Taste of Cyn

Looking For Love In Puerto Vallarta

By Cynthia Sax on May 13, 2025

The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I were wandering down the Malecon, a pedestrian only boardwalk, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

There were vendors set up along the route. And there was a lot of buying and selling.

One of the sales must not have happened.

Because a handsome male vendor, clasping a blouse, yelled after a curvy older woman, “Get your husband to buy it for you.”

She partially turned around and yelled back, “I don’t have a husband.”

The male vendor’s eyes lit up. “That’s even better.” He smiled. “Do you want a husband?”

The woman, clearly delighted with the offer, laughed. “No.”

The male vendor held out his arms. “I’m single too.” He tried again.

The woman laughed louder, shook her head and walked away with her head held high and more of a bounce in her step.

The male vendor watched her for a moment.

Then he sighed, lowered his arms and returned to his store to take care of the next prospective customer.

Topics: Mexico, Travel | Comments Off on Looking For Love In Puerto Vallarta

Muse Food – First Flowers Of The Season And Other Firsts

By Cynthia Sax on May 12, 2025

These flowers, we call them blue snowdrops in the Sax household, are usually the first flowers to appear every Spring.

I love them. And they garner A LOT of attention because…well…they ARE the first flowers to appear in neighborhood yards.

Firsts are powerful. Especially in romance stories. First meets. First kisses. First fights. First declarations of love. These are all important moments.

Make them special.

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Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – May 11

By Cynthia Sax on May 11, 2025

Look at the eyes on this little cat loaf spotted in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!

(grins)

The garden is growing. I’m working on writing projects. I hope one of them will find a home soon. And I’m enjoying the warming weather. That warmth doesn’t last very long in my corner of the universe and I cherish every moment of it!

Have a wonderful week, my friends. (big hugs) Mother i.e. care for something or someone in your life today. That could be refilling a furbaby’s food bowl because they can (gasp) see its bottom and believe they will soon starve (grins) or watering a plant, smiling at a chubby-cheeked toddler in the grocery store or picking up a piece of garbage in your neighborhood.

Nurturing others often nurtures our souls.

(smiles)

***

Cyborg Sizzle Homeland Omnibus

Cyborgs will do anything to protect their Homeland.
* * *
The cyborgs have claimed their Homeland but that has come at a cost. As they reconcile with their pasts, they seek to manufacture happier futures with the females they’re destined to love and cherish forever.
This omnibus includes three stories in the Cyborg Sizzle series: Taking Vengeance, The Cyborg’s Secret Baby and Dark Arsenal.
All of these Cyborg Romances are set in a dark, gritty, often violent universe.

Taking Vengeance

The only force stronger than their hate is their love.
Vengeance hates all humans. They killed every being he ever cared about. When the huge C Model cyborg is told he’s genetically compatible with the enemy, he makes it his mission to capture the female and use her to expel all humans from his home planet.

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.

Dark Arsenal

A cyborg warrior and a Rebel female’s first mission together might be their last.
Arsenal considers himself to be a disposable cyborg. He drifts from assignment to assignment, forming no connections to anything or anyone. When the cyborg council requires a warrior for a high-risk mission, Arsenal volunteers. He believes no one will miss him if he dies. He doesn’t realize he’s one female’s fantasy.

Buy Now:

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/Cyborg-Homeland-Omnibus-Romance-Continuum-ebook/dp/B0DVQF51ZG

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyborg-Homeland-Omnibus-Romance-Continuum-ebook/dp/B0DVQF51ZG

Amazon AU:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Cyborg-Homeland-Omnibus-Romance-Continuum-ebook/dp/B0DVQF51ZG

Amazon Canada:

https://www.amazon.ca/Cyborg-Homeland-Omnibus-Romance-Continuum-ebook/dp/B0DVQF51ZG

Apple Books:

https://books.apple.com/us/book-series/cyborg-romance-continuum/id1488934279

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cyborg-sizzle-homeland-omnibus

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1700426

Topics: Cynthia Sax Weekly Update | Comments Off on Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – May 11

Working From Home Tips

By Cynthia Sax on May 10, 2025

I saw a post from a woman who was constantly interrupted at her work-from-home job by family members and friends.

There are a lot of people who say they are ‘working’ from home but aren’t truly working from home. And that has f*cked things up for the rest of us.

Because family members and friends think we are like those people. They think we’re goofing around and doing nothing during the day.

As I TRULY work from home (that is how I treat writing – as a full time plus job), I emphasize that it is WORK.

I communicated my core business hours (9 am to 5pm Monday to Fridays) to friends and family. I told them I wouldn’t answer their personal calls during that time, though I would check messages in case of emergencies. And if they wanted to see me or drop by, they had to make an appointment.

They immediately received the message that only the location of my ‘office’ had changed. I was truly WORKING from home.

Some loved ones, of course, tried to ‘test’ my rules. They would drop by.

I would answer the door with “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know we had an appointment today. I’m double booked right now. Let’s do this after 5 pm.”

And then I would shut the door.

It felt rude but dropping by during my work hours was MUCH ruder.

Oh and keep those communicated working hours constant, if at all possible. If you change your communicated working hours for any reason, loved ones will then believe your working hours can be changed for them also.

Plus it becomes super confusing for loved ones.

That is why I chose 9 to 5 Monday to Friday as my communicated core hours. Those are standard working hours and are easy for loved ones to remember.

Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Working From Home Tips

By Cynthia Sax on May 9, 2025

When I share that I’ve put my newsletter on hold or I’ve paused the publishing of my stories, someone always responds that I shouldn’t ‘obey in advance.’

Obeying in advance means we shouldn’t anticipate what the fascists will want and give them that thing or act before they order us to do that.

And yes, pausing my newsletter or pausing the publishing of my stories is what the fascists SAY they want. They say they want to eliminate what they view as profane materials.

But what they TRULY want is to PUNISH some of the people consuming those profane materials. They’ll do that by putting together lists.

(Fascists are always big on ‘enemy’ lists.)

Where will they get some of those lists?

From newsletter providers and from booksellers.

I copied my newsletter subscriber information and have deleted everything at the newsletter provider in November, well before power was transferred in the US.

I stopped publishing in November, well before power was transferred in the US.

Based solely upon my activities, my US reading buddies will look like they are complying with the wishes of the new fascist administration. They shouldn’t be placed in danger or put on any enemy list.

IMHO, that is the exact OPPOSITE of obeying in advance. It is anticipating actions in advance and protecting people from those actions.

(My stories are still listed at some booksellers because I have reading buddies throughout the world, not merely in the US. And yes, many international readers still use Amazon.com. That was once the ONLY Amazon site.)

Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Obeying In Advance

Throwback Thursday – Ghost Of A Machine

By Cynthia Sax on May 8, 2025

What happens to a caring empathic being when they are forced to do horrible, horrible things over and over again?

They break.

And that is what happened to Ghost, the cyborg hero of Ghost Of A Machine. He is, by far, the most broken hero I’ve ever written. When he meets Lethe, his genetic match, he is completely feral.

Lethe is human and, when compared to a cyborg, extremely fragile. But she isn’t daunted by Ghost’s wildness.

Because she’s a little bit broken herself.

As we all are.

(smiles)

Fragile. Stubborn. His.

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.

Primitive. Damaged. Hers.

Lethe has seen the savage side of beings. The courageous Rebel captain has never met a male like Ghost. Overpoweringly dominant, he appeals to her on a primal level, filling her mind with thoughts of sweet surrender, hard kisses, and body-heating encounters against the warship’s walls.

They are two broken beings, one determined to protect, the other intent on flying into danger. Can love heal them both before they face their common enemy?

Ghost Of A Machine is Book 9 in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is a STAND-ALONE story.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.

Buy Now:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Machine-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B06XR6M6GG/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Machine-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B06XR6M6GG/

Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/Ghost-Machine-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B06XR6M6GG/

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Ghost-Machine-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B06XR6M6GG/

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/ghost-of-a-machine/id1218969448

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ghost-of-a-machine

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/713288

Topics: Throwback Thursday | Comments Off on Throwback Thursday – Ghost Of A Machine

Moving Plants Outdoors

By Cynthia Sax on May 7, 2025

The last frost date in my corner of the universe is May 10th. Daily low temperatures are above 5C/41F for at least the next 14 days, according to the forecasts (which are still reliable here in Canada).

We’ll be moving the tomato plants, bell pepper plants, eggplant plants, marigold plants and zinnia plants outdoors. (The squash/zucchinis/courgettes will likely wait for a little bit.)

Every expert gardener will tell you to bring the plants outdoors for short durations to slowly acclimatize them to the sun, the wind, the temperatures. If you don’t do this, you risk transplant shock and could possibly kill your seedlings.

I’m extremely lazy and I usually take the risk. We transplant on a rainy day, preferably the start of a series of rainy days. We have spare plants just in case. And we hope for the best.

(knock on wood)

Topics: Gardening | Comments Off on Moving Plants Outdoors

Balandra Beach, Near La Paz, Mexico

By Cynthia Sax on May 6, 2025

The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I took an Uber from the cruise port to Balandra Beach, a nature reserve near La Paz, Mexico.

Balandra Beach is semi-isolated and it is a cell/mobile phone dead zone. Which is SUCH a mini vacation because none of the visitors were talking on their phones. But plan for that. Arrange a ride back before you are dropped off. And bring everything you need.

There ARE usually taxis waiting at the entrance. And there are a few staff for emergencies. There are porta potties/toilets. There are no showers or snack bars or anything like that, however.

Balandra Beach is also restricted. At the time of writing this post, it had a maximum capacity of 400 people per visit. We reserved our half day visit online. And at the end of that time slot, the employees at this nature reserve walk through it, evicting the visitors.

But it was gorgeous and peaceful. The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I hiked all around the reserve and we swam and we completely relaxed, disconnecting from the world.

Then we took a taxi to the busier, livelier La Paz.

And that allowed us to experience the two vacation extremes.

(smiles)

Topics: Mexico, Travel | Comments Off on Balandra Beach, Near La Paz, Mexico

Muse Food – Currency In The Seychelles And The Things We Value

By Cynthia Sax on May 5, 2025

The paper currency in the Seychelles is so beautiful (when not crumpled – grins) many travelers save the smaller denominations as souvenirs.

The images feature nature and landscapes.

And I thought it was great that locals and visitors are reminded of the importance of nature whenever they use the currency! Maybe it will cause them to think more intensely about their purchases and about how those purchases impact the environment around them.

Currency here on Earth and in our fictional worlds often reflect what that society values.

An authoritarian regime, for example, would have an image of the authority figure on their currency. A rock-loving society would have images of great rocks on their currency.

Sharing little details like the images on currency can deepen world building and draw readers more fully into our stories.

Topics: Muse Food, Seychelles, Travel | Comments Off on Muse Food – Currency In The Seychelles And The Things We Value

Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – May 4

By Cynthia Sax on May 4, 2025

The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spotted this cutie in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

I continue to write partials (the first three chapters of stories plus a synopsis) and then pitch those ideas to publishers and other entities.

Many publishers are playing it ‘safe’ right now due to the turmoil in the US and my stories are definitely not ‘safe.’ (laughs) So I suspect finding the right outlet for them will take some time.

That’s okay. Hopefully, you and I HAVE that time.

Have a wonderful week, my friends. (big hugs) May the 4th be with you! Enjoy Star Wars Day. Rewatch your favorite Star Wars movie (in the Sax household, that is Rogue One). Ask a loved one which Star Wars characters they would most like to be (the Mafia Squirrels are definitely Jabba The Hut fans). Escape into the Star Wars universe for a while!

***