Okay so appropriately or not, I’m in the middle of writing a new book, and most of the story takes place during a loud and overpowering thunder storm. “True Deceit” is the tale of True and Emmett. They are currently stuck at an exclusive mountain retreat with a dead body and killer on the loose. Sounds like the perfect time to hit them with a power-killing thunderstorm, doesn’t it?

I’m a firm believer in writing what you know, so the volitile weather we’ve been having lately has certainly given me fuel for the fire (as they say). Last week we had a good solid five days of on and off rain. Dark clouds, stormy sky, overcast and dreary. Then today, we had a massive thunderstorm roll in off the lake. Fork lighting, power outtages, driving rain. It was an amazing light show and made me ache for my laptop so I could do some more damage to our unsettled hero and heroine!

I love to watch the lighting – especially fork lightning – as it zips and spikes across the sky. Today, the sunny afternoon got so dark one would think it was dusk. The wind went from zero to tree bending in a few minutes, and the rain was coming down so hard all you could hear was the roar as it pounded the glass. Even inside a corporate office building it was almost defening as it crashed on the windows. The power went out twice (thankfully I saved what I was working on)!

I always wonder when writing if I’m going a little too far into the world of fiction, but after that storm, I have no problem believing the sights and sounds I’m relaying in the manuscript.

- Nika