Blogging at RJ today Author Cindy Gerard
I’ve got to tell you, it’s been a busy few years for me. Back in May, 2005, when To The Edge, my first Body Guard book, was released, I had no idea that a mere 4 years later, the 6 Body Guard books would be behind me and I’d be anxiously awaiting the release of the 4th book in my Black Ops, Inc. series, FEEL THE HEAT. Yikes. Time, she does fly. :o)
It’s all good though. When I look back, the release of 10 books (and a novella in the Rescue Me anthology with Cherry Adair and Lora Leigh) in 4 years seems like a blurr. That 4 of those books made New York Times best-seller appearances and one of them won a RITA – well, let’s just say, I’m still pinching myself.
I’m not a fast writer so producing this much material in this limited time frame has been a real stretch for me. Notice, I didn’t say it was a grind. Oh, no. Far from it. The Garretts and their buddies and now the Black Ops crew have taken me for some of the wildest rides of my life! And aside from sweating blood over each and every deadline, I’ve enjoyed learning about the lives of each and every one of these guys. That’s not to say, though, that sometimes I wish they’d find a line of work that’s not so dicey. I for one, would sleep better at night, not worrying about them.
Take Raphael – Choirboy – Mendoza, the hero of FEEL THE HEAT (on sale 9-29-09 – Woo Woo!) for instance. We’ve seen a lot of Rafe in the previous 3 BOI books. He’s taken part in almost every mission whether it’s in the capacity of wheel man, interpreter, guy with the ‘big gun’ – you name it. Colombian born Rafe can do it and he can do it better than most. What we haven’t known about Rafe is what really makes him tick. What drives him. Trust me, we find out in FEEL THE HEAT. The boy has a past that tortures him – and with good reason. And when he finally meets a woman who gives as good as she gets, she drags him through hell and back because, damn, she’s got a trunk load of baggage of her own and there is no way in hell she’s going to dump it on him. Even if he wants her to. Even if he begs her to. Even if she knows, marrow deep, that this man could be the best thing that ever happened to her.
I had a blast writing Rafe and B.J.’s story that takes us from D.C. to Colombia and back again. These two really know how to play shoot ‘em up bang bang and employ everything from disguises to steam engines (yes, as in trains) to submarines to bring down the bad guys. Not to mention, the romance between them is hot, hot, hot. Check out this link if you’d like to read an excerpt: http://www.cindygerard.com/books.html
So, what makes a relationship work for you? What makes you root for the hero and heroine to not only beat the bad guys but end up together? Is it the push and pull? The give and take? The tough guy who’s vulnerable? The vulnerable girl who’s also tough? And what about action in your romance? Work for you?
I’m giving away a signed copy of FEEL THE HEAT to one lucky commenter today! In addition, PLEASE visit my website at: http://www.cindygerard.com/lists/?p=subscribe and sign up for my mailing list which puts you in the running for a free book giveaway each month AND qualifies you for a chance at a $100.00 Barnes and Noble gift certificate that I’ll award at the end of the year.
Hey catslady~ Fancy meeting you here :o)
Thanks!!
Oh I love all of the above lol. I’ve enjoyed many of your books so whatever you’re doing works for me 🙂
Appreciate it Amelia! Hope you find the next book in your pile :o) My stack is far too high too :o(
I want to thank-you for an interesting series. I’ve read 2 of your books and have another one (at least) buried in my TBR pile. I’m looking forward to your next book. After I read your first book, I couldn’t wait for the next one – and then I got sidetracked, by other books, but I’m nearly to the stack that has the last book of yours in it… Keep up the good suspense work and I look forward to seeing more of your books in the future.
Well dang, Pam. I love being new to anybody :o) Thanks. I’m glad you’re enjoying the books!
Hi Cindy,
Congrats on your newest release. I can’t wait to read it. You are a somewhat new to me author and I just love how you flesh out your stories. You have a perfect balance of romance and suspense. Look forward to reading many more from you :)!
Hey Joyce. Thanks!!
As for my characters, they not only talk to me sometimes they go to bed with me. Oh. Was that too much information??? :o)
I love your books. Contemporary romantic suspense/thriller series are my favorite reads. I love all your characters and I have read all your books.
A curiosity question – do your characters talk to you?
Now we’re talkin’ :o)
Seriously, I hope you enjoy the books.
cg
Sweet! I can feel my wish list growing right now! 🙂
I hear you Lindy. I love ‘reunion’ books. As a matter of face, To The Brink, To the Limit, Under the Wire and the book I just turned in, RISK NO SECRETS are all reunion books.
Also, romances based on friendship (esp. where they have years of friendship under their belts before they decide to explore deeper feelings) are always my very favorites. Those are more believable for me than “I met you last week & now I’m in love with you”.
Another thing — and I know this is just personal preference — I don’t like heroines with an attitude. If the book starts out & she’s sour on relationships, hates men in general and is nasty to the hero, I don’t usually have the patience (or the desire) to keep reading until she comes around.
~Lindy
Little lost lamb and Lindy – I couldn’t agree with you more. Of course, there has to be that initial ‘spark’ of interest but for the love story to work for me, there must be mutual respect, even admiration, but most of all an emotional attachment that transcends the physical pull of their relationship. I wrote category romance for many years where the entire premise of each book was about the relationship so I learned a lot about the necessity of honesty and vulnerability. I love writing all that emotion into my books.
Bottom line, if the relationship is based on sex, it’s not a true relationship.
One of the things that makes a romance work for me is when the main characters are honest with each other right from the start. I want my conflicts to be based on something other than lies & deception! Lots of other factors come into play in my favorites, too, but that’s one of the main things that will “hook” me. 🙂
~Lindy
Oh, I love reading about a tough hero who has a soft spot or vulnerability and a heroine who can be tough. But it takes more than that for the relationship to work in my eyes. The written relationship has to be convincing with enough background to support their attraction, emotional and physical.
hi Martha
Well if you like push and pull – B.J. and Rafe are absolutely the couple for you :o)
Hope you enjoy them.
And so you know – while Black Ops is a series, each book stands alone. You don’t need to read them in order to enjoy them.
Hi Cindy! Thanks for an interesting post. Congrats on being so productively and successfully busy these past years!!
I love the push and pull And a tough guy who’s vulnerable with a vulnerable girl who’s tough. And a good action plot definitely is what I look for to tie the H&H together and give them common obstacles and goals! Your books sound like the kind I could get into! I love series too!
Pam and Robyn – thanks for giving me a try. Hope you enjoy the series.
And Billie Jo – I hope to make it there soon!
Sherry, Debbie and Kammie – thanks guys. So glad you enjoy the books!
woohoo, black ops guys, here I come to read about you.
This series sounds very exciting so must look into it.
wow sounds like a great series. I need to find the first one to start at the beginning. I love books like this. and I subscribed to your newsletter. Or I should say I made sure I was subscribed to your newsletter.
Cindy,
Yep it was RWA. I thought it might have been in Ohio, but I think I had heard you might come to Lori’s get together.
Take Care and keep writing those fantastic books!
Billie Jo
Congratulations on your success! I just love you stories!!
I like a relationship that has some tension and the couple hides their feelings a bit. Makes you keep guessing till the end of the story.
I love the Bodyguard books. I will have to get your new ones now.
Debby
I love action with my romance. I’ve been waiting very impatiently for Raphael’s story. Can’t wait to read it.
Hey, thanks, Cathy. Love to hear that. I always like to inject a little humor – even in the most dire situations. We need relief from the action and stress level.
Thanks for checking in!!
Hi Cindy, I think your stories are the perfect blend of romance and suspense. Love the give and take of a couple that is both strong mentally and physically (and a long way from perfect), their intelligent dialogue, a bit of humor, and a hot romance that makes since with the suspense plot of the story.
We are all flawed – even our heroes or they wouldn’t be real. so I couldn’t agree with you more!
thanks for posting!
Cindy
Hi Cindy, I also love a good romantic suspense with some action! I like my character to be tough but also want them to have some flaws if you know what I mean. Real life isn’t perfect so book shouldn’t be perfect. For me I think it is the give and take for it to work between two people. Its a two way street.
Billie Jo – I figured it was RWA. And the fact is I’ve never BEEN to Ohio so now I don’t feel so bad that my memory isn’t the only one with a few holes in it. I’ve never been able to attend Lori’s signing because of deadline conflicts. Not sure when it is this year … best check ;o)
Kathleen – thanks, sweetie. Appreciate that you love the books and that you like what I do. Means everything to a writer.
We have met at the RWA and a few booksignings. I know you meet a lot of people. It has to be overwhelming sometimes. LOL.
Will you be coming to Ohio again? Oh please say yes..LOL OY I sound like such a girly fan. hee hee
Billie Jo
Hi Cindy, I cannot wait to read this 4th book. I love these Black Ops guys.. you sure know how to write sexy as sin hunks…And Rafe will be no exception..
Your Black Ops books were the first ones I read, so I have to read all your Bodyguard books too..
I am already signed up on your newsletter..
Thanks for writing such great books. You give me many hours of reading pleasure..
Hey Billie Jo. thanks for the props on my books. PLEASE tell me – where have we met? I meet so many people at book signings and things and I hate it when I can’t get a bead on when and where :o(
Susan – thanks for stopping by. If you read DARK, you got in on the tail end of the Bodyguard series. Hope you enjoyed Dallas and Amy’s story.
Welcome Cindy, I just signed up for your newsletter and also realize I did read a book of yours..Into The Dark. I like both romance and mystery so your books cover it all for me. Hope you have a great day here today and want to thank RJ for having you here. Susan L.
Hi Cindy!
Welcome to the nuthouse! I love your books and have met you on a few occasions. I have been waiting to get my hands on “Feel the Heat”.
I love suspense in my romance. It is one of my favorite genres. I love the sensual build up and when two unlikely characters come together while hurdling every obstacle in their way. To me, that is what makes an awesome romance.
Thanks for coming to RJ today.
Billie Jo
Hey Kim. thanks. And thanks for having me.
Pam – you made perfect sense! And you just described Rafe and B.J.! Thanks
Thanks for the interesting blog. I absolutely love how you are fearful for your characters safety. I love both characters to be tuff stuff on their own but together they make an almost unbeatable team. I love to see the firery
personalities clash then come together because it all boils down to their need to be together.
Hope that makes some sense LOL I haven’t had my coffee yet.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
Welcome Cindy! Thanks so much for blogging with us today.
Kim