Girls Write Out
Sunday, March 20, 2011

There's something about a small town. You might not want to live there--in a place where everybody knows your business and is often in the middle of it--but they're appealing to read about.

I read an article last week about the rising popularity of the small town setting. It's easy to see the appeal. In a time when life is complicated, families are disjointed, and our neighbors are strangers, it's nice to escape to a simpler place where community matters, where everybody knows your name . . . even if they know your business too.

I have to admit, I've been drawn to the small town setting lately, in my reading and my writing. I'm always on the lookout for that quaint little town for my next story.

So tell me, what's your favorite quaint town? Do you live in one or is there one in your region? A place that makes your heart sing and your stress fly out the window? Go and ahead and share . . . it might just end up in a book one day.

PS I took this photo of Livingston, Montana while doing research for "A Cowboy's Touch". This town is my prototype for Moose Creek.

Labels:

Denise Hunter  
posted at 10:38 PM  
  Comments (14)
 
 
Delicious Delicious
14 Comments:
At 11:38 PM, Blogger Kirsten said...

I live in one. Yes, they are great, and everyone does know everyone's business (slight exaggeration depending on where you live. Otherwise, right on target : ) )

-Clifton Forge, VA
-Hot Springs, VA (the epitome. Nice resort there, also)
-Black Mountain, NC (BEAUTIFUL!)
-Lexington, VA (LOVE! Home to Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute. Yet, still a great, small town!)

 
At 12:10 AM, Blogger Kristin said...

As you know, I'm a city girl through and through, but I'd have to say my favorite small towns are Nevada City, California and I really like Cortez, Colorado. The scenery is so beautiful in both places, and I could see myself there. Oh, and nice coffee shops in both places.

 
At 1:22 AM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

I've known nothing but smallville all my life. I have friends who moved from Denver to Siloam Springs AR just because they wanted that small town feel. They were in for a shock when they found snakes and spiders and humidity and tornados and ice storms and a redneck mindset that it took awhile to get accustomed to.

I love my books set in smallvilles because they can show the special links of folks who live there. I want to never move to a big city. Ever.

 
At 7:23 AM, Blogger Tonya Kappes said...

Small towns are my favorite to read and write about. I blame it on growing up in a small town and loving it!

 
At 8:29 AM, Blogger Valerie said...

We love to go back to my mother's hometown of Washburn, Maine. Nothing ever changes and it's so relaxing - full of family and friends.

 
At 8:55 AM, Blogger Christine Long said...

The setting for the third of my book is in a small town. Yes, everybody knows everybody and is in their business. Which is why the discovery of a wrecked car with a decomposed body really stirs things up!

I've lived in several small towns. One of them was so small, it didn't have a main street!

After recently driving into New York City for the first time, I've decided I'd like to live there for a year. However, I think I'd need someone to sponsor me since I'd never be able to afford it!

 
At 12:59 PM, Blogger Kristen Borland said...

I love small towns. I wouldn't survive in a city. We live in Atascadero, CA. Love it. So kick back, so family friendly, so chickens-in-your-backyard... We just got a movie theatre. It's fancy-smancy. I think that means we officially have a real downtown now.

 
At 1:32 PM, Blogger Denise Hunter said...

I'm loving reading about your favorite small towns! And I'm writing them all down.

Kristen . . . "So chickens-in-your-backyard" LOL Love it.

 
At 3:09 PM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

I love small towns! I have never yet set a book in a city. I wouldn't know how to write that since I've lived in a small town all my life. :) I love my hometown of Wabash, IN. First electrically lighted town.

I love Cape May. All those old Victorian homes. And I love Prescott, AZ. Lots of small towns out west that are so charming.

 
At 6:41 PM, Blogger Pam Sanderlin said...

My favorite small town is Buena Vista, Colorado, right in the middle of the Rockies and right in the middle of Colorado state. Beautiful views, lots of fun summer activities like river rafting and hiking and ATVing--and skiing in the winter.

 
At 8:03 PM, Blogger jel said...

don't live in a small town or a big city,

I live out when the hoot owls court the chickens! :)

 
At 11:00 AM, Blogger Rachel Overton said...

I've always said I grew up in the twigs...the sticks would be civilization! :-) I still live in a small town without a main street. We don't even have our own post office--we share with the neighboring "big town." My favorite "legitimate" :-) small town, though, would be Franklin, PA. Near Oil City, PA, which is where the first oil well was drilled. It was once a boomtown area, and there are beautiful homes and a lovely main street and great antique shops, a couple of small museums, and, well, ambiance. You know?

Another small town I'm familiar with is Jellico, TN; my husband's hometown. It's one of my least favorite places in the world, but it's the kind of place where everyone knows your business, and if they don't, they make it up. There's a great little town-history museum there, though. Being the first town over the border from a dry state (KY), it has quite an interesting history. It's also where a troop train derailed and killed many, many American soldiers during WWI. Jellico people are proud of their heritage, but the town itself seems to be breathing its last few breaths.

Chardon, OH is another nice small town in our area. Seat of Geauga County, home of maple syrup and the Middlefield Amish community.

 
At 12:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I live in a small town and LOVE it. Yes, sometimes people knowing everyone's business gets annoying but we are always stepping up to help each other out when needed.

 
At 6:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I live in a small town in West Tennessee but my all-time favorite small town to visit is Madison, Georgia. During the Civil War, Sherman refused to destroy Madison because it was home to a pro-Union Senator. This quaint little town has many antique stores and some of the state of Georgia's most stunning Antebellum homes. Beautiful!!

 

Post a Comment

<< Home



The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
Subscribe
Enter your Email


Powered by FeedBlitz