Creating Atmosphere, Part 4

For the most part, I’ve talked about big structures and natural phenomena as they relate to creating atmosphere. This time I’d like to go indoors for just a minute. Here is a photo of a corridor in the place where I stay in Madrid, Spain.

 The warm yellow light may make this hallway feel inviting. Or, perhaps the narrowness of it is claustrophobic. It’s up to the novelist to bring out these traits. Put two or three people in this space and they’re bound to collide, figuratively and literally. There might be whispered secrets, or looks exchanged, or the presence of one or the other ignored.

I like to put my characters into these situations. They have no excuse but to act and that action not only develops who they are but also drives the plot through which they are moving. At the same time, there has to be a reason for bringing them together. I don’t appreciate “luck” or “accidental” occurrences in fiction. Good characters have reasons for what they do. Putting them on a collision course means creating a situation where two or more will logically meet. For me, it has to be believable or at least likely that this will happen. If not, I’m jarred out of the story and find it hard to continue.

One of my favorite crime writers is James Ellroy. He creates the atmosphere of 1950’s Los Angeles, and the 1950’s and 60’s of the United States in general, like no other author I know. He has the diners, the movie-sets, the back rooms down like no one else. He also puts his characters in the path of history, up against odds that would be daunting to the toughest person you know. No matter, they evolve through the course of the story to become more than you would ever expect.

Do you have a favorite author who does this? Let me know.

Published in: on July 16, 2008 at 9:56 pm  Comments (1)  
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Amsterdam Manor Resort, Aruba

The Amsterdam Manor Resort in Aruba is a striking contrast to the high-rise hotels that can be found on the island. The resort fronts Eagle Beach, one of the nicest beaches in the world, which is also photographed in this post and other places on this blog. Here’s a first look at the entrance.

The resort is a cluster of one and two-level buildings that surround a courtyard. In the courtyard you’ll find a bar, restaurant, and the pool shown here.

That’s the bar up there on the second level. From it you have great views of the water and beyond. This place has a completely different feel than the high-rises. There are rooms just a few yards from the pool. As you can see in the next photo, you can walk not ten steps for your morning swim from these.

Depending on what you’re looking for, it may be an option to consider. There are rooms tucked in around another courtyard (where you have a bit more privacy and quiet) like this:

Naturally there is a bar on the beach. Don’t forget to stay hydrated while you’re out there in the sun.

And, of course, here is a look at that beach as the sun is getting ready to set.

Whatever type of accommodations you prefer, make the most of your stay by remembering why you came to paradise: To relax! (Bring a good book, too! May I suggest An Island Away?)

Published in: on July 16, 2008 at 12:24 pm  Leave a Comment  
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A Pilgrimage

Everyone has their go-to joint, the place to which they make a pilgrimage for one reason or another. For me, it is the Mont Blanc store. Now, let me say that I’ve been using a Mont Blanc fountain pen for more than two decades. As mentioned in earlier posts, I write pages and pages and pages most every day. A fountain pen is the best tool for this job. At any rate, I happen to be on the island of Aruba just now, and thankfully Mont Blanc opened a shop about a year ago. Thus, the Pilgrimage.

Of course you’re not allowed to take photos inside. Here I found an assortment of gorgeous pens. They had the Greta Garbo model, numberous 149’s, a J.P. Morgan, not to mention a smattering of the rest of the product line. (As for the other luxury goods, I’m not all that interested.) Earlier in the year they had the Franz Kafka pen but sold out. (Damn! That was a nice one.)

As with all the Mont Blanc stores, the staff is knowledgeable of the products, friendly, and willing to show a potential customer whatever pen he would like to see. I fondled a few of them, thinking the prices were pretty good, then reconsidered because I already have three and can only write with one at a time. I use two colors of ink, which gives me the opportunity to “claim” to use two pens at a time. Nonetheless, another one was just not in the cards. These things do not wear out despite my efforts to prove otherwise.

Having made my pilgrimage I returned to the writing table to crank out a few more pages of Under A Blue Flag, which is the sequel to my novel, An Island Away.

Published in: on July 15, 2008 at 8:54 pm  Comments (3)  
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Creating Atmosphere, Part 3

In two earlier posts, I mentioned a few things about creating atmosphere in a story. This time, I’ll rely on the actual atmosphere for a bit of inspiration. Nature’s wonders have inspired countless artists, not to mention put the fear of the supernatural into any number of sailors. A sky like this might just do the trick.

 My wife and I had just finished dinner and were going for a walk. Not two steps outside the house, she pointed at the moon and said, “Look at that.” Indeed, check out that hazy moon, rising over the sunset. The colors of the setting sun, cast upon the clouds provide brilliant color that is contrasted by the silhouetted palm trees. This is a technicolor backdrop for any scene, tropical or not. This one happens to be in Aruba, but it might just as easily been taken on the high plains. Some day I would like to go to far northern Alaska or Canada, a place where I can see the northern lights. Now there is atmosphere (BIG-TIME), the embodiment of the interaction between the sun and the earth. If that doesn’t pop a few goose bumps I’m not sure what will. And then, after seeing these kind of natural phenomena, the mind has to be ready to incorporate them into a good story. Various belief systems have passed down through the generations the idea that the sky portends things to come. This may or may not be true. Do the stars predict the future? Do they reveal the past? I don’t know, but it’s a fantastic story convention to use such things. Perhaps there is a deep memory buried in human DNA that tells our minds to believe such things. Or, maybe it is true and you just have to be sensitive to the omens. Here’s another sky, this one taken just after dawn.

This is another after-the-storm shot. The clouds are breaking up, blue sky peeking through, sunlight poking out. Normally we think of sunlight shining “down.” However, here, the rays appear to be shooting up. Different.

Whether you’re a storyteller or not, it’s one of life’s pleasures to check out the sky from time to time. Don’t be afraid to look up, or down for that matter. It may not be doom you find. It could be a sign of good things to come. You simply have to be ready for whatever may come your way.

Published in: on July 15, 2008 at 11:32 am  Comments (1)  
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