Beck Finley
Introduction to the Fall Issue
More so than astrological houses or the pull of the
moon on the tides, the weather determines our behavior. We talk about it
and dress for it. We plan our days around it. We even make
meteorologists into minor celebrities. It’s no surprise, then, that
writers make great use of weather. Try to imagine a Tennessee Williams
play without heat and humidity or Jack London without freezing snow.
Of course, there are the clichés: ever-present rain
at funerals, storms that heighten conflict, drought or floods that bring
financial ruin. But, when weather is well-integrated into a story, it
can create atmosphere, motive and even become a sort of character in its
own right. So, as the days grow shorter and the air brisker, I hope
you’ll enjoy these stories of freezing ice and snow, a girl who hates
precipitation and the power the weather has over our flights and our
lives.
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