Jessica Scott

So the last couple weeks I’ve been reading LIVING IN THE END TIMES by Slavoj Zizek. Yesterday, I started reading JUSTICE by Michael Sandel. I freely admit that Zizek’s book was over my head in many cases. There were large sections that I had no earthly idea what he was talking about. But other cases resonated deeply. JUSTICE is much more up my alley and I’m absolutely hooked on the philosophy behind our ability to make decisions, so much so that I’m seriously considering using his lectures at iTunesU as part of a Leader Development Program in my company (obviously have to check into copyright & fair use first).

Here’s why. In our current operational structure, the lowest level of authority in my organization may not be the platoon. It very week could end up being a section or even a team. So I need to have young NCOs, young sergeants and specialists that can step up and make decisions – ethical and moral decisions – that will bear out in support of the mission and the commander’s intent. I think that by making them think and learn about how they make decisions and why, it will challenge them to consider their actions in a more meaningful way. Plus, its not the same old lectures about EO, Sexual Assault, etc that makes everyone’s eyes cross because it doesn’t challenge them to think. I want to challenge my future organization to be better than they think they can be. They already know they’re good. I’m hearing nothing but positives about the organization I’m becoming a part of and that, to me is exciting.

As I move into my new organization, I realize 2 things, both of which I’m learning (at least formally) somewhat late in my military career but young enough in my officer career. The first is that people need to know what you expect. You, as a leader, cannot assume that people understand your expectations, especially if your expectations are out of step (notice I did not say wrong) with the current organizations norms. Every organization has norms and values and yes, I do believe in casting a value judgment on those to say these are good and these are not so good and HERE’S WHY. Clearly articulating your expectations to your subordinates is a critical step that so many of my peers fail in. Why? Because they assume a similar basis of experience, they assume too many things. You must articulate it and then you must ensure that it is understood.

The second thing is that its not about the organization. In three years time, no one is going to remember Captain Dawson was C Co’s commander. A few folks might remember me but overall, I will pass into history with every other company commander this unit has had. The organization will continue but where I believe as a leader, I can truly make a difference is my impact on the individuals. If my soldiers know that I truly give a shit about their well being and truly believe in enabling them to perform and truly believe that I care about their families, then the organizational stuff will follow. It has to, because an organization that takes care of the individual needs is going to get supported by those individuals.

There are so many factors that go into making decisions and that’s one of the things that I’m really taking away from the Harvard Justice lectures. I’m not just listening to them because I’m an uber nerd who enjoys philosophy (true, however). I’m listening to them and reading these books because to me, I have to be able to articulate to my soldiers why I’m making the decisions I’ve made and gaining education is a way to help me to do that. If I understand it, I can then explain it in a way to make them understand it. If I can teach them how and why I make decisions, then maybe they can learn how and why to make their own decisions. Because it is at the E5 level that the Army must teach coach and mentor if we are to truly impact our ability to take care of our soldiers.

When I interviewed for this command position, my new battalion commander asked me why I wanted to be a commander. I told her that I wanted to help teach coach and mentor the next generation of leaders because I believe I can still make a difference. So that’s why I’m looking at my leader development program. That’s why I’m looking so hard at not only what decisions I will make but why. Because there is huge potential for me to screw this up and this responsibility isn’t something that I’m taking lightly. I won’t. But its not about the Army. Its about the soldiers in the army. Who can I make a difference with today. I bet if all of us, civilian and soldier alike, went out into the world with that mentality, we could dramatically improve the world around us.

One person at a time.

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Folks, join me in introducing fellow Austin RWA member Farrah Rochon. Her latest release is on sale Wednesday, September 1st, and is the launch book in her new series with Harelquin’s Kimani Romance line. You can find out more at www.farrahrochon.com, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/farrahrochon and on Facebook.

Today is also full of extra awesomeness because one commenter will win an autographed copy of HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT!

Thank you for having me at the blog today, Jess. As one of the few blogs I frequently check in on, it’s extra special to be a guest.

Tell us about HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT?

I’m extremely excited about HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT, the launch book in my brand new series with Kimani Romance. First, just getting the chance to write for a Harlequin imprint is like a dream come true. My first taste of the romance genre came from reading my great aunt’s Penny Jordan and Carole Mortimer Harlequin novels.

The idea for HUDDLE came about in a pretty unusual way. One afternoon, while driving, the name “Paige Turner” popped into my head. I thought it was cute and quirky, and would be a great name for a heroine that worked in the book industry. The ideas started flowing: make her a blogger/reviewer, have her review a popular football player’s memoir, stage an online war between them on her blog. That was the foundation for the story. By the time I pulled my car onto the side of the interstate to jot down all of these ideas, I’d decided to make the memoir part cookbook and throw a cooking competition into the mix. The result was a story that combined two of my very favorite things: football and food!

You recently had a feature article in Romantic Times Magazine, “Are you Ready for Some Football—Romance Style,” that talks about your family connection to the NFL. Can you elaborate and tell us how it influenced HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT?

Anyone that knows me knows that I love football way more than the average person, male or female. A big part of that comes from growing up in a huge football family. My uncle has been a player and coach for nearly 30 years and his son just started his second season as a starting wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns.

Whenever we could, my brother and I would travel to games. I’ve had the chance to stay in the team hotels and watch NFL games from the sidelines and press box. Not everyone has the opportunity to have such close access, so I consider myself extremely lucky. When writing HUDDLE, I used those past experiences to add a bit of authenticity to my fictional football team

.

What has been the best thing about writing this series?

I love, love, love writing the scenes between the football players. There is something about the camaraderie between guys, especially on a sports team, that is so entertaining. It’s as if I’m peeking in on the “boys club.” My first series was centered on three brothers, and some of my favorite scenes in those books were when the brothers got together for a game of pool, or golf, or basketball. I love the banter that goes on when guys get together. Boys are fun.

Can you share a bit about upcoming books in the series?

As of right now, there are four books in the New York Sabers series. The next book, I’LL CATCH YOU, features the team’s bad boy, star running back, Cedric Reeves, who finds himself without an agent just before contract negotiations. Much to his horror, it seems the only person willing to take him on as a client is spanking new sports agent, Payton Mosely. What Cedric doesn’t realize is that Payton has been around football her entire life, and not only is she sexy, but she’s also extremely savvy. I loved writing this book. The chemistry between the characters pops off the page.

I just turned in the third book in the series, which features the team’s punt return specialist and the new freelance choreographer for the Sabers’ cheerleading squad. It was so much fun to write. Seriously, how many people get to watch clips of “Dancing with the Stars” on YouTube and call it work?

Can we get a sneak peak of HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT?

Here’s a small excerpt from the first time my hero and heroine meet:

Paige rounded the corner of Mancini’s Grocery and spotted the owner in his usual spot, just outside the door, a green apron tied around his waist and a broom in his hand.

“How’s it going, Bruno?”

“Just fine, Ms. Turner,” he answered, giving the sidewalk in front of the store’s entrance a sweep, then extending his hand to help her up the single step. “Got a special treat in the store today: celebrities,” Bruno said.

“Really? You finally got Jerry Seinfeld into your store?”

“Not yet,” Bruno shook his head. “A couple of Sa–“

A large woman with a teased hairdo stomped out of the store. “Bruno Mancini, this artichoke is not fresh,” she barked.

Paige gave Bruno an apologetic shrug as she left him to handle the irate shopper. She unfolded her canvas grocery bag and went straight for the produce section. She wasn’t sure about the artichoke in question, but as far as Paige was concerned Bruno stocked the freshest produce for miles. It was one of the reasons she walked six blocks out of her way to shop here.

Paige squeezed a Roma tomato and placed it in her bag. She heard the slight commotion before she looked up and saw it reflected in the mirrored wall behind the tomato display.

Paige’s eyes widened. “Oh, good God.”

Torrian Smallwood and Theo Stokes. They were there. Right there.

And here she was, looking like a rag doll.

Torrian finished signing an autograph and left his teammate, stepping into the produce section.

Paige pulled her Running Princess cap further down until the bill nearly touched her brow. She tucked her canvas bag in close, and tried to surreptitiously walk away.

No such luck.

She ran smack into a solid wall of muscle instead. Her grocery bag fell to the floor.

“Oh, excuse me,” Paige said, glancing up. The sight caused an instant zing to shoot down her spine. He was twelve hundred and eighty times more gorgeous in person than he was on her tiny fifteen-inch television screen. He’d have to get rid of that shirt for her to determine if the real life Torrian could top the picture on the cover of his book, though.

He wore a cap. Pulled low across his forehead.

“Excuse me,” he said, his voice as smooth as butter.

Paige stooped to the floor to retrieve her bag. Torrian crouched beside her. “Let me help you with that.”

“It’s okay, I’ve got it.”

They reached for the tomato at the same time, their fingers touching. Electricity raced through her blood, traveling like lightening to the spot where his slightly rough fingers connected with hers. He looked from their hands to her face and that same electrical current shot across the span of air between them.

Paige pulled her hand away first, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from his. They slowly rose from their crouch together; their twin gazes never wavering.

“Here you go.” Torrian held the tomato out to her. “Wait.” He pulled it back before Paige could grab hold of it. “This one’s a bit bruised.” He picked another tomato from the display. “Here we are. This one’s perfect.”

“Um…thank you,” Paige said, reaching for the tomato.

He pulled it just out of her reach, and extended his right hand instead. “I’m Torrian, by the way.”

“Yeah, I know,” Paige answered, staring at his extended hand. Something in her brain told her not to touch it. Temptation came in so many forms, and six plus feet of decadent chocolate male was definitely temptation at its worst.

Or best.

Thanks so much for being with us today, Farrah. I hope everyone is as excited about HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT as I am. Its sounds like the kick off to a fantastic series!

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I saw this post on Twitter and decided that it needed to be addressed. So of COURSE I’m going to address it. Below is the link as well as the text to the original article and after that is my response.

Community Advisory Board: Everyone needs to soldier on

By Martha J. Sisk

Call me bitter, jealous or hardened if you like, but this new way of saying that our soldiers and their families are “sacrificing” just because the soldiers are in Afghanistan is a bit over the top. In my mind, the only families who are sacrificing are those who have lost a loved one to death in the wars in which we seem to be perpetually involved, or, soldiers who suffer from maiming injuries, either physical or mental.

My husband, Tom, asks if we, as a nation, have become so weak that we now must support military families with the results of mid-summer toy drives and stories about families’ “sacrifices” on TV so that the soldiers serving in Afghanistan or Iraq (or any of the other nations) won’t have to worry. Worry about what? Have we become a nation of complainers?

I can assure the reader that when my husband’s unit was under attack in Vietnam, the last thing on his mind was the quality of life his family in North Carolina was living. Hopefully today’s soldier is not different.

Vast opportunities

Tom was a soldier for more than 20 years, and those were good years. We never considered it a sacrifice – his being in the Army, even his being in Vietnam. We traveled around the United States and were privileged to live in many different states and to savor the various living styles those diverse states offered.

Let me give some examples. We lived in Texas, where we saw cows grazing in our front yard and ate rattlesnake and authentic Mexican food; Colorado, where we first became involved with Little Theater and viewed Pike’s Peak from our kitchen window; Kentucky, where our oldest attended first grade, (and we still have a blue Kentucky license plate on the garage wall); and Alabama, our very first military station. We always took advantage of travel and saw many places of interest we would not have otherwise seen. Was it sometimes lonely? Yes it was, but it also was inspiring and energizing.

We were stationed in Germany two times. The first time, from 1964 to 1966, we were fortunate to live on the German economy, where I shopped in German meat markets, farmer’s markets and dairies for our food. Where was the sacrifice? While there, I even tried some raw milk simply because my neighbors on Krautgarten Strasse were using it. I learned to speak German with such authenticity that no one I spoke to believed that I was American.

Even when Tom served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, neither of us considered his being in Vietnam a sacrifice. It was our life, and while the children and I missed him terribly, and he missed being at home, his fighting for our country was considered his job – he was a military man, and being in Vietnam was his duty. To earn money, I got a job in a hospital as an emergency room admitting clerk, and we never got toys for our children unless we paid for them. But sacrifice? I never even considered it.

On a historically sad note, when Tom came home from Vietnam that August of 1968, he was so concerned that people would view him negatively that he refused to wear his uniform.

Acceptance

Soldiers from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam were sent overseas with little or no help from the military for the families left behind; consequently, families coped the best way they could. Tom’s mother told me that while her husband, Ed (Tom’s father), served in World War II, she lived in a hotel for a while, working as a night clerk so that she could pay for the room she occupied with her two boys because she had little money. It was just what she did to have a place to live while Ed was fighting.

She never considered anything she had to do as a sacrifice – and neither did Ed. He was a soldier for more than 30 years, and World War II was just part of his service. The fact that he was overseas for three consecutive years was not even considered a sacrifice because all soldiers were sent overseas for the duration of the war. They knew that when they signed up or when they were drafted. If they were already members of the military, they accepted it.

My husband’s parents never even mentioned the word “sacrifice” when talking about those years. That was the way it was. My question is this: Were the people in previous wars more rugged than today’s soldiers and families are? Our country was built on self-reliance. We seem to have lost that, becoming a nation of whiners in the process.

I am aware that soldiers today must endure numerous unending deployments and it is something we did not suffer. Remember that today’s military is 100 percent volunteer. Military families experience a different life from civilian families and, although military life is sometimes hard, with constant change and frequent deployments, it is also exciting and joyful.

Had I remained a Concord native, I most likely would never have lived the rich and varied life I have. Therefore, here is a big “thank you” to the military for allowing Tom and me and our three children to have such wonderful and diverse experiences. The military made us what we are; it will define today’s soldier and his or her family, too.

Martha Sisk is a member of the Observer’s Community Advisory Board, which meets regularly with the editorial board to discuss local issues and contributes op-ed columns. She is a retired special-education teacher and a retired English instructor from FTCC. She is involved with the arts community in Fayetteville

Ms Sisk,
Your post misses a couple of critical points. During the previous wars, there was little to concern for military families because military service was largely compulsory. Men had no choice but to register with the Selective Service and many were called to service against their will, especially during Vietnam.

The focus on military families has occurred over the generation since the all volunteer service was implemented simply because now, the norm IS a soldier with a family. During those previous conflicts and previous generations of soldiers, military families were the exception, not the norm that it is today.

The simple fact is that a family’s well being is critical to whether or not quality soldiers remain in the military. THAT is why we care about quality of life. THAT is why we have family readiness groups to help young, inexperienced spouses handle everyday life while their soldier is off to war. We want to retain good, quality soldiers because, as you pointed out, this is an all volunteer force.

Despite your husband’s service, you obviously have no idea what its like to be half a world away and worry about a child with a fever or a child struggling with schoolwork or a spouse so overwhelmed that she can’t leave the house. You have no call to suggest that our soldiers and our soldiers families are not sacrificing as we as a military enter our TENTH year of constant war. No recent war has gone on longer. No group of soldiers has faced a more steady stream of combat. No soldier’s children have ever faced the constant on again off again rotation of their parents heading into COMBAT. A combat tour is not the same as going to Korea for a year long hardship tour. A combat tour damn sure isn’t the same as living in Germany for a couple of years and learning to speak German fluently.

Have a care how you tread on the notion of sacrifice. Congratulations, you’re tougher than many but your years as a military spouse were different than the years faced by this generation of spouses. You state in your article that your husband served in Vietnam from 1967-1968. I applaud your husband for his service but I wonder if you might look at the sacrifice our young soldiers are making if he had been gone every other year for four, five, six or seven years. Would you allow yourself to say, man, this is tough? Just maybe?

Our military families are cared for because the strain of constant deployments – something that no previous generation in the last 100 years has had to deal with – is a sacrifice. And still spouses wash the uniforms and kiss their soldiers goodbye so that people like you, who enjoyed the Pax Americana of the Cold War, can say that we are a nation of complainers.

Bravo. I applaud your willingness to join those who spat on your husband and his peers a generation ago by spitting on the notion that our soldiers and their families are not sacrificing today. I hope you’re proud and you achieved your goals. Your thanks at the end of your piece is paltry and hollow. You should have saved your breath, but I will don my uniform and defend your right to say it.

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For those of you that missed it, Humble Texas is at the center of a censorship controversy. A library event was planned with several well known, best selling young adult authors, including Ellen Hopkins, who’s books deal with some hard edged subjects like drug abuse, rape and teen prostitution.

Disclaimer: I write this post not having read any of her books but also stating that Crank, one of the books at the heart of the controversy, is on its way from Amazon.

A middle school librarian found out that Ms Hopkins was on the list of invitees and sent her objections to the superintendant who promptly disinvited Ms Hopkins. The fallout was dramatic across the blogosphere with some weighing in supporting Ms Hopkins and some supporting the school. Several authors dropped out in support of Hopkins.

Looking at the subject matter of Ms Hopkins books, I would argue that they are appropriate for some teens and not others. As a parent and as a prospective young adult author, I’m reading her book to find out what the deal is as well as whether or not I would be comfortable letting my kid read it (understanding that it will be many years down the road before that becomes appropriate subject matter for my daughters).

I applaud Ms Hopkins for writing her books because she is absolutely correct that pretending that drug abuse, sexual abuse, rape and teen prostitution are non issues only sends kids dealing with these issues into the dark. Shining a light on these matters is not done lightly.

Ms Hopkins candidly says on her website that her own daughter was addicted to meth and she wrote Crank as a way of exploring what might have driven her daughter to use. I can’t imagine anything more troubling to write, more heart wrenching to put on paper and I think the fact that she wrote this book is huge in a society where drug use is on the rise and everyone pretends that its not my kid.

That said, I also believe that the school district could have handled this better. They could have very easily had a group of authors that write young adult novels geared toward older kids. They easily could have told parents that she was coming and let the PARENTS make the decision about whether or not to let their kids buy her book. After all, it is not the school board’s job to raise my children, it is might and the fact that the superintendant took it upon himself to remove her from the program – supposedly without reading any of them – means that no real debate is going to occur about whether this author is causing harm or promoting discussion about one of our society’s shameful secrets.

It is my job as a parent to decide what is appropriate for my kid to read. There are nonfiction books in my house (on religion as an example) that I would not feel comfortable letting my daughters read when they’re 13 (the youngest target audience of ya readers) but wouldn’t have issue with once they’re older. Just because its young adult doesn’t necessarily mean its appropriate for all teens at all ages.

There is nothing wrong with telling a middle school age kid that Ms Hopkins book is probably not right for her. But telling all kids that and the school making the decision for me? No. We have to raise our kids to think for themselves and to make decisions without us. We are there to guide them in a world that would use them up and throw them away without a second glance. Pretending that there are no bad things out there does our kids a disservice and sends them out among the wolves unprepared.

I can’t say whether or not I would let my daughters read Ms Hopkins book when they’re older. I’ll let you know after I read Crank. I do, however, take another lesson from this whole debacle. As an author who is currently working on a book for teens, I realize that I have an obligation to deal honestly with the issues but also to tread carefully the lines between gratuitous sex or violence or drug use and confronting a very real problem. This book is geared toward other people’s children. I hope that their parents will read with their kids and discuss rather than censor.

Because censorship by government or any ruling body merely makes sheep of the masses and I think we have enough of that problem already.

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Well, today was the day. I’ve got to tell you, looking at myself wearing those captains bars is REALLY weird. I mean, really. I already talked about what I thought this meant yesterday but today, thought I’d do a rare thing and share some photos. Hope you enjoy!

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Today, 15 years ago, I stood in the parking lot of my high school and kissed my family goodbye, heading to the Portland, Maine MEPs station to enlist in the Army. Getting to August 25 was a challenge for me. The Army hadn’t wanted the little fat girl so I had to get in shape if I’d wanted to do this. So I did and I headed out, enlisting as a little Private E2 with a pair little tiny mosquito wings pinned on my collar.

15 years later, I’m no longer a private and I feel like I’m a lifetime away from that eager kid who joined the Army because she didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up. Tomorrow morning, my former brigade commander, my husband and my daughters will promote me to captain. If you would have told me I was going to someday be a captain, let alone married with two kids and happy about all that, I’d have asked you what you were smoking.

I don’t think any of us really know where life is going to take us. I always laughed when people told me their plans when I was a kid. I’m going to college to study this or that. Or I want to do this when I grow up. I really had no idea about any of that. I really did sign up just because I figured it couldn’t hurt, what’s the worst that could happen. But over the years, I’ve learned and I’ve grown and there are certain retired CSMs still around to kick me in my ass and remind me of when I was a smart mouth private. Turns out, that smart mouthed private was just as smart mouthed lieutenant. But I never said I was good at making friends and influencing others.

All that is changing tomorrow. Not so much with pinning on captain, though, I’ve got to say, I am happy to finally not be assumed to be stupid by getting rid of that lieutenant bar. On the other hand, I’ve gotten used to being called LT. Or XO. When I first commissioned, I had real problems being called ma’am. You’ve got to remember, I spent 12 years enlisted, almost 11 of them as an NCO. You NEVER call an NCO ma’am or sir. Ever. So that was a big mental leap for me in my transition to becoming an officer and setting aside some of my NCO tendencies. Tomorrow, another one comes.

Because tomorrow isn’t just about becoming a captain and pinning those shiny rail road tracks onto my stetson. A few weeks after that, I become a commander and the looming responsibility and the potential for screwing up of epic proportions is weighing on me. I realize that as the commander, I’m responsible for everything my soldiers do and don’t do. I owe them the very best that I can give them, nothing less than 100%. I owe them the training and the leadership that will take us through the next deployment. That is my responsibility and its not one that I’m taking lightly. I’ve watched over the last few months how my husband has changed since becoming a first sergeant. The responsibility is heavy but I read somewhere that great responsibility gravitates to the shoulders that can carry it. I don’t know if that’s true in my case, but I’m going to do my best to make it so.

The charge to lead soldiers is not an easy one. It is not one that someone is born to. At least, not most of us. Most of us are grown and trained and developed. All captains don’t get a shot at command. I’m fortunate to have a battalion commander who thinks I’ve got what it takes. I won’t let her down, but more importantly, I won’t let my soldiers down.

Because at the end of the day, its about our soldiers, not about me or what I wear on my chest. It’s about them. How can I make a difference in their lives and make the Army a better place? The day I stop believing that is the day I need to retire.

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Every so often, an article or information comes at you from a unique place. I don’t subscribe to Vogue magazine. There is nothing in its 400 plus pages of advertising that I find even remotely interesting. It doesn’t draw my attention in the check out counter at the grocery store. True, there are often some good articles buried within the bulimic looking mannequins that are supposed to be icons of fashion but I really couldn’t be bothered to hunt for them every month amid mass advertisements for mascara or Prada. Not that I don’t like those things. I do. I just don’t read about them on a regular basis. I suppose that Vogue is for women what Playboy is for men. We really are reading it for the articles. No really.

So when my agent emailed me and told me about an article on soldier mothers, of course I went out and bought it. This thing weighs a ton and true to the few copies I’ve read over the years, mostly on overseas flights, there were a ton of advertisements. But the article that caught my attention was Bye Bye, Baby by Elizabeth Rubin and I’ve got a few comments on it (really did you expect anything less?).

First, the author repeats the media truism that Alexis Hutchinson is a poor, exploited victim of an Army that simply doesn’t care about family life. If you remember, Hutchinson was arrested and charged with missing movement, dereliction of duty, absent without leave and insubordinate conduct. Note that none of these charges was her failure to have a family care plan. She was ultimately separated from the military in lieu of court martial and, according to the Press Release issued by Fort Stewart, admitted to lying about her family care plan. So was she really a victim of the evil Army attacking a poor single mom or was she trying to avoid doing her duty? Only she knows but the Army’s investigation reveals that the case is not as the media presented it to be.

The reason I take issue with the media portrayal of Hutchinson’s case is that it is complete and utterly misleading the public on the realities of mothers in the military. When single mothers enlist, they must voluntarily give up custody of their children to someone else. When a female soldier becomes pregnant, she must have a valid family care plan 90 days prior to the scheduled birth of her child and KNOWS that she is required to fulfill her obligations as a soldier. Every single mother on active duty knows that it is not a question of if she will have to leave her children, but when and still we serve. In fact, there has been no mass exodus of women leaving the military due to pregnancy since the wars began. According to the Defense Manpower Center statistics, since 2001, the numbers for pregnancy separations have remained relatively steady on average around 1500.

There are significantly more men separated for a variety of other reasons every year. And yes, that include percentages as well. The Army doesn’t just randomly court martial people for no reason and not having a family care plan is not a court martialable offense. Dereliction of duty, however, is.

The second issue that I have with Rubin’s article is that she incorrectly states that the Army only gives 4 months of nondeployable time after the birth of a child when in fact, the Army policy is in fact 6 months. Is this still woefully inadequate for the mother of a newborn? Absolutely. But if you’re going to write an article about how terrible the Army is to new mothers, its important to at least practice some Google-fu before hand and make sure the facts are accurate.

The third thing that actually has me the most irate about the Vogue article is the statement, highlighted in a call out box that says “Not even the Soviets, the Israelis, or the Iraqi Baathist have sent mothers of infants and toddlers to the front lines like we do.”

First off, comparing the Israeli army to the Soviets and the Baathists is offensive in too many ways to count. The Israeli army is often held up as a paragon of coed combat when in fact, women are not in the infantry there any more than they are in the infantry in our own army. But stating that our Army is somehow “exploiting the blanket mandatory deployment because we need bodies to feed the global military machine” clearly shows the authors bias against our military and our current wars. Comparing our army to the Soviets and the Baathist is a cheap tactic that not only undermines every single value the Army holds up as a virtue, it also devalues the soldiers that make up this great Army and is willing to guard the gates so that you can go about your business buying shoes or purses and ignoring the capitalist reality that buying said purse has on the world around you.

There are, however, facts in Rubin’s article that I agree with. We don’t know the long term impact on the children of their mothers being gone and the evidence that is starting to be gathered suggests that some children will have long term challenges while others will be fine. And I can also relate to the experiences of one of the mothers in her article, when she says she’s short on patience and has difficulty reintegrating. I do believe that mothers have a harder time coming home than fathers do because our role in our families is different. Not better, not worse. Different. Rubin’s article also does a brilliant job of depicting how mothers deal with combat situations and how they relate those experiences in war to when they come home.

There are entire academic papers, both within the military and without, that argue the role of women and mothers in the military. Arguing that the 6 month non deployable status is too little ignores the operational needs of the war fighting units that have been on back to back to back deployments since 2001. Women in the military are expected to do their jobs, just like our male counter parts. THAT is equality.

Arguing that new moms should get a longer nondeployable period is great for mothers and for retaining some of these young women in the force. We NEED good soldiers on Rear Detachment so leaving some of these leaders back to care for their children and ensure that the soldiers left in the rear have good leadership is one argument for giving new mothers longer non deployable time. But we have the luxury of having this debate now as the war winds down. We did not have this luxury two, three or four years ago at the height of Iraq and as Afghanistan heats back up, we must never forget that our soldiers are STILL at war and THAT must be our focus.

At the end of it all, Rubin uses these women’s stories to paint a failed or failing picture of the conflict in Afghanistan. She starts the article talking about military moms but ends it talking about American resolve. I don’t believe she was being malicious in her article, but I do believe she used the soldiers’ stories to serve her own agenda, just as any reporter or writer does.

I simply abhor the fact that she once more held Hutchinson up as the poster child for military moms when there are thousands and thousands of us who do our duty and still try to be good moms. I abhor the fact that she compares our army to the Soviets and the Baathists, as if somehow implying that our army is forcing mothers to choose this life and is sending them to the front lines with a gun to the back of their head.

Mothers on active duty have a choice to serve or not. No one forces them to raise their right hand and when the Army pays for the birth of your child, gives that child healthcare and pays you to help put a roof over that child’s head, all the Army asks is for you to do your part. It is all we all do. The Army is not a welfare state. We have rules that clearly lay out what we as mothers must do to serve.

So please, stop acting like we’re exploited victims of the evil male Army. Accept that we are here because we choose to be here, with all that entails for our families. We are responsible for our choices, just as our male counterparts are. THAT is what feminism is about.

The power to choose our paths through this world, just as any man can choose his path.

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Last year, I was sitting in Iraq, crying my eyes out as my little girl came home from her first day of kindergarten. I remember sitting in my CHU, listening as my mom held her on her lap. She wouldn’t talk because she was exhausted from school. I could practically see her curled up on my mom’s lap on the porch, just listening to my voice and my husbands voice from halfway around the world.

When we came home from Iraq, she started a new school, halfway through the school year. Within a day, she hated school, hated going, didn’t want to get up in the morning. All of it. I won’t lie and tell you coming home and getting her back into school down here in Texas was easy. It wasn’t. in fact, it was pretty close to hell. My husband and I thought about pulling her out of Kindergarten and back into pre-K. We thought about getting her tested. We talked about counseling.

All my little girl needed was some time. Through working with her teacher, truly a gift that year, we managed to get through it. She’d send home notes or emails and I’d reinforce what was going on in school. And she did it. I am so freakin proud of my little girl for getting through that. I know thousands of military kids go through stuff like that every year but you know what? Those aren’t my kids. Mine was the one I was worried about.

So this year, getting to be here and walk her into her classroom this morning was a very big deal for us. And for her too. She was all smiles, and very excited to go. There was only one girl in her class from last year (I admit to being disappointed that she didn’t end up in class with her best friend from last year but she’ll be okay) and I love her teacher. But thinking back on last year and remembering how upset I was that I missed it makes the coming year so much more special. Missing her first day of school was by far one of the worst days I had over there. And being here for it this year was so precious. My little one, however, remains grumpy that she’s not starting school this year but she’ll be okay. Of that, I’m certain.

For us military moms and dads, there is so much over the last decade that we’ve missed out on. Some moms have deployed only once and have been fortunate to be there for their kids. Other moms have deployed back to back since 04 or 01 and haven’t caught a break. And neither have the dads. Its tough to maintain a sense of family when one half of the family is gone every other year. But this is what we do. Its part of the sacrifice that we make when we raised our right hand and either commissioned or enlisted or in some cases, both.

So don’t pity us. Don’t act like military moms are victims of some male misogyny when we have to deploy away from our families. Don’t hold up women who deliberately shirked their duties as soldiers as some kind of martyr for military moms. We’re here because we want to b here and we do our jobs, just like everyone else.

Its just that sometimes, we close the door to our CHU and cry our eyes out because we missed a first day of school, or a birthday, or some other milestone that will only be lived through pictures. It hurts and sometimes, you have to let the hurt out. And then you put it away and get back after it because the soldier to your left and right needs you to have your head in the game.

And it makes those milestones that you are home for just that much more special.

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Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by the blog the last couple of days. JK, have you picked a winner?

Hey folks — a quick edit and a surprise. Winners were selected by drawing, and since one of the names plucked from the hat already has an ARC, we decided to draw a third name: Weng-Him Cheung. So our winners are Jennifer Rayment, Talina Perkins and Weng-Him Cheung! Shoot your info to JK, and thanks!

Thanks so much, JK. I hope everyone had as much fun reading the excerpts as I did hosting them. And I hope you’ll check out When Blood Calls, available wherever books are sold August 31!

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We’re back again with JK Beck’s last day with us, talking about her new series, the Shadow Keepers. The first book, When Blood Calls has a yummy vampire as the hero. JK, why do you think vamps are so popular in paranormal romance?

I’ll say the fantasy, plain and simple. And it plays on multiple levels. A dark and dangerous man tamed by the love of a woman. A woman strong enough to do that (and don’t we all put ourselves in the heroine’s shoes somewhat? And she must be strong to bring a vamp to his knees!). The embodiment of the desire to be taken care of and nurtured, and there’s something sexy and appealing about a big strong man playing that role, the bigger and stronger the sexier—and who’s bigger and stronger than a vamp? And there’s also the flirting with danger aspect. Bad boys are hot, but most of us don’t marry them. Spending time with them in a romance, though….

There are elements of urban fantasy, suspense and thriller in your books. Does that make them less of a romance?

Not at all! The key to a romance –the hallmark, if you will—is that happily ever after on the heels of the struggle to get there. The story arcs over the relationship, and the relationship ends well. Got that, and you got a romance. Beyond that, the material you clothe that romance in is what defines subgenre’s and, to a certain extent, authors. I like a lot of plot in my books, so my writing trends toward the suspense/thriller side!

What was your favorite scene to write?

Oh…that’s a hard one! My favorite out of the entire series would be one of the early loves scenes in When Wicked Craves, because the heroine (Petra) can’t touch without turning who she touches into a monster. So I had to be very creative! (And yeah, those scenes are sexy and hot!)

In Blood, I had tons of fun writing the early dialogue between Luke and Sara. There’s so much tension there coloring the scenes stemming from what he is (vampire, murder defendant, her hot one-night stand) and how that makes her feel about both him and about herself since she knows all that and yet the attraction is still there bubbling just under the surface. Yummy stuff! Oh, and there’s one scene in particular with Luke’s friend Serge, a vampire who has some serious issues, that I absolutely love. It’s dark and twisted and was an absolute blast to write! (I love Serge!)

We don’t really know the characters yet, but for readers who are going to be reading Blood soon, which of the characters can we expect to see in later books?

Several! Nicholas is the hero in When Wicked Craves, and Serge plays a role in all three of these books (as does Nick). Serge will get his own book, currently titled When Danger Hungers. And Doyle is set to have his own book in When Temptation Burns. Both of those books (along with Tiberius’s book, When Passion Lies) are in the pipe, but don’t yet have release dates. I’ll put that on my website as soon as I know!

Got another excerpt for us?

Sure thing! Since we started out talking about sexy vamps, I thought I’d share one of the scenes between Luke and Sara! Steam, but still rated PG for the net!

Sara started to ease toward him, then stopped, carefully planting herself on the far side of the bed from him. “Luke —”

He lifted the tulip, wanting to silence her, not wanting to hear that he needed to leave, especially since all he wanted to do was stay. “I’m sorry you didn’t like the flowers.”

Her cheeks bloomed pink. “I liked them.”

He glanced at the trashcan.

She lifted an eyebrow, amused. “That? That’s because I didn’t much like you.”

“And now?”

She swallowed, hesitated. “Don’t press your luck,” she said, but there was no way she could hide the scent of her arousal or the way her nipples peaked beneath the thin t-shirt.

He inched closer to her, a single pillow the only barrier between them. He took it, and tossed it on the floor.

“You can’t be here,” she said, but she didn’t retreat.

“But I am.” He reached out, wanting to touch her. Knowing this was why he’d come, this sweet seduction. And yet this wasn’t about plans or plots or exit strategies. It was about Sara. The woman kneeling before him. The woman leaning in, ever so slightly, but enough to fill his heart with hope.

“You touch me, Sara, in ways that it would be better that you did not. I know I should leave — know even that you should push me away. And yet I cannot stop.”

He reached out, brushing a hand to her cheek. He’d planned this, and yet there was no lie in his movements, no deceit in his desire.
The tempo of her heartbeat increased beneath his fingers, and he thought of the blood that flowed in her veins. Sweet, delicious, like the woman herself. He thought, and he wanted, and the hunger that he had been fighting for hours surged within, the daemon crying for release.

He beat both back down, subordinating them to his desire, now a living, breathing thing. “Sara,” he said, voicing the only word that came to mind. “Please.”

***
Luke eased closer, and now he was right in front of her, mere inches away. So close she could reach out and touch him, if only she wanted to.

She told herself she didn’t want to.

Since she didn’t seem to be listening to herself, she scooted off the bed, taking the control box with her as she stalked into her living room.

“Sara.” He was right behind her.

She licked her lips, managed to form words. “I can’t.”

“You can,” he said. She saw her own lust reflected in the hard planes of his face. Lust, and something else. A hunger that both frightened and excited her.

She swallowed, fever gripping her body as he moved closer still. “You need to go.”

His smile was slow and full of promise. “I still have time.”

“I won’t risk my job for you.” Her mouth was dry and she wanted to put her hand on his chest and push him back a step, if only so that her mind would clear of the buzz he was generating. Her body might not care what he was, but she did. He was the defendant. He was a murderer; she was certain of it. And she was the one who would seal his prison cell tight.

“Leave,” she said, forcing her chin up. “Leave now.”

“No.”

“No?”

“You don’t want me gone.”

“Yes.” The word came out weak, so she tried again. “Yes, I do.”

“And yet here I stand, when you need only push one small button to summon the power of the PEC to drag me off.” His eyes dipped down to the control box in her hand, and then back to her face. “If you wanted me gone, I wouldn’t still be standing here.”

“No,” she whispered, but there was little conviction in the word. “I’ll do it. I’ll push the panic button.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re not panicking.”

Awesome!! And today we draw for two, count ‘em, two ARCs from all the folks leaving comments. Say anything you want, but also feel free to comment on today’s question. JK?

Let’s see. How about this: What’s your favorite paranormal creature in fiction? Vamps? Werewolves? Faeries? Share, and tell why!

Thanks for being with us, JK! Remember, you can read more at http://www.theshadowkeepers.com or http://www.jkbeck.com or follow JK on facebook (authorjkbeck) or twitter (jkbeck).

Thanks so much for having me!

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Yesterday, we talked a bit about the name thing. What’s the hardest thing about having a new name?

Well, obviously I want to spread the word to my readers, because even though the books are edgier than most of my Julie Kenner books, they’re still me, and fundamental aspects of my voice come through, and I think my existing readers will enjoy the books. That’s not an easy thing, though, when you consider that although we think of the Internet as this huge beast, a lot of readers aren’t on the web, at least not in the way that many of the folks dropping by this blog are. So for those readers, I really have to hope that they get the word through booksellers and word of mouth – or that they’re simply drawn to the kickass covers that Bantam came up with. Seriously, I love these covers!

As for the folks who are on the web, well, obviously I’ve told my Facebook friends and Twitter followers, and I’m not shy about sharing on my websites. But I want to get to the widest audience possible, so I pondered how best to do that. Here are the fruits of my pondering:

Yes, I have a weird sense of humor…and a very cooperative family!

And, of course, events like this help spread the word…so thanks!

You’re very welcome! So you have this paranormal world, and paranormal judicial system. That seems very “rules” and “mythology” oriented. Was it hard introducing the reader?

Yes and no. On the one hand, I have gobs and gobs of outtakes from When Blood Calls wherein I went off on tangents dealing with the ins-and-outs of the process. (I may clean them up and post them in a deleted scenes area on my webpage…I’ll have to find them in the mess that is my computer filing system!). Those scenes weren’t really relevant to the actual story (the romance) and they contained nothing the reader needed to know right then. So to a certain extent, it was hard to rein myself in and reveal only what the reader really needs to know.

Ultimately, Sara was my talisman in that regard. She’s as new to the world as the reader is, so things can be revealed to her at the same time that they’re revealed to the reader.

Sara and Luke have an instant attraction to one another. Do you think that’s realistic?

Yup! I met my husband opening night of Jurassic Park (June of 1993 for those of you who are not walking movie encyclopedias). He was a friend of a friend and I was instantly smitten (turns out so was he). Got engaged before I went home for my high school reunion that summer. Got married in October of that year. Seventeen years and two kids later, I’d have to say that instant attraction works for me.

Not only is it realistic (from my perspective on life) but it adds a layer to the story, because you have to have the characters deal with that. There’s the slam-bam sexual chemistry, but then the characters have to work through all the other conflict, internal and external, to get them to the place where they can, truly, be together and not have it be all about sex. I enjoy the slow build, too, but hot and fast does ring true to me!

Speaking of Sara, you said you’d have a Sara excerpt for us today?

Absolutely! Enjoy!

“Sara Constantine. I’m Nostramo Bosch.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“We’re very excited to have you on board. I’ve been monitoring your career for quite a while. I hope you decide to accept the position.”

She had absolutely no intention of walking away. But she couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if she did.

Bosch chuckled, as if he could read her thoughts. Then again, Sara supposed that maybe he could. “Don’t worry. You have a perfect right to say no. And if you do, you’ll simply go back upstairs and slip back into your old job.”

“No way,” she said, then realized she’d blurted the response out far too quickly for propriety. She turned to Porter. “I didn’t mean —”

“I understand,” he said, amusement in his voice.

“But I’m curious,” she admitted. “I could just go back? After having seen all of this?”

Bosch waved his hand, as if dismissing that complication. “We have creatures on staff more than capable of adjusting your memory. At most, it would seem like a very vivid dream.”

She was digesting that tidbit of information when Bosch’s phone buzzed. “Mr. Porter’s needed back on the main floors,” a melodic voice announced. “And the suspect is settled in Interview A.”

“Thank you, Martella.”

“I’ll take my leave then,” Porter said. He turned to Sara, then took her hand in his, giving it a friendly pat. “I’m the only one in my office who knows the true nature of Division 6. You’re welcome to speak with your friends, of course, but don’t forget the cover story. A division of Homeland Security, and you’re not at liberty to share any more information.”

“Right. Thank you.” She smiled politely, surprised to find she wasn’t nervous about him leaving her alone down here. Just the opposite, actually. She was eager to get on with it. To find out the details of this strange new world.

Bosch was watching her face, his expression approving. “We’ll walk out with you,” he said to Porter.

He slipped into his suit coat, and they followed Porter out into the hall. But when he turned back toward the reception area, Bosch led Sara further into the bowels of the building, moving through doors, striding down crowded hallways, and finally stopping outside a room labeled Interview A. “Porter didn’t have the chance to explain my job in much detail,” she said.

“Your job’s exactly the same,” Bosch said. “It’s only the rules that have changed.”

“The rules?”

He opened the door, and they stepped into an anteroom, completely empty. The walls were concrete, painted a dull gray, with one exception — the far wall featured a window of opaque black glass beside a heavy steel door. A control panel was mounted between the door and the glass.

“Normally, I’d give you a little more time to take it in. To get your bearings. But I want you in at the ground floor of this case.”

“That’s what Mr. Porter said.” She looked toward the closed door, imagining the defendant waiting beyond it.

“Right now, the short hand version. Division 6 is the cover story for one arm of an ancient organization we now call the Preternatural Enforcement Coalition. The PEC’s been functional in some form or other almost since the dawn of civilization, though I’ll admit it’s become more bureaucratic of late. We have one purpose, to bring those of our kind who would do evil to justice.”

“But?”

“You could say that we are a self-regulatory agency. We do not operate under the laws of humans. We operate under the Covenant, a series of laws created and modified over millennia.”

“And these laws have jurisdiction over whom? Werewolves? Vampires? All the spooky things Porter mentioned when we were in the elevator?”

“The Shadow creatures. Exactly.”

“Okay.” She licked her lips, forcing herself to look at this like any job, any problem.

“But I’m human. Doesn’t that matter?”

“No, though humans are rare among our ranks. We only offer positions to the best and the brightest. Humans we have determined to be psychologically capable of moving into this world.”

“Oh.” She looked at him. “Are you human?”

“No.”

She nodded, desperately wanting to ask what he was, but fearing that would cross some sort of prosecutor-boss etiquette line.

“You said it’s a new case?”

“New, and high profile. The enforcement wing apprehended the defendant this morning. He’s finished processing, and is waiting for us. I don’t expect you to participate today, but I do want you here for the preliminary interview.”

“What’s the charge?”

“Murder. He killed a retired judge. One of our judges.”

“What was the murder weapon?”

“The defendant was the weapon,” Bosch said as he pushed one of the buttons on the control panel. “He can’t see us,” Bosch said. “One way glass.”

As he spoke, the glass shifted from opaque black to transparent, revealing the interior of the interrogation room. Sara stifled a gasp, carefully schooling her face into absolutely no reaction at all.

Not that Bosch was watching her. He was staring at the defendant. He was staring at Luke. At the man whose hands had brought her skin to life. The man whose tongue had laved her. Whose cock had filled her. Whose urgent thrusts had left her moaning and begging for more.

The man who’d shared her disgust when she’d outlined Stemmons’s crimes, and who’d helped celebrate her victory when she’d shared the jury’s verdict.

The man who’d left a bundle of tulips on her doorstep. Who’d filled her thoughts and eased her dreams.

The man now sitting there accused of murder.

“Sara? You okay? I know it’s a lot to take in.”

She cleared her throat, remembering the gentle way his fingers had caressed her neck. “You said the defendant was the weapon? What exactly did you mean by that?”

“Pretty standard stuff in this division,” Bosch said. “Lucius Dragos is a vampire.”

Cool! Don’t forget, you can find JK at http://www.jkbeck.com or http://www.theshadowkeepers.com And follow her on twitter (jkbeck) and facebook (authorjkbeck).

JK, what’s today’s question for comments?

Something fun! How about….how would you react if you discovered your significant other was a vampire? Or, if you’d rather, what’s the freakiest thing that you’ve ever discovered about someone you’re dating and/or married to!

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Notice something different? My blog has been taken by force by the PEC and handed the reigns over to JK Beck! She’s going to be here until Friday, talking about her new series. Hey, J.K.! Thanks for being here!

Thanks for having me…and for keeping me around for three whole days! What a great way to kick off a blog tour! And giveaways, too! We’re giving away two—count ‘em—two ARCs of WHEN BLOOD CALLS, the first book in my upcoming Shadow Keepers series.

We’ll be giving away the ARCs on Friday, drawing names from folks who’ve commented across all three days! So be sure and come back and comment to increase your chances of winning!

So what was the inspiration for this series?

Great question! Backtracking a bit to set the stage, the series centers around a paranormal judicial system. Just for fun, I went and pulled the language I’d included in my original proposal that went out to publishing houses when my agent and I were selling the series:

A judicial system that mirrors our own familiar court system, but designed to apprehend, prosecute, adjudicate and detain those paranormal creatures who break the Covenant, a series of laws first formalized in the cuneiform writing of ancient Sumaria, kept alive and updated today by a paranormal legislative body with authority over all the creatures of the dark.

Located physically beneath courthouses and government buildings throughout the world, the PEC is a secret organization known by only a select group of humans. Each country’s government has created a cover story for the existence of a PEC Division. In the United States, the PEC now falls under the auspices of Homeland Security. The cover story for PEC employees is that they work for “Division 6,” and that they aren’t at liberty to discuss their particular assignments.

The “PEC” stands for the Preternatural Enforcement Coalition. In the original incarnation, the organization was the JM, or Judicare Maleficum. But that changed! The Latin phrase still shows up in the first book, though—I’ll leave it to readers to find that little cameo!

So that’s the background. The inspiration came from my background as an attorney. I can’t remember the actual spark (with some books I can), but I do remember that I was deep into another proposal when I had the idea, and it grabbed hold and wouldn’t let go. I worked it up a bit, then sent an email to my agent. Her reaction was exactly what I’d anticipated: forget the other idea and focus on this one. And I’m so glad I have; these characters and stories are so tormented and twisted that it’s great fun being the author and pulling all their strings.

Do you really pull all the strings?

Ah, no. You caught me. I flesh out the basic storyline, but the characters reveal themselves and their stories, and more often than not characters will leap into the story without my having any idea as to their existence until they show up on the page. It’s a writerly sort of magic, I guess, and it’s my favorite part of the process.

These are your first books as J.K. Beck, but you said that you recall the spark of other books. Tell us about your alter ego…and why the new name. For that matter, why “JK Beck”?

I’ve been writing for years as Julie Kenner, and most of those books have had a light-ish feel to them, with the exception of the recent Blood Lily Chronicles. Those books, however, were urban fantasy and published by the same publisher that does the Demon Hunting Soccer Mom books, which are written with a light hand despite exploring some dark themes. My romances especially have tended toward the light/quirky side.

These books are not only significantly darker and edgier, but they’re also for a new publisher, and we all thought a new name made sense. Then, of course, we had to choose a name. For me, it wasn’t hard. The “JK” stands for…wait for it…”Julie Kenner” (I bet you knew that!) and “Beck” is my maiden name. I was Beck for a lot longer than I’ve been Kenner, so I think it’s cool to get to go back to that name. (Waving at all my high school, college, law school friends!)

Can you share an excerpt with us?

But of course! Since I’m here for three days, I thought I’d pull an excerpt that focuses on the hero and his friend/attorney Nicholas, also a vampire. Nick gets his own book in WHEN WICKED CRAVES. We’ll meet Sara in tomorrow’s excerpt!

***spoiler alert***This is midway through the book, so keep in mind that things may be revealed by the characters that could be considered clues and/or spoilers!

“I came here planning to punch you in the face,” Nick said, his perfect face twisted in anger. “Although I was considering postponing my assault, however much you may deserve it, as I’ve got something more pressing to talk with you about.”

“My relief knows no bounds,” Luke said.

“Oh, what the hell.” And then, before Luke could anticipate it, Nick’s fist shot out and slammed into his nose. Bone and cartilage shattered. Blood oozed down the back of his throat.

And somewhere deep within Luke, the beast reared its head and growled.

Luke forced himself to be calm. Forcing the anger back down where it belonged, taking hold of the chains and twisting, trying to choke the life from the beast. And only when he was certain that he could control it did he look up at his friend.

Nick took a step forward. “You locked me in a coffin. And I had to wake up to Ryan Doyle’s ugly face.”

“About that, I truly am sorry. No one should have to suffer that way.”

“Dammit, Luke, after everything we’ve been through, and you pull this shit? Play anyone else you like, line up your pieces however they make sense to you. But you do not play me. Not me. Not ever. We clear?”

“We are.” Luke understood Nick perfectly, which wasn’t the same as acquiescing, but he didn’t feel compelled to point that out. “Now tell me what’s gotten under your skin.” He needed to speak to Nick about the escaped serial killer and the vampire who had helped him, but that conversation would have to wait. Something was up, and Luke quelled a growing sense of unease as he waited for his friend to speak.

“Ryback called,” Nick said, as dread latched her claws into Luke. “Tasha wasn’t in the apartment.”

“There’s more,” Luke said, a slow, boiling fury replacing the dread. “Tell me.”

“He found goblin blood.”

Dear gods, Tasha. “You tried her cell?”

“I did. No answer.”

“You go there,” Luke said, his voice tight with fury. “Use my jet so you can travel by day, but go there, find Serge, and find out what the fuck has happened to my ward. And get my bail hearing moved up. I cannot be in here with Tasha lost in the world. She’s a child, Nick, trapped in the body of a woman. She needs protection. She needs me.” He looked hard at his friend. “Do whatever you must to make it so.”

“I will,” Nick said, “though your actions tonight might make that more difficult.”

Luke lifted his brow in question.

“Constantine’s pool deck,” he continued. “Caught the news as I was coming here. The human cops have swarmed the place. Apparently some girl had the blood sucked out of her.”

“Terrible thing,” Luke said.

“Dammit, Luke, you had to go and feed?”

“As a matter of fact, I did.”

“It’s a crime to suck the life from a human,” Nick said mildly. “Or hadn’t you heard?”

Luke shot him a look that had his friend recoiling.

“If the prosecution connects the dots, that’s not going to help your case on bail.”

“The prosecution already knows,” Luke said, then waited for Nick to connect those dots.

It didn’t take long. “Dammit, Luke. You told her? A gung-ho prosecutor with something to prove? She might make a fine asset, Luke, but don’t let the game turn into something more.” He cocked his head, as if rearranging a puzzle in his mind. “Oh, no. No. Don’t go there. She’s the prosecutor. Your prosecutor. Whatever fantasy you’re clinging to, you need to let it go.”

Ironic, thought Luke, that his friend could find that one sliver of hope despite all Luke’s efforts to hide it. “Don’t worry,” Luke said. “I know who and what she is.”

What she was, he thought, was dangerous. A woman who would imprison him. The same woman who freed him. Who calmed the daemon within.

Nick eyed him warily. “You know who she is,” he repeated. “But don’t forget who you are, too. Who you are, and what you do.”

Thanks! You can find JK at http://www.jkbeck.com or http://www.theshadowkeepers.com And follow her on twitter (jkbeck) and facebook (authorjkbeck).

JK, do you have a question for comments?

Absolutely: You’re a heroine in a paranormal romance…what are the characteristics of your ideal vampire hero? Go for it!

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I’ve had this blog in the background for some time, because I couldn’t figure out what the right time was to post it. Originally, this post was going to be about online piracy and getting books for free from pirates and the real world consequences of those decisions to download a book and not pay for it. But today, it’s not about piracy, though I will eventually post that sometime in the future.

Today, I’m talking about comments. Yesterday, I watched two people essentially start a flame war. Multiple hurtful comments were made and I took the time to chime in, specifically because of this blog I’ve had building.

Basically, I drew on my experiences in the online world, telling about some of the harsher comments that an agent made about me on her blog and some of the comments made in response to my PBS and New York Times pieces. I drew on those illustrations and pointed out, however, that I chose to seek to be a public figure and in doing so, gave everyone the right to say “who does this bitch think she is.” I also pointed out that the group had the potential to be damaged by what was going on and that we all needed to consider our actions online.

I am reasonably certain one of the individuals involves is no longer speaking to me. This saddens me because I have lost someone who I considered a friend. But it is her choice and I have lost other friends in the past. She, like the others, will be missed but I will not loose sleep if she cannot see how her actions might be used as a lesson to better the group.

That being said, I fully accept that what I wrote is the cause of her choice.

But the bottom line is that I posted something online with real world consequences.

Back in 2007, I was getting ready to go to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning. In preparation, there was a message board where candidates could meet up, ask questions about getting ready for the course and generally share their knowledge to help others prepare.

This is good right? Yeah. For the most part, it was incredibly helpful. I was able to find my way around Benning, get some good pointers on what to study and generally feel a little more prepared.

About three weeks into the course, most of us had stopped hanging out at the message board because we were too busy and the limited access to the internet that we had was used for college or quick emails to loved ones scattered around the globe.

But one of my illustrious classmates decided one day to post on the site about how class was too easy, that our whole company was a joke and he expected everything to be much harder than it was.

Well, guess who else read those message boards? The cadre, to include the company commander. So when he got up in front of the entire company and told us that because some of us had too much time on our hands, we were going collectively have to deal with the consequences.

The opportunity came up for me to talk to said classmate about what happened and his rationale was stunning. He said that the post should have no impact in real life on the rest of the company because it was posted online. The commander should not punish everyone because of an online comment. It wasn’t like he’d said it out loud, so he shouldn’t be charged with disrespect. It was meant to get attention and it worked.

Really? Online actions don’t have real world consequences?

I think every single one of us can look at a tweet we posted or a facebook message or text or an email and go, damn, I shouldn’t have said that. I’ve done it many times and I am absolutely certain that some of these actions are going to come back and I will be held to account for my actions. And when that time comes, I will accept full responsibility for what I’ve said and not said, done and not done. These are my choices.

And for the record, for those who think that one comment can be blown way out of proportion, I say read the Rolling Stone article on GEN McCrystal. A couple of off hand remarks changed the entire face of the war. This was not to that magnitude in any way shape or form, but to dismiss it as one off color remark ignores the power of what we say and write.

One of the things I am counseling all of my leaders on in my company is that they need to be aware of their entire appearance, online, on the weekends and in front of their soldiers. As a general rule for my lieutenants and my soldiers I say this: would you say what you are about to write to a person’s face? How would you feel if someone you admire and respected read what you are about to write? And how would you feel if someone said it to you, in a public forum?

Your actions matter. Your choices matter. And the decisions and comments you make every day online matter. In that, I am sorry I have lost a friend. But I considered the benefit of the group over the benefit or risk to the individual. That may not have been my place in the group. I am not one of the leaders but I saw an opportunity to use this to better the group as a whole. It sucks that it has had this impact but you know what? I knew it going in.

The only thing I ask is that you consider the real world consequences to your next key stroke. Because those consequences do exist and they are very, very real.

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Nothing used to drive me more crazy than when my company commanders would dictate that there would be nothing but professional reading in xx location. That location could be the office, it could be the field site, on shift or it could even be in Iraq or Afghanistan.

It used to drive me batshit crazy because I believe in balance. Forcing soldiers to read nothing but TMs and FMs and other professional reading would guarantee they would all go nuts or come up with more creative ways to hide what they were really reading.

Now that fixing to be a commander, however, and have about 15 more years experience in the army, I can at least look back and say, yes, I understand why they made rules like that. But the only thing I can see that it accomplished was pissing people off and making them lie to you.

As I get ready to take company command, I’ve somewhat stepped into the other side of looking at things. Okay, not really because I will tell you that I love to read professional reads all day long, but sometimes, I need to curl up with a JK Beck or an Allison Brennan to give my brain a chance to recover. I am not suggesting that romance and other popular fiction is mind numbing, not in the least but it requires that I relax and enjoy the read rather than have my subconscious trying to figure out how to implement what I’m reading into policy or proceedures.

That said, I’m not quite sure how the boss will feel if she comes across my soldiers reading Maxim in the JNN. So I will have to finess this policy as it grows. But, that said, I believe that if soldiers are in college and they are doing professional reading on their own (and their boss knows about) then what’s the harm in letting them read the Silver Surfer comic?

I’m building my professional reading list for my company. I say for my company because my junior sergeants and my staff sergeants are one day going to be my sergeants first class or my master sergeants. My specialists might one day head to OCS and become a lieutenant. So at the end of it all, every soldier needs a professional development plan, not just my officers and senior NCOs. I already have a master’s degree so I’m going to be pretty upset if my boss counsels me that I have to go to school. But if I didn’t have any college? I’m going to be pretty upset if my NCOs aren’t counseling all my soldiers to get their butts in the college or professional development program.

I’ve got smart soldiers in my company. I know this. I’m taking a signal company that I’m hearing nothing but amazing things about.

But every organization can be better and the only way to improve the organization is by improving the soldiers. So my guys are going to be bent out of shape when I say that all NCOs and E4 promotable will be doing some form of professional development. I want a plan that will serve as a contract between the sergeant and his supervisor. There will be exceptions, of course, but those that fail to take advantage of a command climate that is going to fully support professional development will be hurt by it later.

So as I’m building my professional reading list for my juniors and my seniors, I’m looking at the different things that I needed to know as a sergeant versus what I wished I’d known as a sergeant first class. Those things are different but by having my sergeants on a reading list, I will be laying the foundations for them to become better senior leaders when they do step into those shoes.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on a reading list and professional development. I’m still formulating my plan so I’m open to ideas, outside the box type stuff that worked for you and things that I might not have thought about.

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It is my extreme pleasure to welcome fellow Austin RWA extraordinaire Robyn DeHart to the blog today. Robyn is the author of the incredibly Legend Hunters series and recently won the Borders Reader’s Crown award. You’ll be able to find Seduce Me as well as the second book in her series, Desire Me at the end cap of all Borders bookstores or where ever books are sold.

Plus as an added bonus, Robyn has an autographed copy of Seduce Me for one lucky commenter, so leave a comment and check out a fabulous historical romance author!

Put Your Heart On The Page

There are so many elements to the business of writing. There’s the actual writing, which involves craft and persistence, then there’s promotion and networking and with the internet and social networking sites, this is becoming bigger and more complicated everyday. But what about the emotional impact of writing?

The Professor (aka my husband) gave me this quote from Rocky Balboa, the newest movie in the Rocky franchise:

“But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”

This really hit (sorry for the pun) home with me and my writing career.
Every profession comes with its own unique hard stuff, it’s just like life, not everyday is perfect and shiny and wonderful. And sometimes, in the midst of everything you realize the hard stuff is actually the best stuff.

I knew this business was a difficult one before I sold (hell, it took me 7 years to sell my first book, that was part of the difficult!). I didn’t realize HOW difficult it could be though until after I’d sold. I don’t say this to discourage any of your aspiring writers out there, but rather to give you insight into the reality of the profession you’ve chosen.

When I first started writing, I was under the delusion that it would be easy. I don’t think I consciously thought, “oh, this will be easy”, but I just didn’t realize all the challenges that would arise. I hadn’t really considered the business end at all, so I was missing out on the difficulties in that area.

But in this business you’ll get hit a lot. It happens a ton before you sell, waiting for that first sale can be brutal and demoralizing and a real test in patience and passion. How badly do you want it? How many times will you get back up after someone knocks you down? It’s good to know up front how badly you want it because after that first sale the business can eat you up if you’re not careful. You have to remember how passionate you are about your craft and you’re the stories you tell.

Okay so the difficulties in the business surprised me, and I was so green that I didn’t realize that when you write well, it’s VERY hard to do. That old adage that good reading is damn hard writing. I just didn’t get that. For some foolish reason, I expected the writing to be the easy part.

I don’t remember when it hit me, but I remember when it did, it became like a mantra to me, “writing is hard.” I repeated it (whined about it) often (frankly I still do). But at the same time, it gave me a strange sense of freedom and peace. Acknowledging that it was difficult somehow made it more appealing and more of a challenge and it started me on my quest to master the craft of writing. I wanted to tackle the beast and win.

One of the first realizations I had was that writing is intensely personal. Not only the actual writing, but every aspect of it from your actual process to your career goals. For whatever reason it took me a while to grasp this concept, especially the part about the actual writing being personal. Again I’m showing my stupid side (hey, I was young when I started writing) but it was actually a surprise when I realized that my own emotional junk would end up on the page. Somehow I expected I’d just make everything up and it would go smoothly. Try that and you’ll end up with flat characters that no one cares about. But to put yourself on the page, your fears, your dreams, your pains, that brings characters to life and makes readers give a damn.

Now let me be clear, I’m not talking about writing autobiographically. I can assure you that I’ve never traipsed through castle ruins hunting for Pandora’s Box nor have I brutally murdered someone, but I have felt obsession and anger and passion and humiliation and those emotions get transferred to my characters, and put directly on the page. It’s not easy to do. It’s not easy to let yourself go and it’s just not easy having to relive some painful moments simply to make them real in the book. But to make emotion authentic, to lay it on the line for your readers and your story, sometimes you have to bare your soul.

This is just one aspect of the writer’s journey, there are plenty of other difficulties along the way, just as there are so many joys. But I wanted to share this with you as I think readers appreciate knowing that their authors put themselves into the stories. It’s part of why you sometimes feel as if you know an author after reading several of their books.

Thanks, Jess, for letting me join you today. And I’d be remiss not to mention that the first book in Legend Hunters series, exciting romantic action adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones, SEDUCE ME, recently won the Readers Crown for Best Short Historical. Starting on August 17th you will be able to find it as well as the other winners on special displays in your neighborhood Borders Bookstore. In the meantime you should be able to find book 2 in the series, DESIRE ME as well as my novella in The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance available in stores.

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Prior to departing for the RWA National conference, I spent an
inordinate amount of time worrying (okay obsessing if you must) about
what I was going to wear. It kept me up at night, worrying that I was
going to be underdressed or over dressed or somewhere way out in left
field. My business casual is usally ACUs and combat boots, minimal
makeup and my hair pulled back in a bun.

To say that I couldn’t go to RWA in uniform was an understatement of
biblical proportions. That said, I worried. I walked into Ann Taylor and
found one of the girls who worked there. I said “writers conference,
business casual, 30 minutes, go.” And forty minutes later, walked out of
there with some fabulous shoes and several outfits.

None of which I wore. Okay, I wore two of the dresses and received a lot
of compliments on both. I was surprisingly comfortable in both outfits,
something I haven’t been in a dress in a looong time. My shoes were
another ball game but after band aids, some duct tape and a couple of
cotton balls, I made it through just find in those, too. Course, I had
some nice, sparkly flip flops that I was able to use to dress up a
couple of outfits, which gave my poor dogs a rest.

All in all, I ended up more comfortable than I thought possible in girly
clothes. I bought stuff that I wouldn’t normally wear and ended up
wearing things that I would. Turns out, comfort equals confidence and
because I wasn’t stressing about my clothes, I was able to enjoy the
conversations I was part of without worrying about what my ass looked
like in a dress. Turns out, I can clean up pretty good, minus a last
minute panic about the so called clear bra strap not being in the right
place on my dress.

But at the end of it all, I over packed because I was so stressed out
about what to wear. I literally had a suitcase full of clothes, three
garment bags full of dry cleaning, six pairs of shoes and a virtual
suitcase full of makeup. Maybe, what I should have done is worked on my
pitch or spent a little more time on my business cards. Maybe, I should
have figured out what I wanted to get out of conference before I got
there.

But looking back on my conference experience, I realize that I was
dressed perfectly for me, that yes, I over packed and under prepared but
I still had a blast. I met tons of people, including several editors who
were interested in my story and, had I had a book ready to go, might
have been able to submit right off the bat. At the end of it all, I
think it’s better that I didn’t have something to pitch. I could simply
talk and enjoy the conversation and be comfortable in my own skin around
a few thousand women.

It was well worth the trip.

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I have a confession to make. I can’t go into a bookstore without buying books. I’ve tried to be disciplined but I can’t. I’ve escaped to BN today to get some writing done and on my way out of the bathroom, I saw a book that I swear was written for me: Living in the End Times.

I admit, I kind of have a fascination with the whole end times thing, ever since I became aware of the book of Revelations at the back of the bible. I’ve read the evangelical preachers. I’ve read catholics and academics on the subject. Bottom line, I read a lot on the subject of Armaggedon and I have to admit, it’s a guaranteed read for me.

But this one was in the philosophy section of the book store and I had to climb all the way up to the top shelf to reach it without knocking over the rest of the shelf.
I’m looking at this book and the other one I picked up, Hot Finish by Erin McCarthy. I’ll freely admit to hearing about this book on Dear Author and Smart Bitches but even after the good reviews, it was ultimately the chest hair on the male cover model that drew my attention to the book (are you listening cover art departments? Men have chest hair and there are a whole lot of us that find it VERY sexy. Well groomed of course).

But my TBR pile is massive, especially after Nationals and I didn’t even get to any of the publisher signings I’d hoped to get to.

I have a plan. I’m going to finish this book I’m working on for my agent and while I’m letting it gel, I’m going to take a little break. He wants to brainstorm a new book, which I’m going to do but while/after I write the synopsis for that project, I’m going on a reading glom. I’m going to spend the rest of August reading. I’m going to read my books to get ready for command. I’m going to read the romance novels I picked up from Nationals and others that I still haven’t gotten through because I’ve been writing. I’m going to read and refill my well, then I’m going to revise my YA and get it to my agent.

I’m going to tackle my TBR pile because there are so many good books waiting for me to crack open the pages and delve into their worlds and there are only more coming out. I must be disciplined. I must not buy new books before I get through this pile.

After I buy these two, of course.

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For Sherry Thomas: #6 chey
For Laura Griffin: #13 Mina

And because I got caught up in the preparation for Nationals, the winner of Tracy Wolff’s giveaway is: #1 msbookjunkie

If the winners would please email me your address, I’ll get the books in the mail ASAP!

Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by and showed their support and retweeted the contest!

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I’ve been trying to get the words right to describe my first conference but it seems like nothing has stopped long enough for me to actually get them down. My agent wants another synopsis for a second book. I just sold another article to the RWA. In the last three days, I’ve written over 10000 words and I’m sitting here, staring at the book I so desperately need to finish and…

Nothing.

I’m not stuck. I know where the story is going. I know what comes next. I even have the scene partially sketched out in my brain. But as I sit here, I have a feeling inside me that I don’t know how to deal with. I don’t even know what to call it. I’m edgy, because everything is going so well in the writing field at the moment. I’m antsy because I get to stay at Fort Hood and take command in October and that is going to be the biggest challenge of my military career. I’m rung out about my daughter starting school again in a few weeks. I’m worried about doing it all when my husband deploys again.

I feel like I’m not going to sit still for the next two years.

I need to write another 5000 words today. I need to write an article for Empowering Parents. I need to go school clothes shopping and clean out my daughters’ old clothes. I need to schedule a DA Photo and take the local commander’s course. I need to get my command philosophy written and come up with a schedule for my first 30 days in command, to make sure that everyone gets counciled, that everyone understands my intent and that there is no doubt that even though I’m a junior captain, I’m still the commander. I’m nervous about meeting my first sergeant and signing into my new unit. I’m nervous about standing in front of that formation and taking the guidon.

When writers say they don’t have time to read your book, they’re not kidding. When I think about everything that I need to do, I’m a little crazy. There simply is no way to do it all. At least not all in one day.

So as I sit here, I think about everything I need to do, I’m going to do nothing. I’m going to go for a walk. It’s a hundred and four but I’m going for a walk. To clear my head and regain my focus and figure out a way to get back after it.

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If you follow my blog, you know that I’m a huge fan of my home RWA chapter, the Austin RWA. This weekend at the RWA National conference both Sherry Thomas and Laura Griffin won their first RITAs. Sherry and Laura are both phenomenal authors and though I wasn’t able to be there for the ceremonies, I followed the feed on Twitter and was squeeling when they won.

Since they’ve both been incredibly supportive of me and other writers during our journey’s toward publication, I’m excited to be able to return the favor, in some small way.

So to celebrate my sisters in the Austin RWA double RITA wins, I’m giving away Sherry Thomas and Laura Griffin’s entire backlist, which includes their Rita winning novels Not Quite a Husband and Whisper of Warning .

Between now and Wednesday, leave a comment and tell me about your favorite Sherry Thomas or Laura Griffin book or, if you were at RWA Nationals this year in Orlando, your favorite episode from the conference.

So leave a comment and I’ll announce the winners Thursday morning! Good luck and please spread the word about the awesomeness that is Austin RWA!

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