Hey my happy reader peeps … guess what? Today is a special day here at Zany PNR Addict and that’s because Heather Long is taking over!! She’s here to give us further insight behind a special set of books to her Always a Marine series and how she incorporated some of our most favorite holidays this time of year. Take it away Heather! …
Thanks, Zany, for having me today. I have been really excited about this set of the Always a Marine series since I first broached it with my editor last year. I had so many ideas, I didn’t know what to do with them all and yeah, I know—the holidays lend themselves to story ideas. In publishing, however, you do have to work a little ahead of the curve in order to get the books finished in order to release at the holidays.
Of course, I had also think about what holiday, or holidays, I would feature. From October 1 onward, we have a whole host of holidays to pick from. It’s actually one of my favorite times of year because, really, who doesn’t like the party?
I knew I had to do a Hanukkah book, period, end of story. There just aren’t enough Hanukkah romance books out this time of year. Christmas was, absolutely, another no-brainer. I actually thought about doing a Halloween story, but Halloween isn’t a warm and fuzzy holiday. Or maybe I just don’t celebrate it that way.
So, knowing I had to do Hanukkah and Christmas, I looked at the other holidays in and around the same timeframe and wondered which holidays invited time spent with family, friends, and loved ones. Which of these holidays is it most painful to be away from those you care about? Or, conversely, which of these holidays open you up to the promise of possibilities?
Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. It is the pinnacle of the cold in the dark—the day after is celebrated because you survived the longest night of the year. What greater metaphor for one of my Marines coming home could I find? There was a conflict—the Wiccan tenet of ‘an it harm none’ versus being a Marine in combat. Yes, this absolutely made my list of holidays I wanted to explore.
Thanksgiving made my list and took us to Afghanistan because, well, I did not grow up celebrating that holiday. It is in so many ways a deeply American holiday. It’s not about gifts and it’s not about purchases—except on Black Friday and now this year with everybody starting your sales early, but that’s not my point. Thanksgiving is about togetherness, no matter where you are or who you’re with. So, yes, it definitely made the list.
Since I was doing it as a series of five I needed one more. What better way to crown the message of being together, forgiveness, miracles, and love than with a fresh start in the New Year?
I have been asked why I did not do Kwanzaa. It was not a deliberate oversight nor do I think it did not have value. I had to pick five. I picked the five I did and I don’t know enough about Kwanzaa to do it justice. Not yet.
Remember, the best part of the holidays? They are an annual event. What’s your favorite holiday this time of year?
Title … Lest Old Marine Be Forget
Author … Heather Long
Series … Always A Marine
Genre … Contemporary Military Romance
Expected Release Date … 12.2.13
She never stopped grieving …
It’s New Year’s Eve, and thirty years since Brenda Connors buried the only man she ever loved. Every year on the anniversary of his death, she finds herself in the hospital, suffering from chest pains. No matter how expected, it always takes her breath away. This year…this year she wants it to be different and takes the advice of her best friend and would be sister-in-law to sign up for a one-night stand. It seems ridiculous, just a year shy of her fiftieth birthday to try and seek happiness she long since gave up on. She never imagined a stern faced Marine with talent for making her laugh.
He doesn’t know what the future holds …
Married to his career and facing forced retirement, Major Tom Baxter doesn’t see much of a future for himself in civilian life. A poker game with the son of an old friend earns him some unwanted advice, but it’s advice he can’t get out of his head. He signs up for a one-night stand, to discover what life on the outside might have to offer. The last thing he expected was an elegant soul with a streak of mischief.
Ringing in a new beginning …
Can Tom and Brenda make every second of their countdown to midnight count, lest old Marines be forgot?
Buy Lest Old Marines Be Forget Online …
• AMAZON • BARNES & NOBLE • ALL ROMANCE • 
National bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime. From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.
Find Heather Online …
• OFFICIAL WEBSITE • TWITTER • FACEBOOK • GOODREADS •
Their table sat in an alcove that also doubled as a private balcony and overlooked a lit garden. According to his hostess, he and his date would also be able to see the fireworks over Dallas later should they still be at their table at midnight. If not, then their reserved suite also had a balcony and a good vantage point. A marble-floored hallway led to their dining table and though the alcove was simply one of several such isolated settings, theirs possessed heavy cream curtains that could be closed to afford them further privacy.
Overall, it was an excellent choice on Luke’s part. Fortunately, years of not doing much with his salary meant Tom could also afford the evening comfortably. He finished the cup of coffee and checked his watch. Fifteen minutes to operation launch and he heard heels tapping on the marble floor caught his attention. Glancing sideways, he spotted a pair of elegant, long legs. Trailing his attention upward, he studied the woman approaching.
The body-hugging sheathe of a dress molded her curves, and what a shape she had…. Dark hair brushed her shoulders, the silvery streaks amidst the deep brown seemed almost artistic. Straightening, he frowned when she hesitated and checked her phone. The curl of anticipation in his gut flattened out.
It didn’t matter if the elegant woman searched for another date; he couldn’t take his attention off her. She all but glared at her phone. A heartbeat later, she rewarded his captivation when her exasperation transformed into sparkling laughter.
Squaring her shoulders, she lifted her chin and their gazes collided. Her smile faltered for a heartbeat, then warmed. At her look, he rose to his feet and enjoyed her long walk down the hall.
“Ms. Connors.” He extended his hand automatically, her smooth palm gliding against his.
A hint of shyness softened her expression, but she didn’t look away. “Mr. Baxter. Can I just say that you chose the loveliest spot for dinner?”Boosted by the compliment and her lovely manner, he inclined his head. “Only if you’ll allow me to say that you outshine the location—and then some.” He’d never really been that good with flowery compliments, but a hint of color bloomed over her cheeks and he let out a breath. “Here….” To pull out her seat meant he had to let go of her hand.
She had slender fingers, beautiful and tapered, and they’d been silky-soft with the barest hint of callouses on her index fingers and thumbs. Callouses that meant she used tools, but probably didn’t build or work with anything. His brain’s need to catalog details had proven a godsend in the field, but he didn’t need to pick apart his date.
“Thank you,” Brenda murmured and slipped around him to take the chair he held out and he scooted it in just as she sat. From his vantage point, he had a direct view of her cleavage and the teasing hint of a dark mole on the curve of her right breast.
Clearing his throat, he moved back to his seat. “Of course.”
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