Cynthia Sax Upcoming Releases
It is difficult to believe it is February already! Wow. The year is flying by!
I thought I’d talk about what I’m working on, what releases are upcoming, etc. I’ve been a busy woman. (grins)
Sinful Rewards – June 2014-July 2015
The last five installments in Sinful Rewards will be releasing from February 17th to the middle of July.
Will the unsuccessful hero (I’m not telling who that is! grins) have his story written. I hope so. I’d like to write it. But this decision will be made by my publisher.
Mastered 2 – April 21st, 2015
I’m contributing a BDSM-themed contemporary erotic romance novella (100 pages) to the Mastered 2 boxed set (releasing April 21st). Thus far, we have 11 awesome writers committed to the boxed set. We’re all bringing our A-games. I know I’m very proud of my story. And these 11 stories, over 1,100 pages of hot, hot, HOT erotic romance, are priced at a ridiculously low 99 cents. Readers really can’t go wrong!
The Good Assistant – September 2015
Currently, my novella (100 pages) The Good Assistant is only available in a print anthology. I have plans to self-publish this story in September. It will be priced at 99 cents (as all of my contemporary erotic romances are). I’m considering throwing in the short story I wrote for the Shades of Pink anthology as a bonus since this story is set in the same world.
My New Contemporary Erotic Romance Story – Release Date Yet To Be Determined
I’m 100 pages into the first draft of a new 400 page contemporary erotic romance. I love this story. I love the characters and yes, it will feature a billionaire. This WILL be published and I’m certain you WILL enjoy it. I don’t yet know when or by whom.
I also suspect it will be at least a 2 story release, perhaps 3, these stories having the same heroine and hero. Their romance naturally splits into parts (as Anna and Blaine’s romance naturally splits into parts – He Watches Me, He Touches Me, He Claims Me). There will be a happy for now at the end of each story.
SciFi Erotic Romances
I haven’t forgotten about my SciFi erotic romance reading buddies. All of my series at Ellora’s Cave are complete. My agent is shopping around a couple of ideas for new series. When she finds the right home for them, I’ll start writing these stories.
They will be longer, ranging from 200 to 400 pages (depending upon feedback from the publisher and how much sex my characters decide to have). Yes, I’m on a long story kick! Don’t worry, novella lovers. I’m sure I’ll have a couple of shorter releases also.
That’s all I have on the schedule thus far for 2015. I’m certain (and hopeful) other projects will come up. I’d love to contribute to a couple more boxed sets. Those are fun!
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter is no longer torn between her handsome billionaire and her tattooed bad-boy biker. After enjoying mind-melting, world-tilting sex and experiencing the pleasure of waking in her man’s arms, she has finally made her choice.
Or has she?
A violent early morning confrontation pits biker against billionaire and results in a shocking proposal: the discarded man is willing to overlook Bee’s wild night with his rival in order to win her love. He will sacrifice his pride, his heart, and everything he holds dear to have her.
Bee is unmoved by the offer … until the man she’s chosen encourages her to accept.
Now Bee is yet again faced with an impossible decision: Does she pursue the man she craves, who has rejected her love, or does she settle for the man who will do anything for her?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPVB4RM
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-8
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-8-cynthia-sax/1119919842
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_8?id=O-xMBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-8/id885104040
Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Cynthia Sax Upcoming Releases
Sinful Rewards 8 – Third Excerpt
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
Here’s a teaser from Sinful Rewards 8 (releasing February 17th) starring Nicolas, our billionaire.
Nicolas’s office looks nothing like his penthouse, the varying styles confusing me. “I didn’t expect your office to look like this.” My ears ring and my foot throbs with pain.
His forehead furrows with thought lines. “It matches the rest of the club.”
“Your penthouse is very different,” I explain.
“My penthouse matches the rest of the complex,” Nicolas says as though I’ve made a silly observation, as though everyone matches his private spaces to the decor of the building.
He shows guests nothing of his true self, safeguarding his soul from possible pain. Yet he shared everything with me—his deepest darkest secrets, his hidden shame, his hopes, his dreams.
I gaze up at my billionaire, only now realizing how much he trusts me.
“I’m honored to be your friend, Nicolas,” I say softly.
“I’m a terrible friend.” Crimson streaks across his cheekbones. “You can make your call here.” He pries my fingers away from his palm.
“Okay.” I nod, reluctantly releasing my real estate mogul, allowing him to emotionally retreat. Making a call must have been the excuse Mack gave him.
“I have to work.” Nicolas slides his hands over my bare shoulders, his skin warm and smooth. “Your bodyguard will stay with you. There’s a table waiting for you in the VIP area when you’re done.”
I must leave this room eventually. Disappointment weighs on me. “Thank you.”
Nicolas looks at me, his brown eyes soft, a rare vulnerability on his gorgeous face. I summon a bright smile, ignoring Mack’s scowl and the agony in my toe, focusing on my lonely billionaire, on his unspoken needs.
We don’t speak. There’s no need to say anything. Nicolas drifts his fingers along my arms, up and down, up and down, a comforting caress, laden with meaning. He’s here for me if I ever need him as a friend. I’m not alone.
Nicolas presses his lips to my forehead. “I’m glad you came tonight.”
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter is no longer torn between her handsome billionaire and her tattooed bad-boy biker. After enjoying mind-melting, world-tilting sex and experiencing the pleasure of waking in her man’s arms, she has finally made her choice.
Or has she?
A violent early morning confrontation pits biker against billionaire and results in a shocking proposal: the discarded man is willing to overlook Bee’s wild night with his rival in order to win her love. He will sacrifice his pride, his heart, and everything he holds dear to have her.
Bee is unmoved by the offer … until the man she’s chosen encourages her to accept.
Now Bee is yet again faced with an impossible decision: Does she pursue the man she craves, who has rejected her love, or does she settle for the man who will do anything for her?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPVB4RM
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-8
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-8-cynthia-sax/1119919842
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_8?id=O-xMBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-8/id885104040
Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Sinful Rewards 8 – Third Excerpt
Sinful Rewards 7 – What Is Your Dream House?
My Dream Home Is A Tiny English-Style Cottage
I’m at Babs Book Bistro, talking about dream houses!
http://www.babsbookbistro.net/sinful-rewards-7-blog-tour-guest-post/
Here is a snippet…
“What is your dream home? Is it a huge mansion in a gated community? A tiny seaside cottage? A New York penthouse overlooking Central Park? A ranch with thousands of acres between you and your next neighbor? A mobile home you can drive to a new town?
Why is it your dream home?
The why fascinates me. Having worked in property management, I know that while we might have the same dream home, our why’s are likely to be completely different. And there’s always a why. We choose these homes for a reason.”
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards7-1718231-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Sinful Rewards 7 – What Is Your Dream House?
Sinful Rewards 7 – My Top 5 Writing Distractions
I’m at Manga Maniac Cafe, talking about writing distractions!
http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=11904
Here is a snippet…
“5. Other Story Ideas
Story ideas are one of the most tricksy of all distractions because we, writers, know how fleeting they are. We have a flash of inspiration and, if we don’t take action, the inspiration is gone.
What I do is quickly sketch out everything I ‘see’. This is usually the premise or the first scene. I then add this idea to my top 100 list. Yes, I maintain a list of my top 100 story ideas. Ideas fall off this list every week. I’ll never be able to write every story I want to write. That’s stressful and thrilling and one of the many reasons I’ll never stop writing.”
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards7-1718231-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Sinful Rewards 7 – My Top 5 Writing Distractions
Sinful Rewards 8 – Second Excerpt
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
Let’s heat up February with a super spicy excerpt from Sinful Rewards 8 (releasing February 17th)
We’re one, linked by our desire. I guide his shaft to my empty entrance, moan into his throat as he pushes inside me, stretching me tight. He’s so damn large, his cock as massive as the rest of him, and, if I hadn’t taken him last night, I’d be concerned.
But this is our second fuck and I’m fearless, lifting my hips, speeding the long, slow glide of rigid shaft into warm, wet pussy. In Hawke’s brilliant blue eyes I see a reflection of my own wonder, my own joy. This experience is as unique for him as it is for me, energy flowing from his body to mine and back again, a continuous loop growing stronger and stronger.
Finally, my pussy lips touch the curls at his base. “Fuck,” he mutters, this one word encompassing my feelings. “You’re perfect, love.”
When I’m with him, I am perfect and I belong, my curves meshing with his muscle, my smaller body fitting into his larger physique. Hawke pulls back and surges forward and I gasp, gripping his shoulders, a ripple of pleasure flowing over me.
He retreats and advances, retreats and advances, his rhythm constant and too controlled for my liking. I want him to be as wild for me as I am for him. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I kick my heels into his clenched ass cheeks.
Hawke jerks, growls words I can’t decipher, and pushes back, taking me harder, deeper. I laugh, exhilarated by his reaction, and rise up to meet him, clenching my inner walls around his shaft, shredding his restraint even more. His lips flatten into a determined white line as we battle for dominance, driving each other insane with desire.
Sweat beads on our skin, slicking our bodies and darkening Hawke’s tattoos, making us one. I pant, he grunts, and the bed rocks, the sounds of our lust echoing in my ears, exciting me.
As he thrusts into me, I lick his chin, his stubble scraping my tongue, the salt of his efforts filling my mouth. He shudders, his shaft swelling inside me, his balls hugging his body, and the pulse of need within me grows, a tempo I can’t ignore.
“Hawke.” I dig my fingernails into his shoulders, trying to delay my release.
“No . . . curtains,” he huffs, his hot breath blowing over my cheeks. His biceps bulge as he braces himself above me. His chest flattens my breasts. “Watching . . . us.”
He knows what to say to drive me wild.
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter is no longer torn between her handsome billionaire and her tattooed bad-boy biker. After enjoying mind-melting, world-tilting sex and experiencing the pleasure of waking in her man’s arms, she has finally made her choice.
Or has she?
A violent early morning confrontation pits biker against billionaire and results in a shocking proposal: the discarded man is willing to overlook Bee’s wild night with his rival in order to win her love. He will sacrifice his pride, his heart, and everything he holds dear to have her.
Bee is unmoved by the offer … until the man she’s chosen encourages her to accept.
Now Bee is yet again faced with an impossible decision: Does she pursue the man she craves, who has rejected her love, or does she settle for the man who will do anything for her?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPVB4RM
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-8
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-8-cynthia-sax/1119919842
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_8?id=O-xMBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-8/id885104040
Topics: Coming Soon | 1 Comment »
Sinful Rewards 7 – Wow
Defying Tradition has reviewed Sinful Rewards 7!
http://traditionallydefiant.blogspot.ca/2015/01/erotica-sinful-rewards-7-by-cynthia-sax.html
Here is a snippet…
“I love reading about the people and their lives, in our day and age it is not easy keeping people focused on a story, Cynthia gives us just enough and as I have said before ends it in just the right spot.”
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards7-1718231-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Reviews | Comments Off on Sinful Rewards 7 – Wow
Home Is Where The ? Is
I’m talking about what makes a home at Romancing The Readers!
http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.ca/2015/01/guest-post-giveaway-sinful-7-by-cynthia.html
Here is a snippet…
“When you hear the word ‘home’, what do you think of? For some of us, home is a place, a person, a smell, our pets, a country, a climate.”
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards7-1718231-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Home Is Where The ? Is
Interviewed at Harlequin Junkie!
I’m at Harlequin Junkie!
http://harlequinjunkie.com/spotlight-giveaway-sinful-rewards-7-by-cynthia-sax/
Here is a snippet…
“Bee is extremely loyal. I didn’t realize how heart wrenching a love triangle would be for a loyal heroine. When she chooses, it changes her AND it makes it even more painful for the unsuccessful hero. He knows what he has lost.”
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards7-1718231-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Interviewed at Harlequin Junkie!
The State Of Publishing – 2015 – My Perspective
For newer writers trying to make a living from our stories, times are challenging in Romanceland. Prices have dropped. The number of books sold per title has decreased. The marketing required to be noticed has increased.
There’s been quite a bit of finger pointing, folks assigning blame. Being a business gal, I have a different perspective on events. Having already shared this with a few writers and bloggers, I want to talk about this here, hoping you’ll add your insights (in the comments).
Note: I don’t have any insider information. This is based on my observations only, as a writer and a reader. I could be totally in outer space (though my predictions have come true thus far) but I’ve seen these same trends in other industries (like music and soft drinks and…well…almost every other industry).
The Ideal Publishing Environment
The ideal business environment has supply (roughly) equaling demand. The number of books written would equal the number of books readers buy. Readers would pay a price they could afford, a price that allowed writers to make good livings.
To have an ideal business environment (or approach one), there must be barriers to entry. As we only need to produce (roughly) the number of books readers buy, we only need a certain number of writers. There must be something in place that blocks everyone in the market from becoming a writer.
The Past
Years ago, before the self-publishing phenomenon, the biggest barrier to entry was the bookseller. Some people think it was the publisher. It wasn’t. The booksellers only wanted to deal with publishers. They didn’t want writers to approach them directly, didn’t want to deal with thousands of individuals, to have these strangers touching their systems. They preferred to work with other companies, with publishers.
(There were other factors and other barriers to entry but this is the one that has affected the change we’re struggling with today. This simplification of the past is intentional.)
Publishers, with the booksellers, set prices they perceived as optimal. The selling price multiplied by the number of books sold resulted in the greatest profit for the booksellers, the publishers and the writers. The publishers, with the booksellers, also restricted the number of books they contracted from writers. The bookseller only had shelf room for X number of books. Publishers bought (roughly) X number of books.
Yes, there were a few brave independents, writers who self-published, but small print runs of books were costly. As writers tried to recoup their costs, the prices on these books were often high. And many booksellers wouldn’t stock these books. They had enough books from the larger publishers.
Change Happens
This past might seem ideal. It wasn’t. Publishers were producing books they THOUGHT readers wanted, not books readers truly wanted. Readers were frustrated with selection. Writers were frustrated with having their stories blocked.
And healthy industries change. They have to, to stay relevant. In publishing, eBooks were invented. Writers no longer had to print their stories. With this huge cost eliminated, they could afford to offer their books directly to readers.
Booksellers, new upstarts like Smashwords and Amazon, recognized this trend. They created systems that allowed them to easily deal with writers directly, to allow everyone to become a publisher.
There were now no significant barriers to entry. EVERYONE could publish a book, could have their books be available for sale. For a short stretch of time, there was a honeymoon period. The first brave self-publishing writers could drop the prices of their books by a dollar and readers would buy these unknowns. Self-published writers offered a wider variety of stories and they offered them at price points readers had never seen.
I, as a reader, was giddy with the selection, trying genres and themes I’d never read. I was NOT reading more books. I read a book a day before self-publishing became popular. I read a book a day after self-publishing became popular. I was merely buying books directly from writers, rather than buying them from the large publishers.
The large publishers and the booksellers who didn’t offer the self-publishing option saw their number of books sold decrease. Selling price multiplied by the number of books sold equals income. The number of books sold decreased. As a businesswoman, I would immediately consider increasing the selling price to offset this decrease, so the income remains the same.
Some publishers did exactly this.
It didn’t work.
Why?
One reason is prices are sticky upward. Readers love it when prices fall. They don’t like it when prices increase and they react to these price increases by buying fewer books.
Another reason is readers now had an almost unlimited supply of books. As more and more stories were published, readers couldn’t keep up. They couldn’t read all of the books being published. Supply exceeded demand.
Writers and publishers dropped the prices to snag the attention of readers, to convince readers to buy and read THEIR books. This worked for a little while until other writers followed suit, lowering their prices also. Writers and publishers dropped the prices again. Other writers matched these lower prices.
Eventually, prices reached zero. It costs money for eBooks to be produced. Writers also need to pay their bills. But writers justified giving their books away as a means to gain loyal readers.
The Present
This tactic no longer works. There are now so many free romance novels offered, that free alone won’t convince readers to try a new-to-them writer.
Some writers invest time or money into marketing. This means that, yes, some writers are PAYING to give their books away.
Established writers don’t have this issue (though they have seen the impact of free books). They have a reader base that promotes their books for free, that will vouch for the writer’s quality of stories. I will happily pay for a Lisa Kleypas historical because I know I’ll receive a great, entertaining story. I’m not as willing to pay for a complete unknown… unless a reading buddy recommends the writer.
But no one is recommending many of these newer writers because there are thousands of them, all wanting readers and reviewers and bloggers to read their books for free.
The Future – My Predictions
Free Is Here To Stay
I don’t foresee that the supply of free books will ever end. There will always be newer writers willing to give their books away. Not everyone views writing as a career (and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing). Even if the supply of free books stopped tomorrow, there are still enough free romances currently offered to keep any reader busy for… well… for her entire life (and the lives of her kids and grandkids and…).
There Will Be Resistance To Not Free
Prices, as I mentioned, are sticky upward. It will be more and more difficult for writers and publishers to increase prices from the starting point of free. My 100 page novellas at Ellora’s Cave sold for $5.00. My 200 page novellas at Avon, a large New York publisher, now sell for 99 cents. Yeah, ouch. I have to offer double the length of story and sell five times as many copies of my books merely to have the same sales (sales, not profit, because I now also have to advertise my books more).
Physical Bookshelves Will Continue To Shrink
One of the current barriers to entry for writers/publishers is bookshelf space at bricks and mortar booksellers like Barnes and Noble, Target, Wal-Mart. A romance novel on one of these shelves isn’t competing against thousands (millions?) of romance novels. It is competing against hundreds. That’s a huge advantage for these writers and publishers.
But this shelf space is shrinking. In Canada, we have one large bricks and mortar dedicated-to-books bookseller. This bookseller, ten years ago, offered only books. Today, the same selling space is about 50 percent books / 50 percent gift.
This limited space will be assigned to writers who have proven they can sell books. I’ve asked how I can get my books on physical shelf. The answer I hear from editors, publishers, agents again and again? Hit the best selling lists in eBook format. In other words, be successful sales wise.
What Is Happening In North America WILL Happen In Other Markets
Some writers have told me that they aren’t concerned about the trends of free books and the shrinking physical shelf space in North America because they have healthy sales in Europe.
For now.
My prediction is these markets are merely lagging North America. Amazon exists everywhere. Self publishing exists everywhere. Companies seeking to maximize profits while minimizing efforts exist everywhere.
There Will Still Be Breakout Hits
Does this mean no newer writers will break out, no newer writer will make the transition from giving her stories away for free to being a well paid writer on the lists?
No, of course not. There will still be break out hits. Maybe these stories have a fresh theme or are offered in new formats or have the full support of a powerful publisher or capture the attention of Oprah/Ellen/Kim Kardashian or snag a Hollywood deal or have some other difference I can’t think of right now.
When I evaluate a new idea, I ask myself — “Why would this story break out? What makes this story different from the thousands of stories already on the market?” I’d never read a billionaire vs biker love triangle so I wrote Sinful Rewards. I haven’t seen the idea I’m currently working on.
Breaking out will happen only to the rare few (and we can’t count on this). The rest of us will have to find some other way to feed ourselves, pay the rent and other bills.
Writers And Publishers Will Find Alternate Revenue Streams
Will writers be forced to hold dreaded ‘day jobs’, non-writing paying gigs? Some will choose this option but it isn’t the only one we have. Writers are creative. We’ll find other ways to earn a living from our stories.
We’ve already seen some intriguing alternatives.
Patrons
Some writers are looking to crowdsourcing (like Kickstarter) to fund their next stories. Historically, artists have often relied on the generosity of patrons. The internet now allows writers to rely on the generosity of MANY patrons. We share the premise of the stories we’d like to write. These patrons decide whether or not they wish to support them.
Advertising
We’ve seen the growth of advertising in music. Almost every music video features branded phones or headphones or other products.
I use brand names in my contemporary erotic romances all the time. Bee Googles key words in Sinful Rewards. Hawke borrows a Hummer from the Organization. Right now, I’m giving these brands free advertising. It wouldn’t change my stories if the companies owning these brands paid for the privilege.
(This could be an opportunity for publishers. Companies don’t want thousands of writers contacting them. They might, however, be willing to work with one large publisher representing hundreds of writers. This could create a barrier to entry…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.)
Some companies are already approaching writers directly. I’ve heard of a couple of Fortune 500 companies that have contracted writers to write romances spotlighting their products (as part of unique marketing campaigns).
Other Ideas
I’m certain there are hundreds, thousands of ideas I haven’t yet thought of. As I mentioned, writers are creative. We’ll figure out how to make the dream of writing full time a reality. There will be failures but there will also be successes. Some of these successes will change romance writing and reading forever.
Romance writers WILL survive. That’s not a prediction. That’s a certainty.
Do you have other/different predictions for romance writing? What are they?
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Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards7-1718231-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on The State Of Publishing – 2015 – My Perspective
Sinful Rewards 8 – First Excerpt
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
Here is a first excerpt from Sinful Rewards 8 (releasing February 17th)
We walk toward the south building, Hawke shortening his long stride to match mine. It’s another perfect summer day, the sky blue, the sun fierce. Although my toe aches and I’m trapped in the condo’s grounds, my heart is filled with an irrational joy, my body humming with awareness, thrilled with my military man’s proximity.
We pass in front of the complex’s small private park, the green space wedged between the buildings. Nicolas won’t be there. I push away my apprehension. It’s late in the day, and he’ll stick to his usual schedule. My luck isn’t that bad.
The gate swings open and the billionaire strides out of the park, his lean body clad in a form-fitting black suit, white shirt, gray silk tie.
Shit. My luck is that bad. I stop abruptly, Hawke bumping into my back. Don’t see me. Don’t see me. Don’t see me, I silently plead, my heart pounding.
Nicolas turns his head toward us. I catch my breath, dreading this confrontation. His gaze meets mine and his already grim expression becomes more severe. “Bee.” There’s a wealth of want and need in his voice.
“Nicolas.” I attempt breezy and casual, achieve high and squeaky.
Hawke, the possessive bastard, hooks his arm around my waist. I twist, trying to break his hold before Nicolas notices.
I fail miserably, a heartbreaking pain flashing across the billionaire’s handsome face. My stomach twists. He cares for me, considers me a friend, as more, and I’ve hurt him. “I—”
“Is this why you refused to live with me?” He curls his top lip, baring his teeth. “Because you were fucking—”
Hawke rushes forward, lifts Nicolas off the ground, and pins him against the wrought-iron fence, his hands wrapped around the man’s neck, the barbed wire tattoo encircling his bulging right bicep rippling.
“Watch your mouth, Rainer,” he growls, leaning forward, staring directly into his opponent’s eyes. “That’s my girl you’re talking to.”
He’s a brute, hell-bent on protecting me, not caring that Nicolas is one of the most wealthy men in the country. My nipples tighten, my body responding to the primitive power in his stance, while the more rational part of me recognizes the danger in this situation.
“Hawke, release him.” I hurry toward the two men, the billionaire’s reddening face alarming me.
My former marine’s grip on Nicolas’s neck tightens.
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Bee Carter is no longer torn between her handsome billionaire and her tattooed bad-boy biker. After enjoying mind-melting, world-tilting sex and experiencing the pleasure of waking in her man’s arms, she has finally made her choice.
Or has she?
A violent early morning confrontation pits biker against billionaire and results in a shocking proposal: the discarded man is willing to overlook Bee’s wild night with his rival in order to win her love. He will sacrifice his pride, his heart, and everything he holds dear to have her.
Bee is unmoved by the offer … until the man she’s chosen encourages her to accept.
Now Bee is yet again faced with an impossible decision: Does she pursue the man she craves, who has rejected her love, or does she settle for the man who will do anything for her?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPVB4RM
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-8
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-8-cynthia-sax/1119919842
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_8?id=O-xMBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-8/id885104040
Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Sinful Rewards 8 – First Excerpt
