One of the most rewarding parts about putting a story together is making sure research is sound. Facts need to be true and correct. At the same time there’s always an element of poetic license that comes into play.
Many readers’ favorite towns are fictitious. Bonus? The author doesn’t need to worry over whether, for instance, a character can actually take a connecting bus from this street to that road, or what a realistic temperature might be at a given time of year. We writers pay attention to those things. J
When I began sketching out my latest Billionaires and Babies book, I wanted it set in Colorado. I’d done some research and had big plans for a snowstorm as well as an interesting forced proximity premise. I knuckled down, fleshing out characters and making sure motivation was right. Plot points were hashed out, too. Even had the ending in mind. Then the scheduled date for release was shifted to a month that didn’t particularly work with snowstorm season.
Time to get inventive!
What about a freak snowstorm? Weather all around the world has been severely off whack. Here on the east coast of Australia we’d been gripped of drought for many years. These last couple of seasons, however, have seen unprecedented floods and even snowfall where there’d been no recorded evidence before. Older folk are shaking their heads. What’s the world coming to...
There’s a saying in publishing: It’s all in the execution!So I lifted my chin and decided that research and facts would join hands with anomalies and conjecture. And I got to write my scary snowstorm. My characters get stranded alone together and –
Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out what happens next.
When I was on a uni field trip, some time ago, we got stuck in Tibooburra after rain closed the Silver City Highway (which was dirt). There was maybe 30 of us, so we almost doubled the town's population! We camped for a week in the CWA hall until we could get out, and we split up each night so we populated each of the town's pubs. Freaky weather, but a lot of fun. I bet your couple have lots more fun in a snowstorm :)
ReplyDeleteCath
I've been stuck by floods throughout my life. It's the nature of living in QLD I think. I remember being pulled out of class in High School because the creeks were rising. As it was the floor of the bus was flooded every time we crossed a creek on the hour long trip home.
ReplyDeleteI think I told you before about being stuck at college in a snowstorm back in Feb/78. Thankfully, it was on a Friday night so the lack of sleep didn't affect my grades any, but it was no fun trying to sleep when one of the older security guards was making moves on me. Was quite happy to get home by lunchtime the next day....
ReplyDeleteHi Robbie,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if you've had fun plotting this one.
I've been affected by floods several times while travelling in Australia. I suppose the most 'freakish' weather was walking in the Australian Alps in summer in bright sunshine, looking at all the summer wildflowers, and getting caught on a mountain in a complete white out. Couldn't see past the snow to the immense drop below. Brr.
I was stuck at work in a hospital during the Brisbane floods. I stayed there for 3 nights. I had good views of water almost encircling us!
ReplyDeleteRobbie, your freak snow storm sounds like a lot of fun -- at least, from an authorly perspective. I'm expecting your hero and heroine had a lot of fun too. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in London in 2009 there was the biggest dumping of snow in 18 year, which brought the city centre to a standstill. It was loads of fun walking through Central London with no traffic on the roads or anything. I am grateful, though, that we didn't need public transport for any reason for those few days.
I've been stuck at the airport because of bad weather, but not freakish weather.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Robbie, your freak snow storm sounds like a great scene to plunge your hero and heroine into! Cant' wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteAnd there are some really interesting weather events in your comments here! Can't say I've been really caught in anything too dreadful - though we did have an interesting time travelling Malbourne to Coffs Harbour many years ago. Lots of road closures in NSW made it a challenging trip!