Amber Stockton – Real Life Romance – Part 1 of 2

Shannon here: Amber Stockton shares insight into her real life romance plus a chance to win a copy of her latest historical romance three in one collection, Brandywine Brides. Comment or answer the question at the end of this post to enter the drawing for a copy. Deadline: Feb 14th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Amber:


The story of my husband and me is one for the fairy tales…or so I’ve been told. We met at a writer’s conference in 2004 and spent the next three years “courting” via email, instant message, and seeing each other once each year at the annual conference. In many ways, I feel we got to know each other far better than if we had been face to face as distance or the shield of a computer helped us both lower our defenses and be transparent in ways I’m not sure we would have accomplished had we lived in the same town.
Since we met at a writer’s conference, and since those conferences are weighted far on the female side, there was no shortage of what I fondly call “matchmaking matrons” who would stop at nothing to see Stuart and me get together. At one conference in Nashville, they even devised multiple plans for us to be alone, or caught and entangled, or even in awkward situations where we’d have no choice but to realize there was matchmaking at work.
One such plan involved the fountain in the center of the atrium near the lobby and hotel entrance. Something about being “accidentally” tripped and ending up in the fountain where Stuart would have to rescue me, dripping wet. So glad that didn’t happen, though. I can only imagine the spectacle I would have made considering the outfits I’d chosen that year were not favorable to being wet. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. 🙂
Another experience occurred at the conference the next year when Stuart had arrived early to attend the Early Bird seminar and I was there early to work the on-site bookstore. He had designed and printed a custom t-shirt for me, and as he walked by the main doors to the room where we were setting up the bookstore, he chucked the t-shirt right at my face, then continued walking without stopping to say hello or waiting to see my reaction to his gift.
When I did unroll the shirt, the other two ladies in the room with me giggled along with their dreamy sighs that a man would do something so special. I quirked one eyebrow at them both, wondering what was “special” about the lack of a greeting, being hit in the face with a shirt, or the complete disregard for my response. Of course, I was inexperienced when it came to relationships, and these ladies had been married for over twenty years. So, they both knew this silent gesture spoke volumes coming from a single man to a single woman he fancied.
Several other times before we married, we had what I look back and consider embarrassing encounters, but one of the best funny moments happened when he came to visit me for four days just five months prior to our wedding. We weren’t yet engaged at this point, and when the visit came to an end, we were on our way back to the airport for his return flight home. We stopped for ice cream and about halfway through eating our creamy dessert, Stuart looked across the table at me and said, “So…do we need to talk about this?” “This” referred to our relationship and where it was headed. I shrugged and said, “I don’t believe so, unless you feel we should?” He shrugged as well and said, “I’m good.”
One week later, we were engaged, and five months later, we were married. We’ll celebrate eight years in July this year, and I couldn’t be happier. Amazing how right it all is when you wait on God’s timing. Eventually, we’ll both sit down and turn our story into a real fairy tale, but until then, you can watch the start of our journey at my web site: www.amberstockton.com/aboutamber.html and click on My Wedding Fairytale as well as Our First Baby Announcement. Happy viewing!
About Amber: Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who has partnered with Nerium International in the anti-aging skin care industry, helping others look younger and live better. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton Stuart Vaughn Stockton , in Colorado. They have one girl and one boy, a Retriever mix named Roxie and an Australian cattle dog named Timber. She has sold seventeen (17) books so far and is represented by agent Sandra Bishop of the TransAtlantic Agency. You can also find her on https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberStockton, https://twitter.com/AmberStockton, and https://www.pinterest.com/amberstockton76/.
About the book – Brandywine Brides:
Bound by Love and Literature
Nestled amid the beauty of historical Delaware, three generations of bookstore owners find love grows out of a shared love for great literature. Charlotte Pringle is pressured by her parents to marry advantageously, but while Richard Baxton loves her, he cannot provide for her because all his finances go to help his niece walk again. Grace Baxton is on the search for a missing heirloom book. Andrew Bradenton offers to help her, but his past mistakes cast him in a suspicious light, even while a dashing suitor catches Grace’s eye. After the loss of his friend and her brother on the Titanic, Aaron Stone encourages Lillian Bradenton to restore her hope by bringing a boarded-up bookstore back to life. Will each woman’s literature-inspired dreams lead her to the right man of faith and devotion? Learn more and find purchase links at: www.amberstockton.com/books.html
Question: Did you ever meet anyone who turned out to be significant in your life at a conference or work related event?

Come back Feb 4th for Jennifer Slattery!