Because it's a Sunday, and I'm lounging with a cup of tea reading random things, I came across this interesting survey on American public places, and what matters to people most. Coffee shops and restaurants topped the list of "third places" -- places that increase communal ties because people go there often enough they see people they know. It also emphasized American's growing fondness for living in small towns and small cities.
I wonder if this is one reason why cozy mysteries are so popular? They've always been popular, but according to a recent K-lytics report (which I unfortunately cannot link to), sales of cozy ebooks have gone up dramatically in the last ten years.
Cozies are all about community and communal ties. And the fact that cozies are populated by delightfully (and sometimes not so delightfully) eccentric neighbors make them all the more appealing. And realistic. As I've gotten to my neighbors, they're a lot wackier than one would expect looking at their staid houses. (And I'm sure they think I'm completely bonkers, so... no judgment).
And speaking of bonkers, I sat down for a podcast interview with Lane and Lani a few weeks back. We interviewed via Zoom, but a couple of the podcast interviews I'd done before had been conducted via video and then only the audio posted. So... For some reason I didn't realize it was going to be on YouTube and my hair... Well. Yes. I look a little eccentric myself. To be clear, this misunderstanding was entirely my fault and not Lane and Lani's. They're terrific. This wide-ranging interview posted this week. You can watch it HERE.
Have you got a third place? Where do you hang out? And do you think we're yearning more for that sense of community post-pandemic?
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