Poker Face

While I am loathe to admit it, when I go to court, I am usually humming Lady Gaga's Poker Face.  I know how to maintain a stoic expression in the craziest of circumstances (I didn't flinch when I had a client rip off her wig during a deposition and shake her tresses at opposing counsel; I continued to sip my Pumpkin Spice Latte and look bored). While this mad skill helps me tremendously in the legal profession, it has worked against me in my writing.

I have a quest; I must find a better way to show the emotions my characters are experiencing. Trust me, as a Southerner, my first inclination is not to tell you how they feel. Southerners bury our emotions in a deep dark pit that makes the abyss look homey, but that is an entirely different blog post. So, my professional experience leaves me void of ways to show emotion, as does my upbringing. I need to find a muse to help with this, because my current efforts are, well . . . lacking in style.

My current techniques involve a lot of things going on with the eyes. They squint, glare, and avoid glances. I've also invited appendages to the party.  I have shoulders slouching, hands balling into fists, and feet shuffling. But none of this seems to express the sentiment my characters are feeling. I would love new ways to show emotion for my characters.

Maybe Lady Gaga can help (but in case she can't, I'd love to hear your suggestions).