MAX’S LOVE POTIONS #9

Disclaimer!!!: Max’s Love Potions do NOT come in a ‘One Size Fit All’.

First and foremost, I am originally from the South - made in the U.S.A, baby!

As a bonus I was raised Pentecostal - for those not aware, Pentecostal is one light bulb and a four-door sedan away from being Amish - lets add that I was raised on a “cow farm” (not a ‘cattle farm’)

So you might guess I've got a lot of respect for women. And that’s a damn good assessment!

I’m 100% pure free of misogynistic tendencies; I’m also not racist! Funny how stereotypes come about - yet I do dig some Charlie Daniels and even some David Allan Coe. (My hypocrisy only goes so far!) << God, that might be wrong right there . . .

But let me be serious for a moment(ALERT: I’m infamous for tongue-in-cheek commentary!)

As some of you may know by now I and my wife LITA STONE are both authors. We met through our mutual interest of the art of the craft, fell in love with one another’s personality and have been married for going on three years.

Not only do we discuss writing on a daily basis, but we near about discuss romance and love on an equal basis, too.

And I swear on my grandmother’s grave we’ve got a love thicker than Bonnie & Clyde.

And I personally want to share my philosophies on why I think our marriage is still as romantic and sensual as it was the first time we met each other in a cheap motel (I’m not making this up, folks!)

Thus, MAX’S LOVE POTION series:

MAX’S LOVE POTION #9 (because 9 seemed like a neat number at the time of writing this)

First off, to young married (or otherwise) lovers: Arguments are a mainstay! You will disagree with your significant other. Sometimes it will be over big issues and some times it will be over small issues. But it doesn’t matter ‘cause you LOVE that person and you want to overcome any issues in life with them.

This is stated in extremely generic terms because life itself is so unpredictable, so think of it in this way: Imagine the most horrific thing that could happen to you in your life then think of the second and third most horrific thing that could happen to you in your life: You have to declare bankruptcy a week after the doctor tells you that you have to start chemotherapy in the same week that your son totaled a brand new car . . .

Can you honestly say you’d rely on your significant other to get you through this hardship?

Because that’s life. And life doesn’t exclude the ‘happily married couple’. In fact, Life doesn’t even acknowledge that you’re married. It just happens.

But if your love for that special person is strong enough then it will triumph over those hardships with vigor and come out even stronger on the other side.

Love is one of the most enduring emotions there is and if you truly love someone then nothing will completely tear down that emotion - it might get shaken up here and there but true love shouldn’t crumble under pressure from life’s weight.

For those of you who have read NUMBER OF THE BEAST it might be of interest to you that Shane is loosely based on me. And I think most people can agree that he’s a hard guy to love . . . in some ways. (Trivia: A bit of Birch and Scooter is also based on me.)

So for this dose of Love Potion I want to tell you guys and gals that you need to stick close to your lover when life gets all tough and up in your face - or otherwise you’ll be going up against life all alone.

Here’s Some Tips:

Kiss your Lover every morning before you go to work.

Try if possible to have breakfast, coffee, or a short dialogue with your Lover every morning.

Whenever possible shower together and talk while you wash up - talk about whatever is on your mind and/or whatever is bothering you.


If you have kids, discuss your kids, both positive and negative. Let me say that it’s completely healthy and okay to share criticize about your children with one another in an effort to come to a better parenting method dealing with their weird behaviors.

Go on a date! Even if you’ve been together or even married for years. Go out for a nice meal with your Lover at least twice a month and make eye contact with one another while you enjoy your meal. Translation: Put away the smartphone!

Remember to continue to share common interests with one another. You don’t always have to like the same movies or music (I like South Park, and The Simpsons, and death metal which I cannot do any of in front of my wife . . .)

!!DO NOT!! Under any circumstance ever try to control your Lover’s natural behavior or try to turn them into the person you think they need to be. This is probably the most detrimental thing anyone could do in a romantic relationship. If you are trying to mold the other person then obviously that person’s base personality isn’t what you wanted out of a significant other.

Take Love Potion #9 and see me again for the next dose.