Small Towns
Okay, yesterday was just terrible. I worried all day about the mammogram, which wasn’t bad as I expected, and I was there and home within 45 minutes, then got an email from my agent that all the first round editors have rejected Hot Shot. Then my dh came home and said the Land Cruiser, my baby, was acting up and he thinks he’s blown a head gasket.
Now, in our marriage, we’ve replaced at least 3 engines. You would think he would learn. So I stopped my writing time to finish the taxes, which took another hour.
It started later, and he thinks now it may only be a water pump, but DAMN.
So today is another day. I visit the hematologist today and that may be it. Oh, and the grocery store. You know, Spring Break, hungry teenager.
ANYWAY, what I wanted to blog about today is small towns, and why they’re such popular settings in romance novels.
On the way back from Houston, we drove through a number of small towns that made me wonder why people live there, so far away from the conveniences I’m used to. I want to let you know I’m not dissing this – I’m just trying to work it through from my perspective as a city girl. (Okay, suburb girl)
Some people, I imagine, are born there and don’t leave. Why not, I wonder. Are they satisfied? Afraid of change? My mind goes into overdrive trying to characterize these people.
Others move there, I’m sure. Why? Looking for the simple life?
What jobs do they have, especially in the towns so far off the beaten track?
What is the community like? If the high school is small, what are your options for finding your true love? Do the ones who leave to go to college come back? What do they do for entertainment? Do they know everybody?
I really want to write a small town story again, just so I can work this out for myself.
I deserve this.
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10 comments:
(((Mary))) on Hot Shot and on your land cruiser etc. I'm glad the mammogram wasn't as bad as you expected it to be.
I have a ton of family that lives in small towns. Depending on where the small town is (Hill Country in TX.. yeah). I think these people know no other life. Some do leave, but most stay.
I do like the small town atmosphere. Like Fredricksburg. Awesome little town, but I'm a city girl and wouldn't want to live there. Well, unless I won the lottery.
Now there's a story line for you... she wins the lotter and throws her city girl ways to the pasture. Literally. hehe
Mary,
Super-duper good vibes going out to you about the vehicle, the mammogram, and taxes (ugh).
Now, onto the fun stuff. Writing :)
The topic of small towns is one that's near and dear to my heart. I grew up in a town of a couple thousand, on the east coast, in a community that relied on fishing as its core industry. Of course, as a kid, I resented not being able to do cool things -- seeing a movie, for example, was a rare treat. However, when I grew up and moved to a large city, and then an even larger city, I began to yearn for my small-town life. The friendliness, the pace, the simplicity. When I first moved to Toronto, I thought the people and the noise would kill me.
In January, my hubby-to-be and I moved outside of Toronto to a small town (35,000). AND I LOVE IT! I feel as though I've come home. And let me tell you, there is nothing boring about a small town. In fact, just the opposite. Because of the tight-knit relationships, there are even more opportunities for interesting things happening, people meeting people, old grudges, old promises and linkages. Somehow, a small town feels more REAL to me. I never want to move back to a city of millions (although I have to work in one every day!)
I love writing about people who live in small towns. They are true, complex people with interesting lives. I can't wait to see what you conjure up... : )
Bosey
Ah, Mary, big hugs on the rejections. It's not fun, I know.
I grew up in a small town and couldn't wait to get out. Now I live in a city and think about the positive aspects of small-town living. The thing about small towns, which if incorporated into a book would make it ring authentic, is that there are good and bad points to them, just like cities. Yes, it's a simpler life, people are friendly and it's a cheaper cost of living. But you also face everyone knowing everything you do, a lack of services (including good health care in many instances), and low pay scales for jobs.
I think the small towns in books are idealized in many respects -- the ones where there are many interesting and educated folk, there's a cute little bookstore and tea shop, etc. Sure, these types of small towns exist, particularly near tourist areas, but there are also those where you'd have to look hard to find one redeeming quality. But like I said, there are good and bad points to living anywhere.
To me, the ideal would be a fun, progressive small town near a natural area (tourists = more economic opportunity) and within easy driving distance of a city with all the amenties and services you'd need.
I'm sorry about your bad day. I hate days like that, when I feel like the only way to salvage any of it is to get back in bed and pull the covers over my head. But you can't do that. I don't know anyone whose schedule would permit that.
I grew up in a series of small towns, none over 15,000 people. I hated growing up in them, and I hate going back to them now.
Now, I live in a suburb of our state capitol, and I absolutely love it. We have an acerage, and no close neighbors. But three miles away, there are all-night stores, gas-stations, pharmacies, and all the big-city conveniences I could ever ask for.
Of course, this is a small state, with a small state capitol. But I love it.
(((((Mary))))) Ugh! Life is hard sometimes isn't it?
I grew up in a small town--I love it and I love small towns, but I couldn't live in my hometown anymore. Too restrictive and oppressive.
Thanks for all the hugs and vibes, guys. Today wasn't much better, but tomorrow is another day.
All this talk about small towns is making me want to pull out that first book again. I think my main heroine would be like Rachel and Toni, that kind of attitude. One of the other heroines would be more like Trish - can't wait to get out and can't find a break. (Though, clearly, Trish did.)
JoAnn, I like what you said about the feeling of "tribe" in a small town. Not something I'd thought about.
((((Mary))))
So sorry about the Rs, hope the car is okay, glad the mannogram wasn't so bad (I've had a bunch of them, don't like em but what can you do?)
I only lived in a small town once, and it really wasn't a small "town" because there was no community hub or anything. We had to drive an hour to get groceries or any sort of services and didn't even have an TV reception. That was in the early 60's. I loved it. I'm so sick of living in L.A. don't get me started. ;)
Thanks, Gina!
I can understand about getting fed up with the big city. I'm in traffic wherever I go, no matter what time of day. No fun in a stick shift. And I don't even live in a high traffic part of town!
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