Southern California Wild Fires--Not in My Back Yard! By Connie Vines #California Wildfires, #Southern California Earthquakes, #Ontario California Fires, #Tornado, #Heatwave,

Thank you for stopping by today :-)

 It's been quite a month in the Southern California suburbs!

Are you familiar with the chant, "Lions, Tigers, and Bears. Oh, my!"

"And here we go again!"

Let's begin my blog post with an intro:

August shoved its heat wave into September.

From my front yard, a majestic view of the San Gabriel Mountains, while my backyard features a panoramic view of the San Bernardino Mountain Range.  

In my world, Temps 109 degrees w/o a breeze.
San Gabriel Mountain Range.

Then, on a quiet morning, there were earthquakes—2.3, 2.3, and 2.5 magnitude, epicenter Ontario. Yikes! 

Three local wildfires are gaining media attention, and two are in nearby mountain ranges!

The Bridge Fire San Gabriel Mt. Range

Line Fire Flames

The Line Fire: San Bernardino Mt. Range 10 freeway ramp

 

The ash is floating in the air, and we are wearing masks to filter it.

The Fires created an atmosphere of their own: winds and dry lightning strikes. The firefighters are working 24-hour shifts. 

The National Guard was now deployed. (I live .8 miles away from the Armory). Having been raised in a military family, I was becoming increasingly concerned.

Next, we were placed on a tornado watch. 🌪

Meanwhile, additional, more significant earthquakes centered in Malibu are reaching us, as are aftershocks and air quality alerts. Stay indoors warnings with reminders to prepare for power outages (it's still 109 degrees) via text messages keep us on edge.

And...

The fires getting nearer. 

While the smoke blocks a complete view of the mountains, we can see the flames crawling and jumping along the ridges.

Across the street: my neighbor's home.! No one is sleeping tonight.

The following day, fires reached the base of the mountains, threatening local homes and a Junior College.

Chaffey J.C.

And we wait...

September 12th (pm). 

Evacuations were not city-wide except for the residences at the base of the foothills. We are thankful to all the firefighters, first responders, the National Guard, and firefighters from nearby countries who are still fighting these uncontained wildfires.

Sadly, the mountain towns of Wrightwood, Angelos Oaks, and Forest Falls (featuring Meridith's cabin in Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow, and a local eatery) are still threatened by the fire, as are the residents of Big Bear Lake (their only evacuation route is Highway 18). As of yesterday, over 37,000 acres have been destroyed, and 53,000 acres have been destroyed in the Bridge Fire. 

Meanwhile, the airport fire (Trabuco Canyon, Orange/Riverside), at 24,000 acres, currently threatens 3K homes.

Update: The arson suspect in California's Line Fire sparked two other fires the same day, maybe linked to more blazes (credit: Yahoo News)

My thoughts and continuing prayers are with the families affected by these fires and those who bravely fight the flames. 9/14/2024

XOXO

Connie Vines

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Do the Characters in a Novel Reveal the Inner Thoughts of a Writer? by Connie Vines

Topic: Your characters come from your mind, from other people you've witnessed, but can you create their lives without them revealing something about yourself? Have they ever taught you something?

I needed to ponder this question for a few minutes.

So, are my fictional characters my 'great reveal'? I asked myself.

 To a degree I believe this to be true.  Every story is filtered through an author's view of the world, emotions, and life experience--at least for my heroine.

However, there is also a curtain we all have firmly in place--revealing only what we wish to reveal to others.  The same is true of our characters.  My heroine will be more like 'me' in my rough draft than she will be by the time I've completed my novel.

In my soon to be released "Gumbo Ya Ya an anthology who like romance Cajun".  One of my heroines, Celeste, jumps overboard into a raging sea!

Not a plan of action in my 'non-fictional' life.

 Runaway horse?  Yep, I'd saddle up.


 Yoga on a mountain top?  Sure, with a soft yoga mat.

Dine on escargot, Rocky Mountain oysters, frog legs? I have, and I will in the future.

 Hold a 6 ft. python--yes, though someone else had a firm hold of upper portion of snake's body (no accidental snake-licks for me).

Jump into the sea?  


No.  Never. . .ever.

 I seem to be be more removed--meaning more analytical in the development of my secondary characters.  This is especially true when I seeped myself in the secondary character's world, work, and point of view.  I become the secondary characters, like a method actor.

Now, my villains must have a motivation with a trigger rooted in a past event/or recent trauma.  Providing me with way I can explain (not justify) the villain's twisted reasoning/action.

Yes, some people are evil, truly evil.  However, I have yet write a novel requiring I delve into that degree darkness, and doubt I every will.

The second part of the topic:  Have my characters every taught me something?

My current release, "Tanayia" Whisper upon the Water, Book 1 Native American/First People Series, taught me to not only view life, but experience the hardships though the eyes of another person.


Opening Prologue 1868:

The Governor of New Mexico decreed that all Indian children over six be educated in the ways of the white man.

Indian Commissioner, Thomas Morgan, said:  It was cheaper to educate the Indians than to kill them.

1880, Apacheria, Season of Ripened Berries

Isolated bands of colored clay on white limestone remained where the sagebrush was stripped from Mother Earth by sudden storms and surface waters.  Desolate.  Bleak.  A land made of barren rocks and twisted paths that reached out into the silence.

A world of hunger and hardship.  This is my world.  I am Tanayia.  I was born thirteen winters ago.  My people and I call ourselves "Nde" this means "The People".  The white man calls us Apache.

I believe i have learned a great deal from my fictional characters.

When writing my novella, "Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow,"  I discovered my quirky sense of humor was becoming more developed--and this was actually a good thing :-).  My readers will also have a peek into the 'behind the screens' of Hollywood beauty and glam! in "Bell. Book, & Gargoyle".(My Sassy & Fun Fantasy Series are all set her in my own backyard--SoCal.)

What have you learned from the characters featured in the novels you read?  Novels you write?

What doesn't this reveal about you as a reader? or novelist.

Happy Reading,

Connie

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