Friday, March 6, 2015

Spring

I am back to writing the 10 Crochet Mystery. It’s so convenient that I set it in March, though when I wrote the synopsis, I didn’t realize I would actually be writing the book in March. I love it when I can incorporate what is right in front of me.

I know people don’t think Southern California has seasons, but we do. It is definitely spring here now. The hillsides that turn golden in the summer are all a lush bright green now. The carnations that look brown and unhappy in the summer have dusty green stems and bursting with spicy scented flowers. The orange trees are full of blossom, too. Their fragrance fills the air, so when I walk out into my yard, it smells wonderful. There’s a certain kind of jasmine that has pink flowers and a scent that is so sweet it is almost too strong. I always know when I’m in the vicinity of one of the plants. It is like is sends out a beacon of fragrance.

Already the days are longer and with daylight savings starting over the weekend, they will seem even longer. I would be paying attention to all this normally, but now I’m even more aware because I am looking for the details that make it real instead of generic.

It is neat being able to put all the sights and scents in the book. It is kind of like being able to capture a moment and keep it forever.

7 comments:

Planner said...

You can't argue with the flowers--they know when spring has sprung. I enjoyed your descriptions.

Monica Ferris said...

I agree it's nice when the book you're writing is set in the season you're experiencing. Your description of the scented flowers is heavenly! I've always wanted to smell orange blossoms.

Betty Hechtman said...

Planner, spring really is beautiful in Southern Califoria.

Betty Hechtman said...

Monica, I wish I could send a sample of the scent to you. It just floats on the air.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Yes, it's spring here. I'm glad in many ways but I'd still like to see some more rain. It's great that you'll have the reality of the month of March to incorporate details into your story.

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda, we could use some more rain. The storms we've had have been perfect. Enough to water everything, but not so much that there are problems.

chkntza said...

I love hearing how authors/writers write. Authors/writers are my rock stars. When you write about the process of writing it makes me appreciate your work even more. If there is such a thing as reincarnation I'm coming back as a writer. For this life, I am happy to be a reader.