A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
and to see just who in this little house lived.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No Stockings by mantle, just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,
A sobering thought came through my mind.

For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,
The home of a soldier, I could now see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,
Not how I picture a United States Soldier.

Was this the hero of whom I’d just read?
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night,
owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,
and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day.

They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.

I couldn’t help wondering how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to one knee and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
“Santa don’t cry, for this life is my choice”.

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
My life is my God, my country, my corps.”

The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent and still,
as we both shivered from the cold night’s chill.

I didn’t want to leave, on that cold, dark night,
this guardian of honor, so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
whispered, “Carry on Santa…., It’s Christmas Day…., All is secure.

One look at my watch, and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend…. and to all a Good Night.

~ Author Unknown *~

Ask any military family, and they’ll tell you about missed holidays. The first time I decided not to travel home for Christmas after joining the army, my family didn’t know what to do. I’d opted to stay in Germany that year and travel around Europe with my then boyfriend (now my husband) and my future sister in law.

Since that first Christmas, there have been others where I stayed in Texas or Korea or went skiing, but since I’ve had kids, the last five Christmas Days have been memorable, either because of being with the kids or being without them. In 2004, I was a new mom, alone with a colicy baby and a husband who’d gone back to Iraq a few short weeks prior. At 4 am, the baby was awake, so I fed her, then opened presents for her with the dogs to keep us both company.
2005, mommy and daddy were both home and we stayed in Texas, hanging around the house and relaxing.

2006, I was alone again, this time, with a 2 month old and my then 2 year old. Daddy was back in Iraq, so what did Mommy do? We traveled to Maine to spend Christmas with my family. That was the first time my daughter was old enough to remember playing with my neice and they were only 3 days apart in age. They’ve been close since, especially this year, when they went to kindergarten together.

In 2007, we were all back together in Texas once more, but I had to head back to officer training in Georgia shortly after wards.

2008 was probably my worst Christmas. I’ve always been there. Me and the kiddos. Last year, though, was my first one away from my kids and it hit me, hard. There was a sad little tree outside our CHU (containerized housing unit) and someone had hung a few sad little decorations on it. It was as though in the middle of that crappy base, someone was determined to remember what day it was and why it was important.

But to me, diving into work and forgetting about everything at home was the way I coped. I misted up every time someone said Merry Christmas. I didn’t want to see the decorations. I didn’t want to pretend like the holiday mattered to me because without my kids, it didn’t. I know that’s not what Christmas truly is about, but for me, the real pain of missing my children was nothing compared to any notions of the reason for the season.

It hurt. A lot.

So this year, as my husband and I sneak out after the kids go to bed in order to play Santa and Mrs. Claus, I remember what last year was like and what this year is like for hundreds of thousands of families who’s loved ones are deployed during Christmas. And when I find myself getting frustrated with the crowds and the traffic, I remember what last year was like, when there were no crowds and there was no Christmas shopping.

And this year, when I’m hugging my kids and seeing their faces light up and get to hear my daughter singing in the Christmas Eve Mass, I’m going to take a deep breath and remember how lucky and how blessed I truly am. Because this year, more than most, means a lot to me.

I am home and I am grateful.

I’ve deliberately stepped into the public light by blogging from Iraq this year. I’ve been cautioned by well meaning friends to watch what I say in a public forum, because, well, it’s a public forum. And before I’ve hit send/publish, I’ve always tried to sit back and think, what would my brigade commander think if he read this about one of his officers.

That, in and of itself, has been enough to keep me relatively sane, I think. I’ve made some mistakes this year and I’m sure that no author can go through their publishing career in these days and not make a mistake online that will haunt them forever. When it becomes standard practice for commanders to ‘interview’ prospective officers by Googling them to see if there are any keg stand photos out there, you’ll understand my caution is not just for writers alone.

However, over on Amazon this week has been an object lesson in authors truly behaving badly. I don’t know this author, but I did see a couple of authors who’d public posts, on Twitter and on their own blogs, have been professional, insightful and full of great information. Two of these authors stopped by said train wreck and offered the advice to the self destructing writer that she might want to stay away from the keyboard for a while.

An energetic debate is always an enjoyment for me, but watching this thread develop over the course of the day, I couldn’t help but wonder if the author was drunk. Even if she was, the damage has been done. She did not offer much to the conversation about bad reviews and she blatantly attacked anyone who did not agree with her. She’s entitled to her opinion and at least she has the courage to jump into the fray rather than retreat, but I’m inclined to agree with the authors who recommended stepping away from the keyboard. She’s not gaining anything here except notoriety and I’m enough of a novice in the writing world to wonder just how much value there is in notoriety. I’m watching the thread for the learning experience of what it looks like when a public person goes on a rant and trying to take away some very important lessons.

I’m sure this debate is going down in the urban legends of popular literature.

I’m taking away one very important lesson: what you put online, stays online.

Send with caution.

Please Welcome Shelley Munro, author of the book Soldier of Fortune. You can learn more about Shelley’s books at http://www.shelleymunro.com.

Shelley Munro

Shelley, thanks for being here today. Let’s start off with a little about you. On your website, you mention that you traveled the globe for about six years? What influences can we see in your work from your travels?

Thanks, Jessica. Many young New Zealanders go on an OE or overseas experience once they leave university. After reading books set in foreign countries for years, I suffered from a bad case of wanderlust. My husband and I married fairly young, and it took me a while to talk him around to the idea of overseas travel, but I did it. Initially, we decided to go to England for a year long working holiday. The one year stretched into six. We had a wonderful time exploring Britain, Africa, Europe and Asia and, although we’re now settled back in New Zealand, we still travel as much as we can. My husband is as bad as me!
It’s probably a bit of a cliché about travel broadening horizons, but it really does. I think I look at the world differently than people who haven’t traveled. I know I’ll never take hot and cold running water for granted again. Every time I have a shower, I’m thankful! A lot of my experiences find their way into my writing.
I’ve also used countries such as Britain, India, Australia and Egypt as settings for stories.

What drives you to create your stories?

Ever since I was old enough to read, I’ve thought about writing as well. I just love the process of creating characters and world building, be it a paranormal or contemporary world. Each day is different, and I can work at my own pace. It’s fun, and there’s a real satisfaction in seeing the final product and hearing readers’ reactions. I also love being my own boss!

Soldier of Fortune - Shelley Munro

Tell us about Soldier of Fortune. Your book features a military contractor and from the excerpt, it appears she’s former military. What made you want to write a book set in Iraq? What made you want to write a military themed novel?

One of the first books I sold to Ellora’s Cave was called Summer in the City of Sails. This book has a military hero who is part of the NZSAS (New Zealand Special Air Services) although the story takes place in New Zealand. Nikolai, the hero, has two friends and Summer, the heroine, has two brothers. All four men are part of the NZ military. Readers loved the story and wanted to know about stories for the secondary characters. To be honest, I couldn’t decide on a plot that would work until I watched a documentary about New Zealanders who take up private security contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Suddenly, I had my story.

Here’s the blurb:

Joanna “Mac” McGregor loves her father, and she’ll do anything to keep him safe after Alzheimer’s starts to steal his mind. That takes money, and Mac uses her only skills—those of soldiering—when she takes up a security contract in Iraq. She doesn’t have time for men, her last vacation fling in Fiji relegated as one perfect moment to hold close during the grim reality of war.
Soldier Louie Lithgow is tired of fighting, the constant danger, and has decided this is his last contract. He wants to retire, sink his savings into a place on the beach, and find the sexy Joanna, his holiday lover.
Mac’s arrival in Iraq causes consternation. They’ve both been economical with the truth, but the attraction sizzling between them flares hot and bright. They embark on a clandestine affair—professional and confident during their high-danger day, passionate with the release of emotional stress during their torrid nights. One thing is clear—they have different goals and the future is both murky and dangerous. If they survive their contracts.

Note: Readers first met Louie in Summer in the City of Sails.
I enjoy reading romances with military heroes and this led me to want to write my own. I have a great admiration for those men and women who serve their country in this way, often sacrificing a lot to keep those at home safe. The NZSAS works under a veil of secrecy—most New Zealanders aren’t aware of the dangerous work they do in different parts of the world. Of course, this secrecy pricks at my curiosity so I read any books I can get my hands on and watch documentaries. A member of the NZSAS recently won a Victoria Cross [highest military award for valor in the British Commonwealth], the first since WWII, which fired my imagination.
I also have a fascination for the World War II era, and have written one book set in this time period. The world would be a very different place if we didn’t have men and women willing to put their lives on the line to protect us. I, for one, am very grateful for the sacrifices they make.
http://www.shelleymunro.com/books/unforgettable/

Where can we find Soldier of Fortune?

Soldier of Fortune is available as an e-book from Ellora’s Cave and should also be available from Amazon in Kindle format in the next few months.
http://www.jasminejade.com/pm-7810-127-soldier-of-fortune.aspx

Finally, what’s next for Shelley Munro?

Readers have already asked me when I’m writing Jake’s story and they’re still asking about Summer’s brothers so I hope to write those soon. I have an ongoing paranormal series called Middlemarch Mates. I’m working on book nine at present. I’m also currently doing edits for The Bottom Line, a contemporary story that’s coming out with Samhain Publishing in April 2010.

Thanks so much for being here today on Romance Roll Call. We hope you’ll stop by again with updates on your next book!

Thanks for having me here today!

Thanksgiving, like many other days while deployed to Iraq, is much like, well, every other day. The only difference is the meal at the chow hall has turkey and all the fixings and there’s cocktail shrimp.
Otherwise, turkey day is just like every other day.
That’s not to complain, only to point out that as you gather this week with your family and friends and think about everything that you have to accomplish, take a moment to truly reflect on what it means to be grateful. Take some time to look around you, at the noise of your houseguests, the disaster area of your kitchen and the spilled milk in the bathroom to be grateful for all of it.
We as a people are so much more fortunate than others. Even at our worst in America, there is so much to be thankful for. Even if you’ve never seen a ten year old boy, who looks like he’s six because he’s never had enough to eat, you can still take time to appreciate the little things.
So as you’re rushing around, freaking out because the cheesecake collapsed and the turkey is a little too dry, remember that your friends might not all be here today. That someone is mourning a distant soldier or lost friend. Remember to live each day like you might not have a tomorrow.
Be grateful for the time that you have with your kids, even when they drive you nuts. Kiss your husband, even though he forgot to pick up milk on his way home. And remember most of all to live today to the fullest.
And a special thanks to everyone who will be sharing a meal in the chow hall together. It’s an honor serving with you.

I’m thinking we’ll have a regular Friday debate about women’s roles, both in our novels and our military romance novels.

As a woman in uniform, I have a slightly different perspective on life than a civilian woman might (having never been a civilian adult, I’m only guessing). But for me, both as a mom, a soldier and an author, certain things are different for me and one thing is how much time I spend around men as opposed to women. I think this shapes the way I see things and makes me slight more critical of certain subjects.

For example, when I took over my brigade signal office, I had a senior non commissioned officer who wasn’t coming to work. He’d just gotten back from a deployment and when I called him in and wanted to know what he was doing, he said he wanted to take a burden off his wife and take his kids to school.

I have kids. I should have had sympathy right? I didn’t. I spent two deployments by myself, raising two small children on my own, while working and finishing my master’s degree. When I needed to report for Officer Candidate School, not only did I move my entire family to Maine, I drove cross country to do so, by myself.

This is all normal for me, even if it sounds abnormal to you but here’s the thing: most military spouses have gone through something like this. They’ve had to become mommy and daddy and everything in between while their – typically – husbands deploy. I had to figure out how to get the snake out of the kitchen two days after my husband left for Iraq. I had to figure everything out on my own, because he was busy in war and he didn’t have any energy left over to worry about things at home.

Now that I’ve deployed, I understand things that he went through on a whole new level. I never realized how emotionally draining it is to deploy and then to come home and have all these expectations on you.

Part of what I love about a military hero is the different takes we women have put on our fictional military man. But what about the military woman? What about the soldier moms who try to balance life and soccer practice as well as not being ‘as devoted to the job’ as their male counterparts? What about the policy that threatens punitive action for a female soldier who gets pregnant in Iraq?

There is such a diverse experience for women in the military and yet, when we talk about military romance, by and large, we still talk about our male heros. Don’t get me wrong, men make up more than 90% of the military, so it’s only logical that we’d focus on our military men.

But one thing we’ll do here on Fridays is focus on something just for the ladies, both our military women and the women who support our military men. Maybe it will be a bunch of pictures of men with dog tags on their chest. Maybe it will be highlighting a female author who used to or still serves. But I’m thinking, we’ll dedicate Fridays to our military women.

What do you think? And if you agree, can you help me come up with a title?

The whole point of this blog is to focus on military romance and those who write it, love it and live it.
But why do so many women love a man in uniform? Whether it’s a fireman, a police man or a military man, a uniform gets women’s attention.

And on a book cover, the attention grabber for me is dog tags. I love a photo of a man wearing dog tags. I even make my husband wear his around the house.

What is it about a military man that makes him stand out? Why is it a Marine will stand out in a crowd of soldiers, or a soldier will stand out in a crowd of airmen. And what is it about military men that makes them to die for heroes in romance novels?

SB Sarah had a blog post a few weeks ago where she mentioned that the alpha male was overrated but the end result was a guy who was always there when you needed him. I suggested we call this hero the steadfast hero, after the motto of the 4th Infantry Division.

Maybe the steadfast trait is something we’re looking for and if someone can commit to a military lifestyle, maybe we harbor a secret hope that he can commit to us. Military romance is harder to pull off, I think, because we speak our own language and it’s obvious when someone gets it wrong. When authors get it right, though, watch out.
Military men burn up the page with their take charge and still hold the baby attitude.

So readers, what is the attraction for a man in uniform? Why so many Navy SEAL or special forces heroes?

Welcome to Romance Roll Call. We’ll be building our blogger list over the coming weeks and months. If you know someone who’d like a spot guest blogging, please stop by.
We’ll be highlighting our favorite military romance novels and authors as well as craft tips and military facts to help writers who love military romance get any questions answered.
Welcome Aboard!