Well, it's official. Boston had more snow this year than in their recorded history. I could get ultra dramatic and wail about the next ice age, (Hey, I might not be wrong) or I can just suck it up, like all of my New England ancestors had to do before me. My family has been in MA since 1635.
This brings me to thinking of those ancestors and how they survived our harsh winters. They didn't have plows or snow blowers. Heck, they didn't even have shovels when they got here! If not for the Indians, we would have been toast...or more accurately frozen bread dough.
They eventually learned to set stores aside, make lots of candles, and tell stories--but mostly to stay inside and stay warm while waiting it out. By this time each year, they must have been going stir-crazy. We still are! I took a picture of our thermometer yesterday at 9 a.m. in the bright sunshine, and it read 15 degrees.
But we do what we have to. We look at the pretty pictures of green grass and budding trees and eagerly anticipate their return. Yesterday I put on perfume and imagined I was smelling flowers all day. I know...pathetic, right?
I haven't made too big a deal about the weather in my Boston novels. Sure, there was a snow related blackout, and a snowy wedding in Strange Neighbors, but the next two books in that series took place in Boston's summer, fall, and early winter. Once the snow fell, they stayed inside.
The second series, Flirting with Fangs took place in spring, summer, and fall.
Maybe I shy away from winter stories on purpose? You bet I do! If I have to be someplace in my head for a few months, and I get to choose the weather, I'll duck out of the story before winter hits in full force if I can.
That said, my current work takes place from late summer all through the dead of winter. And my poor heroine in a female firefighter with Irish roots. She's not used to brutal winters at all--especially on ladders and rooftops with freezing water everywhere. I don't know how they do it.
Sometimes writers, and by traveling along with us readers too, will suddenly realize what some people have to put up with when the elements become a villain in the story. I've just given my characters their first mild day in months and it was St. Patrick's Day. (Not this year, for sure.)
As I feel the loosening of winter's noose, I look for ways to include that in my characters' lives. Maybe they'll get to go for a stroll down Commonwealth Ave. and sit on a bench for a few minutes. Maybe they'll watch the crocuses pop up in the Boston Public Gardens. Whatever they do, I'll be doing it along with them...and none too soon!
Right now I have to go and dig them out of a dilemma I created for them. I feel rotten for torturing them sometimes, but it's nothing that real people don't face--and without paranormal powers!
Here's some eye candy to get us over that last snowy hump.
Coming in Oct 2015, from Sourcebooks and Ashlyn Chase.
What's the weather like in your parts right now?
They eventually learned to set stores aside, make lots of candles, and tell stories--but mostly to stay inside and stay warm while waiting it out. By this time each year, they must have been going stir-crazy. We still are! I took a picture of our thermometer yesterday at 9 a.m. in the bright sunshine, and it read 15 degrees.
But we do what we have to. We look at the pretty pictures of green grass and budding trees and eagerly anticipate their return. Yesterday I put on perfume and imagined I was smelling flowers all day. I know...pathetic, right?
I haven't made too big a deal about the weather in my Boston novels. Sure, there was a snow related blackout, and a snowy wedding in Strange Neighbors, but the next two books in that series took place in Boston's summer, fall, and early winter. Once the snow fell, they stayed inside.
The second series, Flirting with Fangs took place in spring, summer, and fall.
Maybe I shy away from winter stories on purpose? You bet I do! If I have to be someplace in my head for a few months, and I get to choose the weather, I'll duck out of the story before winter hits in full force if I can.
That said, my current work takes place from late summer all through the dead of winter. And my poor heroine in a female firefighter with Irish roots. She's not used to brutal winters at all--especially on ladders and rooftops with freezing water everywhere. I don't know how they do it.
Sometimes writers, and by traveling along with us readers too, will suddenly realize what some people have to put up with when the elements become a villain in the story. I've just given my characters their first mild day in months and it was St. Patrick's Day. (Not this year, for sure.)
As I feel the loosening of winter's noose, I look for ways to include that in my characters' lives. Maybe they'll get to go for a stroll down Commonwealth Ave. and sit on a bench for a few minutes. Maybe they'll watch the crocuses pop up in the Boston Public Gardens. Whatever they do, I'll be doing it along with them...and none too soon!
Right now I have to go and dig them out of a dilemma I created for them. I feel rotten for torturing them sometimes, but it's nothing that real people don't face--and without paranormal powers!
Here's some eye candy to get us over that last snowy hump.
What's the weather like in your parts right now?
Great post! My family has always lived in the NE or Canada so I'm really good with weather ;). My mom's dad's family arrived on the second voyage of the Mayflower and my dad's came into Boston after escaping Russia in WWI.
ReplyDeleteToday it is chilly (27F) but sunny with bright blue sky. Last night it snowed - so all is good :).
I live in Texas, so I'm used to mild winters. I wouldn't mind being inside, but I don't know how parents stay sane with all the snow days.
ReplyDeleteI live in Iowa, so cold some days and then warm the others right now. Yesterday on my way to work we had a ice storm and then snow. Roads were not too bad. Today it is just chilly. We were lucky that he did not have a lot of snow this year.
ReplyDeleteWow. I have a friend in Iowa who has said it was. Horrible winter. Maybe it varies from place to place. Northern NH borders Canada and gets ridiculous weather. Luckily I'm almost on the Ma/ NH border.
DeleteTrue, Shana! And not all of those kids are as sweet and joyful as Princess Galen!
ReplyDeleteI live in Oregon and we cannot complain AT ALL this winter except that we'd have stored up all that snow you New Englanders didn't know what to do with, lol. We've had a VERY mild winter and it's now FINALLY getting that famous Oregon rain! We might even get some snow in the mountains so the ski resorts can open for the end of spring break, sigh...
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see how you are torturing your "poor" characters this time...October hurry :-)
Suddenly a west coast life sounds very tempting. LOL
DeleteI'm so glad you're looking forward to October. Release the dragons!
We had snow in PA last night. The forecast is all over the place - some nice days, some horrible days, the temperatures are up and down. yuk
ReplyDeleteIt's true. This time of year anything can happen!
DeleteHere in California it's dry, very dry, too dry. :(
ReplyDeleteCan we please have some of your water?
Wouldn't it be great if we could share the wealth? In a few weeks we'll probably have floods. Maybe not even weeks. It's supposed to rain all day Thursday and into Friday morning. Ugh.
DeleteFinally sunny here in my part of Miss. and 75 was the high! Can't wait for the next book!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Martha!
ReplyDelete75 sounds great. But it probably gets very hot there in the summer.
Yummy cover! And, of course, you caught my attention with the mention of dragons. It was 90 in my neck of the woods today, so we could have used just a little of your cooler temps!
ReplyDelete90 degrees? Where are you? I'll move there. *snicker*'
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