The People In Your Neighborhood

[browngirl]

I was thinking, while being flirted with by talking to the parking lot attendant (a fellow Jamaican) about the people one says hi to on one's daily rounds. There's this gentleman, and the cheerful guy who hands out the Metro at my T stop, and I was going to list people off before my morning exploded. *laugh*

I had a story idea years ago for a slice-of-Minoan-life novel: A young priestess loses her husband, baby, and will to live in a plague. As she recovers, she makes the acquaintanceship of one of the Temple stonemasons. Then an earthquake hits, her dress gets caught by a stone block, and he finds her struggling to free herself. With his stonemason's strength he rips her dress free, and when they get outside they have "yay, I survived!" sex and decide to level up their friendship. If I ever write it it'll be all about the textures and rounds of everyday life, including these friendships in passing.

I should get back to work -- I've been writing this for a half hour -- but I thought I'd toss out this discussion topic.

Comments

[ilthit.livejournal.com]

I really like the approach you propose for that story. I don't think I've seen that approach in historical fiction outside of Patrick O'Brian, and even Patrick O'Brian tends to eventually get to the cannonshots and stolen intelligence papers. Not that there's anything wrong with that; in fact I think I love him best for having a realistic style mixed with boys' adventure plots.

Wow, that veered off the subject fast... Ahem.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Yeah, it definetely is a "no battles!" kind of story. I'm glad you like the idea, because I pay attention to your ideas on literature.

[gingicat]

Slice of life would have to include wild small children and underslept parents. ;)

I've found that the Grumpy Lady Who Drives the School Bus is much more willing to smile at Joshua when I smile at her and ask how she's doing and encourage him to do similarly. :)

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Slice of life would have to include wild small children and underslept parents. ;)

But of course. :D

[sethg]

Aren't "wild small children" and "underslept parents" both redundant?

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Indubitably.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Minoans make everything better, like princesses!

Minoan stonemason does pretty well at making princess. Priestess. Whoever. (gd&rfc)

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Hey, maybe their daughter grows up to be a princess. But that's another book.