Photo credit: Betsy Woodman

Someone asked me how I thought of the title for this book. It came from an ear worm–adapted a bit.

Abinath, the pharmacist of Abinath’s Apothecary in my Jana Bibi series, is developing an alphabet of vitamins. He figures vitamins A, B, C, and so forth are all very well, but why stop with the ones everyone knows? He’s gotten to L. At the Giant Roller Skating Rink in the town of Hamara Nagar (Our Town), the current favorite song is Love Potion Number 9. Abinath can’t get it out of his head.

Jana says, how about going one better? Love Potion Number 10 has a ring to it, although the name is kind of long to fit on the label. Hence LPN10. Turns out it’s good for toothache and arthritis–but will it ease an aching heart?

The original song, Love Potion Number 9, was a 1959 hit recorded by the Clovers. A bunch of other bands did cover versions. The song was also featured in the film American Graffiti.

According to the indispensable Wikipedia, the Clovers had one version that ended, “I had so much fun that I’m going back again, I wonder what a-happen with–Love Potion Number Ten?”

Well…just about anything!