THE EVA MARIE EVERSON LOVE STORY

I'm delighted to interview author and speaker Eva Marie Everson today and find out "The Eva Marie Everson Love Story." At the top is a picture of Eva and Dennis on their wedding day, in the middle is a picture of Eva and her co-author of The Potluck Club Series, Linda Evans Shepherd, and at the bottom is a picture of Eva and Dennis today. (I can't believe 28 years have passed between pictures! They're young looking.)

Kristy: Eva, tell us a little about yourself and your latest novel.

Eva: In two months I’ll celebrate a half century of life! I’m very excited about that…I’ve invited 50 of my friends and family to celebrate with me. I am a writer and speaker by profession, a wife, mother, and grandmother by the grace of God. I am a seminary graduate and could read and study the Scriptures all day if time would permit. I love the beach in summer, the mountains in winter. I get very passionate about Israel, the land and its people. My latest novel is written with my buddy Linda Evans Shepherd. It’s the third in the Potluck Club series, titled The Potluck Club Takes the Cake. The novel continues the saga/story of our six ladies from Summit View, Colorado…their friendship, their ups and downs, their faith struggles, and always…ALWAYS…lots of fun and recipes!

Kristy: What's your web address?

Eva: http://www.evamarieeverson.com/

Kristy: What is your husband's name?

Eva: Roger Dennis Everson. He’s called Dennis…I call him “D.”

Kristy: How long have you been married?

Eva: 28 years

Kristy: Since you have a marriage of longevity, you must be doing something right. Do you have any words of advice to offer? Insight? Encouragement?

Eva: When our oldest daughter was engaged to be married, she and her soon-to-be hubby had a fairly serious "disagreement" over an issue that just wasn't that important. It was sheer miscommunication. Nothing more. Nothing less. I said to her, "Sweetheart, I will not interfere in your relationship with Jimmy. But please allow me to say this: pick the hills you want to die on. If the hill isn't worthy of blood, don't die there." That's the best advice I can give in the natural. The "beyond the natural" is this: if Christ is the center of your household, He will hold all things together.

Kristy: If you were a Christian before you met him, were you praying for a husband? (as opposed to just trusting God with your entire future?)

Eva: I was a Christian in that I went to church every so often, and I’d grown up in the church, loved God, believed in God, but had no REAL personal relationship with Him. I was not praying for a husband, but was worried sick I’d never find one! (I wasn’t that old…don’t know what my rush was…)

Kristy: How did you meet him?

Eva: At work.

Kristy: Was it love at first sight, or did love come softly?

Eva: Softly. If you had told me when I first met him that I’d be his wife one day, I would have laughed my head off. Nice guy, but…I wasn’t interested in anything more than him as a friend.

Kristy: How long did you date before marriage?

Eva: May of one year to February of the next.

Kristy: How long did you date before you kissed?

Eva: (Laughing out loud.) Ummm….like within ten minutes in the first date!!!

Kristy: Tell us about that first kiss…where were you?...what was it like? (Remember, I write Christian romance. That's why I included this question. WINK)

Eva: I was home from work because I’d had a little outpatient surgery. He called and asked if something was wrong and I told him. He asked if he could come by…bring me anything…. I told him I wouldn’t mind a McDonald’s cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke. So, he brought it by. This is the story that constitutes our first date!! He tells me now that he’d had a spark for me for some time before that. He’s very shy so it really shocked me when he sat next to me on the sofa and, between my bites of cheeseburger, leaned over and gave me a quick kiss.

Kristy: Ahhh, how romantic! Tell us about the time/occasion you told him you loved him.

Eva: I don’t remember my telling him, but I definitely remember his telling me! He was chasing me in my mother’s back yard. When he finally “caught me” I laughed out loud (ah, what a precious and fun moment!), and he swung me around and around and said, “I love you, you know that?” I remember it felt that time stood still.

Kristy: Ahhh, even more romantic! Tell us about the proposal.

Eva: I proposed. Six times before he finally said yes! Actually he didn’t say yes. I’d made it clear that I wanted to marry; he’d made it clear that he didn’t. We happened to be at the mall one evening, and we walked into a jewelry store. He walked over to the wedding rings, and I came up behind him. I asked him what he was looking at. He said, “Wedding rings.” I asked him why. He said, “If we’re going to get married, we’ll need rings.” I said, “Is that my proposal?” And he answered, “Best one you’re going to get!” And that was that! Years later we took our grown daughter into the store and reenacted the moment for her and the sales staff. It was pretty special.

Kristy: Tell us about your wedding.

Eva: We eloped! And I was two hours late!! I had stopped to talk to a friend and lost track of the time. Isn’t that awful!? But we married in the living room of my pastor and his wife with our best friend Ray and Joyce Scoggins as witnesses.

Kristy: Did you buy, borrow, or make your wedding gown?

Eva: It was just something I pulled out of my closet.

Kristy: Did he smash the cake in your mouth, or was he a gentleman and gently put it in?

Eva: We had cookies and punch, furnished by the pastor and his wife.

Kristy: Where did you honeymoon?

Eva: Well, now that’s ANOTHER story. After the wedding, we went to his house (I’d moved most of my stuff in the night before). We got up the next morning and went to work like it was any other day. But after work, we headed up to the Savannah area to tell my mother we’d married. The plan was to get up the NEXT day and go to Hilton Head for just a few days of honeymooning…but when we woke up the next day, we were snowed in at my mother's!! So, when people ask where we honeymooned, my husband always says, “HER MOTHER’S!!!”

Kristy: Eva, what a delightful love story. Thanks so much for sharing!