In
1995 I read an intriguing article in the Vancouver Sun, titled “Lumber firm
wails the blues over “singing forest”. Apparently a local tree planter had a
spiritual experience in a forest near Tenise Creek; she says, “something akin
to the voice of angels rose from the landscape.” I tucked the thought provoking
article away and some years later, was sorting through my tattered old file
full of various newspaper and magazine articles, the “Story Ideas File”, and
read the “singing forest” article again. I began to type and wrote, ““The
Elanraigh forest quivered with deep unease. Forest-mind sifted the westerly
wind and breathed its warning.” And so a sentient forest came to be both a major
character and the setting for my YA fantasy, Elanraigh: The Vow.
Besides,
forests are something I’m familiar with, having always lived near forests and
ocean—so the additional advantage for this story setting is that it’s a world I
know. One less bit of research homework J as my chosen time period is
an alternate-earth, medieval society; there was enough research to do there.
Also,
the environment of rainforest and stormy coast, both beautiful and ever
changing suited the storyline and complimented a story of a girl’s coming of
age and blossoming into power.
Just
as an aside, in another scene of the book, my protagonist and her party have an
encounter and battle to the death with a party of Memteth raiders. The setting
for this scene is “Shawl Bay.” In my mind’s eye while writing, I envisioned
MacKenzie Beach, known well to me, as it’s located just outside Tofino on
Vancouver Island. Ironically enough, it is this same beach that is used as “La
Push” in the Twilight movies.
Think
how settings affect us in such post-apocalyptic films as the Book of Eli or The Road. We are immersed in dust and
despair in the sepia-toned colors of the wasteland, only to brighten in color
when Eli and Solara reach Sanctuary and the Curator.
The
depression-era circus in Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a wonderful background
for her characters’ stories. Just as the glitz and trappings of the big tent’s
show disguises the gritty poverty of the circus roustabouts; so do the various
costumed performers have their secrets and scars.
A
movie like Under the Tuscan Sun is redolent of savory foods, wine and
sun-drenched landscapes…a perfect setting for a hurt and lonely woman to heal
and learn to open herself to life once again.
The
ambience of a book determines much of its mood; setting is a tool the writer
can use to evoke emotional response in the reader.
