Erin: What did you discover about yourself during the process of writing this book?
Amy: So many things! They say that you don’t learn about yourself and then decide to write a book; you write a book in order to learn about yourself. The main thing I learned, though, is that I love writing books! The process of making books combines so many things I’m interested in: crafting words, taking photos, telling stories, and bringing all of it together into one beautiful object.
Erin: The design of the book is incredibly unique, and feels like a peek into your journal pages. Did you have a lot of control over the design process?
Amy: I wanted the book to feel like this delightful collection of surprises, where you wouldn’t quite know what was coming next, a bit like a classic 1950s flower arranging manual but also a scrapbook of inspiration and ideas. I went to London for nine months to finish writing and also work with the designer Giulia Garben to make the book together. Her background is primarily in magazines, so she brought a fresh eye to the project and she was willing to go over the tiniest of details with me, side by side. I typed much of the text on an Olivetti typewriter, which we then scanned in, and the title fonts I found in an old 1920s book, which she turned into a font for us to use. I wanted the book to feel timeless but also fresh, something that anyone could pick up and relate to.