What is it about a military man?

The military has been on my mind a lot lately.  For those of you who haven't seen my website, or don't know me, I come from a military family--my dad is a veteran Marine, retired, my brother a veteran Marine who, after 'retiring' (heck, he's the "baby" of the family ) from the Marines, joined the Army to serve when so many of our men and women were being called into active duty in recent years.  He's been to Iraq twice, and is about to be redeployed to another part of the world, so naturally, all the servicemen and women and their families are in my thoughts and prayers.

And, naturally, with that kind of background--I have a love for military heroes .  If they have half the character and loyalty and sense of honor and duty as my father and brother, (and unique sense of humor!) then those are going to be great men to write about and read about and fall in love with.

With my Intrigue books, I've found my niche writing about cops--and my old stomping grounds in Kansas City, MO.  I've written a few non-cop, non-KC stories, but that's mostly what I write there, and I love it!

But with Harlequin Blaze, I've discovered a wonderful home for my military heroes.  It feels so right to me to be writing about Marines and soldiers, and the women and families who love them.  There's such an emotional intensity inherent with these stories that I love.  In my current Blaze, AT YOUR COMMAND, Captain Zachariah Clark and his wife, Becky, who knew each other for all of six days before they married impulsively and he shipped out on his most recent deployment, must now get to know each other.   He's been wounded both physically and mentally, so can't just pick up where they left off eighteen months ago.  This is a story about coming home--about the adjustments a husband and wife make to survive and thrive when they're apart for extended periods of time, and then again, adjusting when they're back together again.  Beyond the romantic suspense elements of the story--nothing like danger to bring out the best in a Marine!--I had a great time writing Zachariah's character.  Becky's, too--it takes a strong woman to be a military wife.  Yeah, he's a big brawny hunk who can defuse bombs and make love with equal dexterity--but it's more about the man inside.  That sense of honor.  That drive to protect and defend and do what he believes is the right thing, no matter what it may cost him personally.

I've gotten a lot of great feedback on this book.  I'm flattered and grateful. I've had several amusing emails about readers "confessing" they bought AT YOUR COMMAND because of the cover (heck! he's on display at my writing desk, too ), but that they loved the pages inside the cover even more.  That they loved Zachariah Clark, especially.

So, what is it that makes a military man such a great hero for you?

Semper Fi!

Julie Miller 

AT YOUR COMMAND--Blaze, Jan. 08--Romantic Times Top Pick!
NINE-MONTH PROTECTOR--Romantic Times Nominee for Best Harlequin Intrigue of 2007!
www.juliemiller.org
Intrigue blog at http://www.intrigueauthors.com/blog.asp