Scent of Triumph marks the first novel and third book from Scentsa CEO and beauty expert, Jan Moran. Scent of Triumph, a beautifully uplifting story, which takes place during World War II, and follows Danielle Bretancourt, a modern woman with a natural olfactory gift, through a journey of joy and heartache, love and loss, trials and success.
With the release of her newest book, we’ve sat down with author Jan Moran for a Q&A session.
Question: What was the inspiration behind Scent of Triumph?
Answer: Scent of Triumph was initially inspired by my love of perfumery, but the main character quickly took charge and began building a business, despite her many setbacks. I was inspired by female entrepreneurs from the early part of the 2oth century, such as Elizabeth Arden, Coco Chanel, Madame Gres, Nina Ricci, Estee Lauder, Eleanor Roosevelt, and many others in the beauty and fashion industries. Family is also vitally important in this story; Danielle’s love and devotion to her children is really the root of her ambition, as it is with many female entrepreneurs who wish to create a better life for themselves and their children. She is an ordinary woman, who achieves extraordinary things. Like any one of us can.
Question: What can modern women learn from Danielle?
Answer: The story of Danielle Bretancourt is really the story of a woman’s journey on the entrepreneur’s path. It’s a story of creativity and innovation, and of courage of convictions. Since the story begins in 1939, I had to understand the challenges that faced women at that time, such as the lack of credit or borrowing power for women who wanted to start their own business, among others. While opportunities have improved for women around the world, there are still so many women who suffer from inequalities, lack of knowledge, poor access to capital, and cultural oppression. For this story, I drew on memories from my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother – their memories of joy over gaining the right to vote, owning property in their name, and creating their own income. The challenges they faced and overcame inspired me to become an entrepreneur, and to help spread the word today about women’s entrepreneurial efforts as a positive economic force for change. My website has a list of organizations that offer advice and assistance to budding entrepreneurs – for women and men, at www.janmoran.com.
Question: We love the romantic aspect of Scent of Triumph, so tell us, what is your favorite romantic scent?
Answer: When I was writing Scent of Triumph, I created a cast of characters and imagined, what fragrances they would wear? How would perfume add to their characterization? What would their choices reveal about them? I used fragrances to reveal a character’s personality, heritage, or psychological nature. For example, Tabac Blond and Jicky were considered fairly avant-garde in the first part of the 20th century, so I gave these fabulous vintage scents to two of the more extravagant characters in the books. Personally, I adore Mitsouko, so this one has a special passage in the book, too.
Question: When did your love of perfumery first begin?
Answer: My love of perfumery was seeded by my mother and grandmother, who never left the house without perfume and lipstick. Fortunately, they had excellent taste and were generous with their knowledge.
Question: What’s your advice for authors just starting out?
Answer: Just begin! The journey begins with one step, or in this case, one paragraph or page. Then, edit and revise until you just can’t stand it anymore.
Order your copy of Scent of Triumph, now available for pre-sale on Amazon!
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