Hey, everyone! Carol here, and today my very super special guest today is the lovely Pepper Basham! I’ve known Pepper since 2011 and this girl is one of my faves! Her books are amazing!
And to prove that it’s not just me who think so, Pepper just signed a contract for a My Heart Belongs book for Barbour Publishing!!!! She’ll be writing My Heart Belongs in Blue Ridge for release in January 2019 and it goes along well with today’s blog post because…
Today… it’s all about the small town!
I admit it.
I’m a small-town girl.
In fact, if I have to venture into a city to shop or work…I escape it as soon as possible. It’s just not for me.
Visiting? YES!
Living? No thanks!
And I don’t seem to be the only one who enjoys small towns.
For years, fiction readers have loved the atmosphere small towns lend to their stories. Hallmarks has basically made a complete franchise out of our delight in peeking into quirky and sweet small towns to discover even quirkier and sometimes sweet characters.
So?
What is it about these small towns that makes them such a fun place to visit through stories?
Charm – whether it’s from the cute sidewalks and flower-lined streets, or a real touch of magic, there’s something indescribably attractive about a place that looks like a picture from a sweet storybook. In the world of hustle and bustle, busy schedules, and lots-of-loud, a small-town appeal to our sweet, quiet, and a slower pace of life. AND, though there’s a generalized idea about small towns, they all have their own unique characters too. The restaurant where everyone eats for lunch, the coffee shop that people hang out in before driving off to work, the local park where parents meet to watch their kids play and chat about the day. I picture spring blooms on a building-lined street, laughter drifting from the park in the middle of town, the mouth-watering smell of a restaurant wafting down the lane, a slight honeysuckle-scented breeze, a kid on a bike, two old men sitting outside the General Store talking, and a jogger breezing down the sidewalk with her dog.
Nature
In most small towns, there’s an opportunity to experience more of nature. Beautiful scenery, tree-lined walks, cows showing up unexpectedly (though I have to interject here…my husband and I were in Charlotte a couple of weeks ago and a six-pointer buck ran through the traffic-laden street, right by us (as we waited to cross the street), and through the drive-thru at Wendy’s before disappearing behind a building. WEIRDEST Animal MOMENT of recent memory. Where did he come from? And Where was he going?)
For suspense writers, there’s a sense of isolation, or even a ‘mystery’ hidden in the history of the town that an outsider gets to uncover.
Small Place-Big Heart –Because of the size and the fact that everybody-knows-everybody else, there’s a sense of belonging. Most of the small-towns I’ve been to are welcoming and bring their own unique type of welcome with them. Some have mostly brick buildings in a perfect little row on either side of main street, some are spread out with a wide-western sky, but regardless, there is usually the same openheartedness for each. The people who live in these small towns have created a sense of community and their livelihood may even be tightly linked to the existence of the town, so they feel this mutual commitment and responsibility. And this sense of community (in romances and comedies) usually provides safety, friendships, and family.
In suspense in can provide all sorts of other things too ?
So…what are some favorite small town?
Mayberry (I grew up in this area of the world so I had to mention it first)
Bedford Falls – close second ?
Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls
Dillon from Friday Night Lights
Whoville ? Just had to throw that in there -but I’d probably add Danville from Phineas and Ferb too
Smallville
Storybrooke
Eureka
Hazard
Pawnee from Parks and Rec
Trouble never looked so good…When Dr. Alex Murdock is demoted to a university in rural Virginia, the last thing he expects to find is a future. But country charm never looked as good as it did on Rainey Mitchell.
Rainey Mitchell does not need a high-class flirt in her wounded world, but trouble and temptation wafts off the new professor as strong as his sandalwood-scented cologne.
When circumstances thrust them together to save her tutoring clinic, can the troublemaker find the hero inside and encourage the reticent Rainey to open her heart again?
When she's not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol Moncado is hanging out with her husband and four kids in the big yard of their southwest Missouri home, teaching American Government at a community college, reading, or watching NCIS. She's a member of ACFW and RWA, President and founding member for the MozArks ACFW group, and a category coordinator for ACFW's First Impressions.
HI Carol and Pepper. I grew up in a small town, and now live in an awesome little town not far from Melbourne- I truly get the best of both worlds! I love being able to go shopping and chat to the sales people, knowing my neighbours and being involved in community events, while having all the great stuff of the city so close. I think it is these same things that come through in books set in small towns- that sense of community.
Blessings:)
Hi Carol and Pepper! I have lived in a small town in SW Michigan most of life. St. Joseph has charm, nature, and definitely community. The town with its pristine Lake Michigan beaches, historic lighthouse, fantastic restaurants, and unique wineries makes our area a tourist destination. Tourism is a down side for locals in the summer – especially from Memorial Day to Labor Day, when locals, myself included, never visit our beach, charming down town, or the best pizza place in Michigan. We also have big cities within an hours drive and Chicago is two hours away.
I especially enjoy reading about small towns in the Midwest – Jessica Keller’s Goose Harbor, Jackie Castle’s Madison Creek, or the author slips my mind Serendipity, Indiana. Being an arm chair traveler I have visited small towns in Idaho (Arcadia Valley), Tennessee (Christmas Falls) and more. Germany has many small villages and I enjoy reading Petra Durst Benning’s books set in the Black Forest. The historical fiction The Glassblower is set in Launcha and tells the story about glass blown ornaments.
I also enjoy Hallmark movies set in small towns, especially the 2016 movies Christmas in Homestead (Iowa), the home of the Amana colonies, which I visited. The intriguing part about reading small town stories is that each is unique – a landmark, a festival, a favorite hang out, the town’s busybody, a shop, a church – and author’s explore and describe this uniqueness in their stories. Best wishes and happy writing.
I grew up on a farm 45 miles away from the nearest city. I loved it although there were definite downsides. After high school, I moved to Frankfort, Kentucky’s capital. Some would consider it a small town but I think of it as a city. We have recently moved to the county seat where I grew up. I think the population is about 1300. We live on 40 acres just outside town limits. We are enjoying our fantastic view of the rolling hills and our pond. It’s interesting seeing people I once knew after 40 years away. My favorite books take place in small towns. People’s quirks are much easier to deal with when they’re in a book!!
I grew up in a small town and loved it. My kids don’t like visiting because there’s “hardly anything to do”. We were there last week and had to wait on the 6 deer who were crossing the road. Many people in town have police scanners, so they can know every little thing that happens in the town. But when I think of a really small town, I think of Dickens, which only has 3 buildings and a church. In movies, besides Bedford and Mayberry, I think of Gary, Indiana from The Music Man. I know it’s large now, but it was small in the movie. And now we have to add Ransom to the list of small towns.
And I should have added “O little town of Bethlehem”.
I grew up in a small town but haven’t been back since I left it for college. My parents moved from the small town to a much larger town nearby. I miss the camaraderie of a small town where everyone knows everyone and the neighbors are really neighborly.
I just finished reading Charming the Troublemaker and absolutely loved it! Recommend it highly :)
I would love to read A Twist of Faith – Reese and Dee’s relationship is fascinating!
I was born in Washington,DC and spent most of my life in the suburbs right out side it. We recently moved to a much smaller city in Kentucky and are enjoying the slower pace and much less traffic. I have always enjoyed reading about small towns.
I was born in a small town and have lived in small towns all my life. I have been very grateful that we were able to raise our three children in a rural area where they developed some wonderful, life-long friendships and strong values. We have been in a small town in NC for 50+ years now and, as a pastor in the community for 38 of those years, my husband became a “community” pastor and is known and loved by all. Now that we are older, I am especially grateful for our small town! Big cities and horrendous traffic makes me nervous!!! ?
Oh my goodness!! How wonderful to ‘see’ so many people who enjoy living in (or reading about) small towns. I love the repeated phrase of ‘community’ you guys keep talking about, because it’s a truth -small towns do have this unique and usually sweet sense of community.
I love writing about them and spending time in them creating this world that is partly real (based on some of my own experience living in small towns) and partly Imagination (my own magical spin).
Thanks, Carol, letting me be your guest today!!
You DO have the best of both worlds!! I don’t mind living within 30 or 45 minutes of a city, preferably a small one. It does provide great opportunities, especially with music, as long as I can retreat to my little house in the country after ;-)
What a great list of small towns!! I love how so many authors enjoy writing the small town romances because there’s so much fun to be had!
HAHAHA!! “People’s quirks are much easier to deal with when they’re in a book”
AMEN!!
And that’s why we call it ‘fiction’ :-)
Becky!!!!!!
Bethlehem is an EXCELLENT addition. OF COURSE!! I hope my kids want to come visit when they’re grown, because I stil love going home to the VERY small town I grew up in.
And…I have to add that scenery makes the small-town experience even better. I LOVE the views in this part of the world. Kentucky too! Beautiful
MH!!!!! I shared your review in like 5 different places! It was AWESOME!! Thank you so much for writing such an amazing review AND I’m thrilled you enjoyed Rainey and Alex’s story. I’m very curious how it will be to read Dee and Reese story after CTT
I’ve lived a lot of my life on the edges of big cities – there’s nature around, but you can get to the city quickly. Then for 19 years we lived in Hong Kong – talk about BIG city!
Anyway, another small town I love reading about is Jan Karon’s Mitford!
I’ve enjoyed previous books from Pepper and I’m looking forward to more, even if they are in a small town, which work so much for romance, but definitely not for me.. or does it?
When I first moved to Upstate NY, I hated it so much (for a whole year I hated this move). I was born and raised in a big city and the small town just didn’t do it for me… until my boyfriend (then husband), moved in.. and life changed, because he liked small town and made me see the beauty in it (or maybe having him around just made everything else more enjoyable?! Who knows–isn’t that the beauty in romance?). We’re now back in a big city (because of our jobs), and we miss being in a small town every day.
I live in a small town and love reading about small towns. I have your book The Thornbearer and A Twist of Faith on my Kindle and got sidetracked….MUST push them up in my TBR pile.
I live about 15 min from a medium city. That’s big enough for me!!! I long for the day when we can buy land and build our dream house!
What great small towns! I love reading about them too!!!! And writing them at least sometimes. I’m working on a concept for a series set in a small town now and I can’t wait!
I love it!!!
Your town is probably a little small/far away for my taste, but the 40 acres?! Yes, please!!
Of course Mayberry!!! It’s probably my fave!
So far my kids all want to stay nearby (my oldest wants to take over for her band director) but we’re about 15,000 and part of a metro area of 250K or so (even though most of our towns don’t actually run into each other like in a true metro area – we have 10 miles of countryside to the medium sized city).
I had the privilege of reading ATOF several years ago and loved it then! So glad everyone else gets a chance to now!
Traffic jams around here often consist of tractors ;). Gotta love it!
Oh! I hate driving in cities!!! I avoid it whenever possible!!! When I was in Dallas I told Siri to take me around highways unless we were going across town.
Thank you for being here!!!! Love you, friend!!
I’ve heard great things about Mitford, but haven’t spent anytime there yet!
That is very big city!!! A huge difference!! I grew up in the suburbs of Phoenix but it never felt big city to me because suburbs. I don’t miss it though.
Yes! You must!!! They’re so good!!!
I used to live in a “small town” but when everyone moves out of the “big city”, it no longer becomes a small town.
Thanks for introducing me to a new author.
Yep, I think Asheville is a SMALL city – and I’m okay with living on the outskirts, but I’d rather live just a wee bit more rural
So far 2 of my 3 who can actually start thinking about that want to live AWAY!!! Like even another COUNTRY away.
Sigh…
Oh well, Europe! I’ll have to travel ;-)
Oh Mitford!! How could I have forgotten THAT one????
Pricila – currently swooning over your comment :-)
Jackie, A Twist of Faith is a lighter read and The Thorn Bearer is more dramatic – just to help you decide :-)
I grew up on a farm near a very small town but have since lived in larger cities in several states and even a small town in Germany. Now, I live in a small town about 20 miles from where I was raised. I enjoy the smaller pace and especially the lack of traffic. There are larger towns not too far away when I need more than my small town provides. It’s a great place to live especially as I am nearing retirement age.
For eleven years, We lived in a small town in Northern Wisconsin. Our Church was 1&1/4 miles away. We lived in the parsonage across from the general store, post office , on the corner was a gas station and two bars. Next town was 15 miles away or 30 the other way. It was a bump in the highway.
I grew up in a small village on the Fox River in Northern Illinois. But the 60,000 population town was only about 2 miles north.
I like small towns for their historical buildings.
I like the town in the Annie’s Attic series in New England.
Hi carol and Pepper.. enjoyed reading your blog. I attended high school in a small town, but I am not sure if I have lived in a small town. Great giveaway.
Hi Pepper, Thanks for visiting with us and congrats on your new book contract! I love the charm of small towns and enjoy living in a small city affectionately known as the bush capital. I like the mix of rural and city living. :)
I love every small city in romance books, and I would really enjoy living in a town such as those. The experience I have with small towns, though, is of gossip and having to be pretend to be perfect and flawless and doing things you are expected to and not what you want. Not the best experience, right?! I guess that makes me afraid of moving into a small town.
I live in a small town and wouldn’t trade all the big city conveniences to move out of it!! I love it for so many reasons and one of them is being able to get around town in less than 10 minutes & the friendliness of the people. I usually run into someone I know when I go to the grocery store :-)
I also love reading books set in a small town and how the author can accurately portray life in one. Word of advice, do your research! Because as a reader I can tell when an author doesn’t know what they are talking about in a small town since I live in one :-) I don’t think you will ever have a problem with that though Pepper!!
Congrats on the new book, it’s sounds so charming! ;-)
haha! That is true, Janet!
I’ve never read that series before, Paula, but I so love the historical buildings associated so many times with small towns! They add such character
Laura, that is certainly a risk in small towns for sure!!! If everybody knows everybody it makes it easier to know their stuff too :-(
HAHA!! Trixi!! We certainly have our own culture, don’t we? The place I live right now is a little ‘too big’ for my tastes, but I grew up in a teeny tiny place smashed between two quaint small towns, and I LOVE the atmosphere there!!