Wednesday, April 6, 2022

A Kernel of Truth Part Two by Sherry Harris


LUCY BURDETTE: Hurray for our friend Sherry Harris's new book! We knew her back in the days before she was published and she's come so far, and given a lot back to the community--welcome Sherry!



SHERRY HARRIS: First, Happy fifteenth anniversary to the Reds! Think of all the joy you’ve given me along with all your readers, all the books I’ve discovered, all the writing tips, the laughter, and the tears. To be a tiny part of this has been a treat. I checked and my first blog post for the Reds was in December 2014. What a way to celebrate a debut book! Thanks, Lucy and Reds for your continued generosity and support! I’m thrilled to be back to celebrate the third book in my Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon mysteries, Three Shots to the Wind.


During my visit last August after A Time to Swill released, I talked about how a real story led to my fictional one. You can read it here.


An incident that occurred years ago while I was visiting family in Destin, Florida was part of the spark for Three Shots to the Wind. It’s a little dark so skip this paragraph if you need to. We were leaving Destin Commons—an outdoor shopping mall—and drove by a small pond on the way home. I glanced at it, thought, that’s an odd-looking orange log, but didn’t have time for a second look. You can probably guess where this is going. The next morning the newspaper had an article about a body being found in that pond. Okay, so that wasn’t a log, I’d glimpsed. At the time it never occurred to me that incident would ever spark a story.



The series is set in the Florida Panhandle so another element I wanted to use in Three Shots to the Wind was something unique to South Walton County Florida – the coastal dune lakes. There are only a few spots in the entire world that have them: Australia, Madagascar, Oregon, New Zealand, and the Florida Panhandle. South Walton County has fifteen of them and I put one of them near Chloe Jackson’s house when I wrote the first book. She runs by it almost every day. 

This is how I describe it in From Beer to Eternity: I passed the lake, seventy-five yards, three-quarters of a football field to my right. Compared to Lake Michigan, this was a pond that was given the grander name of lake. It was surrounded by pines on three sides. Giants protecting lily pad–covered water. Monet probably would have liked to paint the scene given the chance. I hoped there weren’t any alligators in the lake. 




But what do coastal dune lakes have to do with a body? In Three Shots to the Wind Chloe is out for a run and this happens: As I ran toward the coastal dune lake that was between the preserve and my house, I spotted Deputy Biffle walking toward a man who was gesturing wildly at the lake. Coastal dune lakes were unique because of their close proximity to the Gulf, their shallow depth, and because there weren’t many places in the world that had them. I heard sirens wailing. This couldn’t be good.


It wasn’t and Chloe’s life is about to get very complicated. If you’re curious about coastal dune lakes here’s an interesting article.  Weaving those two things together led me down a dark and yet funny path where Chloe’s past life in Chicago collides with the present. 


Readers: Is there a natural phenomenon you love? I’ll give away a copy of Three Shots to the Wind to someone who leaves a comment. 


Bio: Sherry Harris is the Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale mystery series and the Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon mysteries. Sherry is a past president of Sisters in Crime, a member of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, the New England Chapter of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Sherry loves books, beaches, bars, and bargain hunting — not necessarily in that order. She is also a patent holding inventor.

Blog: https://wickedauthors.com/

Twitter: Sharrisauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SherryHarrisauthor

Instagram: SherryHarrisAuthor

Website: https://sherryharrisauthor.com

Chloe’s Windy City ex-fiancĂ© gets blown away in the Florida panhandle . . .
 
DEAD EXES TELL NO TALES
 

Saloon owner Chloe Jackson appears to have a secret admirer. She’s pouring drinks at the Sea Glass Saloon in Emerald Cove when an airplane flies by above the beach with a banner reading I LOVE YOU CHLOE JACKSON. She immediately rules out Rip Barnett. They are in the early stages of dating and no one has said the L word. Then a bouquet of lilacs—her favorite flower—is delivered to the bar, followed by an expensive bottle of her favorite sparkling wine. It couldn’t be . . .
 
Sure enough, her ex-fiancĂ© from Chicago has flown down to Florida for an accountants’ convention. But is he trying to mix business with pleasure and win her back? Unfortunately he’s not in a hotel conference room, he’s floating facedown in the lake next to her house, clutching a photo of Chloe. Who murders an accountant on a business trip—it just doesn’t add up. When Rip becomes the prime suspect, Chloe is determined to find the secret murderer. But if she isn’t careful, it may be closing time and lights out for her . . .

62 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Sherry, on your new book. It sounds as if Chloe has quite a mystery on her hands . . . .

    There are lots of natural wonders where we live in the Pine Barrens . . . unusual butterflies, tree frogs, pygmy pine trees . . . but I have to confess to having a special love for the deer who wander through the yard all the time.

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  2. Bravo, Sherry! I picked up my copy of the book yesterday and can't wait to dive in.

    How are coastal dune lakes different from lagoons, I wonder.

    I love watching clouds, when I remember to sit still and look up. I saw some that looked like a staircase to heaven a few weeks ago!

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  3. Congratulations on your book release. Your book is next in my reading queue.

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  4. SHERRY: Welcome back to JRW and congratulations on your newest Sea Glass Saloom mystery.
    Not surprising, my fave natural phenomenon happens in Ottawa's rivers
    Here is a web link
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_circle#:~:text=Ice%20discs%2C%20ice%20circles%2C%20ice,a%20body%20of%20water's%20surface.


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    1. Very interesting! You have amazing places to walk!

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    2. Thanks, it is fun to walk in Ottawa all year round, including winter

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  5. Can't wait to get Chloe's next adventure in my hands. Welcome to BTL Sherry, and congratulations.
    Of course I must nit pick, Washington State has dune lakes too. On he Long Beach peninsula, Loomis Lake, and Island Lake mimic the shape of the peninsula, -long and pointy. The first time I saw a coot taking off to fly by running across yards of water was on Loomis Lake. I felt like applauding its accomplishment.
    That bird has flown long ago. Today I can applaud your many accomplishments. Well done. Go Chole.

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    1. Very interesting! I never found them mentioned there in all of my research! Thanks for letting me know.

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  6. Congratulations on the new book, Sherry! I like the caves down at Laurel Caverns. If memory serves, they have a boat tour, as well as caving trips.

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    1. Caves seem like a natural setting for crime fiction. Did you ever read Nevada Barr's BLIND DESCENT? Scared me to death!

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    2. Lucy, I second that thought! Blind Descent is one book I will NEVER re-read--great book, but terrified me.

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    3. Yes, Blind Descent was a scary read and I am not claustrophobic!

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    4. I never read it and now I'm thinking I have to!

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  7. Sherry, I love this series. This book is on the top of my TBR list. If that pile/list wasn't so out of control, I'd reread the first two because they are so very good!

    Thanks for the info on dune lakes. It's interesting to read about rare natural phenomenae.

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    1. I'm so glad you love the series. I saw those lakes for years before I read about them!

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  8. Happy book birthday, Sherry! Always good to know you have a new book.

    Remember geography class in school? They missed a LOT of things! I had no idea about coastal dune lakes.

    My personal favorite natural phenomenon is one that is unique to the United States, cypress swamps. Nearly all of them are in a handful of southern states. I got to spend a lot of time in them because of the book that comes up if you Google "books about cypress swamps". John Dennis hired my husband to take all the photos for his work Great Cypress Swamps, published in 1988. I'm in at least one of the photos, walking away on a boardwalk in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Florida.

    Swamps sound icky, don't they? They're unique ecosystems that actually provide a valuable process in their environment, and they host a teeming amount of flora and fauna. And they can be heartbreakingly beautiful.

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    1. That is so cool, Karen! I've been to a cypress swamp before but now I want to go back.

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    2. Kren, this reminds me of a swamp walk we took in New Hampshire on one of our camping trips when the kids were young. We were looking for a quick walk before going back to make dinner. It was only about 2 miles, so we choose it. OMG It turned into a Swamp Run when the mosquitos found us. We were a lot younger then!!

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  9. Sherry, this post is a timely reminder to myself--don't forget to add this series to my kindle! I love the Florida panhandle region, but wasn't aware of the dune lakes. That's part of the fun about reading--you don't have to be reading a geography textbook to learn new things!

    One natural feature we have locally is a freshwater estuary (keeping with the water theme). Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Preserve (a name that harkens back to settlement of the area by Euroamericans) is one of Ohio's few remaining examples of a natural estuary. If you're lucky when hiking there, you can see bald eagles (and the biggest bunnies ever to be seen anywhere, according to my grand-nephew).

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    1. Oh, that sounds like an amazing place! I had to look it up.

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  10. Dune lakes! Who knew...? Congratulations on the new book, Sherry! You're a seasoned pro at this.

    Second the vote for cypress swamps - when I was in Buford SC a friend took me for a drive to see them and I could not stop oohing and ahing and taking pictures. Magical. In terms of awesome I also vote for snow squalls, totally terrifying and magnificent and then... it's over.

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    1. And the swamps have such great names! Was that Sparkleberry Swamp, Hallie?

      I love the Great Dismal, and of course there's also Stumphole and Corkscrew, among others.

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    2. Now, I'm definitely going to have to go back to a cypress swamp! When I lived in Wyoming I went through a few whiteouts. You are right--they are terrifying and fascinating!

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  12. Oh, hurray, hurray! I remember when your author life was jus a dream, and NOW look at you! YAAAYYY!
    SO agree about snow squalls, Hallie. I have one in one of my books, and I always had a secret worry that no one would believe such things really happen.
    I also love the way the atmosphere changes just before a storm--how the sky gets green-gray and the light almost glares.

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    1. Thanks, Hank! You all have been such an inspiration and support!

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  13. Watching caterpillars become pupae and then watching the butterflies emerge

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  14. Congratulations on book No. 3, Sherry! I'm off to catch up on book No. 1.

    Manitoba has two giant lakes in it -- Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg. Our cottage sits right on the shore of Lake Winnipeg, which we here call an inland ocean, that's how huge it is. Should really be included in the Great Lakes, but isn't. Regardless, it's so wonderful to watch the water and the waves and the sky and the birds. Natural wonders all.

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    1. Sherry: I've just read the article you linked to on coastal dune lakes: fascinating!

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    2. That sound magnificent! I don't think I'd get anything done! I'm so glad you enjoyed the article!

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  15. This sounds like a great series! And coastal dune lakes sound fascinating. I love drumlins, kettle holes, eskers, and kames.

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    1. I'd never heard of drumlins before so I learned something today!

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  16. Congratulations on your latest book, Sherry.

    On trips to Washington state, I remember driving past the Oregon dunes with dune buggies driving all over them. I hope that recreational practice has stopped. I just can't imagine that activity is good for the dunes.

    I love the the Redwood Empire. Those trees are beautiful.

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    1. Redwood trees are so beautiful. I hope they've stopped that practice too. I know in the Florida Panhandle they are very protective of the dunes now. They weren't always.

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  17. Great post, Sherry! Thanks so much for popping in. I love this series and can’t wait to read the next one!

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  18. Congratulations on your new book, Sherry! I recall meeting you at mystery conferences and it's always wonderful to see you and your books.

    Definitely can think of at least one motive for killing an accountant. Perhaps it has something to do with a client trying to hide illegal funds (thinking of criminal ways of earning wealth like extortion or drugs?) or a client who is an "underworld criminal"?

    Great post! I cannot recall when I started reading Jungle Reds, so I'll check out your first blog post from 2014. That was the same year I went to the Book Passage mystery writing workshops.

    Diana

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  19. This is another fabulous book. Don't miss it!

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    1. Thank you so much, Mark! I appreciate your support!

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  20. Can't wait to read THREE SHOTS TO THE WIND Sherry! Thanks for the link to the video on dune lakes, fascinating! Now I have another place to visit on my bucket list.
    I live near three small lakes here in NE, and walk near them almost every day. It is very relaxing,, but as a mystery writer I also think - HMMMM, what if there was something floating in there that doesn't belong?

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed learning about coastal dune lakes! It's hard for us mystery writers not to imagine something as we walk, right?!

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  21. Congratulations on the new book, Sherry! I can't wait to read it!

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  22. Congratulations on the new book, Sherry! I've been to Destin and never heard of the coastal dune lakes! Now I need to go back and check them out! Can't wait to read about Chloe's latest adventure and how the lakes figure in.

    Natural phenomena - Northern Lights. I'd not seen them before we came to Maine and they are spectacular. More so because of their rarity.

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  23. Congratulations on the the new book!

    One of my favourite natural wonders are the mud pots at Yellowstone. They made me laugh so hard.
    Craters filled with boiling hot mud that make the greatest sound. Pfwwp, Pfwop, ppplop.

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    1. They are incredible! My in-laws lived near Yellowstone so I've been many times.

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  24. Niagara Falls amazes me every time I see them. Another one of my favorite attractions is the Picture Rocks National Lakeshore in Munsing, Michigan. It's on the shores of Lake Superior and is a great place to visit.

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    1. I've never heard of Picture Rocks before! The pictures look stunning! And I agree Niagara Falls is spectacular!

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  25. We'd vacationed many years ago at Destin but I never knew about the dune lakes. I was too entranced with the white sand and the beautiful color of the water at the beach. I have always loved the huge live oaks of the South. They're emblematic of an entire region starting with central Texas and heading east. Congratulations on your latest Sea Glass Saloon book!

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    1. The sand in Destin is a sight to behold! I love seeing live oaks too and thank you!

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  26. Congratulations on your new book, Sherry! You always have some of my favorite titles, so clever. When you started talking about coastal dune lakes, I knew I would be headed down some rabbit holes. I'm going to look at the link you provided for it first. It also got me thinking about my own state's geographic points of interest. The first thing that came to mind was Mammoth Cave, the world's longest known cave system. It's just an hour and a half from me. I've only been there a couple of times, as I'm not crazy about being underground, but it is magnificent. So, now I'm off to look at the coastal dune lakes. Thanks for stopping by the Reds with your fascinating post, and Three Shots to the Wind sounds like a great read.

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  27. Lakes vs ponds
    In south Florida if it's bigger than a puddle, it's called a "lake".
    In Maine if it's smaller than the ocean, it's called a "pond".
    Go figure.

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    1. There is a "lake" where I live in Northern Virginia that I would have called a pond growing up in Iowa!

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