Star Dater: Janet Dean!

Please welcome today's guest blogger, my dear friend Janet Dean! Janet is one of the "Fab Four" 2005 Golden Heart finalists, along with Tina Russo Novinski Radcliffe, Julie Lessman, and me.
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Myra asked for the most memorable romantic moment with my husband. That’s tough because we’ve had numerous romantic evenings—at least since the kids grew up and left home.

Of course, there have been times my husband missed the mark.

Like on my birthday several years ago. My father was ill. We were at the hospital, too concerned to think about a gift. But my husband had remembered to buy a card. Inside he’d scrawled the promise of a bouquet of flowers every month all year long. I suspected they’d come from the grocery store, but I didn’t care. Saving money made sense, especially with one child in college. I was deeply touched by his thoughtfulness and the delightful prospect of seeing him walk in the door bearing a bouquet. The first month arrived—and passed. No flowers. I asked him about them and he said, “I thought you’d pick them up when you did the shopping.”

Thankfully, there were other times. ☺

Like one Saturday evening a few years ago. We had no plans, so he grilled steaks and we enjoyed a candlelit dinner in the dining room. Romantic music played softly in the background. We’d finished eating when “Unforgettable,” a favorite song we always dance to at weddings, came on the stereo. Without a word, my husband rose. He held out his hand. I took it and stepped into his arms. We danced. Now that’s romance.

But neither the most or least romantic memories are why we’ve been happily married all these years. What is more powerful to me is that my husband is hardworking, steadfast, and faithful. He loves me and tells me so. He may not always be glib, full of all those romantic words we give our heroes, but he’s real. And I love him more now than I did when we married.

Thanks, Myra, for the reminder.

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Janet’s journey toward publication took nine exciting, sometimes painful years of learning her craft and dealing with rejection. Two of her manuscripts were 2005 and 2006 Golden Heart finalists. One of those manuscripts was a 2006 Genesis finalist. Today Janet writes inspirational romances for Steeple Hill. Fascinated with history and the role of strong women in our nation’s past, Janet brings both together in her faith-based love stories. Her debut novel, Courting Miss Adelaide, Love Inspired historical will be released in September 2008. Steeple Hill recently bought her second book in the series, Distant Hearts (working title). Janet is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Faith, Hope, Love. When she isn’t writing, Janet enjoys making greeting cards and playing bridge with friends. The Deans love travel and spending time with family.

More about Courting Miss Adelaide: Milliner Adelaide Crum and Editor Charles Graves are at odds over dual ownership of the town newspaper. Tensions rise when Adelaide insists a respected man in town is abusing two orphans in his care. Charles and Adelaide’s investigation tests their faith, threatens their livelihoods, and then their very lives, yet, neither can turn away from a child in jeopardy. Through their trials, Charles returns to God and Adelaide receives everything she ever wanted.

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Thanks for sharing your story, Janet! Can't wait to read  Courting Miss Adelaide! Watch for another stellar guest blogger next Friday, and be sure to enter the November Randomly Romantic contest--details here.

Comments

[Mary Connealy]

Janet, the 'I thought you'd buy the flowers yourself' line made me laugh. Perfect man.
I can't wait for Miss Adelaid to come out. It sounds wonderful. I can't believe we have to wait until September!!!!
Congratulations on the new sale, too.

[Mary Connealy]

Oh, and I'd love to be entered into your Randomly Romantic November contest. :)

[Janet Dean]

I see the humor in it now, Mary. LOL. Men and romance don't always mix.

The release of my book feels like a long wait to me, too, but the way life speeds by, it'll be here before we know it. Thanks for the congrats on my second sale. I'm thrilled!

[Julie Lessman]

I LOVE the "Star Dater" blogs, Myra, but then I'm a romantic at heart! :)

And, Janet, YES, that IS romance -- dancing in the dining room when nobody's around. Swoon! Now if I could just figure out a way to get my hubby to do that, I'd be set (he DESPISES dancing!). But then, if it was up to me to put the idea in his mind, I guess it wouldn't be "romance," would it? Great story ... even though I'm a little jealous (about the dancing, not the flowers)! :)

[Myra]

I love the dancing part, too, Janet & Julie! My sweetie likes to dance, but Fred Astaire he isn't, and we don't get that many opportunities to practice. But at least he never asked me to buy my own flowers--ROFLOL!!!

[Mary Connealy]

I wonder if I could get Ivan to dance with me???
Hmmmmmmmm
I'd have to get him to turn off the TV we have in the kitchen before I could turn off the music.
And heaven help me if the cattle and grain markets were coming on the news and I hit the off button.
Still, my whole life is on hold until after harvest. I promise I'm stockpiling romantic ideas.

[Tina]

Oh, my gosh that story was a HOOT!!!

Since you called me over here.....

Let me tell you about Janet.
If I didn't already love her I probably would be frightened of her. She's like--color coordinated and has a great smile and it all looks effortless.

She wears success well too. All that fame and fortune hasn't gone to her great hair either.

[Pam Hillman]

"Without a word, my husband rose. He held out his hand. I took it and stepped into his arms. We danced. Now that’s romance."

That was just plain out beautiful, Janet. Brought tears to my eyes!

[Janet Dean]

Julie and Myra, I explained it was tacky to ask me to buy my own flowers. He got the message.

Hey, Mary, putting food on the table and money in the bank isn't anything to mess with. Go Ivan!!

Coordinated and smiling? You should see me in the mornings, Tina.

Aw, that's sweet, Pam.

This was fun! Thanks, Myra, for having me. Seekers, you're the best!

[Shirley Jump]

Janet,

That was such a great story! Your husband reminds me a lot of mine! Except mine once bought me silk flowers, figuring that since he bought "permanent" ones, his job was done, LOL. He has since learned that silk just doesn't cut it for life ;-)

Shirley

[Mary Connealy]

Shirley, My husband when he was a kid, used to pool his money with his little brother and buy his mom a corsage every year for Mother's Day.
One year they got the great idea of buying her a SILK corsage.
Except his mom wore it a lot, no doubt to make the little tykes feel good. And WHAM Ivan realizes he's shot himself in the foot because now the corsage won't die and he no longer can buy her a REAL corsage because she already has one!!!!!! So what's he supposed to do for Mother's Day.

[Janet Dean]

Shirley, I'm still chuckling about your husband's silk flowers. It's comforting to realize these guys are all alike. Thanks for stopping by. You made my day.

[PatriciaW]

You asked for most romantic moments so I have to stop and think. I've got not-so-romantic moments, not because there are so many, but because they stick out for me more. I think that says more about me than it does about him, especially since I like to believe I don't hold grudges.

My husband's a pastor. Once when the spirit of the Lord was really moving upon the congregation in worship, my husband thought of me. The worship ended and he rose to speak. He announced that he was moved by the Holy Spirit to sing another worship song, one where the words could easily be a love song, to ME. And he did. That was pretty romantic, as well as moving for many in the congregation, as I saw, through my own tear-filled eyes, the tears on the faces of others.

[PatriciaW]

Oh yeah, and please enter me in the drawing!