Fires in My Books
Over the years, I've included fires in many of my mysteries.
A fire is part of the main plot in Seldom Traveled, the latest in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery.
This was written and published long before the latest rash of fires. But fire is always a threat in California, for several reasons. Chaparral covers the hillsides and houses have been built all over the hills. Chaparral must burn to reseed. Logging has been restricted and the trees have become way too dense, many trees have died, so when there is a forest fire there is way too much fuel.
We are fortunate to have so many brave firefighters willing to risk their lives to fight the fires, and we saw much of that bravery during the last few months.
Fires lend themselves to all sorts of interesting plot twists.
If you read through the Tempe Crabtree mystery series, you'll come across various fires. I'd much rather write about a fire than be as close to one as I was this past year. But I was far more fortunate than many of my fellow Californians.
Marilyn
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Anyway, I also wrote about a huge wildland fire before it happened. In With Malice Aforethought, my most recent book, a fire is started inadvertently by white supremacists in the Warm Springs Hills west of the village of Geyserville, California. It fuels the chase and escape of the heroes. Much of my description was provided by my retired fire fighter husband who spent time on many campaign fires. I'd much rather write about them than go through it.