Welcome to the Year of the Snake
I have never put any faith in Western astrology, and I couldn’t tell you any of the supposed hallmarks of my own astrological sign (Sagittarius). However, having spent so much time in Asia, I’m a little more familiar with the Chinese Zodiac, mostly because it has a more prominent place in the culture than does Western astrology.
For example, the Chinese New Year (also known as the Lunar New Year or, in China, the Spring Festival [春节]) is an important holiday every year in Singapore (where I lived for many years) and other East Asian countries. It is generally celebrated over several days and during that time pretty much everything comes to a stop.
This year, the New Year falls on January 29, when we will welcome the Year of the Snake. Possibly this is an auspicious year for me, because I was born in a Snake year. Or maybe not. The Chinese Zodiac runs in twelve-year cycles, each year assigned to a different animal: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. (Read more about the Chinese Zodiac here.)
Because the festival is so important in Singapore, it was a useful dramatic tool for me in writing The Last Bird of Paradise, which is set there. The book is a twined narrative of contemporary and historical stories, and the festival plays a prominent role in both. For example, the Singapore Mutiny, which is a climactic event in the novel, occurred on the Chinese New Year in 1915. Similarly, the festival also ushers in the climax of the contemporary narrative.
In fact, when I returned to Singapore a few years ago to do research for my novel, my trip happened to coincide with the holiday that year. I enjoyed making several visits to Chinatown to see the decorations and also to check out the goods available in the shops and from street vendors.
Tips for Writers: Using Holidays in Fiction
Writers frequently use holidays in fiction for a variety of reasons. An approaching holiday may impose a deadline which, like a ticking clock, creates suspense. What might the characters have to accomplish by the holiday and what are the consequences if they don’t get it done? Holidays often involve family gatherings, and such gatherings are always potential sources of tension. We also often approach holidays with heightened anticipation, and if the holiday disappoints a character, he or she may react in ways that add complication to a story.
Besides my use of the Lunar New Year in The Last Bird of Paradise, I have frequently used holidays in these ways. In my novel Oliver’s Travels, the main character goes to his girlfriend’s family’s home for Christmas dinner and brings his mother along. His mom has a drinking problem and so does the girlfriend’s aunt. The result is a comic scene that reverberates for some time. I also included a tense Christmas dinner in a favorite story of mine, “Pluck,” which appears in my collection House of the Ancients and Other Stories, in which two former rivals are both invited guests at the same feast. In another story in that collection, “Last Call,” a high school reunion exposes a lingering conflict that has a tragic outcome.
For more on using holidays in fiction, you might be interested in this article, “5 Ways to Use Holidays in Your Story.”
Speaking of Oliver’s Travels . . .
Even though my novel Oliver’s Travels came out almost four years ago, reviews occasionally pop up on Goodreads and Amazon. Here’s one from “Dragonfly Reads” that made me smile:
“Oh, honey, this book had me hooked like gossip at a church potluck! Ollie Tucker’s journey is one wild ride, bless his heart. He’s off chasing family secrets, and you just can’t help but root for him, even when he’s stumbling through life like a baby deer. The way Clifford Garstang paints the picture is so sharp I could almost feel the heat of the road under my sandals. If you love a story with grit, heart, and a little bit of sass, this one’s a keeper!”
I appreciate all the reviews of my books, but this one will be hard to top!
That’s it for this letter. Happy Year of the Snake!
