Liz here, and this month’s Wicked Wednesdays are moon-focused in celebration of my new series, the Full Moon Mysteries. This month’s full moon is the Full Sturgeon Moon, named after North America’s largest fish. Even though the full moon was on the 3rd, I wonder if the Full Moon plays a role in any of the Wicked’s books (like maybe Barb with clamming and lobstah seasons, Edith with the birth of babies in the Quaker Midwife series, Sherry with crazy bargain hunters, Julie with planting season, and Jessie with some of Beryl and Edwina’s excellent adventures?) So Wickeds, tell me if the moon cycles play a role at all in your books or your writing!
Edith/Maddie: I wish I’d thought of that, Liz! I don’t think I’ve use the moon with births, but it does play a bit of a role in Taken Too Soon, Quaker Midwife #6, which will be out in September. In 1890, unless you lived in a city, it was hard to see outside at night without a moon to guide you.
Jessie: As much as I love looking up at the moon in my real life, I don’t tend to make much mention of it in my books. I seem to recall I mention a friendly moon keeping the sleuth in my very first mystery, Live Free or Die, company as she is wending her way through her village on a cold winter’s night. Besides that, no other moons are tickling my memory.
Sherry: Chloe Jackson has a small house right on the beach. She sits on her screened porch looking out at night and watching the moon reflect on the water. It reminds me a bit of when we lived on base in San Pedro, California. Our townhouse overlooked the Pacific Ocean and we loved watching the moon on the water.
Barb: I don’t think I’ve written much about the moon in the Maine Clambake Mysteries. I have written quite a bit about the stars because on Morrow Island where the family runs their clambakes and on their tour boat back to Busman’s Harbor after the second seating, they are out of the reach of ambient light and the stars are brilliant. I’ve always lived in cities and dense suburbs, so when I am in a place where it is fully dark and the stars really visible I always appreciate it.
Julie: I love this idea, Liz! The full moon doesn’t play a part in my series, but it should. I know that as a person, I’m paying more attention to the moon phases, since it does affect energy. I also love to watch a full moon rising, and have to remind myself to charge some moon water at some point soon.
Readers, do you use the moon to guide any aspects of your life? Tell us in the comments!!
There are lots of people, several that we know, that plant or work a garden according to the moon stages using the Old Farmers Almanac. Hubby uses the skills taught to him by his father and his own experiences more than the moon.
The Full Moon Mysteries series sounds like loads of fun. I’m excited about reading it.
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Stunning picture, it looks like a wonderful night 🌙
No moon-related activities here, although my mother (a nurse) used to swear the full-moon made her patients act crazy!
One of my characters travels paths by moonlight in my unpublished first novel (awaiting a serious editing session) and in my current short story the “dim moonlight” sets an eerie death scene. I love that photo.
I grew up in places all over the world. The moon was a constant while other scenery changed, and I still honor her cycles. And yes, I do think of the moon as a her. Doesn’t everyone?
Nice post.
Beautiful photo! Having been born in July, I’m a Moon Child. July is a time of creativity, stay-awake nights as I plot my life and my stories, and a lot of vivid dreams when I do sleep. When I was very young, I dreamed of being one of the first travelers to the moon.
Nothing moon related here. Well, other than admiring it when I see it in the sky.
I don’t plan anything around a full moon, but I absolutely love looking at one. I will endanger myself while driving to keep the full moon in sight. And I never look at it without imagining how wonderful it would be to step out onto it. I’m a space junkie and never get tired of the stories of space travel.
Some of my characters are very aware of and sensitive to the moon, as am I. So, yes, it does figure in my stories, at least in the minds and character arcs of a few. It’s fun to contrast two characters’ responses to the moon as a simple way to highlight their differences and even add some portent.
The moon is always something pretty amazing to look at. I don’t plan anything around it or anything, but I have heard that it brings the crazies out. 🙂
nope