OK, this is a weird combination of questions, but I suppose it's a weird story. :P The book in question is set in Seattle, and features a young high-schooler who's a Seattle native and another high-school age character who's just transferred there who's from Los Angeles and is of biracial Japanese/Mexican descent (her dad's Mexican descent, mom Japanese).
1.) For people who've lived in Seattle a long time: I need to know more about the layout and "feel" of Seattle, little coffee shops and stuff that locals would know, info on one or more local high schools, that kind of thing. All I know right now is there's lots of good coffee places, it rains a lot, it snows in winter, and the teenagers wear a lot of hoodies. Not much to go on. :) Can anybody who lives or has lived there help me out on this?
2.) Same verse, same as the first except plug in "LA". The book may not be set there, but one of the main characters is from it, and I'm sure the transition for her will be noticeable! Also, if I finish this one, one of my next projects would be a prequel, which would be set in LA anyway. If you can help, please do?
3.) For those of either Japanese or Mexican descent, or both, from LA (or people very close to kids in those groups): What is like being raised by parents of that particular ethnic group - do they try to assimilate, or do the opposite, or a little of both? What are some of the things that make it awkward or make you feel "different"... or some of the advantages of it? And how would your family or friends react if you married (as this character's parents did) someone of that other ethnic group - would it be just "a little weird, but no big deal", or would it be somehow scandalous? Or is not something that would be a big deal now, but might have been 20 years ago?
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timeasmymeasure
Seattle and Los Angeles Help, Especially Japanese and Hispanics
Date: 2008-11-10 07:14 pm (UTC)1.) For people who've lived in Seattle a long time: I need to know more about the layout and "feel" of Seattle, little coffee shops and stuff that locals would know, info on one or more local high schools, that kind of thing. All I know right now is there's lots of good coffee places, it rains a lot, it snows in winter, and the teenagers wear a lot of hoodies. Not much to go on. :) Can anybody who lives or has lived there help me out on this?
2.) Same verse, same as the first except plug in "LA". The book may not be set there, but one of the main characters is from it, and I'm sure the transition for her will be noticeable! Also, if I finish this one, one of my next projects would be a prequel, which would be set in LA anyway. If you can help, please do?
3.) For those of either Japanese or Mexican descent, or both, from LA (or people very close to kids in those groups): What is like being raised by parents of that particular ethnic group - do they try to assimilate, or do the opposite, or a little of both? What are some of the things that make it awkward or make you feel "different"... or some of the advantages of it? And how would your family or friends react if you married (as this character's parents did) someone of that other ethnic group - would it be just "a little weird, but no big deal", or would it be somehow scandalous? Or is not something that would be a big deal now, but might have been 20 years ago?
Thanks for any help you guys can give. :)