U is for 2020

"U", another one of those hard letters. UNCOMMON MERCY, a post-apocalyptic tale in the collection of Hearth and Sand would be a fitting topic. But Kalindra's tale was the "U" post for the 2019 A to Z Challenge. I could do a different excerpt, however considering world events it could be too disturbing for some.
So how did 2020 fit the character "U?" When spelled out, the year still starts with a "T".

Unless you've been hiding in a cave beneath the ocean, 2020 is a year that is unusual, uncertain and full of the unknown. All descriptors which begin with the letter "U." So, a few thoughts from Day 42 of the Isolation Ward.

The first quarter of 2020 contained the fear and uncertainty of 9-11 as I stood on the pier and watched smoke billow into a blue sky. There is also the unknown of the dawn after Superstorm Sandy as you surveyed the damage of your town and its environs. For one entire communities mourned the loss of life, and for the other their homes, livelihoods, and the destruction of their towns and heritage.

But there is a significant difference to the 2020 unknown that is COVID-19. After 9-11, worries were submerged while we figured out ways to get stranded people home. Sandy required different efforts. Teams of local residents worked shoulder to shoulder with out-of-town emergency relief teams to start the work of demotion and rebuilding. Social distancing and no gatherings  minimize the comfort of others or the sense of hope you get when working towards recovery. Instead there is the mourning of what is lost and the fear of the unknown. As of this post, restrictions have not been lifted. And even when they will are, what the world will be like is still unknown.

There is another similarity between 9-11 and COVID-19 that while it doesn't begin with "U," demands to be included. Both events came with a loss of innocence, the knowing that such things could happen. And the suspicion that things would never be the same again, or for at least a very, very long time.

Thank you for your patience during these unsettled times and to the nurses, doctors, and first responders for all their heroic efforts and sacrifices. And also to the truckers and myriad of others working to keep us supplied with food and shelter.

~till next time, As many around us now say, "Stay Strong, Be Safe." Helen


Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge.  Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry.

 
If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.

Superstorm Sandy -- A Reprise

Many boats left their slips and ended up on land
including atop a nearby bridge.
Storm surge also moved houses and
shifted them into each other.

Stunned townspeople looked on the next morning
at the devastation of business and home alike. Many pitched in
to try to rescue what items they could from the local museum.

Several high tides later, several feet of water still
flooded the road as onlookers checked out the
damage. Boats were piled atop each other
or pushed into buildings.

It's been a year now. I admit I wasn't sure if I was ready to look back, so have used only a few images to set the stage and recycled a piece written shortly after the storm. Some areas still look like a war zone with abandoned homes. Other neighborhoods have returned to normal with only the news reports as a reminder of the horror of a year ago.

Advice often given to authors is to write what you know and to observe the world around you. No, despite the date this is not a comment on All Hallows Eve. For the past year, I've had a unique opportunity to take that second piece of authorly advice. Although I live more than ten miles inland from the ocean and Hurricane Sandy came ashore about 100 miles farther south, her storm surge still threw the boats in our local marinas around like jackstraws and ripped houses from their foundations.

At one point almost the entire state was without power. Some like myself had the luxuries of modern conveniences returned after a week, others took two. A year later, thousands of families are still awaiting restoration until after their home's are repaired and the wiring replaced.




You might ask what that has to do with writing what you know. First, do you write historicals? Try writing with paper and pencil by candlelight. The writing was easy once you tuned out the howl of the wind, but deciphering the cryptic notes the next day was damn near impossible.

I can definitely state that my observations of people, both during the storm and as we rebuild the tens of thousands of damaged homes and lives, will add to the depth of my future characters. The stoic expressions on a woman's face as we emptied her home in preparation for flood cutting (a nice name for gutting down to studs) or the warmth exuded by the hundreds of volunteers helping not only neighbors but strangers, builds one aspect of a character. And in contrast, those few who looted during or after the storm or those who although perfectly able never lift a finger to help themselves.

One thing that has changed over the past year. Rights have been returned, the novel Imprisoned in Stone and several short works released. Now I’m working on the cover for the re-release of the first book of the Dragshi Chronicles, Dragon Destiny, and the introduction of the other three chronicles.

But for now, while I work on integrating what I've seen and learned, I invite you to join me on journeys through the stars or among fantasy worlds of the imagination. Until then, don't forget, a disaster can strike anywhere at almost anytime. Be sure to back up your current books as well as those in production--and your backlist. And don't use just one site or one kind of media. Redundancy can prevent the loss of years of work.

Till the next time. ~ Helen

 

Water washed over the railing, but
the memorial to 9-11 stood firm.
Although buildings just a few yards away were destroyed,
when the waves retreated the metal from
the tower remained.