The Art of Perfume Plus The Goodbye Lie Excerpt

                    

        As Waite continued to breathe her in, he mindlessly commented, "You should not smell so sweet." 

      Breelan responded with a proud smile. Was her perfume alone enough to drive him mad? What power woman had over man and what a thrill this power gave her. Her fear of him was forgotten, as she understood she had the upper hand.
      "You were never meant to wear such a light scent." His warm breath carried his words to her ear. "That fragrance is for old women and little girls. I have in mind something heavier for you, richer. It will better match the grown woman you are."

The Art of Perfume

   "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart."  -Proverbs 27:9  

     "The perfume is not goods; its creation is an act of love. It must reflect the heart of the woman who will wear it."  -Robert Ricci 

     People have been wearing perfume for thousands of years.  Perhaps they got the idea from the the fumes of smoke or, maybe, burnt offerings.

     Technically, the first distilled essence or modern perfume was made in the 10th century when the Persian philosopher Avicenna [Abu Ali Sina or Ibn Sina] distilled rose petal oil for use as a medicine.  Everything was natural until 1868 when the first artificial scent was created.  Today, the perfume industry is worth billions.

Strong Scents

     Traditionally, perfume should only be applied strongly enough to be smelled 12 inches away.  But no matter how delicate the application, some people with sensitive allergies would prefer you forgo the use of scent completely when you will be traveling in a closed container such as an airplane.  As with most things, moderation is best.

Application

     Apply your perfume after showering or bathing, but if you have time, wait a few minutes since you've washed away the body oil that helps hold the scent on your skin.

     Don't rub perfume into your skin because it breaks down the scent.  Let it air dry by waving your arms.  You'll be getting very mild exercise to boot.

     Let perfume dry completely so the alcohol in it won't stain your clothes. 

     Wait until your perfume is dry before applying jewelry, including pearls or beads, so it won't discolor them.

     Layering scented lotion with perfume on top will make the scent last much long.

More Tips

     Holding the perfume bottle over your hair, spritz a few times and let the scent waft down upon your locks.

     For an instant, but expensive, air freshener, you can spray a few spritzes just above the floor.  As heat rises, so will the scent.

     Don't mix scents.

     Keep your perfume away from window sills and sunlight, which may degrade it.

     Don't buy large bottles of perfume.  You might tire of the scent.  Instead, purchase several different smaller sized perfumes to go with the different moods you may be feeling.
     Above all, if you have expensive perfume, wear it today.  Who better to enjoy it than you?  

Art of Wearing Perfume is reprinted from the original Gracious Jane Marie Newsletter by Nancy Kamp and Jane Marie Malcolm.  (I give us permission to run this article again.  It's an interesting little piece and I have other stuff to do, like work on my next novel, Amelia Island's Sand and Sin! - jmm)

The Goodbye Lie Series - Available in E-book and Paperback Here.

FYI: Breelan is the scond oldest sister in the family of four Dunnigan siblings in north Florida in 1882.  Life on an island is filled with sun and salty times and she is prime in the mix in the first novel in the series, The Goodbye Lie. Her naivete does not serve her well with regard to matters of the heart. She will learn from her mistakes, but not soon enough ... 

Art of Wearing Perfume, Goodbye Lie Excerpt - Breelan

     "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart."  -Proverbs 27:9  

     "The perfume is not goods; its creation is an act of love. It must reflect the heart of the woman who will wear it."  -Robert Ricci 

The Art of Wearing Perfume      People have been wearing perfume for thousands of years.  Perhaps they got the idea from the smoke of fumes or burnt religious offerings.      Technically, the first distilled essence or modern perfume was made in the 10th century when the Persian philosopher Avicenna [Abu Ali Sina or Ibn Sina] distilled rose petal oil for use as a medicine.  Everything was natural until 1868 when the first artificial scent was created.  Today, the perfume industry is worth billions. Strong Scents      Traditionally, perfume should only be applied strongly enough to be smelled 12 inches away.  But no matter how delicate the application, some people with sensitive allergies would prefer that you forgo the use of scent completely when you will be traveling in a closed container such as an airplane.  As with most things, moderation is best. Application      Apply your perfume after showering or bathing, but if you have time, wait a few minutes since you've washed away the body oil that helps hold the scent on your skin.      Don't rub perfume into your skin because it breaks down the scent.  Let it air dry by waving your arms.  You'll be getting very mild exercise to boot!      Let perfume dry completely so the alcohol in it won't stain your clothes.       Wait until your perfume is dry before applying jewelry, including pearls or beads, so it won't discolor them.      Layering scented lotion with perfume on top will make the scent last much long. More tricks and tips      Holding the perfume bottle over your hair, spritz a few times and let the scent waft down upon your locks.      For an instant expensive air freshener, you can spray a few spritzes just above the floor.  As heat rises, so will the scent.      Don't mix scents.      Keep your perfume away from window sills and sunlight, which may degrade it.      Don't buy large bottles of perfume.  You might tire of the scent.  Instead, purchase several different smaller sized perfumes to go with different moods you may be feeling.    Above all, if you have expensive perfume, wear it today.  Who better to enjoy it than you?   Art of Wearing Perfume is reprinted from original Gracious Jane Marie Newsletter by Nancy Kamp and Jane Marie Malcolm.  (I give us permission to run this article again.  It's an interesting piece and I have stuff to do, like work on my next novel, Amelia Island's Sand and Sin! - jmm) The Goodbye Lie, an excerpt:      As he continued to breathe her in, he mindlessly commented, "You should not smell so sweet."        Breelan responded with a proud smile. Was her perfume alone enough to drive him mad? What power woman had over man and what a thrill this power gave her. Her fear of Waite was forgotten, as she understood she had the upper hand.       "You were never meant to wear such a light scent." His warm breath carried his words to her ear. "That fragrance is for old women and little girls. I have in mind something heavier for you, richer. It will better match the complicated woman you are." The Goodbye Lie series available in e-book and paperback #perfume, #scent, #tradition, #romance, #heart, #GoodbyeLie, #AmeliaIsland, #Florida, #series, #drama, #Irish, #family, #mystery, #suspense

Your Favorite Romantic Couple

Readers often ask me which couple in my Amelia Island's      

https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Marie-Malcolm/e/B002ZFSBKE/

Goodbye Lie series is my favorite.  Since I gave birth to each of these characters, that is like asking me who my favorite child is.  I love them all because each one touches me in a different way.  I won't single out any specific player or give any hints whatsoever lest I hurt someone's feelings. Should that happen, they will let me hear about it in their Goodbye Lie Diaries. 

But I will ask you.  Who is your favorite couple?  (This is not one of my unscientific surveys.)  For those who have read all three books in the series, I would be surprised if you didn't find one of the three pairs more likeable or romantic or devoted than another.  And for those who have yet to read all three, I invite you to delve into their love stories. Why?  Because everybody loves a lover ...

the LURE, the LOVE, the LEGEND

of  THE GOODBYE LIE 

          

 Waite and Breelan in          

The Goodbye Lie E-book ($2.99) and Paperback Available Here

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his WANT, his WILL, his WAY

in Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow

               

 Carolena and Grey in

Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow E-book ($3.99) and Paperback Available Here


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the RAINS, the RAGE, the ROMANCE
of Amelia Island's Mark of a Man

        

Pat and Angelique in

Amelia Island's Mark of a Man E-book ($3.99) and Paperback Available Here

The Shadow

Just in time for the shadows of Fall, here are some fun pics I snapped of our singing spokes-doggie, Abby, enjoying a bit of modeling in the sun's spotlight! 

right snout

Abby proudly displaying her neck length

A Writer's Tote

     Look what came in the mail from my ever-wonderful brother, Bob.  He saw it and thought of me.  I like the way this guy thinks! 
                                             Thank you, Bobby

Fairy Tale Quotation

Amelia Island Perfection

"Fairy tales are more than true, not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."

                                           - Neil Gaiman

P.S. Remember, Jane Marie believes in happy endings. "May all your dreams arrive on time ..." - Jane Marie Malcolm

Goodbye Lie Diaries-Aunt Noreen VS Mrs. Ickles

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida 
Late 1800s   
Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow is part of The Victorian Goodbye Lie Series
Aunt Noreen writes:

Dear Readers of Jane Marie's stories,
This is your favorite and very well-known Aunt Noreen, once again coming to you by the magic of what Jane Marie Malcolm calls electronics.  Today, I thought I might mention a little something about my dearest acquaintance, Mrs. Ickles.  You have occasionally seen her name in Jane Marie's Goodbye Lie trilogy, although not nearly as often as you have mine. We both live in Fernandina, the seaside city on Amelia Island and are very proud Fernandiners (pronounced Fern-an-deen-rs). Mrs. Ickles and I participate in many of the same activities, including the Orchid Society and St. Michael's Linger-Longer small prayer group, where we study scripture.

In the interest of getting to know the personalities of the people in the books better, I thought it would be useful to tell you something about Mrs. Ickles.  I'm writing this now, before she makes her own entry in these Diaries and distorts matters. So, there we were, in small group.  This time it was in Mrs. Ickles' home. We had each finished a serving of her somewhat soggy lemon pound cake and melted lemon ice cream. Mrs. Ickles isn't known for her baking or cooking, as am I. It was her turn to recite the required memorized scripture aloud.  She was unable!  She could only recall one line out of three!  Shame, I say.  Being her friend, I thought it best to point out why she had become so unconcerned with regard to her Bible verses.  "If you didn't spend so many hours setting such a beautiful table, you would have time to memorize your verses." I thought this was grand advice, given in a kindly manner.  Complimenting her table removed any sting she might have felt at my observation of her lack of effort on doing what she should.  I expected praise from the others gathered. To my utter surprise, no one said anything.  In fact, they all rose, thanked Mrs. Ickles for being a lovely hostess and left, rudely leaving me behind to help clean up the tea cups and plates. Mrs. Ickles was quiet, too, I'm sure contemplating how she could remedy her short comings.  She is blessed to have someone like me, who cares enough to instruct her as to what is right and proper.

Guess Who

Who is this person on the right?  It's me!  I love fun surprises.  When I opened my email, I found this multi-color picture from Sarah W., sent all the way from Arizona!  She snapped my picture at a book signing here on Amelia Island and created this oh-so-artsy quad image. 
 

Her note read:

 To Jane Marie -

   The characters in your books are especially colorful. Because of that, I made this picture to

 represent all the rainbows in and around you.  

 -Sarah W.

I am so very touched, I have to share with everyone. Thank you, Sarah. You are too sweet!
                                                      -Jane Marie

Ye Olde Rubber Band Trick

You are probably looking twice at the picture above. This is the inside of my purse.  You see some gum and a tube of lipstick within a zippered pocket.  And the only blue in the photo is a rubber band wound tightly around the gathered pocket fabric, closing off the hole in the corner.  While this may be less than sightly, it certainly is functional, until I either sew the hole shut or buy a new purse.  

I have my father to thank for this easy repair tip.  I remember him showing me the rubber band at the tip of the pocket in his trousers.  When the rip occurred as he was teaching school, he quickly solved the problem like this.  Thank you, Daddy.  Good one!

**********************************

Goodbye Lie Diaries
Fernandina, Florida 
late 1800s

Peeper

Grandmother Peeper writes:  I pronounce yur trick ta be Peeper approved, Jane Marie.  I been a-doin' the same thing with string once er twice myself, especially durin' the war.  My bonnet's off ta your pa.  Glad ta see you a-carryin' on his tradition.

***************

Note:  Peeper is the ever-thrifty grandmother who walked into Dunnigan Manor on Amelia Island, Florida in the 1860s, home of the beloved Irish family in The Goodbye Lie Trilogy, and never left! 

Tips from Mom

flowers from Laura Brown-thank you!

Happy Mother's Day!

I learned so much from my mother, Marie. A home economics (home science) teacher, she had the social graces of Emily Post, the advice of Ann Landers, the culinary talents of Betty Crocker and the overall family devotion of Donna Reed, Carol Brady and Stella Dallas, combined. 

I got to thinking about those everyday lessons from Mom and these random tips popped into my mind:

Always close kitchen drawers when you are cooking or baking to avoid having to clean out any falling crumbs.

Turn the top sheet hem back over the blanket when making the bed to keep the blanket clean longer, since you change the sheets more often than you do the blanket. 

When you finish using the oven on those cool or colder days of the year, leave the oven door open a few inches to release the expiring heat into the room.

To prevent stretching out the tops of your socks, tie each pair of socks into a simple knot rather than stuffing one inside the other. 

Ever have a cake come out of the oven and be high in the middle? To help keep a baked cake flat, push the raw batter toward the sides, leaving a shallow hollow in the center, then bake.

If your sheets have a printed side and a plainer side, in the summer, when it's hot, lay the printed side up so the pattern shows when you've no need for a blanket.  In the winter, face the printed side of the top sheet down and cover it with your blanket.  Then, when you turn back the covers, the pretty pattern will be seen. 

Sure you can buy pre-made cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on toast, but you have no control of the amount of sugar.  Save an empty shaker bottle and make your own, lessening the sugar or adding more, for that matter!

Store household extension cords in toilet or paper towel tubes.

Save shelf space by hanging your toilet paper. Find an old paint can lid, punch two holes in that lid with a nail, thread an eight foot cord/heavy string through and tie it securely against the lid.  Take an old fashioned clothespin and tie it to the other end of the cord.  String your rolls of toilet paper over the closespin and hang your contraption  on a nail inside the linen closet!  (We still use one of these at the family home and it brings a smile every time I see or even think of it.)

There you have some of Mom's common sense teachings.  I know you have more from your mother and some of your own.  Send them along to graciousjanemarie@yahoo.com and we'll add them to our list of helpful hints.

P.S. Readers often ask me if the characters in my novels are copied from real people I know.  The answer is no.  However, I will say that my dear mother was the inspiration for Miss Ella, the matriarch of the Dunnigan family of Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida in the late 1800s...

Judge By Its Cover

The Goodbye Lie Series Available HERE

Go ahead.  Judge my books by their covers because each of those covers in The Goodbye Lie series offers major clues as to what is inside. That, of course, is as it should be. While I like to tease an audience, it probably would not be very nice or smart to have a sweet unicorn on a cover and the contents be about an ax murderer.   

So when people ask me to tell them about each story, I start by pointing out objects and details on the cover. The following is what I say to you folks about The Goodbye Lie, the first book in the trilogy. (As you read below, refer to the photo above.):

"Most people don't realize that this is a woman's glove and this is a man's glove." (I cover the man's glove with my hand.) "Is he protecting her, is he holding her back, is she trying to get away?

"The red ribbon represents all the twists and turns in the plot.  All the book covers have these ribbons. I love it when a reader tells me they didn't see that coming.

"This is sand from our Amelia Island beach. These are flowers from my garden.

"And this little pewter box belonged to my mother.  Curiously, Victorians called it a jewel casket.  The little medallion inside is right here, I wear it everyday, and it plays a part in the story, but I can't tell you what..."

That's when I show them the medal and most seem surprised that something on a book cover would be right there in front of them to see.

Miraculous Medal reads : "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

 

Synopsis of The Goodbye Lie: 

Men will die for Breelan Dunnigan, the lead female player in the heart-wrenching romance and unexpected drama called The Goodbye Lie.  Jane Marie's first installment in her historical series is set in 1882 on Florida's Amelia Island. Breelan, an aspiring writer, is literally swept away, first by a tornado and then a handsome stranger, who steps into her home and into her soul. Escape to New York City brings new love, but when Breelan returns to Florida, her life has turned upside down. Strong family bonds and values are soon pitted against passion, jealousy and murder in this satisfying tale. Readers will rejoice in the clever twists of plot. Rich characters, late Victorian conventions and gentle humor flavor up the mix of romance, honor and treachery.

So there you have a taste of The Goodbye Lie. Why not try a bigger helping? (Pretty cute, huh?)  The Goodbye Lie Series Available HERE

the Rains, the Rage, the Romance ...

 

Series E-books and Paperbacks Available HERE

Watch Amelia Island's Mark of a Man Video below:

 

Chimney Pictorial + Velvet Undertow Excerpt

     Because I love Victorian era history, I took a course at our Amelia Island Museum of History to learn about the area.  That was many moons ago.  I never imagined I would complete three period novels set on this island and be working on a fourth in The Goodbye Lie series, as I am now. 

      I learned many things at the museum, one of which is to look up.  To that end, I discovered the beauty of chimneys!  Not such an odd thing, to my mind, anyway.  Statuesque and unbending, oh, what family secrets has the wafting smoke witnessed over time, only to share with the waiting stars by way of those chimneys ... 

Excerpt from Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow:

       Friends and volunteer firemen, townsfolk, and strangers stood about, not speaking. Their faces and bodies were dark with soot, like the dog. They were one with the surroundings. Only glowing wood and smoldering ash were left, save for five tall brick chimneys. Those towers rose like markers in an ebony graveyard designating the place where every ... possession lay burned or charred. 

A damaged chimney crowns a building Centre St. in downtown Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida. Note the bird nests on the left side roof line or was a seed blown high into the air to land and grow between the bricks?

 

INFO & TO PURCHASE Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow CLICK HERE

Hollywood Bunco

Excerpt from The Goodbye Lie, circa 1882, 

on Amelia Island, Florida

Chapter 11

     The following days aboard ship were full of activity. There were picnics on deck, shuffleboard, fishing tournaments, bingo, bunco, board games and card games from euchre to old sledge to poker. Amusement, proper and improper, was available, with one's degree of pleasure regulated only by one's conscience.  

 *****

Yes, folks, bunco (sometimes spelled bunko) has been around since Victorian times.  A roll of the dice, actually many rolls of the dice, is all the effort it takes.  It has turned into such a popular game today, there is an app on phones for said score keeping.

I've been playing bunco with the same group of 12 ladies for just about that many years.  Each month, one of us hosts the shindig in her home.  It includes a full dinner and gifts for every person, bought from the $5.00 fee paid by each player the previous month.  My month is always September and the last several years, I have asked the gals to dress in some sort of easy costume.  This year I suggested we dress up like any Hollywood star from any movie, male or female.  

After our cottage was clean for the party, lots of work, but so worth it, the smell of crock pot spaghetti was overpowering the scented plug-ins, the three four-top tables were set for the girls and I was dressed in costume, I realized I had no Hollywood-themed centerpiece!  Yikes!!!  Hmm, thought I.  I went around the room and extracted several Gone With The Wind (GWTW) books, an MGM book, added a few GWTW music boxes, GWTW nail polish and a GWTW bracelet, each decorated with pictures from the famous film,  and you can see the result in the photo above.  It took me all of ten minutes and cost me nothing extra.  (You know, if you step back and look around at the treasures you have in your own house, you would be surprised how easily creative you can be.)

We had one lady show up in jeans, a white blouse, denim jacket and cowboy boots.  Her lovely hair is white.  I couldn't begin to guess who she was supposed to be and was blown away when she told me, "Marilyn Monroe from the Misfits with Clark Gable."  It was the last movie for both of them and I know it well.  Great job, Emmie.  Another, in an wild orange fright wig and big hat, asked me to guess who she was and I said jokingly, "Bozo, the clown."  Yes, I knew she was the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland.  I'm not sure she found my remark funny, but I did.  Then there was a mountain climber from a movie I don't know and another who tried on a wig, but it was too small, so she took it back to the store.  I know you're dying to hear who I dressed as.  I have to confess that the only reason I chose the costume I did was because of the black Snow White wig I got on sale the day after Halloween a few years back.  I removed the red bow, put on a white blouse, black pants, painted my nails a bright red, added red lipstick and lots of blush and eyeliner, borrowed a cigarette to hold from a friend,  and I was, wait for it...Uma Thurman from Pulp Fiction.  I freely admit Pulp Fiction is not my kind of movie at all, but I had the wig, so, it worked. By the way, my husband, Bruce, said he would not have recognized me if he'd passed me on the street in the wig. 

So there you have it.  If you've never buncoed, it's mentally easy to play. Add food and chatter and  prizes and it, too, may become a part of your life as it has so many others. 

PS Just Google bunco for details on how to play the game.