My brain is consumed with literary devices and plot details for a NaNo piece so you’re getting another meme. Yay!!! This one is created and hosted by the illustrious Hallie Lord of Moxie Wife. When you finish reading this, go congratulate Hallie on her new baby Charlie who was born on April 4th.
Anyway, here are five of my favorite literary small towns where I enjoy disappearing when I read.
Alpine, WA. It’s a former logging town that disappeared when the mill closed in the 1920’s. Author Mary Daheim’s family lived there and one of her series of murder mysteries takes place in the town with the premise that the town would still exist today. I think the closest real place would be the town of Skykomish along US-2 going over Stevens Pass. Having lived in small towns, I can completely picture it in my mind’s eye and being a wannabe Washingtonian, it’s one of my favorite places to escape.
Partonville, IL. This is the fictitious town created by Charlene Ann Baumbich (who used to read this blog) where Dorothy Wetstra lives in the “Dearest Dorothy” books. It’s halfway between Chicago and St. Louis and other than Dorothy, the main characters are Katie Durbin, a city slicker from Chicago who moves there to find her roots, Katie’s son Josh, and a number of other townspeople. It’s another small town where I can picture the layout and I can totally see myself sitting at the counter at Harry’s Grill with Arthur Landers and acting mayor Gladys McKern.
Pickax. This is the small town setting of “The Cat Who…” mysteries by Lilian Jackson Braun. Local millionaire James “Qwill” Qwilleran solves mysteries with the help of his Siamese cats KoKo and YumYum. I can also see the offices of “The Moose County Something”, the library where Qwill’s beloved Polly Duncan works, the theater in the old Klingenschoen mansion where plays take place and the apple barn where Qwill lives during the more temperate seasons of the year.
Colleton County, NC. This is the setting for the Margaret Maron mysteries that deal with Judge Deborah Knott. I would argue that these are some of the best murder mysteries you will ever read. She’s the youngest and only girl of 12 kids, married to a sheriff’s deputy, and step-mom to his son. I love reading about the cases brought before her and some of the places she is sent to fill in for district judges around the state. The stories about her family are awesome and I can get completely lost in one of the mysteries and picture myself there.
Mitford, NC. I would be a bad pastor’s wife if I didn’t mention Mitford, especially as I have the Jan Karon books almost completely committed to memory and my copies are falling apart. Having been in a ministry position (well… psuedo-ministry because I’m not ordained), some of the things that Father Tim does show a lack of boundaries, codependency, and a host of other things… but it’s also its own place and you minister to the people you have in front of you. I have a mental image of Lord’s Chapel, Fernbank, the hospital, the rectory, and all the other places you encounter.
OK now… go congratulate Hallie and read the lists of some other people.
