How Hot Is It?

 

It’s funny how sometimes ideas hit like a lightning bolt and then you can’t wait to write them down! This morning I was struggling to find an idea for today’s slice, then I opened the door and all I could think about was how hot it was already! Stepping from the cool air conditioning to the outside made me feel like I was standing in front of a blazing bonfire.

I had recently been talking with Lynne about a writing activity we often do with kids to help them think outside the box and avoid clichés when writing similes. We encourage them to make lists – lists of things that are quiet, or white, or cold, or still (Jane Yolen’s Owl Moon is often a go-to mentor text, can you tell?). It is a good way to help writers imagine possibilities and keep their writing fresh.

So, I challenged myself to list ten really hot things:

a blazing bonfire

afternoon beach sand

a sizzling grill

the engine of an overheating car

leather car seats on a sweltering day

air from a blow dryer

the barrel of a curling iron

the filling in a freshly baked pie

an attic in July

a cup of steaming coffee

Just thinking of all those hot things is making me feel hotter! Maybe I should switch to cold things.