Stormy Weather

After a stormy night and early morning, the sun comes up on a wet, windy world. Spring and storms sort of go together in these parts. Thankful for the rain, we could also do without the damaging wind and hail. But, what to do about it? Not one thing, except be aware and be as safe as possible.

Something about storms and rain stirs the writing impulse. I love putting storms of all kinds into my cozy mysteries. In the very first Darcy and Flora mystery, a pleasant day becomes deadly when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

A strange silence descended on the graveyard. I raised my head to see what was happening. The dark clouds were moving and churning above us and a small eddy of whirling air pointed downward, like an accusing finger…A low roar began over our heads then the wind and rain came again with renewed force. The storm tore at us, battling to whirl us into the seething heavens…We struggled toward a small, sandstone building at the edge of Goshen Cemetery. Rain blinded us. Tree branches flew past. At last, we stumbled inside the little house…Wind pounded the chapel and did its best to come in the door or through the roof. Lightning flashes showed row after row of wood benches, thankfully, empty benches, an old, upright piano in a shadowy corner, and a small table with a lectern on top. 

Stormy weather, whether as a writer or a reader, is an excellent time to grab a book, curl up in a safe place, and lose yourself to an imaginative story.