I'm pleased to welcome Constance Bretes and her newest release, OPERATION CODE NAME: DESERT LOVE! I'm excited to hear more about this book, so let's dive in....
 | OPERATION CODE NAME: DESERT LOVE Her best hope for survival is the one man she never wants to see again. Clarissa Maasen is a humanitarian relief worker who’s stationed in Afghanistan. When she and two of her coworkers are kidnapped by insurgents and held hostage, she can only hope that her father, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will send his best men to rescue them—more specifically, Len Roberts of the Delta Force. The last time Len saw Clarissa, it did not end on good terms. But he will risk his life to rescue this woman who is never far from his thoughts. Can he rescue her in time? And will they be able to control the passion erupting between them? |
Wow! OPERATION CODE NAME: DESERT LOVE sound like it's filled with suspense and tension. I admire authors who can write stories about missions. I wouldn't even know where to start! Can you tell us facts about the book? Some little tidbit about why you wrote it?
The town and state the book was written from was Suffolk, Virginia. The home I picked out was actually a home in Rochester, Michigan, called Meadowbrook Hall. I wanted to do something that had Meadowbrook Hall in it, and in this case, it became Southerllyn Estates. Because it was a military romance, I put it in Virginia. The story was loosely based on Helen Johnston, a British humanitarian worker who was taken hostage and then rescued by the SAS. My heroine was actually an American humanitarian worker taken hostage and rescued by American forces.
The town and state the book was written from was Suffolk, Virginia. The home I picked out was actually a home in Rochester, Michigan, called Meadowbrook Hall. I wanted to do something that had Meadowbrook Hall in it, and in this case, it became Southerllyn Estates. Because it was a military romance, I put it in Virginia. The story was loosely based on Helen Johnston, a British humanitarian worker who was taken hostage and then rescued by the SAS. My heroine was actually an American humanitarian worker taken hostage and rescued by American forces.
Clarissa must be a very tough heroine! I'll enjoy reading her story. Can you share an excerpt?
As they approached the target, Len pushed all feelings and emotions to the back of his mind. He went into his stealth mode. People became dummies in target practice. He and the team crept across the open, sandy ground unnoticed. The men didn’t make a sound, but he could feel the adrenaline.
The target of their mission would know nothing. Len never used the two-way to communicate, he used hand signals. Within minutes, everyone took their places and was ready to move in on the target.
This early in the morning the insurgents would be asleep except for a few standing guard. Len’s men closed in on the caves from a distance, hiding behind a large boulder while waiting for the snipers to let him know they were in place to take out targets before his team moved forward.
Once the snipers were in place, Len gave the hand signal to the snipers to fire. He had exactly five minutes to get the hostages out before the A-10 bomber came in and blew up the caves. There were approximately fifteen insurgents outside the caves guarding the entrances. Len and his team took them out in fast succession before they could react.
The way the men acted and their slow responses to the team’s presence told Len that they were not military, and they were inexperienced in warfare. Yelling in Pashto, rebels ran to the front of the caves, firing back with their AK-47 Russian guns. Despite the sand and smoke rising, Len and his team picked off each insurgent who came out of the cave shooting.
When no more men exited the caves, Len gave his team a ‘room by room’ hand signal. He entered the cave, his back against the wall, his arms out in front of him, pointing his gun. He spotted the shadows of two men coming toward him, but they hid themselves behind the wall. One man stepped out to fire. Len shot him in the head. Sergeant Hathaway, who followed behind Len, fired a shot at the second man as he stepped into the path to shoot. Every shot fired from silencers sent a popping noise echoing through the caves.
As they approached the target, Len pushed all feelings and emotions to the back of his mind. He went into his stealth mode. People became dummies in target practice. He and the team crept across the open, sandy ground unnoticed. The men didn’t make a sound, but he could feel the adrenaline.
The target of their mission would know nothing. Len never used the two-way to communicate, he used hand signals. Within minutes, everyone took their places and was ready to move in on the target.
This early in the morning the insurgents would be asleep except for a few standing guard. Len’s men closed in on the caves from a distance, hiding behind a large boulder while waiting for the snipers to let him know they were in place to take out targets before his team moved forward.
Once the snipers were in place, Len gave the hand signal to the snipers to fire. He had exactly five minutes to get the hostages out before the A-10 bomber came in and blew up the caves. There were approximately fifteen insurgents outside the caves guarding the entrances. Len and his team took them out in fast succession before they could react.
The way the men acted and their slow responses to the team’s presence told Len that they were not military, and they were inexperienced in warfare. Yelling in Pashto, rebels ran to the front of the caves, firing back with their AK-47 Russian guns. Despite the sand and smoke rising, Len and his team picked off each insurgent who came out of the cave shooting.
When no more men exited the caves, Len gave his team a ‘room by room’ hand signal. He entered the cave, his back against the wall, his arms out in front of him, pointing his gun. He spotted the shadows of two men coming toward him, but they hid themselves behind the wall. One man stepped out to fire. Len shot him in the head. Sergeant Hathaway, who followed behind Len, fired a shot at the second man as he stepped into the path to shoot. Every shot fired from silencers sent a popping noise echoing through the caves.
Sounds so real, Constance! You've painted an amazing scene. Is the book dedicated to anyone?
It's dedicated to all the men and women who serve in our arm forces.
And do you have a favorite part?
Yes! It's when the heroine and hero were playing kickball with the local children in the small town in Afghanistan and the hero was outsmarting the heroine and the kids thought it was funny.
Congratulations on writing a wonderful and rich story! I can't wait to read OPERATION CODE NAME: DESERT LOVE!
It's dedicated to all the men and women who serve in our arm forces.
And do you have a favorite part?
Yes! It's when the heroine and hero were playing kickball with the local children in the small town in Afghanistan and the hero was outsmarting the heroine and the kids thought it was funny.
Congratulations on writing a wonderful and rich story! I can't wait to read OPERATION CODE NAME: DESERT LOVE!
CONSTANCE BRETES
Constance started writing contemporary romance and romantic suspense fifteen years ago. She was born and raised in Michigan. After working for the State of Michigan for 38 years, she retired. She and her husband moved to Montana and lived in the mountainside of a small town. There, locked in her office overlooking the mountains, was where this story, Operation Code Name: Desert Love, was written. After living in Montana for three years, they moved to Alabama with her cat, Sunny, who owns both her and her husband. Her hobbies include basket weaving, reading mafia romance books, diamond painting, and fiddling at the piano.
Website: www.constancebretes.com
Email: cbretes@constancebretes.com
Constance started writing contemporary romance and romantic suspense fifteen years ago. She was born and raised in Michigan. After working for the State of Michigan for 38 years, she retired. She and her husband moved to Montana and lived in the mountainside of a small town. There, locked in her office overlooking the mountains, was where this story, Operation Code Name: Desert Love, was written. After living in Montana for three years, they moved to Alabama with her cat, Sunny, who owns both her and her husband. Her hobbies include basket weaving, reading mafia romance books, diamond painting, and fiddling at the piano.
Website: www.constancebretes.com
Email: cbretes@constancebretes.com
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