|
|
Post by megagem on Aug 6, 2011 21:24:26 GMT
My friends, I need your help. My novelist career depends on it. I have a character (in the main novel I've been working on for years) who makes something for my main character out of cinnamon and the herb summer savory. Problem: I can't find summer savory anywhere and I need to know how it smells. There's nothing online about its scent and I have lots of information on it in some herb/spice books, but never how it smells.
There's another version of the herb called winter savory which I've heard smells very piney. Both versions of the herb are combined (I think) nowadays to make what's just known as savory (it's a common ingredient in a lot of things including Mrs Dash). So, if what I believe is true and they are both combined to make one herb nowadays, why can't I find them seperately?
I know both savorys are members of the mint family, but I don't want to assume that summer savory smells minty or that it smells piney like its sister. Do any of you know (or can any of you find out) what summer savory smells like, or do you know (or can you find out) what savory (the combination of the two?) smells like?
It would really really help me out because this is quite an important and prominent moment for these two characters of mine.
Thanks everyone!
|
|
|
|
Post by rumantic on Aug 6, 2011 22:21:28 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by judypatooty on Aug 6, 2011 23:57:21 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by megagem on Aug 7, 2011 12:22:14 GMT
 Ladies, you are wonderful! Through your links I wound up finding a route to a site that gave me EXACTLY what I needed. Turns out for my particular need, either one of the savorys can be used (I was led to believe that only the summer herb could be used  ). Winter actually ends up being the best choice (and I would have used winter anyway since I had enough info), but I needed to know about summer before making the choice. I didn't want to take a shot in the dark and hope to be right. However, Rumantic, I may end up having to send off for a small bag of summer, who knows? Those sites were really helpful and I'll bookmark them in case I end up in another predicament! What did you want to ask about your novel, Rumantic?
|
|
|
|
Post by rumantic on Aug 7, 2011 17:14:27 GMT
Meg, when I saw this post yesterday, I was shocked.....I was coming on here to post something similar myself. I didn't want to highjack your thread,tho, so I am glad that you got what you needed before I ask about what I need! LOL I know that I told you previously that I also wrote a novel. Mine is finished and has been through the editing process with a professional editor. I've decided to self-pulblish to e-book. I know that those in the business tell writers that they shouldn't do this, but I've decided to anyway for 2 reasons. 1. the self publishing business has changed dramatically with the popularity of e-readers, and it cuts the publishing professionals out of the loop and they don't make any money,so what else would they tell you? 2. I figure it is better to get my work in the hands of readers and possibly make some money off of it insead of letting it languish in a drawer, waiting for an overworked agent who is looking for the next "Mockingjay" to tell me it isn't what they are looking for based on a 150 word query letter. Anyway, I decided to publish it under the pseudonym Kaia West (I don't want to shoot myself in the foot either....it would suck if later down the road an agent turned my down because I self published!) and also because what I am working on now is very different. I thought it would be less confusing this way. It is called Take-Out Sushi, and really, I was just trying to prove to myself that I could write a whole novel. It is a fluffy romantic comedy, not entirely unlike Janet Evonivitch or Sohie Kinsella...probably not my chosen genre for the future, but still. What I wanted to ask is if you (or anyone else who wants to weigh in) would give me your thoughts on the book cover. Not knowing what the novel is about, if you were browsing for an e-book, would it catch your eye, make you interested?  |
|
|
|
Post by judypatooty on Aug 7, 2011 17:54:11 GMT
I love romance novels (funny ones, especially) and that cover would definitely catch my eye! Good luck! (And make sure an let us know when it comes up for sale!)  |
|
|
|
Post by rumantic on Aug 7, 2011 17:57:11 GMT
Thanks, Judy....my target date is August 15th. I'm probably gonna need help setting up facebook and webpages, too......I set the price at 2.99 so hopefully people will give it a try!
|
|
|
|
Post by megagem on Aug 7, 2011 21:19:15 GMT
Oh my gosh, how weird is that?? Well, I'm glad I started it because I'm probably going to need help again and you and any other writers are more than welcome to post anything on here in regards to your novels. Very good move, I think. I don't know if I'd personally do it (only because I'm uneducated in that form of publishing) but I can see its attraction and I definitely understand your reasonings. I may consider publishing that way too someday. I'm sure a lot of other writers have used pseudonyms for the same reason. It's safer that way, I think, and you're right, I too have heard about agents turning self-publishers down just because they're self-published. LOVE the cover!!! The purple background alone is a sure-fire way to grab attention! That was a fantastic idea. The design is subtle, which is really all it needs because that purple gives it that extra "pow!" so I'd definitely be interested! I AM interested! So it'll be available August 15th? I'm so excited!!!  PS: let me know when you set up the facebook and webpages. I have a few friends who (I'm sure) would be interested to read your work too! |
|
|
|
Post by Petruchio - Good God on Aug 7, 2011 21:21:46 GMT
will try to help you as soon as I can...
|
|
|
|
Post by dippyponge on Aug 7, 2011 22:40:17 GMT
Hi, I am glad that this has been set up. I have written a childrens book but it hasn't been published (yet) it has been sitting in the drawer under my bed collecting dust. Last year i sent it off to many, many publishers all of whom said they enjoyed it blah, blah, blah but they couldn't publish it. I will try again but have lost a little of my enthusiasm. Anyway meanwhile I have started to write another book, this time a fluffy Romantic Comedy. My main female character currently works in a cafe (I don't know why I chose a cafe, I know nothing about working in one) but since reading it back I realise that it she could just as easily work in a pub and I worked in a pub all through my college years. My question is this should i go back and change Cafe to Pub? Or should i research how a cafe works more? What do you reckon? BTW Rumantic, I would definately buy you book. It looks good |
|
|
|
Post by GreenEyesToo on Aug 7, 2011 23:18:47 GMT
Rumantic, that is a great cover! Very eye-catching. Dippy, not that I know much about it, but I'd say writing what you know about is probably best, so yes, I'd change it to a pub. Very good luck, all three of you!
|
|
|
|
Post by rueful on Aug 8, 2011 0:08:08 GMT
I agree with the others, Rumantic. Wonderful cover! Did you design it?
|
|
|
|
Post by rumantic on Aug 8, 2011 0:10:27 GMT
Thanks so much to everyone....My target date is the 15th, but I'll have to let you know for sure if that is going to be the actual date. It will be available for all e-readers (and computer downloads, too, I think...)
I wish I could take credit for the cover...the team at Bookbaby actually did the cover, but I did tell them that I wanted a heart shaped piece of sushi, and chopsticks, and that I liked bright colors, particularly purple. It actually is perfectly what I described that I wanted, although I didn't know it at the time.
Dippy, As far as cafe or pub, I'd go with pub since that is what you know. You could do the cafe, and just make it up, but since you already know how a pub works, it would just be that much easier. (Believe me, my main character goes to work at a television studio, and the last time I was in a television studio was when I was on the Uncle Al show when I was 5....I tried not to be very specific when I was writing about studio stuff, it's more about the people anyway...)
Unfortunately, Bookbaby and the e-reader path probably isn't the best way to do a children's book....but maybe there are more people reading to their kids at night from a Kindle than I realize...it might be worth a look...
|
|
|
|
Post by rueful on Aug 8, 2011 0:14:58 GMT
So the cover was your vision, then, even if someone else executed it. Very clever idea, with the heart-shaped sushi. As GE2 said, eye-catching! Much better than a picture of Fabio feeding a raven-haired beauty from a pair of chopsticks. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by megagem on Aug 8, 2011 0:23:52 GMT
Dippy! I had no idea you write! That's fantastic!  I agree with what GE2 says about using what you know, HOWEVER, one thing I've learned is to listen to my characters. If you're really stuck on which to choose, I suggest you sit back, close your eyes and really channel your character. In time, they will tell you themselves where they want to be. If the signal still remains unclear, picture your character in both places. Would making your character work in a pub change your story in any other ways? Maybe take a small scene that takes place in the cafe and change it to the pub just to see how things flow. I have no doubt you'll make the best decision! Good luck to you!!! PS: definitely send off your children's book again to as many places as you can. It'll get printed, I'm sure of it. Never give up! |
|
). Winter actually ends up being the best choice (and I would have used winter anyway since I had enough info), but I needed to know about summer before making the choice. I didn't want to take a shot in the dark and hope to be right.
