Character Spotlight ~ Margaret Brownley's Jenny Higgins & Rhett Armstrong with US Giveaway

Jenny & Rhett

A good man is like a good corset. He will always be supportive and never leave you hanging.—

From A Suitor for Jenny.

Need I say more?! Margaret Brownley's blend of history, humour and romance makes her stories a real treat. Enjoy this insight into her latest characters.

Over to you, Margaret:~

Brief physical description

Jenny Higgins, in her ever efficient way, would describe herself as a tall, twenty-two-year old blonde, independent woman. That’s not so very different than how the hero, Marshal Rhett Armstrong sees her when first they meet—or is it?

Her eyes met his with none of the usual feminine fluttering of eyelashes, matching him stare for stare. Bold as a bull, she was, with flashing blue eyes and a stubborn chin that rose a notch higher as she gazed at him.

Deputy Marshal Rhett Armstrong has dark hair, blue eyes and a rugged square face.

Actor/famous person

Scarlett Johansson would make a great Jenny. Cool and independent on the outside, vulnerable within.

Finding a rugged, handsome cowboy type actor to play Marshal Rhett Armstrong would be a problem. They just don’t make that kind of thirty-something actor anymore. The closest would be Hugh Jackman (think Drover in Australia without the beard).

Strengths and weaknesses

In a SUITOR FOR JENNY, my heroine is terribly motivated and is never caught without her infernal notebook. In seeking husbands for her two sisters she surrounds herself with lists, schedules, and etiquette books. Worse, she puts every perspective suitor through the PHAT (Potential Husband Aptitude Test). In other words, she’s unrelenting and thinks she knows how to pick perfect men. It takes a very strong and motivated hero to peel away her defenses and find the soft, vulnerable and lonely women inside.

Rhett commands respect but is basically a loner. He’s a straight-shooting man who questions God’s will but never His existence.

Rel: This is from the list of contents of a book that was my grandmother's, printed in 1908 and entitled What A Young Wife Ought to Know by Mrs Emma F. A. Drake, M.D. I have the companion book also, What A Young Husband Ought to Know by Sylvanus Stall, D.D., from the Self & Sex Series. They make for fascinating and amusing reading!

Quirk (if any)

Jenny is a consummate list maker. Every minute of every day is planned and recorded—even when she’s cooling her heels in jail.

Rhett takes great pride in turning Rocky Creek into a law-abiding town. People respect him. Outlaws fear him. No one gets close to him. He doesn’t let them get close.

Your inspiration for the character

I’ve always been fascinated by the many ways that guilt, grief and even insecurity or loneliness can manifest themselves. The know-it-all uncle, the critical mother, the life-of-the-party, the rebellious teen, the overbearing boss—we all know people like these. Perhaps we’ve even acted out these roles ourselves. We will do anything to hide our inner pain, even if it means pretending we’re someone we’re not. I thought it would be interesting to create a character in Jenny who hid her hurt by making lists—lots and lots of lists. She believes that by planning every minute of her day she has complete control over her life, and this will keep her from repeating mistakes of the past. None of this works for long. As the old saying goes, man plans and God laughs—and I think readers will laugh, too.

Background to the story

Ginny was only fifteen when she took over the care of her two younger sisters following her parents’ death. Now at the age of twenty-two, she decides to find suitable husbands for her sisters so she can travel far, far away and start life anew. After reading that Rocky Creek has the most eligible bachelors per capita, she breezes into town armed with notebook and a dog-eared copy of “The Compleat and Authoritative Guide on Attracting and Procuring a Husband.” She’s convinced she knows what she’s doing, and it will take two rebelling sisters, a handsome marshal and a whole lot of faith to convince her otherwise.

Rel, a big thank you from Jenny, Rhett and me for letting us visit with you!

A pleasure, Jenny :) A Suitor for Jenny sounds like a delightful read.

On Monday the spotlight shines on Janelle Mowery's Rebekah Weaver & Nathaniel Kirkland from Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho.

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