“The clear topaz of the water as we putted into the tiny wooden dock, moving splashes of color against creamy sand as fish darted away below, the untouched sweep of beach….”
It’s with these evocative words that Lisa McKay brings us into the world of Seram, an island off Indonesia, in her book, My Hands Came Away Red
I first met Lisa this summer at the Christy Awards…did a great job of sticking my foot in my mouth about something, and was rewarded with an advanced review copy of her new book. She gave it to me with a caveat — since my 16 year old son was currently in China, on Teen Missions, she told me to wait until after he returned home to read it.
I’m glad I did. Waited…so I could savor every delicious word in this story of a teenage mission team caught in the political chaos of Indonesia, forced to run for their lives. I have a tendency to tab up the pages of books I love, capturing the exact turn of phrase that delights me, and this book is thick with the dog-earred pages. Some of the gems I’ve savored:
“I looked up from my letter, searching for the right words to describe the contrast between the sharp fragments of sunlight cartwheeling off the waves and the dusky cathedral hush lingering between tall trees.”
“That night the moon hung low in the sky, painting a luminescent pathway from the horizon to us until the light fractured with the suck and pull of the waves close to shore. The ocean was unusually restless even thoguht the air was still, and the movement of the water was hypnotic. The gathering of each wave sent cold silver racing lightly along the tip of its crest, dancing in the foam, until it was swallowed back into the formless darkness by the rhythmic retreat.”
“…the horizon was catching fire, orange tracing the low unbroken line where the water met the air…”
It’s a fabulous story, but what makes it magical is not just the clean writing, but the way she uses precise, unique language in the scenery to evoke emotion, create mood. She doesn’t just tell you the water is beautiful, she lets you see it. She doesn’t tell you the woods are creepy and quiet, she says, “dusky cathedral hush,” evoking all our memories of creeping into an ornate orthodox church. It’s writing that draws you, and makes you feel a part of the book.
Try this: get out a notebook and go somewhere — the mall, the park, church, the coffee shop, and write down what you see and hear…only get specific, and strive for that unique turn of phrase. Practice using your five senses to draw the scene. It’s a great way to journal when travelling, by the way. And collecting those phrases now will give you tools later when you’re crafting a scene.
And then pick up My Hands Came Away Red
Only, don’t read it before going on a big trip to Indonesia. *g*
(by the way, my son is home safe and sound!)
Comments 1
I just finished reading Lisa’s book. Loved it, although I’m not sure I’ll go on another mission trip for a while… :-)Have a great Thanksgiving, Susan!