Dryer Sheets

In my YA novel, the magic is connected to people's senses. Because of this, since I started writing the novel in July, I've been more aware of what my senses take in. Right now I'm sitting in an old, beat-up recliner, feet up on another chair, laptop on my lap (fun how that works out) with the window behind me open.

All sorts of things come through the window. Light, heat, a nice breeze, the sound of crickets chirping (pretty sure there is a whole fleet of them out there tonight), the smell of the neighbor's barbecuing, the sound of the neighbor's kids and the other neighbor's motorcycle . . . Anything can come through.

Right now the smell of dryer sheets is wafting through the open window. The guy downstairs must be doing laundry. Just the scent of a dryer sheet brings back so many memories: clean towels, college, playing in my best friend's back yard as a kid, winter (not sure why), my parent's basement . . . the list goes on and on. Our senses are connected to so many other parts of our lives. It's amazing.