with Patti Lacy

November 15, 2007

Hosted by: Jason McDonald

Dancing Word Associate Editor

Jason McDonald: Let's get started. I'll open in prayer, then go over protocol. Thank you Lord for this workshop this evening. Thank you for this time together. bless our guests, and bless all those who can't come this evening. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Protocol reminder: type ? for questions, ! for comments, ga for "go ahead" when you're finished, and wait to be called upon in turn.

Author Patti Lacy has graciously offered to teach us about capturing emotion in our writing. Patti, thanks for coming. For those who haven't met you yet, could you give us a bit of your background?

Patti Lacy: It’s great to be with ya’ll this evening! Thanks so much for visiting Dancing Word this evening.

I’m Patti Lacy, a former college Humanities instructor who ventured into the world of Christian fiction in 2005. My first novel, An Irishwoman’s Tale, will be published in June 2008 by Kregel Publications. I’m wrapping up work on my second novel, Unsettled Waters, and have a third book in the planning stages.

Besides writing, I’m passionate about Ministry& More, an organization that provides food, and through prayer, Bible study, and personal testimony, offers the true Bread of Life to our clients. I also serve as the ACFW Midwest Zone director.

Now that you know a bit about me, I'd like to chat about emotion. Emotion in your writing, that is. Hopefully all of you saw the image, taken from the film “Three Seasons” which Anne posted on the website. If you didn’t, visit http://www.dancingword.net/home.htm and view it now. This image expresses visually what I hope to show you this evening: how to use setting to connect your reader emotionally with your character and your story. I'll give you just a second to minimize and then check out the image!

Over five years ago, I viewed “Three Seasons” a film which played to mixed reviews. While I’ve forgotten much of the plot, this image remains affixed in my mind’s eye.

The protagonist of “Three Seasons” a former prostitute wearing a white ao dai, finally realizes her own self-worth as she literally is bathed in beautiful red phÆ°á»£ng vÄ© (Royal Poinciana) blossoms. This image speaks of redemption, forgiveness, new birth.

Why? Why does it work when other scenes fail to grab at your gut? Because it connects readers emotionally by painting a beautiful picture combining setting AND the emotions of your character

The juxtaposition of reds and whites suggest a cleansing of sorts. The joy of the woman combined with the joy of nature at its climactic blossoming draws us into the plot. We long to know what’s making this woman so happy. We long to understand the meaning behind so much beauty.

You can create the same longing in your readers by following a couple of basic rules as your craft each scene of your story.

I. IMMEDIATELY (within the first few lines of a scene) ground us in the scene. Let us experience the environment of the character.

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Patti Lacy

Congratulations to

Laura V. Hilton

for winning a copy of

Smokey Robinson's CD,

"Second that Emotion"

Three Seasons cover

Combining Emotion and Imagery

Coming in 2008

An Irishwoman's Tale

Kregel Publications

A shattered cup. Cheap tea. Bitter voices asking what's to be done with the "little eejit." Mary, an impetuous Irishwoman, won't face the haunting memories--until her daughter's crisis propels her back to County Clare. There, in a rocky cliffside home, Mary learns from former neighbors why God tore her from Ireland forty-five years earlier. As she begins to glimpse His sovereign plan, Mary is finally able to bury a dysfunctional past and begin to heal. Irish folk songs and sayings add color to the narrative.