Geographical Anomaly? Or Does UF Need Humidity to Survive?
So I just went over to our newest Leaguer's, Diana Rowland's, website, and saw that she lives in Southern Louisiana.
I, meanwhile, am writing this from Northern Louisiana. And I can count a shit ton of other UF/PR writers who are currently in this state or who are from this state and set their books here.
Which I know does make sense. After all, Anne Rice obviously made vampires and New Orleans practically synonymous. But it's still weird that so many of us live here, for entirely random reasons. I did not move to Louisiana for the vampires, after all, but for a job. And yet Shreveport is inextricably caught up with my story of "becoming" a UF writer. It was on a plane back to Edinburgh, after I'd been on my campus visit/interview here for the job I currently have, that I discovered the book that inspired me to write Tempest Rising. That book was Dead as a Doornail, by Charlaine Harris. Meanwhile, I only bought the book because my six-year-old-niece and I agreed that it had a pretty cover. I had no idea what the series was about, as proven by the fact I started mid-series. I didn't even know what book came first. So imagine my surprise when Sookie drives into Shreveport to go to Fangtasia. I'd never even heard of Shreveport till I applied for the job, and there I was, reading a book set there. A book I really loved and a book that made me think, "Dude, I love the tone of this book. I could do this tone."
So that was weird. But even weirder was when I moved here and started meeting writers here, reading even more books set in Louisiana, and finding out just how many writers live in Louisiana.
The only place with a higher concentration of UF/PR writers than I can think of is Seattle. There are tons of people I've met or read about who live there.
Now, the only connection I can make between the two is that they are both really moist. One is hot and moist, the other cold and moist, but they both definitely rock the moist.
Is there something in the soil or the air in either place that lend itself to UF? And are there any other hotbeds of UF that we should know about?
Comments
SciFiGuy: You are right about that. But I don't want to encourage the Texans. They may attempt secession, again.
I am drawn to that state myself. My first published story was set there, in fact.
Mark: Hmmm . . . humidity makes for serial killers and UF writers. I like that. It is probably accurate.
relliott4: Yeah, apparently Rachel and I are both in the Arklatex. So she just transferred between moistnesses? And that's interesting you set a story here. In NOLA or another city?
But I agree that OK has bunches too. I count myself in both groups. ;-)
We need more books set on the Delmarva Peninsula. Vampires at the beach! Werewolves in the marshes! Selkies on the Chesapeake! It's ripe for picking, I tell you!
Rinda
Rinda: At least you won't have to buy new clothes to visit. I've had the freaking air conditioning on for a MONTH already.
Colorado has its fair share of the UF/paranormal authors, too......
DragonKat: Canada is a vast, moist wilderness, so it's likely there are many UF writers AND serial killers running around. ;-) According to the hypotheses laid out above, and stuff.
Damn. I was really starting to like you and now I am going to have to fight you in an apocalyptic battle to save humanity from your evil hitch testicles.
Oh well, when I kill you I hope you won't take it personally. I still like you, but the hitch testicles had to be destroyed.
Of course, it was a soggy serial killer that told me about having to kill to save the world from hitch testicles, so maybe I should just take what he says with a grain of salt.
Nicole, only running the AC a month? I've been running it off and on all winter here in Dallas. Wait until Summer hits, and I do mean HITS. Save your money, you'll need it to pay the electric bill.
Tom: Heat makes them hang lower. Or so I've been told. And I am hauling my Yankee ass NORTH come June. I am already toooooo hot.
I would hook you up with the soggy serial killer, but he just broke up with his long-term girlfriend and he is really clingy and needy now. When I say "broke up with", I actually mean "killed". When I say "really clingy and needy", what I actually mean is "overwhelmed with the desire to kill and feast on his victim's warm bloody flesh".
But you can never have too many friends, so if you really want to meet him...
There's rarely anything moist here. Even our snow is typically dry. And we're light on oxygen too.
Gina: Dammit, I was hoping no one brought up Team Denver. You've thrown a cog into my equation! Ummm . . . . maybe they all have hot tubs in which they stay moist?
Amy: That's okay, I love me the punny.
At least, that's my theory.
Not to say that it's impossible to write when the sun is shining and the sky is clear and the beaches are beautiful and... wait, this is Seattle. I don't think I've ever seen any of those weather anomalies. Back to my book...