Our Top Pick in March Romance is Cindy Gerard's pulse-pounding Taking Fire, the story of two brave military heroes struggling with their feelings for each other—and struggling to stay alive. We asked Gerard to tell us about her extensive warfare and weaponry research, her favorite type of heroines and her many pets!
Describe your novel in one sentence.
From the first page to the last, Taking Fire is an emotionally riveting and explosively charged rocket of a read, as Talia and Taggart struggle with betrayal and retribution and they fight their way toward redemption.
Talia is a strong, brave woman who must make life-or-death decisions on the fly. What’s your favorite kind of heroine to write?
Talia is a great example. She's been through the fire, lit the fire and fanned the flames. How can you not love to write about a kick-ass heroine like that?
There is a lot of detail about warfare and weaponry in your One-Eyed Jack and Black Ops Inc. series. What sort of research do you do for this series?
I've been writing romantic military suspense for over 10 years now. My research is extensive, from military procedural books to true accounts such as Generation Kill, Blackhawk Down and One Bullet Away, to articles in various military publications. My best sources, however, are my many friends in the military or in private security work. You want to know the best weapon to take out a tank? You go to the guy who's done it. You want to know how to commandeer a chopper out from under the nose of the military in the Philippines? Again, you go to the guy who knows how to get it done. Accuracy is everything, and I've been fortunate enough to rely on people who have been there, done that.
What initially drew you to romantic suspense?
I've always loved romance. And I've always loved the thrill of a great suspense novel. So it seemed the perfect marriage for me to join the two together.
Have you ever considered writing a series that wasn’t romantic suspense?
Sure. Every writer has a little somethin' somethin' of an idea tucked away that they want to dust off and finish when they have the time. I love straight-out thrillers and might like to try my hand at one in the future.
Tell us about some of the pets in your life!
There's not enough room to go into detail :o) The hubby and I have six quarter horses, two dogs, two house cats, and I have two fresh water aquariums. We also feed a lot of wild birds. Needless to say, we love our critters, the dogs (Margaret the Brittany Spaniel and Tater the Cavapoo) and the cats (Buddy and Sly, both rescues). However, they don't think of themselves as critters. They think of themselves as puppet masters and truth to tell, they are quite skilled at making us dance to their tune. We adore them all.
What’s next for you?
Oh, boy. I'm still pondering that question myself. I HOPE I let myself know soon, as this waiting is driving me crazy :o)
Thank you, Cindy!
