Cindy Gerard's Message Board - News

Congratulations on the RITA (3 replies)

KathyP — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:47:48 -0700

I saw on the RWA website where you won the 2009 RITA for Take No Prisoners X( ! Congratulations and very well deserved (tu) .

MORE BOI BOOKS IN THE WORKS!!! (31 replies)

cindy gerard — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:45:02 -0700

Okay people. Most of the mail I get these days are requests for more Black Ops, Inc. books. And I LOVE you all for that!!>:D<
I'm so jazzed that you're loving my BOIs and want to hear more stories.
So, here's the scoop. Yes, yes, there will be more in the series!! I am hard at work right now on book 4. FEEL THE HEAT features that Latin charmer, Raphael Mendoza. That's the good news.

The bad news is that FEEL THE HEAT won't be out until October 2009. I know. It seems like a long ways away but trust me, I'm writing as fast as I can. In case you haven't been keeping track, from May of 2005 until December 2008, I had 9 novels and 1 novella published. Whew! Have to tell you, it's kept me busy. So, I'm not laying down on the job, okay? I'm hard at it with plans for more books in the series. You'll eventually hear from Doc and Savage and Joe Greene and yes, we'll see Nate and Julianna again as well as cameos by Gabe and Sam and hot Johnny Reed. So, take heart and have patience. I love your enthusiasm and I'm writing as fast as I can :o)
Hugs
Cindy

Yowser!! We hit the New York Times AGAIN!!! (2 replies)

cindy gerard — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:51:44 -0800

Wow and double wow!!! You guys are awesome!! Thanks to all of you who rushed right out and bought your copy of WHISPER NO LIES, we've got a triple play! Yup, just like SHOW NO MERCY and TAKE NO PRISONERS, WHISPER NO LIES also hit the New York Times. We're #20 which is so cool because the book was up against major competition like Julie Garwood, Debbie Macomber, Christine Feehan, Nora - well, there were just gobs of amazing books out there. I feel so honored and so fortunate to even be out with that quality of write so it's truly icing on the cake to show up on the Times with them.
Thanks again. Really.!!! This is just great!
Hugs
Cindy

Come blog with me at BABESINBOOKLAND (no replies)

cindy gerard — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:04:31 -0800

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year.:)-D
I'm blogging all week - starting Dec 28 - at BABES IN BOOKLAND
I would love it if you'd stop by just to say hi or to ask me questions or whatever your little heart desires!::o
Hope to see you there!!
Hugs
Cindy

Huge Holiday giveaway - check it out (no replies)

cindy gerard — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:58:17 -0800

Hey all. Want a chance to win something EVERY DAY for 12 days starting 12-1? Well, just click here:Riding With The Top Down Blog
and join the fun.
For twelve days, from December 1st through the 16th, one of the Riders will give away a special Christmas gift to some lucky poster. Come join the fun -- you have absolutely NOTHING to lose and besides cinching a chance to win, you might just enjoy our posts!

LISTEN TO MY Talk Radio interview at Canned Laughter and Coffee!!! (no replies)

cindy gerard — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:26:04 -0800

Hey all
I talked LIVE tonight (November 18) at 8:30 eastern time on Talk Radio - Canned Laughter and Coffee.
Would love to hear from you. All you have to do is call: 646-200-4071

Hope to TALK to you tonight!

BUT, if you missed it, the the interview will be available for download at:Talk Radio - Canned Laughter and Coffee. Check it out. See what Renee and I really think of the James Bond men ... among other things (:D

Hugs
Cindy

Chance to win a free book - Come be my friend on FACEBOOK! (4 replies)

cindy gerard — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:37:40 -0700

Hey all. Myspace took my site down. :X No explanation, no reason, no response to my repeated requests to find out what the heck was going on. ANY way ... I'm done there. So, I'm now on facebook. Won't you come and be my friend? And bring your friends with you. Anyone who posts on my wall that they added me as their friend because they read this post, is eligible for a drawing to win a free autographed book from yours truly. This contest will be open through December 31st so ... come on down ... and be my friend :)o

CONTEST WINNERS (no replies)

cindy gerard — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:21:21 -0800

Hey all. I've been late posting but I wanted you to know that Patty from Ohio was my September Contest winner and Gena from Minnesota is my October winner. Make sure you sign up on my contest page or sign up for my newsletter and you, too will be eligible to win cool stuff!

NOV 7 - 9 REMINDER - BOOK SIGNINGS IN TWIN CITIES THIS WEEKEND (no replies)

cindy gerard — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:10:20 -0800

Quick reminder that I'm heading for the Twin Cities on Nov 7th (tomorrow) for a marathon book signing tour. Here's a quick recap of the dates, times and places.
November 7th (Friday) from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm: Book Corner, Inc., 783 Radio Dr., Suite #115, Woodbury, MN
November 8th (Saturday) from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm: A Novel Place, 202 County Rd. 81, Osseo, MN
November 9th (Sunday) from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Barnes & Noble #2058, 1353 Brookdale Center, Brooklyn Center, MN

Additionally, I'll be speaking Saturday morning, Nov 8, at the Midwest Fiction Writer's meeting from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
(The Midwest Fiction Writers meetings are open to members and those considering being members. Someone can come to two meetings to check MFW out before being asked to join.)
Would love for you to join us at the Edina Community Center, 5701 Normandale Rd., Room 351, Edina, MN 55424

So, there you have it. I'd love it if you'd come by to see me. And it gets even better. The amazing Lois Grieman, Helen Brenna and Michele Hauf will be joining me so you'll get to meet these incredible authors too.

COOL STUFF: Get updates to RIDING WITH THE TOP DOWN BLOG (no replies)

cindy gerard — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 05:16:20 -0800

Hey all. As you know, I'm a contributor to the Riding With The Top Down blog - and I've got to tell you I love my fellow blogger writers who are clever and funny and write such very interesting posts. We have a new feature on the blog site. Now you can subscribe to us and become a Follower! Just go to the website RIDING WITH THE TOP DOWN, click on the "follow this blog" link at the right and you'll automatically receive announcements every time there's a new post. Cool, huh? Then we'll feature your little blog avatar under the Followers heading. Come on, you know you want to follow us! :-) It'll be fun!!>:D<
Hugs
Cindy

Back to Back New York Times appearances!!! (no replies)

cindy gerard — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:27:12 -0700

Yowser, Yowser, Yowser.X(
You did it for me again! TAKE NO PRISONERS tied for #15 on the New York Times! Oh My Gosh! Thank you all for going out and buying this book. You have no idea what a thrill this is for me. Makes my publisher pretty happy too (:P)
Okay. I have to calm down now. Or maybe not >:D<

Oh, and I also found out that PRISONERS is #1 on the Walden/Borders best seller list. Too much good news? Naw. I don't think so(:D
Hugs
Cindy

REVEIWS FOR TAKE NO PRISONERS. (no replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:46:48 -0700

Hey again. Reviews are coming in on TAKE NO PRISONERS. Here's a few to let you know what the experts are thinking about the book.
ROMANCE JUNKIES: "The quality of romantic suspense by Cindy Gerard can be matched by few. Abbie and Sam are both damaged and so desperately in need of each other's love. The suspense is intense, as is the romance. Sam is out for vengeance, but doesn't let it blind him against how perfect a future with Abbie could be. I highly recommend this book to all who love the excitement and intrigue of well-written romantic suspense."

MERRY GO ROUND REVIEWS: "The second BOI romantic suspense is a fabulous romantic suspense tale that focuses on the action and adventure keeping the love subplot in needed check. This makes the tale seem realistic, as Sam changes his motive for wanting to kill Nader. Readers will enjoy this high octane thriller starring operatives who understand their missions are dangerous and dirty as they do what they must to reduce the odds of failure and coming out in a bag."

WINTERHAVEN CHIEF: "Take No Prisoners is the second edition of the breathtaking trilogy by Cindy Gerard. Non-stop action catapults your senses into overdrive with hot sex, heart-stopping combat scenes, and to die for heroes."

LIBRARY JOURNAL: "...Cindy Gerard’s sharp prose elevates this book above something more than a run-of-the-mill heist caper. While there are plenty of goons and gunfire, Gerard concocts a spicy, stirring romance between two appealing characters for whom I couldn’t help but root. I found myself racing through the pages, nearly as captivated by the action-packed story set against the casinos of Las Vegas and the jungles of Honduras as I was by the sizzling romance developing between Sam and Abbie. ... a terrific love story, Take No Prisoners still contains enough chase scenes, snipers, and twists and turns to satisfy the most adrenaline-addicted action junkie. It’s legit. Really."

Okay. There you have it - at least a few. Hope you like the book as well as these reviewer's did!
Hugs
Cindy

TAKE NO PRISONERS on sale now!!! (no replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:39:43 -0700

Taking a minute to remind you all that TAKE NO PRISONERS, book 2 of my Black Ops Inc series is on sale now!! So far, so good. I'm hearing great reports from those of you who have already bought and read Prisoners. Thanks so much for letting me know!
anyway, if you haven't already picked up your copy ... what are you waiting for ???? X(
Seriously, hope you can find it and soooo appreciate it if you buy it,
Hugs
Cindy

SHOW NO MERCY available in EBOOK format (no replies)

cindy gerard — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:41:24 -0700

I've received many e-mails about this and finally have an answer. Show No Mercy will be available in ebook format at www.simonandschuster.com as of 10-8-08.
Thanks to all of you who have asked about it!!
Hugs,

P.S. All the books in the Bodyguard series either are or will be available in ebook format at www.simonandschuster.com.

And there's more: All of my Bodyguard Books AND my Black Ops Inc books are now available on Kindle at amazon.com
Yeah!!!X(

Book signing - Minneapolis area!!! (no replies)

cindy gerard — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:05:11 -0700

I've just received confirmation that I'll be traveling to the twin cities in early November for 3 separate book signings. Here are, the dates, times and places:
November 7th (Friday) from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm: Book Corner, Inc., 783 Radio Dr., Suite #115, Woodbury, MN
November 8th (Saturday) from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm: A Novel Place, 202 County Rd. 81, Osseo, MN
November 9th (Sunday) from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Barnes & Noble #2058, 1353 Brookdale Center, Brooklyn Center, MN

So, there you have it. I'd love it if you'd come by to see me. And it gets even better. The amazing Lois Grieman, Helen Brenna and Michele Hauf will be joining me so you'll get to meet these incredible authors too. Questions? Let me hear from you.
Hugs
Cindy

YOWSER - Mercy hit the New York Times (no replies)

cindy gerard — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:54:22 -0700

I'm having a major case of the 'screamingohmygods!!! SHOW NO MERCY just hit the New York Times at #15. Thanks and thanks again to all of you who went out and bought the book. I am so grateful. And sooooo happy :o)

This just in - SHOW NO MERCY is #1!!!! (no replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:41:45 -0700

Holy Cow. It's a good news day,. Just got a call from my editor and SHOW NO MERCY is #1 on the Borders/Waldenbooks mass market romance bestseller list! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who went out and bought the book and made this happen! This is just amazing news!

Blogging today 9-29 at Plot Monkeys and rooferauthor (no replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:15:09 -0700

Check them out. I'm blogging today at Plotmonkeys and at Jennita Low's rooferauthor blog. Stop by and comment for a chance to win a Bodyguard book!

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEWS TAKE NO PRISONERS!! (no replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:13:19 -0700

Yowser. Finally, finally, finally, Publisher's Weekly has reviewed one of my books. Just this morning PW posted that TERRIFFIC review of TAKE NO PRISONERS:
Publishers Weekly, 9/29/2008
Take No Prisoners Cindy Gerard. Pocket Star, $6.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-4165-6674-8

Bestseller Gerard follows October's Show No Mercy with another fast-paced tale of romance amid flying bullets. After wily smuggler Fredrick Nader kills investigator Sam Lang's sister, Sam swears to quit Black Ops Inc. Then he learns that Vegas blackjack dealer Abbie Hughes could lead him to Nader's hideaway in Honduras. Sam's plan to seduce information out of Abbie backfires: they fall in love, while Nader kidnaps Abbie's brother, Cory. She heads south with the Black Ops boys, determined to rescue Cory and deal with Nader once and for all. Readers will especially love Abbie: skeptical of Sam after their first disastrous interaction, insistent on participating in the mission, horrified by the criminal world of blood and violence, utterly devoted once she opens her heart. Gerard's polished prose and zippy plotting will continue to satisfy her many fans. (Nov.)

There you have it. I'm so jazzed!!!.

SHOW NO MERCY - # 1 ON AMAZON.COM ROMANTIC SUSPENCE (no replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:51:08 -0700

WOO WOO!
As of last week, SHOW NO MERCY hit #1 on Amazon.com's best seller list for Romantic suspense. Of course, the list is updated hourly but it's been hanging around that top spot for a while now. thanks EVERYONE who bought the book. I sooo appreciate it!
Hugs

Show No Mercy Video Featured on Borders Book site (no replies)

cindy gerard — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:44:54 -0700

Check it out! Borders books (and Walden Books) has chosen to feature the video for SHOW NO MERCY on their website along with a dear reader letter from yours truly! I'm so excited to see the video on the Borders site. If you'd like to see it there along with my Dear Reader Letter, here's how to find it: www.borderbooks.com. Once there, click on books, then click on Romance (in the column to the left) then click on Reading Room and voila. There it is. Too cool.X(

UPCOMING APPEARANCES Sept - Dec (3 replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:50:18 -0700

Hey all. Seems I'm going on a bit of a blogging blitz to help get the word out about my new Black Ops Inc series. I'd love it if you checked out the sites on the following dates:
Sept 22, I'll be blogging all day with the amazing Marjorie M Liu at her site marjorieliu.com
Sept 24. I'll be chatting live at NovelTalk.com starting at 9:00 pm Eastern
Sept 29, I'll blog with the Plot Monkies at plotmonkies.com
October 6, takes me to Freshfiction.com where I'll also be blogging up the new books.
October 17, I'll blog at Dear Author.com and tell about my first sale story as well as the new books.
November 18th, takes me to blogtalkradio.com for a live interview with Canned Laughter
December 29th, I'll blog at Loveisanexplodingcigar.com

There are more appearances in the works and as soon as I have details I'll post them so you'll know.
This is exciting ... hope to see you one place or the other and of course, I'll also be blogging with my buddies at Ridingwiththetopdown.blogspot.com on a regular basis.

The Reviews are starting to come in on SHOW NO MERCY (1 reply)

cindy gerard — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:34:32 -0700

Holy cow. I'm gulping here because the reviews are starting to come in on Show No Mercy. Thought I'd share - because my publisher asked me to :o) - a few so you'll know what the review sites are saying

FROM JOYFULLY REVIEWED: Show No Mercy has it all: a scarred hero, a courageous heroine, and enough thrills and chills to fill every page. The things Gabe has seen and done have left him a tortured soul. It takes him a long angst-filled time to see that Jenna can heal him. Gabe’s brooding, no-nonsense attitude and his intense good looks make him irresistible. Jenna is one tough chick. She wears her heart on her sleeve and had me cheering for her the whole time. Adrenaline pumping action, heartbreaking drama, a psychotic villain with his graphic tortures, and sizzling passion, fill the pages of Show No Mercy. It’s fantastic! I can’t wait to see what kind of trouble the rest of the men of Black Ops, Inc. get into!

FROM ROMANCE JUNKIES: SHOW NO MERCY is the kind of romantic suspense novel to which all authors of this genre should aspire. Cindy Gerard just keeps getting better and better and, in my opinion, this is her best work yet. Edgy, thrilling and very sensual, SHOW NO MERCY takes the reader on a rollercoaster of a ride that never slows down. I found myself biting my nails and waiting for the other shoe to drop as I read page after page, unable to put the book down for a second. This was a fantastic novel by one of the best authors in the business and is sure to find a spot on the keeper shelf of any fan of romantic suspense.

FROM NIGHTOWL REVIEWS: Cindy Gerard has penned a thrilling read with bullets blazing and passions sizzling. The story moves quickly from one explosive situation to another to keep the reader deeply entrenched in the suspense and the romance is undeniably hot as Gabe and Jenna battle the feelings between them. Show No Mercy is an exciting read and a great start to a new series with Black Ops, Inc. So, fasten your seat belt and get ready for a wild ride with the sexy men from BOI as they embark on a dangerous mission to save the day and maybe get the girl….It's a great read and one that I recommend.

FROM Winter Haven Chief Newspaper, Winter Haven, Fl: Show No Mercy delivers a punch to the gut, then continues on a tightrope strung between the depth of despair and the height of ecstasy. Show No Mercy has the wow factor and Ms. Gerard has the exceptional talent to keep the reader on tenterhooks to the very last page.

Okay - those are just a few for now but I'll keep you posted.

Happy reading
Hugs

Great news - BOI has sold to the book clubs (no replies)

cindy gerard — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:32:56 -0700

I'm a little late posting this but all three books of the Black Ops, Inc series have sold to Rhapsody, Mystery Guild and Doubleday Book clubs! Woo Woo!. For those of you who like hard covers, you are now in luck!
Also watch for an interview in an upcoming Rhapsody Book Club catelogue issue with Little Ole me :o)

Just in case you miss it though .... you're getting it hear first folks!! Yea! Let me know what you think.

Questions for Cindy Gerard (TAKE NO PRISONERS)

Q) Abbie’s just gotten out of a relationship with a cheater, and she’s been hurt before. Sam’s never even really been in love. They each have a difficult time trusting each other. How do they overcome emotional obstacles to become the perfect couple?

A) Good question – and no simple solution given the fact that, as you mentioned, there was a huge trust issue between Abbie and Sam to thicken the stew. It was a difficult journey for both of them to reach the point where they could look past their personal experiences separate and apart from their current dire situation and begin to see each other for who they really were, not who they had perceived each other to be. In my mind that took intelligence coupled with an innate and incalculable human element which is the tendency to want to believe the best of people. Even though Sam has dealt with the worst possible elements in his military career as a Delta operative and now, as a private contractor, there was just something about Abbie – her spirit, her loyalty, her tenacity in the face of certain danger – that compelled him to want to look deeper and find that goodness he wanted and eventually needed to believe in. For Abbie, the fact of Sam’s integrity just kept reasserting itself, forcing her to accept the indisputable truth that he was a man worth taking a risk on.

Q) In Take No Prisoners, the action picks up right at the very beginning and never lets up; how do you manage to balance the heart-pounding action with the budding emotional development between the main characters?

A) I’m glad to hear that you feel I accomplished that balance :o) It’s tricky to dovetail all essential components in an action adventure romance and make things equitable on both fronts. The key, I think, is to never lose site that ultimately, at the heart of the book, is the forging of the emotional and romantic relationship of the hero and heroine. No matter what happens to them, no matter how many bad guys are after them or dangerous situations they get into, I never forget that as the action escalates, so must the fabric of their relationship.

Q) When a personal tragedy takes Sam out of commission from Black Ops, Inc., it’s his father who convinces him to take up the mantle again. How do you create such emotionally realistic family dynamics?
A) I try to delve into the emotions of all characters – primary and secondary – and I ask myself: How would I react in this situation? How would I feel? In Sam’s father’s case, the question was, “How do I convince my son that I believe in him, that I don’t blame him for this horrible tragedy that has broken my heart as well as his, and that my need for retribution not only parallels but eclipses his and that the only person who can make it right is him?” And then I set out with as much honesty of emotion as I can garner, and insert those questions, whether in actual dialogue, narrative or actions from father to son.

Q) Sam and Abbie’s first date is an adrenaline-fueled one of roller coasters and other thrill rides. What’s your idea of the perfect date?
A) I’m open to just about anything :o) I love the outdoors. One of my latest favorite adventures was a white water/rafting camping trip in the Grand Canyon, complete with a jump off a 30 foot cliff into the Colorado. Now that was an action adventure date :o) I’m just as happy, however, with a nice, romantic dinner and a movie. I’m an old fashioned girl that way.

Q) One constant theme in your books deals with the sacrifices made by people fighting for our country and their families. Why do you think this resonates with readers?
A) I suspect it resonates with them for the same reason it resonates with me. Our military men and women and their families - they are the real heroes in today’s world, which is an uncertain and often dangerous place in which to live. It’s unfathomable to me how so many can give up so much in the name of patriotism and love of country. I merely write about circumstances and events that make the news. These people live it. Every day. In every way. They’re amazing and I will be forever humbled by and grateful for their sacrifices.

Q) Your plots have such a ripped-from-the-headlines feel—do you incorporate current events into your stories?
A) Again, thank you for that. I do a lot of reading, a lot of researching and a lot of thinking about our ‘new normal’ here in the States, which extends to a heightened consciousness of world events occurring around us. I’m not aware of any other time in history where this level of threat – whether its origin is from terrorism, international organized crime, or from internal criminal activities – has been more visible.

Q) Many of your novels feature hardened former military men who have branched out into the private sector. What inspired you to use these types of men as your heroes?
A) Simply stated, respect and curiosity. I so respect the skills and courage of our military, specifically the mindset, intelligence, and dedication of our special operations warriors, and it occurred to me that when their military service was over, they would still possess their special skills and there was bound to be a lot of left over adrenaline simmering out there. We have warriors, without wars so to speak. The question was – what do they do next? What I found out was that often times, they pursue residual careers such as executive protection, law enforcement, or even private contract work. That information led me to the idea of a ‘what happens next’ take on these tried and true combat veterans, which subsequently led me to my Bodyguard series which featured an executive protection agency and now my Black Ops., Inc. series which is based out of Argentina and operates so black even the U.S. government, for whom most of their contract work is done, will disavow knowledge of their existence.

Q) What’s next for the men of Black Ops, Inc?
A) Well, we learned about Gabe Jones’ story in book one, SHOW NO MERCY, then Sam Lang’s story in, TAKE NO PRISONERS, so next on tap is the reckless and smart-mouthed former force recon marine, Johnny Duane Reed’s story, WHISPER NO LIES. In LIES, Johnny meets his match with Crystal Debrowski (you’ll remember her as Abbie Hughes Lang’s best friend in PRISONERS) and the two of them end up in a race for their lives when Crystal gets caught up in a human trafficking operation that leads them to Jakarta, Indonesia. Johnny has been a favorite of mine since he flirted his way onto the page in my New York Times best-seller, INTO THE DARK. I’ve been chomping at the bit to tell this heartbreaker’s story ever since and let me warn you right now – the blue-eyed bad boy led me and Crystal on one very wild ride! After Johnny’s story – who knows? I’ve met a lot of intriguing men as my Black Ops, Inc. family emerged and has grown together - Luke Colter, Raphael Mendoza, Wyatt Savage, Joe Green to name a few. And of course, I can’t forget Nathan Black, the leader of this crew of alpha warriors who would bleed and die for their former CO and now employer. All of these men have such intriguing pasts. I’m hopefully optimistic that I’ll have the opportunity to share their stories with readers, too.

There you have it.
Hugs