Let's Talk with Maggie Toussaint

Authors can get stumped when creating their story setting. Often we know a minimum about a place, but it’s important to have more than a physical description. Taking the time to layer details can come in handy later on, as I’ve found to be the case.

Using the example of The Book and Candle Shop in my A Magic Candle Shop Mystery Series, I needed to know what the shop looked like, what products were carried, what it smelled like, and even the vibe of the shop. I wanted it to be an amalgam of all the very “cool” shops I’d ever visited. Only, what did that encompass in actual details?

As someone who grew up in the 1960s and 70s, cool shops of the era were full of tie-dyed shirts, peace signs, slogan shirts, macrame, anklets, peace symbols, and plastic furniture in neon colors. That wasn’t what I had in mind. My fictional shop isn’t a clone of modern-day famous candle shops or full of tourist trinkets either… So what was it?

For starters, books and candles had to be included since that was the name of the shop. My amateur sleuth, Tabby Winslow, is a candlemaker and a soap maker, so she needs space for that. In my research, I learned that a stillroom is a separate place for crafters to work. That room is like a kitchen, only the cabinets, counters, heating elements, sinks, shelves, windowsills, closet, and even the floor space are dedicated to crafting. Tabby is very protective of her workspace.

Now, I have a storefront of candles, books, and soaps and a private back room for making products. Since my shop is in the historic part of Savannah, Georgia, I wanted cozy furniture in the shop by the book corner. For me, that’s white wicker with thick cushions and perhaps a large plant. The outside is a two-story hundred year old brick and large plate glass across the store front. The shop is in a block-long building of four store fronts with apartments on top. All the brick is painted white and the shop is in the southern end of the block, on the corner.

That’s all well and good, but it isn’t remarkable. What would make this shop stand out? For starters, the Savannah College of Art and Design inhabits many nearby downtown buildings. With such a plethora of artisans, it would be great to have one of a kind artwork in my fictional shop on a consignment basis. For this magic-based series, I decided to include mythical mini statues of dragons, phoenix, griffins, fairies, and more. I also wanted something melodic, and specially tuned wind chimes sounded perfect.

Beekeeping is also big in this area, and beeswax is a candle ingredient, so I added a vendor who makes lip balm out of her beeswax. Another vendor makes creams and lotions using natural products, another makes jewelry, and so on.

The shop is run by co-owners and twin sisters, Tabby and Sage Winslow. There are two shop clerks and two shop cats, Harley and Luna. My sleuth Tabby creates seasonal candles and the shop keeps a candle burning during high traffic hours, so the shop is always scented just enough to make customers savor more of it. Lastly, Sage has quite a way with plants, so lush ferns and other plants accent the interior.

Good energy from underneath the Book and Candle Shop refills the shop nightly with a great vibe. That feel-good current is vitally important to the Winslows, which is why the shop has been there for three generations. Using a bit of artistic license, I used an event of the city’s history (one of the mass graves from the yellow fever epidemics) to explain the energy reservoir. Since the location is near one of Savannah’s famous squares, it is prime real estate and has great visibility.

That coveted location led to plot points about developers trying to squeeze them out, and other” talented” people doing their best to thwart the Winslows in a multitude of ways. Which is exactly what I needed in a complex setting, after all, conflict is the engine of a mystery novel.

Do you have a favorite shop? One that you wish you could spend all day browsing inside? One where there are so many things to savor? Share in the comment section, and one person will win TALLOWED GROUND, the latest in the series. The book is available in digital and print format, but print is only available for those with a US mailing address.

Want to know more about author Valona Jones aka Maggie Toussaint? Visit her WEBSITE.

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