diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
index 41240f8..000c0b2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
-    - name: Set up Python 3.6
+    - name: Set up Python 3.8
       uses: actions/setup-python@v2
       with:
-        python-version: 3.6
+        python-version: 3.8
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
-        pip install flake8==2.5.4 pytest
+        pip install flake8==3.8.4 pytest
         if [ -f requirements.txt ]; then pip install -r requirements.txt; fi
     - name: Lint with flake8
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml
index 1a03a7b..9e3a349 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set up Python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v2
       with:
-        python-version: '3.x'
+        python-version: '3.8'
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 4d21411..1e245c1 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -75,6 +75,18 @@ bullets
   lists are nested. Otherwise, the bullet will alternate based on nesting
   level. Defaults to ``'*+-'``.
 
+strong_em_symbol
+  In markdown, both ``*`` and ``_`` are used to encode **strong** or
+  *emphasized* texts. Either of these symbols can be chosen by the options
+  ``ASTERISK`` (default) or ``UNDERSCORE`` respectively.
+
+newline_style
+  Defines the style of marking linebreaks (``<br>``) in markdown. The default
+  value ``SPACES`` of this option will adopt the usual two spaces and a newline,
+  while ``BACKSLASH`` will convert a linebreak to ``\\n`` (a backslash an a
+  newline). While the latter convention is non-standard, it is commonly
+  preferred and supported by a lot of interpreters.
+
 Options may be specified as kwargs to the ``markdownify`` function, or as a
 nested ``Options`` class in ``MarkdownConverter`` subclasses.
 
diff --git a/markdownify/__init__.py b/markdownify/__init__.py
index 8200ca7..0b2a620 100644
--- a/markdownify/__init__.py
+++ b/markdownify/__init__.py
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ ATX_CLOSED = 'atx_closed'
 UNDERLINED = 'underlined'
 SETEXT = UNDERLINED
 
+# Newline style
+SPACES = 'spaces'
+BACKSLASH = 'backslash'
+
+# Strong and emphasis style
+ASTERISK = '*'
+UNDERSCORE = '_'
+
 
 def escape(text):
     if not text:
@@ -46,6 +54,8 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
         autolinks = True
         heading_style = UNDERLINED
         bullets = '*+-'  # An iterable of bullet types.
+        strong_em_symbol = ASTERISK
+        newline_style = SPACES
 
     class Options(DefaultOptions):
         pass
@@ -148,25 +158,29 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
         if convert_as_inline:
             return text
 
-        return '\n' + line_beginning_re.sub('> ', text) if text else ''
+        return '\n' + (line_beginning_re.sub('> ', text) + '\n\n') if text else ''
 
     def convert_br(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
         if convert_as_inline:
             return ""
 
-        return '  \n'
+        if self.options['newline_style'].lower() == BACKSLASH:
+            return '\\\n'
+        else:
+            return '  \n'
 
     def convert_em(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
+        em_tag = self.options['strong_em_symbol']
         prefix, suffix, text = chomp(text)
         if not text:
             return ''
-        return '%s*%s*%s' % (prefix, text, suffix)
+        return '%s%s%s%s%s' % (prefix, em_tag, text, em_tag, suffix)
 
     def convert_hn(self, n, el, text, convert_as_inline):
         if convert_as_inline:
             return text
 
-        style = self.options['heading_style']
+        style = self.options['heading_style'].lower()
         text = text.rstrip()
         if style == UNDERLINED and n <= 2:
             line = '=' if n == 1 else '-'
@@ -222,10 +236,11 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
         return '%s\n\n' % text if text else ''
 
     def convert_strong(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
+        strong_tag = 2 * self.options['strong_em_symbol']
         prefix, suffix, text = chomp(text)
         if not text:
             return ''
-        return '%s**%s**%s' % (prefix, text, suffix)
+        return '%s%s%s%s%s' % (prefix, strong_tag, text, strong_tag, suffix)
 
     def convert_img(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
         alt = el.attrs.get('alt', None) or ''
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index ec7dea2..db71182 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ read = lambda filepath: codecs.open(filepath, 'r', 'utf-8').read()
 pkgmeta = {
     '__title__': 'markdownify',
     '__author__': 'Matthew Tretter',
-    '__version__': '0.6.1',
+    '__version__': '0.6.6',
 }
 
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class LintCommand(Command):
                 yield "%s.py" % filename
 
     def run(self):
-        from flake8.engine import get_style_guide
+        from flake8.api.legacy import get_style_guide
         flake8_style = get_style_guide(config_file='setup.cfg')
         paths = self.distribution_files()
         report = flake8_style.check_files(paths)
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ setup(
     zip_safe=False,
     include_package_data=True,
     setup_requires=[
-        'flake8',
+        'flake8>=3.8,<4',
     ],
     tests_require=[
-        'pytest',
+        'pytest>=6.2,<7',
     ],
     install_requires=[
-        'beautifulsoup4', 'six'
+        'beautifulsoup4>=4.9,<5', 'six>=1.15,<2'
     ],
     classifiers=[
         'Environment :: Web Environment',
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ setup(
         'Programming Language :: Python :: 2.5',
         'Programming Language :: Python :: 2.6',
         'Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8',
         'Topic :: Utilities'
     ],
     cmdclass={
diff --git a/tests/test_conversions.py b/tests/test_conversions.py
index bf09506..6dcf9a6 100644
--- a/tests/test_conversions.py
+++ b/tests/test_conversions.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from markdownify import markdownify as md, ATX, ATX_CLOSED
+from markdownify import markdownify as md, ATX, ATX_CLOSED, BACKSLASH, UNDERSCORE
 import re
 
 
@@ -145,12 +145,16 @@ def test_b_spaces():
 
 
 def test_blockquote():
-    assert md('<blockquote>Hello</blockquote>').strip() == '> Hello'
+    assert md('<blockquote>Hello</blockquote>') == '\n> Hello\n\n'
+
+
+def test_blockquote_with_paragraph():
+    assert md('<blockquote>Hello</blockquote><p>handsome</p>') == '\n> Hello\n\nhandsome\n\n'
 
 
 def test_nested_blockquote():
-    text = md('<blockquote>And she was like <blockquote>Hello</blockquote></blockquote>').strip()
-    assert text == '> And she was like \n> > Hello'
+    text = md('<blockquote>And she was like <blockquote>Hello</blockquote></blockquote>')
+    assert text == '\n> And she was like \n> > Hello\n> \n> \n\n'
 
 
 def test_br():
@@ -292,3 +296,14 @@ def test_table():
     assert md(table) == '| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |'
     assert md(table_head_body) == '| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |'
     assert md(table_missing_text) == '|  | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill |  | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |'
+
+
+def test_strong_em_symbol():
+    assert md('<strong>Hello</strong>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE) == '__Hello__'
+    assert md('<b>Hello</b>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE) == '__Hello__'
+    assert md('<em>Hello</em>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE) == '_Hello_'
+    assert md('<i>Hello</i>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE) == '_Hello_'
+
+
+def test_newline_style():
+    assert md('a<br />b<br />c', newline_style=BACKSLASH) == 'a\\\nb\\\nc'
diff --git a/tests/test_escaping.py b/tests/test_escaping.py
index 9b0d4fa..23a828c 100644
--- a/tests/test_escaping.py
+++ b/tests/test_escaping.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from markdownify import markdownify as md
 
 
 def test_underscore():
-    assert md('_hey_dude_') == '\_hey\_dude\_'
+    assert md('_hey_dude_') == r'\_hey\_dude\_'
 
 
 def test_xml_entities():