Leslie here, pleased to welcome the marvelous Kim Davis to the coop, with a look at the not-so-fictional town where her Aromatherapy Apothecary mysteries are set. And she’s giving away a copy of the newest in the series, Essentials of Homicide to one lucky commenter! So, take it away, Kim:
Thank you, Leslie, and all the Chicks for hosting me today! I recently released Essentials of Homicide, the third book in my Aromatherapy Apothecary Mysteries, and I’m still celebrating. A couple of months ago, I took a day trip to “Oak Creek Valley” with my sidekick, Missy (a mini Goldendoodle), and revisited the small tourist town setting of the series.
It was fun seeing the town through the lens of my stories now that I’ve had three books in the series published, and visiting where my protagonist, Carissa, had her Aromatherapy Apothecary shop. Spanish influence inspired the “Arcade” where shops line the sidewalk, and I love the featured arches on the entire block.
We romped in the park where Carissa visits the farmers’ market every weekend, and where the movie filming took place during the story.
Missy and I loved meandering down the eucalyptus and oak tree-lined walking trails and remembering the sleuthing Carissa got up to while walking her own dog, Pixie.
Walking through the town, I was actually surprised how much of the town’s characteristics I used across the three books… it was like taking a trip down memory lane!
So how did I end up with “Oak Creek Valley”? For starters, it was my childhood town until the age of 14. I changed the true name of Ojai (pronounced Oh-High) to Oak Creek Valley since I don’t want to stick to all the actual facts of the town and wanted the liberty to change details as needed. Ojai is, in reality, a small tourist town (population less than 8,000) and is about 80 miles from Los Angeles. The town has attracted movie and television studios for on-location filming, starting in 1915 (a silent film!), and continues to this day. A fun factoid for those of a “certain” age: the TV program, The Six Million Dollar Man was filmed in Ojai, and as a kid, I got to go watch the action. In fact, my mom’s car ended up in one of the televised scenes parked right next to the post office bell tower!
The premise of Essentials of Homicide is that Hollywood has descended on Oak Creek Valley to film a murder mystery movie. Carissa’s best friend, Ashley, has rented out her home to the movie studio for a few months. When Ashley has a run-in with the bad-boy leading man playing the part of a homicide detective, she becomes the star suspect when he’s murdered.
I actually had the inside scoop on what it’s like renting out your home to a movie studio because my cousin and his family rented out their Ojai home for the movie Easy A for three months! I chatted at length with my cousin’s wife, and she graciously shared their experiences and answered all my questions.
Carissa also lands a part as an extra on set, which was inspired by my long-time hairstylist and her husband. They used to style hair for actors and actresses and have been extras on movie sets—like Saving Mr. Banks—several times… and more often, their vintage cars have appeared in films. They’ve regaled me with their stories over the years and were more than happy to answer questions and walk me through the process of being an extra. Because of the tedious nature of being a real-life extra, I ended up fictionalizing Carissa’s experience, lol.
A huge thank you to Leslie for inviting me to Chicks on the Case today! I hope you enjoyed visiting Carissa’s hometown alongside me. If you ever have a chance to visit Ojai, I highly recommend it… even Missy gives it two paws up for its friendliness to dogs and its fine dining that caters to furry friends!
About the book:
Hollywood has descended on Oak Creek Valley to film a murder mystery. Carissa Carmichael, owner of the Aromatherapy Apothecary, has a front-row seat to the bad-boy leading man’s escapades as she works with the production to bring soothing essential elements to the stressed-out crew.
When the movie set becomes a true crime scene, Carissa’s best friend becomes the star suspect. Instead of enjoying the thrills of lights, camera, and action, she’s thrust into untangling the secrets of the glamorous actors who all seem to hide something. While working behind the scenes to sniff out clues and clear her best friend’s name, Carissa must apply pressure and find the killer before someone else is written out for good.
Includes essential oil and reflexology tips, plus a recipe.
About Kim Davis:
Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series, the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series, along with The Board Game Chronicles, a middle-grade fantasy series. She is also one of the bloggers at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, where she indulges her passion for food and creating unique cupcake flavors.
She lives in Southern California with her husband and very rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for several plot lines… that is, when Missy lets her sit down to write. Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
To learn more, please visit:
http://kimdavisauthor.com/
Readers, for a chance to win a print copy of Essentials of Homicide (limited to U.S. residents), comment below and tell me if you’ve tried either aromatherapy or reflexology.
