Michael O’Mara Books has bought a further two books by popular naturalist, illustrator and Instagrammer Emma Mitchell. Fiona Slater, Deputy Editorial Director at Michael O’Mara Books, acquired world rights to the two new titles from Juliet Pickering.
The first, THE WILD REMEDY: HOW NATURE MENDS US - A DIARY, will publish on 3rd January 2018 in hardback, priced £14.99. The second – as yet untitled - will publish in early 2020. This follows Emma’s debut, MAKING WINTER: A CREATIVE GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE WINTER MONTHS, which was published in October 2017 to critical acclaim.
THE WILD REMEDY is a unique record of Emma’s woodland walks, nature finds and wildlife discoveries over the course of a year, detailing how each encounter significantly influenced her mental wellbeing. Having suffered with depression for the last twenty-five years, Emma offers an unfailingly honest and affecting account, laying bare her seasonal highs and, sometimes devastating, lows.
A deeply personal and candid account of Emma’s struggles – containing 40 colour photographs and 100 hand-drawn illustrations by Emma - THE WILD REMEDY is a powerful testament to how reconnecting with the natural world may offer some answers to today’s mental health epidemic. The book also delves into current science and calls on new research into areas such as forest bathing, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and the neuronal pathways that underpin foraging behaviours.
Fiona Slater, Deputy Editorial Director, Michael O’Mara Books, said: “Emma’s gift is to instil her writing with an irresistible combination of humour, heart-breaking candour and, perhaps most of all, a sense of companionship. Written with wit and frankness, and filled with beautiful drawings and photography, this is a book for anyone who has ever felt drawn to nature and wondered about its influence over us.
“It’s a pleasure to be working on such a personal and powerful book, which has the capacity to resonate with and inspire so many. I feel like I needed THE WILD REMEDY, and I can’t wait to share it with readers.”
Emma Mitchell said: “I am thrilled to be working with the Michael O’Mara team again. Centuries of anecdotal evidence and literary accounts echo my experiences, and research is beginning to elucidate the scientific mechanisms that underpin nature’s ability to soothe a troubled mind. My hope is that this book may encourage others who may have stressful lives to experience the curative effects of nature by exploring their local patch.”
About Emma Mitchell
Emma Mitchell is a popular naturalist, designer-maker and illustrator. She has a monthly column in BBC Countryfile magazine and is one of the Guardian’s country diarists. Emma records her daily nature observations on her Instagram account (@silverpebble2), which has over 100,000 followers, and on Twitter (@silverpebble). She lives in a rural cottage on the edge of the Cambridgeshire Fens with her husband, two daughters and Annie, their lurcher.
Praise for MAKING WINTER: A CREATIVE GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE WINTER MONTHS
‘A pretty little book, full of recipes, designs and ideas for presents’ – Good Housekeeping
‘Banish winter blues with a nature-inspired collection of crafts by rising star Emma Mitchell... there is plenty in here to keep you busy.’ – Simon Mackay, The Bookseller
‘Emma Mitchell show us how to bring cheer to the darkest of days’ – Velvet magazine