What is it about writers and chocolate? My
experience at a recent writers conference made me ponder the question.
I know my fellow LoveCats have shared tales from the recent
Romance Writers of Australia conference in Adelaide, South Australia, so I
won’t go over ground already covered.
Suffice to say it was a fabulous conference.
As usual, the generosity and friendship of fellow romance writers was the
highlight. The conference was held in the most wonderful spot right on the
beach and if I can go back to Glenelg any time soon I will!
South Australia is known as home to
wonderful wineries. But it’s also been home to a wonderful chocolate brand,
made there since 1915. The Haigh’s chocolate shop was five minutes walk from
the conference hotel. Each delegate got a discount voucher for Haigh’s and I
suspect a high number of them were redeemed.
I lost count of the number of times people
at the conference asked me, “Have you been to Haigh’s yet?”
“Um, yes, three times already,” would be my
reply.
The delightful staff at Haigh’s told me they were inundated with romance writers. The Aprichocs, a nugget of
apricot enrobed in chocolate was my favorite—a nice thing to buy in SA, a state
known for producing apricots. Then there were the choc-coated liquorice
bullets. And the chocolate frogs, particularly the giant 375 super frog.
I suspect my room-mate and I were not the
only romance writers nibbling on chocolate in their rooms. We actually ate so
much of it, we felt we’d come down from a high when we went home and were
craving chocolate for days.
Chocolate has fired many a deadline for me.
Does it help me write better, or help reduce stress? Chocolate contains phenethylamine, said to be a natural
anti-depressant (dark chocolate has the most). Eating chocolate releases endorphins—the so-called “feel-good”
hormones in the brain. If eating chocolate makes us feel better, perhaps that
kick starts our creative processes and we write better stories.
So writers need chocolate because it helps
us write better and more effectively. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking
it!
Oh dear, I’ve just visited the Haigh’s
website to check spelling—and they do mail order…
Are you a chocoholic or not? Do you have a
favourite treat? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Note: Stock photos - not Haigh's (They didn't last long enough to be photographed.)
