The Romance Reviews

Sunday 22 November 2009

Kimm Walker: Special people

Photo by Jeff Belmonte from Wikimedia CommonsYou know how sometimes you can look at a sunset and think, if someone tried to paint the sky that colour no one would believe it. My relationship with my husband is a bit like that, it’s too ‘Mills and Boon’ to be real. I met him when I came to Barnsley (I told you it was unbelievable) from Western Michigan University, to do a teaching practice on an exchange programme. We knew in less than two weeks we wanted to be married.

It didn’t make any sense to anyone. The dinner ladies at the college were furious that one of their favourites would choose an American when there were so many English ‘Roses’ available (there was a ratio of 12 boys to 500 girls at the college). Our lecturers were terrified they’d be held responsible in some way. And my dad… well, he wrote more letters in those few months than at any other time in his life! The government wasn’t impressed, either, they deported me.

However, in true romance fashion, love prevailed and we’ll celebrate 33 years of marriage on New Year’s Eve. He’s helped me to understand what it is to be British and to see American culture from a different perspective. I think it’s given my writer’s voice an interesting edge.

I’d love to know what others think. If you read my memoir, A Life Less Lost, I hope you’ll let me know.

Visit http://kbwalker-lifelesslost.blogspot.com

9 comments:

Lindsay Townsend said...

Hi Kimm!

Welcome again to the pink blog!

Many congratulaitons to you and Howard for 33 years of happy marriage! And yes, I agree with you: your insight from 'both sides of the pind' gives you a fascinating perspective.

Francesca Prescott said...

Gosh, Kimm, you seriously got deported from England?! Thank goodness love prevailed, and what a great story! Happy Anniversary!

xx Francesca

Unknown said...

KIMM--what a wonderful romance story! You never know, do you? I've been married to the same man much longer than you've been married to yours, and while it hasn't always beens smooth-sailing, I can honestly say he's the only man in the world I could have lived with. Congratulations and good wishes for many more years. Celia

Kimm Walker said...

Thanks, Lindsay, Francesca and Celia for your good wishes. Everyone's been so welcoming since I first posted on your site, I thought I should get to know people a little better.

Francesca, your childhood sounds wonderful. I was passionate about horses, when I was a girl, too. Do you still live in Switzerland? My hubby took me there for my 50th birthday because I love it there.

And Celia, congratulations on your long years of marital happiness, too. I shall be in Texas, the Dallas area, in February. A friend of mine is helping me organise a book event.

LK Hunsaker said...

Hi Kimm, there is such a thing as love at first site, apparently. ;-) Ours was nearly like that, also.

They deported you because of your father's letters?

Kaye Manro said...

Wow, Kimm! How wonderful that you get to live the actual stories we all love to write!

Savanna Kougar said...

Kimm, sigh... I adore real love stories like yours.

Yep, living across the pond would give you a different and valuable perspective.

Have fun at your book event!

Kimm Walker said...

Hi LK, Kaye and Savanna! I bet you'd find loads of inspiration for your fiction, if you read my book.

I was deported because my student visa had expired. Howard followed me to the States, married me and brought me back.

Linda Banche said...

I love real life happy endings. They do happen, even in this modern world. 33 years? What an achievement in a world of widespread divorce.