Writing Military Romance While On Vacation

I've just spent the last 30 days traveling between California, Italy and Brazil. I took a cruise ship from Savona, Italy, across the Atlantic, ending up in Rio and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Most of these days were at sea, but we got to spend several days before and after both in Italy and in Sao Paulo. Brazil has become my must-go-back-and-explore place. I'll probably wait until after the World Cup or the Olympics, or just stay away from those venues, but I will definitely be back.

I've been told I'm a method writer, and, like a method actor, I get a feel for the story by being in places where it takes place. My newest release, SEAL The Deal, was written about Sonoma County, California, where I live -- in the heart of the wine country. Although I've used scenes from restaurants and favorite places like Healdsburg and Sonoma, as well as Santa Rosa in my scenes in other books, this one was almost entirely based in Sonoma County. You can see some of the beautiful places in my book with this gorgeous book trailer, done by the talented J.D. Hart: SEAL The Deal Book Trailer.

Book 5, Cruisin' For A SEAL will be out in January 2014. It takes place in and around a cruise and cruise ship similar to my vacation. In my story, several members of SEAL Team 3 go on a cruise with their wives and girlfriends just before the Team is to deploy overseas. They are also to perform the task of spreading one of their members' ashes out to sea, on the Equator, as per his instructions. While on this cruise, the ship gets taken over by terrorists.

It was surreal imagining all the things that could happen on this ship while I was "having a good time" innocently inspecting places this story could take place. I also interviewed security staff and crew members, and interviewed a pilot and a ship captain (not on this cruise). The cruise itinerary helped with the story too, since we did cross the Equator, where a major scene in my book will take place, and we traveled to exotic places like Marrakesh, Casablanca, Tenerife and Cape Verde. Wandering through the stalls at the souk, watching the whirling dancers and snake charmers, all brought color and life to my story in ways impossible to imagine on my own.

So, with the new release of SEAL The Deal occurring during my trip, my new book goes to nearly half way around the world to distant and ancient lands. Home to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with my family, my mind is still wandering those new-found hauntingly beautiful places in Italy, Canary Islands and Brazil.

That we can have such an amazing life is due in large part to the brave men and women in uniform who have made this world safe, and made all these things possible. I've said it before and never get tired saying it, we owe our freedom and our "normal" lives to those that often sacrificed everything for us. And for that tremendous gift at Christmas time, I say thanks, and vow to live my life with all the fullness and intensity I can stand.

Thank you vets, from all countries. You are my real heroes.

Sharon Hamilton

Life is one fool thing after another.

Love is two fool things after each other.

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