Ozark springs are usually filled with rainy weather. After a time, the rain gets to be annoying. However, those days will be lookied back on longingly during hot, dry summer weather.
How Does Rainy Weather Relate to Writing?
Ship Nineteen in the Carduan Chronicles arrives in the Ozark ravine in mid February. Over the next few months, spring arrives with its rainy weather.
Now, for people rain is not a big problem unless there is a flood. What is it like for something as small as a bird? What happens to an insect hit with a big drop of rain?
Occasionally there is mention of such things. Mosquitoes are shoved out of the way by the air wave surrounding the rain drop. Most insects hide under leaves or other coverings for protection.
And the Carduans?
My characters are four inches tall. A thunderstorm downpour could prove deadly to one of them. And, as their home planet is arid, they are not very familiar with rain.
That is part of the story. This group of nine must learn about and learn to survive in this Ozark ravine.
Writing the Story
One of the challenges of writing about these tiny characters is visualizing what the world would be like for them. There are so many times I find I must go back and rewrite a scene as I wrote it for someone my height, not theirs.
Another challenge is the timing of spring events. What types of weather happen during this time? It isn’t only rainy weather. Which plants are blooming? Are they edible?
What animals are moving around? Which will ignore the Carduans? Which will consider them snack food? How can these characters defend themselves? Which animals can they consider food? How do they catch these?
I am now half way through the rewrite for Ship Nineteen. The draft has long left the original behind leaving me to scan the old story and decide which parts to incorporate into the new story. And rainy weather certainly must play a part in the story.