I’m hosting my fellow panelists from the Love Between the Covers event this week as we lead up to the date (details below). I’ve asked them all to write about what  romance means to them. Please help me welcome Delancey Stewart as she talks about her Five Most Romantic Things. 

Enjoy!

Diana

There are lots of clichéd things that come to mind when we think of the word romance. Like everyone else, I think of hearts and roses, chocolates and diamonds. But there are a few other things that have always struck me as romantic that are a little more off the beaten path:

1. Bridges – I can’t explain it, but I’ve always been fascinated by bridges and they’ve always tugged at my heartstrings. They lead places, and they lead away from places…and so many poignant moments in my life have involved the crossing of a bridge.
2. Church Bells – they ring for all kinds of reasons, but they always make me think of big life moments and small towns. They make me stop and listen, and in some ways they remind me to appreciate the moment I’m in.
3. Cars – I know, this one is out there. I don’t mean hopping in my mom truck to go haul groceries, no romance there. But fast cars, sleek cars, special cars. They’re sexy and inviting, and if you let your love drive yours? That’s romantic, right there.
4. Airports – I met my husband for the first time at the airport in San Diego. To this day I can’t arrive at an airport and not think of the way he looked, standing at the bottom of that escalator.
5. Theaters – not movie theaters, but big proper theaters with stages. I love the drama, the lights, the ballet, opera or stage show. I adore everything about theaters, from the décor to the seats, to that moment just before the curtain opens and you are transported.

I think everyone has their own idea of what romance is, and what kinds of things are romantic. These are just five of mine… what are yours?

Delancey Stewart loves writing…but her life includes a “day job” and kids, so when she’s not writing, she’s wearing one of many hats around the house. Literally.  She’s got two small boys, so these include cowboy hats, knight’s helmets, pirate hats, superhero masks (kind of a hat, right??), and fireman hats, among others. Her personal favorite is the coonskin cap with the raccoon tail hanging down the back. 

When she’s wearing her writer’s hat (which she describes as ” a huge white bonnet festooned with purple ribbons and flowers… okay, not really. But that would be cool”),  She’s usually trying to work her love of travel, wine, and history into a romance that readers will enjoy. 

Delancey can be contacted through her webpage at delanceystewart.com, or at Facebook as: delancey.stewart or on Twitter as:  @DelanceyStewart She is the author of Men and Martinis, Highballs in the Hamptons, and Cosmos and Commitment.

Meet Delancey, along with Diana Belchase, Tracee Lydia Garner, and Adriana Anders at the Ashburn, Virginia Library this Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 2 PM. The Address is 43316 Hay Road Ashburn, VA 20147. We all hope to see you there!