This morning, I ordered two cases of my new book, The Complete Kitchen Garden from Abrams Books. It’s an odd feeling to picture the cartons of books arriving in bookstores this week. All across the country, booksellers and their readers will open the green cover and flip through the pages to admire the exquisite photographs of kitchen gardens and the watercolor illustrations in each of the 15 garden design chapters. The recipes may even inspire the non-gardener to pick up a trowel and dig in the soil this spring.
As a writer, I know that publishing a book is a rare moment that may only happen once in a lifetime. I have been fortunate that this is my fifth book. Yet oddly, instead of pure joy and excitement, I am filled with anticipation. What if I find a mistake? What will the critics say? Who will buy it? When I was writing the book, these were not questions that I concerned myself with. Yet now that the actual work of writing and creating the book is behind me, what’s left is the act of engagement with the public and the reader. Now is the true test of my ideas, my words and my intention to inspire the gardener and the cook.
When the UPS driver pulls up to the front door with a plain brown carton, my heart will race. This is a sacred time, and a moment to truly be filled with joy and gratitude. I will try to resist ripping open the box, and will place it carefully in the center of the room. So often I have set a goal and once I reach the pinnacle, I am already headed downhill in search of another path. This time, I will stay on the top of the mountain and honor my accomplishments. I will offer blessings to the miracle and good fortune that the book represents. I hope that it serves as a resource and as a guide to others who share my love of good food and edible gardens.
My sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this miracle including Ali Kaukas for the photographs, Ramsay Gourd for the illustrations, my editor Dervla Kelly and my agent Collen Mohyde, and the talented book designer Pamela Geismar. And to all the gardeners whom I have admired over the years and who have taught me so much about kitchen garden design and the art of growing food.
A beautiful post, Ellen. Congratulations!