Romancing the Word
By Heidi Smith Luedtke
Romance novels ignite our passions and satisfy our need for drama. And a happy ending may be just the boost you need.
Read on to learn what fuels the fires of successful military romance writers. You may be inspired to role play a favorite scene with your spouse or embark on a written adventure all your own.
Larissa Ione, Coast Guard Spouse and New York Times bestselling author of 15 dark, sexy paranormal romance tales
What shaped your writing career?
LI: Hurricane Katrina. We were stationed near Biloxi, Miss. and the storm destroyed our house and everything in it. Because we lost our home, my son and I moved to Washington to live with my parents while my husband lived on his Coast Guard boat for a year. I’d been a cautious writer in the past, but now I let the words fly. The results sizzled on the page, and within a few months, I got an agent and sold two different series.
Describe your latest book.
LI: Ecstasy Unveiled is the fourth book in a series that has been described as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Grey’s Anatomy.” In this book, family loyalty forces a demon assassin to agree to kill a family friend. When a sexy guardian angel intervenes, sparks fly, and they find themselves caught in an evil plot neither expected.
Is your real life as exciting as your books?
LI: I wish! My husband and I have a very passionate relationship, and owe a lot of it to what I write and read. He can always tell when I’ve worked on a love scene!
How has writing romance affected you as a military spouse?
LI: Writing is a great form of therapy when my husband is gone. I can immerse myself in another world with characters I care about, and it really helps keep me sane.
What's your best romantic tip?
LI: To kick things up a notch, buy a sexy book, light some candles, and read to your husband. You never know what might happen!
Catherine Mann, spouse of a just-retired Air Force flyboy and award-winning author of more than 30 steamy contemporary and military romantic suspense novels
Have you always been a writer?
CM: I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but didn’t dare pursue it until my husband convinced me to put my stories on paper. Now he says “I told you so!”
Describe your latest book.
CM: Renegade is book three in my “Dark Ops” series. Tech Sergeant Mason "Smooth" Randolph lives to push boundaries with his job in a top secret test squadron. But he never anticipated how far outside the box he would land when an in- flight accident sends him parachuting into Nevada's notorious Area 51- and into the handcuffs of sexy security cop.
What is the most romantic thing your spouse ever did?
CM: In the days leading up to Desert Storm I, my husband knew he would be gone for Valentine’s Day. Before he left, he purchased a box of Winnie the Pooh valentines, the kind kids pass out in school. He wrote a different message on all 30 of the notes, then hid them for me to find in the coming weeks. I still treasure those notes.
How has writing romance affected you as a military spouse?
CM: In discussing story ideas with my husband, I've come to a greater understanding of what called him to serve, and challenges he's faced. The long TDYs and deployments were still tough, but I found some comfort and peace through those insights.
What’s your best romantic tip?
CM: Words create an enduring brand on a person’s heart – whether spoken or written. Share loving words often, especially when you’re apart.
Geri Krotow, former Naval Intelligence officer, Navy spouse, and award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance
Describe your latest book.
GK: Will and Debra Bradley made a good life for their interracial family. More importantly, they are still in love, still each other's best friend. But their daughter, Angie—pregnant and estranged from the husband she loves—has to discover for herself what family means.
Which interesting places have you visited as a result of your military life that inspired your work?
GK: The historical part of A Rendezvous to Remember was set in Nazi-occupied Belgium. I wrote it while we were stationed at NATO headquarters in Brussels. I can’t wait to see what characters come to me here in Moscow—the voices of the past really do speak to us.
Is your real life as romantic as your books?
GK: It can be. Living all over is a romantic life. But it is a lot harder than is often portrayed.
I identify with my characters’ emotions. But obviously not every disagreement with my husband ends in both of us agreeing, except maybe to disagree!
What’s the most romantic thing your spouse ever did?
GK: Bringing the babies to me when they needed to be nursed. Seeing when I am busy and under deadline, he’ll step in and make dinner or do laundry. He’s there as a partner in practical things and that’s very romantic.
How has writing romance affected you as a military spouse?
GK: It has empowered me and validated that I am my own person with my own career. Writing romance is validating because military marriage can be tough. We get knocked in the press, there’s a high divorce rate. It feels good to write stories that show the other side, even though I don’t write exclusively military romance.
What’s your advice to aspiring writers?
GK: Pursue it: Writers write. And participate in life! You need to experience life to have something to put on the page.