Sally said: "It was very hard to take the constant rejection that was involved in seeking a publisher for a book that I so passionately believe in.

"I knew it was a good book but I found it very difficult to find someone to agree with me.

"So, with my partner, Billy Kelly, we decided to take a major risk and publish the book ourselves.

"Our luck changed dramatically when I met Garry Manning of the Manning Partnership, who gave the book to his wife, also Sally, to read.

"She really liked it and advised Garry to take on the marketing of the book."

  • For further information about the books, log on to englishflowershop.co.uk.