Is there anything more intriguing that nature? As a writer, I find inspiration all around me:
A thunderstorm’s electric energy and brooding skies.
The crispness of a cool autumn breeze.
A new-fallen snow’s quiet stillness.
The delicate fragrance of spring’s first blooms.
I live in the Midwest, and this summer has been one of the most pleasant I can recall. The temperatures have been mild, the humidity has been low, and the skies have been clear and blue. I am always eager for the shifts in the seasons, but do you ever wonder … what if summer never came?
My novel The Headmistress of Rosemere takes place during England’s Regency Era. But more specifically, it takes place during the winter of 1816, which just happens to be England’s coldest winter on record.
1816 was England’s “year without a summer.” In London, snow fell in May, and snow was still on the Lake District’s highest peaks in July.
So why was it so cold? In April 1815, the volcano Mount Tambora erupted in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). The force of the blast launched debris into the atmosphere, lowering temperatures globally and blocking the sun’s rays, making the days seem dimmer.
This shift in the weather had major impact on England’s social, political, agricultural and economical landscape. The excessive precipitation and bitter temperatures devastated crops. Unemployment was rampant, and malnutrition and harsh conditions led to a rise in disease. But even during this time of gloom, the era’s artists found beauty in the midst of the shadows. The ominous weather inspired Byron’s haunting poem Darkness. Byron commented that he “wrote it… at Geneva, when there was a celebrated dark day, on which the fowls went to roost at noon, and the candles were lighted as at midnight.”
As I wrote The Headmistress of Rosemere, I loved incorporating the weather into the story line. The icy, still dreariness provided the perfect backdrop for lots of tension! And the weather was authentic to the time period: someone living in that location in that year would have been dealing with the exact weather conditions.
I love quiet stillness of winter, but I am always eager for the sun’s warm rays and the beauty of a lazy summer afternoon.
What about you? What is your favorite season? What season do you like the books you read to be set it?
Thank you so much for allowing me to visit “Inspired by Life … and Fiction”!
Sarah E. Ladd’s first novel, The Heiress of Winterwood, received 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance and is 2014 Carol Award finalist. Her latest release is The Headmistress of Rosemere, and her next novel, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall, will release in October of 2014.She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever. Connect with her online! Visit her website, like her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.
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Oooooh, Sarah, I LOVED The Headmistress of Rosemere. You definitely know how to transport a reader into another time and place. So looking forward to your October release. Especially since the fall is my favourite season. Love the cooler days, crisp nights, the reds and golds of autumn leaves. Getting to bake again (who wants to bake in the heat of summer?) and making hearty stews and soups. There’s something so bracing about autumn…it feels like a fresh start even though you’d think I’d apply that to spring. I’m not a fan of hot weather so I guess I start feeling rejuvenated once the cooler temps hit. Maybe that’s why.
Hi Kav, thank you so much for your kind words! It is so nice to connect with you here. I love the fall as well — I think it is my favorite season! I just love pumpkin patches, bright leaves, and apple orchards …
Hi, Sara! I love how actual history played into your plot. Those kind of details enrich a story so much. Thanks for sharing what you learned about the cause of the wintery blast. I would have never guessed that the roots could be traced back to a volcanic eruption in Indonesia. Fascinating!
Hi Karen! When I first learned that little tidbit of history I just knew I HAD to use it in a story!! Don’t you love running across something special like that?
I have not been able to read your books yet, but both are sitting on my bedside table. They are next in my TBR pile 🙂 so excited! Favorite season? Toss up between spring and fall. I love everything blooming in the spring and the temperatures warming up. Fall I love that it has the cooler temperatures after summer (though this has been a relatively cool summer) and the changing of the leaves 🙂
Hi Catherine! I think there is something quite magical about the changing of the seasons. I am always excited about the one coming next! Fall is still my favorite, I think, but spring is very close behind!
Welcome, Sarah! Lovely to have you here.
My favorite season is fall. After surviving a hot Texas summer, fall arrives like a blessing.
I enjoy using the season as its own character in my books. I think the weather adds richness to a story and more firmly anchors the reader in the story world.
Hi Becky! I couldn’t agree with you more. I love using a season as a character, like you say. It can really set the mood and backdrop in a way no other detail can!
Looking forward to reading your book Sarah. How apt that you should choose to post about an English winter, albeit in your book. I was very interested to learn the facts behind it.
We have just returned home from the UK….the weather was a mixture of all seasons (or so it appeared to us .) The English summer is not quite like our Aussie summers :).
We are in the middle of winter and expecting snow tomorrow. It is very cold tonight but I do prefer the cooler weather as opposed to our very extreme heat which we experience during our summer. I would have to say that Autumn is my favourite season..so pretty with the leaves on the turn, especially through the hills. ::)
Hi Rosie! I hope you had a pleasant trip to the UK — what fun! I love a good snowfall … especially when you get to sit next to a fire and read. 🙂 Stay warm!
Sarah, I didn’t know about the endless winter of 1816. Thanks for sharing it with us today.
My favorite season is winter, actually. I enjoy the cold weather and snuggling up with a great book and a cup of cocoa. Although, I do that all through the year, so I suppose the season wouldn’t matter for that purpose. But I also enjoy rainstorms, so spring is wonderful. Summer is my least favorite season, but that’s because it gets so hot here in Texas. This summer has been a surprise. We’ve had a few days strung together a couple of times of under 90 degrees. In June and July! Definitely loving that.
Blessings,
Andrea
Hi Andrea! I love hearing about what seasons people enjoy the most. 🙂 Winter is perfect for reading and cocoa! I am glad to hear that you are getting a break from extreme heat!
Fall, hands down! I love the cool crisp air, leaves turning amazing colors, camping and of course campfires!!
I love all those things as well! Fall will be here before we know it!
Hi, Sarah!!
Loved hearing about England’s year without a summer!! Hard to imagine a volcano having such far-reaching effects.
I enjoy living in a state where I experience viewing all four seasons of the year – however, health-wise, Spring and Fall are better for me. I enjoy books set in any season of the year.
Hi Sarah,
I think my favorite time of the year is spring. I live in the midwest also and spring is such a pleasant change from winter. I love the green of spring after a brown (or white) winter. Looking forward very much to A Lady at Willowgrove Hall! I enjoy reading about any season. Thanks for your excellent work!
Mary Koester