It’s no surprise that pieces of Strawberry Days eventually found their way into Juniper Valley. Not as a direct copy, but as a feeling.
Strawberry Days builds up anticipation, kicks off the summer and is part of a long tradition. It’s also bonding, like for that one special week, everyone in town is sharing the same experience.
When I write small-town romance, I’m trying to capture the things I loved most about growing up in a small town. There’s the community, the familiarity and the friendships that span decades (I’ve known my friend since we were in the same kindergarten class).
I remember my first crush. 6th grade. I sent him a secret Valentine, which he found and asked if I wanted to hold hands. He watched me jump rope at recess and I watched him play basketball.
There were ones that got away that I was totally oblivious to their attention. A wrestler from a neighboring high school insisted on calling me ‘Snickers’ or ‘licorice’ instead of my name, Taffy. I didn’t get that he was flirting.
I fell for baseball player when I called the games during the summer.
The neighbor who was a year younger made me promise that if we weren’t married by the time he was twenty, we would marry and raise horses.
So while Juniper Valley exists only on the page (and in my heart), its roots run deep. In the mountain views, summer festivals, lifelong friendships, and the kind of community where everyone knows your name... and probably your crush, too.
Sometimes that’s exactly what makes a small town feel like home. 🍓
Where did you meet your significant other?
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