Loving My Bone Frogs

Launching May 1

By Sharon Hamilton

I've gotten a lot of feedback that readers love older guys (silver-haired guys, guys not in their 20's). And the girls that are not Barbie Dolls.

When I first started out writing my SEAL Brotherhood Series some 7 years ago, I used to write a novella, and then follow it up with a full length novel later on. It helped to flesh out the couple beforehand, and then have them progress in a later book. I really got the chemistry right that way.

I took a detour for several years, starting new series in my larger SEAL Brotherhood Series, creating the Band of Bachelors, Bad Boys of SEAL Team 3, and Nashville SEAL, Fredo Series and the True Navy Blue series. This way I got to incorporate all the other secondary characters. But all my books are mostly on SEAL Team 3, active duty guys.

This is the first time I've written an older SEAL who wants to re-join his comrades. And this actually happens on SEAL Teams, too. I spent part of my Monday with my buddy Mike, who owns a tattoo parlour in San Diego, down the range from Coronado, and who ran 10 years with the Teams in Vietnam, then did a stint with bikers and followed that up with another 10 years as a SEAL all over again.

My character in the May 1 release has followed a similar path, without the bikers in the middle. I explored his character and the chemistry with him and his lady, Brandy, a plus-sized gal with long mahogany hair. Just so happens Tucker loves big-busted and big booty. Brandy has never had a serious relationship. Tucker, plain and simple, who at first looks like Shrek to Brandy, blooms under his touch.

I love stories like that. Sort of a Beauty and the Beast, except Belle is a plus-sized gal, and the Beast stays big and doesn't morph into a handsome prince. He always was the handsome prince.

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I wrote New Year's SEAL Dream in early January as a novella, introducing these two people. It didn't take long before I knew I'd be loving the full book I'm launching May l: SEALed At The Altar.

We all age and worry about being vital as we age. But something else happens as we run around caring for families, taking kids to soccer practice and ballet, while we're paying bills and looking for houses, or gardening. Perhaps we get worn down a little bit? We get tired as we age. That's only natural.

But for an adrenaline-junkie male, taking a break from the Teams, can be a very difficult experience. I've talked to former SEALs who readily admit they miss the Band of Brothers backing them up, jumping out of airplanes and doing things others cannot do. My hero has stayed fit and is in peak physical condition at 39 years of age. But he's never had a family. He's been damaged by a wife who left him for another Team Guy. That happens too, on the Teams.

I was gratified by the response to my two other releases this year, both with older heroes. What about you? Do you love older, silver-haired heroes?

And what do you think of my new tattoo? Next visit to FSG on Coronado I'm going to enhance it with hearts and flowers to give her a little glam. She has to compete with the hippy frog on my other shoulder, and that's just not fair!