Can it be? DEADLY PROMISES on sale now!!

When did September 28th sneak up on me? And why do I care about September 28th? Well, because it’s release day! I’m dragging myself out of deadline dementia (have a book due 10-1) to let you know that … (be warned, grandiose self-promotion to follow – but hey – it’s not EVERY day that I have a new release, right?)

DEADLY PROMISES, a super hot, super cool (and yes, it’s possible to be both) anthology headlined by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love, and joined by MOI and Laura Griffin hits the shelves at a book store near you today. That would be September 28^th (Ahem.) Even more good news? You can also buy DEADLY PROMISES at: Amazon.com, Borders.com, and B&N.com.

I’ve been lucky enough to get sneak peaks of both JUST BAD ENOUGH, from Sherrilyn and Dianna and UNSTOPABLE, from Laura and let me tell you, both novellas rock! I’m so excited that my novella, LEAVE NO TRACE is a part of this collection.

Love this photo of Me, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Laura Griffin and Dianna Love at the RWA Literacy book signing in Orlando at Nationals this past July. What cool women those 3 ladies are.

I can already hear the question: Is LEAVE NO TRACE a Black Ops. Inc story? And the answer: Yes! And No… David Cavanaugh, the hero, is a friend of the BOIs and actually assisted them in their operation in Jakarta to rescue Crystal (WHISPER NO LIES). And Cav’s heroine is none other than Carrie Granger – Wyatt Savage’s old high school flame (RISK NO SECRETS). I received so much reader mail about both Cav and Carrie that I just knew they had to have their own story. LEAVE NO TRACE provided the perfect vehicle to make that happen.

So, I hope you want to come with me to exotic Myanmar where Cav is tasked with the dangerous mission of rescuing Carrie from a slave labor camp in the treacherous ruby mines of the Shan Plateau north of Mandlay. Then hang on for one heck of a wild romantic ride. And of course, the guys from Black Ops., Inc. show up to help Cav save the day.

Now, I've got some questions for you. Do you generally buy anthologies and if not, why not? If you do buy them, have anthologies that feature multiple stories by multiple authors ever introduced you to a new author you wouldn’t have tried had it not been for one of your favorite authors also participating in the collection? Also, do you read only the novella by your favorite author or do you read (or at least try to read) all the stories in the collection? I’m also wondering if you have you ever stumbled upon a ‘favorite new’ author as the result of buying an anthology that featured one of your auto-buy authors in the collection.

Whew. That’s a lot of questions. Please speak up. If you post, you’re in the drawing for 1 of 2 copies of DEADLY PROMISES at the end of the day. Thanks!! And happy, happy reading!

Borders True Romance Video

Hey Guys
We've had a little mix up in posting today so I'm bopping in to offer up a movie instead :o)
Well, don't get too excited and don't buy any popcorn. It's just a video interview that I did with
Borders True Romance's Sue Grimshaw when I was in Denver at RomCon this past July.

Hope you find it informative :o) Just click on my name :o)

Cindy Gerard video

Weekend extra: What was he thinking?

I posted this photo of Sly with my blog the other day and captioned it:
"Attitude, I gots it!)


















So many people got a kick out of it that I asked for more caption suggestions on my facebook page. Wow. Did they come through.
So just for fun, here are some of the many GREAT captions suggested.

"I guess you can take my picture my adoring fans need to see me!!!" - Natoi

Also from Natoi, "This is not the way to the kitchen!!! and this is not a can opener!!"

"I'll move when I'm good and ready. YOU find something else to do now." - Lynn

"Bow, my minions, bow." - Halli

"STOP PLAYING AROUND ON THE COMPUTER AND PET ME, DAMMIT!" - Donna

"Don't You Have a Laptop You Can Use?" - Sally

Also from Sally: "You think I've got Cattitude; You Should See my Big-Shot Pet Person, She's got Authorattitude!"

"Put the key board down and walk away.... to the kitchen. I want dinner now!" - Arlene

"Touch my computer and die furball!" - Jane

"I said you're finished for the day...Don't make me hurt you!" - Lori

"Come on, I dare you! Make my day!" - Ruth

"I's the guard kitty ~ you no touchy the 'puter!" - Patricia

"I know there is a mouse somewhere in this mess!" - Elise

"Quit putting super glue at my ankles-I know I'm attractive in this pose , but geeze let me just do it." - Joan.

Also from Joan: "Attitude-I's gots it-who ARE you?"

"Enough strokes on this thing! It's MY turn now!" - Judi

"Bow and worship me. Bow dammit BOW!!" - Rebekah

"You've been ignoring me... sleep with your eyes open."- Sydnee


Care to add your 2 cents?

I'm so excited!!!

As you've already heard we have a lot to celebrate here at the Top Down. Four years! Quite a milestone. And even though I didn't sign on for the maiden voyage, I hitched a ride shortly after they got started and have loved every mile I've spent in the convertible with these amazing women. So yea, us!! Here's to four more years ... and who knows what after that.

I have something personal to celebrate this week, too. RISK NO SECRETS, Book 5, in my Black Ops., Inc. series, officially hits the bookshelves tomorrow, May 18th, and that makes me officially excited!

I started out on this journey quite some time ago with the intention of writing a 3 book series about a group of elite shadow warriors who fought for freedom and justice even after they parted ways with Uncle Sam. It all began in a back alley behind a seedy cantina in Buenos Aires where the hero and heroine of my last Bodyguard book, Into The Dark, had found themselves boxed into a corner with the baddest of the bad guys closing in. I had no idea how they were going to get themselves out of their fix when ... drum roll please ... along came Gabriel - the Archangel - Jones.

Gabe was larger than life, totally unexpected and on the dark side of shady. Be still my heart. I didn't know who this guy was or where he'd come from but one thing I did know: THIS man was amazing. THIS man was going to have his own book!!

So when Gabe, in turn, introduced me to his buddies, the stoic Sam Lang and the outrageous flirt, Johnny Duane Reed, I had my 3 heroes and Black Ops., Inc. was born. But, guys like these, capable, courageous, loyal and well, hot, they had to have some buddies, right? Right. So I tossed in their boss at BOI, Nate Black, the cute Latino, Rafael Mendoza, and then stirred two former CIA agents, 'Mean' Joe Green, and Wyatt - Papa Bear - Savage into the mix.

Little did I know that these secondary characters were going to demand stories of their own. That worked out pretty well because as it turned out, I heard from a LOT of readers who also wanted to hear their stories which meant my publisher wanted more, too. It was a win win all the way around. (Thank you all by the way, for putting the first 4 BOI books on the New York Times! I'm still stunned over that turn of events and I owe it all to you!)

Anyway, RISK NO SECRETS is Wyatt Savage's story. (Can we say hubba hubba??) This slow talkin' Georgia boy was content playing wing man until someone very special to him ended up in trouble and needed his help. And that's when Wyatt willingly stepped up to the plate and into a true hero's role. I love this story about Wyatt and Sophie. I love the action, the surprises I discovered about Wyatt, and the love story that survived in spite of all odds against it.

I hope you rush right out and buy RISK NO SECRETS but most of all, I hope you love the story as much as I do. Just to whet your appetite, here's a link to an excerpt http://www.cindygerard.com/excerpt_may2010.html AND here's a link to the book video. http://www.cindygerard.com/
AND, a little something extra if you click this link http://www.simonandschuster.com/search?term=cindy+gerard it will take you to the Simon and Schuster website and you can check out several short videos of me talking about the books. How's that for a test drive or two to help you decide to buy the product?

Seriously, check it out and then come back and make a comment about either the excerpt, the book trailer or the videos featuring moi :o) OR about your favorite BOI character and I'll send an autographed copy of RISK NO SECRETS to not 1 but 2 randomly selected 2 winners.

One final note. Michele hinted that we have a surprise in store this week. Anyone care to guess what it might be?? Tune in tomorrow for a really big announcement! You're gonna love it.

BRIGHT SHINY THINGS

I’m one of those people who can be walking down the sidewalk and stop dead in my tracks if I see something in a window that speaks to me. It doesn’t always have to be ‘bright and shiny’ but the effect is the same. I’m dazzled. It doesn’t always have to be a window either. It can be something I see on TV and decide I HAVE to have but then sometimes when I get it, the bright and shiny turns out to be dull and drab. Which begs the question – how did my perception get so skewed?

Over the years, I’ve fallen for my share of MUST HAVE, GUARANTEED TO GET RESULTS, CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT products advertised on radio, TV, in print, or on line. For instance – the ‘skinny’ pants that were guaranteed to reduce the size of my hips and thighs ‘just by wearing them’ turned out to be a real joke. The fact that I was young and impressionable and actually thought I had a big butt back then is little excuse but desperate times and all that. (Still trying to figure out what could possibly have been desperate about the size of my hips when I was a size 4 at the time – ah youth and the stupidity inherent to it.)

On the flip side of youth I’ve also bought my share of anti-aging creams, and make-up guaranteed to ‘defy wrinkles.’

I’ve bought a George Foreman grill because i like George and, well, George said I needed it.

I’ve worn plaid because it was the current style, paisley for the same reason. I’m not a slave to trends but I sometimes think I ought to at least make the effort to ride a current wave.

I’ve considered getting a tattoo. But then I thought about the pain and the probability that a sexy little rose bud tattooed above my left breast would eventually turn into a long stemmed debacle.

So what about you? Do you dive into the latest fad with no misgivings? To you watch QVC or some other shopping channel and pick up that phone because you just HAVE to have THAT amazing product??? What kind of impulse buys have you made that either made you laugh at yourself or curse yourself later? What kind of bright shiny things will stop you in your tracks? And how many George Foreman grills DO you have?

Cindy's Talking LIVE on the Radio tonight - CALL HER!!

Hey all.
I'm talking live on Talk Radio - Canned Laughter and Coffee - tonight at 7:30 Central time. Please call and talk to me :o)
All you have to do is dial: 646-200-4071

I would dearly love to hear your sweet voices!

The show is also aired LIVE at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Circle-Of-Seven and an active chat session is online if you want to listen in!!

If you can't make it, you can still hear the 15 minute broadcast. It will be available for download at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Circle-Of-Seven


Hugs
Cindy

First Sale and Patriot Day

Good bad or otherwise, you’re getting a twofer from me today. First things first – my first sale. It falls into the ‘if I knew then what I know now’ category, I probably wouldn’t be published. I was so naïve. Such a baby – rhetorically speaking – and so ignorant of the business. Long story short, I was in love with LaVryle Spencer’s work – who among us doesn’t love and miss seeing new work from LaVyrle?? Anyway, I’d exhausted her complete library – or so I thought until I discovered some old titles but couldn’t find them on the shelves anywhere. So I wrote to her. That was before the days of e-mail (yes, Virginia, there is a pre-web era many of us survived, but just barely). Wonder of wonders, she wrote back to me. Told me she wrote to me personally because my letter was so articulate. In my 'star-struck' mind that equated to: “LaVryle Spencer thinks I’m articulate. I bet I could write a book.”

You laugh but that’s just how it all started. I sat down with a portable manual typewriter with a sticky E and set out to write the great American novel. From that moment on I was a gonner. Bitten bad by the writing bug. That manuscript was rejected by the best editors in the business (many of whom I enjoy seeing at RWA nationals) but the rejection letters were very encouraging so I kept at it. I wrote two more books. Farmed them all over NYC and finally got the call one pretty fall afternoon from Elizabeth Barrett (yes that’s her name) from Bantam Doubleday Dell’s now defunct Loveswept line.

My hubby was helping a farmer friend of his so I was home alone. I was screaming and buzzed with excitement so I hopped in the car, drove out to the farm, bounced across a fall-plowed field or two until I found Tom behind the wheel of a HUGE combine picking corn. He saw me coming, jumped out of the cab and ran to the car. “Who died?” he asked frantically. In his mind, nothing else warranted the beating my poor car was taking.

We still laugh about that day but MAVERICK was my very first title and came out in July of 1991. Now- wow - 17 years and 41 books later, I still get a little tickle of excitement when I think about that first sale.

My question for you all is, if you're a writer, was there a particular author who inspired you? A particular book? Have you always wanted to be a writer? Or if you're not a writer, what compels you to take a chance on a new author?

On a more somber note, today is Patriot Day. Seven years ago today our lives were forever changed by the horrors of the 9/11 attacks. Please stop with me and take a moment to remember with both sorrow and pride all we endured as a nation that day. In honor of those lost then and in the days that followed as our military fight and defend all that we hold dear, if you fly a flag please display it at half-staff today and observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent victims who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

In peace…

Cindy

Cindy's Deadline Dementia

I’ll tell you straight out and up front. I’m approaching deadline dementia and fading fast. For that reason, this is going to be short, sweet and self-serving.

RESCUE ME, a super hot romantic suspense adventure anthology featuring Cherry Adair (JUNGLE HEAT), Lora Leigh (ATLANTA HEAT) and ME (DESERT HEAT) will be released July 1, 2008 and I really want you to go out and buy it. Told you this was going to be self-serving.

Okay, here’s the deal. St. Martins Press asked the three of us to come up with a theme to wrap a group of novellas around and after very little discussion we came up with a rescue theme. What’s not to like about that? Haven’t we all fantasized about being rescued - from cleaning the toilet, scouring that proverbial frying pan, life in the slow lane? Or how about rescuing someone – a major hunk with a hang nail, a wounded soul in need of TLC, a cowboy without a cow (nothing sadder IMO), a romance writer losing her battle with the calendar and the ticking clock?

Now is the time and this is the forum to share all those secret (or not so secret) rescue fantasies you harbor. Who would you most want to save you from (fill in the blank). And as long as I have your attention, I’d like to hear your opinion on anthologies as a whole. Do you like them? Hate them? Buy them for one author only? Don't give them a second look? Tell me what I need to know, okay? This is the first time I've been published in this formate and I'm curious as to what to expect.

Oh - and I'll give away a copy of RESCUE ME - hot off the presses and autographed by me - to one lucky blogger but you have to post to win. Don't be shy. A quick hello is all you need to get in the running at which time you might be rescued (ahem) from the dull drums by your very own copy of RESCUE ME. Did I mention it was super hot and fantastic???