Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Chocolate Stinks and Character Traits

A while back our big kidlet Phephe (she's 4), did a bunch of stuff and earned a prize. She picked chapstick. She'd always been really good with the chapstick ends I'd given her in the past and husband and I agreed she could go pick out some chapstick.

So we went to the store and this is what she picked out:

Yep, that's M & M flavored chapstick. No big deal. Weeks pass. She uses it sporadically, as most days she forgets she has it.

Then, before we leave for IKEA to pick up my new office stuff (pics to come - so excited to share), Husband walks through the house, sniffing. The entire house smells like chocolate. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but this is not that good, rich, chocolatey smell. This is the el-cheapo cocoa-buttery chocolate smell.

Then Husband walks into our bedroom and nearly gags. Phephe looks at me. And she looks guilty.After some hemming and hawing she fesses up to rubbing her chapstick on the heating vent. So every time the heat came on, the smell grew stronger.

Why am I rambling on forever about this, you ask? Well, Husband and I have been together for nearly 10 years - married for almost 7, and I just learned three days ago that he absolutely hates the smell of chocolate. I mean, seriously? How could I not know this? He likes chocolate chip cookies, and candy bars, but finds the permeating scent of the stuff to be repulsive.

That got me to thinking, do you really know your characters? And I don't mean what they look like and turn-ons and turn-offs? I mean in 10 years from now are you going to look back at one of your characters and realize - OMG, that is why he was gagging every time she baked chocolate cupcakes?

9 comments:

Eric said...

Okay, that's just wrong to NOT like the smell of chocolate. That's a hanging offense.

This is a great question though. It probably falls under why we should be outlining, descriptive paragraphs of our characters, etc before we write. And yeah, like I'm doing that. LOL

Nice post though. I hope your house doesn't still smell like choco - for your hubby's sake.

Stina said...

That's too funny. My husband's a chocoholic. Which means we have a healthy (?) stash hidden from the kids.

Considering the amount of time I spend on my characterizations, I'd like to think I know my characters really well. But I'm sure there's some secret about them that even I don't know--unless it comes out in the book.

Sure, you had to include the yummy picture of the chocolate cupcake. Now I'm going to have to raid my stash. ;)

Anonymous said...

LOL! Great post. I'm sure I need to learn a lot about my characters. Because if they don't like chocolate, then we need to talk. ;)

Elana Johnson said...

First off, only a writer could turn this into a writing experience! That is priceless.

And seriously? He doesn't like the smell of chocolate. Wow.

Windy said...

Ok, just to clarify - in Husband's defense: He likes chocolate. It's just the permeating scent of the chocolate-ish cocoa butter he hates.

Eric - Yeah, I don't really do the outlining thing either ...

Stina - I think all characters have their secrets. It's our job to uncover them ;)

Laura - It's like getting to know new friends! Break out the cupcakes!

Elana - Priceless? Thanks! I'll take it as a compliment. :)

Angie said...

Oh, dear. Hope the smell went away. I think it's easier to know our characters than people in real life, but Yeah, I could see finding out things about your characters that you didn't know. That's the fun of it.

Anonymous said...

LOL! It's wild what you learn about your spouse over time. You can't know it all. ;)

Stephanie said...

I'm trying to stay strong here and not go raid my daughter's candy stash...this post is NOT helping!!! LOL!!

Tiana Smith said...

Ha ha, kids will always make life interesting, and guess what -- my husband doesn't like it either! It's true though, sometimes our characters are two-dimensional, and we need to think of them as people with flaws to go along with the good. (Because really, who doesn't like the smell of chocolate? That's a flaw in my book) :)