Ronie Kendig – Romantic Real Life Interview – Part 1 of 1

Shannon here: Military suspense author, Ronie Kendig shares insight into her real life romance. Every time you comment on this post, your name goes in the drawing for a copy of her latest release, Firethorn. U.S. only eligible for drawing. Deadline: March 3, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Ronie:

• What’s the most romantic thing your spouse has ever done for you?

While I don’t know that it’s the “most” romantic, it was incredibly romantic and sicne it’s fresh on my mind. . .Brian had been in Florida for a sales conference with his work and the hotel they were staying at was right on the beach. I got an email of a message in the sand that simply said: “Miss you <3” (last two symbols= heart) I puddle up right then and there. It’d been a long 10 days without him, and that just touched me.  

• What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for your spouse?

We have different love languages, but one “thing” I’ve done that I know meant a lot to him was to secretly arrange an anniversary trip. Brian loves and majored in architecture, so I book flights, hotel, and passes for us to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in Pennsylvania. Brian was like a little kid on that visit and there was nothing so amazing as watching him get to visit that home (and Kentuck Knob, another FLW home in the area). I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat to see the sheer pleasure on his face!

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

I’d have to say what I wrote in #2. It was the first time ever we’ve taken a vacation like that with just the two of us. Brian also rented a convertible Mustang and we had 4.5 days of bliss!

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

We don’t eat out a lot—just not our “thing”—but probably our favorite place that has a lot of meaning and where we go for our anniversaries is a place called Magic Time Machine, where the wait staff and servers dress up in characters from time. It’s great fun, loud, and anything but “romantic,” yet it is special for us because it brings back a lot of fond memories—including our first real date. In fact, this year we’re going and taking all our children with us, since we are moving away from Texas this summer.

• Do you and your spouse have a favorite song?

The song that comes to mind is the one that was sung at our wedding 21 years ago—I Will Be There. An oldie, but really the only song we’ve had that holds meaning. Unless you ask Brian, then he might tell you it’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” 🙂

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

He insists on opening doors for me—car doors, home doors, building doors—even after 21 years of marriage. It touches me and I find it incredibly heroic.

•  How soon after meeting your spouse did you know he/she was the one?

Fascinating question, but I fought my feelings for Brian for a long time because I’d had a really bad relationship prior to meeting him. And he wanted to date me “for the right reasons,” so he wouldn’t kiss me for a long time. But when he did—I knew that I knew that I knew he was the one I would marry. In fact, after the kiss, I went inside my mom’s apartment, locked the door, turned & slid down the door and sobbed—because if Brian was the one, I would have to leave my mom. And we were all each other had for many years. Don’t get me wrong—I was elated, but I was worried for my mom (who had no family in the States, having emigrated from Ireland at 19 and divorced).

• Who is most romantic, you or your spouse?

I think we are romantic in different ways. However, being the softie and more creative one, I tend to do more things more often.

• Who said, “I love you” first, you or your spouse?

Brian was first. We’d been working at the same bookstore together and they had these little adorable bunny puppets. One of them had been clearanced-out for a missing eye button and Brian knew I wanted it. So, he bought it for me and on the brand tag attached to the ear, he wrote: I Y U.

• Where did you and your spouse go for your honeymoon?

We were poor kids—both 19 at the time, both in college, both with only part-time jobs. LOL And in fact, the week before our wedding, our manager (who had previously said it would not be a problem for both of us to continue working there) told us that either Brian or I would have to leave. So, I was without a job. Thus—we went to Austin, TX, for the weekend. Monday morning, we were back at work as “old married folk.”
About Ronie: Ronie Kendig grew up an Army brat and married a veteran. Her life is never dull in a family with four children and three dogs. She has a degree in psychology, speaks to various groups, volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and mentors new writers. Rapid-Fire Fiction, her brand, is exemplified through her novels: Dead Reckoning, a spy thriller, The Discarded Heroes military series, which includes Nightshade (Retailer’s Choice Award Finalist), Digitalis, Wolfsbane (2012 Lime Award for top fiction), and Firethorn, and A Breed Apart, her upcoming series about military war dogs. Ronie can be found at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction) , Twitter (@roniekendig), and GoodReads.
About the book: This time Nightshade is the mission. 
Former Marine and current Nightshade team member Griffin Riddell is comfortable. So comfortable he never sees the set up that lands him in a maximum security prison, charged with murder. How will he ever prove his innocence stuck behind iron bars?
Covert operative Kazi Faron is tasked with reassembling Nightshade—the black ops team someone dissected. Breaking Griffin out of a federal penitentiary amid explosive confusion may turn out to be her last assignment. What will it take to convince the fugitive that whoever set him up has also dissected the Nightshade team?
As Kazi and Griffin race to rescue the others and discover the traitor, love begins to awaken in their hearts. Can a covert operative and the felon she’s freed overcome their mutual distrust long enough to save Nightshade? Will anything prepare them for who—or what is coming?