Winter–Texas Style
Texas has what I call “pogo-stick” weather. One day, we have temperatures in the 70s, the next, temps are in the 30s. Those are the highs. The lows can vary from around 10 degrees Fahrenheit to the 40s. There are some days when you have all four seasons in the same 24-hour period–you wake up to winter, go to work in spring, sweat at work during summer, drive home in fall, and go to sleep as winter sets in again.
This is an important detail for writers to understand if they have Texas as the setting. It’s equally important for readers to understand. Yes, the writer is talking about Christmas and a heat wave in the 80s. Next page–yes, it’s January and the car slid off the road on black ice and the main character is now going to die of hypothermia if the cold front doesn’t move on in the next thirty minutes or so.
It’s a little irritating for me to read a story set in the Dallas area that talks about a white Christmas or a blizzard at any time. It’s rare that we get actual snow (you know–the fluffy white stuff) because we get ice (you know–the hard white stuff). Snowball fights in Texas often result in an ER visit. And don’t even THINK about snow tires or chains–I’m not sure the tire shops even carry them around here. Oh! And writer’s–make sure your character has a 4-wheel drive, or better yet, an all-wheel drive. They can still get stuck in a ditch, but then things can get really interesting.
Doth endeth mine writing advice for today.
So…what’s up in my world? A lot of hurry up and wait. My gardening story appeared in Texas Gardener’s Seed newsletter on January 10. I haven’t heard any feedback. I’ve sent back one set of edits for the Sisters in Crime North Dallas anthology, and sent the contract back for the Detectives, Sleuths, and Nosy Neighbors anthology (both should be out later this spring). Beyond that, I haven’t had much time to do anything. I’m trying to re-edit If You Touch My Mind. I hope to get that updated and republished by the end of January (cross your fingers).
That be all for now, folks. Stay warm!
T
