Even though I live in a metropolis, I’ve decided I’m a small town girl at heart. And my writing reflects just that. I love tiny towns, itty-bitty burgs and charming little communities full of interesting people. Besides, writing about small towns makes it easier to let my quirky cast of characters out to play since they don’t have far to go in their fictional settings.
Plus, and here’s the peculiar thing, in nearly every manuscript I’ve completed, the heroine owns either an inn or a bed and breakfast and/or they own some sort of food establishment. Understand that this was not intentional and was not decided after some outrageous bribe from the secret society of caregivers. Apparently, it comes from some deep down place in my soul and only realized after one of my critique partners brought it to my attention. You don’t suppose it was her polite way of saying “get out of your butter-flavored Crisco-induced writing rut” was it?
Here is a random sampling of some of my towns and the heroine’s that reside there.
In The King of Hearts the town is named Angel’s Cove, Kansas and the heroine, Bailey, owns a small bakery named Angel Bites. The smell of her chocolate is what leads the hero to her shop after dark. Think Pied Piper with tight jeans and bulging biceps.
Faith Hope & Gloria features the youngest of the three heroines running the diner in the best bowling alley/beauty shop in Heartbreak, Kansas. After being rescued by the hunky fireman, Gloria makes the world’s best chili to put a little spark in their relationship.
After Santa Claus sends his twin sons to Pottersville, Texas, in Make Me Believe, they transform this ho-hum community into a Christmas theme city and change the name to Tinsel Towne. Naturally the heroine, Holly Wood, runs the cozy bed and breakfast the good-looking twins are staying at. The brothers are there incognito, so she unknowingly fattens the future Santa with her excellent cooking. Good thing, he’ll need a little meat on his bones if he’s going to fit into the red suit. And drive the big sleigh. And get the girl.
So when it comes down to it, I guess I'm proud to be a small town girl at heart and I’ve got the flour-smudged apron to prove it.
Hugs,Reese
11 comments:
LOL, Reese. They say a way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
Small town girls are the best! ;-)
All my stories so far are in small town or rural settings, can't beat them for the feeling of belonging and family.
Small towns truly are fun to write about and always have interesting people. Yours, Reese, are the best!
Can't wait to read all of these stories, Reese! Being a former farm girl who had to cook for farm crews I can tell you food is of paramount importance to men. You're on the right track--your track. Keep on going down it!
I agree, Melissa. Cooking is love. Guess that's why I always put it in my books.
Tammy, hey! Long time no see! If memory serves me correctly, you live in a small town so you know exactly what I'm talking about! You probably never lack for setting ideas. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for the compliment, Rox. You do a really good job with small towns too. And cowboys. Mmmm Hmmm!
Thanks, Joan for the vote of confidence. I can only imagine the amount of work/love it took to cook for farm crews. Probably a love-hate relationship. ;-)
Reese, your towns and characters sound like such fun. Can't wait till they're available for the whole world to read.
Wanted to add -- Tammy, it's so good to see you! It's been way too long.
I think we enjoy our fantasies in our writings. Maybe you've the soul of a bed and breakfast woman in a small town. In our main town, the old drugstore closed down many years ago. It has a real soda fountain in it. A woman whose children were grown decided to put three things she likes to do together. She opened the shop, called it the Old Store. It has a huge quilting machine in it and quilts things for herself and others. She serves sandwich shop meals and to-die-for desserts, as well as a full soda fountain list of delights. It is in the wonders of Kansas book. So, if you ever get to Johnson, KS (35 miles north of Elkhart), then stop in and see how a small town person customizes her dreams to fit. Fantastic double chocolate malts too!
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