Fun fact about me: I have a huge aversion to storms! A phobia, if you will. It's not quite a hide under the bed and tremble till it's over kind of phobia, which is exactly how our dog used to react to thunder when I was little. It's more of a get away from anything metal, stay low to the ground and turn off the lights so the lightning can't see me kind of phobia. You know, the completely rational variety.
When the temperatures spike like they have this week, and the air grows sticky and still, not only do I begin to melt under the intensity, but I begin to dread the inevitable storm that will materialise over my house to relieve it.
It just so happens that a storm is on it's way in a couple of days. Hence this blog!
I've always acknowledged my phobia, but what I hadn't realised until recently is how it has come to influence my writing over the years.
The seasons have always shaped my stories, as they shape me, so it's understandable that a magick induced storm, referred to by my characters as the 'Great Storm', became the catalyst for my story. 'Great' here meaning an extent, amount or intensity considerably above average. And not in a good way. Without the Great Storm, my characters would be living in perfect harmony...well, sort of.
Now, I can't help thinking of storms from a fantastical perspective. The eye of the storm seeking us out, watching us as it fans across the sky, rolling and raging like a sky beast rather than a tempest.
The Great Storms' description was the first chapter I perfected in my book. It was the first time I was able to read my writing back with the confidence that my story was worth publishing - (and one day I will find an agent that shares my belief.)
When I wrote THE BLOOD DRAGON, I was unconscious of my minor phobia's influence of my writing and on my characters. But now that the book is complete, and it's sequel is well underway, I'm able to reflect back and laugh at how I've created a collective Astraphobia for the people in my fictional world that mirrors my own to perfection and lingers incurably.
However, my characters know that if you can ride out a storm a calm will follow, and personally I cannot wait for the rain and the breeze that will follow and bring cooler temperature.
Zuzu 🖋
Excellent piece - loved it xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you very much xx
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