The Cyborg Sizzle Rebellion Omnibus And Sales Of Collections
The Cyborg Sizzle Rebellion Omnibus released on Tuesday. This is my second single author (That author is me. – grins) collection and some writing buddies have asked me if it is worth the time and effort and money to release them.
If the goal is immediate sales, the answer is a resounding no. (laughs)
I’ve heard about how Kobo readers LOVE collections and other ‘myths.’ My results don’t show that. My omnibuses sell WORSE at Kobo than at any other booksellers.
(I haven’t slashed the prices and promoted the omnibuses through BookBub, however. And I doubt I will do that. I prefer BookBub feature my individual stories.)
On the upside, I’ve met a few new-to-me readers through these omnibuses and I really like having all the stories in one place, in the Cyborg Romance Continuum. The omnibuses will allow future reading buddies to catch up easily. The covers, designed by the oh-so-talented Amanda Kelsey from Razzle Dazzle Design, are also wonderful. I love looking at them.
It might not make financial or business sense but I will likely release omnibuses in the future. I take quite a few actions that aren’t financially savvy so please don’t blindly copy what I’m doing. Reach out to me and I’ll give you my insights on whatever you’re planning to do.
***
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Cyborg Sizzle Rebellion Omnibus
Rebellion. Freedom. Love.
* * *
The time has come for the cyborgs to rebel against their cruel manufacturers. As they fight for their freedom, they’ll encounter the human females they’re fated to love and protect for all eternity.
This omnibus includes four stories in the Cyborg Sizzle series: Hers To Command, Ghost Of A Machine, Seeking Vector and Knowing Zip.
All of these Cyborg Romances are set in a dark, gritty, often violent universe.
Hers To Command
Ace and Thrasher share a special bond. They’ve never acknowledged that connection and have never fully acted on it. The Humanoid Alliance kill cyborg males like them, deeming the warriors to be defective. Now that Ace and Thrasher have escaped, they don’t trust the cyborg council and their brethren to react any differently. Physical love is too risky for them to consider.
Until they meet her.
Ghost Of A Machine
Ghost, a C Model cyborg, has disconnected his machine from his human side. Severely damaged, he knows two things—the curvy human female on his ship belongs to him and he must keep her safe. He’ll stop at nothing to protect her, claim her, make her his.
Seeking Vector
Vector, the C Model captain of the Freedom, is a cyborg many warriors wish to emulate. He fights fiercely, leads with honor, has earned the respect and loyalty of his crew. But no being, not even a cyborg, is perfect. Since arriving at the Homeland, Vector has been hiding a dark truth about his past. If his secret is exposed, he could lose everything – his position, his ship, and his life.
She excels at uncovering secrets.
Knowing Zip
Zip is the last of his friends to find his female, the one being meant for him. He isn’t certain she exists until he hears her voice over a transmission. A self-proclaimed systems deity, he researches his curvy little human and discovers she dreams of being abducted by a big, strong warrior. Zip plans to make his female’s fantasies come true.
Buy Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MCNXMM1
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08MCNXMM1
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08MCNXMM1
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/cyborg-sizzle-rebellion-omnibus/id1538457041
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cyborg-sizzle-rebellion-omnibus-cynthia-sax/1138109912
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cyborg-sizzle-rebellion-omnibus
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1052167
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on The Cyborg Sizzle Rebellion Omnibus And Sales Of Collections
Pantsing, Plotting and Plotzing
There are three types of writers.
Plotters
These are writers who know the entire story before they sit down to write that first line. They are more likely to have elaborate plot diagrams and character interviews and other wonderful things. They know the goals, motivations, conflicts, where the turning points are, what type of words their heroine would use in sentences.
Pantsers
These are writers who write by the seat of their pants. They sit down to a blank screen, knowing nothing or only knowing that first scene. Their characters lead them. They type as quickly as they can and try to keep up with their characters.
Plotzers
Plotzers are a combination of the first two writers. They might know their characters but they don’t know the plot. They might have one line about every chapter but not much else. They might plot and then throw out that plot halfway through the first draft.
Which Type Of Writer Is Best?
There is no way of knowing, by reading a story, which type of writer wrote the story. There are best selling plotters, best selling pantsers, best selling plotzers. There are pantsers who write the most intricate 10 story series. There are plotters who only write standalone stories.
There ARE a gazillion books on plotting or explaining how a pantser can become a plotter. IMHO…if a pantser can become a plotter, she was likely either truly a plotzer or a plotter OR something happened that caused her brain to change (some of my writing buddies say this can happen during menopause, for example).
I can’t plot. Or, more specifically, I can craft a plot but then the story doesn’t get written or it deviates wildly from that plot or it has zero magic. The magic is in the pantsing for me. I can’t seem to find it with plotting (other writers can ONLY find the magic with plotting).
Why aren’t there a gazillion books on pantsing? Because pantsing is very challenging to explain to another writer and pantsing is also often different for each writer. I see a movie in my head (it is like dreaming). Some writers hear only dialogue. Some writers see text.
The Trad World Is Designed For Plotters
One of the reasons pantsers attempt to become plotters is because the world doesn’t understand pantsing.
Agents and editors, especially those associated with the big New York Trad Publishers, ask for things like partials, for example. Partials consist of the first 3 chapters and a synopsis detailing the ENTIRE story. A pantser doesn’t have this unless she has written the entire story. I would make sh*t up and then go through the painful exercise of refining a plot I knew I’d never write. (This is one of the many reasons I’m so happy to be Indie now.)
Plotters Vs Pantsers And Writing Speed
Another reason pantsers attempt to become plotters is due to the myth floating around that plotters complete stories faster than pantsers.
That’s complete bullsh*t. There’s no correlation between the type of writer and writing speed. I, as a pantser, do one more draft than many of my plotting buddies but I also don’t take a week or more thinking about my plot and characters. It all evens out.
Do I throw away scenes? Yes, I do. But I learned things about my characters when I wrote those scenes. They weren’t wasted scenes. And, thankfully, words are plentiful. I don’t have to worry about running out of them. (grins)
Plotters throw out their diagrams after their books are published and that doesn’t seem to concern anyone.
Forcing yourself to write in an unnatural way also increases the likelihood you’ll get word constipation. If you’re not writing any words, you’re not completing stories quickly.
Which Type Of Writer Are You?
The best way to figure out which type of writer you are is to try a variety of writing techniques. Try plotting. Try pantsing. Try a combination of the two. Try different techniques. Read different books on crafting stories.
If you try 5 or 6 techniques and one way works best for you, use that technique until it stops working for you. Then consider going through the process again.
Stock Art Crafted By And Indirectly Purchased From: grandfailure
Pantsing And Craft
There’s a myth that pansters don’t need to learn craft (learning 3 act structure or GMC or turning points, etc). IMHO…I find it is the opposite for me. I need to know craft so fraggin’ well; I internalize it during the writing of the first draft. I also need to know it when my first draft doesn’t quite work. Maybe my structure is off. Maybe I have to look at my characters again.
Being a pantser is NOT a reason to ignore craft.
Do Whatever Works For You
Do whatever works for you. If a technique is working for you, if it makes you happy, pleases the muse, gets stories written, think before changing your technique.
If someone tells you there’s one ‘right way’ to write, smile and nod and then purge that feedback from your brain. They’ve found THEIR ‘right way’ for the moment and that’s awesome. I’m happy for them.
But their ‘right way’ might not be YOUR ‘right way’.
***
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Testing Truth
A fun-loving cyborg gets serious about love.
***
Truth lives each moment as though it were his last. The cyborg warrior rushes into danger, teases beings he shouldn’t provoke, accepts every call of adventure he encounters.
When a prissy little human princess floats into the Rebel structure Truth is occupying, seeking a mercenary to assist her and her unusual entourage, he volunteers to be her warrior. She claims their assignment is dangerous, warns him he might not survive the task.
That is exactly the type of fun he has been seeking.
Princess Nanette of the planet Royaume must rescue her estranged brother from an enemy prison ship. That is her duty, and she has been trained to always place the needs of her planet and her subjects before her own. Nancy doesn’t have the freedom to indulge her passions for a certain dark-haired, gray-skinned cyborg. Not permanently and not publicly.
But she is unable to resist the warrior. Truth, with his laughing eyes, smiling lips, and rough hands, tempts her as no one else ever has. He could be her one fleeting act of rebellion before she’s matched with the powerful ruler her planet requires.
If they survive their current mission.
Their love is doomed. Their lifespans are at risk. This cyborg and his princess will need the help of every ally they have if they wish to see another sunrise.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/testing-truth/id1520415369
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/testing-truth-cynthia-sax/1137237855
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/testing-truth
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1029497
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Pantsing, Plotting and Plotzing
Warlord’s Return And Finishing A First Draft
I finished the first draft of Warlord’s Return (releasing in November) yesterday. Woot!
It is a steaming piece of sh*t as all of my first drafts are but the bones of the story are solid, the couple (Ariq and a heroine you haven’t yet met) is magical together, and I believe you’ll really like this 6th and final installment of the Chamele Barbarian Warlords series. We return to the Refuge, the home of Kralj, so we interact not only with the Chameles but also with the modified humanoids (the flying triplets are physically grown and are causing chaos).
Completing a first draft is a time for celebration in the Sax household. Heck, any win at all is a time for celebration and completing a first draft is a HUGE win. As Jodi Picoult says, “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” And as my awesome editor once told me, I have to write the first draft. She can’t help me with that. She CAN help me with everything else.
Even if the first draft sucks big hairy donkey balls, it is an achievement. It gives writers and editors something to work with and that is a very good place to be. Celebrate those first drafts.
If my schedule allows it (laughs semi-hysterically), I set aside a first draft for a day or two, give myself some space, some distance from it, before rolling into the extremely intense second draft. I tend to continue thinking about the story and jot down ideas, solutions to plot holes, etc to include when I pick it back up again.
The timing of this completed first draft is great because Testing Truth (releasing in September) has returned from my awesome editor. I’ll work on that today and this weekend.
Then on Monday, I’ll start the second draft.
***
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, Writing Tips | Comments Off on Warlord’s Return And Finishing A First Draft
Why Writers Write Under Pen Names
Every so often, someone writing under a pen name does something horrific. They betray a reader’s trust or they try to scam the system or they do something else not-very-nice.
Following this type of revelation, there is often a call for banning pen names. The people leading this call are usually either uninformed about the writing business or they are people readers should think twice about trusting.
Why do I say this?
Because many professional writers use pen names.
Stephen King has used multiple pen names (Richard Bachman, John Swithen and Beryl Evans are known pen names of his). Jayne Ann Krentz officially uses THREE pen names at the present ( Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle). Nora Robert is also J.D. Robb, Jill March and Sarah Hardesty.
Cynthia Sax is a pen name. That is unlikely to shock anyone. I’ve been open about that, likely TOO open about it. (grins) I’m certain some of my buddies are tired of hearing that information.
It is easier to list the few professional writers who HAVEN’T used pen names rather than list the writers who do use pen names.
Why Do Writers Use Pen Names?
There are a gazillion reasons why writers use pen names.
They might want to signal that they write in a certain niche or they are writing in a different niche than the one they normally write in. Jayne Ann Krentz writes Romantic Suspense. Amanda Quick writes historicals, for example.
They might write so many books; a publisher can’t handle their output. That’s one of the (many) reasons Nora Roberts publishes her romantic suspense novels under J.D. Robb.
They might not want one of their readerships to find certain books. A great example would be a writer who writes both steamy romances and children’s books. She wouldn’t want her kiddie readers to find those very adult books.
In my case, I don’t want the friends and family of my very religious and extremely Awesome Mom-In-Law to find my steamy romances. She has been wonderful, supports me so much, and I would never want my writing to hurt her in any way. (We have to protect the ones we love, don’t we?)
I know some writers who are hiding from exes and other bad people. They feel safer writing under pen names.
Maybe the writer’s books under one pen name didn’t sell well and publishers are nervous to take a chance on her next absolutely awesome novel. A new pen name gives this wonderful book and this gifted writer a fresh start.
The writer’s real name could be long or complex or she might not like it very much. Or she might want to honor a loved one by using a part of that loved one’s name.
Maybe it is easier for her to write truthfully, with full emotion, if she feels no one knows those are her emotions on the page or if she pretends she’s a separate person.
Maybe it is easier for her to tackle criticism of her work if it is published under a pen name. The editor or reviewer isn’t criticizing HER. It is her author persona that is being criticized.
Maybe the writer uses a pen name because it is safer for her. Writers, especially female writers, receive some ‘interesting’ messages. Some of these can be quite scary. We’re talking go-to-the-police-right-away levels of terrifying. A pen name makes a writer a little bit more difficult to track down.
Some writers use pen names because…hey, they’re fun to use. We feel like superheroes with our secret identities. (grins)
There are many, many more reasons, too many to list here.
Would Eliminating Pen Names Eliminate Bad Behavior?
Short answer – No.
Bad people are bad people. They don’t play by the rules so creating a new rule around pen names is unlikely to stop them. And it WILL inconvenience a lot of good people, honest people, people who would never betray their readers’ trust.
Also, unless the writer shares the information or the pen name is clearly a pen name (a name like Man Titty, as an example – grins), we don’t know who is writing under a pen name. It would be an administrative nightmare to track this and there are other areas we should be focusing on.
Pen names are a part of the writing world. They’ve been around since the beginning of publishing and I suspect they will be utilized forever.
I am extremely grateful for this option.
***
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 Why Writers Write Under Pen Names
Writing Prompts
The next story on my schedule to write is Holding Hoarse, this year’s free short story (releasing in December). The challenge is…
I haven’t yet figured out a great premise for this story. I have premises. I always have premises. (grins) But they aren’t right for Hoarse, the C Model cyborg hero.
One of the things I do to break out of my small idea box is look around me, find an object or a news story or a line of a song or something else random, and then write as many premises or story ideas as possible involving it.
I go wild with these ideas. I flip tropes or expectations. I think of the most bizarre things. There’s no judgment. I am unlikely to share these ideas with anyone else unless I use them or I think they’re fun and might inspire other writers.
When writers freely share premises with other writers, we call them writing prompts.
***
Writing Prompt:
An asteroid speeds toward Earth.
As it draws closer to the planet, scientists realize it isn’t an asteroid.
It is an egg.
And it’s hatching.
***
This writing prompt or premise was inspired by a carton of eggs and was influenced by my love of disaster movies.
I am unlikely to ever write it. My alien romance stories aren’t set on modern Earth. So I’m sending it out into the universe, freely giving it to other writers, hoping they are inspired by it or write it as it is.
Has this premise already been written? That’s likely. There are thousands of books published every day. I’m certain someone else has thought of it.
But no one will think of it quite the same way as I do or as you do. Premises are common. Stories are unique to each writer because our voices are unique. No one has the same way of thinking, the same experiences, the same perspectives as you do.
If you are inspired by a story prompt, you are free to write it.
As for me… (big sigh) I’m still looking for a great premise for Holding Hoarse. It will come to me. I know that. But it might take a few more story idea brainstorming sessions.
(If you want to see some of the story prompts coming out of these brainstorming sessions, I usually share them on my Instagram account – https://www.instagram.com/cynthiasax/ )
***
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 | 4 Comments »
Short Stories – How I Stay Focused On One Series
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
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom And Character Growth
Spoiler Alert: This post will talk about scenes from Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. If you haven’t seen these two movies, you might wish to avoid this post.
I love reading or hearing about genetic engineering. I also love dinosaurs. So I greatly enjoyed both Jurassic World movies.
I didn’t expect to see character growth yet I did…in ONE of the characters. Owen’s character arc was a mess. I didn’t find it at all logical. The relationship arc was also a mess. The break up between the two movies didn’t fit with either of their characters and it felt like lazy writing.
But Claire’s character arc? WOW. It was impressive.
At the beginning of Jurassic World, the first movie, Claire is completely corporate. She likes to be in total control, prefers things neat and tidy and organized, views the dinosaurs as assets, rather than living beings. Facts and logic are valued by her. She wears suits and high heels, has a short neat hairstyle, perfect makeup, perfect nails.
Her relationships with her subordinates are cool and emotionless. When her nephews come to visit, she puts the job first. Her main goal is to advance in her career. She is living for herself.
Then the Indominus rex, a newly genetically designed dinosaur, breaks loose. This disaster forces her to realize she never truly had control. It was an illusion. The more she tries to regain the control she thought she had, the more danger they are all placed into. She finally relents, accepting the chaos.
As Claire works with Owen to help save the people in the park, the situation gets messier and messier. Her clothing and physical state gets messier also. This outward change reflects her inward growth. She sees the dinosaurs as living beings. She puts people first. She is willing to sacrifice everything, including her life, for others.
In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, we see how much the experience in the first movie changed her. Claire has founded a charity to help protect the dinosaurs. She owns practical shoes/boots, dresses neatly but more casually, has grown her hair long. Her relationship with her subordinates is much warmer. She brings them coffee, thinks of them. One of her first acts is to appeal to a politician’s emotions, something she would have never done before the disaster.
Claire shows yet again she’s willing to sacrifice everything for others. She is more in charge in the second movie, more confident, more protective, and more ready to take on the permanent care of other people (like Maisie).
Over these two movies, Claire’s character has progressed from someone not many people would cheer for or like to a character who is very much a heroine we can rally behind. That’s great character building.
This is SO notable that she went from not even appearing on the first movie’s poster to appearing as though she’s saving Owen in the poster for the second movie.
***
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Doc’s Orders
She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.
A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.
Doc isn’t fully functional.
The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.
Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.
Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.
That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.
Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1
Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342
Topics: Movie Reviews, Writing Tips | Comments Off on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom And Character Growth
Writing Romance And #MeToo
Note: For ease of discussion, I’ll refer to romances as being between one female and one male. My points apply to almost all other relationship constructs also. (Almost because this is writing and there are no absolutes with writing.)
Some people have been questioning if women who write and/or read Romance can be supporters of the #MeToo movement. Our fictional men sometimes don’t ask permission before they touch their heroines. How can we request more from the men in our real lives? Doesn’t supporting #MeToo while reading/writing these types of stories make us hypocrites?
There are two HUGE reasons I see no conflicts between writing/reading Romance and supporting #MeToo.
1) We’re Writing/Reading FICTION.
I write about blowing up inhabited planets. That doesn’t mean I would blow up the Earth if I got the opportunity. I write about decapitating bad guys. In reality, I am undecided about whether or not I support the death penalty (a more humane death) for severe crimes.
Mystery writers and readers usually aren’t pro-murder. Horror writers and readers usually aren’t pro-spooky-clowns-in-sewers. SciFi writers and readers usually aren’t in support of robots taking over the world.
Why are Romance writers and readers held to a different standard?
We shouldn’t be, yet, for some bizarre reason, we are.
2) We Often Experience The Heroine’s Inner Thoughts And Emotions In Romance Novels
This is a HUGE difference between Romance Novels and reality.
Many Romance Novels are written partially or entirely from the female character’s point of view. We experience the female character’s inner thoughts and emotions. We know she wants and is enjoying whatever the hero is doing to her.
The men we meet face-to-face in our daily lives don’t experience our inner thoughts and our emotions. Until humans develop mind reading abilities, men have to use words and other means of communication to determine what women want. They should ask permission before touching us.
Story Reasons For Consent In Romance Novels
Romance Novels are, as I mentioned, fiction. Do what you need to do to tell the story you want to tell in the best way you can.
But there ARE story reasons for having consent in Romance novels.
Two of my faves are…
1) It Increases The Likelihood There’s A Believable Happy Ever After.
If the hero doesn’t listen to the heroine about a simple thing like whether or not she wants to be touched, he likely won’t listen to her about anything else. That’s a HUGE problem in a relationship, a core issue that would take many pages and a great deal of skill to tackle.
I prefer to write about a variety of issues (like fear of loss or trust issues or other things). Most of my heroes gain consent first.
and
2) Listening IS A Big Part Of The Fantasy For Many Readers
Often part of a romance hero’s appeal is he is focused on the heroine. He listens to her. He somehow knows what she wants, what she needs. He asks what she likes and, again, he LISTENS.
Many times, the difference between a Romance hero and a Romance villain is the villain is focused on himself and the hero is focused on others (including the heroine). If the hero doesn’t listen to others, he often resembles the villain. That’s a HUGE hurdle to overcome.
Again, I’d rather write about a variety of issues, not just that one.
Confirming Consent In Romance Novels
I try my best to ensure there’s consent in my stories. I haven’t always done this well and I’m certain I will make mistakes in the future with consent (again, my stories are fiction and reading buddies know the heroine’s inner thoughts and emotion). There are many writers in Romanceland doing a better job of this than I am.
Here are some tactics I use and I’ve seen other writers use…
1) The First Sex Scene Starts In The Heroine’s Point-Of-View
When possible, I write the first sex scene from the heroine’s point-of-view. This ensures readers know what the heroine is feeling and thinking. It reassures us she wants sex with the hero. Nothing is happening that she doesn’t desire.
2) The Heroine Touches First
In Dark Cure, my November release, my heroine zaps anyone who physically touches her or any of her medics without permission. My hero pursues my heroine but he doesn’t touch her. SHE touches HIM first. (She also gives him permission to touch her.)
Does this make him less dominant? No. He’s much larger, stronger. She knows he’s waiting because he has chosen to wait, not because he can’t overpower her. I find this control to be super sexy and a sign of respect, which is also super sexy (grins).
3) The Heroine Says Yes
In Dark Cure, the hero outright asks the heroine if he can touch her. That exchange isn’t necessary in Romance Novels (again because we experience the heroine’s inner thoughts). It can be implied with her saying, “Yes. Yes. Yes.” or “More” or “Harder”, all of the sexy words.
It can also be implied with her physical responses. She grips his shoulders, holding him to her. She wraps her legs around him. She moves toward him, not away from him.
The hero should ALWAYS stop sexual advances if the heroine says “No.” ALWAYS. The heroine might send mixed signals, pushing him away while saying “More” (again, this is FICTION and we experience her true emotions) but if she says “No”, sexy times are over.
Don’t be afraid to have the heroine say “No” and have the sexy times stop. Sex-interrupted is a powerful tool. Yes, it can frustrate readers so use it sparingly and skillfully. But it can also increase tension and advance character/plot.
Note: If your heroine has a history of abuse, she will likely say “No” at some point in the story. That’s often a necessary scene because her biggest fear is likely saying “No” and her love interest not respecting that “No”. She needs to know her hero will listen to her.
4) There Is A Pause Where She Could Say “No.”
I often have these pauses in stories when the hero is super dominant and super aggressive. The couple is well on their way to full out sexy times and he’ll pause. He might ask her what she wants. Or he’ll merely pull back and she knows he has doubts (as we are in her point-of-view).
She’ll then coax him to continue. Or maybe she’ll cuss at him to continue. (grins) Or maybe they WILL stop. It depends on my heroine’s character.
The point is she can stop the encounter at that time. She is in control of the sexy times and her body.
5) The Hero Tells The Heroine What He Plans To Do With Her
Oh my word. Is there anything sexier than a hero who tells his heroine every naughty thing he plans to do with her BEFORE he does it? (fans heated face) Of course, this gives the heroine an opportunity to say “No” or to tell him she’d prefer he do XX rather than YY. But it also builds anticipation. And it communicates he’s been thinking about her. That’s HOT.
6) She Communicates Her Secret Desires In Advance
This is a common plot device in Dubious Consent Romances. The CEO’s Assistant gets drunk and sends a sexy message to her normally uptight, rigorously proper CEO, telling him every deliciously indecent thing she wants to do to him. A Mafia hitman drives a waitress home one evening and she leaves her notebook in his car. In it, she has written about her abduction fantasies. The hunky neighbor overhears the heroine talking to her best friend about how she wants to have sex with a stranger but she doesn’t know how to arrange that.
Again, this is FICTION and we experience her inner thoughts.
Want to increase the tension a little more? Have a bit of time pass between the communication and the sexy times. The CEO acts as though he didn’t receive the message, treating our assistant heroine as brusquely as he usually does. The waitress doesn’t see the Mafia hitman for a day or two. The sexy neighbor invites the sex with a stranger fantasizing heroine on a normal date.
The point is to make consent fun and interesting, adding power to the plot and to the relationship. Our hero can still take what he wants. He merely ensures she wants it too.
Can Romance writers/readers be advocates for #MeToo? Of course, we can. I see no conflict between writing/reading Romance and supporting #MeToo.
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The Cyborg’s Secret Baby
A fierce cyborg warrior and his curvy human female share a no-longer-so-little secret.
Stealth, a K Model cyborg, knows his passion for Zebrina, the commander’s human daughter, is forbidden, yet he can’t resist the curvy female. He craves her touch, cherishes her sounds of pleasure, would do anything to keep her safe.
When he’s faced with the choice of protecting his fragile human or living to see the next sunrise, he chooses her, always her, sending Zebrina halfway across the universe to safety. He doesn’t realize their stolen moments had consequences neither of them believed possible.
After hearing her warrior died in battle, Zebrina focuses on the last gift he gave her. Doing what is right for their child is her sole priority. She will put their son’s happiness first, even if that means choosing another male over the love of her life.
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby is a STAND-ALONE story loosely connected to the Cyborg Sizzle series.
It is also a Second Chance Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, often-violent universe.
Buy Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Apple/iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-cyborgs-secret-baby/id1404800721
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cyborgs-secret-baby-cynthia-sax/1128976169
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-cyborg-s-secret-baby
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/870968
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Romance And #MeToo
Talking Tropes And The Cyborg’s Secret Baby At Everyday Fangirl
I’m talking about tropes at Everyday Fangirl.
Here’s a snippet…
“A trope is a common plot device. Popular romance tropes include enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, Beauty and the Beast, duck out of water, billionaire hero and fated mate/love at first sight.
Tropes often get a bad name and, sure, when written poorly, stories using tropes can be cliché, boring or predictable. However, that can be true of any plot devices, original or not.
When written well, stories using tropes are magical. Tropes can be found in some of the best written, most loved stories in Romanceland.”
Read the full post here: https://everydayfangirl.wordpress.com/2018/09/28/guest-post-fun-with-tropes/
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby
A fierce cyborg warrior and his curvy human female share a no-longer-so-little secret.
Stealth, a K Model cyborg, knows his passion for Zebrina, the commander’s human daughter, is forbidden, yet he can’t resist the curvy female. He craves her touch, cherishes her sounds of pleasure, would do anything to keep her safe.
When he’s faced with the choice of protecting his fragile human or living to see the next sunrise, he chooses her, always her, sending Zebrina halfway across the universe to safety. He doesn’t realize their stolen moments had consequences neither of them believed possible.
After hearing her warrior died in battle, Zebrina focuses on the last gift he gave her. Doing what is right for their child is her sole priority. She will put their son’s happiness first, even if that means choosing another male over the love of her life.
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby is a STAND-ALONE story loosely connected to the Cyborg Sizzle series.
It is also a Second Chance Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, often-violent universe.
Buy Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Apple/iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-cyborgs-secret-baby/id1404800721
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cyborgs-secret-baby-cynthia-sax/1128976169
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-cyborg-s-secret-baby
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/870968
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Talking Tropes And The Cyborg’s Secret Baby At Everyday Fangirl
Talking Writing And The Cyborg’s Secret Baby With Jessica Coulter Smith
I’ve been interviewed by the fabulous Jessica Coulter Smith!
Here’s a snippet…
“What is the scariest thing you face as a writer? How do you handle it?
Cynthia Sax: The thing I fear most as a writer is disappointing readers. I fear this so much I often have trouble writing the next story.
How I work around this is ensuring I have the next story already written before the current story releases. There’s always one story between the most recent story, the one I’m currently receiving reader feedback on, and the story I’m currently writing. That distance allows the words to flow.”
Read The Full Interview Here: https://jessicacoultersmith.wordpress.com/2018/09/12/interview-with-cynthia-sax-and-a-peek-at-the-cyborgs-secret-baby-cyborgs-scifi-authorinterview-romancebooks/
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby
A fierce cyborg warrior and his curvy human female share a no-longer-so-little secret.
Stealth, a K Model cyborg, knows his passion for Zebrina, the commander’s human daughter, is forbidden, yet he can’t resist the curvy female. He craves her touch, cherishes her sounds of pleasure, would do anything to keep her safe.
When he’s faced with the choice of protecting his fragile human or living to see the next sunrise, he chooses her, always her, sending Zebrina halfway across the universe to safety. He doesn’t realize their stolen moments had consequences neither of them believed possible.
After hearing her warrior died in battle, Zebrina focuses on the last gift he gave her. Doing what is right for their child is her sole priority. She will put their son’s happiness first, even if that means choosing another male over the love of her life.
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby is a STAND-ALONE story loosely connected to the Cyborg Sizzle series.
It is also a Second Chance Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, often-violent universe.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Apple/iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-cyborgs-secret-baby/id1404800721
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cyborgs-secret-baby-cynthia-sax/1128976169
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-cyborg-s-secret-baby
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/870968
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Talking Writing And The Cyborg’s Secret Baby With Jessica Coulter Smith
