Marliss Melton's Blog

Insider Threat was supposed to be the first book in a new series. Evelyn got kidnapped at the end, and you were all hyped up for a new story. I worked on the new book featuring Evelyn and Austin’s story for five months and gave up. Nobody wants to read a romance in which the hero and heroine are apart.

So, I have now given Austin and Evelyn their own happily ever after. Evelyn has NOT been kidnapped, and Insider Threat, with its familiar cast of characters is now the last book in the Echo Platoon series. If you want to read Austin and Evelyn’s happy ending, I’m posting it here for your convenience and permanently putting it on the Insider Threat page on my website:

NEW EPILOGUE
The sun was plunging behind the trees, turning the sky pink, by the time Evelyn left the office. She scarcely saw the sky as she locked the building behind her. A grim joylessness had taken up residence inside her. Long work hours were supposed to take her thoughts off Austin. His occasional texts hadn’t helped any, but she couldn’t bring herself to block him. Nor had she deleted his voicemails. She kept them, not listening to them, in the off chance he never came back, in which case his voicemails would be all she had left of him.

The depressing thought put a lump in her throat. With heavy steps, Evelyn plodded toward her parked car. She took her phone from her purse as she neared her vehicle and turned it back on. The notification of another voicemail from Austin made her jerk to a halt. She suffered an overwhelming urge to listen to it.

Yes. No. Yes. With a tremor of excitement, she clicked play and put her phone to her ear while unlocking her car remotely.

Hey, it’s me. I’m back at the Beach. I’d like to see you soon. Call me. Please?

The message whipped her heart into a gallop. The empty feeling that had filled her for weeks abruptly vanished. Joy put wings on her feet, and realization struck. My God, what a fool she’d been for fighting her feelings! Love was a gift. You didn’t just throw it away to play it safe. She might as well have been dead for all the joy she’d felt while he was gone.

So, what now? She slipped into her old blue Volvo with her thoughts on fire. For the first time in weeks, she caught herself smiling. A world of possibilities unfolded before her eyes, leaving her scarcely aware of where she was and what she was doing.

Look, just concentrate on getting home, she advised herself. She would text him then and ask him to come over—after she freshened up.

Was she being rash? Was she behaving like her mother? Doubts descended as she braked at a red light. Austin was five years younger than she was. That potential issue hadn’t changed. And what about Andrew? He’d told her SEALs made lousy husbands. But who had designated her stepdad the expert on either SEALs or relationships? No one. Besides, he didn’t even know Austin. Once he met him, Evelyn was sure he would like him.
All of her agonizing, she realized, was just Post-Traumatic Stress from having been dragged through her mother’s multiple marriages. Her own life would be different. She wasn’t doomed to repeat Susan’s mistakes. For Pete’s sake, hadn’t she drilled that very thing into the heads of countless clients?

Optimism kicked her doubts out the window. As the light turned green, Evelyn accelerated along Oceanview Avenue, passing the slower cars. The sky had blushed to a deep rose hue, as if the very world was as flushed with anticipation as she was.

Normally a cautious driver, Evelyn turned into her neighborhood with her tires squealing, her heart beating a tattoo. She was almost to her house when she spotted a car backing out of her driveway. Wait, that wasn’t . . .Yes, it was! She laid on her horn. Austin’s brake lights flared. As she pulled in alongside him, he drew forward and parked again, grinning at her through his window.

So much for freshening up before she saw him again. This was more spontaneous. Evelyn shook off her seatbelt as she shoved out of her car. Austin, looking impossibly virile in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, was already shutting his own door. Just enough sunlight remained for her to make out his watchful expression.

“Hey, beautiful.”

Love crested inside of her. With a sob, Evelyn flung her arms around him and hugged him with all the passion she’d been trying to squelch since their first encounter. “Austin, I love you!” she admitted breathlessly, against his ear.

His arms locked her to him. “Did you just say you love me?” His tone was incredulous.

He relaxed his grip enough that she could pull back and catch his face between her hands. “Yes. Tell me I’m not going to regret loving you.” It was her insecurity speaking.

Joy lit the depths of his clear gray eyes. He smiled with absolute confidence. “I’ll never give you a reason to regret it.” He ducked his head and kissed her.

Nothing in the world had ever felt so right.

I hope you enjoyed the closure for these two characters.

The post New Epilogue to Insider Threat appeared first on Marliss Melton.

Marliss Melton Books available in Spanish!

¡Bienvenidos a mis nuevos lectores! Espero que mis libros os den horas de entretenimiento. Quiero conoceros mejor. ¿De dónde eres tú, y qué piensas de lo que pasa con el terrible virus COVID-19? Yo planeaba a visitar Barcelona y Cadaqués este verano, pero ahora no sé. De todos modos, quiero conocer a mis nuevos lectores. Por favor, sígame en Facebook para que podamos comunicar. Pienso en formar un nuevo grupo específicamente para mis amigos hispanohablantes. Aquí tienes el enlace. https://www.facebook.com/marliss.melton

Welcome to my new readers! I hope my books provide you hours of entertainment. I would love to get to know you better. Where are you from, and what do you think about what’s happening with this terrible COVID-19 virus? I was planning to visit Barcelona and Cadaques this summer, but now I’m not sure that can happen. Regardless, please follow me on Facebook so we can communicate. I’m thinking of forming a new group specifically for Spanish speakers. Here’s the link to my FB profile: https://www.facebook.com/marliss.melton

Un abrazo,

Marliss

[image error]

Dear Friends,

It has been weeks since I have blogged about my search for Mr. Right. Have I found him? It’s too early to say, but I am cautiously optimistic! In the meantime, I’d like to share some insights I have learned from my experience of dating over 50. Maybe you can benefit?

Pick someone who likes doing the same things as you–obviously.
That doesn’t mean his personality has to be identical to yours. In fact, you are better equipped as a couple if you have complimentary strengths.
Pick someone who lights your fire. Yes, desire fades, but you always want to enjoy his kisses, not want to wipe them away.
Go for the guy who treats his dog with calm assertiveness and complementary praise. He’s worthy of your respect.
Go for the guy who is close to his family members and sends them timely birthday cards. He’s considerable and reliable.
Go for the guy who has his finances in order and can retire while you’re both still young enough to travel.
Go for the guy who fetches your jacket when you’re cold, holds the door for you, and carries the heavier load. He’s a gentleman.
Go for the guy who doesn’t sweat the small stuff. Life throws enough curve balls, so why invent problems where none exist?

All that said, I believe I have found a hero who fits these parameters. Stay tuned for the big reveal!

The post Lessons Learned While Hunting for a Hero appeared first on Marliss Melton.

In the last three months, I have been baptized in the dating waters. Let me tell you, I wish I were a more powerful swimmer! You’ve heard me extoll the benefits of Match.com. Without it, I could go my entire life without running into a single man my age, let alone a guy who has the traits I’m looking for. But Match does not come without pitfalls. Here they are:

Once you sign up for a six-month account (the most popular package), Match owns your profile. You can “try” to cancel (see #2 below), but if you’re attractive, they will use your profile to lure new members into registering, and you will continue to get emails from potential suitors, long after your policy has expired. Your new partner might not like or understand this.  I say you can “try” to cancel your policy and make your profile “inactive,” but…          A. You will not get your money back.                                                    B. Match never deactivates your profile the first time. It takes two or three attempts and some serious fist shaking for your profile to be removed from high-profile viewing. As stated above, it never truly disappears unless they want it to.
Suppose you are on Match in order to deactivate your profile (for the second or third time). Anyone whom you have not blocked sees you as “active” during this frantic exodus. They may assume that you are prowling for more partners rather than canceling your account. I wonder how many couples have broken up over this unfortunate circumstance.
Lastly, do not assume when you block someone that they are actually blocked. This is Match. They apparently do not honor their cancelations or their promise to block unwanted suitors.

So, there. Match has helped me find attractive men with similar interests & education. Match provides a nice writing sample for me to critique (English major; can’t help it). But Match has its drawbacks, so users beware!

The post Pros and Cons of using Match.com appeared first on Marliss Melton.

As fate would have it, I went about the dating experience backward. Rather than build up to finding The One, my first date post-divorce transformed into a steady, euphoric relationship.

There was so much that was good about it! The Master and Commander was so smart and so interesting. He helped me in so many ways. He shared simple recipes to help me learn to cook. He put snaps on my purse when the zipper broke. He assembled my new china cabinet when it arrived from Wayfair in 48 pre-fabricated pieces. He repaired the broken frame of my leather couch and installed a new showerhead in my bathroom. He supplied my kitchen with the means to brew loose-leaf tea, with fancy salt-and-pepper shakers, and with a high-end can opener that will still be around when my grandchildren are grown. He gifted me with a lovely, wooden box for my essential oils and treated me to fancy dinners at restaurants I may never dine in again. More than anything, he brought out an element in me that had been crushed by betrayal—desire. God knows if I will ever experience desire like that again. (I sure hope so!)

If only…if only that flash of impatience I had seen in his eyes upon our first meeting had never returned. If only it had never come to be directed toward me. Occasionally at first, and then with increasing regularity, the Master and Commander stole my joy with his impatience over my perceived ineptitudes. The easygoing relationship turned to my walking on eggshells. I have concluded, generally speaking, that a seriously awful childhood results in some deep-seated issues that affect adult relationships. The M&C is a prime example, still haunted, and therefore shaped and even governed, by his past. After all, if you’re not happy with yourself, you’ll never make someone else happy. And therein lay our problem.

Six months after we met, I had to let the M&C go. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done—harder even than walking out of my marriage. There hasn’t been a day in the three months since that I haven’t shed a tear over the loss–perhaps because it there was so much that was good about it. He embodied all of those heroic traits I find irresistable. Yet I know I did the right thing in releasing him. I want the kind of love I have written about in my books. I want to be respected for my intelligence and my compassion. I deserve that.

So, here I am. Back in the dating game after a promising false start. The M&C says he is going to work on himself and come back for me one day. I have to say, my heart flutters hopefully at the thought. However, having become pragmatic in my later years, I won’t hold my breath. Onward and, if not necessarily upward, at least in a more peaceable direction, I go.

 

 

The post Godspeed, Master and Commander appeared first on Marliss Melton.

On a hot, sunny evening last July, I sat expectantly on a bench in Yorktown, VA, awaiting the arrival of my first date, post marriage. It had been eleven months and eleven days since my ex and I separated. My pulse thrummed with anticipation. My stomach fizzed with nervousness. The man I was meeting had been recommended to me by Match.com. His accomplishments intrigued me. He had retired as a captain in the US Navy. If I told you what he does for a living now, I’d have to kill you. He is 6’2”, a 2nd degree black belt, an exquisite writer, and we are compatible personality types according to the Myers-Briggs.

I had bought a new dress for the occasion, with dripping sleeves I fancied as romantic. I spotted him at once, recognizing him from his profile pics. A thick head of white hair, white naval-officer-style moustache, no glasses. He wore a royal blue button-up shirt and light khakis. Honestly, my first thought was He’s too old for me. In fact, he was only eight years older, but the white hair exaggerated the difference. I stood from my bench, and our gazes locked as we neared one another.

We were both mature enough to carry on a meaningless conversation while taking stock of each other. The sun was in my eyes. When I mentioned my disadvantage, he swung around, blocking the sun with his body. His light, hazel eyes conveyed intelligence and interest.

My date had mentioned in his profile that he was old-fashioned. I would come to realize that meant he paid all the bills when we went out. He stood up any time I left or returned to the table. He opened not only building doors for me, but also car doors. You get the idea. That night, we requested a seat outside, on a deck overlooking the York River. The waitress babbled enthusiastically about the specials, frustrating our desire to talk. That’s when I first saw it—a flash of impatience in the Master and Commander’s eyes. I remember thinking, with a slight sinking in my belly, “This man doesn’t suffer fools.”

He ordered a bottle of expensive red wine. Our fare was light—poké and some other appetizer. We began to converse. His experiences riveted me. He spoke with eloquence, in a deep baritone I could have listened to for hours. I learned more about his fascinating career. What he had done for our country roused my respect to unprecedented heights. Over the next few months, I would hear more stories that would render me awestruck. Here I had found a true hero—like the men in my books.

He also had a sensitive side. He loved to write thank-you notes in calligraphy and to listen to Yo Yo Ma play the cello. He was so bright, there wasn’t anything he hadn’t accomplished. He could cook, sew, create his own musical instruments, wire electricity, play the guitar. He lived on a 42-foot sailboat. He collected tobacco pipes, firearms, and blades.

We took a walk along the water after dinner. My hand felt so small in his. I felt safe, honored to be with him. We paused on a pier to watch the sea birds and enjoy the sunset. His hands caressed me through my dress. It was heaven. When I mentioned our age difference, he scooped me off my feet to prove to me he was perfectly capable of taking care of me. I was smitten.

Alas, that flash of impatience I had seen in his eyes for the chattering waitress…that look would come back to haunt me. But for the time being, I started opening my heart to this new man in my life and seeing only the possibilities, enjoying all the good (and there was a lot of that) and denying any potential pitfalls. . Life was sweeter and more promising than it had been in years.

 

 

The post Date 1: The Master and Commander appeared first on Marliss Melton.

Dear Reader,   

Do you find yourself wishing you were single and could start all over again? Or perhaps you are single and terrified of putting yourself out there. In either case, I volunteer myself as a guinea pig. I have dived into the dating scene—wish me luck!

Dating is not for the faint of heart. It involves the risk of rejection, even total heartbreak. On the other hand, dating keeps you on your toes as you are exposed to new and exciting—even downright weird—experiences.

In my opinion, if you’re over fifty, you’re not likely to find a long-term relationship without using a dating app. I walked around for a year and ran into one single man in all that time. Dating apps like Match or eHarmony can save you time and trouble. It lays out what you have in common with a potential partner—their education, appearance, income, religious beliefs, etc. Most importantly, it gives everyone a chance to describe themselves and their needs, which saves both parties a LOT of time. At this stage in life, I also suggest that you set your expectations high! There’s no time to waste with anymore Mr. Wrongs.

Here’s what I look for in a date:

He’s near my age. (I want to grow old together.)
He has a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, preferably a graduate/post graduate degree. (I want to have a common educational experience.)
He’s at least 5’10”. (OK, call me shallow, but I want a man who makes me feel petite.)
He takes care of his appearance. (Facial hair, teeth, etc. Need I say more?)
In his written words on the dating app, he displays depth of character, wisdom, intelligence, and—most importantly for me—kindness and compassion.

I don’t even look at:

Very handsome men who smirk at the camera while wearing sunglasses. (Dude, I can’t see your eyes/windows to the soul.)
Men who have never been married. (They haven’t learned some valuable lessons about intimacy.)
Men with a horde of children still at home. (I’ve already been the mother of WAY too many children.)
Men who can’t write more than a paragraph about who they are or what they want.

Are you with me so far? Within a week of putting up my profile (last summer), I was beset with suitors. I narrowed them quickly down to two. A couple of phone calls eliminated one of them. The lucky candidate was a retired Navy captain who lived on a 41-foot sailboat down in Virginia Beach. (Like that’s not romantic!) He wrote so eloquently of desiring a woman who enjoyed the wind in her hair and the sand between her toes, that I was immediately captivated. I’ve always been a sucker for a military man. We arranged to meet for dinner in Yorktown, at a waterfront restaurant.

Join me next time for a recounting of my magical first date with The Master and Commander!

 

 

 

 

The post Hunting for a Hero Over 50 Blog #3 appeared first on Marliss Melton.

Dear Readers,

Once upon a time, Jennifer Lowery was an avid fan of my books. Look at her now! My baby is all grown up and saving China! Here’s a word from Jennifer about her latest release:

Hello peeps, Jennifer here to rock your military romance socks off! My new release, Worth the Risk, Book #3 in my Wolff Securities Series, is available now for pre-order—Woot! It will release March 20th so get your orders in now! If you haven’t read the first two books, no worries, these are standalone as well as part of a series—although I do hope you’ll read them all

Dear Reader,    

Maybe like me, you spent most of your life in a relationship. Suddenly you’re single, you’re over 50 years old, and you’re still hoping for a happy, healthy and intimate relationship.

Have you checked out the blogs out there? This one has some good advice, like writing down short and long-term goals for yourself. It urges you to, “Loosen up! Don’t look for perfection. Try to have fun.” That’s all great advice. But there’s one thing most blogs don’t tell you, so I will. DON’T DATE DURING THE FIRST YEAR AFTER SEPARATION.

That’s my advice and, no, I didn’t learn it the hard way. Some deep-seated instinct advised me to take that time for myself. You don’t spend nearly two decades with someone and expect to find happiness by hopping straight into the arms of another. You need time’s healing hands to do its magic. After years of molding your behavior and your interests to your ex’s, do you even know who you are without him? Take the time to find out.

Here’s what I found out in my year off:  I’m a way stronger person than I thought I was. All by myself, I made my six-bedroom home look like a show-home and kept it immaculate for six months until it sold. In the world’s biggest yard sale, I got rid of everything I didn’t need and packed up the rest, moving to a new home. I have painted countless rooms, mowed grass, raked leaves, changed the ribbon in the weedwacker, fixed my bicycle, and even changed the tire on my car! I kept my poise at work and met my writing deadlines, even with my personal life in complete upheaval. It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t easy. I got skinny and I got sick. But then I slowly and surely rallied. Walking helps. I never got to take that vacation walking the pilgrim’s path of El Camino de Santiago in Spain, but I’m pretty sure I’ve covered as many miles as if I had, with just my dog for company, and this is what I learned:  I can make it in the world alone if I have to.

But I don’t want to. At exactly 11 months and 11 days of being single, I decided I had shaken off the past and was ready for a new future. Thanks to some clever marketing strategies on the part of Match.com, I was enticed into typing up my profile, uploading my pictures, and handing over money in the hopes of finding a hero for the next chapter of my life. I had healed my wounds, and I was ready to fly again!

Join me next week for a recounting of my magical first date! Until then, happy reading!

The post Hunting for a Hero Over 50, Blog #2 appeared first on Marliss Melton.

[image error]Dear Readers,

If you grew up in the 80s like I did, you’ll recognize these lyrics at once:  “Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?” This line is from the iconic song from the movie Footloose–“I Need a Hero.” The title says it all.

For my 50th birthday, I gave myself the best present ever: hope. I did so by splitting with my husband, whose years of wandering interest had left me without trust or confidence in both myself and in him. That mature number 50 made me realize the time to enjoy my life was running out! Yes, the transitional phase was awful, but I’ve never looked back.

After a year of hell in which I cast off the shell of my old life and grew a shiny new one, I looked around and realized–guess what?– I still believe in love! Yep, call me a romantic, but I still want to find that special someone to share life’s highs and lows with; a friend; a lover; a man I can respect. Question is, are there any heroes still out there?

Now, I’m not talking about the kind of a hero like those I write about in my books–young guys in their 30s with nerves of steel and complimentary washboard abs. Trust me, Navy SEALs in their 50s are far and few between. No, I’ll be fishing among mere mortals for my own personal hero.

Maybe I should define what I mean by “hero.” To me, a hero is the kind of guy who picks up trash lying on the road and throws it away because he reveres the earth. A hero speaks with kindness and consideration. He is slow-to-anger, and he doesn’t act like he knows everything or is better than most people. A hero smiles at little children, adores his dog, and will go to bat for the underdog. A hero is curious about the world and searches for answers by exploring and reading. A hero often puts others before himself. He takes care of his aging parents. Sure, it would be nice if he were tall and pleasant to look at, if he could kiss like a dream and keep me laughing. But what makes a man heroic is the size of his … heart.

So, Marliss Melton [cue the music] needs a hero! I can’t crank out new releases every year if I’m not inspired. Please join me on my quest as you read this weekly blog. Keep your finger on the pulse of my love life, and wish me luck as I forge my way into the wilderness of the dating-over-50 scene!

The post Hunting for a Hero Over 50 appeared first on Marliss Melton.