It's What's Your Answer Time Again.
I ask three questions. You answer one or more in the comment section. The more answers you give, the shorter your answers should be. You're encouraged to include one website or blog URL in your comment, but no more. If you don't have one, that's okay, too.
Today's Questions And My Answers:
Question:
Since some of our blog members are contributing short stories for a soon-to-be released anthology called the Corner Cafe, I wonder if any of you have a favorite eating place which you frequent on a regular basis, kind of like the characters on Seinfeld do? Identifying that place is optional, just describe it.
Answer:
Yes, my husband and I have two favorites. One is a family restaurant, the Dunton House, open daily. No matter how many other places we try, we always seem to make our way back there.The owners are friendly, the atmosphere is pleasant, and we're never disappointed by the menu. Another is a small cafe called the Arlington Grill, only open for breakfast and lunch. Funny, how I never cared for split pea soup before, until I tried it there one Wednesday, as the soup of the day. One spoonful and I was hooked!
Question:
Do you enjoy reading books with a small town atmosphere, or does the bustle of Big City living draw you in?
Answer:
I love to read about larger-than-life people, who make it big. That kind of thing usually happens in the business world; yet, if an author knows how to make small town life exciting, I'll buy into it. The key is to sustain enough conflict to keep my interest piqued.
Question:
One way to round out a book character is to let that person become involved in community functions. Are you a member of any community organizations, or participate in any activities presented by such organizations?
Answer:
For years, my husband and I would enjoy our village's five-day events centered around the Fourth of July. Then one year we joined the committee. After at least fifteen years, we still belong. It's heartening to be even partially responsible for something that is so much loved by our community.
As observers, we also enjoy other community events, such as the annual tree lighting ceremony kicking off the Christmas Season.
Now it's your turn. Pick one or more questions to answer in the comment section.
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Catch Morgan Mandel's romantic thriller, Forever Young: Blessing or Curse on all electronic media. Also available find her romantic suspense, Killer Career, her mystery, Two Wrongs, and her romantic comedy, Girl of My Dreams.
You can find links and excerpts to all Morgan's books at http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com/
I ask three questions. You answer one or more in the comment section. The more answers you give, the shorter your answers should be. You're encouraged to include one website or blog URL in your comment, but no more. If you don't have one, that's okay, too.
Today's Questions And My Answers:
Question:
Since some of our blog members are contributing short stories for a soon-to-be released anthology called the Corner Cafe, I wonder if any of you have a favorite eating place which you frequent on a regular basis, kind of like the characters on Seinfeld do? Identifying that place is optional, just describe it.
Answer:
Yes, my husband and I have two favorites. One is a family restaurant, the Dunton House, open daily. No matter how many other places we try, we always seem to make our way back there.The owners are friendly, the atmosphere is pleasant, and we're never disappointed by the menu. Another is a small cafe called the Arlington Grill, only open for breakfast and lunch. Funny, how I never cared for split pea soup before, until I tried it there one Wednesday, as the soup of the day. One spoonful and I was hooked!
Question:
Do you enjoy reading books with a small town atmosphere, or does the bustle of Big City living draw you in?
Answer:
I love to read about larger-than-life people, who make it big. That kind of thing usually happens in the business world; yet, if an author knows how to make small town life exciting, I'll buy into it. The key is to sustain enough conflict to keep my interest piqued.
Question:
One way to round out a book character is to let that person become involved in community functions. Are you a member of any community organizations, or participate in any activities presented by such organizations?
Answer:
For years, my husband and I would enjoy our village's five-day events centered around the Fourth of July. Then one year we joined the committee. After at least fifteen years, we still belong. It's heartening to be even partially responsible for something that is so much loved by our community.
As observers, we also enjoy other community events, such as the annual tree lighting ceremony kicking off the Christmas Season.
Now it's your turn. Pick one or more questions to answer in the comment section.
----------------------------------------------------------
You can find links and excerpts to all Morgan's books at http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com/
I love to eat at Portillo's in Chicago whenever I'm in town. The roast beef sandwiches are to die for, but I also like the atmosphere. It's super busy both inside and out. The drive-thru is always packed. Eating while watching the customers is entertaining. Lots of cops, firefighters and city employees, as well as the locals. Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWe have a Portillo's near us as well. The DH loves their tamales.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Morgan, I love the connectedness of small towns. A fav story of mine is when my husband stopped off at the grocery store to pick up milk on his way home from work and the cashier told him she thought he'd enjoy dinner at the fort. He didn't know anything about it, but my Mom had been in there talking it up, and since we were new in town, everyone knew who we were. There's always a sense of community in a small town.
ReplyDeleteMaggie
http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/
I enjoy reading about small towns where characters know about and support each other. However, if the storyline flows, it doesn't matter where the action takes me as long at it keeps pulling me along!
ReplyDeleteWhen I visit FL every summer, I LOVE going to Panera to read and write. I go almost every day.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy both big city and small town stories, but if I have to choose, I think I prefer the latter.
Great questions today, Morgan.
ReplyDeleteWhen my hubby and I were in our 20's we would visit The Bridge Cafe every Friday night after work. It's a local pizza joint and bar.
Definitely a small town person. I like visiting NYC, but would hate to live there.
Our family is very involved in our church.
Ooh, great questions, Morgan! I have a couple of default restaurants when I go to the city - La Baguette is one of my faves for fresh, crispy bread and the best French soups ever. Also, killer eclairs. ;) I'm participating in the CC project and have written three stories - fun to think about setting. I'm also working on a novel set in a small mid-America town, and since I'm living in a similar setting, getting involved in the community at least on the fringes is good research. My characters are having as much trouble with it as I am. ;)
ReplyDeleteBecause I have to eat gluten-free, I have found that choosing a restaurant where I don't have to ask for substitutions creates a challenge. Even those with gluten-free menus rarely include tasty options that make dining out the joy that it used to be. The best I have found so far is Red Robin, and they're very accommodating when it comes to food sensitivities.
ReplyDeleteWhat I've learned also, even if you live in a big city, like Chicago, where I grew up, you still have your own neighborhood haunts.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
We do have a neighborhood bar, Brian's, that serves great bbq. Food is half-price on Tuesday nights, which is even better!
ReplyDeleteSetting is only important to me in that it feels real - I don't care if it's a small town or a big one. I set my mysteries in my hometown of Placentia (CA), which is a small town engulfed by the very large Orange County. I've set one scene during our annual Heritage Festival, which is fun, and I killed someone on our country club golf course (oops). I'm on the board of my local library's friends foundation - I haven't killed any of the other members off yet, but I'm still writing the series.
Gayle, you are a wicked woman after my own heart. I still haven't imagineered the perfect way to off my town manager. LOL.
ReplyDeleteBraz hamburgers ... the best sliders in metro area ... and dialogue that I couldn't make up in my wildest dreams ... it's dinner and a show.
ReplyDeleteWe're the kind of people that keep these great haunts in business.
ReplyDeleteLoyalty is what it's all about!
Morgan Mandel
http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com
Rick and I used to go to our local coffee shop, Theo's, opened and named in honor of a fellow firefighter's dad (also a firefighter) every Sunday morning for breakfast before I retired. We're squeaking by on a shortened teacher's pension, shortened by leaving two years early because of multiple sclerosis. But in three months, the second mortgage we took for our roof will be paid off, and we'll be able to go out for breakfast again!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to those glorious morning muffins!
http://terrysthoughtsandthreads.blogspot.com
I love small towns in novels, and I almost have a fave hangout, now for the first time since college...It's a decadent bakery with coffee and sweets to die for. In a mystery sense of the word.
ReplyDeleteI love books with a small town atmosphere, reading and writing them. My small town characters are also active in their community, as I am. Mostly my work, and theirs, has to do with food and the homeless. Great questions!
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone for sharing their favorite haunts!
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
I like to read and write books set in small towns. When I travel I always look for small towns that could be used as settings. If I use the town as a setting, though, I always give it a fictitious name.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lindahopelee.com
I've been active in the Boy Scouts for over twenty years. Believe me, that's an organization with enough internal strife, drama, and petty politics to enliven a whole series. Say, I wonder if ...
ReplyDelete