Tag: using emotion

Categories
Screenwriting

Emotional Storytelling

Last year I let a screenwriting and producer friend with 30 years of experience read the first draft of my latest screenplay. I was both excited and nervous to let him see this passion project. After a week I received his feedback on my latest narrative.

His main comment was to put more emphasis on my protagonist’s disability. My initial concern was I didn’t want to overdramatize or belittle persons that belong to this particular community. I had to walk a tight rope of respecting the disabled community and the audience.

But I understood my friend’s concerns and wanted to respect his time and energy he put in to give me an honest evaluation. So I decided to look back over my experiences with persons in this particular disability group. My ultimate goal is to write a better story that can convey the ideas, imagery, and message I wanted to present in this particular story.

It didn’t take long for me to remember little quirks or traits that are common to persons with unique personalities like my protagonist. Fortunately, these commonalities also allow for me to show more than tell.

One of the best pieces of screenwriting advice I received was, “Let the actors act, don’t make them tell through dialogue.” Keep in mind movies are a visual medium and allow us to engage our audiences’ senses. This has its benefits.

  • Increased storytelling capabilities.
  • More ways to communicate our message.
  • Less room for misunderstandings.
  • More opportunity for subtext.

Another rule most screenwriters know is that we need to hook our audience within the first 10 pages or 10 minutes of the movie. The first 10 pages of any story are prime real estate, this is your chance to get the audience to invest in your movie for the long haul.

Storytellers must use every tool and their toolboxes to hook their readers/audiences as soon as possible. With the character arc in this particular story, I was able to utilize the innate power of human emotions.

 I wanted to create in my audience sympathy for my protagonist. One of the surest ways to get an audience to connect with your story is to tug on their heartstrings. To help them feel for your characters by stirring their emotions through your fictional world. This emotional storytelling.

Emotional Storytelling?

Emotional storytelling is a technique to draw our audience/readers into the world of our story via appealing to their emotions: feelings of love, fear, sadness, or happiness.

Emotional storytelling taps into the heart of life. Robert McKee notes, “To be entertained is to be immersed in the ceremony of story to an intellectually and emotionally satisfying end.”1

Due to the nature of my controlling idea of disabled persons as my protagonist, this approach to storytelling has become an earmark of my screenplays. As I have learned, this technique has benefits:

1. It helps my audience connect with my protagonist quicker.

2. Helps to build conflict.

3. Creates a need in my protagonist.

As we know conflict is king in storytelling and nothing builds conflict better than emotional unrest. Sometimes conflict is external (i.e. man versus nature or man versus society).

But most stories deal with internal conflict (fighting temptations, pride versus humility, or justice/revenge). Most people can relate more to the latter conflict and in the end our stories are more relatable, causing the audience to connect to the story quicker.

Screenwriting teacher and producer David Trotter points out, “Movies thrive on action and emotion. Thus, screenplays usually tell two main stories. Think of them as fraternal twins, dual plotlines, or the two key story tracks. The emotional story derives from a relationship and/or the character’s emotional life and is generally driven by the internal need… It’s the emotional story.”2

As writers, we each have something we want to say, the emotional story is often the best way to say what we want to.

What I Want!

We each go to the movies expecting one thing or another: entertainment, escape, or enlightenment. Emotional storytelling gives us more bang for the buck! Below are a few of my favorite movies that check off all three of the aforementioned incentives for me.

Forest Gump is a particular favorite of mine because it was filmed in Georgia while I was in college and inspired me to become a storyteller, not because it was entertaining, but because it’s premise is emotional storytelling.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1   Mckee, R.. (1997). Story, Harper-Collins e-books, Pg. 12.

2  Trotter, D. (2019). Screenwriter’s Bible, Silman-James Press. Pg. 39.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

The Power of Facial Expressions

mystery suspense thriller

Facial expressions speak louder than words, and yet, they don’t make a sound. In most cases, faces convey an approachable or unapproachable signal and can clarify whether people are happy, intrigued, afraid, or angry. Solemn looks can be more complicated and may show stress, plotting, deep thinking, or sadness. Only a few set expressions easily identify moods. Even a smile can come across as deceptive and filled with revenge.

Eyes play a significant role in reading attitudes. When people smile, their eyes brighten and may curve upward. The opposite happens with a frown. Rolling eyes indicate annoyance with another’s actions, but shifting eyes at a crucial moment could expose a lie. Wide eyes can withhold their blinks when tension rises, while uncertainty or fear holds them captive in a frozen stare.

Challenge: During a suspenseful scene in a movie theater, turn around and examine the audience’s expressions. Some may bite their fingernails. Hands might cover faces as they catch a peek between their fingers. Others slide down in their seats, squinting and waiting for the villain’s attack. Watch their actions, posture, and facial expressions and jot them down. This information will be an asset when describing a character’s emotions.

Furrowed brows with wrinkled foreheads may show displeasure, sadness, or worry, maybe even confusion, sympathy, or pain. However, used with red cheeks, flared nostrils, and tight lips, one can suspect anger or rage, especially if it comes with a fist punching a wall or the slamming of a door, and many other scenarios.

Every chapter in Character Expressions by Dahlia Evans gives examples of descriptive facial expressions in writing fiction, which helps engage the reader’s imaginations. Who knew there were so many ways to express moods or emotions, or that entire chapters could contain so much information?

Here are a few of the chapter titles from Dahlia’s book.

  • Frown
  • Glare
  • Grimace
  • Pout
  • Scowl
  • . . . and many more

Valerie Howard’s 1,000 Character Reactions is another great asset to a writer’s literary collection. She states your characters can do more than nod and sigh. If all your character does is smile through the entire story, where will the reader see conflict or tension? No one smiles all the time, so make sure there are other emotions involved.

Challenge: Stand in front of a mirror and think about how you’d respond in different situations. Describe your reaction to fear, surprise, shock, horror, sympathy, compassion, admiration, love, etc. Build a personal list of facial descriptions that you can refer to when writing a character’s silent response.

What first comes to mind when you see pursed lips, a clenched jaw, or the quivering chin? You see people at a distance and may not speak to them, but you read expressions every day without realizing it.

Challenge: Describe the mood of your character in each expression:

  • One eyebrow lifted, sporting a smirk
  • Color draining from one’s cheeks with eyes widened in a frozen stare
  • Slightly narrowed eyes while biting the lip
  • Blank expression and shifting eyes
  • Bright eyes and a big smile
  • Lowered brows, tight lips, and flared nostrils
  • Red face, glaring eyes, jutting jaw
  • Rolling eyes

Study and discover what’s behind a sneer, open mouth, or closed eyes. Not every facial expression is suspicious. Widened eyes give off the signal that you have nothing to hide. A flash of the eyebrows raising and lowering suggests familiarity or a sign of attraction or interest.

Have you ever heard of the Duchenne smile? According to www.scienceofpeople.com/microexpressions/ The Duchenne smile is a genuine smile that comes from true enjoyment and can be distinguished from a fake smile by the orbicularis oculi muscle, which forms crow’s feet wrinkles around the eyes. Who knew?

Facial expressions are part of life and a significant part of showing every character’s reactions, along with their body language. In writing, it’s imperative to show the correct facial responses and descriptions to match the intensity of the scene.

What expressions have you used when writing a suspenseful scene?

Loretta Eidson writes romantic suspense. She has won and been a finalist in several writing contests, including first place in romantic suspense in the Foundations Awards at the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, a finalist in ACFW’s 2018 Genesis, was a finalist in the 2018 Fabulous Five, and a double finalist in the 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence.

Loretta lives in North Mississippi with her husband Kenneth, a retired Memphis Police Captain. She loves salted caramel lava cake, dark chocolate, and caramel Frappuccinos.

Visit her:

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Suspense and the Emotional Element

mystery suspense thriller

Have you ridden a roller coaster and felt the exhilaration or fear of being tossed about while your feet dangled in the air? If so, then you’ve experienced some emotional elements beneficial to writing suspense. Readers don’t physically step into a metal seat and strap themselves in when selecting a suspense novel, but they still expect an adventure in which their emotions become attached to the heroine and the struggle she’s facing.

The opening sentence must capture the attention of your audience, but that’s not all. The story must continue to build with conflict and suspense, teasing your reader’s senses and emotions, and keep them wondering what will happen next.

Raise the stakes. Put your character in a situation where danger lurks and the threat of death hangs in the balance. How will your character handle imminent danger or death?

Allow your audience to feel your character’s uncertainty and fear.

  • Her car breaks down on a deserted road.
  • Imagine the bone-chilling emotion that grips her when a man’s silouette it appears across her window.
  • What about the horror of hanging on a ledge, fingers slipping, muscles cramping, and all hope of survival fading? Will she plummet to her death on the rocks below? Is certain death her only option or will the hero find her in time to save her?

As Lisa Betz stated in her 2018 December article for Almost an Author, “You must add tension by stretching the moment.”

  • Long moments of intensity builds readers’ emotions and sets their desire to keep turning the page.
  • Well-written suspense secures the audience’s attention and keeps them on the edge of their seats.
  • Unresolved tension keeps readers intrigued.

James Scott Bell states in his book Conflict & Suspense that there is more than one type of death that can happen in our novels.

  • Physical death. Make sure your heroine wins in her conflict if she is going to die. Dragging your characters through a quagmire of near-death experiences may pique the reader’s emotions more than physical death. Some readers feel cheated when the main character dies. Physical death is not a requirement for mysteries, suspense, and thrillers. Sometimes other types of death are more frightening.
  • Professional death. Your heroine may fail the test for her promised promotion and is fired instead. She feels all her experience is worthless. There must be something that could make or break your character in her line of work.
  • Psychological death. This type of death stirs an array of emotions for your audience since human behavior can be so irrational one can never assume what might happen.

If you successfully take your readers on an emotional journey all the way through to the last page, most likely they’ll share the experience with other potential readers long after they’ve put the book down.

Loretta Eidson writes romantic suspense. She has won and been a finalist in several writing contests, including first place in romantic suspense in the Foundations Awards at the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, a finalist in ACFW’s 2018 Genesis, was a finalist in the 2018 Fabulous Five, and a double finalist in the 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence.

Loretta lives in North Mississippi with her husband Kenneth, a retired Memphis Police Captain. She loves salted caramel lava cake, dark chocolate, and caramel Frappuccinos.

Visit her:
Website: lorettaeidson.com
Facebok: loretta.eidson.7

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising

Add Some Holiday Sparkle to Your Copywriting

Everything feels magical at the holidays. More smiles. More laughter. More glitter.

Here are some ways to sprinkle holiday sparkle into your copywriting.

Know your client’s holidays. Sometimes you are so caught up in your own holidays you forget not everyone celebrates the same way that you do. Know what your client believes so you don’t end up putting Merry Christmas on a Jewish person’s business Facebook page or signing off an email for a Muslim business owner by mentioning the Savior’s birth. Not good! Even if the business owner celebrates a particular holiday, they may not want you to mention it in your copywriting because of the beliefs of her client base. To be safe, ask your client if they want the holidays mentioned outright in your copywriting or social media posting.

Know your client’s location. No one in Florida is dreaming of a white Christmas. That is why they moved to Florida—to escape the cold slushy mess from the north! If you do have the go ahead to mention the holidays, do so in a weather-appropriate way. If you are writing for New Mexico, don’t paint the picture of a winter wonderland. This tip applies all year long. If you are writing for a company that concentrates on local business, know the local weather and a bit of the local culture so you can write with that particular audience in mind.

Know the feelings of the season. Even if you cannot mention the holidays by name, there are a lot of feelings that are amplified during the holidays that can be mentioned to connect with potential customers. Family time, togetherness, and time to reflect on what’s really important are some common themes. And don’t forget the New Year. This is the time when people are setting goals for themselves and feeling empowered to make them happen. How can your client’s service or product improve the customer’s life? This is really something we should be doing all year long, but people are more willing to hear it when New Year’s Day comes.

Let us know in the comments. How do you add holiday sparkle to your copywriting? Are there any types of businesses you’ve had a hard time when it comes to mentioning or not mentioning the holidays?

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife, mom of four, and a copywriter. She also helps Christians find the simple truths in the complex parts of the Bible at readthehardparts.com. Her other writings and publishing credits can be found on rachelschmoyerwrites.com.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Elements of Suspense: Add Tension by Stretching the Moment

mystery suspense thriller

Tension is the unresolved conflict in a story that keeps a reader turning pages. All scenes need tension, from edge-of-your-seat action sequences to gentle romantic encounters. How can a writer increase tension in her scenes, especially in those without life-or-death consequences? By stretching key moments.

Slow-motion

Consider what happens when a movie suddenly switches to slow-motion. A few heartbeats of action may be stretched into agonizing minutes, forcing the audience to wait, tense with anticipation, while things slowly crawl toward a resolution. Will he catch the ball? Will she walk out the door? Will they defuse the bomb in time?

A writer can use the same concept to slow the pace by stretching the moment. How? By padding strategic moments in scenes with a few additional details that force the reader to wait just a little longer to find out what happens. How long can you stretch things? It depends on the scene. Typically the more tension already present, the more the reader is hooked, and the longer a writer can stretch out the scene.

Where to consider stretching the moment

Scenes of exterior tension

When dealing with action scenes, look for places where the scene moves rapidly from stimulus to payoff.  For example, “Sarah heard a key in the lock” is a stimulus. Something new is happening. It could be good or bad, longed-for or dreaded. Whatever the situation, the stimulus of hearing of the key will lead to a payoff of some kind. Someone is about to enter the scene and do or say something that will be the payoff.

If whatever is about to happen next is postponed by a few lines it will serve to increase the tension. Compare the two examples below:

Sarah heard the key in the lock. Liam threw open the door. “Thought you could hide from me, did you?”

Sarah heard the key in the lock. Could it be Pat? Did Pat still have the spare key? But wouldn’t he be at work now? She held her breath as the lock clicked. The door jerked open and Liam strode into the room. He looked down at her with a smug smile. “Thought you could hide from me, did you?”

Scenes of interior tension

Emotional tension can be stretched as well. Look for places where a discovery or realization (stimulus) leads to a strong emotional response and stretch the moment by inserting details or inner dialogue. For example, compare the shorter and longer versions below:

Aaron saw the note on the kitchen table. “I’ve gone for a walk.” A lump of fear settled in his stomach as he grabbed his jacket and raced outside.

Aaron saw the note on the kitchen table. Large letters written with red crayon in his little brother’s distinctive shaky scrawl. “I’ve gone for a walk.” Please no. Not today. The ground was a slippery mess with all the rain and the stream would be racing. If Jonny slipped… A lump of fear settled in his stomach as he grabbed his jacket and raced outside.

Your Turn

Choose a scene and look for moments where the stimulus is followed by an immediate payoff or response. Stretch the tension by inserting two or three sentences between them.

[bctt tweet=”By adding little snippets at strategic spots, you can increase the tension in any scene.  #writetips #writers” username=””]

Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz

Categories
Romancing Your Story

Does ‘Sweet’ Mean Boring?

The first reaction I get when I tell another romance writer that I write sweet love stories is often a blank stare, then a small grin and a murmured, “Hmm … is there a market for that?”

The short answer: Yes.

Because sweet doesn’t have to mean boring and flat. There can be plenty of sexual tension in a sweet story. The parameters of what’s acceptable, even in Christian fiction, has widened considerably in the last few years.

I recently read a book by a popular author that left the door wide open during the consummation scene. There was nothing graphic, but also no doubt what was happening. Another of my favorite historical authors took us up to the moment of consummation, slammed the door, then opened it again the next morning to show the reader that the night did not go as expected. (Not coincidentally, both of those books were from the same publisher.)

How do we put passion and tension on the page without graphic descriptions and naming body parts?

It’s all about the feelings. Both physical and emotional.

  • Tummy flutters: yes.
  • Tingling lips: yes.
  • Heightened awareness of the other: sure.
  • Blood rushing: depends on where. 😉
  • Longing for closeness: Yep.
  • Feeling safe or as if coming home: Absolutely!

Let’s dissect a kiss scene.

This is from my novella, BROOKE RUNS AWAY. It takes place near the end but is not the final scene. The plot centers on a reality dating show. We’re in Brooke’s point of view.

I cleared my throat. “You can visit me. I … I’d like that.”

“Really?” He reached for my hand, then pulled me to stand next to him.

His gaze drifted to my lips and my stomach fluttered. (A SMALL PHYSICAL RESPONSE)

We’d laughed. We’d bowled. We’d shared meals and dates.

We’d never kissed. (TAKING A MOMENT TO LET THE TENSION BUILD)

He bent his head and I lifted my mouth to meet his.

Our kiss was soft at first, tentative. (TWO SMALL, LIGHT ADJECTIVES) Then he deepened the contact, pulled me closer, as if after one taste, he had to have more. (A SIMILE TO COMPARE THE KISS TO SOMETHING KNOWN)

I threaded my arms around his neck and met his want with my own. (NOT GRAPHIC, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT SHE MEANS)

After a long moment, we pulled back. He rested his forehead on mine. “Wow.” (A SHORT RESPITE)

I had no breath left, so I smiled. (ANOTHER SMALL PHYSICAL RESPONSE)

His gaze darkened (AGAIN, NOT GRAPHIC, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HE’S THINKING) and he let go. “Wait here.” He strode back to the house. (WAIT … WHAT?? A COMPLICATION)

I watched Austin’s back disappear through the kitchen door. Was it something I said?

For the first time since we stepped outside, I noticed the camera and its steady red light.

No.

Our conversation, our questions, our kiss … they were private. (UH OH)

My breath caught in my throat and my pulse pounded, urging me to run, run, run. (ANOTHER, STRONGER PHYSICAL RESPONSE) 

Try this exercise on your own.

Dissect some kiss scenes from your favorite books. Figure out what emotions, feelings, and sensations the author conveyed. Then go over your own scenes. What can you add? What can you delete? How can you keep tension on the page?

Because while sweet romance may not “pulse and throb,” it’s never boring.

Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

Twitter: CarriePadgett
Instagram: carpadwriter
Facebook: WriterCarriePadgett
Amazon Author Page: Carrie Padgett

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising

What Aretha Franklin Taught Me about Copywriting

When I heard that Aretha Franklin had passed away, I felt the urge to listen to her hits. After some R-E-S-P-E-C-T, I came across You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman). Aretha sings about her man and all the little things he does for her. All those little things add up to the big thing: how the man makes her feel. When it comes to love, that’s the main point: how a person makes you feel.

The same is true in copywriting. Yes, you describe a product or service in a blog post, email, website, or a social media post. But the company or product isn’t really the main thing. The main thing is how the customer or client feels.

I first came across this idea while listening to Donald Miller interviewed by Dave Ramsey. Donald Miller told business leaders that they are not the hero of their company. The customer is. Whatever a business is selling, it needs to be communicated by how it makes the customer the hero.

In his book, Building a Storybrand, Donald Miller says, “If we position our products and services as anything but an aid in helping people survive, thrive, be accepted, find love, achieve an aspirational identity, or bond with a tribe that will defend them physically and socially, good luck selling anything to anybody. These are the only things people care about.” And what are these things? Feelings.

The same concept applies to all kinds of writing, not just copywriting. William Kenower in his book Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence puts it another way. Kenower says to writers: “you are a merchant dealing in emotion.” In a novel or a short story, there is an appropriate time to end in sadness or loss. The difference in copywriting is you are moving the reader from their negative feelings into the feelings of the hero. Feelings of triumph and belonging. Feelings of victory.

So what does this actually look like in copywriting?

Before I write anything about the business or product, I imagine how the reader feels. Why did they Google the topic I’m writing on? What problem do they have in their life? How does that problem make them feel? Then I write a few simple feelings statements at the top of my page so I can keep them in mind as I write.

For example, if I am writing about air conditioning repair, I think about what it feels like on a summer day when your air conditioning is on the fritz. I’m sweating. I’m frustrated. I’m afraid of how much it’ll cost. I am impatient—I want it fixed NOW! I jot down these feelings at the top of the page.

If I am writing for a senior living facility, it may be the children of the seniors that are reading what I’m writing. They are worried about their parent’s health and safety. They are stressed out caring for their job, their kids, and now having to take care of their parents, too. They might be in conflict with their parent since they are trying to talk them into to moving to a facility. They feel a burden of responsibility to do the right thing for their parent.

Once I have those feelings listed at the top of my page, then I describe the product, service, or topic from the writing assignment. Keeping those feelings of the reader at the top of the page guides me to describe the product or service with words that soothe the reader and enable them to be victorious over their situation.

Once I am finished describing the product or service, if the assignment calls for it, I end with a call to action that tells the reader what to do so that they can be the hero. Like “call to schedule an appointment so your family feels cool again” or “contact us to give your mom the best care possible.”

Lastly, I go back to the beginning feeling words and turn them into a short story, just one or two sentences long, that describes a situation that will sound familiar to the reader. This short story serves as a hook to grab the reader’s attention. It makes the reader say, “yes! That’s exactly how I feel!” so he will read on.

Writing copy with feeling takes more work than simply describing the product or service, but your copy will yield results that other copy doesn’t. And business owners notice when your copy is the most effective. Next time you write copy, picture your reader crooning like Aretha, “you make me feel…” Identify their needs. Make them the hero.

In addition to copywriting, Rachel Schmoyer writes about finding simple truth in complex parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. A pastor’s wife and a mom of four, she is involved in the children’s ministry in her local church. Rachel is represented by Michelle Lazeruk of WordWise Media. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Categories
Writer Encouragement

Bleeding Into your Words

When it comes to writing, wordsmiths sometimes hold back on the deeper emotion. While there are times that works—I doubt writing out a recipe is terribly heartrending—there are other scenarios that beg for an author to bleed a bit through their words. Without the infusion of feeling, you may not connect with your reader. If there is little connection, you could risk losing the attention of not just your readers, but editors and agents as well.

Sometimes I see a question on social media from a writer who seems surprised that they cry when they are reading over their work. They wonder if this is normal.

I say a resounding “YES!” This is not just normal but you have accomplished the goal of expressing deeper emotions that bring your story to life.

This can be a challenge for many writers because bleeding on the page makes us feel vulnerable. It forces us to examine feelings that we prefer to keep hidden in our hearts. But when was the last time you experienced a book that made you cry? Did the words that elicited tears make you want to stop reading? Not likely. You probably picked up a tissue, blew your nose—and proceeded to finish the story.

You may wonder how you can express emotions when a fictional storyline you’ve created is an unfamiliar pain in your own life. I’d suggest two things: 1. Interview someone with experience in that particular loss (i.e. someone who has lost a pet, a parent, a child). 2. Search your memory for a similar experience and recall exactly how you felt. You can glean much from your life that transfers into your writing.

In my YA historical, “Fields of the Fatherless,” the heroine’s father is killed in a battle. Although my father died under completely different circumstances, I’ll never forget touching his stiffened body at the visitation service. I then described how “Betsy” experienced the same sensation. I cried a great deal writing that scene, and through many other scenes in that book. In fact, through every edits I worked on, I repeatedly cried at the same scenes again and again. I had allowed my emotions to drip into the words. The result was a book read by many, which won or was a finalist in four awards, and continues to sell on Amazon despite its release date in 2013.

Will every book require deep emotion? Of course not. But when sorrow and pain becomes appropriate, go for it. I encourage you to bleed that emotion into your words.

Carry on.

Elaine Marie Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her latest release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. She freely admits to being a history geek. She has a four-book series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut that will begin releasing this year. You can visit her site at www.elainemariecooper.com