November 22, 2020 · 3:12 pm
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THE BLACK NARCISSUS INTERVIEW BY FRAGROOM, SOUTH AFRICA

Neil Chapman Interview: Author Of Perfume: In Search Of Your Signature Scent

18 Comments

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18 responses to “THE BLACK NARCISSUS INTERVIEW BY FRAGROOM, SOUTH AFRICA”

  1. Nelleke Oepkes aka Booknose
    November 22, 2020 at 6:06 pm

    I love the growling and the purring of the big felines. One of my guilty, if ever so, pleasures!
    Thank you for posting this interview. Nice to read about you: changing the perspective.
    And so glad to hear that your writing The Black Narcissus is as essential to you as my reading The Black Narcissus is to me! Miles to go before I sleep.

    Reply
  2. Tara C
    November 23, 2020 at 7:00 am

    Very interesting interview and loved all the great photos! Well done both of you.

    Reply
    • ginzaintherain
      November 23, 2020 at 11:26 am

      Thanks Tara.

      One of the best things about this perfume universe we inhabit is definitely meeting people from all over the world. The internet is extremely dangerous, as we know from the current horror, but has also been the complete source of my liberation. I was lonely and isolated before we had the chance to just meet at the touch of a computer key…

      Reply
    • fragroom
      November 23, 2020 at 4:22 pm

      Many thanks, Tara, for the lovely compliment.

      Reply
  3. Robin
    November 23, 2020 at 10:35 am

    “This will probably sound like false modesty, but I haven’t really. I find both criticism and praise quite embarrassing” —

    I found this hopelessly endearing.

    Your comments flowed along nicely, dear Neil. Enjoyed it. I thought your mention of both Rogue and Dusita interesting: those are two of the very, very few small, independent fragrance labels I’ve purchased from in recent years, along with Papillon and . . . hmm, I think that’s it. Oh, yes, Sonoma Scent Studio and our own Calgary-based Libertine. You’ve mentioned several other houses but they haven’t been available here in B.C. I have a feeling we both have similar ideas about what constitutes a perfume that is worthy of the price.

    I liked what you had to to say about your lack of involvement with social media platforms. As long as you love writing at length here, your fans are happy. I know a couple of people have stopped blogging and switched to Instagram et al — one pic every few days, a few words, done in 30 seconds — but I would die of starvation if you decided to stop writing at length. I would. WE would! We need your ideas and I’m glad you need to write.

    Bravo once again.

    Reply
    • ginzaintherain
      November 23, 2020 at 11:33 am

      Thanks Robin. I always come across over earnest in interviews ( you know my rabid and furiously scathing side which pops up here a lot), but aside being very pleased that my book has great reviews on Amazon, I haven’t scrolled through them ; maybe I will one day when I am washed up and need my ego boosting – perhaps I should print out the reviews for posterity. I loved one comment I did read though which said a woman sent it back to the shop because she was outraged I had implicitly criticized Donald Trump witting the perfume reviews !

      As for social media, Instagram etc – it is exactly as I say; am literally like a psychic sponge that absorbs everything with no protective membranes – everything is constantly flowing in and out – and too much self promotion or reading others’ just makes me mentally sick. Silence and space are ESSENTIAL for sanity.

      Reply
    • ginzaintherain
      November 23, 2020 at 11:35 am

      The idea of just tweeting or YouTubing out blurb about some new release for the sake of being current and ‘trending ‘bores my brains out – or do I sound snooty?

      Reply
      • ginzaintherain
        November 23, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        On the other hand, obviously, without social media now you can’t have anything noticed by other people, and some quite interesting events happen and are organised by online communities.

        Like

        https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-a-nose-neil-chapman-tickets-128573311235

      • Robin
        November 24, 2020 at 7:43 am

        That Meet a Nose looks like a great idea. Not for an oldster like me who feels discombobulated even with a two-minute FaceTime visit — I get queasy just thinking about it — but for everyone else who enjoys those kinds of things. I know it will be wonderful and I wish you every success with it.

        No, you don’t sound snooty. And I wouldn’t be interesting in reading anyone’s current and trending tweet. The idea of keeping up with the very latest bores me and irritates me a little. There’s far too much of that going on right now. It’s overload just to know about it even if I stay away from that whole bunch of chatter. Just noise. You are wise and self-preserving!

      • ginzaintherain
        November 24, 2020 at 8:51 am

        This is good to hear: thank you! These things need navigating..

  4. fragroom
    November 23, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    Thank you so much, Neil, for sharing the interview.

    Reply
  5. brielle87
    November 25, 2020 at 1:40 am

    That was such a wonderful interview!! I loved the photos as well.

    Reply

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