Baby, It's Cold Outside
First things first. You might notice some changes to our site. No, you aren't seeing things, we're in the process of revamping, so to speak. We have some big things on the horizon as we approach our one year anniversary, so stay tuned. More to come on that later.
Now, on to the meat of the day...
It's cold today. Really cold. In the teens this morning. My windshield is totally iced over, and as luck would have it, I can't find the scraper anywhere. Which means if I plan to leave the house, I have to let the car warm up for at least twenty minutes before loading the Gremlins inside. Not so much fun, esp. when I'm (for some insane reason) paranoid about leaving the car running outside while I'm inside and can't see it. A smart person would fix this problem by parking their car in their garage, but alas, you haven't seen my garage. Let's just simply say - no room.
So as I sit here this morning, drinking my coffee, contemplating bundling myself up to go to the gym - which actually seems counterproductive on a morning like this - I got to thinking about my WIP and t
he pages I managed to squeak out last night. That of course led me to thinking about anything else on the planet because when it comes to this WIP, I am the queen of procrastination. So instead of opening the doc, I glanced out the window and saw...frost. Lots and lots of sparkling ice crystals and white-covered yards. And you know what I discovered? I'm nuts.
Here it is January, freezing temps, and I'm writing a book set in the snow. What was I thinking? Coincidence? You might say no, but actually it is considering I started this book back in Sept. and shelved it while I finished something else. September, remember, is a great time of year in the Pacific Northwest. Mild temps, lots of sun, great outdoor weather. When it's nice outside here, I often think about how romantic snowy weather is. But now that I'm smack dab in the middle of said freezing temps, I realize just how twisted my thinking has become.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love the snow and cold weather - when it happens and when it only lasts a brief amount of time. But when you set a book in the middle of a blizzard it kind of limits your characters' "outside time", unless that outside time consists of freezing their asses off and turning into popsicles. Not too sexy when you think about it. And when that book is an RS where characters are constantly in motion and things are happening happening happening? It severely limits how and what you write.
To fix this small corner I've written myself into, I wrote a scene last night that involved my villain. In a very warm, dry climate. Got my juices flowing. My hero and heroine are going to need to quickly get out of the snow, on a plane and headed somewhere warm if I'm going to get cracking on this thing. It works for the plot, but mostly - in the midst of my own winter blast - it works for my state of mind.
So procrastinate with me for a few minutes (you know you want to). Do the books you read or write correlate to the seasons? Are they similar or opposite to what you're experiencing where you live? And if you live in a temperate climate, please share the wealth. I want to hear about shorts and tank tops and the warmth of the sun on your bare skin. Seriously. I'm in need of something hot.
Now, on to the meat of the day...
It's cold today. Really cold. In the teens this morning. My windshield is totally iced over, and as luck would have it, I can't find the scraper anywhere. Which means if I plan to leave the house, I have to let the car warm up for at least twenty minutes before loading the Gremlins inside. Not so much fun, esp. when I'm (for some insane reason) paranoid about leaving the car running outside while I'm inside and can't see it. A smart person would fix this problem by parking their car in their garage, but alas, you haven't seen my garage. Let's just simply say - no room.
So as I sit here this morning, drinking my coffee, contemplating bundling myself up to go to the gym - which actually seems counterproductive on a morning like this - I got to thinking about my WIP and t
he pages I managed to squeak out last night. That of course led me to thinking about anything else on the planet because when it comes to this WIP, I am the queen of procrastination. So instead of opening the doc, I glanced out the window and saw...frost. Lots and lots of sparkling ice crystals and white-covered yards. And you know what I discovered? I'm nuts.Here it is January, freezing temps, and I'm writing a book set in the snow. What was I thinking? Coincidence? You might say no, but actually it is considering I started this book back in Sept. and shelved it while I finished something else. September, remember, is a great time of year in the Pacific Northwest. Mild temps, lots of sun, great outdoor weather. When it's nice outside here, I often think about how romantic snowy weather is. But now that I'm smack dab in the middle of said freezing temps, I realize just how twisted my thinking has become.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love the snow and cold weather - when it happens and when it only lasts a brief amount of time. But when you set a book in the middle of a blizzard it kind of limits your characters' "outside time", unless that outside time consists of freezing their asses off and turning into popsicles. Not too sexy when you think about it. And when that book is an RS where characters are constantly in motion and things are happening happening happening? It severely limits how and what you write.
To fix this small corner I've written myself into, I wrote a scene last night that involved my villain. In a very warm, dry climate. Got my juices flowing. My hero and heroine are going to need to quickly get out of the snow, on a plane and headed somewhere warm if I'm going to get cracking on this thing. It works for the plot, but mostly - in the midst of my own winter blast - it works for my state of mind.
So procrastinate with me for a few minutes (you know you want to). Do the books you read or write correlate to the seasons? Are they similar or opposite to what you're experiencing where you live? And if you live in a temperate climate, please share the wealth. I want to hear about shorts and tank tops and the warmth of the sun on your bare skin. Seriously. I'm in need of something hot.
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 8:49 AM
6Comments:
Well, I guess I won't mention it's 74 and sunny here today . . .
Although it will be cold and rainy the next few days. Our SOWEGA weather has multiple personalities during the winter.
My books, because of their Southern settings, usually involve hot (or at least temperate weather). I don't do snow in real life, so why would I do snow in fiction?
I actually love being steeped in whatever weather I'm writing. It helps me get into the setting, write it more descriptively, think of it in fresh new ways.
Nothing better than stepping outside the front door and looking at the frost sparkling on your lawn to get some inspiration, or feeling the sweat trickle down your back while the sun blazes down on you to help describe heat with more originality than 'sweltering'.
As far as how much I'm enjoying this cold weather, where we are also in the teens -- I thought I left that when I left Truckee (Lake Tahoe). And it's much more bearable in a location that's prepared for such weather. Here, heaters don't work, gloves are packed away, insulation sucks. It's frigging COLD, and damned uncomfortable.
Regarding climates matching up to what I'm living in while I'm writing...I'm way too slow for that to work. :-D
LOL, J. I didn't realize the cold snap had spread so far south. Hopefully we'll both start to warm up soon. While we're used to cold and wet temps up here, snow and temps that don't rise above freezing during the day are uncommon.
Wow, Lin. 74. I'm jealous. Glad someone's having warm weather. :)
The hot weather down there never makes you want to write about someplace cold?
I'm jealous too, Linda. ;) We had an ice storm yesterday and the kids are home from school today.
I tend to avoid winter in my writing all together. I really the cold, so I usually avoid the snow in my books. Now that I'm thinking about it, most of my books seem to take place in the summer. *g*
I feel for you, Elisa. Mine were home today because of snow. Hope you're staying warm.
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