Friday, March 28, 2014

Weather Is Part of the Story

Weather plays a part in each of my books. Though a novel may start in one month and end in a another, the weather is a big factor in each story, often providing delightful plot twists. 

My first published book, Sea Of Hope, starts off with a nor'easter. The Company You Keep, set in January, involves lots of snow. For muggy summertime heat, I have Heaven's Blue. I've set three books in the month of March, which I can only blame on a fondness for springtime. 

Since I've lived in New Jersey all my life and my books are set in either New Jersey, Pennsylvania,  or New York, I am very familiar with the vagaries in the climate. Often, I'll write or edit a summertime book in the dead of winter, and I find that a pleasant pursuit because I can close my eyes and dream of all the wonderful things summertime offers. On the other hand, writing about winter when it's miserably hot outside offers a nice contrast as well.

When I wrote The Pirate's Wraith I took a vacation in my mind. That book starts off in October, but quickly switches to the Caribbean for some endless summer. 

What's your favorite time of the year? When you choose a book to read, do you look for one with a particular season in mind? 

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