My name is Andromeda Clark, and I’m the owner of Tennessee River Soaps in Greenburg, Tennessee. I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to say that I’m the proud owner of a real business. I’m thirty-five and I’ve tried lots of homespun type businesses but nothing ever seemed to take off. Until now. The first time I ever made soap and sniffed the results, I knew I’d found a business I can stick with. Different scents can take us back to a favorite memory. For example, my cherries jubilee facial scrub makes some customers remember their favorite dessert. Or peachy keen brings them right back to peach-picking in grandma’s peach orchard. Lavender can help soothe stress. And the oats and goat’s milk bath salts are great for the skin. I’m all about bringing a bit of comfort to people.
Yet every business has a hard time getting started at first. My sweet, wonderful but often absent boyfriend Ben reminds me of this. Sometimes I’m not sure if he understands, with him out on the road long-haul trucking so much. I’m not complaining, really. Since you’ve never met him, I wouldn’t want to give you the wrong idea about the guy.
Back to the soaps, though. Before what happened at the store, I could hardly wait to see what happened after Charla Rae Thacker and her bridesmaids came for a morning of sampling my products. Charla and I actually perfected the cherries jubilee facial scrub together, which made me all the more heartsick over the whole situation. Not just about Charla, but about my business. After all, I intend my products to comfort, not kill.
First in the Scents of Murder series, A Suspicion of Strawberries follows Andi Clark’s journey to find a murderer in a cozy Tennessee River town, and her journey to the altar—if her longtime boyfriend Ben has anything to say about it.
Author Lynette Sowell loves to spin adventures for the characters who emerge from
story ideas in her head. She desires to take readers on an entertaining journey and hopes they catch a glimpse of God's truth along the way. Lynette is a Massachusetts transplant who lives in central Texas with her husband, two kids by love and marriage (what's a step-kid?), and five cats who have their humans well-trained. She loves to read, travel, spend time with her family, and also tries not to kill her houseplants, although her tropical hibiscus contemplated pressing charges after last winter. 
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10 comments:
Don't they say scent is the most long memoried of the five senses? It's more likely to awaken a memory than anything else?
I think of my Grandma when I smell wood smoke. She had a woodburning stove all the years I was growing up.
Dear Lynette,
Wow! Where can I buy Cherries Jubilee facial scrub??? Sounds delish! You should make some and market it with your book. I'd love some.
Hey! Thanks for stopping by, y'all! It's true, scents can bring up lots of memories.
As far as the cherry scrub goes, I'm actually going to see if the real soap store that gave me some inspiration for my book can help me out with some marketing products, too. :)
I agree, Lynette. Scent is so powerful. My dad is carpentar, so when I smell wood and construction, it takes me back to all those summers when Dad would show us a new house he was building.
This is a weird one... Whenever I smell Jontue (the perfume) I can "see" myself in my college dorm room, standing in front of the mirror, getting ready for class. Isn't that nuts?! The sense of smell is great.
Now, if ONLY I had some books to smell. When, oh when are my mysteries going to arrive?!
I love strawberries, and now I have to be suspicious? Omy, can't wait to read your book. What fun!
Sounds like fun. I can almost smell the soaps. Can't wait to read it.
Okay, writer's confession time. The whole IRONY in this series for me is that I have year 'round allergies. I've spent so much of my life congested, sometimes I miss all but the stongest smells (like raw onions, or if my dh had beans for lunch). So SMELL is one of the five senses I'm slowest at recognizing...and adding to my writing... which reminds me. I have edits to return to. :
You know i would be suspicious of strawberries too! I am afraid im one of the few in the world who absolutely hates strawberries.
Certain lotions take me back to hotels i have stayed in or different areas. Wood smoke well thats our house! we have an open fire.
I think smell is like sound and songs. I cant listen to one of Randy Stonehall's cd's cos it reminds me of some books i was reading about the mormans they were intense and never ending a 3 book series that could have been done in 1 and a half but the books did give alot of insight but if i hear his cd it takes me back there and i cant listen to it.
I loved this book. Such a good job, Lynette! It's set in a place I'm well familiar with and even had my childhood love--chocolate gravy! You HAVE to share the recipe you have, ok?
As the daughter of a long haul trucker, I understand the lifestyle and the hang ups Andi has with being in love with one. And the Tennessee River--ahhhh. Home.
Good one to kick off my stack of Spyglass Mysteries. I'll be telling all my friends and Tennessee relatives about it.
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