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"Did you smell it?" Nola asked me when I told her that I had been sent an advance copy of my book. Did I smell my book I thought??....no I didn't. Was I supposed to? I didn't know that new book smelling was a thing.
I love the smell of old books, I know that's a thing. I have piles of old books around the house, with their mostly red covers and aged yellowing paper, they smell of musty grass, faintly of vanilla, faded ink and of the many hands that have flipped the pages. That's a smell I know and love.
But I had never smelt a new book before, well not intentionally. What would my book smell like I wondered? What have I been missing out on?
I thought it might smell of apples and orchards. Of freshly dug earthy potatoes and newly watered gardens, of late summer peaches and fresh strawberry jam. It would also smell of biscuits baking in a wood oven, of birthday cakes being sliced and the briny scent of a Bruny Island beach. There would be a faint whiff of dreams and hopes mixed with the smell of blood, sweat and tears. Yes I could imagine exactly what my book would smell like.
When I got home I grabbed my book, opened the pages and inhaled deeply to breathe in the smell. And it did have a smell, a distinct and not unpleasant smell, one of clean fresh paper and newly printed ink. Is smelt like a book store. It smelt good.
Then I realised, that I hadn't formally shown you my book. So here it is. A Table in the Orchard. It even has my name on the cover. Which feels amazing in itself.
Inside there are pictures of baked biscuits and freshly dug earthy potatoes. There are some recipes and lots of stories about orchards and apples and buying an old farmhouse in the Tasmanian countryside, with plenty of photos too. But you can't smell it yet.
It will be released on 1 May. You should be able to buy it at these stores listed below.
And if you do happen to get a copy, please let me know what you think of the smell....
Bookworld
Abbey's
Booktopia
Angus and Robertson
Check out this link for other retailers here
Do you smell books?
Congratualtions! What a milestone for you (and secretly I'm glad you smelled it!)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI do smell books, new and old, and I don't think there could be many smells more exciting than the first edition of your very own. My most heartfelt congratulations Michelle. I can't wait to take a peek inside. x
ReplyDeletethank you Alison - glad to know you're a fellow book sniffer!
DeleteIt all sound so very very lovely! EXCITING!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it Reannon! xx
DeleteWhen I first started working in publishing I would always sniff 'my' books as soon as they arrived. I got a stack of advances in the post today – I can't believe I haven't smelled them yet!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the beautiful book. I can't wait to read (and inhale) it.
How great to read that you sniffed your books! Thanks for your kind words Penelope! x
DeleteGosh, you write beautifully, Michelle; I always look forward to your posts, and in fact, it's you who introduced me to the world of blogging not long after I got back home after 6 months living in Bruny. I was trawling with homesickness through Bruny real estate when I happened upon a post you'd written. I was hooked and so began a love affair with blog land. I'll definitely be buying a copy of your book; looking forward to it already. I'll let you know how it smells. I'm hoping that Bruny beach is in there. Best of luck xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Deborah, that is so lovely of you to say. Bruny Island is so intoxicating isn't it? It would have been amazing to live there for six months, challenging I'm sure but also amazing. x
DeleteCongrats! I love the smell of books and nothing could ever replace holding a hardcover book in your hands. In fact, the elementary school I attended is in my neighborhood and when I walk around it I swear I can smell the textbooks and that library scent. Nostalgia at it's best!
ReplyDeleteWhen will your book be released in the US?
Congratulations Michelle! Doesn't get much better than having your own name on your very own book. Looks just beautiful x
ReplyDeleteThank you Mel xx
DeleteHow gorgeous Michelle...I cannot wait! x
ReplyDeleteThank you Jane x
DeleteI love the smell of books. I think it's also about closing your eyes and wondering about the writer putting their thoughts to words.
ReplyDeleteYour book is lovely! I can't wait to get a copy. My delicious life . . . exactly what I think your life to be. :)
Congratulations!!!
Exactly Sarah - so much power in that thought! xx
DeleteIt looks beautiful, huge congratulations, is it available in the UK? Emma x x
ReplyDeleteThank you Emma - I think you have to order from the Australian distributors for now....
DeleteI'm waiting for my smell to arrive in the mail. You're a clever, wonderful, deserving thing, Michelle. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Bron, you are such a champion! xx
DeleteOh congratulations! Your book looks so beautiful and I bet it smells completely awesome as well. I can't wait to find out <3
ReplyDeletexx
Thank you so much! x
DeleteI do smell books and I can't wait to smell this one. It looks absolutely gorgeous Michelle. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you Brydie! x
DeleteIs your book based on your blogs content or is it all new original content? Congratulations on getting it this far, an amazing achievement!
ReplyDeleteThere is a little bit of content form the blog but most of it is all new work. Thanks for your lovely comment!
DeleteI confess i used to dunk new books in the bath, to give them that aged, crumply paper feeling...... congratulations!! xx
ReplyDeleteI've done that accidentally, to library books! (oops!)
Deletex
I ordered a copy a few days ago and will be waiting impatiently for it to arrive so I can devour it's pages and deeply breathe in it's delicious scent.
ReplyDeletethat's so lovely to hear! Thank you!
DeleteCongrats!!!!! Can't wait to see it...is it in the states?
ReplyDeleteThank you! Not technically, but you can order it from online stores in Australia.
DeleteIt looks just gorgeous Michelle! I've been a book smeller (old or new, I'm not fussy) from waaaaaay back!
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't surprise me Naomi! xx
DeleteWe're usually pretty easily spotted! :)
DeleteLooking forward to sniffing this one ;-)
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to giving it a sniff! Well done you. xxx
ReplyDeleteI very much look forward to getting my hands on a copy of your book. We are still in the early stages of our time in the orchard and I spend much of my time daydreaming of the possibilities. Good luck with your cider making! My husband is getting close to releasing his first big batch out into the world. Congratulations a hundred times over on the release of your beautiful book!
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