Write a Novel...It Will Be Easy--And other Fairy Tales By Connie Vines #Connie Vines author, #BWL, #Fragrance #book teaser

Connie is motivated by jewelry or colorful baubles.

 "You should be a writer," my maternal grandmother said while sprinkling the top of the Kolacky cookies with powdered sugar. "My mother. Your babi (bah-bee) was from Bohemia...she loved her romance stories...."

My grandmother, in her youth

The paternal side of the family held another opinion regarding novelists.

My paternal grandmother, born and raised in Texas, didn't voice acetates for my father's cousin, Clarence "Clancy" Carlile, a published author. My grandfather was Clancy's uncle. 

Clancy's first novel contained a gripe/scene featuring breakfast oatmeal.

My grandmother practically spit nails whenever the subject was mentioned. So, I dutifully vowed "never to read "that" novel.

Oklahoma Reservation/ 1938-1942
My father (far left), Clancy beside him. My grandparents are on the far right. 

Of course, I was still an early reader when I made that vow. 

Later, as I transitioned from writing magazine articles and nonfiction to writing Western romance, I recalled my promise to my late grandmother.

Although the book was out of print, I found a copy in my late twenties. My first novel (Lynx) opens in a  "Honky-Tonk" as a nod to my Uncle "Red" Clancy Carlile. 

That is what is known as "Back Story".

Information a reader must know to tie into a current scene or a future plot point :)

This information also hints at "Character Motivation" or an "Inciting Incident".

In this blog post, you can understand how my life influences my writing (though I'm seldom aware of it until it jumps out at me or a sibling points it out).

All this is good, but it doesn't fulfill the title's promise (which is obviously tongue-in-cheek).

My Findings:

1. Writers are often introverts because they are energized by time alone with their minds. They may love being with people, but it tires and drains them. I spent many years feeling guilty because I turned down invitations to "events"

2. I focus on research. Therefore, I allow one day a week to indulge in my obsession. 

3. I'm easily distracted. Therefore, I have to push myself along. 

4. I post reminders (I love sticky notes!) around the house and on my office whiteboard: 

Why I started writing the story in the first place.  

Possible characters/plot for the next book in the series, etc.

5. I set deadlines and reward myself (coffee break or sitting in my garden with my 2 pups). 

 6. Place images representing your goals (future novels, etc) in your writing area.

7. Gather memories and experiences from your life. This will trigger emotions and remind you how much others have influenced or inspired your novels.

8. Though I'm an introvert, I do interact with others. I'm a huge fan of events like "Charmed Writers." We (Members of OCRW) write nonstop for days—well, almost nonstop for days. We log in our time and page count on the Facebook group page and add a mini update/and/or gifs. 

My Charms: Handcuffs, for 6 straight hours of writing. Owl, writing from midnight to sunrise.

 

And believe it or not, the early bird was when I crawled out of bed before sunrise to write.

Updates:

At the moment, I am on my computer writing the first book of my Fragrance and Love Series. 

While I'm not sharing snippets of my work-in-progress, I'm sharing the story that inspired the series!  

 "Gumbo Ya Ya"  "Love Potion No.9" is the second story in the anthology.

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It is said that the sense of smell is the most intimately linked of all our senses to memory, and I believe it to be true. One whiff of a familiar scent, even one we have not encountered in years, can transport us to a time and place long forgotten, even before we consciously recall the memory.

*

"Don't shake your finger at me, Simone Basso. I know what I'm doing." Persia Richmnd said, holding a pipette to fill a crystal half-ounce atomizer with perfume. The top notes of peach blossoms and bergamot,  and the mid-notes of gardenia, honey and tuberose tantalized... 

The fragrance was New Orleans, culture at its most upscale moments and Mardi Gras at its naughtiest... Ooooh, La La!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57681480-gumbo-ya-ya

https://books.apple.com/us/book/gumbo-ya-ya/id1560874874

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1077128

Or at your favorite online Book Seller

Happy Reading!

I hope you enjoyed my post.

Connie

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Vintage Perfumes: The Fragrances that Defined Each Decade by Connie Vines #Vintage Perfuming,

 Vintage Perfumes

Nothing can transport you back in time like a fragrance. They say that your sense of smell is the most powerful and evocative sense, and it’s true: Emeraude reminds me of my mother, Quorum, my husband, and Halston Z-14 reminded me of my teens and guys who bathed in a cologne—rather than indulging in a spritz or two.

“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” – Coco Chanel.

This may have been a dramatic overstatement.  However, when I was in the business of selling perfume, quotes such as these, gave women confidence when she entered a room! And Chanel No. 5 is one of the most popular fragrances of all time. A bottle of it is sold every 30 seconds (including me).

Coco Chanel also stated that women should wear perfume wherever they hoped to be kissed. Wise words indeed – please note that this does not mean ‘layered’ in perfume, as perfume counter girls armed with spray bottles will advise you.  No one should be able to smell your perfume unless they’re that little bit closer than is polite; then, it should be something delicious and intoxicating.

While researching which perfumes were favored over the decades, I was surprised how many of these I’ve actually owned. Over the years, I’ve tried Anais Anais, Shalimar, Opium, Poison, Red, and Patou 1000 before I finally settled on Chanel No. 5. Of course, I selected one of the most expensive perfumes on the market, but I guess there is a good reason why it’s been a bestseller since it was launched in 1921!

Vintage Perfumes: The Fragrances that Defined Each Decade

It’s surprising how many of these perfumes are still best sellers even now, but then why would they go out of fashion?

Popular Perfumes in the 1940s.

L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci (in a pretty glass bottle with a bottle stopper fashioned as two doves).

After the war, lighter and fresher perfumes became more popular, one of which was the still-popular Miss Dior by Christian Dior in 1947

Popular Perfumes in the 1950s.

Femme de Rochas was a rich, sultry perfume aimed at the femme fatale created in 1944.

Arpege by Lanvin is a romantic floral perfume created in 1927 but became particularly popular during the 1950s.

Max Factor’s Hypnotique and Primitif (as advertised by Jean Patchett above) were popular and affordable perfumes for the masses compared to the fragrances by the big fashion houses.

Soir de Paris by Bourjois was a popular fragrance amongst teenagers during the 1950s. It was discontinued in 1969 but relaunched in 1992

Popular Perfumes in the 1960s.

YSL Rive Gauche was a popular 1960s scent.

Hubert de Givenchy created L’Interdit for Audrey Hepburn, and she wore the perfume for many years before it was released to the public in 1957. She featured in the adverts for L’Interdit throughout the 1960s.

Tuvache’s Oh! de London is a bright, sparkling scent that perfectly captured the mood of the swinging sixties.

Guerlain introduced the heady oriental scent Chamade in 1969.

Popular Perfumes in the 1970s.

Charlie by Revlon and Diorella by Christian Dior, a perfume for the independent woman who has everything, were both very popular (both contain citrus and musky notes).

Opium by Yves Saint Laurent was launched in 1977 and was a heady, rich oriental evening perfume.  (I also wear the recent release: Black Opium for evening events.)

Anais Anais by Cacharel was launched in 1978 and was an immediate hit (my brother gave this to me as a Christmas Gift).

Did I list one of your favorite perfumes?

Or, did I mention a perhaps a fragrance you’ve never dared to try?

Perfuming is an art.  

Indulge your senses, enjoy the fragrance—it’s mystical; it’s magical, it is the new you!    

Why does Connie know so much about perfume and the art of perfuming?

Flash Back Moment: 

While attending college, I was employed as a fragrance consultant at an ‘exclusive’ Perfumery.  I was trained by the House of Versailles (at the Hotel Del Coronado). 

Condensed Version: I was trained to select a client’s fragrance by her/his pH level and fragrance family preferences. 

You will discover more about the art of perfumery in my current release, An anthology titled: "Gumbo Ya Ya" for Women who like Cajun Romance.

                   

Happy Reading! 

Connie

Remember: All of my novels are on sale @ Smashwords!

https://bookswelove.net/vines-connie/

https://books2read.com/Gumbo-Ya-Ya