Star Trek And Snarktember

By Cynthia Sax on September 8, 2015

I’m talking about Star Trek and Cyborgs for Snarktember at Snarky Mom Reads.

http://www.snarkymomreads.com/

Here’s a snippet…
Let’s ‘boldly go where no man has gone before.” On this day in 1966 (long before I was born), Star Trek premiered on U.S. television.

Star Trek is an inspiration to those of us who never get things right on the first try. The original pilot was rejected by NBC. The second pilot was accepted but ratings were so poor for the show, NBC threatened to cancel it during the second season. A letter writing campaign saved it…temporarily. It was canceled after the third season.

Reruns, however, gradually built a cult following for Star Trek. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry. It has inspired many modern inventions including handheld mobile phones. Star Trek was also one of the first shows to feature a multicultural cast.

As a SciFi erotic romance writer, Star Trek has certainly changed my life.

There’s a contest here…

http://www.snarkymomreads.com/?page_id=11646

***

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

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

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SciFi Saturday News – New Star Wars Droid, Hamburgers In Space and Robot Love

By Cynthia Sax on September 5, 2015

I’m deep in the writing cave for the next 10 days, cut off from the SciFi world and completely offline. I wrote this on Thursday. If aliens visited on Friday or that blasted JJ Abrams leaked another teaser for Star Wars over night, that won’t be covered. (grins)

Next week, SciFi Saturday News will be posted two days late, on the Monday, for the same reason.

BB-8 – A New Star Wars Droid

I LOVE R2-D2 so I’m super stoked that Star Wars will introduce a new droid character.

Lucasfilm concept designer Christian Alzmann shares
“J.J. wanted something rolling on a sphere, so I tried a lot of different designs developing that idea. He would give direction on the kinds of shapes to use, and that led to a personality for the droid. Of course, the original sketch had very pleasing, round shapes, so you kind of figured it wasn’t going to be a very serious or angry character. Ultimately, BB-8 developed out of a back-and-forth process with J.J. where he gave feedback on each iteration of the design.”

Robot Love

Speaking of robot love, a Sky News poll found that 15% of British men and 2% of British women would have sex with a robot.

Top academic Dr Helen Driscoll shares “Robophilia may be alien now, but could be normal in the near future as attitudes evolve with technology.”

Astronaut Chris Hadfield Rates Space Movies

My favorite astronaut Chris Hadfield talked about the accuracy of popular space movies. “Gravity made me wince. They changed the laws of physics. The characters were completely wrong.”

Great Views From Space

The Guardian compiled some of the most gorgeous views from the International Space Station. These will inspire any SciFi writer!

Colonies On Mars

“Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin has teamed up with the Florida Institute of Technology with the aim of establishing a human colony on Mars within 25 years.”

Space Hamburger

Astronaut Scott Kelly took a pic of his space hamburger. I hoped it tasted better than it looked!

Star Trek Into Darkness And Underwear Scenes

Alice Eve talked about that infamous underwear scene in Star Trek Into Darkness.

“I’m an educated, independent woman and I decided that would be a fine thing to do and me and J.J. [Abrams] did it and there was nothing underhand or awkward. Then it kind of took on a life of its own. But I don’t think that’s what will remain of that image.”

“I think what will remain is the movie, the power, the fact that its like a Princess Leia moment. The fact that it’s something that’s allowed to be iconic, aside from the male moments being iconic. Yes she’s an intelligent, strong, educated woman who…also has a six-pack.”

What SciFi news inspired you this week?

***

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

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | 1 Comment »

SciFi Saturday News – Star Trek Beyond Leonard Nimoy Tribute, New Star Wars Characters, And Awesome Space Photos

By Cynthia Sax on August 29, 2015

These are some of the interesting SciFi developments I spotted this week.


Awesome Photo Of The Twin Jet Nebula

The Hubble Space Telescope snapped one of the most gorgeous photos I’ve ever seen. As Amanda Kooser shares

“A two-lobed nebula blossoms outward from a central star system. Jets of gas extend in elongated bubbles.” Read the entire article if you wish to learn more about nebula.


Astronauts Drink Recycled Urine

From the beautiful to the gross. (grins) Ellen Brait shares

“What’s the difference between American and Russian astronauts on the International Space Station? The Americans drink their urine, the Russians don’t.

“It tastes like bottled water,” Layne Carter, water subsystem manager for the ISS at Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Center told Bloomberg. “As long as you can psychologically get past the point that it’s recycled urine and condensate that comes out of the air.”

Condensate is the collected breath and sweat of the crew, shower runoff, and urine from animals on board the station.”

A Closer Look At Ceres

I love referring to real planet names in my stories. I usually add something to them. Ceres would become Ceres IV because they’re not the same planet. But I think it’s important that we are familiar with the names.

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft snapped this awesome photo of Ceres. Ceres is small, no bigger than 590 miles at its widest point (compared to Earth at 7,926 miles – http://www.space.com/17638-how-big-is-earth.html ) but it is fascinating, a great setting for a story.

More Planets! Kepler 452b

Dirk Schulze-Makuch shares

“The discovery of Kepler 452b, a planet orbiting a star similar to our own sun and just 4 percent larger and 10 percent brighter, hit the news recently. Detected by the Kepler Space Telescope, the planet is a so-called “super Earth” with five times the mass of Earth and a 60 percent larger diameter. Kepler 452b orbits its star every 385 days, again very similar to our own world.”

John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate spoke at the NASA’s headquarters in Washington.

“On the 20th anniversary year of the discovery that proved other suns host planets, the Kepler exoplanet explorer has discovered a planet and star which most closely resemble the Earth and our Sun”.

Star Wars, JJ Abrams and Kylo Ren

JJ Abrams continues to drive me and all other Star Wars fans crazy with teasers about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This week, he was talking about Kylo Ren, the mysterious broadsaber wielding hooded character.

“Kylo Ren is not a Sith.” JJ Abrams shares. “He works under Supreme Leader Snoke, who is a powerful figure on the Dark Side of the Force.”

Star Trek Beyond Tribute To Leonard Nimoy

Because the Star Wars hype isn’t enough to drive me bonkers, the cast of Star Trek is adding to the excitement.

Alyssa Montemurro shares

“The cast of ‘Star Trek Beyond’ have paid a moving tribute to the late Leonard Nimoy through a new video created as part of their Star Trek: To Boldly Go charity campaign — a cause that was near and dear to his heart.”

Zachary Quinto, Star Trek Beyond’s Spock, shares.

“Leonard was an actor, a champion of the arts and a true inspiration to so many. Through his legendary portrayal of Spock, he influenced countless scientists and artists, myself and the rest of the cast included. It was an honor and a privilege to know him and to call him a friend. Leonard’s love for the human spirit shone through everything he did. He touched lives around the world and he is greatly missed.”

So true!


What SciFi news did you find interesting this week?

***

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

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on SciFi Saturday News – Star Trek Beyond Leonard Nimoy Tribute, New Star Wars Characters, And Awesome Space Photos

SciFi Saturday News – Star Trek’s Marta, Star Wars VII Favorite Characters And More

By Cynthia Sax on August 22, 2015

I always privately track SciFi developments (a requirement for any SciFi erotic romance writer). I was chatting with a reading buddy this week and she mentioned that she’d love to know about them also.

So I’m starting a weekly round up on my blog with some of the SciFi news I found especially interesting.

RIP Yvonne Craig

Others might remember Yvonne Craig as Batgirl. She will always be Marta, the green slave girl on Star Trek to me. A trained ballerina by training, she enthralled Captain Kirk with her sexy dancing. Though it never took much to do that. (grins) Captain Kirk hit it with every female alien he met.

More Star Wars Trailers

OMG I can’t wait until Star Wars – The Force Awakens releases and the studio is killing me slowly with the trailers.

Here’s a link to one…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCc2v7izk8w

You had me at “The Force is strong in my family.”

Favorite Star Wars VII Character

Still on the topic of Star Wars, J.J. Abrams, the director, talked about his favorite character.

“I can only say that Gwendoline Christie is my favorite. She just killed it. You think, “Well, what? It’s wearing a costume.” But it’s a lot to wear and to have a performance when you’re wearing that requires a different kind of skill set and an additional talent, and she’s got it. It’s an incredible thing to work with her. I am glad that a character has been designed that is visually as stunning as that is, because she deserves it and the fans do to. When I first saw that design my mind was blown because it looked so undeniable.”

Did I mention how excited I was about this movie?

Mars Rover Selfies

Curiosity, that playful Mars Rover, has jumped on the selfie trend. His latest photo was taken at Buckskin, one of the rock targets.

As Jonathan Amos shares, “Curiosity manages this smart piece of planetary photography in the same way that any human would take a selfie – by holding a camera at arm’s length and framing its own form.”

Space Elevators

Some crazy Canadians are working on a space elevator.

As Andre Mayer shares, “The classic conception of a space elevator is a giant cable tethered to the Earth’s surface near the equator, with a counterweight out in space beyond geostationary orbit (approximately 36,000 kilometres up).”

On a side note: The inventor of the latest space elevator is kind of cute.

Aurora Borealis From Space

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly snapped some great photos of Aurora Borealis (aka Northern Lights) from the International Space Station.

What SciFi news did you find interesting this week?

***

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

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | Comments Off on SciFi Saturday News – Star Trek’s Marta, Star Wars VII Favorite Characters And More

FAQs About My SciFi Erotic Romances

By Cynthia Sax on July 3, 2015

Q. Why do you call your stories SciFi Erotic Romances and not Science Fiction Erotic Romances? Is this because there’s no science behind your stories?

Cynthia Sax: My stories are all based in science. I might not explain, for example, how the doors on a ship work during a scene as that will pull readers out of a story but I know the science behind it. If you email me, I’ll happily answer any of your questions.

I call my stories SciFi erotic romance because the focus is on the romance, not on the science fiction. It is a romance first and foremost. IMHO… that should be the longer part of the subgenre name.

Q. Why are your alien heroes or heroines humanoid?

Cynthia Sax: As my stories are erotic romances, body parts should align and preferably there should be a possibility of offspring (for the continuation of the species). I’m a former farm girl. I know that two beings have to be VERY similar in DNA to create fertile offspring. A donkey and a horse might look similar but mules, their offspring, rarely reproduce.

I believe in a common origin, that humanoid aliens and humans have the same ancestors but then evolved to thrive on their respective planets. Many of the evolutionary differences are based on species on Earth. Chameles, in the Warlord series, can turn ‘invisible.’ This is based on, you guessed it, chameleons. Chameles aren’t truly invisible. They are perfectly color matched to their backgrounds.


Q. Why do your aliens often speak Earth languages?

Cynthia Sax: Since I believe that humanoid aliens and humans have a common origin, it makes sense to me that the variety of languages found on Earth represents the variety of languages spoken by humanoid aliens.

I also think learning another language spoken here on Earth is more helpful for reading buddies than learning a completely fabricated language (the exception being Klingon which, IMHO, should be taught in school).

Q. Why do the ‘isms (sexism, age-ism, species-ism, etc) still exist in your futuristic SciFi erotic romances? Shouldn’t we have evolved past that?

Cynthia Sax: Shouldn’t we have evolved past that today? We haven’t made much progress in eliminating bias. I suspect even if we banish some biases, we’ll develop others.

Q. What research do you do for your stories?

Cynthia Sax: My life is continual research. Before I wrote full time, my specialty was new business development. My job was to look at new developments and try to predict the next step. That’s exactly what writing science fiction is!

I specialized in new business development because I love it. I love reading about new developments, the exciting discoveries occurring every single day, in all sorts of fields. One of the reasons I waited to write about cyborgs was because I didn’t think growing cyborg warriors was possible… until now. I can see how some of the existing technology could evolve to create these hunky half man, half machine beings.

One of my favorite places to get ideas for stories is the Consumer Electronics Show in the U.S. (Vegas). I love talking with the product developers, discovering what they’re excited about.

If you ever have any questions, email me!


Click here for a list of my SciFi erotic romances

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Inspired By…

By Cynthia Sax on May 12, 2014

Almost every story is inspired by another story. Our personal histories, including our reading histories, influence who we are and what we write. My idea of what a erotic romance is has been shaped by the erotic romances I’ve read in the past.

I’ve watched A LOT of SciFi movies and TV shows. A LOT. Even if I’m not consciously thinking of a movie or TV show while I’m writing a story, I can usually find similarities to a classic as I read the first draft.

The Mission Menage series (Mission Menage, Savage Menage, Unleashed Menage, Assassin Mine, Menage Lost) reveals my fixation with Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. My androids aren’t like Data but they ARE androids (and as sexy – grins).

The Moonbeam series (Lust by Moonbeam, Ravished by Moonbeam, Exposed by Moonbeam, Passionate by Moonbeam) is a nod to the Predator movies. The heroes have ridges, natural armor! That’s the only similarity but it is notable (because they are RIDGES! LOL).

The heroes of the Warlords series (Warlord’s Bounty, Warlord Unarmed, Warlord Reunited, Warlord’s Mercy) have that Riddick animalism. The clones are a tribute to Star Wars and Gattaca. I love the concept of cloning and the possibilities cloning might create for a fated to mate species.

The Tattooed Tryst series (Tattooed Tryst, Alien Tryst, Tryst Denied releasing in June) is inspired by Men In Black. What if there were beings policing the aliens visiting Earth? In my stories, these beings are aliens, not humans. They police alien travel on many planets, taking the form of the native species (because morphing is also freakin’ cool).

I’m currently working on a new SciFi erotic romance series and I can already see some similarities to another SciFi movie. (grins) That’s both a curse and a blessing. Being a super fan of the genre, I know I can’t write anything truly original. Something in my story will remind me of something in a movie or show (when I blow up a world, I always have a death star moment). But I’m also paying homage to the great SciFi world builders I admire.

While investigating some mysterious disappearances, Kane uncovers two secrets that change his world. He’s not entirely human. He’s also dangerously close to death. His alien grandfather has broken a sacred rule, putting his entire bloodline, including Kane, at risk of termination.

Eshe, a sexy blonde scientist with lush lips and a hot body, is Kane’s only hope to save his family. He’ll do anything to keep her safe, including fighting alien warriors, crossing vast galaxies and giving his woman the pleasure she craves again and again, using every inch of his fit physique.

In this world, passion is power and love is necessary for survival.

Buy Now At: http://www.ellorascave.com/alien-tryst.html

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