Daryl Wood Gerber, author of Murder in a Lavender Daze, the latest novel in the Aroma Wellness mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Daryl.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Murder in a Lavender Daze is the 2^nd in the Aroma Wellness Mysteries.  The series takes place in Carmel-by-the-Sea and features a spa owner, Emma Brennan, and her grandmother Lissa Reade, who is her partner and also the head librarian in Carmel. Emma wants to inspire everyone to breathe and meditate and be kind to their bodies and spirit.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I worked on the idea with my editor. We wanted a mystery series that would deal with health and healing. I was already writing the Fairy Garden Mysteries, set in Carmel, and asked if I could set this series there, too. Carmel is a charming and very spiritual kind of place. Whenever I visit, I feel restored.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

Healing is the theme for the series. In this particular story, Addison Lacey, a regular customer at the spa, is divorcing her husband of eight years. To kick off her journey toward becoming a better version of herself, Addison wants to celebrate with her friends and family at the spa by throwing a Happily Divorced Party. The idea came when I saw a vivacious group of women on a pedal-style open-air bus drinking and whooping it up. They were merely along for the ride; the driver did all the real pedalling. Anyway, I wondered what they might be celebrating. My writing group came up with a few ideas and the divorce party sounded perfect.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

I try to understand each of my characters’ journeys. For Emma, as a young girl, she learned from her aunt about crystals and healing and essential oils. I thought about how she might have then found her way to opening a spa as a career. After graduating college, she went to Tibet to learn meditation. When she came home, her enthusiasm thrilled her grandmother, who wanted to invest with her. I can relate to Emma’s need for peace and healing. I do get regular massages, and I do everything I can to keep my body and mind humming. Writing helps.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

Carmel is a real town, so I am able to draw from the location. The ocean is nearby. There are hiking trails and golf courses and such. Many people bicycle. I like to have Emma go outside to take in the environment. She walks from her place to work or to the beach. Her cousin is a cyclist. There are shop owners and visitors to Carmel who frequent the spa or the spa’s café. Emma also participates in classes and events in Carmel, like tai chi classes or fairy garden workshops or library literacy events.  At these events, we meet many of the characters with whom she associates.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

As a girl, I visited Carmel often. I’ve always enjoyed the galleries and the restaurants. Once I chose it as my location, I have visited the town many times. On one of my visits, I toured all the secret passages and courtyards that Carmel is noted for. On another, I took a self-guided walking tour.

Other research has included visits to crystals and essential oil shops. In addition, I participated in a sound bath so I could understand the technique. It was very calming. I highly recommend it!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

I hope the readers will enjoy Emma’s journey, her friends, and her family.  I hope they will feel supportive of Addison as she discovers more about herself and as she mourns the loss of her mother. I hope they’ll enjoy Addison’s quirky friends, too.  Loving ones friends and extended family is a vital theme in many of my books.

Thank you for answering my questions, Daryl, and good luck with Murder in a Lavender Daze, the latest book in the Aroma Wellness mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Daryl Wood Gerber by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Instagram, BookBub, Goodreads and YouTube pages. You can also follow her on BlueSky @darylwoodgerber.bsky.social.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – Website

About Daryl Wood Gerber: Daryl is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries, and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels, including the well-received Accidental Murder, The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams trilogy. Daryl has published a standalone Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays, and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also, she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.