Free Read for Everyone!

Hey, readers!  Julie Miller here.  Instead of posting my newsletter here (you can still read it on my website at www.juliemiller.org), I thought I'd take a moment to tell you how you can all get a free Julie Miller novella to read.

Starting June 1st, www.Harlequin.com will be publishing a free online novella of mine titled THE BRIDESMAID'S BODYGUARD.  The website will post a new chapter every day through June.  As our summers get busy, but we still want that quick reading fix, this is a fun way to read a complete story.  Of course, if you're one of those readers who can't stand that kind of suspense, you can certainly wait until June 30th to sit down and read the whole novella in one sitting. ;)

You don't need a Kindle or NOOK or iPhone or free app of any kind.  Just go to www.Harlequin.com, click on "Extras" in the red bar across the top of the page, and scroll down to "Online Reads".  THE BRIDESMAID'S BODYGUARD will be there for you to start reading on June 1.

Another option, too, if you don't like reading on a computer screen, smart phone or tablet, is to print off the pages and read them that way.  Once you're into the story, Harlequin has a "Print this Page" command so you can get a hard copy.  The story will remain free in the archives on the site after June 30th, so you can go back and read it later, or print off your own copy to read when it's convenient.

At any rate, I just wanted to let you know.  "Free" sounds like a spiffy deal to me!

BTW, THE BRIDESMAID'S BODYGUARD is a prequel to my August release, KCPD PROTECTOR.  (You can get KCPD PROTECTOR July 1 at Harlequin.com, later in July/August 1 elsewhere).  You don't have to read the novella to follow the book, but it's a fun enrichment story that gives readers a background explanation to an important picture in KCPD PROTECTOR.  Plus, it's always fun to visit and meet new characters from Kansas City's fictional Fourth Precinct!  Deputy Commissioner George Madigan, the hero of KCPD PROTECTOR, plays a key supporting role.  And you'll get to see some highlights from Nick Fensom and Annie Hermann's wedding--they were major players in last year's Precinct: Task Force miniseries.  And, if you like Jim Parker, the detective hero in THE BRIDESMAID'S BODYGUARD, you'll be able to see him again as a supporting character in my 2015 miniseries, The Precinct: Cold Case.

Well, you readers know how I roll...  Love creating that community of characters!

Happy Reading!  Remember, this is a free novella for everyone at www.Harlequin.com.

Julie Miller

The Scoop from Julie Miller (February)

 Dear Readers,

Whether you’re living it or reading it—or hopefully, both!—February is the month for romance.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share a link to a free Precinct novella titled BRAVO TANGO that you can read at http://www.harlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1064&chapter=1.  This is a completely free Julie Miller romantic suspense story, featuring some characters you may know from my other Precinct books.  Justin Grant is a bomb squad cop working on a dangerous undercover case to track down a serial bomber—and his mission just got even more complicated when he inadvertently gets ER doctor Emilia Rodriguez involved with his investigation.  Now he has to keep both the lovely Emilia and Kansas City safe.  You can read the novella online or print it off and read it at your leisure.

Could this be Justin Grant?

Some news to share—I just learned that my good buddies B.J. Daniels < http://bjdaniels.com/>  and Delores Fossen < http://www.dfossen.net/>, both bestselling authors, and I will presenting a workshop at the Romance Writers of America annual conference in San Antonio this July!  Our workshop is titled SCREAM BLOODY MURDER: How to Pace Romantic Suspense.  With over 150 books between us, I think we might know what we’re talking about .  If you’re going to the conference this summer, I hope you’ll join us.

In the meantime, I’m finishing up my current work in progress.  The working title is KIDNAPPED BY A COP, but since it’s a holiday story set for later this year, I know the title will change.  But that’s another reason to read the free online novella, BRAVO TANGO, I mentioned above… because the heroine’s youngest sister in BRAVO TANGO, Teresa Rodriguez, is the heroine.  She’s all grown up and starring in a romantic suspense adventure of her own with wounded DEA Agent Charles Nash, whom some of you may remember from last summer’s book, ASSUMED IDENTITY.

This month I’m continuing to revisit some of my favorite stories and share them with readers.  Be sure to check out my Contests & Fun Page http://www.juliemiller.org/contests_&_fun.htm to read an excerpt from BEAUTY AND THE BADGE.  I’ve always loved a good Beauty & the Beast romance.  I hope you’ll enjoy this excerpt, too.  And enter for a chance to win one of my backlist titles!

Happy Reading!

Julie

So there's my February newsletter!  What's new with you?  New job?  New hobby?  New nail color you're dying to try?  New purse?  (I'm loving my hubby's gift of a new Vera Bradley bag--the colors and designs of their work really speak to me!  Plus, it has lots of pockets to hold everything I need.  And the length of the purse straps are just right to slip onto my shoulder without hanging down too far.)

I'll give away a copy of a book from my backlist--winner's choice! (Although certain titles I only have in ebook or a U.K. edition)--print or ecopy--to one lucky poster!

Happier Endings

Available Now

Did you ever wish you could have more of a certain story?  Well, here's one chance to read more of a book.  In honor of Intrigue month, I'm sharing a free bonus epilogue scene with readers from my March Intrigue, TACTICAL ADVANTAGE.  When I first wrote this story (maybe I was subconsciously writing a new single title novel?), it ran a bit long for Intrigue and my editor asked me to cut about 20 pages.  In other words, there was more to the story than what made it into the final published book.  I tightened some of the book, but a few of the snippets and scenes I dearly loved just had to be cut.  They didn't affect the main mystery or relationship, so for the many of you who have already read TACTICAL ADVANTAGE, don't worry that you may have missed something important.  I didn't cut anything pertinent to solving the mystery of the Rose Red Rapist and the Cleaner.  But, like most of you, I love a good happily ever after.  And, while those intense 48+ hours between Detective Nick Fensom and CSI Annie Hermann ended on an appropriately exciting moment, I thought some of you might appreciate a lengthier version of Nick & Annie's happily-ever-after.

So here it is... the original epilogue I wrote for TACTICAL ADVANTAGE.  It starts here and finishes on my website at www.juliemiller.org.  Enjoy the enriched ending... and explore my website to find an excerpt from my June Intrigue, ASSUMED IDENTITY, a Book GiveAway contest to enter, my monthly newsletter and much more. 

TACTICAL ADVANTAGE

(Excerpt)

By

Julie Miller

©2013

Epilogue

1 1/2 months later

            “Reitzie.”  Annie lifted the lazy Siamese from the domino tumble of picture frames on the mantel where he was lounging while Nick carried up their overnight bags from their weekend getaway to St. Louis.  She set the cat on the floor and shooed him off to find where his counterpart, G.B., was hiding.

            In between unbuttoning her coat and untying the pink scarf that Grandma Connie had knit for her, she straightened one beloved picture after another.  When she reached the mutilated photo from the Baseball Hall of Fame, she smiled.  Without feeling one pang of regret, she opened up her paisley messenger bag and pulled out one of the souvenir post cards she’d bought on their trip and quickly swapped out the old picture for the new one.  She crumpled the memory of her ex-fiancé in her fist and tossed it into the trash.

            “There.”  Annie was admiring the new picture of Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and the new memory it represented, when Nick came in.  He locked the door behind him and hung up their coats.  She pulled the new picture on the mantel to a more prominent position.  “That’s better.”

            Nick came up behind her to wind an arm around her waist and doff a salute to the statue of Stan ‘the Man’ Musial.  “Much better.  Maybe Stan and your dad are up in heaven playing some catch right now.”

            Feeling a pang of melancholy, Annie leaned back against his solid warmth, and found even more comfort when he slipped the other arm around her as well, and pressed a kiss against her cheek.  The sadness quickly passed and she folded her hands over his, soaking in all the miraculous changes in her life since that fateful New Year’s Eve.

            She had a reason to celebrate the holidays now…

Read the rest of the story at <http://www.juliemiller.org/contests_&_fun.htm#BonusExcerpt> 

Available May 21, 2013

Oh, and because I'm so excited to share my latest Beauty & the Beast romantic suspense, ASSUMED IDENTITY, I'll give away a copy here to one lucky poster.  Beauty & the Beast is my all-time favorite romantic storyline--what's yours?  (cowboys, men in uniform, amnesia, secret baby, friends becoming lovers, enemies becoming lovers, whatever)  I'll stop by through the day to chat, and ask my dog Maggie to pick a winner from all the comments and post it tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Julie Miller