Seasons ~ Maressa Mortimer

 

I don’t know about you, but walking is not my thing. I like the idea of long hikes, but ten minutes after setting off, I’m bored. With a long walk back. Taking the kids for a walk is even worse. There will always be two that grumble. Their legs are falling off, their head’s too heavy, and their coat too big. Until we get home, then they declare this walk the best one ever and when can we do it again?!

So we got ourselves a puppy. Which is great, as puppies are limited in how far they can walk, meaning we grow with the puppy. The kids still moan a little, but more for the form, as they love seeing Goldie running around and they run with her. If only they all had a two-hour nap afterwards, just like Goldie...

As the puppy needs to go out in the morning, I have noticed the seasons a lot more. I refuse to be cold, so my eleven-year-old said I looked ready for the Arctic when I went out the other day. It’s been amazing, as I notice the colours at sunrise, the noise birds make and the first few Spring flowers without shivering and wishing I was inside with a coffee and a good book.

It’s made me look at my manuscript differently as well. My characters had to hike through the jungle, and are now stuck in a hidden jungle village of runaways from Elabi’s Downstream clinic. How did they look at the hike, and was one of them a morning person? I need to go back and add a lot more to my story, I realised! Did the incredible sky in the morning cheer up the grumpy evening person? Who hates mornings, but there is something to be said for glorious mornings once you’re up for a good reason?

Once this story is done, I am desperate to start my Viking novel, where seasons will be even more important. Seeing the sunrise earlier every day will bring hope, whereas being caught by the setting sun before everything is done will make my poor character dread the coming winter. Unless I make her one of those people who love the cold and ice... I suppose, living with Vikings after time-travelling down to them, she would need to love the seasons...

Anyway, do seasons feature in your books? I am actually quite excited about going back through what I have written so far, and see where I need to add some sunrises and sunsets as well as different views on what a good walk means!