The moment I touched down in Japan ( about two hours ago – I am writing this on the final leg in the taxi : this, for me, is the same day I put that other piece up earlier ) – about twenty eight hours ago?
I switched on my phone and the first message I saw was that I
HAVE A BOOK DEAL!
The best possible way to start my time back here.
I’m saying yes.
YES !!
What this will mean, in terms of how busy I will be, and the Black Narcissus, I don’t know ( but you know I won’t be able to resist it), but for a flower baby – see me pictured with my mother and her mother, playing with daffodils, to be able to publish a book about flowers; scent; perfume, all these years later, is an absolute delight.
I have just arrived home at the door.
The Black Narcissus 
Fantastic news! About time too.
I can’t wait to read it.
That pic is too fabulous.
Congratulations! Looking forward to reading it.
Congratulations!
Wow! Congrats! And what a cute pic too.
Congratulations and well-deserved. I love the photo…you were a beautiful baby, and baby look at you now! A book deal…and I for one cannot wait until it’s available for purchase. Your “fans” alone will make that book a best seller!
Oh and I’m glad you arrived safely in Japan.
You haven’t changed a bit. Still just as cute.
Terrific news about the book deal. Smart of the publisher to see the potential. Looking forward to buying a copy. You must tell us (after you’ve had a good rest and recovered from your travels) what shape it will take — a collection of previous essays, or some kind of hybrid of those and connecting threads, or something else — and what the timeline will be. I wonder how you’re feeling about it? Probably a mixture of things. I have no doubt it will be brilliant and you’ll handle the demands of it just fine.
Far from abandoning The Black Narcissus. I think you’ll probably NEED to write to us throughout the process, for the maintenance of your sanity.
We’ll be here for you.
Congratulations, Neil.
Exciting news! Congratulations!!
Great news, congratulations! And welcome back to Japan.
Fabulous, congratulations!
This is so very, very exciting! It’s about time a publisher picked you up. Now we’ll get to hold your words in our hands. Just fabulous.
Equally fabulous is this photo. Just LOVE the sepia tones with you in the center grasping a daffodil. And your grandmother’s fluffy pink slippers!!! Epic, Neil!!!
I immediately noticed the pink fluffy slippers too! So perfect!
And congratulations on the book deal.
I LOVE those pink slippers. Glad you liked them as well.
AS for the book, still flipping out. I will be living, eating and breathing perfume this year!
Hurray, hoera, oorah!! And in japanese!!
Congratulations fron the heart; what magnificent news. And what future delight for us readers. Reserve a place for you on my special book shelf with favourites in all genres
Just to reply to everyone here : thanks very much indeed for the congratulations. I don’t want to say too much about the book idea for the time being, but it will be reaching out to a wider audience hopefully and will thus be more….polished, but still me. The Black Narcissus is where I will just shoot from the hip as usual – I want this other project (listen to me!) to be something that not only perfume people but laypeople (because let’s face it, nobody knows anything about perfume and the selection out there is on the whole vile) can enjoy – to draw people in. It is all very daunting and exciting simultaneously. A real see-saw from the events of last year! My head is spinning.
I can’t wait to have a copy on my coffee table!
As I told you in the past, i never write a comment but i read you every day. A book from your hands is what we were all waiting for. So much talent and knowledge had to be concentrated somewhere!!!
I already want 2 copies!!! Congrats and keep us informed.
Aida
Thanks very much. I don’t think I am actually going to write much about it while I am doing it to be honest – it will just arrive when it arrives next spring! Don’t want to jinx it in any way, and I want to keep things fresh and different on here.
Let us whereabouts of the book and deffinitely where to buy it! Good luck. I ll be following everything you write. Thank you. Aida
It won’t come out for a year….I have to write it first! I am also not going to be talking about it much if I can help it. Maybe I should have kept it a secret! I was just too excited to hold it in .
Looking for a present for friends will be easy soon 🙂
Cheers
You never know, it might be shit though.
No, no, no! It won’t! I know it. If you banish of the Freudian Superego and let the Id bloom and flow, all will be well—
The id will be tense…
and shielding itself
Congratulations! Such exciting news. xxx
Thanks Betsy!
Congratulations! I cannot wait to read it.
Well-deserved! So happy to think about eventually reading this!
I wish I could just sit down and read it as well (but I have to write it first).
Thanks, though.