How sensory stimulation helps me write: Sense of Smell

As a writer, you're expected to transport your readers to times and places they've never been to before--to feel the sun shining on their faces, to smell the earth they walk upon, to hear the sounds of nature rustling around them, and to give characters thoughts and emotions readers can empathize with. That's what keeps readers engaged, right?


For me, getting into the minds of my characters isn't always easy. In fact, sometimes I have such a difficult time that I find a hundred other things to do with myself when I should be writing.

To help myself stay in tip-top writing shape, I've come to learn that engaging as many of my senses as possible--connecting me to my mission--helps me focus more than anything.

My newest approach: engaging my olfactory bulb. Sound strange? Well, it's quite astonishing, actually. Apparently, the olfactory bulb starts inside the nose and runs along the bottom of the brain. It has direct connections to two brain areas of the brain that are strongly engaged with emotion and memory: the amygdala and hippocampus. Interestingly, visual, auditory, and tactile information synapsis do not pass through these brain areas. They say that this may be why smell, more than any other sense, is so successful at triggering such vivid emotions and memories that evoke that feeling of “being brought back in time." Even more than images. Cool, right?

As an experiment this go-around, I'm using Mac's Lilac scent to help me keep the creative juices flowing...

Why Lilac?
Mac wears Lilac lotion, Sam even comments on it in her story, Whatever It Takes. Little does Mac realize, Lilac reminds her of her mother, hence her connection to it.

How do I use it? To keep my olfactory system engaged while I'm working on Mac's story, I light a lilac candle. Because it's not a scent I surround myself with often, it's interesting to have it permeate the room--it's great, actually. It's different and there's just something about the sound of a flickering candle that soothes me.

Fun Facts
Lilac is both edible and medicinal. Apparently it's historically used as a tea or for infusion as well as an anti-periodic. Anti-periodic basically means that it stops the recurrence of disease such as malaria. And it's also been associated with helping to break fevers.

What can you make with Lilacs?
For you Susie Homemakers and Homesteaders out there, here are some recipes in case you're interested!
Lilac Jelly

Lilac Wine
Lilac Liqueur/Cordial
Lilac Infused Blueberry Syrup
Lilac Ice Cream
Honey

Next time I'll share with you what other ways I indulge my sense while writing to keep myself in "the zone."

Lindsey
xox

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Gearing up for Nothing But Trouble, Book #2

I've been lost in a world of wedding celebrations and travelling and family visits since, well, it seems like a year now. BUT starting at the end of this month, no more parties, no more planning, only writing and getting back into the author swing of things. I'M SO EXCITED!

When you're an author, not writing is VERY difficult. You live and breathe your characters, they mind-chat with you and they commandeer your thoughts at the most inconvenient times--when you're working, doing chores, when you should be sleeping, you name it. So not having an outlet to get your thoughts down on paper is SO DISTRACTING!

To be able to use my writing time to actually start writing again is something that will be both challenging and liberating. Challenging because when you stop writing, or at least when I stop writing, I get out the habit and find myself staring blankly at a screen, uncertain where to start. Liberating because there isn't that gnawing sense of "you should be" and "I really want to be" going on underneath everything else you're trying to accomplish.

So, again, I'm super stoked that after April 24th my life will be somewhat back to normal. And because I'm so excited, I've snuck in some outlining this week, ahead of schedule. Mac and Colton and their twitterpation are SOOOO close to being explored, it's making me giddy. Until then though....

Happy Reading!
(p.s. you know it's close to happening when I start my new story notebook. ;)

Linds
xoxo

Twitter: @LindseyRPogue

Facebook: Author Lindsey Pogue

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Before The Dawn- Excerpts

Here are a couple excerpts from Before The Dawn, due out Friday, November 20th. 

What were people’s lives like now that they didn’t have to sit in traffic or be on conference calls? Were they worried about the amount of food in their pantries? About clean water? And as far as I knew, no one—save for the exploration, trading, and scavenging teams—needed to leave the protection of the New Bodega community. Everyone had probably already forgotten what’s out there, hidden in the abandoned alleyways and dark corners of the country. I wasn’t sure which was worse, remembering or not remembering. But given the easy, carefree steps of citizens wandering in and out of the building, it seemed they hadn’t a care in the world.
- Zoe, Before The Dawn, book four of The Ending Series


I barked a laugh and felt a sudden, rush of relief. It always amazed me how laughter could wash misery away like a wave smoothing out footprints in sand. Smiling at Zoe, I fished a handkerchief out of my pocket and handed it to her. “You’ve got some wayward snot…”

Her eyes went wide, and then she smacked my arm. “Smartass!” But she did take the hanky.
- Dani, Before The Dawn, book four of The Ending Series

Don't forget to stop by our Facebook Release Party on November 20th from 3:00-6:00 PST. Team Lindsey will be chatting it up with readers, answering questions, and most importantly GIVING AWAY AMAZING ENDING SERIES PRIZES. You can attend from work, in between washing dishes at home, on your phone... It's easy peasy and always a ton of fun. RSVP Here!

Twitter: @LindseyRPogue

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Whatever It Takes - Official New Title

So, it's only been over ten years since I started writing this story, Reilly, and now I've officially reworked it into something that I can publish. It was more difficult than I though, reworking a story I wrote so long ago. Because despite the fact that it was already written, it was poorly written (I was in high school), and it being my first completed manuscript, it was hard to be able to look beyond my initial story line as I moved pieces around, deleted, prodded, and pushed my characters, which needed to be done.

BUT the first official draft is written, and I've officially got a new title for it. Here she is! I'm aiming to have her out and available no later than January 22, 2016 (my birthday)! Just trying to finish up Before The Dawn beforehand.

Book One, Nothing But Trouble Series

...After The Ending begins!...

After The Ending, Book One - The Ending Series

Here is the newly revealed cover for the book project I'm currently working on. After much thought and deliberation (consisting of many sighs, pinched brows, headaches, and pursed lips), we finally chose one, thanks to our FB followers feedback. One small victory in the name of self-publishing! Sound the victory horn - burp-ber-der-burrrr!