If you feel it, you get totally immersed in the story and its characters—feeling the joy and the sorrow. As a writer, this is important not only for the entertainment value, but also in the challenge itself. Can I take the reader away? Make them part of the story? Can I hold their hand and take them on an emotional journey? This is the goal of most books, to varying degrees. Simply put, a good storyline, and its characters are like the layers of an onion, peeling back with each turn of the page. If the book is good, it will lure the reader into wanting more, and therefore continually draw them towards the proverbial center of the onion. This is the definition of a good thriller—and the making of a good rollercoaster ride.

Now my question to you…Do you stop after peeling that first layer? If not…enjoy the ride!