Killing Time
(One Eyed Jacks #1)
Publisher:  Pocket Books
Publication date:  January 22, 2013

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository/ Simon and Shuster

Read an Excerpt

An exciting new series featuring Mike “Primetown” Brown, a character from her popular
“Black Ops, Inc.” series.

For the seven years after Operation Slam Dunk went south, Mike Brown got drunk on each anniversary. The eighth year was no different–until he was drugged by a woman and woke up to her questions about what had happened eight years ago in Afghanistan. CIA attorney Eva Salinas has her own theory behind what happened to Mike’s team–which included her husband–in Afghanistan eight years ago, and she’s determined to prove foul play. Though she doesn’t trust him, Mike is the only person she can turn to for help. Under an assumed name, Eva convinces Mike to assemble a new team and go after the traitor who screwed up both their lives. As they track down the rogue who started it all, Eva and Mike discover they can’t live without each other. But can they stay alive while an enemy is still on the loose?

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The only thing Cindy had in mind when she started writing her first book was finishing it. The issue of actually selling it came much later. Only after she made that life-altering first sale did she realize that one book would never be enough. Now, over 20 books and numerous awards later, Cindy laughingly admits that she can barely remember life before…well, was there life before writing?

Actually, yes there was, and still is. A professional career woman, Cindy is a trainer for the Iowa Department of Human Services, a position she states is both challenging and rewarding. “Human Services is a front-line, real-life event. Everything about the job is immediate, from serving families in crisis, to assisting staff with difficult situations, to meeting tension-fraught deadlines.”

Cindy’s writing has netted her spots on bestseller lists, numerous RT nominations and awards, the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, a National Reader’s Choice Award and two RITA nominations.

Between writing and working full time you wouldn’t think Cindy would have much time for anything else. And while she does find her work and her writing rewarding, there does have to be more. Cindy has more. Much more. She is happily married to the perfect man. Tom’s a cowboy, ladies!

Both Tom and Cindy enjoy gardening and have recently expanded their annual beds into a perennial garden. Cindy says she can hardly wait for spring and the promise of all that reawakening and the colorful blooms.

In addition to the horses, the Gerards have two dogs, Ellie and Boomer, who pretty much get anything they want. Tom and Cindy have one son, Kyle, who, after years of keeping them in suspense, found Eileen, the perfect woman.

Connect with Cindy:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Cindy’s Amazon Page

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CINDY GERARD-Interview with the Author

TRC: Hi Cindy and welcome to The Reading Café.  Congratulations on the upcoming release of KILLING TIME-the first storyline in your new ONE EYED JACKS series
For everyone who doesn’t know Cindy Gerard-would you please tell us something about yourself?

Cindy: Can I just say that I really hate this question because I am soooo boring. I could lie but that’s not me. I’m a home body who loves family and friends, cards, board games and is currently addicted to on line scrabble. I spoil my 2 cats and my dog and enjoy taking care of my new hobby (fresh water aquariums) My favorite way to spend a day is at home in my Pj’s, snuggling up with a good book (still prefer the paper in my hand) with my critters snuggled up beside me. SEE? Boring…..

TRC: KILING TIME is your first storyline in the One Eyed Jacks series.  Would you please tell us the premise behind the series and the first installment?

Cindy: Gladly. Thanks for asking. The One Eyed Jacks (a multi-branch military task force formed in 2002 and disbanded in 2005) got their nick name because of the uniqueness of their experimental unit, their tight camaraderie, their slightly reckless reputation, their favorite downtime/pastime of high stakes poker and because each of them made a pact to always carry a One Eyed Jack playing card (either a Jack of hearts or a Jack of spades) as their lucky charm and a sign of unity.

Today, only three men of the original detail are still alive – Mike Brown, Bobby Taggart, Jamie Cooper. On their last mission in Afghanistan, all three were dealt a losing hand and now share one common bond: The military that they proudly served had cut them loose eight years ago with a ‘less than honorable’ discharge when their team led a covert operation that went south and the powers that be laid the blame squarely on their shoulders.

Now Brown, Taggart and Cooper lead separate lives in separate countries, have all dropped out of ‘normal society’ and not only live with the lie that led to their military separation but with the weight of the deaths of both their task force team members and several innocent civilians haunting them.

For these three men, life is now all about getting by, about forgetting the past, dealing with the anger and coping with the hand they’ve been dealt. None of them intend to break the status quo – until a mysterious woman confronts and forces Brown to ask questions about what really happened in Afghanistan and how those events played into a current national security threat.  KILLING TIME leads Mike and Eva from Lima, Peru, to Washington D.C. and finally to the Idaho Panhandle where they infiltrate a survivalist group that hides a deep and dangerous secret and the key to Mike’s redemption.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series? .

Cindy: I had initially planned 2 more books in the series – RUNNING BLIND and TAKING FIRE. I’ve since been given the opportunity to write a 4th book, one that will come out next December (just in time for Christmas!!) that’s a bonus book in the series. I’m so excited about THE WAY HOME. It’s a homecoming story featuring Tyler Brown (Mike’s brother) and is a little different book than I usually write. Still romance, still suspense, still features our black ops warriors, but THE WAY HOME has a little something extra … something that is leading me on a very special journey as I write it.

TRC: Mike ‘Primetime’ Brown is the hero in Killing Time. Who was the inspiration behind this particular character?

Cindy: Every bad boy I’ve ever known LOL Seriously, Mike embodies everything I love about a man. He’s strong when it counts, funny, irreverent, filled with integrity even though he’d deny there was an honorable bone in his body.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the characters of Mike Brown and Eva Silanas, which models or actors would best represent your ideal?

Cindy: I like Bradley Cooper for Mike and Salma Hayek as Eva.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?

Cindy: That I lead a glamorous life. LOL The truth is I’m a home body. If I make the mistake of heading for my PC too early, I may spend the day in my PJ’s and not even realize it until mid afternoon.

TRC: If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?

Cindy: Are you kidding? Weight and age. Give me less of both :o)

TRC: Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life and why?

Cindy: My mother. She taught me the value of decency and kindness and honesty. What more can you ask for?

TRC: Who is the first person you think about when you need someone to talk with and why?

Cindy: If it’s about life in general, it’s my hubby. If it’s about writing it’s Glenna McReynolds – aka Tara Janzen . If it’s for a girl’s gab session it’s my buddy Susan Connell or Leanne Banks of Carol Bryant

TRC: Would you please tell us what do you do in your free time?

Cindy: Still love to read and I’m an avid movie and TV buff. So excited about JUSTIFIED’s new season starting this month. Timothy Olyphant? Holy cow what a man.

TRC: What are the 5 things you would like to do that you haven’t done in your life?

Cindy: See Macu Pichu, go back to Italy, see Ireland, see Hawaii (nope, never been there), finish a book without feeling total, consuming panic.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Cindy: THE WAY HOME – the bonus book in the One Eyed Jacks series that I spoke about earlier.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Cindy: Just that I’m so happy to be here and so grateful to my readers and all the support they’ve given me over the years. Means everything.

LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food – Chocolate, Cheetos, Pizza. Sorry. More than 1
Favorite Dessert – warm apple pie ala mode
Favorite TV Show – You guessed it. Justified
Last Movie you saw – The Rise of the Guardians (took the grand kids) LOVED IT)
Dark or Milk Chocolate – milk

TRC: Thank you Cindy for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you all the best and much success with the new One Eyed Jack series.

Cindy: Thank you so much. I really do appreciate it.

Cindy is offering a signed paper back copy of LAST MAN STANDING to ONE lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1. You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. Please leave a blog-post comment along with your email address.

3. Giveaway is open to US and CANADA only

4. Giveaway runs January 21-February 3, 2013

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GRAND PRIZE Blog Tour Giveaway