Interview with a Crown Princess by Dorrie Miller Jacobs

Carol here. I started to write today’s post yesterday (I’m a writer – procrastination comes naturally ;) – seriously, I just hadn’t gotten to it yet) and Dorrie Miller Jacobs, heroine of Finding Mr. Write, jumped in and told me she had an interview I could use. An interview with a princess. How could I turn that down? Especially on Pearl Harbor Day – and Dorrie shares her name with one of the heroes of that day…

So here we go…

 

Dorrie Jacobs took a deep breath.  Her first interview as a freelancer for Serenity Landing Local Stories and she had to pull in an interview with a princess. Not just any princess, but the Crown Princess of Montevaro, who had lived anonymously in their sleepy little town for several years. She whispered a prayer and glanced back to see Jeremiah’s smiling face. If he had confidence in her, she should have confidence in herself.

The surroundings were comfortable – the manor home her best friend, Stephanie, had married into a few weeks earlier. She walked into the basement conference room and sat in the chair she’d been told to. The princess would sit at the head of the table.

Dorrie’s knee bobbed up and down until she clamped one hand down on top of it. A minute later, the door opened and in walked a young lady a couple of years younger than herself, but much more poised. She stood and dropped into a small curtsy.

Crown Princess Adeline smiled. “A curtsy is not necessary.” She held out a hand and Dorrie shook it. “I am Princess Adeline of Montevaro, but in private, please, call me Addie.”

Addie? Really? Dorrie’s mind blanked. What was she supposed to say? “Um, right. Of course you are.  I’m Dorrie Jacobs. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Adeline smiled. “The pleasure is mine. I believe I met your husband outside. A very nice gentleman.” She took her seat and Dorrie did the same. “Shall we get started?”

“Of course.” She set her recorder on the table and turned it on. “Princess Adeline, I am recording this conversation to make certain I don’t accidentally misrepresent anything you or I say. You are aware of this?”

“Yes. I am aware of the plan to record this meeting.”

A bit of the uneasiness began to lift. “Then…  Your Royal Highness, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Serenity Landing Online.”

 

The princess smiled. “Thank you for having me.”

“All of us here in your adopted hometown have been fascinated by your story since we first discovered that you lived here. Can you tell us what led you to choose our sleepy little town?”

“My parents and I looked at universities throughout Europe and the States looking for academic excellence that also fit the need for security and my desire for privacy. The privacy, for instance, would be nearly impossible at a university in some place like Boston or London. Many universities offered what we needed in terms of education and security, but not as many the privacy. We narrowed it down to three or four choices and ultimately chose Serenity Landing University.” Princess Adeline linked her fingers and rested them on the table and Dorrie caught a glimpse of a sparkling rock on her left hand. So the rumors were true.

Dorrie glanced at her notes. “Was there anything in particular that drew you to Serenity Landing rather than one of the other schools you mentioned?”

Princess Adeline thought for a moment. “There was nothing I could put my finger on. I grew up in a palace that was built hundreds of years ago, but something about the quaint pictures of downtown Serenity Landing drew me in. The brick buildings and colorful trim reminded me of some of the Christmas movies on one of the American cable networks. The Ozark Mountains reminded me enough of home that I hoped to alleviate some of the homesickness sure to come. And when I visited, the people were incredibly kind.”

 

Dorrie smiled. “I know the South has a reputation for friendliness, but I like to think we’re pretty nice here in the Midwest.”

Princess Adeline laughed and her smile grew. “Oh, yes. Even before my identity was revealed, I don’t know that I met even one truly mean person. Here in the Ozarks, though, everyone did seem to be especially kind. The accents are also quite lovely.”

Our accents?! Dorrie felt her eyes widen. “Oh, believe me, your accent is much nicer.” She checked her notes as the princess chuckled. “So you liked the people and the mountains and downtown. Was there anything else?”

“I hoped for somewhere with a view of a lake. Our home does not have one, but knowing Serenity Lake is close helps. We were able to find a home that met security needs.”

“Moving to another topic. Can you tell our readers what it’s like growing up in that palace you mentioned?” Dorrie really wanted to know for herself. She didn’t care so much about the readers with this question.

“I would imagine, in many ways, it was not too different from growing up anywhere else. I fought with my parents, my siblings, and my cousin who lived with us from time to time. We made up. There were boys I liked and boys who liked me, but I knew my country and my education had to come first.”

“So you didn’t date in high school?”

“Not particularly. Several young men escorted me to different balls, but there was no one special.”

 

“And now? Rumor has it you are marrying an American. Someone from around here?”

Princess Adeline’s voice grew softer. “Yes. Mr. Charlie Brewer of Serenity Landing has asked me to be his wife and I have accepted.” She glanced up at the clock. “The press release should have gone out by now.”

Dorrie blinked twice. “And I’m your first interview?”

“This interview was scheduled several weeks ago, but I am glad to have something where the engagement is not the main focus.”

Dorrie looked at the clock. Just a few more minutes. “You worked with several well-known charities while you lived here and one that very few people have heard of. What drew you to The Club?”

The princess’s face changed again to a look of pure compassion. “I came across an advertisement for a volunteer at The Club and immediately knew I wanted to fill the position. My first meeting with Mrs. Hart confirmed God’s hand in the matter.”

“What do you want people to know about The Club?”

“Those single parents work incredibly hard. Those children just want someone to spend time with them when their parents cannot. You do not need to be a trained tutor or gifted in anything in particular, but they are always seeking volunteers to just spend time with the children after school. At Christmas, they do a toy drive for those even less fortunate, while volunteers arrange for each of the children to get at least one gift they really want.”

Dorrie made a note to include contact information in her article. “Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?”

“I hope to return to Serenity Landing from time to time. I am certain my fiancé and his daughter will return more often than I am able, as they have family and friends in the area.”

“Is there one thing you’d like us to know about your country?”

“As much as I have loved my time in Serenity Landing, there is no place on earth like the Montevaran Alps. The views are spectacular, the skiing incredible, and the people are some of the best people on earth. We have quite a variety of terrain, from towns on the Mediterranean to villages in the Alps. I would encourage your readers to consider a visit to Montevaro and our sister countries of Ravenzario and Mevendia. We all have wonderfully unique cuisine and terrain, but commonalities that bind us.”

Two sharp raps on the door told Dorrie their time was up and she stood. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”

They shook hands as the princess answered. “The pleasure is mine, but I believe my fiancé and his daughter and I are going to be making a public appearance momentarily. I do hope we have a chance to talk again.”

Before Dorrie could reply, the door opened and the princess was whisked away. Dorrie sank back into her seat and tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened. Before she could, Jeremiah walked in the room and kissed her head. Taking the seat next to her, he reached for her hand.

“You did great, Cayman.”

His nickname for her always made her feel better. “How do you know?”

He winked at her. “How would you feel about a trip to Europe for a royal wedding?”

Want to know more about Dorrie and Jeremiah? Or Charlie and Addie? Both of their stories released last month! The blurbs are below – and I’ll give one lucky commenter the Kindle copy of their choice of any of my current releases!

Finding Mr. Write
Jeremiah Jacobs moved to the Ozarks for a fresh start. He knows no one and has no plans to get romantically involved with anyone. Ever. He’s already had his heart ripped out once and once is enough. Besides he has contractual obligations that prevent him from talking about work – and what woman would want to be involved with a man who has to keep his job a secret? When he attends his first local writers’ group meeting, he finds the leader so intriguing, his instant attraction to her threatens to complicate his currently uncomplicated life.

Dorrie Miller has never been good enough. Not for her father or any of the guys she’s dated in the past. She’s pushed beyond her father’s disapproval to have a good career while pursuing her dream of becoming a published novelist. The Christian Authors Network – Dedicated to Inspirational Distinction, or CANDID, is hosting their annual conference in Indianapolis and who’s rumored to be in attendance? The super reclusive, super-star author, Mya Elizabeth Linscott.

The hunky new member of her local CANDID group, Jeremiah, wants to carpool to Indy. Dorrie can handle not making a fool of herself for eight hours each way. Right? But she never imagined doing a favor for someone during the conference would leave her accidentally married to the gorgeous guy she barely knows. How will she get out of this mess, married to a near stranger? Does she want to? Will her insecurities and Jeremiah’s secrets tear them apart? Or can she trust that, all along, God’s been helping her with Finding Mr. Write?

Good Enough for a Princess
Crown Princess Adeline of Montevaro has her life planned out for her: get her Master’s in international relations, marry nobility, produce an heir, inherit the throne. There’s no room for romance with the single father she meets when their cars collide on an icy winter night. Parliament – and her father – would never approve.

Charlie Brewer grew up without roots. The son of an archaeologist father and anthropologist mother, he either traveled along or lived with his aunt and uncle in the States. He’s determined to give his daughter the stability he never had. He also wants to give her a mom, but the beautiful European he’s falling for refuses to move to Serenity Landing, Missouri permanently.

He won’t move. She can’t stay. What will happen when they try to forget each other by dating someone “acceptable”? They find themselves drawn together by one of the girls in the after school program Addie supports – a girl who happens to be Charlie’s daughter. How will Charlie, and his daughter, feel when they find out the woman they’ve both fallen for is a… princess?

A trip halfway around the world shows Charlie and Addie how much they long to be together – and how impossible it is. Is there any way he can prove he is Good Enough for a Princess?