Coming to My Senses – Video Interview with Alyssa Harad

Alyssa Harad has a new book coming out this week, Coming to My Senses, did you know?!  I put that exclamation point in there just for Alyssa.  Read the book, you’ll see why.  July 5 is the official release date, but reports are it’s showing up here and there early

I’ve been wanting to talk to Alyssa about her book for months because her view of what the exploration of perfume does to you and mine are so close.  Given our different paths, her journey reverberates with me. The interview is in two parts since YouTube won’t take videos longer than 15 minutes. 

 

Part one:

 

 

Part Two

 


The scarf?  Very cool.

If you’d like to try and make one of Alyssa’s events in San Francisco, Austin or New York, you can see her appearance schedule on her website.

What are you waiting for?  If you haven’t already ordered the book, get going, links to make it easy are below.

 

 


  • March says:

    I watched this last night, connected to FaceBook (how is all this stuff connected together? Still baffles me. Apparently in three years we’re all going to be paying for everything via our cel phones, I was told yesterday, btw.)

    So. I loved the interview and it was so much fun watching the two of you talk. Great use of the technology.

    Happy fourth and hugs.

  • TaffyJ says:

    FABULOUS!

    {running out to order Alyssa’s book…pant, pant}

  • FragrantWitch says:

    Excellent interview! This is on my list to read when we are holiday so that I haver one to really immerse myself and enjoy it. I too had to smile at the ‘rowdy bar’ bit as it took me ages to comment here as you all were so damn fabulous and had such unique voices- I was afraid I wouldn’t be ‘cool’ ( for lack of a better word) enough. Now I can’t imagine not chatting here every day!

    • Musette says:

      are you kidding me? Have you ever known anyone LESS cool than :Devil:? I think not. Glad you decided to jump in!!!

      xo

  • Francesca B. says:

    What a fun interview! Both interviewer and interviewee are fantastic.

    Alyssa, I can’t believe how much you have learned, absorbed and been able to share and explain about your passion for perfume in such a short time. Fantastic.

    • Patty says:

      Alyssa was so easy to interview – she’s made for the camera.

      I’ve though about this since I read the nonblonde’s review of the book. who will this book appeal to? do you think the nonperfume lover will get it? We live in the bubble, but I’ve read so many books about things I didn’t care about necessarily, but I loved the story. And I think this is one of those. A person doesn’t have to care or love perfume to appreciate a story of a life changing, softening, growing, whatever the mechanism that is the catalyst.

  • HemlockSillage says:

    The Posse *is* a rowdy bar 😀 It was the last of the big blogs for me to start commenting in, so that part of the interview made me smile. You guys are funny, fierce and brillant, and I was really afraid to join the fray.

    This interview was amazing. It makes me want to go to a Sniffa, and meet you guys in person. Perfumistas seem like such fascinating folk. From books to food to music to perfume, I’d love to hear about what you love for DAYS. And then go home and try it all!

    I preordered the book forever ago, and I’m excited it’s finally here. I love her visions of the different blog communities; there is certainly a different flavor to each one. Now I’ll have to go look to see where I first commented (NST or PST I’m pretty sure), but I’m looking forward to reading about her experiences, they sound so similar to mine.

    Oh, and not telling what the perfumes are????? You KNOW I will be out there, the sleuth, trying to figure them out! That will be my game 😀 Can’t wait.

    Last thought: I will walk around today with one of her statements ringing in my brain, something like, “I am much more interested in understanding and describing things than in critiquing or analyzing/judging them. I’m not interested in judgement anymore.” That is amazing, such a different way of walking around in the world, if that makes any sense. Amazing lady. Best wishes as her book is presented. Thanks for sharing your visit.

    • Musette says:

      it makes perfect sense, that statement of hers. She is an amazing lady. So are you!

      xoxo :Devil:

    • Patty says:

      How odd1 I always think of us as a bunch of big dorks that are acting way more common than our mamas raised us to be. 🙂

      You should! Perfumistas are fun. Well, not all of them, I’m sure, but the ones I’ve met have just been interesting and warm and generous with their knowledge and time. I think it’s their deep appreciation for “the fallen angel,” it informs an appreciation for everything else we love.

      Alyssa is an incredibly cool, warm, funny, gracious woman. And she comes through in the book as she does in the interview, she’s so authentically herself. I loved that quote as well. Scent does change you, I do know this.

      You’ll delight in her journey, cheer her on, worry about her wedding dress and the undergarments, fall in love with her mother and her friends. I think that’s why I’m cheering for this little book so much, there should be more like this.

      And you’ll figure out most of the perfumes. I’m having trouble with one of them. I think I know, I should know, but I’m just not certain of it.

      I went and found the entire Keller quote, and it really is charming.

      “FOR some inexplicable reason the sense of smell does not hold the high position it deserves among its sisters. There is something of the fallen angel about it. When it woos us with woodland scents and beguiles us with the fragrance of lovely gardens, it is admitted frankly to our discourse. But when it gives us warning of something noxious in our vicinity, it is treated as if the demon had got the upper hand of the angel, and is relegated to outer darkness, punished for its faithful service.”

  • Musette says:

    We are a ROWDY BAR?!!! See? We are THE FUN FOLKS!

    xoxoxo :Devil: