Thirteen years ago, we moved into this house during one of the wettest weeks on record for the area. The neighbors kept coming by assuring us it wasn’t always that bad. These past weeks, the weather seems to be striving for an encore performance. Rain is great, but monsoon-like downpours have a whole different feel.
I’m a rain fan, I love to write on rainy days, or sit on the porch and read as a good rain shower blows through.
One of the most unique things about rain in this area is that sometimes it makes the view brighter. Incongruous but true.
It must be some optical effect like those yellow, polarized sunglasses they advertise on late night TV that supposedly cut glare and make everything look like it’s being broadcast in HD. For whatever reason, an afternoon rain shower can make all the wonderful greens and bright flowers around here just pop with color worthy of Oz.
It’s a unique effect I used while I was working on the upcoming novel, The Matchmaker’s Curse.
While the hero of The Matchmaker’s Curse, Grant Barclay, is hiding in a blackwater swamp, a typical rain shower brightens the whole area, giving him a new perspective on the natural attributes of the area as well as his rather troubling personal situation. Grant isn’t as familiar with the swamps and quirks of South Carolina and the whole ‘rain brightens the world’ perspective is a new discovery for him.
The brightening power of rain here was a new, beautiful discovery for me and I’m happy to share it as part of my world building with fans and readers who enjoy romantic paranormal adventures, set in places they might not have seen in person.
The only downside to these ridiculously heavy showers are that the pounding of rain on the chimney scares our greyhound Boo almost as much as thunder. The poor girl has been spending plenty of time in what we affectionately call her ‘cave’. But she emerges victorious and loves to romp through the wet yard as soon as the sun shines again.
Live the adventure!
…and stay tuned for the cover reveal and release date for The Matchmaker’s Curse!
