In my day job years, I often read during my daily train commute. Invariably, I'd come across a touching scene in a book. To avoid being embarrassed, I'd blink, look out the window, or do whatever I could to hide my emotions. Fiction is a powerful weapon. With skilled hands on the trigger, a book can make a sad person happy, or the opposite. It can resurrect buried memories, make someone ponder the mysteries of life, satisfy a craving for romance or adventure, or even transport someone to a different world.  The question is, how can an author elicit emotions or reactions from readers? A few ways come to mind. First, make sure the reader isn't thrown out of the story. Careful editing is essential to avoid the distraction of spelling, syntax, or common sense errors. Next, think about how you'd like your reader to react to certain scenes. Make sure your character's body language and dialogue support the emotions you wish to convey. Lastly, and this i...