Food for Thought - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

This week on Romance Writers Weekly, we're searching for inspiration from the kitchen! Leslie Hachtel asks:

Is there any particular food that sparks your creativity? Why do you think it does? Is it associated with something like a memory?

As I write this is it Sunday morning, and Mr. C. is frying up bacon for a big brunch we will be having later. Now, I can't say that bacon necessarily makes me more creative, but that delicious scent certainly gets some juices going!

Coffee, wine and chocolate are often the go-to foods for writers, especially romance writers, it seems. But I can't say that I use any food at all as a prompt for my writing. Usually I sit down to my keyboard in the evening after dinner, and as I'm not much of 'snacker' my eating is done for the day.

But that's not to say that food doesn't influence my writing. Setting scenes around a meal can be a great way to set mood and tone. Robert B. Parker often wrote about food in his Spenser novels, whether it was a gourmet meal whipped up by his gritty hero or one shared with Susan and Hawk at a favourite restaurant. Meals can be tense and surly or warm and welcoming, and even the choice of food served can reveal layers of a character's psyche.

Smells (whether from food or other sources) are also an often forgotten part of description that can evoke deep emotions. Friendly smells like apple pie and fresh cut grass…seductive scents like a woman's perfume or a man's healthy sweat…grim odors like rotting flesh or discarded refuse. All of these help bring a scene to life in evocative ways. When I am revising my work, I often find myself adding scents to add that extra pop of description.

Does A.S. Fenichel use food to kickstart her writing time? Find out here!

​As I mentioned last week, WHEN TIME FALLS STILL has been nominated for a RONE Award - one of the most prestigious competitions for independent authors. In order to make it to the next stage, Justice and Charlotte need your votes! If you enjoyed their story, please go to www.indtale.com and log in to vote. Thank you!

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