Cinnamon Let Me In!*
Warm cinnamon rolls, smothered with creamy icing that drips down the sides; the rich scent of cinnamon toast. While the recipe for cinnamon toast is simple, the proper combination creates a toasted ambrosia. Good writing works the same way. It doesn’t have to be fancy, or decked out in multiple adjectives. It just has to draw the reader in; the same way that grocery stores sometimes put their bakeries near the front door so the heated splendor can tantalize potential customers.
Cinnamon is one of those spices that just does it for me! The scent of those aromatic cinnamon sticks is irresistible. Their aroma lifts my spirits and brings back memories of winter card games when I was a child. I think of my younger daughter’s glee when Kellogg’s came out with Cinnamon Mini Buns Cereal. And, while I most often think of cinnamon’s culinary uses, I was fascinated to learn in grade school that cinnamon was also used for embalming in ancient Egypt. When writing, sometimes it’s more effective to use alternate meanings or bring less obvious information into play; it has the potential to create more memorable passages.
Don’t forget to find your own ‘cinnamon” and LET IT IN!
BTW, I’m dying to try out this recipe:
*“One potato, two potato, three potato, four
Open up Cinnamon, I want more”
As a teen listening to Derek’s Cinnamon, I was primarily focused on the tune and the beat. As a romance writer, I can’t help but snicker at the dual meaning of the simple lyrics. Those less-explicit euphemisms probably allowed the song to get past the censors and in writing, they may bring a certain level of comfort to some readers, allowing them to read something that they would otherwise find offensive. What titillates one reader may be what causes another to return a book to the shelf without buying it.
Cinnamon rolls and writing! Love it!! Now I'm real hungry for one of those! LOL :)
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