SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MARLISS MELTON
Marliss Melton is the best-selling author of over a dozen military, SEAL romances. She expertly combines passion, danger and complex characters that explode off the page and keep your heart racing for more. Her addictive writing has garnered her a loyal fan base. As an avid fan myself, I couldn’t wait to find out what she has next!
Her newest series, the Echo Platoon, has all the right stuff. Sexy military heroes and unrivaled suspense. As this talented writer combines realistic situations and sexy characters that keep me coming back for more.
But where does she get her inspiration and will she tell us more!?
1) How did you get the writing bug? What do you like best about writing romance?
Marliss Melton: I fell in love with gothic romance novels by Victoria Holt when I was twelve. At age thirteen, I decided to write my own gothic romance novel. The Emerald Castle was by far the worst story I have written but it had a beginning, a middle and an end, which is farther than most people get. I fell in love with the process. Writing romance is like getting to relive the best parts of your life over and over again. It’s better than eating chocolate! Being able to make a living doing what I love more than anything? Everyone should be as lucky as I am. But I can tell you that it took a lot of practice and a long, LONG time to make a decent income.
2) Ohh! I'm a big fan of Victoria Holt, too. But am I glad you decided to write military romance instead. I love your heroes! What makes SEALs in particular so special to you?
Marliss Melton: I’ve always loved a man in uniform. I married two of them! My first husband was an Army officer, and I enjoyed being called “ma’am” at the ripe age of twenty-three. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident leaving me widowed with two young boys. I met and married a Navy man next and got to experience what it was like to send my sailor off for months at a time—not fun! I have a deep appreciation for the sacrifices our fighting men and women make for us and especially the impact that their job has on their families. Why Navy SEALs? Because they’re the most-highly trained warriors in our military. Women love the idea of a man who can protect them, and who better than a man who has overcome overwhelming odds? The SEAL-selection process alone puts SEALs a notch above other mortal men. Furthermore, SEALs are the guardians of the free world, and there is something very sexy about a man willing to give his life to protect what he believes in.
3) Your books are so realistic and your heroes are super hot!! Where do you get your ideas and how do you make them so amazingly addictive?
Marliss Melton: My ideas come from all kinds of places—my own life, people I’ve read about; news articles, dreams, etc. I couldn’t begin to describe the process of creation. Writing a book is so organic! One shortcut to making my books addictive is making sure that all of my heroes are completely unique. They’re not cookie-cutter heroes. The way I do this is by using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a tool that breaks people down into sixteen basic personality types. Very few of my heroes have the same personality type. They are all quite distinct, and I pair them up with heroines whose personalities will compliment them, ensuring happily-ever-after when the book is over.
4) I understand you have your very own military hero! Do you base many of your heroes on him?!
Marliss Melton: Actually, I have a number of military heroes who have inspired the heroes of my books. My second husband provided a pattern for the hero of Don’t Let Go, Senior Chief Solomon McGuire. Former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrelle, bestselling author of Lone Survivor, inspired the story Next to Die. And my upcoming hero First Class Jeremiah Winters demonstrates the philosophies and intuitional acuity of former Navy SEAL Michael Jaco, author of The Intuitive Warrior.
5) Can you tell us more about your Echo Platoon series?
Marliss Melton: Echo Platoon is a spin-off from my Navy SEAL Team Twelves series. It features the men in Echo Platoon of Team Twelve. The series kicks off with the platoon leader, Sam Sasseville, having to find and rescue environmentalist Maddy Scott, whose passion for the environment puts her continuously into danger. In Danger Close, the reader meets the ever cheerful Chief Bronco Adams, who becomes the hero for the next book, Hard Landing. Bronco considers his commander’s wife a really good friend, but when she admits her husband is up to something the Navy would abhor, he realizes he’ll protect Rebecca from her husband’s dealings at all costs. The series continues when Bronco’s best friend Bullfrog (Jeremiah Winters) takes a cruise to Mexico and runs into the woman he has always loved, along with a band of guerillas who take them both hostage. Friendly Fire will be released this winter. The series will most certainly continue as there are plenty more SEALs in the platoon.
6) I understand your latest Echo Platoon book is coming out in Feb 2016 called Friendly Fire. What makes Navy SEAL First Class Jeremiah Winters so swoon worthy?
Marliss Melton: Jeremiah (Bullfrog) Winters is unlike any hero I have ever portrayed. For one thing, he has developed his intuition to such a degree that he can remote-view (see what’s coming around the next turn). This is not a paranormal gift. As it turns out, Native American Indians as well as modern-day special forces soldiers have developed a heightened sense of awareness out of necessity. If you don’t want to die, then you grow your intuition to the point where it can warn you where the enemy lies in wait. Bullfrog meditates. He believes in the power of human consciousness. He is so advanced and yet so human at the same time. Furthermore, he’s a well-read intellect and has the perfect quote for every occasion. He’s definitely my dream-man.
7) Okay, I have to ask. I understand you wrote historical romances before you authored military romance. I noticed that you have a new trilogy about sisters set in Medieval England. Is the first story a reissue of your one of your previous books? Why have you decided to go back to writing historical romances? Will you give up your military romances?!
Marliss Melton: I will never give up on military romances; they are truly a good fit for me. But my first love was always historical romance—sweeping stories of long-ago eras. My first published romances were two medieval tales set in Northern England. I had started a third book, but it was never published. Thirteen years later, the trilogy will appear as a complete set. Since 2002, my writing has improved so much that I found myself rewriting the first book and retitling it The Slayer’s Redemption. The second book, which used to be By Starlight, will also be rewritten and retitled as The Dark Knight’s Reward. Lastly, the last book, co-authored by my best friend and editor, Sydney Jane Baily, will appear in the summer of 2016, titled The Crusader’s Challenge. I’m so proud of these stories. They demonstrate a huge amount of research, tons of creativity, and excellence in story-telling. If you’ve never read a historical romance, this is the time to start!
8) What inspired you to a historical series about sisters? Can you tell us more about The Slayer's Redemption, coming out this Oct.?
Marliss Melton: Having grown up with three older sisters, I understand the bond of sisterhood and the roles played by each sister. The eldest is the protector, and that is certainly the case with Clarisse DuBoise. She has been told by her stepfather to infiltrate the castle of his enemy and poison him—or her mother and sisters will be put to death. Clarisse will do anything to protect them, even pretend she has breastmilk for baby of the man she must poison. Masquerading as a wetnurse gets her into the enemy’s castle but it doesn’t prepare her for her emotional response to both the baby and his immensely appealing father.
9) What makes your heroine in The Slayer's Redemption so special? Can you tell us a little about her sisters?
Marliss Melton: Read the reviews, and you can tell that readers the eldest sister of my Warriors of York trilogy. Not only is she strong-willed and sassy, but she has a deeply ingrained sense of right and wrong that guides her decision-making. The middle sister, Merry, on the other hand, isn’t considered a witch for her powers of healing. Like a feral cat forced to defend herself in the wilderness, Merry has learned to use her skills to protect herself. She needs a man who understands her fears and tames her wildness. The youngest sister, Katherine, is the wild and independent sister. Born before her time, she loathes the thought of subjugating herself to a husband and will do just about anything to retain her independence. You’ll love this trio of amazing women just the way my heroes learn to love them!
10) Wow! You have so many book coming up, I can't wait! But I know you are constantly coming up with new ideas. Sooo any new series in the works that you can give us a peak into?!
Marliss Melton: I have several more Echo Platoon books up my sleeve. Beyond that, it’s hard for me to say what I’ll be writing, but I have always wanted to take some of my Navy SEAL stories and rewrite them into inspirational romances. Why not throw God into the mix? After all, my heroes and heroines question their reason for being, the same way we all do.
This has been such a pleasure. Your books transport me into my happy place. Thank you so much for writing and giving your fans such blissful reading enjoyment.
Marliss Melton: My pleasure, Steph. I thank all of my readers for allowing me to do what I love best—write!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Marliss Melton check her out at:
http://www.marlissmelton.com/
https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/MarlissM for free autographs by the author!
Recent and Upcoming books by Marliss Melton:
Friendly Fire Coming out February 2016!
The Slayer's Redemption October 2015!
The first in a glittering trilogy set in medieval times, Warriors of York explores the lives of three sisters and the fierce fighting men who claim their hearts.
Lady Clarisse uses deceit to gain access to the fierce warrior she must kill to save her family. The Slayer has a reputation for ruthlessness but she'll care for his infant son in order to carry out the murder. As baby—and warrior—touch her heart, she seeks another solution. Could the Slayer, who may have killed his own wife, become her champion? A revised and expanded version of Danger's Promise (Previously printed on Feb 26, 2002 as Marliss Moon)
Having cut his baby from the body of his dead wife, Christian de La Croix only adds to the rampant, lurid rumors concerning his violent misdeeds. Now, he desperately needs a wet nurse to keep his son alive, but the people around Helmesly Castle fear him, putting baby Simon's life in peril.
When a stranger who calls herself Clare Crucis volunteers to nurse the newborn, Christian's relief overwhelms him. But it does not last long, for Dame Crucis tells contradictory stories of her past. Is she really an angel of mercy—or the agent of one of his enemies, sent to destroy him?
Clare Crucis is, in fact, Clarisse du Boise, a lady being forced to kill the Slayer in order to keep his enemy, her stepfather, from executing her kinswomen. At her very first encounter with the Slayer, Clarisse questions the terrible rumors that abound about him. Certainly, his reputation for ruthlessness is well founded, but she remarks a sadness in the warrior and a longing to be loved that she had not expected. Still, to save her family, she must carry her plan to completion. But as her heart quails and she delays, the Slayer grows ever more suspicious. Is there a way she can save the lives of her loved ones while seeing righteousness prevail? All she needs is a champion.
PLUS
Release Date . . . March 2016! The Black Knight's Reward
Release Date . . . July 2016! The Crusader's Challenge
Hard Landing (The Echo Platoon Series, Book 2) Apr 21, 2015
Navy SEAL Brant "Bronco" Adams adores women but never lets himself get too close to any one of them—until he meets sweet, classy Rebecca McDougal.
Rebecca is the wife of Mad Max, Brant's commanding officer and safely off-limits—until she confesses that she's desperate to escape her nightmare of a marriage and that Max isn't the upstanding commander they all think.
Emboldened to protect her, Brant skids head-long into Mad Max's plot to do him in. Suddenly, the former playboy will assume any risk to give him and Rebecca hope for a future of their own.
Danger Close (The Echo Platoon Series, Book 1) Jul 31, 2014
Navy SEAL Sam Sasseville resents being called upon to repeatedly rescue Madison Scott—an oil tycoon's daughter—from trouble of her own making. Just weeks after extracting her from drug-riddled Mexico, Maddy disappears into the terrorist-threatened region of El Chaco, Paraguay.
Dedicated to protecting the world's last agricultural frontier from her family-owned oil wells, Maddy knows her long-dead activist mother would approve of her work, even if that blasted Navy SEAL doesn't.
But between the terrorists trying to nab her and the shadowy assassin intent on snuffing out her life, Maddy and Sam discover a common goal—keeping her alive—while Sam faces a difficult choice: love Maddy just the way she is, or walk away with just his pride for company.
Look Again: A Novella (Echo Platoon) Paperback – June 20, 2014
Echo Platoon Novella
Tyler Rexall never considered being anything besides a Navy SEAL. But a mission-gone-wrong has ended his career in the Teams, leaving Tyler handicapped, his self-identity obliterated. Returning to his hometown of Louisa, Virginia, Tyler wallows in despair. He has no idea that the young woman showing up on his doorstep with a dog holds his future in the palms of her hands. Katie Crowley’s lifelong crush on the formidable “T-Rex” hasn’t waned one iota in the last decade. Seeing him beaten down and handicapped arouses her determination to help him, even as she’s being terrorized by a desperate man who is getting bolder by the day. Can Katie convince a proud man like Tyler to accept that a service dog can change his life? Unfortunately, she may not get the chance or the time to heal him as her heart demands, not when her stalker returns for a final encounter.
The Protector (The Taskforce Series, Book 1) Jun 11, 2014 Free on amazon
Embracing the solitude of the Blue Ridge Mountains, former Navy SEAL Ike Calhoun thought he'd left the War on Terror far behind, until he's contacted by an old friend.
Now Ike's stuck shielding Eryn McClellan from ambitious federal agents and crazed jihadists.
Worse, the charming, blue-eyed beauty is shattering his much-needed isolation.
As Ike's restraint erodes like a mountain in a mudslide, and the FBI keeps trying to use Eryn as bait, Ike wages a one-man war to protect the woman whose passion and faith fuels him to rise above his past.
The Guardian (The Taskforce Series, Book 2) Jun 11, 2014
When the Patuxent River prisoner-reintegration program—known as "Gateway"—falls under suspicion as a terrorist training ground, FBI Special Agent Jackson Maddox is sent in to investigate. Adopting the name Abdul, Jackson fits right in, until his cover is threatened by a sexy bombshell taking his picture.
An accomplished crime journalist, Lena Alexandra is on her own under-cover mission. Determined to send the man who raped and murdered her 15-year-old sister back to prison, Lena is interviewing Gateway's former-felons for a prison conversions book she's allegedly authoring. And not even the gorgeous ex-con named Abdul can derail her.
Until he gets in her way by acting as her guardian.
About to expose a home-grown terrorist plot reaching deep into the nation's capital, Jackson knows that he and Lena face a choice: figure out how to trust each other with their secrets and their lives. Or die in silence.
The Enforcer (The Taskforce Series, Book 3) Jun 11, 2014
ATF Special Agent Tobias Burke is undercover in West Virginia, infiltrating a militia led by Captain Dylan Connelly, suspected of murdering the Secretary of Defense
Dylan, once the Army's battalion leader of Mortuary Affairs, now works as a physician at the local Veterans Hospital, while leading her late-father's Seventh Amendment Militia.
When Tobias Burke shows up to enlist, with his ladies-man humor and lovable Labrador retriever, Dylan knows his killer charm hides an ulterior motive.
As evidence against Dylan mounts, Tobias's instincts—and then his heart—betray him into wondering if Dylan is being framed.
Now, with Dylan's militia locked in a stand-off with the FBI and the nation watching the drama unfold on television, Tobias stares down the barrel of the most difficult choice in his life: expose the real killer and clear Dylan's name, or follow orders.