I love small towns

I guess that's why I love writing cozy mysteries and small town romance. I love knowing the owner of the hardware store next door. I love the idea of a business community that works together for the benefit of the community. (The picture is from our Bristol TN/VA trip.)

I grew up in a small town. Two, actually. We lived 'in town' until third grade when my mom married again (after losing my father.) I could walk (or ride my bike) to school, to my best friend's house and to two tiny neighborhood stores when I had money for candy. I walked to a drive in restaurant once for ice cream with a friend and got in trouble for being near the busy road.

Now, that same area is built up and less than safe for a six year old to be wandering in. But growing up? It was amazing. That's probably why I love imagining living in a small town.

In third grade, we moved to a farm and I rode the bus to school. Lots of time for reading or imagining a different life. Maybe my first venture into telling stories for a living. But the town the school was in was even smaller than my first town. Three bars and as many churches.

I was raised on small towns.

Last week, we visited Hot Springs, NC. A small town on the Appalachian Trail. Lots of hikers walking through as well as families on spring break. Lots of history sitting right in front of us. I wanted to do the hot springs soaks, but well, COVID, so I'll put that off until the world heals.

Now that we're back home, I'm missing the calm days and early nights. But I do have a bit of story building in my mind for the new series that I'll start writing this summer. Healing powers in many different ways, all spun around a bookstore owner just out of cancer treatments and in recovery and finding her way in a new to her world.

But first, finish this Kitchen Witch book that's in the mind hopper and write another Tourist Trap. Both series feed my need to explore small town life.

Lynn