WRITING AND READING IN SEASON

by Korina Moss

I took this photo of an early Oct snow 

We were having a heat wave one week in August when I called my friend, who was watching ice skating on TV. She watches it every summer because it keeps her cool. She also reads books that take place in winter. I think it’s brilliant, but I just can’t do it. 

I’m a seasonal reader and TV watcher. In the dead of winter, give me Stephen King’s Storm of the Century. I know lots of friends who do Christmas in July (thanks, Hallmark TV) but my Christmas cozies stay stacked on my bedside table until Thanksgiving. I’m even a seasonal puzzler – my jigsaw puzzles reflect the season. 

My latest autumn jigsaw puzzle

I love summer, but autumn is when the cozy season begins. I was in a TJ Maxx mid-August and went down an aisle that smelled of cinnamon and spice and was instantly pulled into autumn. I thought about the autumn-only foods to come like apple crisps, cider donuts, and everything pumpkin spice. (Okay, I’m not a pumpkin spice fan, but I love others’ enthusiasm for it.) Living in New England, it’s a time to really appreciate Mother Nature. Not only is the weather great, but once the leaves turn, I literally marvel at the brilliant foliage every time I leave my house. 

My neighborhood last fall

I reminisced about everything I love about autumn to write two of my cozy mysteries set in the fall. Cheese Shop Mystery #5, Fondue or Die, takes place at the Dairy Days Festival, which was inspired by my favorite September fair. Cheese Shop Mystery #2, Gone For Gouda, takes place in October. I threw in all the autumnal vibes, including beer cheese soup and a scarecrow contest. Both books include autumn recipes like a cheesy apple pumpkin fondue and Bavarian Beer Cheese dip. 

It's fun to immerse myself in the present season along with my favorite fictional characters. It makes me appreciate each season even more as it comes around. Whether it’s a harvest fair, a Christmas cookie swap, or fireworks on the beach, I get to live out the best parts of the season on screen, through a puzzle, or between the pages of my favorite cozy mystery. 

Readers: Are you a seasonal reader? 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series set in the Sonoma Valley, which includes the winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead, and two novels short-listed for Best Contemporary Novel. Listed as one of USA Today’s “Best Cozy Mystery Series,” her books have also been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer’s Digest. Korina is also a freelance developmental editor specializing in cozy and traditional mysteries. To learn more or subscribe to her free monthly newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.