I (Stephanie) have been on a major history bender this year. I’m completely addicted to the podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class, and I’ve been head over heels for books like The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton and The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough because they are set in Seattle, the city I live in, during times gone by—the ’50s and the ’30s, respectively. I just love to imagine what the world looked, felt, and smelled like back then; how people lived, and how they handled the good and bad things that were happening around them.
This week, we want you to take a stroll and imagine what life in your neighborhood looked like in the past, say 20, 50, or maybe even 500 years ago. Was there an event you can imagine people reacting to, or a town legend you want to put your own spin on? Maybe there’s an old building—a church, a store, or even your house—that you can create a picture of or see a story unfolding within?
Embark on some time travel, write or make art about it, and then please send it to us (along with your first name, last initial, age, and city) to [email protected] with the subject line “Creative Prompt” by Monday, October 12 at 6 PM EST.
’Til then, let’s revisit last Wednesday, when we asked you to put yourself in a stranger’s shoes and tell or show their stories. Here’s what you imagined some of their lives might be like…