Testimonials

The years of my police service were rich in events, which prompted me to start a blog called Through a Man’s Eye, written under a pen name. Unfortunately, the blog domain was sold and my blog came to an end, along with many others.
But every cloud has a silver lining and soon after that I published two bestsellers: Riot Pigs and the first part of Chief’s Farm, both of which remained top-selling titles in Empik and Tania Książka bookstores. That was not all, because while still in the service I wrote children’s tales and legends which won the hearts of kids and parents alike. Some of the books were awarded and one – The Miracle District. Our Polish People’s Republic – the 80s – won the Polish Book of the Year prize in 2020!

Collaborating with a publishing company was really fruitful and pleasant, however it was not to last forever. Differences of opinion and the way we saw my books, working together and so on, resulted in the termination of our contract. Nevertheless, I still have fond memories of that time and the people I worked with.
I decided to go it alone.

I knew it would not be easy. Self-publishing means loads of work and dealing with so many different issues that you don’t have much time left for the mundane. As a self-publisher, I am still learning and making mistakes. That is why I always look for trustworthy people to work with.

When I was writing another book, Folk Healers: Baba Wanda, I wanted it to reach a wider group of readers, both young and mature ones.
As many as 102 items in the references, master’s and bachelor’s theses and interviews with people who could provide insight into the topic of my interest – this all was to make the book more than an unfounded story of folk healers. I wished to present a vanishing world, which cannot be found west of the River Bug, let alone the Vistula.
Although the book is a fantasy, I used real scenery and stories, blending them a little with popular culture and the memories of the region where I live now – the history of Podlachia.
The book was conceived as something really special and Totem helped it turned out this way. I wanted to be one of the first self-publishers to opt for stained book edges, so I was looking for a printing house that offered this option. I found two and eventually – following a lot of discussion with fellow writers and Mr. Adrian Gatzke of Totem – I chose Totem.

Three graphic designers worked on the cover and edge printing project. They had some doubts, given the cover artwork and its colours did not seem to match with what I wanted to achieve on the printed edges, nevertheless it was worthwhile to stand my ground. After all, it is the author and publisher in one who knows best 😉
The result exceeded my expectations, although I must admit I was quite uneasy!
Apart from its interesting theme and content, the book continues to impress readers, as I can see from the reviews, opinions, admiration and pressure to write a sequel.
Then there is the fantastic look of the book which catches the eye, especially the stained and printed edges made by Totem!
This all would not be possible without a model collaboration with the printing house and its wonderful professionals. I can wholeheartedly recommend this printing company and I am going to use their professional services more than once in the future.

It didn’t take a lot persuasion, so this is how my first published work – Multilingual Kids. The Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary Family – came about. This book was very special to me. Not only was it my first, but it was also our true life story. Putting the copyright in someone else’s hands was unthinkable for me. I wanted it to belong to my children one day, as this is the story of their life.
Self-publishing is not a walk in the park. It entails lots of question marks and moments of doubt, but also pride and self-fulfilment. Working with editors, proofreaders and typesetters wasn’t hard, because I had worked as a press journalist. The road got rough when it came to printing. I had no idea about that, but a friend came to help and recommended Totem to me. That hit the spot. I was well-taken care of at every stage of work and Adrian was always eager to assist me. He chose the paper, suggested some cover options and responded to all my questions, even the strangest ones. I remember the moment I unboxed the first copies fresh from the printing house. It was pure happiness! The book turned out exactly as I had dreamed it would, and so self-publishing completely sucked me in.

A year later I finished work on a sequel to my book. I called it Multilingual Kids. Sledging, Dumplings and the Palace of Culture. There was no question which printing house would take care of printing. Totem. And they did not disappoint.
The sequel helped me extend the readership and – as a result – it did not take long before I sat down to write another book, even more special as it was to describe my life this time. Work took me exceptionally long because I took it upon myself that the book would be full of positive vibes, good energy and optimism. I set the bar really high for everyone involved in the project. Naturally, I turned to Totem of Inowrocław to take care of the printing again as I knew that if the book was to inspire, motivate and change the reader’s life it had to come from a place full of positive energy. There is no shortage of that in Totem. 

The book, entitled The Optimist, was printed in September 2024. I came to Totem to shake hands with Adrian. It was the third great book that had come out of this printing house.
The book was launched with tremendous optimism. In its first week on the market both national and regional media adored the book. It inspired a cycle of meetings with young people: #theoptimistinspires. It’s got such high vibes that lots of people want to carry it about and be inspired by it every day.

In a recent interview I heard someone ask: ‘Martyna, what do you need to do to create such wonderful things? To actually affect others and make your dreams come true at the same time?’
The answer is simple: all it takes is associate and work with the right people.

I love growing something I can eat. I like growing vegetables best, but fruit also make a big part of my hobby. I have been working at a Garden Centre for years, so my passion is related to my job. Now, YouTube has become somehow my other job, because I get income from my videos and from the book. Working at the Centre, making videos and gardening takes a dozen or so hours every day, but that is all my passion and I love doing it. I am a mechatronics engineer by education and I could have probably got a well-paid job working in that field when I graduated, but I realised that working with plants is my greatest passion, so I decided to earn less but do what makes me the happiest.

Personally, I don’t think that you should pay for knowledge, so on my YouTube channel I have tutorials which provide exactly the same knowledge that I put in my book. However, I decided to publish the book for those who wish to support my work, and for those who would like to have everything in one place, with step-by-step instructions. 

I wanted to make a little money from my passion by writing the book and I also wanted to publish a top quality product. It took me more or less two years to finish the book. It was a long time, but it was necessary. The book is about growing as many as 64 kinds of vegetables. I prepared everything myself: all the photos are mine and I only had the cover made and the book printed. I wanted the highest quality, which means a hard cover and a top quality of print and paper. It may sound a little odd, because I am writing this for Totem and they wanted me to just describe my experience, but I can assure you that Totem means the highest quality of print and product. You can find cheaper printers, but I decided to go to Totem because Mateusz is very pragmatic and determined, the company had good reviews on the Internet and everything seemed top notch… which it was indeed. Perfect communication and a smooth and very quick delivery.
All the copies of my book were printed by Totem. Now, I have got plans to write more books and if I get a good quote (I am sure Mateusz will see to this), I will certainly choose Totem again, because it’s the best choice for me. 

By the way, it’s worth becoming a gardener and growing vegetables! Greetings!

The dream of writing a novel emerged when I was about 28. I had read an extremely exciting story by a Polish female writer and I simply decided I wanted to write one of my own. I sat down at the computer and just did it. At the time I was taking care of my small children and I was a housewife, so that wasn’t at all easy to reconcile. I wrote mostly at night when I wasn’t disturbed by anyone and it was quiet. When I put the last full stop I could not get back to the real world, as the chance to create an entire world for the characters in my book was so absorbing. That’s why I immediately started writing another book, and then the third one and the fourth… . My novels were published by two publishing houses, which let me gain valuable experience and learn a couple of lessons. As a result, when I finished my fifth book – The Sea of Our Secrets – I chose to put all my eggs in one basket and publish it by myself. This is how the idea of self-publishing came about.

I have set up a business to make writing and publishing books my idea of life. Even though I’ve only started my adventure as a self-publisher, I already know this is the right thing for me. The ability to decide on every aspect of your book at your own discretion is so gratifying. Naturally, there’s a lot of work involved but the outcome is truly fascinating. When I first took my last book in my hands, tears of joy were streaming down my cheeks. 

It was equally emotional when – thanks to Mr. Adrian Gatzke and other people at Totem – I was allowed to click a button and start the process of printing my book, as well as see how it went. Working with Totem printing house in Inowrocław is nothing but pleasure. Great communication, professionalism and attention to the tiniest details means I will surely come back there again.

The Sea of Our Secrets is a special book for me, because this time I ventured to write something completely different. A romantic drama that entertains, has very lifelike protagonists you can empathise with, a story ensuring a whole spectrum of emotions and – most of all – deals with vital issues. I would like my new book to be not just a treat but also to provoke thoughts. Its main plot is a beautiful affection growing between Eliza and Mikołaj, but there are also themes of the ACA syndrome, PTSD and gaslighting in the background. Having read some early reviews and readers’ feedback, I know that The Sea of Our Secrets is finding its way to the hearts.