Nosy Interview: Sharon Pomerantz

Sharon in the Pelican Nebula Close-Up, © Martin Pugh

Though Sharon and I haven't met, the caliber of our mutual friends assures me I would enjoy her company in real life as much as I have online. Sharon's novel, Rich Boy, is now available in paperback, and you can learn more about the book and Sharon by visiting her website. After reading Sharon's interview, and learning that her novel was rich with scent descriptions, Rich Boy shot to the top of my to-read list. 

What do you smell like?

I asked my boyfriend, Bill Richert, and two of my oldest friends, Marcie Wald and Ricki Lowitz, what they thought I smelled like, and I'm sad to say that everyone agreed I have no discernible smell! I guess this is better than smelling like onions and garlic, or fertilizer, but considering how attracted I am to smells, and how sensitive my own nose is, I think that's rather depressing. On the other hand, because I'm so smell sensitive, I think I'd notice pretty quickly if I had a nasty smell, so maybe that's a good thing. The closest I could get to an actual answer to this question was from Marcie. She's known me for over thirty years, and she said she identifies me with the smell of coffee brewing because whenever I visit I make coffee every morning and the smell fills her apartment. Since there are few smells I like better than fresh brewing coffee, I can live with that.

What do you like to smell?

Well, coffee brewing is one of my favorite smells. Another is a perfume I sometimes wear called Spring Flowers by Creed; they are one of the oldest perfumers in the world and made this perfume in honor of Audrey Hepburn. It really smells like spring to me, and like elegance--hey, that's how they sell perfume, right? They want you to buy into the fantasy. I feel like I have a lot to live up to when I wear Spring Flowers

I think the pheromone thing is real because I love the smell of my boyfriend--he smells like soap and home to me. I love to stick my nose in a glass of white wine that has a lot of grapefruit and citrus, that's a very summery smell to me. And I love the smell of apple cider with a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg, that's a fall smell, along with burning leaves. Who doesn't love the smell of burning leaves? The smell of baked apples makes me think of the house I grew up in, as does roasting chicken, two favorites my mom made a lot when I was growing up. My father has been gone for five years now, but I still remember his smell when he came home from work, where he did a hard physical job--all my life I've identified that smell, of sweat and metal, with masculinity and hard work and security; my dad was someone who made me feel very safe. Babies, that's another great smell, newborns especially; they smell pure and sweet, like baby powder and new life and hope.