Inspy Romance

Inspy Romance—Fall in Love With a Good Book

An Excerpt From Husband Auditions (And Giveaway)

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I’m excited to announce that I signed a contract for my romantic comedy Husband Auditions. I finished writing this book over a year ago and have been talking about it since, so you might not have even realized I hadn’t sold it yet. The truth is that this book helped keep me going through chemotherapy. I didn’t have the creative energy to write, but I’d lie in bed and relive Kai and Meri’s story in my head, just imagining the day when I would get to share it with you.

Finally, it’s official! Husband Auditions will be published by Kregel and will most likely release June 2021.

If you haven’t read my previous 10 fun facts about the book, you can do so by clicking here.  Or keep reading for an excerpt.

***

“What kind of list brings love? Is it from the Bible? The Proverbs 31 wife?”

Not even close. “It’s from a 50’s issue of McCall Magazine. Ideas on how to catch a husband.”

My brother’s eyebrows arch. He sets the card down to unfold the thin, yellowed pages ripped from a magazine by Roxy’s grandma once upon a time. Roxy was the first of our group from college to get married, though I doubt it had to do with any suggestions from The List.

Charlie smooths the creases. “Number one. Get a dog and walk it.” He looks up, hazel eyes lacking any humor. “I have a strict no pet policy.”

My suspicions of him being heartless are confirmed. “I’m not actually going to try these things.”

“Why not? If it helps you find a mate…”

“First of all, you’re not allowed to say mate unless you have an Australian accent.” I wrinkle my nose at the word. “Second, it’s not serious. It’s supposed to be more of a good luck charm, passed around from friend to friend since we attended nursing school. I am both offended that I’m the last to get The List and by the fact that Anne thinks I need it.”

Charlie lifts a shoulder. “There might be more to this than luck. Remember, G.G. grew up in the 50’s, and she caught herself three husbands.”

“Scandalous,” Kai chimes in. Probably not talking about Sponge Bob anymore. “Who is this GiGi woman?”

I wave him back to his computer. “G.G. is short for great-grandma, and she only remarried after the first two husbands died. Nothing scandalous about it.”

Though I can’t help wondering if she ever found her one great love. If she’d loved her first husband as much as my mom loved my dad, wouldn’t she have stayed single like Mom did? Or maybe it was too hard to be a single mother in those days. I shouldn’t judge.

Charlie points to the pages from the magazine—proof that women in the 50’s were anxious to wed. “The point is that she did remarry.”

I shake my head. I’d showed Charlie these pages so he’d understand where I’m coming from. “Keep reading. Walking a dog is normal, but it gets weirder.”

“Number two.” He clears his throat. “Have your car break down at strategic places.” He sets the papers on the counter. “Okay, that might have been safe in the 50’s, but I don’t want you doing that now. If your car breaks down, call me. Or Kai, since I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Kai? Really? “Do you even own a car, Kai?”

“Nope.” He taps at his keyboard with finality. Apparently, surfers look down on practical modes of transportation.

“Okay then. Call Triple-A when your car breaks down. I’d help, but I’ll be out of the country.”

“I know.” He’s acting like an older brother even though he’s four years younger. He thinks I need protecting. Just like Anne thinks I need help with relationships.

***

It gets much, much weirder than walking a dog. Mwahaha. I seriously can’t wait to share more.

For now, I’ll just be keeping you updated on any title changes, cover designs, and pre-order sales. I’m also going to give away a digital download of my entire Resort to Love Series to one reader who answers the following question:

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever done to attract attention from the opposite sex?

 

Angela Ruth Strong (42 Posts)

Angela Ruth Strong sold her first Christian romance novel in 2009 then quit writing romance when her husband left her. Ten years later, God has shown her the true meaning of love, and there's nothing else she'd rather write about. Her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been optioned for film, won the Cascade Award, and been Amazon best-sellers. She also writes non-fiction for SpiritLed Woman. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she teaches as an expert online at WRITE THAT BOOK.


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Comments

  2. This sounds like a lot of fun! I’d say the weirdest thing I did was join a photography class so I could be on the yearbook committee when I was in high school to get close to a boy I liked.🙃

  4. Congratulations! I can’t think of anything weird I’ve done as I was always to shy. Have a blessed day.

  5. congratulations on the book. Weirdest? I dont know about weird, but on our first date (with my now husband) I sat in the car and ate cherries oh so provocative. I was so focused on how I was eating the cherries that I didnt offer him any. LOL Oh he noticed how I was eating them. But the whole thing backfired on me. After the date he took me home and walked me to the door, said good bye and left. I didnt hear from him again. I complained to my friend who is the one that got us together. When I told her what I did, oh boy did I hear it. She kept saying how perfect we were for each other and got us together again. This time we talked and talked. I asked for forgiveness. And the rest they say is history. I will soon be 37 years of marriage.

    • Sounds like a great scene from a book! And a great arc of character growth. Did you tie a cherry stem with your tongue? I’ve heard that’s supposed to mean you’re a good kisser. LOL

  6. If I saw the guy driving around my small town I would go for a walk hoping to casually see him.

  7. The book sounds good!! I can’t think of any weird things I’ve done to try to attract a guy’s attention.

  10. Congratulations on your book! I am happy you used it to help you get through what had to be such a hard time. I didn’t do anything to get the attention of my husband that I can remember. It is/will be fun to read what others have done though!

  12. I don’t know… put on makeup maybe? Lol. Though I remember it more like me being the guinea pig to my friends who were all too happy to finally get the chance to put makeup on me, rather than doing it with a specific guy in mind.
    Congrats on your book! It kind of reminded me of another book that uses a similar list, but I guess it makes sense, especially after reading your other post where you explained the real 50’s list that inspired everything :) of course, with you being a Christian author, I can’t wait to read your take on it ;) Adding it to my TBR!

  13. Your book sounds great. :) I followed a guy (in my car) from where I worked to where he worked. I ended up marrying one of his friends. Ha! Great post.

  16. Then book sounds funny! The weirdest thing I did to catch somebody’s attention was to play a lot of darts…..in a bar. It worked….. because we got married 6
    months later. He died in 1995 but his son (my stepson) is still in my life!

  17. Oh, Angela,
    I’m afraid to share this. It’s too embarrassing. OKAY HERE GOES:
    When I was on a walk with my “now” husband, we were talking about being spontaneous. (He’s not too much!) I decided to demonstrate what I meant and preteended to faint next to the sidewalk where we were walking. Little did I know a dog had left a little pile of “poo” right where I landed. So, I got up and found out I had it on my pants and shoe. Unfortunately, my date (husband now) wasn’t too impressed. I still had to ride back to my house in his car so we had all the windows rolled down. However, we continued to date and now we’ve been married for almost 38 years.

  20. Angela, don’t enter me since I have these books & read a few of them already.

    I can’t really think of anything weird I’ve done to attract attention, like someone else said, I was way too shy! :-)

    Fun post today, your upcoming book sounds great.

  21. I was way too shy (or afraid of rejection) to try to get a girl to notice me, let alone start dating. I have a couple of sad memories of my fear keeping me from accepting interest in the other direction. But, God has His timing and I met my wife several years later, in church. We got to know each other when we were given the task of reviving a singles ministry for our congregation. Of course, *that* couldn’t have any consequences. It’s been 31 years of marriage and she says she still likes me. I like her, too. :)

  22. Wow! Oh my goodness!I can’t remember the weirdest thing I did to attract attention from the opposite sex. Lol. I’ve been married 36 years and so my memory is fading. I remember working really hard trying to make my hair look like Farrah Fawcett’s. 😅🤣

  23. Congratulations!! I picked up my husband in a grocery store. He was working at the store. I kept coming up with items I needed so I could see him.

  24. I was very shy growing up , so actually I can’t think of something I did to get attention from a guy, I know I used to spend a long time making I put my mascara on just right, and would you believe that when I met my now husband he went and applied at the place I was working and the first time I saw him I liked him. Well, he told one of my friends that I wore too much makeup, so I didn’t do it purposely but I guess wearing too much makeup worked. We have been married for 43 yrs now. Have a Great week and stay safe.

  25. Ooo can’t wait to read sounds like a really fun book :). Nothing weird to report sadly.

  26. As a teenager, probably borrowing my brother’s jeep (the kind with the soft top that could be pulled back) and driving around town. Worked every time!

  28. Not that it’s weird, but when my best friend got married, I asked her if I could be partnered with one certain groomsman that I didn’t know too well but kind of liked. He was her groom’s cousin. She said yes … and the rest was history! Three years later, it was my turn to be married now … to him!!!

  30. cant think of anything which may explain why I am still single and never really had a boyfriend.

  32. I can’t think of anything that I did, however, I did start to wear make up when I started to notice the opposite sex.

  33. I’ve never really tried to attract attention LOL grew up with the boys…
    I’ve even tried to avoid my hubby so that he wouldn’t ask me to a date since I wasn’t sure I wanted to lol

  34. I can’t wait to read Husband Auditions! I am pretty shy, so didn’t do anything super weird. When I was in college, one of the Christian groups I was in had a “newsletter” and you could write “warm fuzzies” to be included in it the next week. A guy I liked and I wrote a few to each other about non romantic things. We never did get together and at the last meeting of our senior year (when he was practically engaged) he “confessed” that he had had a crush on me. It was all good.

  35. Love that excerpt from your book! Is it up for pre-order already?

    I’m trying to remember the weird things I did to try to attract attention from a boy. I’d usually sit back and watch my sister make a move, knowing that I’d never be that brave!

  36. I really want to finish reading this list. It sounds fun.
    I would definitely not get a pet, and I’d hate having my car breaking down. I’ve that too many times and honestly it’s just a headache.
    I don’t think I did anything weird, but we spent a lot of time online chatting right before dating.

  37. Congratulations on the contract!
    I can’t think of anything, probably because I was too shy back then and it was a different era too. Just like G.G. most women remarried because they had no rights back then. I have seen lists from the original Womens Weekly’s and in today’s context some are hilarious and others downright scary! I’m curious if anything in the story explains the context for G.G.

  38. I am 65 and today, 8/29/2020 is our 45th wedding anniversary. I do not recall specific things, but I do remember being embarrassed after doing dumb stuff. So glad that is all behind me. Even though I still enjoy reading about that phase of life.

    • Happy Birthday & Happy Anniversary! You may have done some things to be embarrassed by but you have certainly done everything important right to be celebrating that many years. You are an amazing example of being willing to work to build a strong marriage, congratulations to you and your husband!

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