When a Florida Spring Gives the Keys to Summer Prematurely

Friday, May 1, 2026, Orlando, Florida

“God, it was hot! Forget about frying an egg on the sidewalk; this kind of heat would fry an egg inside the chicken.” – Rachel Caine

May didn’t stroll in this year — it kicked the door open and asked where the nearest sauna was. Today isn’t so much a spring morning as it is a dress rehearsal for August, and Central Florida is hitting its marks with gusto. By late morning, the temperature is already lounging at 84°F (29°C) under a sun that has absolutely no shame. A halfhearted 7 MPH (12 Km/H) breeze drifts in from the west, but with humidity clinging to everything at 58%, the heat index has muscled its way up to 93°F (34°C).

The forecast promises more of the same—sunshine, heat, and a projected high of 92°F (33°C). So much for gentle May mornings. Mother Nature has clearly decided to skip the prelude and jump straight into the Semiquincentennial summer.

(This is the subtropics, after all—not the cool, pine‑scented White Mountains of New Hampshire. Spring here doesn’t so much arrive as it briefly waves from the driveway before handing the keys to summer.)

As for news beyond the scorched-earth weather report, things are steady and unglamorous in the writing trenches. I’m still chipping away at The Jim Garraty Chronicles, one stubborn subheading and fussy paragraph at a time. Yesterday’s progress amounted to a handful of corrected headers and a bit of tinkering in one of the three main books—Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen.

I’d be moving faster if Kindle Create weren’t such a spectacularly uncooperative piece of software when it comes to formatting. But here we are: me, the app, and a long list of subheads that refuse to behave. Slow progress is still progress, even if it feels like editing with oven mitts on.

I keep telling myself I should spend more time learning Scrivener 3—the heir to my dearly departed WriteItNow, which carried me through the original Reunion: Coda. But multitasking isn’t my strong suit these days, and the omnibus has all my attention. If I were starting a brand-new project, I’d be more eager to wrestle with new software. For now, Scrivener waits patiently in the wings, ready for its cue when the Chronicles finally take their bow.

Thanks for reading. If you’re curious about Jim Garraty’s world, the stories are available on Amazon (Kindle and print) and Audible. And if you enjoy them, a review or a recommendation goes a long way.

                Denise Longrie

5.0 out of 5 stars

What might have been

Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2024

Format: Kindle

Verified Purchase

Jim Garraty’s dream of becoming a history professor at a prestigious university has come true. He has some well-regarded publications under his belt and is working on the next one.

However, he’s still hurting from his recent divorce. And then comes the phone call from his old high school pal. Marty—the girl he loved back in the day—has died in a car crash. One of Jim’s greatest regrets is that he never told Marty he cared for her. Would romance have come of it? Or even friendship? It’s too late to know now.

Jim’s story is told in a series of flashbacks and returns to the present. The reader follows him through the last few days of high school when he had the chance to speak to Marty— but didn’t.

It’s a lyrical tale of regret for chances not taken, told in dreams and memories. It speaks to anyone who has been to high school and anyone who remembers the one who got away.

This pleasant, if bittersweet, novella is short enough to read in one sitting.