Margaret Brownley – Real Life Romantic Interview – Part 1 of 2

Shannon here: Historical Romance author, Margaret Brownley shares insight into her real life romance. Comment on any post dated May 30 – June 3 for a chance to win a copy of  A Vision of Lucy. Deadline June 4, 11:59 PM central time. Here’s Margaret:

More Love and Laughter in the Old West From Margaret Brownley
1.   What’s the most romantic thing your spouse has ever done for you?
First I want to thank you for inviting me to visit and meet your followers.
To answer your question: I remember becoming extremely discouraged as an aspiring writer.  It seemed like all I had to show for years of work was a stack of rejections.  I was just about to give up on my dream of becoming a published author when I walked into my office and saw a huge banner that read, “The World’s Greatest Writer.”  That meant more to me than all the wine and roses in the world. Sometimes all it takes is one person to believe in you. 
2.   What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for your spouse?
My husband’s heart really is through his stomach. Nothing pleases him more than a good home-cooked meal.  And one day I’m going to cook it for him. 
3.   Where is the most romantic place you and your spouse have ever been?
Paris!  What could be more romantic than sailing along the Seine on a warm, summer night with a big bright full moon overhead?  We couldn’t have planned a more perfect evening.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) the romantic part was short-lived.  A bunch of hooligans dumped oil on our boat, drenching us all to the skin, and we ended up at the Metropolitan police station.  I say fortunate because as a writer I got more literary mileage out of the oil-dump than I got from all of Pa-ree! 
4.   Do you and your spouse have a favorite romantic restaurant?
We love Santa Barbara and we will use every excuse possible to sneak away to enjoy a fish dinner on the pier.  We also like the Ranch House in Ojai.
5.   Do you and your spouse have a favorite song?
We don’t have the same musical tastes so I would have to say no.  He likes Jazz and I like classical.
6.   Do you and your spouse have a favorite romantic vacation destination?
We travel a lot in our RV. When it’s just the two—well, you get the idea.
7.   What simple gesture does your spouse do that melts you every time? 
He keeps my gas tank filled.   That may not be the most romantic thing he could do but it keeps the high pump prices from giving me heart failure.
8.   How soon after meeting your spouse did you know he/she was the one?
It took awhile—three weeks!
9.   How soon after meeting you did your spouse know you were the one?
He claims he knew the moment he met me and since he proposed on our first date, I can’t argue with him. He proposed several times before I finally said “yes” to shut him up.  Would it be a match made in heaven?  Not according to our pastor who, after we failed his marriage test, advised us not to wed.  My husband and I are living proof that not only do opposites attract they flourish.
10.   Who is most romantic, you or your spouse?
It’s a toss-up. 
11.   What is the most caring thing your spouse has ever done for you?
My husband and I couldn’t afford much of a wedding so ours was really a simple church basement affair. Years later when my daughter was planning her country club wedding she couldn’t understand why her father didn’t complain about the high costs.  His answer: “Your wedding is the wedding your mom never had.  I want you and your mom to enjoy it.” That really touched my heart.
12.   What is the most caring thing you’ve ever done for your spouse?
Does marrying him count?
13.   Who said, “I love you” first, you or your spouse?
He did. 
14.   Where did you and your spouse go for your honeymoon?
We drove around the church parking lot a couple of times.  Hey, we were on a shoestring budget.
One final note:  Your dog could become famous or infamous by starring in book #2 of my Last Chance Ranch series to be published in 2012.  To find out how, visit my website at www.margaretbrownley.com or go to www.haveahearthumanesociety.org.
About Margaret: Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: I penned it all. Nothing wrong with that—except I happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, my former pastor took me aside and said, “Maybe God’s calling you to write fiction.”
So that’s what I did.  I now have more than 25 novels to my credit, including bestselling and RITA finalist A Lady Like Sarah—not bad for someone who flunked 8^th grade English.  Just don’t ask me to diagram a sentence.
About the book:  A Vision of Lucy – Trouble may follow Lucy wherever she goes, but with the help of God and the rugged, reclusive David Wolf, she’ll never face adversity alone.
Lucy Fairbanks dreams of working as a photographer at the Rocky Creek newspaper. If she can earn money making photographs, then maybe her father will see that what she does is worthy, more than just a distraction. And her deepest hope is that he’ll see her as an artist, the way he thought of her deceased mother, whose paintings still hung on their walls.
But trouble follows Lucy on every photo shoot: a mess of petticoats and ribbons, an accidental shooting, even a fire.
When Lucy meets David Wolf—a quiet, rustic man who lives on the outskirts of town—she thinks she can catch the attention of the town with his photograph. She doesn’t count on her feelings stirring whenever she’s near him.
Two things happen next that forever change the course of Lucy’s life: David says the words Lucy has longed to hear since her mother died: that she is a compassionate, creative young woman that God made in His image. And in return Lucy helps David change his perspective on an event that wounded him long ago.
God’s arms are around this unlikely couple as they leave behind long-held assumptions and discover the true freedom of forgiveness.
Come back June 1st for Margaret’s Romantic Fictional interview.