Love is in the Air, but not Online

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Miranda Levy
386.479.4629
mmlevy3@mail.usf.edu


LOVE IS IN THE AIR, BUT NOT ONLINE
In a fast-paced society, traditional letters are still at the heart of Valentine’s Day

Tampa, (Feb. 13) – While pursuing a career that took him to 88 different countries, reporter Robert St. John found time to write a hand-written love poem to his wife every day of a marriage that lasted more than 40 years, according to an NPR report.

On Valentine’s Day, 192 million cards will be exchanged, which shows how priceless love letters and poems from the heart really are as opposed to impersonal e-cards. Hand-written letters are an intimate way to show your significant other how much they mean to you.

“The best way to show affection on Valentine’s Day is by sitting down and composing a simple love letter that is heartfelt and comes from the soul,” said Bob Batchelor, author and teacher at the University of South Florida. “People get caught up in thinking that they have to buy expensive things, when actually, the greatest gift is free.”

Not many people know how to write a great love letter. And, a person doesn’t need to be an eminent writer to compose a great love letter. Here are a few guidelines to follow when writing the perfect love letter:

-- Nobody’s perfect; plan before you write
-- Express the two emotions that are most heartfelt. You are writing a note, not a novel
-- Write about specific loving moments in the relationship
-- Describe your hopes and dreams for the future

So remember, this Valentine’s Day over $424 million will be spent on flowers, $418 million will be spent on chocolate, $2.1 billion will be spent on jewelry. Yet, to many what really matters is what comes from the heart, not the wallet.

Bob Batchelor is an award-winning business writer and historian. He is Public Relations Instructor in the School of Mass Communications at the University of South Florida. Bob is the author of: The 1900s (Greenwood Press, 2002), editor of Basketball in America: From the Playgrounds to Jordan’s Game and Beyond (Haworth Press, 2005); and co-author of Kleenex, Kotex, and Huggies: Kimberly-Clark and the Consumer Revolution in American Business (The Ohio State University Press, 2004). Bob’s forthcoming books include The 1980s (Greenwood Press, 2006) and Literary Cash: Writing Inspired by the Songs of the Legendary Johnny Cash (BenBella Books, 2007). Bob graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and received an M.A. from Kent State University. As a historical consultant, Batchelor has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, including BellSouth, International Paper, Kimberly-Clark, and Accenture. He has interviewed 250 CEOs and senior level executives across every industry in corporate America

END