Jenny McLeod Carlisle – Romantic Real Life Interview – Part 2 of 2

Shannon here: Jenny McLeod Carlisle returns with a romantic interview from now. See how things have changed in her romance since it began in 1975. Comment or answer the question in any post dated Sept 1st – 4th to get in the drawing for a copy of her nonfiction title Turn, Turn, Turn. Deadline: Sept 12th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Jenny:

Thanks for joining me for my second visit on Shannon’s blog this week. Do you notice anything about the couples picture I posted? This is a current selfie, but our COVID hairstyles are very similar to the picture you saw in our last visit. Twenty-twenty looks a lot like the Seventies.

• Where is the most romantic place you and your spouse have ever been?

A couple of places come to mind. Far away from each other, but very similar in some ways.

The first is the balcony of our room at the lodge on Mount Magazine in Arkansas. We have been fortunate enough to visit here more than once, and I absolutely love sitting on the balcony overlooking the majestic view, with hawks circling above, and the whole world spread out below. Hubby won’t sit still for long, but when I can get him to pour us a champagne glass full of Arkansas muscadine grape juice (non-alchoholic) and take a good deep breath, I can see the calm coming into his face.

The other is similar, on the tiny deck outside our cabin on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Whether early in the morning as we are approaching land, or in the middle of the night when we are clipping along between islands, the salty breeze, and the perfect peace of God’s amazing creation is mesmerizing.

• Do you and your spouse have a favorite romantic restaurant?

The one I miss the most right now is in the trendy older part of Little Rock, called Café Bossa Nova. They serve Brazilian specialties, and have some delicious dishes that are gluten free, so they are perfect for avoiding any food allergy problems for my sweetie. I was amazed that he even wanted to try it, but we both have found so many good things that we talk all the way there about which one we will order. Couples and families of all varieties come in, and we can watch people walking past from our favorite table in the front window. We haven’t figured out how to capture that ambience for take-out, so we can’t wait until 2020 is a memory!

• Do you and your spouse have a favorite song?

This is tough to narrow down, but it would be one of the ones he has in his “play list” that we sing along to in the car. He’s from Arkansas, and I was born in Kansas, but Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn singing “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” has to rank way up there.

• What’s the most romantic present your spouse ever bought for you?

One year, for our anniversary he bought me a sweet little diamond and ruby double heart necklace, and presented it to me over supper. I hope I at least got him a card that year! I had no clue I was getting anything, and I still love to wear it.

• What’s the most romantic present you ever bought your spouse?

For our fortieth anniversary, we had decided not to buy each other anything, because the kids were throwing us a big party in the church fellowship hall. He broke the rules, and presented me with a new wedding band a couple of weeks ahead. Game on. I talked to my son, and he helped me find tickets to an away game of the Denver Broncos (hubby’s favorite) in New Orleans. We stayed at our favorite hotel a couple of blocks off of Bourbon Street and walked to catch the streetcar to the Super Dome with our fellow Bronco Nation road warriors. He was in Orange and Blue heaven, and we discovered our second favorite professional team in the New Orleans Saints (mostly because of their amazing fans).

• What simple gesture does your spouse do that melts you every time?

I would have to say it’s when he prays. He has a big deep voice that resonates, and was a popular choice for the leaders of the small congregation we raised our kids in. Now that others handle those duties at our larger church, I only get to hear him pray at home, but when he pours his heart out to our Father, it reminds me why I set out on this journey with him over 44 years ago. I tip my hat to the Keeper of the Stars, who had it all figured out from the beginning.

About Jenny: Jenny McLeod Carlisle has been writing stories since she learned to hold a pencil. Growing up in a single parent home with her little sister, she filled the empty spot in her heart by writing letters to her Daddy. Her writing voice developed naturally, and if you had asked that little girl about her future plans, she would have said she wanted to write books. She studied English and journalism, but married before finishing college and helped her husband raise their three kids by working as a career State of Arkansas employee. Now that they are grown, she continues to learn the craft, and exercises her storytelling skills by writing a monthly column for Ouachita Life magazine, a free publication that reaches thousands in the southwest quadrant of Arkansas.

Recently, her website has allowed more opportunities to reach out to her community of readers. She has served in several different offices of her favorite support group, American Christian Fiction Writers – Arkansas Chapter. She also enjoys hosting meetings for Heartfelt Friends, a ministry based on the Second Chapter of Titus that allows older Christian women to become mentors to young wives and mothers.  She and her favorite travel buddy, her husband of 44 years love to take day trips, and longer journeys when possible. With Eight grand-children in three states, there are plenty of opportunities for fun!

About the book – Turn, Turn, Turn:

Turn, Turn, Turn is Jenny’s first book. A compilation of many of her past general interest columns, it contains short articles drawn from her joyful life. Part social commentary, part nostalgic look back, it offers quick moments of smiles, with a few tears mixed in to make them real.  Her fans say it reminds them of sitting in their grandmother’s lap listening to her stories. She hopes it provides comfort and encouragement while inspiring readers to tell their own stories.

Cant wait for the drawing or worried you won’t win? Get your copy now!    Turn, Turn, Turn – Amazon

Question for readers: What is the one place you can’t wait to go back to once everyone feels safe?

Come back Sept 8th for Kelly Irvin!