Scents based on Elizabeth Barrial and D.H. Altair's book, Vampires Don't Sleep Alone are live!

[wickedgoddess]

Scents based on Elizabeth Barrial and D.H. Altair's book, Vampires Don't Sleep Alone are live!

 

Last year, Del Howison and I were hired to write a tongue-in-cheek guide to dating vampires. Essentially, the premise of the book assumes that vampires are real and that they have recently come out of the crypt, so to speak. It explores the potential challenges found in actually dating vampires, and touches on the anthropology and science of vampires. We shelved most of the supernatural tropes, and concentrated on painting as “realistic” a picture as possible. I wrote the deadpan pseudoscience and false history, Del added warmth, contemporary advice, and wit. The project went through many iterations. It was initially supposed to be geared towards teen readers, and then the concept morphed to appeal to a more mature audience. I’m really, really happy with the way that we tweaked the vampire mythos.

 

In the end, after months of research, innumerable conversations, eleventybillion rewrites, and much love and tears, the book went to the editor… and here we are.

 

This is my first time writing in this capacity, with publishers and all that snazzy stuff, and it was a nerve-wracking, wonderful, educational, and exciting experience. I want to thank Del (from the bottom of my heart!) and the people at Ulysses Press for this opportunity, and I hope that our book does them proud!

CICUTA

Dry, dusty rose petals, candle smoke, frankincense, and saffron.

 

INTERFECTOR

Ruthless, unfeeling, and inhumanly violent: tobacco, sharp woods, frankincense, and bunn.

 

TOMBEUR

Deadly and seductive: vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil.

 

SILENTI

Grave beauty: Spanish moss, lilac, wisteria, myrrh, and olibanum.

 

TRANSEO

GA cologne that (almost) blends well into human society: benzoin, orange blossom, cumin, King mandarin, gaiac wood, juniper berry, Calabrian bergamot, Ceylon cinnamon, and blood camouflaged by wine.

 

MISERICORDIA

Eons of grief and unending hunger: magnolia, black currant, castoreum accord, lavender, labdanum, amber, rose otto, and opoponax.

 

PHILOLOGUS

Ancient books, crackled parchment, faded incense, and candle wax.

 

VESPILLO

A grounded, earthy scent, evocative of the soul’s finer qualities: patchouli, clove, neroli, night-blooming jasmine, sage, and iris.

 

SANCTUS

Diabolically otherworldly: golden osmanthus, lily of the valley, celestial musk, and frankincense.

 

And last, but not least:

 

VILF

Because isn’t that what this book is really about? Vampire smut: patchouli-infused honey, red musk, red sandalwood, red ginger, pink pepper, Peru balsam, dark Eastern florals, Himalayan cedar, smoky vanilla, bitter clove, and leather.