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Jennifer loves New York locales...
One of the things writers are told early in their careers is
to “write what you know.” I’m honestly not sure about the validity of that
advice, but I do think it’s important for one’s writing to be backed by
research and knowledge, especially when it comes to settings.
I love to set stories in New York City. I’m familiar with
the place, having worked their for several years and visiting it more times
than I can count. New York City has so many different neighborhoods, that no
two stories will be exactly the same, even if they are both set in the same
place.
In my first book, A Heart of Little Faith, my heroine is
raising her six-year-old daughter, Claire. They frequent the Upper West Side of
the city, which is filled with cultural things to do, like museums and parks.
According to
Wikipedia, “The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough
of Manhattan, New York City, that lies
between Central Park
and the Hudson River
and between West 59th
Street and West 110th
Street. It is an affluent, primarily residential area with many of
its residents working in more commercial areas in Midtown and Lower Manhattan. It has
the reputation of being home to New York City's cultural, intellectual hub (with
Columbia
University located at the north end of the neighborhood), and
artistic workers (with Lincoln
Center located at the south end).”
There are plenty of things to do with kids in a city, and
one of the spots Lily and Claire visit is a playground on the Upper West Side.
On Saturday, Lily and Claire met Kim, Emily and Adam at a
playground on the Upper West Side. After an initial period during which the
kids stared at each other, they played together all afternoon, which left the
two women time to talk.
“I’m glad you called and suggested this,” Lily said to Kim as she
munched on some grapes she’d brought for the kids to have as a snack.
“Me too. I figured since Mark is working today, it would be a good
chance for us to get together.” Kim looked out over the playground. The girls
were at the swing set, pushing Adam on the swing. “The kids are having fun
together. It’s always so awkward when the parents like each other and the kids
can’t stand to be in the same room together.”
Lily laughed. “Yeah, play dates can be tough. They’re almost as
bad as dating. It’s embarrassing when you have to ask some strange mom if their
kid wants to play with yours.” She watched as Claire paused in her running to
wait for Adam to catch up. “Claire loves having a little boy to take care of.
She’s in love with babies and little kids.”
“I noticed.” Kim looked at Lily. “So, you mentioned dating. Are you?”
Lily looked up at her. “No. It’s hard with a child. I want to give
Claire as much attention as I can, and frankly I just don’t have the energy to
spend on finding someone who not only wants to date me, but be with her as
well.”
“So what about you and Gideon?”
Lily blushed.
“I’m sorry; I don’t mean to get too personal.”
“No, you’re not; I’m just not used to talking about this. I feel
like I’m back in high school. Honestly, I don’t know what we’re doing. We see
each other often, although most times it’s with Claire and Samantha in tow.
We’ve kissed a couple of times, but that’s it. I enjoy being with him, but I’m
just not sure where we are right now.”
“Well, I hope it works out for the two of you. From what I know of
him, Gideon is a great guy, and it’s obvious to me he adores you.”
In Miriam’s Surrender, the story also takes place in New
York City, but this time, it’s on the Upper East Side.
According to Wikipedia, “The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough
of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park/Fifth Avenue, 59th Street,
the East River, and 96th Street.
The area incorporates several smaller neighborhoods, including Lenox Hill, Carnegie Hill, and Yorkville.
Once known as the Silk Stocking
District, it is now one of the most affluent neighborhoods in New York City. It
is traditionally perceived to be home to commercial and business types.”
This type of
neighborhood fits Miriam perfectly. As a single, business professional, she’s
comfortable economically and likes the order and upkeep associated with the
area.
Forty minutes later, she was dressed and ready for work. She
stepped outside her Upper East Side apartment, waved to the doorman, and
inhaled. The rain from the previous day had cleared and the pale March sun
shone between the buildings. Although cold, it would be a beautiful spring day.
The daffodils the condo board planted in front were about ready to bloom. Around
the yellow flowers, purple crocuses poked through the dirt between the iron
bars of the miniature fence surrounding the bed. The rooftop gardens would be
in full bloom in a couple of weeks, and the minute it was warm enough, Miriam
would be out there too.
She walked down the street and headed to her favorite coffee bar.
Inside, the dark aroma filled her nostrils. Multicolored mugs lined the
walls—everything from touristy “I Love NY” to extra-large sized French
mugs—there was always a new one to look at while she waited in line to place
her order. People on their way to work took small tables and chairs by the
windows. In the back, upholstered chairs and free WiFi provided a break for
people later in the day.
What settings do you prefer?
