Julie Miller celebrates the USMC's 235th birthday!

The few, the proud, the Marines.

Today the Corps celebrates its 235th birthday - 235 years of heroes and heroines defending liberty, freedom, and democracy (I write about these words in my Veterans' Day post). 

Rolling in the cake is Julie Miller, award winning author of breathtaking romance.  And she's a sponsor of the SOS Military Mixers at the RT's Book Lovers Convention.  

Kim:  Welcome, Julie!   What is your connection to the USMC?

Julie:  I'm the daughter of a Marine who was buried with military honors earlier this year. My dad served in the Marine Corps through the 50's and early 60's--he's a Korean Conflict Veteran. Also, my "baby" brother served in the Marine Corps after ROTC in college--he served in Kuwait/Iraq during Desert Storm. He "retired" from the Corps and started his family--then, after 9/11, he joined the Army National Guard, where he served again in Iraq, and in Bosnia. He now commands a Guard unit. I also have an uncle who served with the Marines in Korea. And, I've had former students of mine enlist in the Corps.

Kim:  What have you learned from the USMC that you can apply to your writing career?

Julie:  My connections to the Corps have inspired me to create the best of heroes for the romantic suspense books I write. Men of honor. Men of action. Men with a code of justice and respect who are proud of their country, their work, their calling--men whose word is their bond, who deeply appreciate their family and friends who support them at home. I take those same traits I knew in my dad--and I learned from my brother and his family--and apply them to my heroes, making the leading men in my books live up to some pretty high standards. In a way, they're larger than life--and yet they're equally down to earth. I try to convey that "man in uniform" persona in all my heroes. If I can capture a little bit of my dad and brother and the other Marines I know in my heroes, then I can't help but fall in love with them--and I hope my readers will, too!

Kim:  What does Semper Fidelis mean to you?

Julie:  Always faithful means true loyalty. Even when a family is apart, the love and support is there. Even when times are tough, there are men and women who will step up to take care of the country and people and ideals they have promised to protect. My dad wasn't a man who used flowery words or made grand gestures--but I always knew I could depend on him. I always knew he loved us. I always knew he was proud to be a Marine. He showed my mom and our family and his country his love through his actions, his character--his loyalty.

Mahalo, Julie, for sharing your fond memories of your father with us.  I'd like the SOS readers to know more about you.  From your website, http://www.juliemiller.org/,

Julie Miller is an award-winning author--with a National Readers Choice Award and a Daphne du Maurier among other prizes. In 2009, she was honored to receive a Career Achievement Award in Series Romantic Suspense from Romantic Times Book Reviews. Several of her 40+ books have appeared on the USA Today, Borders/Waldenbooks and BookScan Top 100 Romances bestseller lists.

After writing single-title paranormals for Dorchester, Julie joined the Harlequin/Silhouette family when her first Intrigue, ONE GOOD MAN, was published in 2000. Since then, she has crafted the best-selling, award-winning Taylor Clan series for Intrigue, as well as its equally successful spin-off series, THE PRECINCT. While she continues to write about cops and crime scenes for Intrigue, Ms. Miller occasionally writes for Harlequin Blaze--where her romantic suspense books get a steamier twist, and her military heroes have been especially popular. She has also written for continuities and other special projects at Harlequin/Silhouette.

Julie is a teacher who grew up in Missouri and now lives in Nebraska with her husband (a teacher and YA author), son (a college student majoring in Music Business) and an assortment of spoiled pets. She's been dubbed the resident "Grammar Goddess" of her local writing group, The Prairieland Romance Writers. You may write Julie at P.O. Box 5162, Grand Island, NE 68802-5162 or email her questions or comments at the contact address below.

Teacher.  Mentor.  Community service.  Excellence awards.  Julie is truly a member of the USMC family.

In honor of Julie's family, I am giving away 3 "lean, green, recycling machines" ... green tote bags from the Marine Corps Exchange.   To enter the giveaway,

1. Contact Kelley at Columbussos@gmail.com to join Operation Holiday Card. It is our goal to ensure that 1000 deployed airmen, marines, sailors, soldiers, and Coast Guardsmen receive a holiday card.

I am promoting Operation Holiday Card through November 12 - if you have signed up, thank you!

2. Leave a comment about  Julie, the Corps, and Semper Fidelis.

3. The tote bag giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only. Comments will be open through November 12 to qualify for the giveaway.

Join us tomorrow for several posts to honor Veterans' Day. 

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

George Small, Frank Lowe, Steely McBeem,
Jack Adams, Tony Marshall, and Chris Lowe
Pittsburgh 2008

I coordinated the SOS Mixers in Houston/2007, Pittsburgh/2008, and Orlando/2009.  Sadly, I had to miss RT in Columbus/2010.  But I am attending LA/2011.  Julie will be there, too, as the Captain of the Series Romance and sponsor of the SOS Military Mixer. 

The SOS Mixer honors military traditions, such as posting the Colors and singing the hymns of each service.  Julie sings the Marine Corps hymn loud and proud for her father, brother, and uncle:

From the Halls of Montezuma,
To the shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

I believe Julie's father is standing guard for us.