A funny thing happened during the Snowmageddon of 2026: I finished a book. I was not reading one, I was writing one.
For the past several years, I have struggled to gather my thoughts into a book. I would put together a few chapters and find myself going in a different direction. Detours, road closings, thought jams, and bad directions.
I found myself chasing squirrels, going down rabbit holes, and getting pulled over by the “you can’t say that” police.
In mid-January, the forecast calling for bitter cold and a record snowfall came from all the weather forecasters. After surviving the Blizzard of 1978, I tend to be a bit nervous when I hear “could be a record-breaking snowfall.” In 1978, I had a six-week-old baby, and we were stranded at home for weeks.
I was taking no chances, so I headed to the grocery store and did my due diligence, stocking up on comfort-food ingredients and snacks. In a snowstorm, it’s all about the snacks. I had made a snowstorm menu that included Taco Stew, Bourbon Brown Sugar Pork Chops, and Smashed Hamburgers. Of course, a stop at Banter’s Meat Market was in order for the best meat since Kenley’s Grocery closed in the 1990s.
Chuck went to the library to gather a few Baldacci and Patterson books. He reads two books a week. I was on a mission to write one in two weeks. I was on a mission.
I woke up on January 20 and had a Zoom call with my publisher at Beatitudes Publishing, Andrea Lende, and my book cover designer, Ruth Hovsepian. They set a February 28 deadline for finishing the book.
And so, my writing began. I did nothing that the writing coaches suggest. No outline. No detailed chapter lineup. No Post-it notes. I did have a title: Meandering Thoughts and Vintage Wisdom.
I woke up a bit earlier than usual on the 21st. It was 4:38 a.m. I changed out of my sleeping pajamas into my writing pajamas. They are coral fuchsia/gold/blue silky pajama, dressier than my sleeping pajamas, and an awesome TJ Maxx purchase. I even put on earrings and a bit of makeup to feel a bit more put-together as I gathered my thoughts.
With my favorite coffee mug in hand, I sat down at our kitchen table and looked out the window. Our yard had yet to see a single snowflake, but I knew it would in due time. A blank canvas that would soon be filled with a design created by God, as would the pages upon which I would write.
I prayed. “Lord, tell my heart the words that I need to write.” A very simple prayer. My readers know I write from my heart. I want my words to be a blanket that comforts and warms the hearts that need it.
When I wrote When the Hart Speaks, I craved Peanut M&M’s. While writing this book, I craved store-bought Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies. I don’t know what it is about writing that makes many writers feel certain cravings, but it is a writer thing.
I was well into writing the second chapter when the temperatures started to dip, actually nosedive. Single-digit temperatures with a below 0º wind chill. I could hear the wind screaming, “Don’t you dare go outside.”
By late morning, I was tucked into my writing/reading chair in the corner of our living room. My navy chenille throw covered my legs, and a heated rice bag warmed my lower back.
My writing chair reclines, so I would nap between chapters several times a day. Chuck knows how I like my coffee, with lots of Sweet Cream Chobani and Sweet Cream Foam. He would keep me fueled up with it. The room was quiet, but many words were spoken to my heart. It was as if the molasses in my brain was being warmed, and the words flowed.
Photo provided
On Saturday evening, it began to snow. By Sunday morning, snow covered our sidewalk and then the grassy areas. I was writing chapter seven when I took a break to shovel our walkway. I love shoveling and being out in the snow. The bitter cold made me shovel faster. Every few hours, I bundled up like the Bob Gregory kid from long ago, when Bob was the WTHR meteorologist. I didn’t want the snow to get too heavy to handle. I loved the quiet. The traffic, as well as the birds, had been shushed by the snowstorm.
“Meandering Thoughts” is the first part of the book. By the time the snow measured 10 inches, I was well into writing the second part, “Vintage Wisdom.” Each chapter ends with three questions for my readers to ponder.
As I embraced comfort, I had a thought. What if I included a few of my comfort recipes at the end of the book? And so, I did.
Words flowed into chapters. Dear Young Janet, When I Am Overwhelmed, The Power of Five, The Power of a Gentle Voice, Lead Me Not to be a “Fixer.” Twelve chapters in each section.
The crazy thing is that I was having fun. At 10:30 Saturday night, I looked up at Chuck, who was almost finished with his Baldacci book, and said … “It is finished.” It was January 31, less than two weeks since I began writing during the 2026 Snowmageddon.
And so, in a few weeks, maybe March, maybe April, I will bring to you my second book, Meandering Thoughts and Vintage Wisdom.
Who knew snow, cookies, and writing pajamas would be the perfect ingredients to create a book?
Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Spring 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. Visit janethartleonard.com.
I recently got the opportunity to speak with Janet during a local Noblesville fundraising event. What began as a two or three minute conversation turned into about 30 minutes plus. I felt like I’ve known her forever. She’s an incredible resource and inspiration and I can’t wait to read her new book!