da-AL petting a very cute white llama at the Orange County Fair.

Older Beauty + Bonding with Readers: Karen Lynne Klink + Podcast

Posted on by da-AL
da-AL petting a very cute white llama at the Orange County Fair.
My new friend from the Orange County Fair says howdy!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bKmdGi98yHTSe70pLcbyf?si=52f8eab25bd3405c

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Call me demented from birth, but as soon as I learned to count on my fingers, life seemed way too short for all the love, experience, and writing (click here for about my books) that I hoped to cram in. By first grade, I sobbed myself to sleep after ticking off how ancient my parents would be when I was 15, then 20, and so on… Maybe that’s why I’m extra thrilled to meet people who are busting the myths about aging.

The Guardian posted “This is what 70 looks like” back in 2018. Five years later, their featured influencers call out the cosmetics industry for treating aging like a shameful disease. These vloggers demonstrate beauty techniques and get real about life’s ups and downs in ways that no 25-year-old model could be convincing.

Here they are, stronger than ever! Click the YouTube links to meet…

Today’s guest, Karen Lynne Klink, blogss from Arizona. She started writing fiction at 60! For more about the full life she led before that and now, as well as info on her books, visit her site…

Here she shares some of her writing wisdom…

Photo of author Karen Lynne Klink.
Karen Lynne Klink, author.

Forging Bonds: The Essential Connection Between Writers and Readers — Characters and Historical Fiction by Karen Lynne Klink

In the vast realm of literature, the most impactful stories are not mere ink on paper but intricate conduits that bridge the minds and hearts of readers. As a writer, my primary goal is to create captivating narratives that transport readers into a world of imagination, but my main focus lies in forging a profound connection between my reader and the characters I bring to life. 

Empathy and Relatability: The Building Blocks of Connection

One of the fundamental aspects of establishing a deep connection with my reader is cultivating empathy and relatability with my characters. When readers can see themselves, their experiences, or their aspirations reflected in the lives of my characters, they form an emotional bond. By crafting characters with a range of human emotions, flaws, and dreams, I give readers the opportunity to identify with them, fostering a sense of shared understanding and empathy.

Invoking Emotional Responses: Evoking the Power of Feelings

Deep emotional writing using deep point of view has the ability to elicit a spectrum of emotions within readers. Whether it’s joy, sorrow, fear, or excitement, invoking emotional responses creates a memorable reading experience. By delving into the depths of characters’ emotions, I invite readers to embark on an emotional journey alongside them. When readers connect emotionally with characters, they become emotionally invested in them and their stories, yearning for resolution, growth, and transformation.

Authenticity and Realism: Breathing Life into Fiction

While fiction may be born in the realm of imagination, it finds its strength in mirroring reality. The authenticity and realism infused into narratives creates a sense of believability, enabling readers to suspend disbelief and fully immerse themselves in a world created by meticulous research. By grounding characters in genuine human experiences, quirks, and dilemmas, I invite readers to connect with them on a profound level.

Shared Experiences: Finding Common Ground

The power of connection lies in finding common ground. By addressing universal themes and experiences, a writer taps into the shared human condition. Whether it’s love, loss, friendship, or personal growth, exploring themes that resonate with readers cultivates a sense of kinship and understanding. By weaving these universal threads into stories, I attempt to create a bond that transcends the boundaries of time, culture, and personal differences.

The connection between a writer and readers is not a one-sided affair; it requires active engagement from both parties. As a writer, I must actively listen to readers’ feedback, take their perspectives into account, and adapt storytelling accordingly while remaining true to historical facts, themes and characters. By engaging in conversations with readers, whether through author events, social media platforms, or book clubs, I hope to create spaces for mutual understanding, trust, and shared appreciation for the stories I create.

Importance of Meaningful Connections

The significance of fostering a strong connection between writers and readers cannot be overstated. 

Through empathy, emotional resonance, authenticity, and shared experiences, we can bridge the gap between imaginative worlds and the hearts and minds of readers. As a writer, I hope to shape more authentic lives, broaden horizons, and leave a lasting impact. By cultivating meaningful connections with readers, perhaps I will forge a bond that transcends the pages of my books, creating an impression that resonates long after the final chapter is read.

Who you hope to grow old like?

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Published by da-AL

Happiness Between Tails speaks to and from the heart. It connects lovers — of pets, authors, books — and of my still-unreleased novels, “Flamenco + the Sitting Cat” and “Tango + the Sitting Cat.” The stories are my love letters to all who fear they're too odd, too damaged, too old, too whatever to find happiness. ContactdaAL@gmail.com • BuyMeACoffee.com/SupportHBT

35 thoughts on “Older Beauty + Bonding with Readers: Karen Lynne Klink + Podcast”

  3. I’d prefer not to grow old at all. As Roberta says, it comes at a cost in lost ability and opportunities. At 62 I’ve already experienced some of the physical decay that comes with aging, and I watched my mother go through all of it in her final decade. There is far more to do and see in the world than anyone could fit into a mere century, and of course I deeply wish to see what the future will bring. Work on curing (and to some extent even reversing) the human aging process is far more advanced already than most people realize. In a matter of decades at most we’ll have a world in which no one ages or dies unless they choose to do so. Aging will be thought of as a defeated nightmare from the past, as we think of smallpox today. I just don’t know whether it will be in time for me.

    Some writers are very good at creating a sense of connection in the reader. It seems to me this mostly has to do with skill at characterization. A character who faces life and behaves at least somewhat as we can imagine ourselves doing, even if flawed, can come to seem like a real person we know.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I wonder how living longer will affect how we treat others and the planet. I just finished reading Station 11, a novel about a post pandemic world. The author didn’t seem very optimistic 😂 and I feel the same that a good story teller makes me feel like I’m losing a friend by the end of a book

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      1. Well, look at it this way….. Over the last one hundred years the global average life expectancy doubled. On the whole people now treat each other better (compare racism, sexism and gay rights today with 1923), the environment is in better shape in most ways, and famines have disappeared despite tripling of the population. So I’m not too worried about that. Probably people would behave better if they knew they would still be around in 100 years to experience whatever kind of world their actions will lead to.

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        1. Very good point – I agree that we’re gaining compassion – just that weapons & such can do so much more damage. Wishing I could choose who gets the longer lives lol…

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  4. Hi da-AL, this is an interesting post. I enjoyed reading Karen’s thoughts on how to forge a connection with readers. I am not sure how I want to grow old. I would like to have good health so that I can continue to do things I love for as long as possible. I’ve watched how the elderly folk in my life have had to gradually give up things they like because they just can’t do them anymore.

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    1. I’ve been fortunate to see some who age quite gracefully. They keep themselves as healthy they can while addressing change realistically, staying flexible and positive about their situations

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Everyone in my family hopes they end like my Abuela did. Walked home from a party in Buenos Aires at 2am and died in her sleep. To the last day she kept up with daily vigorous long walks, yoga and karate classes, and socializing in cafes at 10pm with girlfriends!

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