C.L. Fornari

Stella called them plant pouches, or more grandly, “Plant Power Pouches,” and she filled them with small bits or plants, flowers, and tiny objects. The bag pictured has a blue hydrangea, a dried rosebud, a sprig of fresh bay leaf, a round white beach stone, a mussel shell, and some beach glass. It illustrates part of the cozy mystery that I've written, which is titled "Dying for a Blue Hydrangea." This book is the first in a series of Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival Mysteries. The description of the book is: "When blue hydrangeas are stolen before Cape Cod's premier garden festival and a cantankerous breeder is murdered behind their struggling nursery, pragmatic horticulturist Allison and her mystical sister Stella must set aside their differences to unmask a killer before their debt-ridden business wilts for good."

Stella called them plant pouches, or more grandly, “Plant Power Pouches,” and believed that they were a potent combination of the language of flowers, a magical spell, and a medicine bag. Alli thought they were “Nothing but faux-pourri!” #cozymystery #amquerying #capecodhydrangeafest #querytrenches

FYI - writers who are #amquerying aren't supposed to use #MSWL - that's only for agents. Agents will block writers who use it.

In the future if you need help making a graphic that isn't hard to read, reach out.

Dealing With Snow Storm Damage I live on Cape Cod and we just went through an epic blizzard. As I write this on Thursday, there are still people who don't have power or whose street or driveway hasn't been cleared of snow. It has b...

Many have contacted me about plant damage from the #snowstorm #blizzard of 2026. So I wrote a blog post about broken branches, bent shrubs, downed trees, and more. gardenlady.com/dealing-with...

I agree! Real life is hard enough right now...I don't want the fiction I read or write to add to the angst.

Hello Friends! Welcome to #MSWL Day 2026! 🎉

This is our second ever #MSWL Day on Bluesky. We’re happy you’re here!

You can, as of TODAY, search Bluesky and ManuscriptWishList.com posts at once: manuscriptwishlist.com/smart-search. All posts are verified by a human who works in publishing. ☕

Blue Hydrangeas are being stolen days before the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival. Facebook agitator Baloney Sandwich thinks that someone at Glass Town Gardens must be involved. After all, “Hydrangea Hayden,” a local plant breeder, was found dead there… #cozymystery #amquerying #capecodhydrangeafest

I would say "Nature doesn't fertilize, she feeds the soil from the top down."

For those on the East Coast, in the middle of a #blizzard or #poweroutage

Normally I get the wood stove cranked up around 3 PM. Today, it was going at 8 AM. #blizzard #capecod

I saw that an agent listed in @QueryTracker news- seemed perfect. He loved The Thursday Murder Club. My series are also cozy mysteries centered around small community. He loves @elinhilderbrand. Me too! I sent a Query and within an hour was rejected. #funny #life #amquerying

From my #cosymystery Dying for a Blue Hydrangea. Alli trusts in soil pH and science. Stella sees magic where her pragmatic sister sees mulch. "'Plant power pouches, Stella, really? We need plant profits, not pouches,' Alli thought for the thousandth time." #amquerying

Annual Flowers and a March Book Party Email from The Garden Lady See some of my must-grow flowering annuals, and the NGB Spring Book Party     Growing With The Garden Lady Annual Flowers and Events 2026   Annuals to Know and Grow If you h

The Garden Lady's newsletter. Read about great flowering plants and a garden book party. @nationalgarden.bsky.social #gardening #books conta.cc/3ZB67iC

When blue hydrangeas are stolen before Cape Cod's premier garden festival and a cantankerous breeder is murdered behind the struggling Glass Town Gardens, Allison puts Stella’s Chihuly-inspired glass flower sign on hold. #cozymystery #amquerying #capecodhydrangeafest

Hello Writing Community! We are delighted to announce our Second Official Bluesky *** #MSWL Day *** February 26, 2026. 🎉🎉🎉

Agents + editors can post what they ✨wish✨ they had in their inboxes; writers can find their next best fit for querying.

Learn more: manuscriptwishlist.com/2025/01/the-...

I'll be having a virtual #booklaunch in late April. Those who want to hear the backstory behind #hydrangeahappiness should sign up for my newsletter on my website at www.gardenlady.com and watch for the signup in my next two newsletters.

I do both constantly! I am always writing and "on to the next" while I promote what is current. You?

Non-fiction, cozy mystery, and women's fiction.

Stella, one of the characters in my cozy mystery, creates "plant power pouches" - small bags filled with flowers, foliage, and tiny objects that attract what people wish for. I asked her to make one for me. #amquerying #writerscommunity #writing #author #authorsofbluesky

Thanks! I didn't know.

I'm known as "The Garden Lady" on Cape Cod, and in 2015 I started the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival, an annual event that raises over $100,000 for local nonprofits every July. Thanks for asking!

As I query agents for "Dying for a Blue Hydrangea," I'm starting to outline the second in this series of Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival Cozy Mysteries. The second could be titled "Dying for a Hanging Hydrangea," "Dying for a Cascading Hydrangea," or "Dying for a Wedding Hydrangea" Your thoughts?

For an author, there is nothing like the thrill when the first copy of the actual book arrives! @brandeispress.bsky.social #hydrangeas #gardenwriter

This coming Friday September 19th is International #talklikeapirateday - but you plant lovers don't have to be left out. Translate Pirate Speak into Plant Speak! bit.ly/garden_pirate

Today on The Garden Lady on @wcai-npr.bsky.social and @wgbh.org I'll be talking about using nature as our garden coach...and when to harvest vegetables.

David Sedaris and the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival How is David Sedaris connected to the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival? Well, those who are familiar with The Garden Lady know that I am all about the truth, as I see it, in the garden and out. So from the...

How is a David Sedaris performance on Cape Cod connected with a Hydrangea Festival? Perhaps only a coincidence of dates...or maybe something more... bit.ly/david_sedari...

The Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival opens this Friday, July the 11th. Ten days of events, gardens, and flower power. Over 100 gardens open for local non-profits. See all the garden descriptions, events and the download for the booklet here: www.capecodchamber.org/events/cape-...

A Three Lysimachia Day One of the pleasures of being involved with plants is getting to know them as a family. We learn about plants that are in the same genus, and how they are similar. It's like getting to know your best ...

When you spot a plant that's clearly related to something you're growing in your garden, it's like meeting someone who grew up in your old neighborhood. Today was a three Lysimachia day. It's fun when you see a plant that you just know is related to another you're familiar with. bit.ly/lysimachias

On Saturday June 21st I'll be starting off The Garden Lady with a postcard from trees. On @wgbh.org radio, and @wcai-npr.bsky.social - streamed online.

Tomorrow at 1 PM on The Garden Lady on WCAI-FM and WGBH
I'll start off with a postcard from flowers that aren't at their finest after a rain. Then we'll talk with Snoopy's Personal Entomologist, Larry Dapsis about our favorite summer insect: fireflies.