Yes, summer
is actually here. I’m in Washington and a few days ago the temperatures were in
the low sixties. Today we should get up to the eighties. Time to get out the
Tan in a Can (my name for a fake tan so I can wear shorter pants).
Awhile back I
wrote about the seasons and how they can pertain to a story. For instance,
imagine your character chasing a bad guy on foot in the snow, rain or heat.
They can slip in the rain or snow, and they can drop from heat exhaustion in
the heat.
However,
there’s more to it than just the logistics of chasing someone.
Heat can be
your enemy in more ways than one. Tempers can flare easily when the temps are
in the triple digit range. Heat-related health problems can play a large part
in a mystery. Think Arizona when you think of heat. Trouble on the horizon?
Very possibly.
Have you ever
thought about the idea that bugs can be an issue? Different seasons bring out
different critters. Mosquitos, flies, spiders and yellow jackets can be very
annoying.
When it
snows, people would often rather stay inside and snuggle up with a good book or
a cup of hot chocolate and a movie. Others want to be outside where they can
ski or ride on a snowmobile.
I live in
Washington, and some people here suffer from sun-deprived depression. Yes, the
stories about frequent rain in the western part of the state are true. We can
go for days without seeing blue sky or the sun.
Spring and
fall. What can I say about those seasons? Generally it’s not too hot nor is it
too cold. Those are seasons to look forward to with joy.
Dogs want to
be walked no matter what the weather has in store. Life has to go on despite
the seasons. Our characters have to adjust to the time of year when the story
takes place.
Often authors
will use the seasons in a book about a specific holiday. I have a book
(Mysteries of Holt House) which involves all
of the seasons and several holidays.
I’m starting a
new book this week, and right now both spring and summer are on my mind. The location
will be Battle Ground, Washington. It’s a small, quaint town and the perfect
place for a murder mystery. I haven’t decided if the weather will play a part
in the story or not.
The weather
can even send a nosey neighbor scurrying inside to get out of the
heat/rain/snow. It might block their view while a crime is being committed. The
neighbor might be sure a murder is
taking place, but that danged blizzard got in the way and her binoculars were
of no help.
The ideas
about the seasons being involved in a story are endless. Actually, so are the
ideas about what that nosey neighbor might see, but that’s off topic.
This week’s
post is shorter than usual because I want to go enjoy some of the sunshine. My
sun tea should be just about ready. My vegetable garden probably needs
watering, and so do the plants. Having moved here from Arizona where there are
really only two seasons (hot and hotter), the garden is fun and the growing
season is… I don’t know about that yet. Guess I’ll find out. I put up a
mini-greenhouse, so maybe that will lengthen the growing season. I hope so.
Until next
time, think about the things you like to do and don’t like to do depending on
the weather – then think about how your experiences might be used in a story.
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