Crying over books

Have you ever found yourself nearly crying because you have finished a book (or the last of a series of books)? Do you find yourself remembering scenes and characters that have captured your heart and become quite real in your imagination?  Have you found yourself reading something where you dread getting to the last few pages of the book, because you just don’t want the story to end?  You may even feel unable to move on to read another book as you need to take some time to let go of your last read.

When a book is well written, it is as if the author has the power to weave a spell over you, enticing you further and further into a book, causing you to become emotionally invested with the story and characters.  Before you know it, the story ends, and you find yourself remembering scenes, characters and quotes from the book, feeling sad and bereft that you can no longer pick up this book and read more.  I guess this is one reason why series of books and fan fiction are so popular.

Have you ever found yourself fighting back tears, maybe even crying, as you mourn the death of a fictional character?  Do you find yourself imaging alternative scenarios where the character survives?  Although causing the demise of particular characters  is certainly an effective (and often convenient) ploy used by authors to draw the reader in,  it can be absolutely heart wrenching and so sad!