Thursday, May 2, 2013

Military Heroes


MEMORIAL DAY. . .
Flags waving. Parades. Cook outs. A day to remember and honor the fallen.

The authors talk about a military hero or heroine in an upcoming or recent book and share a little of their background. And getting a little more personal, we're sharing photos of a real someone in uniform, along with their story.

PAULA GRAVES, MURDER IN THE SMOKIES, June 2013
Sutton Calhoun, now an agent for Cooper Security, spent most of his adult years in the Marine Corps. Enlisting at age 18, mostly to get as far away as he could from his notorious conman father and his troubled past in Bitterwood, Tennessee, Sutton found himself in the Corps, discovering discipline, honor and a sense of purpose that changed his life. 

But upon returning to Bitterwood to solve a murder, he reunites with Bitterwood P.D. detective Ivy Hawkins, his childhood friend and the only part of his past in Bitterwood he regrets leaving behind.

Delores Fossen
DELORES FOSSEN, THE MARSHAL'S HOSTAGE, May 2013
Character Name: Marshal Dallas Walker. He's not in the military, but he's a true-blue cowboy lawman

Picture: is of me. I was an Air Force officer for over eight years, and the photo was taken when I made captain at RAF Lakenheath, England.

MALLORY KANE, SPECIAL FORCES FATHER, May 2013
What a timely question for me! My May Intrigue is about Green Beret Travis Delancey, who was captured while on a secret mission overseas and held hostage for five months. When he's sent home, he's suffering from PTSD. He survived the five months in captivity by playing good times with family and loved ones over and over in his head. His best times were with Psychiatrist Kate Chalmet, the one woman he can never forget. When he finally just walks out of Walter Reed Medical Center, buys a car and drives home to New Orleans, it's to find Kate and tell her how he feels. If she doesn't feel the same, then at least he finally told her and he can walk away with fewer regrets. But when he finds Kate, he discovers that she has a little boy, his child, who has been kidnapped to force Dr. Chalmet to testify that a prominent senator was temporarily insane when he shot a friend of his.

Travis must call on his disturbing memories of his captivity to understand the abductors holding little Max, and must risk everything to save the child he never knew he had. Travis is wounded, both physically and emotionally, from his ordeal, but he is a true hero, both as a soldier, a father and a man. I humbly hope that I may have represented at least in some small part, the strength, integrity, bravery, commitment, faith and love for country that our people in uniform carry with them into the military. These exceptional men and women represent the best of all of us. I admire them more than I can express. Thank you, the United States Military, and God bless you and keep you, and those who have fallen, in the palm of his Almighty Hands.  

Character Name: Gabe Cannon
I'll celebrate the military heroes in my December 2011 novella trilogy:

P.S. I'm gearing up to making a big batch of new release announcements and give away prizes on my Facebook page, so come and Like me to make sure you don't miss anything! 

Julie's baby brother, THE MAJOR
JULIE MILLER, TACTICAL ADVANTAGE, March 2013
Well, as my dad would say, "Once a Marine, always a Marine." To the very end of his life, not only did he sport that jarhead haircut, he lived by that code of honor, integrity and patriotism. Growing up with that influence in our life, it's no wonder that my younger brother went into the Corps for several years, and now serves as a major in the Army National Guard--or that I've written so many military heroes for Harlequin Blaze and Intrigue.

My most recent Marine Corps hero was John Murdock in THE MARINE NEXT DOOR. John was a firefighter who went back into the Corps after the woman he loved married someone else. However, his stint overseas ended with him coming home without part of his leg and most of his soul. I matched him up with another wounded warrior, KCPD desk sergeant and abuse survivor, Maggie Wheeler.  John and Maggie (and her matchmaking son, Travis!) needed each other to stay alive, to heal emotionally, and to believe in love again.  I'm sticking with cops for my next few stories, but I do have another military hero on the horizon in a story proposal I recently submitted--the heroine of my September Intrigue, TASK FORCE BRIDE, has a brother in the Corps.  I plan to bring him home to Kansas City and continue the tradition of military romance.  Hopefully, the story will sell and soon I'll be able to tell you about THE MP NEXT DOOR!

Thank you to all our veterans, active military and their families.

ANGI MORGAN, PROTECTING THEIR CHILD, May 2013
My May release is about a Texas Ranger--law enforcement, no military background. But I just finished my January release: THE MARINE'S LAST DEFENSE (I think the editors are keeping this title), so I'll share a little about Jake.

JT PLATT
Jake Craig is a former Marine who served most of his time overseas in a war zone. When he's had enough and returns home, his wife divorces him and quickly marries someone in the Army. Betrayed and needing a fresh start, he moves and quickly climbs the police ranks to homicide detective. His first case involves a dead body, a supposed dead woman, and a puppy. Jake hasn't let anyone near him since returning home…his last defense is taken down by a single bark and lots of love.
Angi's Kid

I can't remember whose blog (years ago) asked for a number of family members that had served in the military. I ran out of fingers. I don't have pictures of my dad in uniform, nor of my grandfather. To the left is a picture of my father-in-love who served in the Army. The picture of the Marine in the Jeep is still serving. My dad served in the National Guard. His oldest brother was one of the original fighting SeaBees  in WWII. His father served as a telegraph stringer on the battlefields of France in WWI. His purple heart is in my possession. I can't name all my cousins and uncles who have served. I'm afraid I'd leave someone out. I hope they all know and have experienced how appreciated their service to our country is.

ROBIN PERINI, BEHIND THE LIES, April 2013
Robin's Uncle
Character Name: Hunter Graham is a man who joined the military at eighteen after struggling living on the streets for the two years since his mother died. He learned loyalty, courage and honor during his training, and now he must use every skill he possesses in order to save the woman he loves and their child. His willingness to sacrifice himself and his own desires in order to keep the heroine and their son safe, to me, is the epitome of what our military men and women do for us every day of every week of every year. They deserve our respect, gratitude and thanks, even though they would never ask for it.

Memorial Day is a day of honor, and I thought I’d share a photograph of my great uncle Frank. He fought in World War I. I didn't know him until he was in his 70s. He was wounded twice—once in the arm and once in the leg. He was left on a battlefield and then warned that German tanks would be coming through the next day. He dragged himself a mile (or so the family legend goes) before he was found. He came home from overseas and lived his life. He never spoke of the war, but he challenged himself always. He taught himself to speak Spanish—badly, I'm afraid. He learned to make turquoise jewelry (I still have a ring he made for me when I was a girl). He prospected for gold in New Mexico and Arizona. He was an amazing mechanic and tinkerer. But mostly, he was just always there, quiet and strong.

I know little of what he saw or what he did on those ravaged battle fields. He never spoke of it to anyone—which in itself says so much. What I do know is how he lived his life afterwards. His father had just died, and my great uncle became head of the family (my grandmother was only ten years old at the time). He lived his life for his family. He always looked forward and did for others. Other than my dad, he was one of the first heroes I ever met. And he inspires me to this day.

PATRICIA ROSEMOOR (writing as Lynn Patrick ), A FOREVER HOME, September 2013
Rick Slater, Special Ops Leader in Afghanistan, led his men into a cave to rescue "hostages" on bad intel. The tunnel and two of his men were blown up. Rick is now trying out the civilian life as a security expert, trying to put his guilt at losing his men behind him.

My own ex-military hero was my late husband Edward -- we were married on Memorial Day Weekend.
 
AIMEE THURLO, A TIME OF CHANGE, April 2013
Ben is a decorated Army sniper who was part of an operation that had tragic results and left him broken in spirit. He retrained and became part of a medivac unit that recovers and evacuates wounded soldiers.

Here is a special trailer that says more about the book: A Time of Change by Aimee and David Thurlo Book Trailer - YouTube  




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TELL US about a military person in your life? Join us May 2nd. We love to hear from you.


4 comments:

  1. We have just had ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) Day here in Australia. It's a military day of remembrance too, dating back to WWI. It's a very big deal.

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    1. It's nice to hear about other countries, too, Mary.
      ~Angi

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  2. Actually, that photograph with my story is of my "baby" brother, the major. ;) The only pix I have of my dad in uniform are copies of older pix and wouldn't scan very clearly.

    Julie Miller

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