Wednesday, November 19, 2014

CAN WE TALK ABOUT NAVY SEALS?

Can we sit down and have a chat about writing Navy SEALs?


Think it's time to talk a bit. We've seen things in the news concerning reveals about Navy SEALs and their tactics, their mental capabilities and their planned missions. There is a lot of controversy about this, and I am not clear on which side of the fence I stand, except to say that I want our bravest and best-trained warriors protected, at all costs. There's a mystique to being a SEAL because much of what they do has to be kept secret. And we all know there is temptation not to keep those secrets.

So, as a writer, I walk a fine line between accuracy and storytelling, all the time worrying about protecting the fine men and women who put themselves in harm's way so we can write the crazy books we do, and go run around and do unmentionable things with our lives. Our SEALs signed on for this. They are our warriors and they want us to have a normal life.

There are details in my books I've written on purpose incorrectly. There are probably details in my books I've written incorrectly by accident. I don't think I've gotten wrong the community or the character of the men who serve as SEALs. The how of what they do might vary, but the why and the way they are I believe is as accurate as I can make it. I love the smack talk and the sense of humor these usually soft-spoken warriors have.

Now we have hundreds of writers thinking they can write Navy SEAL romances. I love reading the blurbs where SEALs perform jobs real SEALs would never do, or serve in capacities they would never serve under. Reviewers don't pick these up, and I think that's fine. The bottom line is that it's good all this misinformation is out there. I hope our enemies are reading all the Navy SEAL romances, because they'll get pretty confused when they do. If they read my SEAL stories they'll get a lot of sex education too. Some of our enemies I think might need a little of this.

And that would probably make a SEAL chuckle to himself. He'd never tell you that you are an idiot writer getting facts and figures wrong, well, maybe if you knew him well enough he would. Have I been an idiot? You bet. Proudly. Will I continue to be? Hey, the more newbie SEAL writers there are out there the better I look. LOL. Seriously. We're talking about FICTION. We aren't writing Tom Clancy or WEB Griffin or Dick Couch.

As one SEAL told me, "Just make it up. If you can imagine it, it probably happened."

And so I have.

You can watch my Chapter One Live read of SEAL's Promise here. Some adult content language some of my fans think is funny seeing me say.

SEAL's Promise Excerpt (TJ Talbot and his best friend are talking about dating and other unmentionable things - strong language here). Hear the buttery, romantic voice of my Warrior Storyteller, JD Hart, as he breathes life into my words. The audio book will be out any day now.

SEAL's Promise is available on Kindle, and iTunes, Nook and Kobo.


Sharon Hamilton
Life is one fool thing after another.
Love is two fool things after each other.

11 comments:

  1. Awesome love it, love Sharon's SEALS they are the bomb !!! just like their writer :-) <3

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  2. Wonderful post, Sharon. I love your SEALs :)

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  3. Thank you, Sharon. I, too, love your SEALS.

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  4. I love stories with accurate details. Best luck, Sharon!

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  5. Your post made me laugh. That's always a good way to start the day. :) I say you know your SEALs!

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  6. What a wonderful post, looking forward to reading your books1!

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  7. Thank you everyone. I'm glad I was able to bring some levity to sometimes a testy situation. Thank you for loving my SEALs, and my books. Remember, they aren't real...it's FICTION, RIGHT?

    Have a wonderful week. Now go out there and support a military writer.

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  8. Interesting column. Bet of luck with all your releases..

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  9. Love reading your SEALs they are absolutely wonderful. Never mind if they are accurate or not they are so sensual and i really love the smack talk. Read others too and to me its just escapism with a happy HEA

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  10. SEALS are a special breed. My cousin was a paratrooper and they are also unique. Even now years after leaving the military, he still keeps silent about the jobs he did but retains his love for fast cars, fast motorbikes and airplanes. I wonder if he got all the bravery genes!

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  11. Rose Aderson and Jean Hart Steward - not advocating sloppy writing, mind you. Just not as worried about it as I was starting out...LOL. But not advocating not checking things easily checked.

    Melissa, that's so funny. You didn't include fast women, but then, there was probably a reason for that.

    Nice to see you here, Kerry, Jennifer, Cara and Carly, Julie! Rose, Yes!! want you to enjoy my books too!

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