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My aunt told me she keeps her old books 'because they smell like stories' and it made me look at my own work differently.

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3 Comments
dixon.amy
dixon.amy2mo ago
Your aunt is onto something. My old paperbacks have that same dusty smell, and it just feels different than reading on a screen. Makes the whole thing more real somehow.
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terry_butler
Guess my Kindle just smells like plastic.
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angelac63
angelac631mo ago
Try putting a drop of vanilla extract on a cotton ball and tucking it in your Kindle case, @terry_butler. It sounds silly but it works for me. That old book smell is tied to memory, so adding a familiar scent can trick your brain into the same focused zone. Your aunt is right about the feeling being part of the story. It's why I keep a few favorite paperbacks on my desk even when I'm writing on a computer.
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