Star Dater: Vickie McDonough!

Please welcome today’s guest, award-winning inspirational romance author Vickie McDonough. Vickie has offered to give away one of her recent books, so everyone who comments between now and midnight Monday, March 31, will be entered in a drawing. The winner will be announced Tuesday (and I promise no April Fool’s!).

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When I was asked to write about a romantic time in my marriage, my first thought was, Oh, dear. Let’s be honest, some husbands just aren’t very romantic. I know, I have one who isn’t. I’ll admit I’ve struggled with this at times, and even wonder if that’s why, in part, I write romance stories. My husband and I have been married almost thirty-two years, and I know he’ll never be like the macho heroes I read about in Christian romance novels—mainly those Alpha males, but I still love him. He’s faithful, gentle, almost always willing to help if I ask him, and a good provider, just not too romantic—and scared of mice. He’s been a solid encouragement to me in my writing, even at times having more faith in me than I had in myself—and that’s meant a lot to me during the rough years of trying to get published.

Sometimes it’s up to the wife to stir-up the romance. I remember one time early in our marriage that I kidnapped my husband shortly after he got home from work. I made him wear a blindfold and even made him lie down in the car so he couldn’t figure out where we were going. I’d gotten reservations at a dinner theater that I’d been wanting to go to. We had a nice dinner and enjoyed the funny play, but I was the one who had to initiate it. If you have a husband like mine, don’t be afraid to push him into romance. Someone’s got to stir up the romance.


About Vickie:
Vickie McDonough is an award-winning inspirational romance author. She has written six Heartsong Presents novels and six novellas, with more books coming out later this year and next year. Her third Heartsong book, The Bounty Hunter and the Bride, placed in third in the Top Ten Favorite Historical Romance category in Heartsong’s 2007 annual contest. Her stories have also placed first in several prestigious contests, such as the ACFW Noble Theme and Book of the Year contests, the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest, and the Texas Gold contest. She has also written books reviews for over six years and enjoys mentoring new writers. Vickie is an Oklahoma native, wife of thirty-one years, mother to four sons, and has a two-year-old granddaughter. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. Vickie loves hearing from her readers at fictionfan1@cox.net


About Vickie’s latest book, Virginia Brides:
Love is woven through the generations. Three yarns are spun around a family’s spinning wheel in the Shenandoah Valley. When threads of love begin to form, will life’s complications break them? Releasing in April, Virginia Brides is a repackaging of three Heartsong Presents novels set in historical Virginia and follows several generations of one family over a one-hundred-year period. The other authors in this collection include Cathy Marie Hake and Susan Page Davis.

Coming this fall:

Wild at Heart. When dime novel writer Mariah Lansing receives an invitation from a North Dakota reader to visit his ranch so ‘he’ can get his ranching facts straight, she can’t resist. But when Mariah causes a man to get shot in a train robbery gone bad, she feels responsible and insists on helping him to a doctor. When she learns that her patient is the same man who invited her to North Dakota, she keeps her true identity a secret. If he knew who she is, will he send her packing?

Oklahoma Brides. Three stories of settlers and romance in the Indian and the Oklahoma territories.

A Bride By Christmas. An anthology collection of four people who must marry by Christmas or something disastrous will happen. Other authors include Kelly Eileen Hake, Linda Goodnight, and Therese Stenzel.

Comments

[Vickie McDonough]

Well...it seems my website has gone on vacation this week. I wanted give the person who won the free book for commenting on my blog here their choice of my books. But since my website is down for a few days until the problem is fixed, I'd like to offer a copy of either The Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner, which is a Barbour historical novella anthology set in Arizona, OR Spinning Out of Control, which is my second Heartsong book and is set in historical Virgina. The winners choice.

Please visit my website next week and sign my guest book for a chance to win a copy of Virginia Brides.

Vickie

www.vickiemcdonough.com

[Missy Tippens]

Vickie, what a cute story about kidnapping your husband! You're right. Some guys are just clueless when it comes to romance, and the wife should take over in that area. Thanks for sharing your story! :)

[Carla]

Vickie, the kidnapping vixen! Wow. Great story. Does this mean that since I don't write romance that my hubby is hot?? He would croak if he read that :-) He sounds a lot like yours. Laid back. Supportive. The pillar I lean on.
Wild at Heart sounds great, but then you do have a way with words, my friend.
Good choice, Myra, on your star dater.

[Julie Lessman]

Hey, Vickie, I totally relate about the husband that's less than romantic and I really appreciate your honesty. I have one of those, too, (well, almost), and there were many a time I watched my friends' husbands "kidnap" them or woo them with wonderful novel-worthy scenarios. But you are absolutely right! For me, true romance is the "gentle, supportive provider who may not send roses very much, but is definitely my #1 fan.

Hugs,
Julie

[Mary Connealy]

Nice post, Vickie and Myra. I have some kidnapping ideas that I just thought of.

I am unable to reveal them here.

Bwahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!

[Tina]

Awwwwe that was so sweet. I always write Beta heros myself.

[Tina]

Awwwwe that was so sweet. I always write Beta heros myself.

[JoAnn Reno Wray]

Vickie,

Your romantic soul shines through in your books and allows us to see the transforming love of God within. Keep up the great work and never stop writing those stories that change hearts and lives.

Leaning on His Everlasting Arms,
JoAnn

[Vickie McDonough]

I'm going to try posting this again. I thought it went out yesterday but never saw it in the comments.

I have four sons. Two are Alpha and two are Beta. I know very few women who are married to Alpha males, those my oldest son is one thru and thru. He tends to be selfish, although he loves his wife and daughter very much. Is that a common trait among Alpha males--or maybe it's because he's the oldest son? Do you think most women really prefer the kind of man who can be their best friend instead of the beat-your-chest male? Although those Alpha types sure do make great romance heroes in books.

I remember when we lived in a ratty old house when our kids were little. I'd chase after mice and kill them however I could. Smooshed one under a diaper pail and another with a baseball bat. My poor, sweet husband was scared half to death of them. :)

Vickie

[Johanna]

definatly getting some ideas, myself. Mine does try. . .sometimes. But I am the romantic, so I always have ideas I WISH he would do, so I just need to do them myself. He enjoys romance, just doesn't always think that way.

[Cindi]

Greetings, My husband is not a romantic, either! Not even when we were dating. He is a fantastic husband and my best friend and he is a wonderful dad to our two sons! I love to read historical romance books. Her books sounds like a delightful book Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks very much.....Cindi