Muse Food – First Impressions
One of the (many) scenes I love to write is when a local population first encounters a visitor from another planet. Their reaction says SO much about their culture and their history.
If they host off planet visitors quite often, for example, they might be super casual about it. They might not note the visitor’s arrival.
If they have never encountered anyone hostile, they might be extremely friendly, rushing to happily greet the being. Sort of like how this adorable donkey rushed to greet me.
If they HAVE encountered hostile beings, they might hide or they might attack the newcomer. Sort of like how our militaries have been blowing up the unknown objects in our skies.
The arrival scene conveys SO much. It is often very important to our stories.
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Raw Desires
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors who has located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough-and-tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips, and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment, and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Buy Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – First Impressions
Muse Food – Playing With Scale
The Dear Wonderful Hubby, when he returned from one of his many business trips, showed me this photo of cooking utensils.
I didn’t see anything special about it.
Then he told me the utensils were HUGE. They were roughly the length of my legs. They looked like they had been designed for giants.
Playing with scale or with the size of objects, beings, plants, other things is an easy way to create alien planets. The alien planet is like Earth except the trees are the size of our thumbs or the dandelions are the size of mountains or the aliens’ fingers are the length of their arms or…
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Raw Desires
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors who has located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough-and-tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips, and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment, and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Pre-order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Playing With Scale
House Of The Dragon And Time Jumps
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about House Of The Dragon and will contain spoilers. If you haven’t watched this show up to and including Episode 6, you might want to skip this.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I are watching House Of The Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel.
It takes me about 3 episodes to get into a show. By episode 6 of House Of The Dragon, I still wasn’t captured but the Dear Wonderful Hubby was.
We decided to finish the season.
Then…episode 6 happened.
Episode 6 involves a 10 year time jump. Time jumps are jarring for both viewers and readers. We, writers, risk losing readers whenever we do time jumps.
But this time jump was even more jarring because they had recast many of the lead actors.
They not only recast them but they changed their personalities. Many of the characters became harsher. Their innocence and their hope were obliterated.
As the Dear Wonderful Hubby pointed out, it was like watching a brand new show.
We’re debating whether or not to watch this brand new show. Do we care enough to figure out who everyone is, what they want, what their plans and hopes and dreams are?
We haven’t yet made this decision.
THIS is the danger of shifts in time.
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Raw Desires
(This description is VERY much unedited. My Awesome Editor, if she saw I was sharing it with you, would probably have an emotional meltdown.)
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
***
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors to have located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough and tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
***
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Pre-order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on House Of The Dragon And Time Jumps
Muse Food – Tentacle Flowers From Space
I LOVE how the wonders of our natural world here on Earth sport vastly different shapes and colors. That inspires many of the alien lifeforms I write about.
Plants are so very varied in shapes and colors. They never cease to amaze me.
Look at these gorgeous tentacle-like orchids with the variety of pink patterns on their blossoms. They resemble alien spiders, ready to scurry away at any moment.
These yellow orchids, while also being tentacle-like, have slightly different shapes and very different colors and patterns.
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Raw Desires
(This description is VERY much unedited. My Awesome Editor, if she saw I was sharing it with you, would probably have an emotional meltdown.)
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
***
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors to have located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough and tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
***
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Pre-order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Tentacle Flowers From Space
Ordering Seeds And The Power Of Small
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I have been ordering seeds for this upcoming outdoor gardening season (likely starting in May).
We ordered 500 spinach seeds.
The regular packet of spinach seeds we see in the dollar store or other places holds 50 seeds.
So the packet we ordered should have been 10 times as big, right?
Nope. It is the same sized packet. And it still had space for double that amount.
Seeds are amazingly small and light and it often feels like we’re buying a whole lot of nothing. But those 500 seeds, if half of them germinate, could supply the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I with spinach for almost five years.
There’s life in that tiny packet. There’s power. There’s energy.
I think of that when I write about a small heroine. She might be tiny but she’s often powerful. (grins)
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Raw Desires
(This description is VERY much unedited. My Awesome Editor, if she saw I was sharing it with you, would probably have an emotional meltdown.)
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
***
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors to have located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough and tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
***
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Pre-order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Gardening | Comments Off on Ordering Seeds And The Power Of Small
Muse Food – The Smallest Details
I tend to write three drafts of a story before I submit it to my Awesome Editor.
During the first draft, I scramble to write down all the broad components, the action, the key dialogue, the huge shifts in the characters’ thinking. There is sh*t in the first draft I won’t need in the final draft. There is sh*t that is missing. But the core story is there.
In the second draft, I add the details, smooth out the transitions, infuse the story with emotion.
Because the emotion is in the details. That is what makes the story live and breathe. The details allow us to fully picture the scene, to immerse ourselves in the story.
I think of it like this photo taken in Martinique. The first draft, the core story, is the pathway. But the aspect that makes it live for us is the mosaic trim, the colors, those details.
Don’t forget to add some details to your story!
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Raw Desires
(This description is VERY much unedited. My Awesome Editor, if she saw I was sharing it with you, would probably have an emotional meltdown.)
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
***
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors to have located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough and tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
***
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Pre-order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – The Smallest Details
Muse Food – Moose
I grew up around moose so it likely isn’t a surprise I write stories set on alien planets. Moose are alien looking creatures. (grins)
They’re HUGE. That vending machine in the background of this photo of a preserved moose in Wawa, Ontario, Canada? It is full size.
If a car hits a moose, the car is totalled and the driver is likely dead. Shotgun (riding in the passenger seat) is a serious role up north. The number one task of every shotgun person is looking for moose.
Moose are also the top of the food chain, even though they eat vegetation. Nothing messes with a full grown healthy moose and that includes bears.
Moose don’t know fear. They’re armed with a solid set of antlers, long legs and deadly hooves. AND they know how to use them.
I find moose…inspiring. And I have a healthy respect for them.
***
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Over Torque
The safest place in the universe is in a cyborg’s arms.
Ceridwen has arranged transport for her and her cat on a freighter. They hope to find a new start and sanctuary on a distant planet.
That dream is blasted to bits when the Humanoid Alliance attacks the ship.
Torque, an E Model cyborg, is searching for wreckage to blow up. He and his friend locate an escape pod attached to the remnants of a freighter.
Inside that small craft are two lifeforms.
Both of these beings will change Torque’s lifespan forever.
Over Torque is a short, light, companion story set in the cyborg world and is meant to be read after Provoking Odium.
This Cyborg Romance features an explosion-loving cyborg warrior, a cautious human female, and her discerning cat.
Download Now:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/q74mwmx22v
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Moose
Muse Food – Blue Skies
This is the first week in a brand new year. I think of this time as a new beginning, a new start. Anything could happen. Anything is possible.
In business, we call this ‘blue sky.’ The skies are clear. We can go anywhere.
The characters in our stories often have blue sky moments. Maybe they have completed their big quest and are wondering what they’ll do next. Where will they go?
Their next action tells us their true nature. When anything is possible, what do they do?
***
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Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are manufactured to fight.
Almost all of the half organic, half mechanical warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his weapons and allocated his processors to less-violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female—the one being he’s destined to protect, claim, love for all eternity—and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete, and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, and seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Fake-Mate Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy who has no idea what they will soon unleash.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Blue Skies
Muse Food – Decorating Trees And Taking Over The Universe
Symbols and traditions and words are powerful.
The easiest way for one group to quash the power of another group’s symbol or tradition or word is to shift its meaning or steal it for its own use.
Whenever I see a decorated tree, I’m reminded of this truth.
Pagan and other older religions decorated trees. Christians never did that until they encountered these other religions. The locals didn’t want to stop decorating trees so Christians shifted the meaning of that tree decorating to fit into their worldview.
Today, many people will become upset if the tree is called a Holiday Tree and not a Christmas Tree.
THAT is how effective this strategy is.
I suspect invading forces across the universe would use this same strategy to erase the locals’ religions, customs, traditions, words.
***
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Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Decorating Trees And Taking Over The Universe
Muse Food – Wawa’s Goose And Tourist Attractions
A month ago, the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I went on a road trip across Northern Ontario, Canada.
There’s an expectation in the small Northern towns, situated on the highways, that they will have a statue or sculpture or some other attraction to draw people in and convince them to stop for a few minutes (or longer).
Cochrane has a huge polar bear statue. White River, the birthplace of Winnie The Pooh, has, of course, a big Winnie The Pooh Memorial.
Wawa has a giant Canada Goose (Wawa means Canada Goose in Ojibwe).
I envision small planets employing a similar strategy. They could erect huge sculptures (that don’t require beings to staff) to draw in weary space travelers, tempting them to get off their ships and stretch their legs for a while.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Wawa’s Goose And Tourist Attractions
