A SWF Love Story: Antonia & Duane

Duane: We were asked to be judges in an international writing contest. “Gain some exposure,” they said. “We’ll pair you with another judge who could be across the country, maybe even across the world.” As it turned out, she lived far across the world in Sweden.

Antonia: And he lived in Alabama, of all places. Of course, we didn’t know at this point that anything would develop between us, but years earlier I had joked about finding my soulmate in the American deep south, because I considered it the most unlikely place on Earth. I still find that funny.

Duane: [laughs] Some of the best things in life comes from unexpected places. We started skyping and going through the stories and a connection developed. Despite growing up in distant countries, we had much in common, from reading books to writing to our appreciation for country living.

Antonia: We were surprised how similar we were. We shared everything from eye colour to having a background in music to being nerdy introverts. When the contest was over, we became writing partners and best friends.

Duane: By the time a year had passed, we had fallen for each other. But would it translate in person? I spotted a Facebook ad for the 2018 Stockholm Writer’s Festival and suggested we meet up in Stockholm. “Just two aspiring writers attending writing classes and maybe even meeting an agent.” I think it helped to frame it that way because we were nervous about what would happen.

Antonia: As soon as I saw him in the hotel lobby, I knew it would work out. I don’t think I said anything – I just hugged him. He was so sweet, so gentle. We spent five days together, and we fit so well.

Duane: Had it not been for that ad I saw for the SWF, well who knows? Fortune favors the bold. We took our chance, and on New Year’s Eve 2020, we got engaged!