Where To Find Cynthia Sax

By Cynthia Sax on July 11, 2020

I’ve had a few inquiries about how reading and writing buddies can stay in contact with me now that my Facebook account has been shut down (My Facebook account was accessed by baddies and I asked Facebook to deactivate it. I, unfortunately, am having issues convincing Facebook to reactivate it. They seem to have forgotten that I was the one who asked them to deactivate it in the first place. – shakes head and grins).

I’m always merely an email away (my email in on the side panel) and yes, I read and answer my own emails. The cyborgs refuse to do that and the Dear Wonderful Hubby is busy negotiating with Mafia Squirrels and feeding Son Of Bun Buns, our backyard bunny.

My monthly newsletter is THE place to get key information ( you can sign up here – https://cynthiasax.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=64b6189b7fff32ec76ff320b2&id=ecb94709ae ). This is where you’ll receive updates on characters. Newsletter subscribers, for example, heard about Rage and Joan’s second child, Heart, first. There are also some very bad jokes in my newsletters. They are real groaners (grins).

This blog is a great place to see what I’m doing. Since the Great Facebook Incident of 2020, as the Dear Wonderful Hubby calls it, I’ve been posting here every day. My blog flows to Goodreads (
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3292466.Cynthia_Sax ) so you can easily follow it there.

My website ( http://cynthiasax.com/ ) has upcoming release information (which reminds me – I should update it for news about Warlord’s Return).

I’m also on Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/cynthiasax/?hl=en ) if you like pretty photos. I’ve discovered Book Brush so I’ve been playing around with that.

I’m on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/CynthiaSax ). That is where I post my truly random thoughts.

If you merely want release information, you can follow me on Amazon (
https://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Sax/e/B006HIJICK ), BookBub (
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cynthia-sax ), Smashwords (
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CynthiaSax ) or other booksellers if they have that option.

I’m all over the place. (grins) You don’t have to look very hard to find me.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Where To Find Cynthia Sax

Short Stories – How I Stay Focused On One Series

By Cynthia Sax on July 10, 2020

Stock Art Crafted By And Indirectly Purchased From: grandfailure

I started this wonderful career as a Romance Writer by writing short stories, stories that were approximately 11,000 words or 44 pages long.

There were a number of reasons why I started with shorter works.

I LOVE short stories. I think they are an underappreciated art form. My favorite Stephen King stories, for example, are his short stories. Some of my most treasured books when I was a pre-teen and teenager were compilations of short stories. I admire songwriters, folks who can tell a story in 3 or 4 minutes.

There’s something extremely satisfying about relaying a story with the minimal amount of words. It is a skill not everyone has.

My first professional (i.e. paid) writing also was as a newspaper reporter. I had a small column in a daily paper and articles in a weekly paper. My allowable word count for those articles was small. I had to make every word count and I learned how to write lean.

That habit was difficult to break. I still write lean today with my first drafts. It takes me two more drafts to fill the story out.

Another key factor was I had an extremely high-pressure full-time job (as a business babe) at the time and that required many hours of overtime. I didn’t have the mental bandwidth or the time to write 400 page novels but I DID have the time and the brain power to write a short story every month.

Short stories can be a burst of muse food. I can try different things, experiment with different styles and techniques, explore different subgenres of romance. I can work through an idea or premise fairly quickly.

Which is why I currently use short stories to keep myself focused while writing series.

One of the common things I hear from newer writers is they can’t be restrained to one niche, one style, one tone. Their muse has to be FREE.

That feeling doesn’t go away merely because a story/series does well and a writer finds a readership. My cyborg romance reading buddies look to me to write cyborg romances. I love cyborg romance and am happy to give these reading buddies what they want.

But, once in a while, I have the urge to write tentacle romance. Or an idea for an extremely bloody horror romance crowds into my brain. Or a gargoyle romance premise grabs me and won’t let me go. I MUST write it.

I have a set schedule for my cyborg romances. I can’t spend too much time on these other projects, projects only I want written. I CAN, however, spend a week on one of them and write a 60 page short story. As I’m writing this story for my eyes only, I don’t have to allocate 3 more weeks to polishing it, revising it, having it edited. I can write it and set it aside and focus on the cyborg romance.

My muse is happy. I’ve stretched myself writing-wise. I’m fulfilled as a writer, excited about this awesome career, and I can bring that joy to my longer projects.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Short Stories, Writing Tips | Comments Off on Short Stories – How I Stay Focused On One Series

Warlord’s Return – Cover Reveal

By Cynthia Sax on July 9, 2020

I have a cover for Warlord’s Return! Woot!

Warlord’s Return, the 6th and final story in the Chamele Barbarian Warlords series, will be releasing in November 2020.

I don’t yet have pre-order links or a blurb or even a completed first draft (the first draft should be completed by end of day on Wednesday) but I wanted to show you the gorgeous cover.

It was crafted by the always awesome Amanda Kelsey from Razzle Dazzle Design !

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Cover Reveal | Comments Off on Warlord’s Return – Cover Reveal

Dear Wonderful Hubby Stories – Living With A Writer

By Cynthia Sax on July 8, 2020

I was laughing this morning because the Dear Wonderful Hubby was making scrambled eggs and he was choosing eggs from the carton in a completely random way, the same way he does almost everything else (he once mowed the lawn in an X pattern).

People, upon meeting us, usually think I’m the flighty or spontaneous person in the relationship. I’m the writer. He works for big corporate as a salesperson. The myth of the writer is we’re all over the place thought-wise.

Which is ridiculously funny.

Writers have to keep track of entire worlds, multiple plots, hundreds of characters. Many of us often get random ideas. That’s true. But we have to organize those ideas into cohesive stories.

That takes focus.

In contrast, one of the true myths about writers is, once you push past the introvert super shield many of us (but not all) erect around us, we can be entertaining and ‘interesting’ to live with.

Some people say that as though it is a bad thing. It isn’t a bad thing. Not usually.

Whenever the Dear Wonderful Hubby is bored or needs to be distracted or is trying to stay awake during a long drive, he’ll comment on a random thing and I’ll usually spin that observation into an action-packed story that often involves either explosions or decapitations. (grins)

A couple years ago, before the Great Pause, we were on a cruise ship and there wasn’t much entertainment on board. We stood on a deck, looked out at the water and I started telling him a story about a mermaid who had fallen in love with a dolphin (neither the mermaid’s parents nor the dolphin’s parents approved of their relationship). There was quite a bit of conflict and some bloodshed in this tale.

The night air was cool and we turned to go back to the closed portion of the ship. Two women, fellow passengers yet complete strangers who had been standing beside us, stopped us and told us we couldn’t go, not yet. They needed to hear the rest of the story. (grins)

So yes, writers can be entertaining but we usually have some (not award-winning levels but semi-normal) organization skills.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Dear Wonderful Hubby Stories | Comments Off on Dear Wonderful Hubby Stories – Living With A Writer

The Ebbs And Flows Of Being A Writer

By Cynthia Sax on July 7, 2020

I’ve heard the speculations about whether or not a writer can be successful without access to Facebook, a place I find myself residing in now.

Facebook is a key part of many writers’ promotional strategies, interactions with reading and writing buddies, online business and social life. It is challenging for many writers to imagine enjoying this wonderful career without Facebook.

I’ll admit that I miss Facebook. I miss interacting with my buddies there. I miss hearing about writing news. I HAVE seen a dip in sales and in pre-orders because I haven’t yet figured out how to spread the news about releases without Facebook. I relied on that platform THAT much.

But Facebook isn’t why I write. It isn’t why I publish my stories.

Readers aren’t the reason I write either. I love my reading buddies (big hugs) but I wrote stories long before I met them.

If disaster strikes and all my reading buddies abandon me, leaving me with zero readers, I will continue to write and likely continue to publish my stories.

I know this because I HAVE gone to zero in the past.

I had found a solid readership for my contemporary romances many years ago. Then I participated in a year-long experiment, the 12 novella serial. Most of my reading buddies weren’t interested in that project.

I had about 100 readers who read that serial. Those 100 or so readers are and will always be cherished. They were the bright spots in an otherwise dark time in my writing career and I love them for that, for their support, their caring. (even bigger hugs)

The $30 or so I earned on each installment of that serial, however, didn’t come close to paying for my expenses associated with the project. And I had disappointed readers who had counted on me to write the stories THEY wanted. That was really hard to accept.

At the end of it, I had a daunting amount of rebuilding to do.

Another writer might have quit or she might have reinvented herself under a different pen name. Those are two very valid options and I would completely understand if other writers grasped them. Everyone is different and has different paths.

I continued writing, continued publishing…as I will continue to write, continue to publish now and likely forever. Something minor like being kicked off a social media platform won’t stop me.

I doubt anything could stop me at this point. (grins) And that’s a powerful thing—that certainty that the only route is forward, to continue. I don’t have any doubts about what I’m doing, what I am meant to do with the gifts I’ve been given.

Writers often have a vision of an ever-increasing readership for their stories, that our careers will become more successful (whatever our definitions of success are) with each published story. That might be true for a rare few but most of us will see ebbs and flows with our careers.

The world changes. Readers change. We, as writers, change. We can’t count on straight line growth for…well…anything. There will be dips. Heck, there will be cliffs, straight downward plunges. If you are a writer, you might want to prepare for them, might want to think about how you’ll handle them.

Know that these ‘retreats’ are natural. They happen to almost every writer. And you CAN survive them.

You can also survive without Facebook. (grins)  

As an aside, I’ve been enjoying the best writing of my lifetime since I’ve been kicked off Facebook. The words are flowing. I’m in the groove. The views of my stories have been excitingly clear and detailed. I don’t know if this is because I’m not on Facebook or that is merely a coincidence.

Whatever the reason is, I’m savoring it.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on The Ebbs And Flows Of Being A Writer

Cynthia Sax Upcoming Stories

By Cynthia Sax on July 6, 2020

It is midway through the year, a great time to reveal the stories I have planned.

Testing Truth – September 15, 2020

Truth’s story will be the next one to release. It has been loaded at booksellers and is available for pre-orders. I suspect you’ll love this story. It is my editor’s favorite in the Cyborg Space Exploration series. Truth is a hoot and his female matches him for drama and excitement.

One of the questions I often receive is – Why not release this story immediately?

Because it hasn’t been completely edited. The first high level round of edits has been completed. This stage tells me whether or not the story works. It might need deep revisions. If that is the case, it could take a month or longer to get the story to the working point. Or it might have to be scrapped completely. That happens.

Thankfully, Testing Truth works as a story. I’m confident it will be ready for September 15th but it is unlikely to be ready much earlier than that.

Testing Truth is the final core story in the Cyborg Space Exploration portion of the longer Cyborg Romance series.

Warlord’s Return – November 2020

I’m 10 chapters into the 18 chapter first draft of Warlord’s Return, the 6th and final story in the Chamele Barbarian Warlords series. I’m loving it. Ariq and his gerel are magical together. I think the story works but my editor will confirm (likely in August) if I’m right.

Holding Hoarse – December 2020

Hoarse’s romance will be the free short story this year, my thank you to you and other reading buddies. (big hugs) We first met Hoarse in Passion Surge. He is the ulu-making, offspring-loving C Model and he definitely deserves love.

Containing Malice – February 2021

Under Strain – May 2021

Baring Grudge – August 2021

B Free – November 2021

Seizing Power – February 2022

I usually release a cyborg romance every four months. I know reading buddies are impatient for Power’s story so in 2021, I will be releasing a cyborg romance every three months.

These cyborgs (with the exception of Power) were left behind during the cyborg mass rebellion. Many of them are damaged. ALL of them are angry and emotionally battered. They have a tendency to be violent but also retain…barely…the capacity for love.

They remind me of Rage, of how he was during most of his story.

There will likely be a freebie short story in 2021 also but I don’t know what the title will be (I suspect it will be Relay’s story. I can’t leave him without a female after Surge and Hoarse have found theirs.).

We have MANY stories to look forward to reading. (grins) I am certainly looking forward to writing them.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Cynthia Sax Upcoming Stories

Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – July 5th

By Cynthia Sax on July 5, 2020

My Facebook account is still under review. (big sigh) I didn’t expect it to be approved this week, not with the holiday. Customer service folks (if there ARE customer service folks actually working at Facebook) deserve time off too. I completely understand that.

I have completed the first 10 chapters of the first draft of Warlord’s Return (releasing in November). I love this story so fraggin’ much. (grins) Ariq and his gerel are magical together. It has been a joy to write, my escape from the universe.

This week, I’m writing the next 5 chapters in Warlord’s Return. There will be 18 chapters (at least) so I won’t be finishing the first draft this week but I’ll be getting close to completing it! Woot!

As many of you know, I write short stories (15,000 words or 60 pages long) between longer releases. I write these for myself, as muse pleasers, for pure fun. I love many of these stories and am thinking about gathering them into bundles.

Because I think some short story loving reading buddies might love them also.

For writing buddies, I doubt this will be a money-making venture. Short stories don’t tend to sell well. If enough readers read them to offset the cost of the cover, I would be surprised and super happy.

And I’m at the thinking about it stage. I might not do anything with these short stories.

Note: The December free stories will definitely still be happening. I already have the cover (from the always awesome Amanda Kelsey from Razzle Dazzle Design) for Holding Hoarse, this year’s freebie. I don’t yet have an idea for the story but I have an image to go with it. (grins)

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Cynthia Sax Weekly Update | Comments Off on Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – July 5th

Extinction And Making Viewers Uneasy

By Cynthia Sax on July 4, 2020

The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I recently watched the Netflix SciFi movie Extinction.

I almost didn’t stick with this movie. Yes, there were awesome explosions and great invasion scenes but when I watched the main characters, I was uncomfortable.

Everything was a bit…off. The timing of their responses was slightly delayed. The emotions weren’t quite right. The kids seemed determined to put themselves in the most vulnerable positions possible, having to be saved by the parents again and again.

What I believed were annoying ticks or instances of surprisingly bad acting were, in reality, brilliant storytelling decisions. I was supposed to feel that way. I was meant to pick up on all of that.

Those small irritations were all, as I call them, breadcrumbs. The uneasiness I felt was gifted foreshadowing, something I aspire to in my own stories.

I love dropping clues about the big plot twist, giving reading buddies who pay close attention the opportunity to guess what comes next. I love when reading buddies re-read a story to pick up hints they might not have noticed during the first read. That makes me happy.

Does every reader ‘get’ what I am trying to do? No. Does every attempt I make to do this work? Again, no. And it didn’t work for all viewers of Extinction. That’s why there are so many bad reviews for this movie.

But when it works for a reader, for a viewer…stars, it is magical.

(Also, I LOVED that Lizzy Caplan was one of the stars in this movie. I loved her in Cloverfield and the subconscious coupling with that movie made Extinction even more enjoyable for me. It helped guide me in the absolute wrong direction. – grins)

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Extinction And Making Viewers Uneasy

KU, Libraries, Smashwords And Sales

By Cynthia Sax on July 3, 2020

I’m often asked why I don’t have my stories in KU. There are a number of reasons for that decision but the key one is…

I love libraries.

I grew up dirt poor. We didn’t eat every day. That was how poor we were. But we lived in Canada and access to the library was free. I’d walk into the library with my library card, leave with as many books as my little arms could carry and feel like the wealthiest person in the universe. I read entire libraries out, reading everything from small engine repair to thick research books on crows.

I want other people to have that experience. And I want my eBooks to be available to everyone.

KU doesn’t allow books in their program to be available at libraries. KU also costs money for readers to use.

Public libraries usually don’t cost money for readers to use. If things get tight, I want you to ALWAYS be able to read my stories. Why should you miss out on my next release simply because you’re a little short on cash?

So I list my eBooks at public libraries.

If my eBooks aren’t available at your public library, ask the awesome librarians there to order them. If your library doesn’t have the budget for my stories, let me know and I’ll work with them.

By asking for my eBooks at your local library, you’re leaving a legacy of sorts. Those eBooks should be available for other library patrons…forever. And that will be because of you. YOU will have accomplished that feat.

That’s all sorts of awesome, isn’t it?

If you prefer to own your eBooks (If you borrow books in KU, you don’t own them. Once you return them, there’s a chance they’ll be delisted and you’ll never be able to read them again.) and you’re on a strict budget, Smashwords is often the best place to buy my eBooks on sale.

There is a sale happening right now on all of my eBooks –  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CynthiaSax .

You can find your specific format at Smashwords. Mobi is best for your Kindles. ePub is great for your Apple devices, your Nooks, your Kobo readers.

Smashwords has personal libraries so you have another off device storage place for the eBooks you buy there. If an eBook gets deleted or misplaced, you can download it again.

If you have any questions about libraries, Smashwords or heck, anything else, I am always here for you. (big hugs)

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: Sales On Cynthia Sax Books | Comments Off on KU, Libraries, Smashwords And Sales

Leather – The Universe’s Default Material

By Cynthia Sax on July 2, 2020

A reading buddy commented on how many of my warriors wear leather. Aren’t there other materials in the universe to craft garments from?

That’s a great question…and one that I’ve put quite a bit of thought into (as I put thought into every other small detail, which is why it takes me so fraggin’ long to write a story – grins).

What is leather?

According to Dictionary.com , leather is “the skin of an animal, with the hair removed, prepared for use by tanning or a similar process designed to preserve it against decay and make it pliable or supple when dry.”

The animal doesn’t have to be Earth-based. The animal doesn’t have to look like a cow. A rat is an animal. Rats tend to be everywhere and I suspect they have been making other planets their home also.

As long as a human or humanoid is on the planet, beings can obtain leather.

Because humans and humanoids are animals too.

Yes. That is unnerving but it IS possible and it is likely. Which is why I rarely say what type of leather was used for the garments (that and this detail isn’t usually important to the story).

Any being anywhere has access to leather.

If the being has access to better materials for garments, of course, they will use those other materials. The cyborgs don’t wear leather because they have access to body armor made from stronger, more protective, synthetically created materials.

The princess heroine in Testing Truth doesn’t wear leather because she is a princess, has a gazillion credits and can source the best and often the most beautiful materials in the universe.

The Humanoid Alliance baddies don’t wear leather either. Again, like the cyborgs, they have access to different materials, materials they deem as being ‘better.’

The Chameles, however, are an insular species. They don’t trade with other planets. They rarely allow ships from other sectors into their sector.

They would source almost everything from their own planets and they have plenty of leather on those planets. The Chameles can create leather from the unees, the rock vultures, other animals. And they wouldn’t waste that material.

Plus they revel in their rather primitive origins. Leather has been part of their history, part of their warrior culture for many generations and it suits them. It holds emotional significance for them, is a link to their past.

Many of the beings on Carinae E wear leather also. Carinae E, the home of Kralj from Dark Thoughts, isn’t rich in natural materials. They don’t have teams of scientists to create synthetic alternatives.

The locals don’t trade much with the rest of the universe. Beings avoid Carinae E if they possibly can. It is a wild, lawless, brutal place. No merchants are making pleasure stops there…unless they want to be robbed.

But Carinae E DOES have animals. Many of those animals walk on two legs. So the locals DO have access to leather.

I see you grimacing but did you truly believe Kralj, a male who EATS his enemies, wears a coat made from ethically-sourced bovine leather?

Yes, my less credit-heavy, outlaw warriors tend to wear leather.

The question you might (or might not) wish to ask is—what TYPE of leather are they wearing?

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Other Chameles view him as the enemy.

She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.

* * *

Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.

That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.

After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.

Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.

* * *

Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.

It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.

Book 1:  Warlord Sky

Book 2:  Warlord’s Bounty

Book 3:  Warlord Unarmed

Book 4:  Warlord Reunited

Book 5:  Warlord’s Mercy

Book 6: Warlord’s Return

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9

Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1

SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349

Topics: General SciFi Romance | Comments Off on Leather – The Universe’s Default Material

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