Leeann Betts – Character Interview – Part 1 of 1

Shannon here: Contemporary suspense author, Leeann Betts shares insight into her characters’ romance from her latest title, No Accounting for Murder. Winner will receive a super-sleuth magnifying glass, just like the one on the cover and choice of a PDF or print copy of the book. Comment or answer the question at the end of the post to enter the drawing. Deadline: Jan 9th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Lee Ann:

Q: What is your favorite romantic vacation destination?
A: I think anywhere I go with hubby Mike is going to be romantic. And honestly, I like to go where I’m not going to be expected to do all sorts of athletic things. Mike says the only exercise I get is jumping to conclusions and passing the buck, but I also run off at the mouth sometimes.
Q: What simple gesture does your husband do that melts your heart every time?
A: Mike knows that my feelings are easily hurt, and I often doubt myself. He says he can tell by my bottom lip quivering when that is happening. And he doesn’t lecture me, although he’s as good a preacher as the man in the church on Main Street in our home town of Bear Cove. Instead, he simply comes over and stands behind me, then wraps his arms around me and lays his chin on my head. That speaks volumes to me when he acknowledges my emotions, doesn’t try to belittle me for having them, but simply wants me to heal quickly.
Q: How soon after meeting Mike did you know he was the one?
A: About three months after we were married. Seriously. We were eating breakfast, and I looked at him across the table and realized I didn’t want to live one day without him. The ache was so strong, I stopped eating. And that in itself was a miracle 
Q: How soon after meeting you did Mike know you were the one?
A: If you ask him, he’ll say he knew before we met. We were first in the same room at the same time at a technology convention. He was at a booth, representing a company he worked for at the time, and I wandered in because I was looking for a new laptop and thought they might sell me one. Boy, was I wrong! After I’d asked about six guys behind tables about buying a computer and they looking at me like I had ten heads, I saw this man across the room staring at me like I was his long lost Aunt Ada. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Q: Who is the most romantic, you or Mike?
A: That’s easy. Mike. He is always the most romantic, the most considerate, the most thoughtful, the hardest worker at our marriage. And I don’t mean he just works hard at his business as a computer programmer. I mean he works the hardest at our marriage. I don’t know if we’d still be together if not for him. He refuses to give up on me, on us. He refuses to let us stay the same, insisting that if we aren’t growing together, we are slipping backwards. Sometimes it really gets on my nerves, but I know it’s for my good and for the good of our marriage.
Q: What is the most caring thing Mike has ever done for you?
A: He seems to know when I need my back rubbed, or my feet rubbed, or my shoulders rubbed. It’s like he can sense the pain, that taut muscles or aching tootsies. I don’t know how he does it. I don’t know why he does it. I mean, I’m happy to rub his back or feet or shoulders when he asks, but I can’t read his mind. And the fact he can read my mind, at least in these three instances, in just a little scary.
Q; What is the most caring thing you have ever done for Mike?
A: Mike says that one thing he really appreciates about me is I don’t hold grudges and I do submit, even when I don’t want to. One night, many years ago, we’d had a huge fight—I don’t even remember about what, to be honest—and I was going to sleep on the sofa. He was quiet upstairs for a long time, then he came down, held out his hand, and said, “Follow me.” I got up and went upstairs to the TV room. He had our wedding video loaded in the VHS player. We watched that together. We cried together. We made up. He said that when I did as he asked, even though I was still angry, that showed him there was hope for our marriage. I don’t know if you’d call that caring, but he thought it was.
Q: Who said “I love you” first, you or Mike?
A; Mike, of course. On our second date. I didn’t know what to say, because, like I said before, I wasn’t sure he was the guy for me. I’m sure he must have sensed my hesitation, because he said, “I know it’s fast, but that’s okay. You can tell me when you know it for sure.” The funny thing is, he asked me out again and again, and I went out with him again. I think I was in love with the idea of being in love. And if I never fell in love, it was okay. He and I were good enough friends to make this work. Even planning our wedding, when we said our vows, and I promised to love him, that was for the future.
About Leeann: Leeann Betts and her alter-ego, Donna Schlachter, write from Denver, Colorado. Leeann writes contemporary suspense while Donna pens historical suspense. You can find Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com and www.LeeannBetts.com. Leeann’s first books, No Accounting for Murder and Counting the Days: a 31-day devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, are available at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. Books 2 and 3 in her By The Numbers series release in January and April 2016.
About the book – No Accounting for Murder: Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, has a nose for mysteries that gets her into trouble. She can’t leave any question unanswered, particularly when those questions relate to the town she lives in or the people she loves. Who is trying to build a nudist colony in her small East Coast hamlet? Why won’t the mayor talk to her about that? Who is the mystery man who bought the property in question? Why was she threatened just because she wouldn’t take on an out-of-town job? And who stole the money her daughter is accused of embezzling? Follow along with Carly as she is determined to turn over every rock to find answers.
Question for readers: Who is your all-time favorite television sleuth or detective?

Come back Dec 30th for Ada Brownell!