NASHVILLE SEAL IS MUSIC TO MY HEART

I have just released Book 2 in the Nashville SEALs series, Jameson, about an up-and-coming singer-songwriter who has a chance meeting with a group of SEALs finishing a training in Tennessee. They come to one of his concerts, and afterwards invite him to visit them in San Diego.

Jameson Daniels is loosely based on the life of my narrator, former CW singer-songwriter, and now award-winning actor and narrator/voice over talent, Mr. J.D. Hart. Most of you know he and I have become best friends over the course of doing some 24 audio books together. In the course of our conversations, a story began ruminating in my head. I was delighted when he gave permission for me to use some of those ideas as the basis for my character.

I've enjoyed learning about the music business, and on one trip to Nashville, got to sit in on a Country Diner taping, meeting such stars as Roy Clark and Larry Gatlin. We took a horse-drawn buggy ride one evening while he showed me the houses of music. We drove around streets filled with music history: where Elvis Presley made his first recording, where others wrote music, performed at clubs long torn down.

This is what I love about being an author. I had no idea that when I hired a narrator to do my audio books, that he would become my best friend, and would become the hero in two of my books. There are no accidents. Our close working relationship has brought color and variety into my life I never would have experienced.

Here's a short excerpt. We are finishing the audio book, which should be available about the end of the month. You can sample a little bit of Jameson's audio here (JD also sings on this trailer), or on my website, where snippets and book trailers for all my books are located. Enjoy!

Jameson Trailer

Nashville SEAL: Jameson:

The rumble and crescendo of the audience was something he’d forgotten how much he loved. He’d tried to explain it to people over the years, and, unless they’d been up in a big arena like that, there was no way to understand what it felt like to fly over the heads of the audience while he was singing. The sensation was similar to his jumps. There was no perception of falling, no feeling of depth until the end. It was as if the warm earth blew a blast of air straight up, cradling his body, while the horizon slowly rose, second by second. The rumble of the crowd and the energy of the open-air theater was similar. The adulation, the pinnacle of riding the moment when all their cheers stopped and it was your turn to shine. Your turn to command them like a king.

He hadn’t thought about all that until just now, as he waited back stage. He was grateful he didn’t know anyone scurrying around back stage. Tech girls and guys ran back and forth, some scantily clad. Pretty girls were all around and in abundance, eyeing him. He didn’t want to dis anyone’s wife or girlfriend, so he was respectful. He found all this activity distracting.

Thomas was nowhere to be found, and he hoped he hadn’t run into some trouble. Jameson opted not to take the limo ride, so drove over to the arena in a taxi, dodging the bevies of young girls at the security gates trying to spot a star.

He could do this for two nights. And then it was the pits of hell. How many people on the planet had a life like this, going from one extreme to another? But he knew what world he lived in, belonged in.

Feeling the rumble of the crowd and how it pushed against his heart as he waited for the introduction, he was amazed he’d been strong enough to make the decision to leave it all behind. But he was glad he did. In some moment of weakness, he could do something that would wreck his little family. No, it was better for him and for those he loved that he stay away from it all. This would definitely be the last time for any of this.

Sharon Hamilton

COMING FULL CIRCLE - I GET TO MEET THE GREEK GOD and other stories

Grigoris Drakakis

Just got back yesterday afternoon from Las Vegas, where I got to meet Grigoris  the handsome cover model I interviewed last year. Here is a link to that RB4U post that got nearly 1000 views!!

At the time, he said he was coming to RT, and at the very end of the book signing, on Saturday, I finally got to meet him. Oh my!

Elle James and Susan Stoker were fun to hang out with!

We live in a wonderful community of writers. There is a "lemming" type thing that happens at these events, and I don't mean in any way to downplay the importance of getting together. But, like a little wine is good and the whole bottle by yourself yields results we may not want to have, sometimes chasing rainbows and every "secret" other writers pass on makes me tired. I keep seeing this scene I once watched: a basketball player was all over the court, following the ball that was being passed around, over and in some cases, under him, as he ran, waived his arms, and never got the ball. Seems like we chase so many things that work for others, we forget where our True North lies.

Again, let me stress, the beauty of going to these events is to learn something new. Not drop everything and do everything new. Except in my case. LOL. Let me explain.

I've done 10 boxed sets and been involved in 3 Kindle Worlds. I've been involved in joint promotional activities, attended conferences as keynote speaker and panelist, and bench warmer. I've attended book signings and sold one book, and others where I sold 80 or more. I've listened, and tried to pick out events that others say are "good", but like everything else, this is elusive and inconsistent from year to year.

The costs, however, are the same. Everyone complains about RT and RWA for their expenses. In my recent history I've spent more money at some small cons, and triple that at my own book signing. Bigger isn't always more expensive. Smaller isn't always better, just like big isn't either.

This year, I kind of liked the screamig fandom of RT. I have to admit, I don't care that I don't have the long, long lines that wrap around the hallways. Some day I will. And those were mostly for parties. I didn't go in on any parties, except for the Military Tribute (thank you Kim Lowe SOS Aloha for starting this tradition and Elle James this year for doing such an outstanding job of running it), and for that I went all out. Now I have regular table-goers. I even saw a couple of other authors who have nothing to do with military romance attend. It was nice to hear the Star Spangled Banner, and O Canada, plus songs from every branch of service. I sold raffle tickets for my Aloha Shirt Quilt project. I'm getting used aloha shirts mailed to me from all over the U.S. I have enough for several quilts. One will be auctioned off (this one, lovingly made by Sandie Grise), and others donated to military families. The proceeds of the raffle are going to benefit the Navy SEAL/UDT Museum in Ft. Pierce, Florida.

Lovingly made by
Sandie Grise from old Aloha shirts. See more info on how
you can get involved or donate/buy a raffle ticket or send material at
Operation Aloha Shirt Quilt Project.

I loved talking about this project to a room full of believers. How refreshing while we screamed and sought out free books and SWAG from other authors, to take time out to thank the veterans who sacrificed for us all. Who made it possible for us to have this crazy life we have.

Oh, and yes, the occasional cover model squeeze didn't dampen my spirits one bit!

I hope that you will join me at RWA, and other conventions. I want to get to know you as readers and other authors I've known on the internet but not had the pleasure to meet in person. I'm limiting my convention going to just a few, and, sadly, I've had to cancel a bunch of commitments I just couldn't meet. I've been putting my writing last, and that's never a good idea. There won't be any boxed sets, anthologies, Kindle Worlds or other things for the next year. They just aren't on my program. Not saying they aren't good, just not part of my program.

I'm dedicating my next 12 months to big reader events and some valuable craft events like NINC. I'm devoting my next few months of writing to get more books out there. I looked long and hard for better promoters, better advertisers, better PAs and VAs. The bottom line is I have everything in place. All I need is more content.

So I walk away inspired and fresh, believe it or not, after a big convention, and yes schlepping books around up and down the hallways (that was the sum total of my exercise). I gave away over 60 books, and sold about 20, then gave away countless more - I think in all about 100 books.

Why did I ever think I needed to give them anything else but a sample of my writing, my talent. In the end, that's all I really have to share with anyone...

Come with me on this journey! What's your plan for the next 12 months?

The incredible Sylvia Day

Sharon Hamilton

Life is one fool thing after another.

Love is two fool things after each other.

Author Page ** Sharon's Blog ** Sharon's Website ** Facebook**Twitter

From Romancing The Vines to Living Between The Lines

One of my Pink SWAG bags won recently. Love the Duct Tape!

My new story is tickling me something fierce. I might just have to stay up all night and write, even though it won't be very good for me. But it will take my mind off some pressing things I don't want to think about. I write about danger and separation. When it hits close to home in the real world, I get chicken.

Not really.

Met some recent heroes who have had a big impact on me. One of my new friends told me about "wanting an intense relationship." He then went on to describe his search for true love and then uses it in his physical training (yes, really) - a thing desired for, like good health or a great body. I understand those things. I pursue a similar thing, but with my writing. I am not as dedicated to the personal health as I should be, but I have it in my spirit and desire to write the best stories I can.

He likened the relationship he was looking for, and ultimately found, like "drinking espresso and going to a horror film on a first date." Well, of course that gave me a great idea. So I'm using it in my new story.

Get your author alert here

Alex is one of those guys who can't get enough excitement in his life. He married Brandy the bimbo from a local Bunny Bar, marrying her in a double ceremony in Las Vegas with another one of his now-bachelor roommates, Ryan. Alex's marriage lasted only three weeks. Ryan's was a sticky mess. But after a series of near-fatal blind dates, he's about to have another one at the beginning of the book, and he's nervous. Like the doors to the Pearly Gates are going to be opened.

He's kinda right.

Alex is going to run head-on into a woman who is not only as much of an adrenalin junkie as he is, but surpasses him in many ways. He's about to find out what it means to be stalked, not in a dangerous way, but by a woman who is dead set on getting him as her prize and she does not understand the meaning of no.

I haven't finished this story yet, one thing I know for sure: their first date will be attending a horror movie, and stopping for espresso beforehand. He even went skydiving the morning of. Nothing about Alex's life will be the same until he learns to submit to Sydney, and just let her have her way.

Never written a book like this one before. I'm having the time of my life, and yes, that intense Fierce Writing With My Hair On Fire is better than anything else in life. And it takes my mind off from my loved one in harm's way.

All my books are listed here on my website here.  Won't you dangle a bit there and check them out?

Sharon Hamilton

Life is one fool thing after another.

Love is two fool things after each other.

Author Page ** Sharon's Blog ** Sharon's Website ** Facebook**Twitter

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Writing Inspired!

I love the idea of having my own writing cottage, a place where I can sit back and read, or just write. I think it's a good thing to separate the working desk from the writer's desk, so the two muses, one with a mindset of an accountant, and the writing muse, who may not be dressed at all and is doing Martha Graham dances nekked.

I can and do write everywhere. Love writing on cruises, in airports, coffee shops and odd places no one else would spend much time in/at/below/above. Am I sick to say the best time about RT last year in Nawlins was the afternoon I spent at a coffe shop in the French Quarter? Yes! Writing in unfamiliar places can be very inspiring.

But I think the best is to write cozy and small. Lots of famous authors have done this. We're in good company with the likes of Mark Twain, Roald Dahl, George Bernard Shaw, Dylan Thomas, Henry David Thoreau and of course, Virginia Woolf.

Sarah Ban Breathnach, in my favorite book of hers, called Moving On,  talks about her journey to England to purchase the cottage where Sir Isaac Newton did his famous writings, and about how she felt the building was "haunted" or rather "inspired" with his muse. Timing played a key role in that she had just published her first successful book, which had stayed on the NYT list for months, and used the proceeds to buy this particular cottage which hadn't been for sale in over 100 years. She began to see her quest to write a bestseller was the prequel to her owning Sir Isaac's cottage.

Sarah also writes this great quote: "Rosemary Sullivan is meditating on the emotion women feel when they fall in love at first sight with men; I'm the one taking the leap to house fever because I've succumbed to both. Suddenly, without warning (or so it seems) the trajectory of a woman's life changes, becoming 'a vicarious route to some essential part of herself that she does not yet fully recognize or understand.' The Beloved becomes 'the heroic territory she longs to occupy.' She thinks she's found him--or home. Interestingly, the name of the greatest lover of all time, Casanova, means new house."

We never know what trails we'll walk down on our path to creating the stories we create. But we can guide it somewhat. I wrote a little piece on my personal blog today about writing cottages, and my own struggles with focus and attention. You can join me over there today as well, if you like. Bring your favorite beverage, book or laptop, and we'll read or write together!

What about you? Do you have a special muse-inspired place you write or read in?

Sharon Hamilton

Life is one fool thing after another.

Love is two fool things after each other.

Author Page ** Sharon's Blog ** Sharon's Website ** Facebook**Twitter

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