I was thinking about my kids this morning. They are all so different yet in ways similar too. Especially when it comes to how they love and how they like to be loved. How they register their frustration, their hurt, their discouragement.

We all know the universal signs of these emotions but that’s all they are. Come to think about it I never see their faces turn red, or their fingers curl into fists when they’re mad. It goes much deeper than that. It starts with mannerisms they’ve picked up from me or inherited genetically then moves to tone of voice and actions or lack of it. (Emotion Thesaurus anyone?)

But back to love.

My son needs gifts. To know I love him, that I care, he needs little candies in his lunch on Valentine’s Day and Easter, or his faith in how much we care wobbles. I see it in his face. (I’ll never make that mistake again.) Another child needs contact, snuggling and major quality time, as in game after game of Chess, Monopoly, Scrambled States of America…you name it.

Do you ever think about these different love languages when creating characters? I can see this aspect of emotion adding a deeper level to our characters. Something to think about.

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On a completely different note, I’m exited to reveal my friend, Lisa Gail Green’s, cover! And the story sounds fantastic! I’ve read Lisa short story in one of the Journey of Wonder anthologies and can’t wait for the novel.

Tricked into slavery by the man she loved, the Djinni Leela has an eternity to regret her choices.

Awakened in the prison of her adolescent body, she finds a new master in possession of the opal that binds her. But seventeen-year-old Jered is unlike any she’s seen. His kindness makes Leela yearn to trust again, to allow herself a glimmer of hope.

Could Jered be strong enough to free her from the curse of the Binding Stone?

So with no further ado, here it is!

Click the picture to add to Goodreads!

Any thoughts today friends? Isn’t this a fantastic cover?