Summer

I have a confession to make: I hate summer. The temperatures where I live are almost always above 90 and often over 100 for four solid months. And there is so much sunlight! Beginning early in the morning and continuing until the late evening.

I suspect that my HSP trait makes me extra sensitive to the high temperatures and the abundance of light. I do much better in winter. In winter, I love curling up under a stack of blankets and reading a cozy mystery. I can keep the doors and windows closed and avoid the ear-splitting sounds of lawn mowers, dogs barking, and kids screeching. In summer, there is way too much noise, which, along with the temperatures and light, leads quickly to overstimulation.

It’s hardly surprising that I chose a seaside setting for my upcoming cozy mystery series. Oceanville is a fictional town in Central California, where the temperatures are mild year-round. Although…I am currently writing the third book in the series, which is set in the summertime. My protagonist, Kayla, is having to deal with the heat and light, just like I am right now. Fortunately for us both, summer doesn’t last forever. Fall is on the horizon.