I’m enjoying the feel of autumn returning to Northern California. We don’t get the colors of the Northeast, our leaves usually just turn brown and fall off, but we do get that slight chill to the air in the morning. The one that lets us know winter will arrive someday. The one that allows for a cup of hot tea nestled in your hands. By noon it is warm and breezy, and late afternoon can get into the 90s. But evening arrives a little sooner every day and the warmth disappears like a wisp of fog at sundown. Returning to that beckoning chill.
These are the days that I love to write. During the summer, my office is an oven, with my arms sweating and making puddles on my desk and my legs are sticking to my leather chair. It is easy to fall asleep at my computer in the middle of the day, in the middle of a thought or a snippet of dialogue. When my brain seems to forget how to spell and what a comma is for. LOL In the winter, my office is an icebox and I have fingerless gloves for my hands and a quilt on my lap, with my feet in socks and slippers. When I want to type fast to keep my fingers warm and I’m not sure what words I’m putting on the page. These days are my favorite, the in-between days. I have my mug of coffee and my window open for fresh, slightly chilled air. My brain can breathe and the ideas pop. This is when the stories happen and take shape much easier.
It is a time to write and to read and to get things done before all the madness of the holidays begins. Like getting my latest book up for preorder in time for Halloween, releasing October 26th. I’m already working on Book 3. (See! Better weather, more writing) If you think The Walking Dead could use some more romance, then the Time of Zombies series may be for you!
Click on cover to preorder!
Walk with the dead, Jill James
Authors of Main Street 
Jill, you just perfectly described autumn without using colors to do it! I, also, love it because it’s between paying for air conditioning and heat!
But just as the stars switch between summer skies and winter skies, I think my whole cycle changes starting with my local county fair. And seeing that Harvest moon rise over the water, renews something in side of me. It reminds me of generations past and my love of Nature. We no longer look at the moon as calendar for our lives, because we have grown intellectually. Yet there it is reminding us that nothing has really changed in 100’s of years.
Autumn is the time to fall asleep with a blanket tucked to our chins, to drag out wool sweaters, and work in gardens without dissolving in a puddle of sweat. It’s a time for comfort foods – homemade soups and bread, for we fire up the oven that has sat idle for months. Yes, just as spring brings a burst of energy so does fall.
Our friends down-under are climbing out of of their cold season and looking at a colorful spring, while we’re getting ready for winter’s nap. It’s fried green tomatoes here and squash soup! Yummy!
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I’m waiting for it to be cool enough to make chili in the crockpot.
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Fall renews my spirit. There’s something about the cool crisp air of Fall that changes my outlook and makes me want to hit the mountains. There isn’t anything more invigorating than unearthing warm socks, sweats and sweaters, then traipsing through the leaves toward the roar of a waterfall.
Yes, Fall is the time to snuggle back under the covers and catch a few extra zzz’s, but I also love rising early to watch the sunrise, which is glorious most mornings.
In addition, as E. mentioned above, that’s the time to finally turn on the basically forgotten oven, especially with the extreme heat most of the country experienced this past Summer. When I turn on the oven, I like to make the best of heating up the house and double recipes. Not only does it save on gas, or electricity, whichever you use, but saves time. When I’m rushed, I’m really thankful to reach inside the freezer and grab a casserole, meatloaf, soup, corn muffins, or whatever comfort food I took extra time to make.
Yes, I’m all about saving time when I can, because it allows more time to play, or write. Especially to write. Yes, Fall is a favorite time of year.
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Carol, here in Northern California we don’t do the put away summer/winter clothes like I remember from growing up in Baltimore. Here it can be summer in February and chilly in July in the city. We have all our clothes within reach.
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I do like the fall colours, but the season is a pain when having to dress the kids for school. They need warm coats and mitts in the morning, and in the afternoon they are too hot! Gotta dress them in layers (extra time doing laundry and coordinating outfits). Gotta find socks for everybody, too, and it’s hard enough finding matching socks for myself!
Anyway, I have pre-ordered my Zombie book and wish you the best of luck with it. Can’t wait to see what you come up with for #3.
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Susan, thank you!! How to dress the kids is one thing I don’t miss with them all grown. Grandson has autism so his t-shirt has to be outside his long-sleeved shirt like Sheldon on Big Bang Theory. That makes changing interesting!!
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Reblogged this on Jo Grafford.
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Jill, the fall is my FAVORITE time of year here in New England! I try and spend as much time outdoors as possible and driving or walking under the canopy of colorful trees with the sunlight dappling through is wonderful and very very good for the soul.
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Some day I will make a trip to see the fall colors in New England. So jealous!!
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Delightful post, Jill. Autumn is my second favorite season! People don’t think that hot steamy Texas has 4 seasons, but we do albeit more subtle than other parts of the country. The leaves are changing colors, and the brisk mornings are delightful.
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Joan, love the brisk mornings too!
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Congrats on the new release, Jill. Your cover is fantastic. Love the autumn colors, they really set the mood. I do write differently in different seasons. I write the most in winter…I should say I spend the most time writing in the winter. Late fall and early spring are great times for writing for me as well. In the summer I write early in the morning and late at night. Most of my summer days are spent outside…it’s a Wisconsin thing, I think. We have to be active when light and weather allow. 🙂 So happy to be back on the writing train!
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Leigh, it is hard to write in the middle of summer with your arms sweating on your desk. LOL
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