Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

Today Soldier of Fortune is out at Ellora’s Cave. It’s an erotic contemporary romance that’s set in both Iraq and New Zealand. Two years ago, I watched a documentary about private security companies operating in the war zone and the New Zealanders who take up contracts with them to make big money. It’s a dangerous job, yet some of the men go back for more than one contract. They’re in it for both the money and the adrenaline rush.

I’ve been wanting to write stories about some of the secondary characters in Summer in the City of Sails, and this documentary provided me with a possible plot line. I did lots of research, watched heaps of documentaries on British and American soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to make my story realistic. I didn’t want to overwhelm the reader with war so hopefully I’ve managed to strike the balance between realism and romance.

In my story, there’s a female correspondent who works for CBS. One of the jobs of the private security force is to keep her and the other CBS employees safe when they go about doing their job, reporting on the progress of the war. It takes a clear head to calmly report a story while dodging bullets, and I know I couldn’t do it. Female correspondents are often able to interview local women about their experiences and get answers to quite intimate questions. Male correspondents would not have the same access, and many women refuse to talk with them.

I’m taking Soldier of Fortune out on tour. Yes, it’s true—you’ll get to hear more about me and my Ninja Turtle soldiers. Here’s a link to my blog tour schedule.

Would you like to be a reporter? Would you like to be a reporter in a war zone?

I have a new release this week, on Wednesday 18th November to be precise. I’ve just received the cover for Soldier of Fortune.

The foreground shows my hero and heroine in Fiji and there’s a soldier in the background, which also fits the story. Both my hero and heroine are soldiers. I like my new cover, affectionately dubbed “the Ninja Turtle cover” by hubby and myself because you can’t see my soldier’s face and the armor makes him look like a Ninja turtle.

Here’s the blurb:

Joanna “Mac” McGregor loves her father, and she’ll do anything to keep him safe after Alzheimer’s starts to steal his mind. That takes money, and Mac uses her only skills—those of soldiering—when she takes up a security contract in Iraq. She doesn’t have time for men, her last vacation fling in Fiji relegated as one perfect moment to hold close during the grim reality of war.

Soldier Louie Lithgow is tired of fighting, the constant danger, and has decided this is his last contract. He wants to retire, sink his savings into a place on the beach, and find the sexy Joanna, his holiday lover.

Mac’s arrival in Iraq causes consternation. They’ve both been economical with the truth, but the attraction sizzling between them flares hot and bright. They embark on a clandestine affair—professional and confident during their high-danger day, passionate with the release of emotional stress during their torrid nights. One thing is clear—they have different goals and the future is both murky and dangerous. If they survive their contracts.

Note: Readers first met Louie in Summer in the City of Sails.

What do you think of my cover?