The Scent of a Soul by Jennifer ThompsonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Twenty six-year-old, Lilliah Woods, leaves her home of Winnemucca, Nevada to escape her ex-fiancé, Ryan Vitger. With little money, she moves into the slums to begin a new life. She has a mysterious neighbor, Marek Jamison, whom neighbors start to refer to as her guardian angel, because he is continually getting Lilliah out of trouble.
Lilliah is a genuine person that you cannot help but like. She is very giving and considerate of others even though she does not have much herself. She seems to have a knack for getting into trouble, somewhat due to her naivety.
Marek Jamison is hardly the guardian angel he is dubbed, but he is a good man/monster. He is fascinated by Lilliah’s scent. A scent he has not smelled since 1678, the same aroma of his deceased wife, Kirstie. Lilliah’s fragrance not only attracts Marek but others of his kind. Unfortunately, it attracts the worst fiend, his brother, Magnus.
Jennifer Thompson does an exceptional job with her debut novel, A Scent of Souls. She paints a vivid picture and does an extraordinary job with her character development. I look forward to reading her future work. I also congratulate her on being a 2013 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit Recipient.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Paperback, 484 pages
Published December 8th 2012 by CreateSpace
ISBN: 1478321784 (ISBN13: 9781478321781)
edition language: English
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Author Interview
I would like to thank Jennifer Thompson for taking the time for an author interview.1. How long did it take you to write The Scent of a Soul. It took me exactly five months to write The Scent of a Soul. But then, I spent 3 1/2 years editing it. When I first finished my novel it was about 213,000 words. I had two acquisition editors tell me that it need to be slimmed down, so I did. Now, it is at about 165,000 words after many, many...many editing sessions. But, I am very happy with how it turned out in the end.
2. Where do you get your ideas from? Well, as far as The Scent of a Soul goes, when I was in high school I read Bram Stoker's Dracula and was hooked from that moment with the paranormal, vampire element. My first year of college, I would make sure I was the first one down to the common room of my dormitory every Friday night so I could snag the TV remote. I loved watching Dark Shadows (the early 1990's version with Ben Cross---yes, I know, this dates me). ;-) I fell in love with Ben Cross' character, Barnabas Collins. He had been turned against his will and wanted to find a way to change back. He wanted to live a better life, better himself. I'm addicted to that theme in general: wanting to do better, be better, despite past transgressions. We all make mistakes or have tragedies shape our lives, but it's how we choose to deal with them that makes us who we are. The Scent of a Soul has a bit of that underlying theme.
Other ideas come from just letting my imagination roam.
3. What book are you reading now? I just finished an amazing book called, Fireweed, by Terry Montague about a German family's struggles during World War II, and I am now reading Odette: A Novel by Lauren K. Pomeroy. It's turning out to be a very interesting read.
4. What are your current projects? Right now, I'm working on my second novel, The Sound of a Silent Heart. It is an off-shoot from The Scent of a Soul and is Candice and Flynn's story. I just finished the climax and am about ready to do the wrap up, then it's on to the editing. I do not plan on taking 3 1/2 years to edited it, though. I've learned a few things about writing since starting The Scent of a Soul 4 1/2 years ago, and I'm a much different, and I think (hope) a better writer. :-)
5. Who designed the cover of The Scent of a Soul? I love talking about the cover of The Scent of a Soul because it was such a labor of love. My sister-in-law, Julie Thompson, did the cover design for my novel. She worked tirelessly to make it just right. I'm sad that everyone doesn't get to see the spine, because it is awesome; my brother, Boyd, helped her with it and the whole thing, from front cover to back cover (and everything in between), turned out amazing! My cover isn't as flashy or hormone driven as a lot of other paranormal books out there, but no one can deny that it is simply elegant; and that is exactly what I wanted the cover to say about the story that is The Scent of a Soul.
6. What was the hardest part of writing your book? The hardest part for me was writing Magnus (and all that surround him). It turn out to be dang hard for me to write evil.
7. Do you have any advice for other writers? Yes! Write, then re-write. And always, always let your story sit on a shelf (so-to-speak) for a while and marinate. When you go back, look for ways to improve your story; they'll come to you if you give it time.
Once again, I would like to thank Jennifer for taking time out for the interview and for the book giveaway.
You can find Jennifer at the following locations:
Jennifer Thompson Books
Goodreads
Scent of Soul is available at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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