Dear Reader,

Before leaving New England to follow my husband and his new job to the South, I had a dear friend over for dinner. Since this friend was not only a former naval officer like myself as well as a retired Navy SEAL, the conversation naturally turned to world events. Eventually, Michael and I ended up discussing a modern twist on an old-fashioned evil--slavery--with Michael filling in some hair-raising details I wasn't aware of. I knew then I had to write about it. Still, I wasn't sure I could weave so heinous a crime into a romance novel and do both justice. So I began researching. When I came across the U.S. Department of State's 2002 Trafficking in Persons Report and learned that annual victim estimates range from 700,000 to 4 million women, children and men, many of whom are bought, sold and transported for sexual exploitation, I knew there was no turning back. The idea for my novella "An Unconditional Surrender" had locked in.

Six months ago, Delta Force Captain Jack Gage would have done anything to avoid seeing his former lover again--until fate wrenches undercover Army Captain Danielle Stanton from her orderly military life and thrusts her into the clutches of a black-market slave-trader turned terrorist half a world away. The moment Jack sees Dani clothed in little more than bruises and shackles, he knows he'll do anything to save her. As the two are forced to work through their past problems to complete their present, increasingly perilous mission, Jack also decides that this time, he won't settle for less than a future with Dani...and the complete, unconditional surrender of her heart.

For more information on trafficking in persons, visit http://www.state.gov/g/tip/

To read an excerpt from "An Unconditional Surrender" and learn more about the other novellas by Merline Lovelace and Lindsay McKenna in our IN LOVE AND WAR military anthology, visit my website at http://www.candaceirvin.com. While you're there, check out the excerpts for the next two installments for my armed forces miniseries Sisters-in-Arms from Intimate Moments: AN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER (Navy/Army Delta Force), Oct '04; and IRRESISTIBLE FORCES (Air Force), Jan '04. Finally, don't forget to register for my monthly contest. Each month I give away free books and an adorable stuffed Navy bear. See you there!

Until then,

Fair Winds & Following Seas!

~~Candace

IRRESISTIBLE FORCES
Sisters-in-Arms, Book 3
Silhouette Intimate Moments
January 2004
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She hadn't seen him in eleven years, but Captain Samantha Hall would never forget the man she'd loved...and lost. When her plane crashed in enemy territory and he came to her rescue, Sam was painfully reminded of the future they'd dreamed of sharing.

Colonel Griff Towers couldn't believe Samantha was back in his arms, even if it was just his mission. She felt so right. Griff knew he had to get to the bottom of what--or who-- brought that plane down...because Griff has no intention of losing Sam again.

A DANGEROUS ENGAGEMENT
Silhouette Intimate Moments
October 2003
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Candace Irvin takes us on, A DANGEROUS ENGAGEMENT (Sisters-in-Arms, Book 2): US Army Delta Force Major Tom Wild has never played by the rules and he's not about to start now. Why should he when adhering to the rules accomplished nothing for a close friend, except that friend's death? Before Tom's friend was murdered, he learned that Panamanian terrorist Luis Ortiz was tasked with a deadly but unknown mission. Tom has no idea when or where the cowardly act is supposed to go down and he'll do whatever it takes to obtain the information, even if it means courting Luis's trusted cousin Anna Shale straight into bed if need be. As far as Tom is concerned, he has no choice. The sultry beauty is the budding terrorist's only weakness. That Anna is also a former US Navy lieutenant suspected of passing military secrets to her cousin will make taking the both of them down-as well as Tom's personal revenge for his buddy's death-all the sweeter...

UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER
Silhouette Intimate Moments
August 2003
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An UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER by Candace Irvin. Special Agent Jack Gage once held the world cradled in his palm--until he took the hand of the only woman he's ever loved and asked her to marry him, and she said no. Determined to get on with his life, Jack left the Army behind for a job with the Mobile Security Division (MSD), an elite special operations team under the direction of the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service. Unfortunately, fate steps in during Jack's first mission with MSD. While working undercover to take down an international terrorist cell, Jack is sucked into the heinous world of trafficking in human persons. Jack is horrified to discover the "slave" he's forced to purchase is none other than the woman he's spent the past twelve months trying to forget, Captain Danielle Stanton. The moment Jack sees Dani clothed in little more than bruises and shackles, he knows he'll do anything to save her. Jack also knows that this time, he won't settle for less than a future with Dani--and the complete, unconditional surrender of her heart.

THE IMPOSSIBLE ALLIANCE
Silhouette Intimate Moments #1214
FAMILY SECRETS Prequel #3
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Agent: Jared Sullivan

Mission: Rescue missing agent Dr. Morrow and discover Rebelian Dictator General DeBruzkya's plan for his collection of stolen gems.

Deepest Secret: Jared believed nothing could restore his belief in the future, until he met the woman he wanted to build one with.
Retired search and rescue specialist Jared Sullivan had gotten out of the secret agent game--a fact that meant nothing to ARIES director Sam Hatch. Against his better judgment, Jared agreed to his mentor's request to take on one last mission. He had no idea doing so would lead him to Alexis Warner, a beautiful but unknown ARIES agent determined to discover what was hiding behind Jared's dark amber eyes. But Alexis has shocking secrets of her own. Somewhere in her missing memory is the key to DeBruzkya's insidious intent. And if the truth doesn't surface soon, not only will Jared and Alexis lose their chance for a life together, they might not have a world left to live it in.

FAMILY SECRETS: No one is who they seem.