Ever catch a scent that transports you back in time? I do. Sometimes I walk past a field or patch of sun-baked grass, mingled with the smell of wildflowers. They've poured out their scent into the heat. And a memory picture flashes into my mind and stays there.
I am five years old. Only a short walk from my house there is a depression filled with grass and daisies. I am picking flowers for my mom, and when I take them to the house, I hide them behind my back. I always see cartoon characters doing that whenever they bring someone flowers. So I do it too.
And then I'm back to that field or patch, and I'm not five anymore. It's almost exactly like this video clip from Ratatouille, except with smell, not taste. (The first 40 seconds.)
I guess my point is this: scent is a powerful thing. Don't forget to use it in your writing. Are there any smells that bring you to another time in your life? Are there any books that use the sense of smell in a significant or interesting way?
