Lightning Flash Writing

(Just kidding, I hate the “szn” thing almost as much as I hate “In my _ era”)

The weather in Memphis is always unpredictable this time of year. It might be scorching hot until December, followed by a random February snowstorm. Or it might be freezing in October and balmy by Christmas. This year, it was crisp and cold for the last two weeks of October, then eased back into perfect sweater weather. For once, it feels like the seasons are behaving the way they should, which feels like a small miracle around here.

No matter the temperature, though, this stretch of the calendar always makes me feel cozy. I’m an introvert by nature, but something about the world collectively hunkering down makes my hermit tendencies feel more socially acceptable. I’ve been reading up a storm (trying to stay away from screens, at least outside of work) and taking part in Nancy Stohlman’s Flash Nano, which are especially comforting tasks done with a cup of tea after the sun goes down at 4:30 in the afternoon.

It’s also Great British Bake Off season—well, it was, since it just wrapped—but those October episodes always feel like the very definition of autumn to me. Watching it restores my faith in basic human kindness and also makes me want to attempt completely unreasonable desserts. (I’ll never get tired of Noel and Alison announcing something like, “The judges would like you to bake 27 perfectly octagonal Battenbergs topped with 13 Devonshire splits filled with two distinct creams—one sweet, one savory—arranged in a recreation of your favorite tablescape from childhood.” It’s right up there with the absurdity of House Hunters budgets.)

Best of all, I’ve been really slowing down and focusing more on my own writing (mostly flash, though these novel ideas keep nagging at me) and spending quality time with my loved ones. It’s been freeing not to feel so pressured to “hustle,” though I know that’s a privileged stance considering *gestures* everything. Still, sometimes slowing down is the only way to stay sane. Around this time of year, I always feel the pull to hibernate a little, and leaning into that impulse, but reframing it as a season of rest and coziness rather than burnout, feels like a healthier way to end the year.

While I never say no to a good cozy mystery, they’re my favorite book to curl up with when it starts getting cooler. Sure, they involve murder, but overall, they’re relatively low-stakes, with none of the heart-pounding suspense of a thriller but just enough intrigue to keep me turning pages.

In October, I devoured the Secret, Book, & Scone Society series in anticipation of the newest installment. Some books were better than others, but overall, I have to say this is my favorite cozy mystery series and I highly recommend it. If you haven’t read them, do – and let’s talk. If you’ve read them – let’s talk.

Think of your least favorite holiday memory and fictionalize it, ramping up the terribleness to the point of absurdity. Limit yourself to 250 words.