Fragrances of the stars... Preciousssss

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HALLIE EPHRON: A subplot in NIGHT NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT involves a hush-hush new perfume being developed and branded for Elenor “Bunny” Nichol, a still gorgeous but past her prime movie star.

As I was researching perfumes launched by movie stars, I discovered that post-Dynasty Joan Collins launched I AM WOMAN (musk, citrus). Givenchy supposedly made L’INTERDIT (woody, floral) for Audrey Hepburn. Coty created the spicy SOPHIA scent for Sophia Loren. And Elizabeth Taylor went for the Trifecta with WHITE DIAMONDS (candy sweet), BLACK PEARLS (soft powdery, floral), and VIOLET EYES (rose, citrus).

Taking a cue from Violet Eyes, I named Bunny’s scent CERULEAN – the color of my character’s legendary eyes. 

And I made up this TV commercial for it.

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Violins, piano, and finally an accordion swell to a tango rhythm. A tall, slender man dressed all in black moves slowly away from the camera toward Bunny, takes her in his arms, twirls her once, twice, then bends her backward. Dissolve to a close-up of Bunny raising a bottle of Cerulean as if in a champagne toast, arching her head back and spraying her neck with the perfume. In smoke, words write themselves out on the screen in front of her.

Because

you’re a woman

“Cerulean,” Bunny’s voice whispered as the words disintegrate in a skim of mist that slowly dissipated to reveal a bottle of the perfume.

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I was tickled when I saw an ad for ENGAGE, a men’s fragrance with (be still my beating heart) Jean Luc/Patrick Stewart shilling for it. Sadly it's a parody because I was ready to punch the replicator and order a bottle.

But it got me thinking about what men’s fragrances I’d like to see and the stars who’d promote them:

Lucky - Clint Eastwood

Iron – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Shaken – Sean Connery

D’oh – Homer Simpson
Green – Kermit the Frog

Preciousss - Gollum

Contender – Marlon Brando

Lookin’ at You - Humphrey Bogart

Alive! - Boris Karloff

Elementary - Benedict Cumberbatch

So what other fragrance/star combinations would you like to see?

End of week thoughts

It's been a strange week--an unsettling week with Libya, Japan, nuclear fallout and Elizabeth Taylor's death. It's funny how one can be affected by the death of someone one didn't know, but she was the last mega star. I'm currently attending Left Coast Crime in Santa Fe, (with blogsister Rosemary) and a group of us discussed Elizabeth Taylor and the fact that we are all getting older..and most of us lamented that we hadn't lived enough. We still have seven husbands to catch up on!
Tonight there was a fabulous opening reception with a group of native American dancers from a nearby Pueblo. I wish I'd thought to bring my camera. Rosemary did so maybes she can share a picture with you. But the youngest member of the group was eighteen months old. She had the complete costume, absolutely adorable, and stood solemnly watching while the bigger kids and grown ups did a wonderfully energetic buffalo dance, full of intricate steps.It was a great way to have a blessing bestowed on our convention.
Tomorrow I have a panel with Laurie King, Rebecca Cantrell and a couple of guys on 20th century sleuths. It seems funny to refer to the 20th century as history now, doesn't it? And tomorrow night is the banquet. I'll have John take pix and try to post them.
Between panels there was a little time for shopping. We now own two lovely Indian baskets and may go back for a rug tomorrow....
I was tempted by some snakeskin boots until I found they were $750. Now I'm telling myself they would have pinched my toes.

And I wanted to share some amusing snippets to give you an end-of-week chuckle. you know when you Google something, Google paid ads appear beside it. Well, last year when I was writing Royal Blood and wanted to make sure I got all my vampire facts correct, I googled vampires. And the first ad that came up said, "Want to meet other vampire singles?"
Well, this week I was researching cyanide. I typed it in and up came the ads, Potassium cyanide, we offer best prices.... cyanide, best buys...

I ask you--has the world gone crazy?