Small-Town America...in Nebraska? (Ainsworth, Bassett: motel, buying, college)

[stotan88]

Originally Posted by Go Ne

Oak, Maple and stuff like that, not to many pines and something that might be good to know, all of the farms in the Area have a mini forest surrounding them, like this.
Bassett - Google Maps

Originally Posted by Dave1215

And most of those trees were handplanted originally, not natural... for windbreaks and protection around the homeplace since not tons of natural trees in the Sandhills and surrounding area (unless you get around the creeks, streams and rivers)... during the depression, some of those plantings along roads and other areas were actually WPA projects.

A lot of Cedar Trees, too...

Wow very cool! That definitely good to know Thank you as always you two!

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by stotan88

Wow very cool! That definitely good to know Thank you as always you two!

Take a look at this article for background on this.... article starts off talking about the Nebraska National Forest (intersting topic in itself), but after that it begins to talk about the planted windbreaks or shelterbreaks we were refering to.

[stotan88]

alright, so i was in the rpocess of writing my "proposal"...and i wanted to include a small plot-summary as well...and then i realized something :S

my novel isn't going to portray the town in the best light. i mean it's going to make sure the reader knows its a pretty town, friendly folk and all, but they are reluctant for change and for newcomers...which is part of my plot. i wasn't sure that they would like that, if I was to portray their town as "cliquy" (correct spelling?) or as a place for lots of gossip and unkindness in the end...

...what do you think?

[Go Ne]

Well, I don't know how they'd take it because I dont read minds.............. but I guess that they might not like that but exposer is exposer.

[Sandhills Guru]

I sort of quit following this thread. What are you wanting to know about Rock County perhaps I can be of help.

As for trees in the county, well you will find many pine trees through out the area along with cedar/juniper trees. In most your canyoned areas I would say they out number other species of trees.

Basset if far from a farming community compared to other towns in this state. You will find most are in the ranching business #1. The sandhill area of Nebraska where Basset is located in is not the best soil for growing of crops. You will find crop land scattered around the area along areas that carry some better soil, but most is pasture land.

[Sandhills Guru]

I guess I don't understand. If your book isn't going to show the best side of a town or small town USA, why use the name of small town, make something up.

I can't speak for the folks in Basset itself, but pretty sure they won't take it kindly shedding bad light on their town. They are pretty proud of it and we are pretty proud of the area. Why not use the name Omaha instead?

[stotan88]

Originally Posted by Sandhills Guru

I guess I don't understand. If your book isn't going to show the best side of a town or small town USA, why use the name of small town, make something up.

I can't speak for the folks in Basset itself, but pretty sure they won't take it kindly shedding bad light on their town. They are pretty proud of it and we are pretty proud of the area. Why not use the name Omaha instead?

well I just felt for the realism factor that i really wanted to use a real town. I love realism and telling a story in a non-fictional place, perhaps to help connect the readers to the story or stuff like that.

And ranching lifestyle is fine for the book

[Sandhills Guru]

The story is fiction? Keep the town fictional as well is my opinion. Especially if it is not going to shed a good light on its residents. In todays world fictional stories dont need to help what the media already attempts to do.

The folks of Rock County and Basset are proud of their area, of their town. I am sure it will not be warmly welcomed a book that does sheds a different light on it. Even it is fiction.

[Sandhills Guru]

I just don't get it. I prefer to promote our state, tell of our outstanding citizens. How our layed back lifestyles in some areas of the state are actually pretty outstanding. How we stick by each other in good times and bad.

Now we sit here to help promote something that is intentionally set to shed a dark shadow over our lifestyle? I'm sorry but I don't understand. Fiction yet on top of it, but lets us the real name of the town and belittle its citizens.

Fine, use an area for research but leave it at that. Dont shed a dark shadow over a community or area. Aren't there small agricultural towns in Canada? Use them.

[stotan88]

Originally Posted by Sandhills Guru

I just don't get it. I prefer to promote our state, tell of our outstanding citizens. How our layed back lifestyles in some areas of the state are actually pretty outstanding. How we stick by each other in good times and bad.

Now we sit here to help promote something that is intentionally set to shed a dark shadow over our lifestyle? I'm sorry but I don't understand. Fiction yet on top of it, but lets us the real name of the town and belittle its citizens.

Fine, use an area for research but leave it at that. Dont shed a dark shadow over a community or area. Aren't there small agricultural towns in Canada? Use them.

I'm sorry, you've got it ALL wrong. Totally wrong. Lie i said in my private message to you, i am not making it a BAD place, but there HAS to be conflict for it to be a story!! there HAS to be!!! I can't just make it a perfect place for everyone and everything. Ain't gonna happen, I'm sorry. The town will be presented as a very pleasant place, very nice people, but conflict will start between people eventually, but that doesn't mean that all Nebraskan towns are filled with conflict. It's a story! if anyone is too naive to realize that I'm telling a tale, a fictional tale in a totally non-fictional, true-to-life world, than I cant do anything about that. But i in no way am shedding a bad light on the town. The conflicts/problems just have to be in a small town, thats all.