“If he is English he would ask for second flush Darjeeling to show he knows what he is talking about.”
My recent revisions to Molto Mayhem have led my main characters to a tea salon in Salerno so I have found myself in need of tea facts. For date night this weekend then, my husband and I found ourselves at Tao of Tea, a tea house in Portland. After enjoying a lovely cup of relaxing and rejuvenating Ayurvedic tea blend called Vata-Dosha,we proceeded next door to the loose tea shop and were fortunate enough to encounter a wonderfully knowledgeable salesperson, Claudia. Rather than make me feel like a bother for asking my myriad of tea questions, she seemed to jump right into the adventure, somehow nailing my hero’s character without me even describing him. Indeed, Aiden would have been thrilled to show off his tea knowledge and supreme Bristishness for Lucia. Research like this is one of the reasons I adore writing. Later I asked my husband if the topic were interesting to him (rather than enduring my botanical tea information overload) he would ever enjoy this aspect of writing. I have tried for a while to convince him to write…. But have come to the conclusion that this happens only when someone is ready. Still, I’m not against a little persuasion, and this aspect of writing is often hidden from aspiring authors. My characters have led me on many strange and wonderful journeys. I have paced the parking lot of an airport, written words in the sand at a beach, re-created a recipe of sardines and rare roast beef on grilled bread, chatted online with football fans about kicker training regimens, and spoken with grief counselors, along this journey. Along the way I have discovered things I never knew about each of these subjects or environments. Of course my favorite research is when I get to visit some of my most beloved places, like my trip to Montalcino, Italy. It is the subjects I am not expecting to learn about, though, that have the strongest impact on me and also end up being the ones that strengthen and bind my stories. In this case I never expected to find myself researching Hippocrates theory of the Four Humors of the body; never expected it would lead to learning more than I ever wanted to know about Culpepper’s herbal remedies; and certainly never imagined I would discover a tea blend, Vata-Dosha, which would, indeed, allow me a whole day of lightness, creativity and contentment with my daughter. Do you have a favorite tea? Is it for taste or healing aspect? I’d love to hear all about it, so leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Happy Journeys - Deanne
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“I’m thinking orchid purple, not violet.”
It’s funny how easily snippets of conversation are overheard when it relates to something important to me. With my daughter in summer camp for the week my entire focus has been on my writing. Everywhere I go I hear Italian songs (my current project, Molto Mayhem), discussions of football or weddings (UNTANGLING THE KNOT), or Boston news (UNTANGLING THE KNOT and BETTING JESSICA). I had been distracted for a while by the conversation which prompted the overhear. A woman was meeting with a wedding vendor (florist I guessed) discussing her wedding plans. She was a bit older, but no less excited about her plans than a 20 something year old would have been. I loved writing about a wedding when I worked on UNTANGLING THE KNOT. As stressful as the planning can be, I still remember it as having been a wonderful experience planning my own wedding so many years ago. The chance to revisit all the details…. The ceremony itself with the readings, décor, priest, dress, flowers and then the reception with the venue, food, music… made it such fun to write the story of Mandy, Ryan and Gabriella. One reason I love weddings, I think, is that it is such a perfect opportunity for a woman to express their personality and style. Writing about it, then, gives an author a chance to really show, rather than tell, more about their characters. And so, the overhear quote cracked me up. Because in one scene of my book Gabriella, the church wedding planner, talks with the groom’s kids, Chloe and Peter, about the color the bride-to-be has chosen. “Of course,” Gabriella went on, “if you had come on time, I wouldn’t have had the chance to steal Chloe’s great clothing designs for another bride I’m helping.” He watched her grin at Chloe and saw Chloe glance away, embarrassed. “Really?” Ryan asked. “I thought you all were supposed to be working on my wedding.” He gave them a mock glare but Gabriella just laughed. “Oh, somehow I don’t think this design would have been quite, ah, purple enough for Mandy.” Shocked, Ryan saw Chloe actually smile at this. Peter snorted and then concentrated on the slice of pizza he was inhaling. “And, what’s wrong with purple?” Ryan teased. “I specifically asked Mandy to come up with some purple ideas. After all, purple signifies royalty.” Gabriella and Chloe both stared at him, horror-struck. “You two could be twins right now,” Ryan said, laughing at their identical expressions. “Don’t worry. I was just teasing. There won’t be any purple at my wedding if I can help it.” “Hey, that’s what Gabriella said, Dad,” Peter mumbled around a huge bite of pizza. Ryan watched Gabriella blush. He had no idea embarrassment could make someone so attractive. “Not your wedding,” she clarified. “I meant, you know, for my own wedding.” Ryan couldn’t figure out why he suddenly felt a little disconcerted. “Oh,” he said. “I didn’t know you were also engaged.” Peter stopped chewing and peered at Gabriella with a frown. “No, no. I’m not,” she clarified. “I just meant, you know, someday when I get married.” She trailed off, streaks of red darting up her cheeks. Ryan felt his body relax. What color did I have at my wedding, you ask? I chose a pale yellow with fall colored flowers. And of course it was perfect. But that’s the thing; even purple can be the perfect color if that is the color the bride loves. What color would you, or did you, have at your own wedding? Does it mean anything important to you? I’d love to hear, so leave a comment with your thoughts or even tweet pictures. Here’s to the empowerment of planning our weddings. |
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June 2020
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