BLOGGING WITH BEVERLEY: Affect of Seasons on Plots and Settings

Friday, April 26, 2019

Affect of Seasons on Plots and Settings

Spring is flirting with us, at least in my part of the country. Crocuses poke their heads out and then get covered with a white blanket. This could be the setting for a sweet romance. And that brings us to this month’s discussion topic - Does the season ever play a part in your setting? How do you think seasons affect setting & plot either physically or metaphorically?

It’s another interesting discussion, thanks, Rhobin.

Winter is always a good season. You can use it to put lovers together, track villains in the snow, all sorts of things. I use seasons in my stories but it’s more a combination of season and weather.

In my Hawkins’ Ranch series, I use season to tie in the work around ranches, like calving season in the spring.

In a WIP, I use the weather in late spring in New Orleans to set the scen.

Dark clouds hovered over New Orleans. Thunder rolled through the skies. The late May rain pelted down on the streets of the French Quarter. The drops bounced off the pavement behind Perrine Dupré. Wind whipped her umbrella inside out. Rain clouded her eyes. She stumbled up the three steps to her front door. Juggling her parcels, umbrella and the key Perrine jabbed it in the direction of the lock. Finally the key found the opening and turned.

Her daughter was finally coming home for a visit. Excitement bubbled up and a smile sneaked out.

Julie Ann had been building her interior design business in New York for the last couple of years. Perrine was proud of her daughter and understood Julie Ann couldn’t visit, but she’d missed her. She could have gone to New York, but Perrine loved New Orleans and hated to travel. Tomorrow she’d finally be able to hug her daughter again.
Thunder rumbled across the sky.

Perrine turned the door knob. She paused.
A vision flashed in front of her. Her shoulders sagged. She wasn’t going to see Julie Ann after all. And she'd miss their regular telephone call tonight, too.
A single tear shimmered down her cheek.
Thunder continued to rumble across the sky.

She had no choice. If she ran away they would follow her and shoot her down in the street. She could put her friends and neighbors in danger. They could get hurt.
Even if she did manage to escape tonight, they would kill her eventually.

The people involved were too powerful. They didn’t care about collateral damage or anyone else who might get hurt.

The information she’d counted on to protect her and Julie Ann obviously wasn't going to protect her any longer. Had they killed off all the other people involved? Was that way the documentation wasn’t important anymore?

There was so much she should have shared with Julie Ann. At least she would be aware of the threat.
Perrine pushed the door open. An icy cold shroud of death drop over her.
Thunder crashed. The skies opened wide and lightning flashed across the sky, turning it an electric white.
At the same time a light slashed across the room.

Perrine crumpled to the floor, her parcels scattered beside her. She felt no pain, not even when footsteps crossed the floor, paused by her side, then kicked her sharply in the ribs - twice.
The steps moved off. The door closed. The lock clicked.
I hope it affects the plot. What do you think?
Don’t forget to check out other authors to see what they have to say on the topic.