Using Natural Phenomena in your Novels

Sandra here to talk about using natural phenomena in our novels. Nothing like an unusual or significant event to trigger some tension in the plot. Right? 

Well we had a big event yesterday that brought the idea on for this topic. We are in Oregon now near Madras that is a small town where the full solar eclipse could be seen for the first time in the United States since its birth. I need to talk about this event because it may impact my presence today in the comment section.

We have been advised that thousands of people from all over the world are flocking to our area to experience the full solar eclipse. Madras is a small town-rural farming community on the edge of the Cascade Mountains. Consequently there are very few accommodations for all the people flocking here. Nearby Bend is a good sized city. So they are predicting hours of traffic jam delays on the few rural roads from the cities to this area on that day.  Farmers in the area are chalking off blocks of space and charging up to $1,000 for a weekend stay on their little block of space they lease. Great revenue for the farmers, but I’m not sure the cattle will be pleased. LOL

Because of the overload of people, we are also advised to stock up on food and water, keep your gas tanks full because the gas supply will run out and to try and not travel that day.  State government is shutting down for the day. Many businesses are closing up shop and many events have been cancelled due to the prediction of traffic jams. My pilates class was cancelled. Bummer. 

First responders will all be on alert. They have even called in the National Guard to help keep order. And most important to you and me is they expect the cell towers to be overloaded and hence no cell service.

So if you do not see any comments from me today, it means I can’t get through.  But check in later in the day because I may get online as tourists return home and I may be able to upload some photos of the event. My Seeker sisters said they would cover for me in the comment section if I can’t get through.

So fellow writers, has all of this hubbub spurred some ideas for your next plot? I can think of all kinds of things.  Maybe my hero is a first responder. Maybe my heroine owns a farm and the hero just has to see this event for some reason. Maybe he’s a scientist and needs the data and she really is annoyed because her life is getting disrupted in a big way. She might have scheduled a delivery that day before all the hype was considered.

Experiencing these big events in nature give you a true feel for the ambience. You get a deep core of emotion for your characters. You better believe that one of my future novels is going to feature an experience of the eclipse. 

I’ve used events of nature in other novels. In Where The Eagle Flies, the hero and heroine are caught in a water spout which is like a tornado only it’s on the water. Their houseboat in Lake Powell is destroyed and they are stranded. I could really describe that event because my husband and I experienced one of those while out fishing in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area where the Green River is dammed. Let me tell you, I’ll never forget the noise and fear of watching that spout approach and hit and I think I captured it in my novel.

Love’s Miracles is set in the huge giant Redwood Forests of Northern California. We used to live in that part of the country, so it was easy to incorporate the amazing aura of peace and tranquility as you walk among those giants.

Hubby and I have climbed into an active volcano. This was an extremely eventful experience. Fortunately, I was too young and naïve to realize the danger I was in. We were in Guatamala where there weren’t any regulations at that time to prevent people from climbing into the dangerous situation. All the crosses at the top should have been a clue. But to this day, I can still hear the belching sounds of volcanic lava bursting forth and shooting up in the air. Now I know I’m going to have to incorporate that in a future wip.  In fact, my cousins all live on Christmas tree farms in Washington near Mt St. Helens. I have promised them a story set in their region, so my volcano experiences are going to be helpful.

This is Mr Hood, not either one mentioned but a photo I had of a volcano.

Mary Connealy has one of her books, Out of Control is set in a cave. Mary wrote that based on her venture into Carlsbad Caverns. Now there’s some experiences that are unforgettable. I remember clearly how it felt to be crawling under hundreds of feet of earth in the total darkness when we went spelunking in Wind Caves National Park in South Dakota.

I have been fortunate (or maybe just plain crazy) to experience many natural phenomenon. However, you don’t have to actually experience natural phenomenon to include it in your novel. With access to the Internet these days and communication so easy, you can write about a phenomena without actually having to experience it.

In my novel, Current of Love, the hero had to face his fear of drowning when a hurricane hit and he had to evacuate off a Steamboat in the middle of the Mississippi.  Hubby and I went on a steamboat cruise and we had many evacuation drills, which of course spurred my imagination. I was able to interview the crew and the captain shared some experiences and how to evacuate the steamboat in the event of a hurricane or flooding. This all happened before Hurricane Katrina so I didn’t have all of that horror in my story, but the hurricane did give my character more depth. And because of interviewing the crew, I didn’t have to actually experience a hurricane.

So folks, what natural phenomena have you experienced and how have you used it in your writing?  If you have used natural phenomena and haven’t experienced it, how have you researched it? We can always use helpful hints.

Readers, let us know how you feel about natural phenomena in the stories you love to read.

Those who comment will be put in for a drawing of their choice of any of the novels mentioned in this post.

Because some of these experiences are traumatic, I’m providing comfort food. You won’t be able to get pizza delivery today so I have baked several kinds of pizza for you to enjoy.

Sandra Leesmith writes sweet romances to warm the heart. Sandra loves to play pickleball, hike, read, bicycle and write. She is based in Arizona, but she and her husband travel throughout the United States in their motorhome and enjoy the outdoors. You can find Sandra's books here on Amazon. Three of Sandra's most popular books are also audio books at Audible. You can read more of Sandra's posts here.