Military Week: Melissa Schroeder

Welcome to Mel's Salute to Military Romance! I will be honest with you. For years, I didn't write much military romance. I will be the first to tell you that being a military spouse is just not romantic a lot of times. There are the moves, the TDYs, the OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS (which I usually completely hate) and then there is the feeling that no one in the world understands what you are going through. Then, Malachai Dupree, brother to Chris and Jocelyn, popped up in my head when Jocelyn was talking in A Little Harmless Addiction. It was a kernel of a thought: a spinoff of Harmless but with military men and women.
I will be completely honest with you. I wasn't sure I could do it. When I first said something to my then editor I had with the Harmless publisher, there was little to no interest. Usually when I talk of the military it is to complain about something. One assignment in 20 years in a place with seasons would be the top of my list. But as a military brat myself, I knew there was something else to the military. See, I love romantic suspenses with a military bent. I couldn't write them though. I was born in an Army hospital and have spent most of life immersed in military. I wanted it to be a little more reality based, and sometimes that doesn't thrill readers, lol.
I was a big lover of M*A*S*H growing up and one thing that taught me was there isn't anything pretty about military. But it also taught me something else, something I knew without actually acknowledging it. Military folk are just like everyone else, but their problems all have an added layer to them. Along with the regular squabbles that pop up, you have to move every few years, deal with a spouse who often times HAS to put the job in front of the family (there is that little thing called an oath they take when the enter the military) and a bone deep loneliness that others outside of the military just will never understand. Your life is ruled by the military whether you want it to or not.

So when I sat down to write my first A Little Harmless Military Romance, I felt a lot of pressure. I wanted to make sure that my readers understood what these people and their loved ones go through all the time. I didn't want to glorify it, because a lot of times, it isn't very glory filled. Still I wanted everyone to see the softer side of life, the part that keeps the military man and woman whole while they have to deal with the horrors in the field. There is something about that saying "keep the home fires burning" now more than ever.






Be sure to check out the first two A Little Harmless Military Romance Books:
INFATUATON: A Little Harmless Military Romance
AMAZON   Barnes and Noble   ARe   KOBO 


POSSESSION: A Little Harmless Military Romance
AMAZON    Barnes and Noble  ARe  

SURRENDER
Coming Late June

So, I have a big old prize for you! How about a SWAG PACK of Harmless Military goodies, along with two signed copies, one of Infatuation and one of Possession??? And this is open to international readers also. Just let me know your answer to this question:

What is your favorite kind of military hero? Do you like the kind of guy in the midst of international intrigue, the cocky fighter pilot, or maybe you go for one of the PJ's who go for the rescue? Let me know and your name goes in the hat!