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In ‘Fragrance of Violets’ the weather does contribute to the story. It’s set in the Lake District and I know from experience how often it rains there!
So one important scene takes place on the valley road in the pouring rain, and it’s the rain which causes the collapse of a roof which in turn leads to .. no, I’m not going to tell you the story here!
But there are also beautiful spring days in Lakeland when, after the rain, the air smells so fresh and clean, and the mountains and lakes look stunning, so my h/h can enjoy that too.
My current WIP (with the working title ‘A Nile Romance’) is of course set in Egypt where it’s hot in winter and even hotter in summer! There are blue skies and sunshine, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and warm, clear inky-dark nights. Perfect for a romance (as long as you have air-conditioning, of course!) but not a lot of scope for using the weather, since it's the same all the time.
I’m not a fan of matching weather to the moods of the characters or the events in their lives. You know the kind of thing, you see it in so many movies – the ferocious storm before or during some traumatic event. Maybe a contrast between the weather and the characters’ feelings is more effective. A beautiful day when the heroine is going through hell at losing her man, or a dismal grey day when her heart is singing? In my experience, that’s probably more realistic :-)
Interesting observations, Paula. Don't we all loath the old cliche, it was a dark and stormy night. Such a good idea to have the girl with a broken heart when the sun is shining. Of course the Lake District is a wonderful place, one of my favourites.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteWhole different perspective on weather in novels, and yeah desert conditions are somewhat limiting re heat unless the transport breaks down on the way back. At night it can get freezing cold at times: lots of cuddling up to keep warm. ;)
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A character could pray for rain, wish for a snow day, curse a flight delay, get stuck in the mud (as in Paula's FoV), or make love under the stars on a balmy summer night. Weather is like a good butler~ ever present, unobtrusive, at your service.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna,
ReplyDeleteFab: weather is like a good butler! ROFL.
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Thanks for your comments!
ReplyDeleteYes, cliched weather situations can make one groan, Margaret - seen and read such cliches too many times LOL.
Francine, agree there can be chilly nights in parts of the desert, but not in Luxor where my story is set. Even in the mountainous area around the Valley of the Kings, there is only a 1% chance of a frosty night in January, the rest of the time, 0%. Of course, after the hear of the days with the temps over 100, a drop to 60 at night can seem cooler than the thermometer figure.
Ana, love your comparison of weather to a butler! Wonderful!
I like the idea of contrasting the emotion of the scene with the weather. You are right, and I've done it myself, to match the weather and the emotion. An intersting concept to swing it the other way.
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