Sarah Forgrave

Inspirational Author

in Interviews

Valentine’s Meet and Greet with Author Regina Jennings

I can’t tell you how excited I am to welcome Regina Jennings here today! I first met her a couple years ago at a writers conference and then became an agency-mate and then celebrated the news of her debut novel. She’s one of those people who has a permanent smile, and she somehow blends sweet and funny in a winsome combo.

Let’s get to know her a little better before we dive into the interview…

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She lives in central Oklahoma with her husband and their four children.

She can be found online at her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Welcome, Regina! In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’ve given my questions a Valentine-ish spin. 🙂 So let’s get to it, shall we?

Opener Question: What seven words best describe you?

Content, unsophisticated, amused, smiley, curious, laid-back, friendly

1) How you met your hubby: Love at first sight or Grew into love?

How we met… that’s an embarrassing story that will forever brand me as the biggest nerd ever. We went to high school together for three years, but our paths had never crossed. We met my senior year. I was dressed as my mom and was taking my freshman sister around to meet her teachers at open house. Yes, I’m serious. I had my hair in a bun and was wearing my mom’s clothes and glasses. My sister stopped to flirt with this gorgeous basketball player that she’d met at the beginning of the year. We were introduced, but I didn’t want to stay and talk for obvious reasons.

I had to stop this narrative to ask him what it was about that meeting that caused him to hunt down my phone number. He says it was my sense of humor. I thought he liked the librarian look.

Love at first sight or grew into love? Did I mention that he’s hot? If I was deep and spiritual I’d say that I gradually grew to love his mature Christian faith. True, I didn’t realize what a wonderful man he was at first, but his looks kept me around until I had time to discover it.

2) Romantic getaway: Redwood Forest or Miami Beach?  I like to hide. A beach with tall hotels would aggravate my sniper phobia. Redwood Forest, definitely. (Yes, snipers can climb trees, but the leafy barrier would obstruct their view.)

3) A day with your valentine: Walk in the park or go to the movies?  A walk in the park, especially if it’s wild and I can pretend like we’re explorers.

4) Valentine’s dinner: Chicken marsala or Steak and potatoes?  What breed of chicken is a marsala? I’ve never seen one of those so I’ll have to go with steak and potatoes. Angus.

5) What you’ll wear: Fancy dress or Jeans and a nice sweater?  I hate jeans and sweaters. I’d wear a dress, even if we were going exploring. If it’s good enough for Sacajawea…

6) Sweet treat: Box of chocolates or chocolate cheesecake?  Chocolate Cheesecake. Mmmm…

7) Valentine flowers: Red roses or Pink daisies?  Tough choice. I like the traditional extravagance of red roses, but pink daises are probably more my style. How about a giant bouquet with both?

I like your thinking on the flowers, Regina. Equal opportunity. 🙂 And your meet-the-hubby story is one of the best I’ve ever heard! I’m curious why you had to pose as your mom and if she really does wear a bun and glasses. But hey, whatever catches the guy in the end, right?

Thanks for being here today! You’re a blast! 🙂

Sixty Acres and a Bride

She’s Finally Found a Place to Call Home… How Far Will She Go to Save It?

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. They welcome her vivacious spirit and try to help her navigate puzzling American customs. She can’t help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future.

Blog Readers: Let’s talk…Who or what is the strangest thing you’ve dressed up as? Any fun meet-the-hubby stories to share? Or how about flower preferences…pink or red?

*flower photo by Twigy Posts

Stay connected

Sign up for book and blog updates + periodic giveaways. As a welcome gift, I'll send you my free Daily Devotion Sheet and Prayer Roadmap.


(To see my commitment to your privacy, visit my Privacy Policy here.)

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Regina Jennings says

      It was an open house “meet and greet” the teachers. My parents didn’t want to go, so we thought it’d be funny if I pretended to be our mom and sit down for progress reports on my own sister. Half the teachers knew me anyway and we had a good laugh. Others told her later that they thought I was just a young step-mom. Not the best time to meet cute boys.

  3. Mary Preston says

    Your interview made me smile. I would love to read SIXTY ACRES AND A BRIDE thank you.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

  4. Beth K. Vogt says

    I loved Regina’s “meet-cute” story!
    Funniest dress up story: I once dressed up as a pregnant woman for our church’s Harvest Festival, telling all my friends this was the closet they’d ever come to seeing me pregnant. I was done, done, done having babies. Several years later, I was flabbergasted by a surprise pregnancy.
    Never say never, right?
    Going to tweet this and post it on my FB author page!

  5. Heidi Chiavaroli says

    Really enjoyed this interview! I loved Regina’s story about meeting her husband…and yes, I’m curious too why she had to dress up like her mom–but I guess it did the trick!

    Thanks for the post, Sarah!

    • Regina Jennings says

      It was a fun interview to answer, Heidi. I explained the meeting the hubby story better after the first comment, but really it defies logic. 🙂

      Thanks for commenting.

  6. Vera Godley (@GG_Survey) says

    Regina, you really have a delightful sense of humor. But then when a mom has a large family (4), it’s either do or die and delightfully funny is a definitely better way of do. (I had 5 little one’s and I know how wonderful and how challenging it can be). Keep your sense of humor.

    Question: How in the world do you find time or energy to write?

    • Regina Jennings says

      Thanks Vera. Time is at a premium, no doubt, and there are things I wish I could do more of (housekeeping, birthday party planning, socializing), but I think God has given me this opportunity so I’ll sacrifice some of those wishes for this purpose.

      Congratulations on raising 5! I imagine your house was a riot at times.

      • Vera Godley (@GG_Survey) says

        Yes. We were very busy. In fact my first 4 were born in just under 6 years (ouch) and we were stuck in a 2 bedroom 1 bath house because of no money. Then we finally closed in our carport to gain a 3rd bedroom and 2nd bath (yippee) and surprise!!!! We found out a little caboose was coming along 8 1/2 years after the 4th had been born. Talk about chaos! Well, #5 was born with teen ideas and desire for teen privileges because everyone else was teen or pre-teen. 🙂 Yes. We were a close, busy group of folk.

  8. Karen Lange says

    I appreciate the intro to Regina, thanks Sarah! Her book sounds interesting; I’d love to be entered. 🙂 As for flowers, I like both pink and red, and lots of other colors. Happy Monday!

  9. Cindy R. Wilson says

    That was a great interview, you guys! I LOVE learning about new authors, especially ones with a sense of humor. I enjoyed the story of how you and your hubby met, Regina, definitely unique. Thanks for sharing with us today!

  10. Lindsay Harrel says

    Great interview. Had me laughing, which is hard to do on a Monday morning. 😛

    Um, so once my Sunday School class did a “hobo party,” where we were supposed to bring one ingredient for a pot of soup and dress up like hicks/rednecks/hobos. I dressed up in overalls and was barefoot and pregnant (a pillow that kept falling down). I referred all night to my husband as my baby daddy. And yes, I think there might be a picture of this embarrassment on facebook. Ha.

  17. Angie Dicken says

    Great interview!! Love your humor, Regina! Can’t wait for your post on The Writer’s Alley next week! I am over halfway through Sixty Acres and A Bride…I am hooked! Look forward to each chance I get to pick it up!
    Sarah, I love how your choices for dessert both contain Chocolate…of course!
    Have a Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!
    Angie

  18. Melissa says

    My meet hubby story is neat, but not funny. That was funny.

    The weirdest thing I dressed up as is, the church I grew up in held a harvest festival and the kids had to go to the different Sunday school rooms to listen to a dressed up teen tell a story in order to get candy. Well, most teens were of course the obvious, Peter, Mary, Joseph, Paul, etc. but I was not content with the obvious. The wildest one I did was Lot’s wife. I dressed up as a pillar of salt. I made a tight white sheath of a dress and spray painted it with sparkles, whited out my hair and face and sparkled myself and then I told my story frozen in a running away, looking back over my shoulder position.

    • Regina Jennings says

      Howdy, Melanie. I need to get an address from you for the book winner at your blog. Please let those who didn’t win know they can come on over here for another shot at it. 🙂

  21. Stephanie T. says

    How funny! I didn’t know that was how you and Mr. Jennings met. It makes me feel better about getting blackmailed into going to prom with JC. I’ll have to pick up a copy of your book for my spring break read.

  22. Jennifer Whitney says

    Oh my I love your story of how you met. So much fun. I love unique stories. My Hubby and I have a fun story, the fast version is from the day we meet till the day we got married was only 6 months and 1 week apart. We were engaged after a month of dating. I have always called it as close to love at first sight as you can get… 🙂 Oh, plus I got married the same day I graduated from college.

    Oh, how I want to read your books so badly.
    jen.whitney08 at gmail dot com

  24. Jeannie Campbell says

    FBd and tweeted, too. what a fun interview! i want to meet regina and be friends. perhaps this year’s ACFW conference? any one this fun and a friend of yours, sarah, would be someone i get along with well. 🙂

    strangest thing i ever dressed up as….hmmm…would it count to say that i was the elephant at a preschool halloween carinval? it was my arm in the tube sock moving around under the huge cardboard box painted to look like an elephant. and it was me who gave them the candy through my nose-slash-sock. i think that counts.

    • Regina Jennings says

      Jeannie, we must meet. I just visited your blog and figured out who you were. Yes, I’ve heard of you, you famous person. And I love your posts.

      I’ll be looking for you in Dallas, but please don’t analyze me.

      • Sarah Forgrave says

        All right ladies, let’s plan a meet-up in Dallas! Jeannie, you can be dressed up as an elephant. Regina, you’re the librarian with a bun. And I’ll be…myself so I can laugh at how ridiculous you guys look. 🙂

  25. Marissa E. says

    One Halloween I was a Bronco(the football team) angel. That was when I was about 10. 🙂

    Looks like a great book!

    marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com

    • Regina Jennings says

      A Bronco angel? One year our 12 yo next door neighbor dressed like a dead cheerleader and gave my kids nightmares until Christmas. I don’t think that’s the same thing.

      Thanks for visiting.

  26. Keli Gwyn says

    I love the story of how you met your hubby, Regina! Such fun.
    You have a great voice, one that comes through in this post. Does this mean I can expect humor in your story? =)

  27. karenk says

    an excellent posting…thanks for sharing 🙂

    i love flowers…especially tulips…any colour.

    thanks for the opportunity to read this wonderful story 😉

  28. Debbie says

    The book sounds like a good read.
    I am more of a daisies and yellow roses kind of girl. My hubby got me a bouquet with a sunflower in it this year.
    I’m not sure what the strangest thing I have dressed up as is, but I have become all kinds of imaginary people while playing with my son. He is at the age where he has a boundless imagination – no costumes required! 🙂

  30. Rosslyn Elliott says

    Regina, I love your escapade of dressing as your mother. I’ve worn some pretty strange clothes in my time. My favorite was probably the silver domino mask (like Zorro) that I wore on the street for a day, prompting little kids to ask their moms in wonder: “Who is that?” 🙂

    • Regina Jennings says

      Rosslyn, congrats on your new release “Sweeter Than Birdsong”. It’s on my TBR list!

      Why exactly were you wearing a mask? And you have a drama background, don’t you? It seems I’ve read that somewhere.

  32. Diana Flowers says

    I actuallly have the cover of this book on my FB wall, but you have to scroll way down to see it! I put it up there when Regina first gave us a peek at it! I didn’t want to forget about the release date, or the book, and thought the cover was beautiful, so left it there! I should get an extra entry just for that. lol

    I wil tweet about this as soon as I get off of here for an extra entry and Fb about it for another entry! Thank so much! I would feel very blessed to win this!

  33. Barb Shelton says

    Everything about Regina’s interview, book and giveaway is very cute. Thanks for this giveaway and the chance to win a great gift.

    Blessings,
    Barb Shelton
    barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com

Trackbacks

Top