Ep Two - Podcasting

Episode Two is live; again, hopefully you will be able to find it wherever you listen to your podcasts, but if not it can be found by Clicking Here.

 

It's my birthday today, so if you're going to leave feedback about this episode be superkind to me! 

Below is the script for this episode.

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I actually had someone listen to the first episode. I’m in shock. I never expected any listeners until at least episode 10, which is when I plan to actually begin to share it with the world. I wanted to make sure I had a good few behind me before telling everyone about it. This was partly to keep myself going, but also to ensure that I’m several steps ahead of any other florists who may now decide to start their own. It can be a very competitive world. I do actually have forty episodes already recorded - sometimes I lke to be organised - which I am certain I’ll have to edit before making them live; life changes, there will be times when I might need to address something which is happening at the time. Right now I can’t tell what may happen between now and episode 40. I also might learn how to improve on the whole editing process. Let’s be honest - the person who has reached out to me was most definitely honest - this is all new to me. I’m basically winging it at this precise moment in time. I’m happy for someone else to edit for me, free of charge, if anyone out there wants to! I tried to talk my brother and an old school friend into doing it for me. Both declined. How mean of them! 

Back to my listener. He dropped me an email via farehamfloristpod@duck.com with some lovely constructive feedback. I’m off to edit my next few episodes because of what he said. Yes, I will read every message received; sometimes I’ll even try to reply to them! My listener also asked me a question. His words, and I quote “:What made you decide to set up your own podcast”? That, dear listeners, is a good question which I am happy to answer.

Originally I planned to write a book; Id still love to see my words in print. I knew it had to be about floristry - I do have a half-written thriller I started a few decades ago, but that relies on my imagination, floristry doesnt because it’s what I do. It’s who I am. Now, I could have written a book about how to create a hand tied bouquet, or how to wrap a single rose, but there are so many books out there, and youtube videos, already doing that. In fact the market is pretty much oversaturated with them.I wanted something different. I wanted something which shows the real side of floristry. The good, the bad, the light, the dark. The funny, the weird, the terrifying. I wanted to share my experiences throughout my career. The people I’ve worked with, those I have met; the customers who have had me crossing my legs to stop me peeing myself where I’ve been laughing so hard. I’ve had others who have reduced me to tears, and a few that have made me so angry I’ve been known to kick a cupboard - the door falling off that cupboard only served to make me even angrier. Thankfully, those incidents are few and far between

I spent three and a half years writing hte book. I poured my heart and soul into it. I laughed as I remembered some of the experiences I was sharing; I felt my heart beat rising as I tapped away at the keys sharing others. Finally I had it completed. At this point I remembered a family member of mine who is already a published author, with many books available that they have written, who said “edit, edit, edit” I took that advice; by the time I reached my 12th edit I was really happy with everything. My manuscript was ready to be sent off to however many publishers I could reach who may be interested in such a book. I prepared myself for the rejection letters. I was expecting them to come in at me, thick and fast. It was ok though. I had a back-up plan. I would self publish if they all said no. 

Then, one sunday afternoon in January 2025 I realised I had my manuscript stored in the cloud services of companies who ethics I felt didn’t tie with mine. Their association and endorsement of a certain individual didn’t sit right with me so I decided to move to my icloud - not htat apple are really that much better. I figured better to only dance with one devil though, than a whole host of them. I downloaded the whole book, cover letters forewards, notes, publisher lists, to the shop computer, before then uploading to my icloud. I proceeded to then delete it from everywhere, pleased with myself for having some principles and got on with my day. A couple of weeks later when the shop had quietened down enough to gi ve me a few spare hours, I decided to get it all up together so I could begin sending it out to the publishers. 

The moment I realised what a huge mistake I made had my stomach sinking. You’re already one step ahead of me, aren’t you? You are correct; I’d failed to check that everything had uploaded to my icloud, before deleting it from everywhere else. There were no notes, no publisher lists; the foreword, thankyous, appendix were all missing. I had sections A through to M, but N to Z were out there, floating around in the great digital ether somewhere, never to be seen again. 

Did I cry” I can hear some of you asking. Amazingly, no. What I did do is spend several months berating myself. I was so angry at my stupidity. I am usually on the ball with such things. I had it backed up with three different companies before my mistake, purely so that I knew if one company failed I wouldn’t lose anything. One completely mad moment of digital confidence, came back to bite me on the backside; hard. 

I have spent the past year trying to get the stories and experiences back up together. Luckily because I was writing about my life, the things I’ve seen, done, been a part of, it wasn’t difficult to get them all back and rewritten. It’s not as though they were likely to alter in any way. I’m almost finished; it’s almost ready to go again - any publishers out there who may be interested, my contact details are very easy to find - and a part of me hopes htat one day I will see those words in print. 

Then, back in September last year I’d caught up with all the TV series I’d been watching, so thought I’d give a podcast a go. Many of my friends listen to them whilst they are working. It was never something I was interested in.  I can’t bear when radio DJ’s ramble away between songs. Listening to a podcast seemed definitely didn’t register on my radar. 

Do you know how many different podcasts there are out there? It can be quite overwhelming for a newbie. In the end I decided to try for paranormal experiences - who doens’t love a good ghost story - and true crime. That’s how I came upon a pod called Haunted UK Podcast. I liked the hosts voice and he told some really good tales. From him I ended up listening to the How Haunted Pod. Again, some of the episodes are worth listening to; some are a little in the style of Most Haunted, which is definitely not my thing. So fake it’s unreal. Then I came across The Ghost Story Guys and I love them.  They can be a little near the mark with some of their comments, but they tell great stories, and tee banter between the hosts is just wonderful.I often find myself laughing out loudly because of them.  They remind me of my best friend and I when we used to take over the CB airwaves back in our younger days. It was talking about them, and her, to my Mum one evening, commenting about how we would have been the most terrible, yet entertaining  podcasting duo that the idea of starting one up popped into my head. My best friend died in 2012 so there is no way I am going to be able to talk her into making us the most talked about podcast because of how utterly awful we are. I have my thoughts and opinions on the paranormal, but not enough that I could turn them into a podcast, and there are already enough people sharing others experiences anyway.

 

Then it struck me. The book will most likely never be published - I am still open to offers though, if you are a publisher - so why not share them on a podcast instead. All I had to do was adapt my written experiences into a script, hook up a microphone and whoosh… I was ready - it’s not really that easy as I am learning, but you get the idea. 

I hope this answers your question, dear listener? Thank you for asking, and for your feedback. 

Apologies if you opened up this episode expecting to hear me talking about getting stuck in a ditch whilst out delivering, or covering myself in a bucket of stagnant water. I can assure you those tales will be shared further down the line. 

As for my paranormal world; if you’re interested go to youtube. Look for My Haunted Hotel and find the episode shared on Friday 23rd January 2026, and again on the following Sunday. Go to the 11 minute mark. Yes, that is me holding the 2 cups of tea! It is also me in the next clip standing behind the beam! 

thhtThank you so much for joining me as I've navigated my way through this very first podcast. I really hope you'll stick around and join me for the rest of the journey. If you have enjoyed this episode and I really hope that you have, please feel free to share, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcast. This can make a really huge difference and helps others to find us. I appreciate all feedback, good and bad, but if leave in negative feedback, please keep it constructive and be kind. I'm a florist after all. 
 
You can also find us and share with everyone on the usual social media sites. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blue Sky and any others which may pop up in between. Just look for Fareham Florist Pod.. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have regarding any of the tales and or experiences that I've shared, or to do with just being a general working florist. You can reach me via email. The address is farehamfloristpod@duck.com 
 
Are you a florist with your own stories, your own experiences that you would like me to share for you? If you are, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me via email. The address is farehamfloristpod@duck.com or drop me a WhatsApp on 073 671 87685. Let me know if you would like me to keep you anonymous. If you would like me to give your business a mention, whether you run a florist, butcher, baker, or even a candlestick maker, I'm more than happy to do so providing your business is registered and trading legally. As a thank you for putting your details out there and hopefully generating some new business for you, it would be appreciated if you would be kind enough to make a donation to one of our nominated charities. These can be found on the webpage www.Fareham Florist Pod.co.uk.