I am delighted to have Emma as a guest poster today ~ thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for organizing.
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Genre ~ Women’s Fiction / Family Drama
Publication date ~ August 1, 2024
Publisher: Avon- Harper Collins
Estimated Page Count: 338
Why Reading Tearjerkers Can Fix A Broken Heart
As an author, one of the questions I’m asked most often is ‘Why do you write such emotional books?’
I guess it’s a reasonable question. The world is already such a tough place, so why would I spend my time writing words that make me cry, and in turn (I hope) make my readers cry too? The simple truth is, I write emotional books because I need to. Because facing the hardest emotions is what makes us human. Learning how to heal is what humanity is all about. For me, I read to escape the world, but when I write, it’s to make sense of the world – the good, the bad and the ugly. So, I don’t shy away from emotions, in fact, I embrace them as much as I can.
Did you know that reading emotional books can actually be good for your mental health? Crying, and releasing emotion, can be cathartic and healing. So, as I launch my second book-baby into the world and invite you to pick up the tissues and join me on the tear-stained sofa once more, I thought it might be an idea to explain why exactly it is I enjoy making you cry so much.
In today’s busy world, taking time to read, especially emotional novels, can do wonders for your mental health as well as your heart. Reading might often be seen as an escape from the real world, but often, these stories go beyond just keeping you entertained; they help you understand your emotions better, make you more empathetic, and even provide a sense of therapy. Here’s why diving into an emotional novel with a pack of tissues by your side really is a really good idea. (Trust me…)
Understanding Your Emotions Better
Emotional intelligence is about understanding and managing your own feelings as well as those of others. Reading emotional novels helps you practice this skill. When you read about characters going through tough times, you learn to reflect on your own feelings and reactions. It’s often difficult to imagine how we would tackle difficult situations, but reading about the experiences of others allows us to dig deep into how we might act in similar situations.
For those who have read my debut “This Child of Mine” – imagining how you would tackle the situation Stephanie finds herself in is one thing but reading the consequences of her choice allow us as readers to understand both sides of the potential outcome. Where we once may have judged, through reading, we allow ourselves the space to understand another point of view.
In When You Were Mine, my second novel, I ask my readers to really think about how they might tackle a situation that threatens to tear apart two families.
Books like “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini or “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak put you in the middle of entirely different intense emotional situations, but in a similar ways, asks the reader to truly examine their own emotional responses to a situation we would hope never to find ourselves in.
Offering a Therapeutic Escape
Reading emotional novels can be like therapy. At least for me as an author they are. When writing emotional scenes, I’m living them at the same time, and in a way dealing with my own trauma while helping my characters heal. As a reader, the act of reading itself is calming, and the themes of love, loss, and hope in these novels can make you feel connected and understood. Emotional novels can reflect your own struggles, giving you new ways to think about your problems.
Providing Emotional Release
We all need to let out our emotions sometimes, but often we don’t give ourselves the time in the day to feel or process. Emotional novels can help with this. A powerful story can make you cry, providing a healthy way to release emotions.
When You Were Mine is a novel that doesn’t shy away from the difficult subjects, I tackle marriage problems, motherhood, social media issues, foster families, anger and love. I also tackle the tricky topic of the covid pandemic, and how the strange and difficult time put even more pressure on a society that still feels a need to hide behind ‘insta perfect’ pictures. It’s a confronting novel, with truth, family and love at it’s core.
I will continue to write emotional fiction for as long as my readers keep reading, they might not always be easy to write, and often confronting to read, but in a world where so much is ‘filtered’, I love that the written word is anything but. So, allow yourself to ‘feel’; embrace the emotion and dive in – I promise I will have you smiling come the final page – but during the process, embrace the tears and free the emotion. You’ll feel so much better for it!
Book blurb:
One mistake could change their lives forever…
My life is a mess. My marriage is falling apart, and I’d hoped the arrival of our baby girl would bring us closer together. Yet, as she grows, I see less of a resemblance to my husband, stirring unsettling questions.
I was hoping a visit from my friend, Victoria would bring some stability. With her seemingly perfect life in Spain, she embodies hope for a brighter future.
But our reunion has taken an unexpected turn. And when a shock diagnosis shakes our family further, Victoria doesn’t know it yet, but she might just hold the key to saving our family.
But if I want her to help, a big secret has to come out. Revealing the truth risks everything – my marriage, our friendship, our families. Can we weather this storm, or will it shatter us beyond repair?
An emotional and powerful novel of motherhood, friendship and what family means to us all. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult and Susan Lewis.
Purchase Links
Author Bio
Born in Scotland, Emma-Claire travelled the world as the child of military parents. After almost 20 years in Spain, she returned to the UK with her husband, two daughters, and rescue dog, Pip. Emma-Claire worked as a journalist for English language magazines and newspapers in Spain and in 2015 launched The Glass House Online Magazine. When not writing emotional fiction, you can find her dreaming up new book ideas or wrapped in a blanket with a book in her hand. This is Emma’s second novel. You can find her at @ECWilsonWriter on Twitter.
Social Media Links –
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ECWilsonWriter @ECWilsonWriter
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/ecwilsonauthor/ @ecwilsonauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ECWilsonAuthor @ECWilsonAuthor
Substack: https://substack.com/@emmaclairewilson/
Linktree: http://linktr.ee/ecwilsonauthor
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