Tag: Small town

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Lift your Gaze

ellenparkerwrites

To the hills. Several of the Biblical psalms begin by urging the reader to lift their gaze to the hills, for help is on the way.

Since my small hometown was in a narrow valley, it was easy to look at the hills. Standing in certain places, it was actually difficult to avoid.

Lifting your gaze is good advice. After all, a person can only learn a limited amount by watching their feet all the time. Or perhaps you tend to look straight ahead. When having a conversation, a person can pick up more than words by looking at the other person, or people.

In summer (photo taken in July) these Midwestern hills show off shades of green. In autumn they put on a show with a mixture of maple, oak, and poplar adding color.

Farms and homes populate the hills around this village. In the clean & wholesome romance, Seed of Desire, the couple meet at the county fair in a nearby town. Sharing an affection for dogs leads to much more. Check out details at the link: https://amzn.to/2RDFgxH

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Muffler?

ellenparkerwrites

Putt, putt. Chug, chug. Throb, throb.

The others hear me approach. Can I do the work? Stay in the field for hours? Yes, yes. I’m a hard worker — dedicated. All I need is fuel and a little basic care.

If the engine is a tractor’s heart, mine is equal to many. I just make a little more noise as I work.

Forget the almost hum of the four-cylinder vehicles. I do well on two — thank you very much. Actually, I’m retired now, like many of my companions from the 1950’s. A few humans give us extra care and show off our skills in parades. But our days of raking hay, pulling wagons, and spreading manure and behind our drawbar.

Have you attended any old-time farm shows? Antique equipment displays? Remember, this (and similar) were the first motorized vehicles driven by many farm children — long before they were eligible for a driver’s license.

City girl Mona Smith gets her first driving lesson on a similar tractor in the small-town romance, Hiding Places. Another way of life, full of apple trees, observant people, and a quirky will presents challenges. Check out the book at the link. https://amzn.to/2Jm26GQ Makes a quick weekend read.

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Focal Point

ellenparkerwrites

Many neighborhoods and communities in the United States have one particular place of importance. It may be a park, a museum, a natural feature, or a building.

Where I grew up, the focal point of the community was a spring fed pond. During my lifetime, changes have been made around the edges. One building was torn down. Curbing was installed. An aerator was added. A veterans monument was build. And trout — stocked for a child’s fishing contest during a celebration — then fishing prohibited aside from a few hours per year (some recurring celebration) has allowed these trout to grow and multiply.

At various times the grounds surrounding the pond have been used for outdoor movies, ice cream socials, and band concerts. A picnic table under a small shelter welcomes guests.

Fish are visible as shadows if the photo is enlarged.

Does your hometown have a focal point — a gathering spot — that “must see” place for returning travelers?

The fictional village of Crystal Springs manages to induce a few new residents over the course of three wholesome romance novels. Check out Starr Tree Farm as an introduction to the location. Prepare a warm drink — the story takes place during a Wisconsin January. Here’s a link: https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

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Going Home?

ellenparkerwrites

Two words. Rather simple. Both are words in an early reader’s vocabulary.

But they are far from simple.

How do you say them? With joy? Dread? Where’s home? Is is the place you currently live? A home you grew up in? A place? Or a group of people?

Often, when I meet a new person, they will ask where I’m from. Do they want to know where I live now? Or where I grew up? Are they the same?

When I first became serious with my writing, I remembered the advice to “write what you know.” This turned into digging into memories of my childhood and combining them with more current aspects gained from visits “home.”

If you enjoy small-town stories — perhaps because you have good memories from one or more — you may enjoy this trio of sweet romance. Visit Crystal Springs, Wisconsin (you won’t find it on a map) and discover hard-working people in a variety of occupations.

Here’s a link to the first one published: Starr Tree Farm. https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

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Small Town Center

ellenparkerwrites

As Americans moved West and filled the land with farms and settlements, they established many small towns.

A few of these, due to location or other factors, grew to become the cities of today. But what did all these little crossroad and riverside communities of the late 1700’s and nearly all of the 1800’s have in common?

At the center of the community would be a church. Established, constructed, and maintained by the members, church buildings of various sizes and styles were dotted across the frontier (and the recent frontier).

Meeting house

Many communities grew large enough and had enough of a diverse population to maintain more than one. Perhaps the members followed a different doctrine. Or worshiped in a different language. Some decorated their buildings inside and out. Others built and remained plain.

In 1851, the fictional town of Elm Ridge, Illinois contained five churches worshiping in two languages. Find out in the sweet historical romance, Stitching a Dream, how Polly Black navigates waves caused by these differences.

Link to the Kindle edition is here: https://amzn.to/3VwoeFh

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Power of Three

ellenparkerwrites

Ready. Set. Go!

Begin on the count of three.

Listen to the trio.

Draw the triangle.

Dozens of good things come in threes. Snacks — three cookies — or scoops of ice cream. Artful arrangements of flowers, candles, or pictures often feature a trio. Three beats per measure when playing a waltz.

Authors — and readers — often favor trilogies.

Pick one, two, or three of the Crystal Springs Romances. Starr Tree Farm takes place in winter. Hiding Places showcases the month of June. Seed of Desire begins in late summer. Location and consistent appearances by secondary characters tie them together in a small-town, sweet romance bouquet.

Links to Kindle editions: Starr Tree Farm https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

Hiding Places https://amzn.to/2Jm26GQ

Seed of Desire https://amzn.to/2RDFgxH

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Crops in Rows

ellenparkerwrites

Corn. Soybeans. Wheat- yes, it’s planted in rows very close together. Cotton. Potatoes. Tomatoes and lettuce. Rows and rows of crops fill large portions of our land.

But today I’d like to talk about another crop in rows — one which takes more than a season to mature and prepare for market.

Northern Christmas Trees – field of Fraizer Fir

Hundreds, thousands, of future Christmas trees grow in rows stretching into the distance. Planted as seedlings, the trees pictured here have been growing a few seasons. And they have a few more to go. The men guiding the author and her friends around the fields spoke of a “ten year crop”. Yes, you read that correctly — ten years from planting to harvest.

A lot can happen in ten years. One year might be wet and soggy and cool. Another might be hot and dry. Flood? Tornado? Hail? Disease? Wildlife damage? You need to be a bit of a gambler to be a farmer. You also need to look long-term when growing a crop spanning multiple years.

Fields which mature in different years. A sorter-term supplemental crop. A side-job for one family member. Different strategies work for different situations.

For a sweet romance set on a Christmas tree farm during January, try STARR TREE FARM. Available at your favorite on-line store. Kindle: https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

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Classic Location

ellenparkerwrites

A Midwest story which opens in a church basement.

Oh — the tales the walls could tell — but gossiping is wrong — so they will stay silent.

Let’s take a tour. Kitchen with commercial stove and two refrigerators. A nice island counter with storage for all the cooks and helpers to gather around. A deep sink – double or triple. Don’t forget the serving counter. A piano in the main area — you’ll hear it during Sunday school opening and at other events. Restrooms — a necessity and so welcome. And the ever-popular smooth, round support posts. (Great fun for children of all ages to swing around until dizzy.)

Upstairs you’ll find the cloakroom — no cloaks but plenty of jackets, coats, and boots in the winter — an entry and the worship area.

Let’s return to the basement — and the party. Yes, in the fictional village of Crystal Springs — the church hosts a New Year’s Eve party — with music, food, and games. Don’t forget the midnight toast!

The model for Springs Community Church

The first of the three Crystal Spring Romances is currently available for 0.99 — this is the perfect time to sample some sweet romance with a touch of suspense.

Available at all major on-line retailers.

http://bit.ly/2zpVt2X

https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

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The Beginning

ellenparkerwrites

Authors do a lot of thinking before they put the first word on the page. A common prompt is “What if?” another is “Where?”

When starting the story that became my first published novel — I spent a lot of time figuring out “Where” and “Who” and “Why”

I wanted a peaceful place, tending on boring at first glance, but where turmoil is just below the surface.

So what’s a place that should be quiet and dull? How about a Christmas tree farm in January, when all the hub-bub of cutting and shipping and sales is done for the year and planting and sheering and summer work is months away. Should be an easy place for a city relative to mind a few animals and take a couple weeks to find mental balance.

However…this is a small town romance with a hint of suspense…so anything can happen.

A reunion and second chances are interrupted by gunshots.

For Kindle readers: https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

For Nook readers: http://bit.ly/2zpVt2X