Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – June 28
I have 1,500 words left to write in the 1st draft of the 6th installment of the Super Secret Project and I hope to complete this today.
(smiles)
I’m still loving this story. I’m still taking my time telling it, savoring every word. It is one of my current joys in life (along with the Dear Wonderful Hubby and gardening and reading and friends and…and…).
Have a wonderful week, my friends. (big hugs) Do something you enjoy today. Eat a piece of decadent chocolate. Re-read your favorite scene in your favorite romance novel. Take a nap in the middle of the day and dream of sexy cyborgs. Embrace happiness. You deserve joy!
Cyborg Sizzle Escape Omnibus
Half Man. Half Machine. All Theirs.
* * *
While these cyborg warriors battle to escape their cruel manufacturers, they find the human females they are destined to love for all eternity.
This omnibus includes the first seven stories in the Cyborg Sizzle series: Releasing Rage, Breathing Vapor, Being Green, Crash And Burn, Defying Death, Chasing Mayhem and Jumping Barrel.
All of these Cyborg Romances are set in a dark, gritty, often violent universe.
Releasing Rage
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.
Breathing Vapor
Vapor is the most advanced cyborg the Humanoid Alliance has ever developed. He’s a finely honed weapon, a warrior without parallel, half man and half machine. No lock can contain him. No being can stop him. Whatever he wants, he takes.
He wants Mira Breazeal, the Designer’s daughter.
Being Green
Green, a cyborg warrior, cares for one being—his plant Windy. When Windy becomes sick, he’ll do anything to heal her, even venture across the universe to visit a worlds-renowned plant doctor.
He doesn’t expect to find love.
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Defying Death
Cyborgs don’t show emotion. Death learned that lesson early in his long lifespan. To survive, he hides his fierce passions behind a stoic wall. He calls no warrior friend. He never admits to caring for any being.
Even the human female he’s destined to love.
Chasing Mayhem
Mayhem has spent his lengthy lifespan obeying the Humanoid Alliance’s rules. Finally free from their cruel control, the cyborg warrior plans to cause chaos. He infiltrates a remote settlement, provokes the savage locals until they want him dead, and allows himself to be captured by the sexiest little Retriever he has ever laid his mechanically-enhanced eyes on.
Jumping Barrel
Barrel requires an Expert for the Tau Cetian orphans. He’s looking for a female who is willing to commit to a lifespan-long role, who is comfortable with moving off planet, and who, preferably, has the ability to speak the offsprings’ first language.
His female, however, is looking for a hero.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/cyborg-sizzle-escape-omnibus/id1488934271
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cyborg-sizzle-escape-omnibus
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/992060
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Simply Enjoy Things
I sometimes don’t discuss things I’ve enjoyed, like movies or books or gardening, with others. At least not immediately.
Because I don’t want to analyze those joys. I don’t want to debate whether or not I should enjoy them. I don’t want to hear all the reasons the other person didn’t like those things.
I want to simply enjoy them. I want to turn off my brain a bit and feel.
It is okay. No, it is more than okay. It is GOOD to simply enjoy things.
To look at a sunset and not worry about the storm brewing miles away. To smell a flower and not think about whether or not they are native to our areas. To read a great romance novel and not ponder if it is advancing the genre.
Simply enjoy some things, my friends.
Allow yourself that happiness.
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Simply Enjoy Things
War Machine And Endings
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about War Machine, starring Reacher’s Alan Ritchson, and it WILL contain spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this military movie with a dash of alien invasion, you might wish to skip this post.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I watched War Machine, a military movie with a little bit of alien invasion. We wouldn’t watch it again but it WAS entertaining.
One of the things I really liked about the movie is
it didn’t wrap up everything at the end.
The aliens Alan Ritchson’s character was facing were defeated (as is expected in one of these movies). ALL of the aliens weren’t defeated. The war is definitely not over.
Which makes sense.
No species would send all of their warriors into a first battle with an unknown enemy. And a species that has traveled through space has likely encountered a LOT of surprises, things they haven’t expected. They wouldn’t assume an easy victory.
I was happy with the temporary ending.
We, storytellers, don’t have to solve all of the world’s problems in one story. We can end stories on a small satisfying victory.
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Throwback Thursday – Provoking Odium
Briella, the human heroine of Provoking Odium, is so scarred from past battles some unkind beings have given her the nickname ‘Beast.’ She acts like she doesn’t care about this.
But she does. Very much so.
When she meet Odium, a cyborg, she doesn’t believe him when he says she’s beautiful. His kind are designed to be physically perfect, to never scar.
How can he be attracted to someone like her?
Provoking Odium
A Beautiful Cyborg
While accompanying his leader on a mission, Odium, an E Model cyborg, hears a distress call over the communication lines. The voice on that message makes his circuits surge with energy and all his systems light up. He has to respond to the mysterious female, would risk his lifespan and the lifespans of everyone on board their ship to protect her.
A Human Female Others Call Beast
Briella gained her nickname due to her flying abilities, her fearlessness, and her scarred countenance. Her verbal-only relationship with the sexy cyborg who answers her distress call is a steamy yet short-lived fantasy. His kind is physically perfect, and she is…not. He will uncover that truth when…if they survive the attack upon her freighter.
Provoking Odium is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a human female intent on remaining mysterious, a cyborg warrior determined to uncover her identity, and an enemy seeking to destroy them both before they have the opportunity to meet.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NRXGLFW
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09NRXGLFW
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09NRXGLFW
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09NRXGLFW
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/provoking-odium/id1605490349
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/provoking-odium
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1127119
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Gardening And The Circle Of Life
Nongardeners often tell me that “Gardening must be SO relaxing.”
It can be relaxing.
It can also be extremely stressful.
Because plants, like any living thing, are part of the circle of life. They are born. They live.
They die.
At all different stages.
Some seeds don’t germinate. (I sow extra for this reason.) They die or have died before they sprout.
Some seedlings don’t make it past the first week (or the first month or…). You, as their gardener, could be doing everything right. And they will still die. They simply aren’t viable plants.
Some seedlings die after they’ve been transplanted into the garden. They don’t have the strength to deal with the outside elements.
Or they are eaten by slugs. Or they are attacked by flea beetles. Or hail takes them out. Or…or…or…
In the places where we have winter, almost all of our beloved outside plants die after that first hard frost.
Death is part of gardening. It isn’t a happy part. But it is an unavoidable part.
I mourn the death for a day. Then I plant another seed or transplant another seedling, filling the gap, giving that plant a chance at life.
And the circle of life continues.
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Being Alone Vs Being Lonely
I’m an extreme introvert. I prefer to stay in, rather than go out.
Almost everywhere is too peoply for me.
(grins)
I get a lot of pressure from extroverts (other than my Dear Wonderful Hubby who now understands and accepts me) and…well…society to go out, be with people, be social.
(grimaces)
They associate being alone with being lonely.
Which makes me a bit sad for them.
Because those two things are not the same. At all.
I’m usually not lonely when I’m alone. I know there are other people out there in the world. I know I can associate with them if I want. That’s as easy as standing in my front yard for a couple minutes.
I LOVE being alone. And it is a choice I make. Often.
I spend the time happily reading or mucking around in the garden or watching the Colin Firth Pride And Prejudice for the gazillionth time.
(smiles)
It is glorious.
If you feel lonely, yes, take action. Go to the library and talk with people. Pick up a phone and call a friend. Volunteer at a food bank. Chat with the cashier at the grocery store.
If you are alone and you are enjoying being alone, know that it is okay.
No, it is more than okay. It is a wonderful life experience. Relish it. Savor it.
Ignore the extroverts and be happy.
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Being Alone Vs Being Lonely
Muse Food – Bison And The Unexpected
If there was a bison background character in one of my stories crafted for North American readers, I would likely merely mention there was a bison. I might call him majestic or large or hairy. But I wouldn’t go into much detail.
If I was describing THIS bison, I would likely devote some space to describing his horns.
Why?
Because they aren’t typical for a bison. They aren’t ‘normal.’
And because they aren’t normal or expected, they stand out and they warrant mentioning.
Mention the unexpected in your stories, especially if that unexpected detail is important to the plot or character development.
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Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – June 21
I headed back to the writing cave this past week and I was rewarded with some amazing progress on the 6th installment of the Super Secret Project. (smiles) I love this story so very much. It gives me such joy.
Have a wonderful week, my friends. (big hugs) Smile at a puppy (and all dogs are puppies in their hearts – grins). Tell a stranger they’re doing a great job. Tell yourself you’re doing a great job also. Because you are. Your only goal yesterday was to make it to today and you did it! Woot! Let’s keep that winning streak going!
Know that you are loved.
(more hugs)
Cyborg Sizzle Escape Omnibus
Half Man. Half Machine. All Theirs.
* * *
While these cyborg warriors battle to escape their cruel manufacturers, they find the human females they are destined to love for all eternity.
This omnibus includes the first seven stories in the Cyborg Sizzle series: Releasing Rage, Breathing Vapor, Being Green, Crash And Burn, Defying Death, Chasing Mayhem and Jumping Barrel.
All of these Cyborg Romances are set in a dark, gritty, often violent universe.
Releasing Rage
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.
Breathing Vapor
Vapor is the most advanced cyborg the Humanoid Alliance has ever developed. He’s a finely honed weapon, a warrior without parallel, half man and half machine. No lock can contain him. No being can stop him. Whatever he wants, he takes.
He wants Mira Breazeal, the Designer’s daughter.
Being Green
Green, a cyborg warrior, cares for one being—his plant Windy. When Windy becomes sick, he’ll do anything to heal her, even venture across the universe to visit a worlds-renowned plant doctor.
He doesn’t expect to find love.
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Defying Death
Cyborgs don’t show emotion. Death learned that lesson early in his long lifespan. To survive, he hides his fierce passions behind a stoic wall. He calls no warrior friend. He never admits to caring for any being.
Even the human female he’s destined to love.
Chasing Mayhem
Mayhem has spent his lengthy lifespan obeying the Humanoid Alliance’s rules. Finally free from their cruel control, the cyborg warrior plans to cause chaos. He infiltrates a remote settlement, provokes the savage locals until they want him dead, and allows himself to be captured by the sexiest little Retriever he has ever laid his mechanically-enhanced eyes on.
Jumping Barrel
Barrel requires an Expert for the Tau Cetian orphans. He’s looking for a female who is willing to commit to a lifespan-long role, who is comfortable with moving off planet, and who, preferably, has the ability to speak the offsprings’ first language.
His female, however, is looking for a hero.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/Cyborg-Sizzle-Escape-Omnibus-Continuum-ebook/dp/B081VFHF1S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/cyborg-sizzle-escape-omnibus/id1488934271
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cyborg-sizzle-escape-omnibus
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/992060
Topics: Cynthia Sax Weekly Update | Comments Off on Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – June 21
Make A Budget Meal A Comfort Food
I grew up very poor. Every meal we had was a budget meal.
But some meals (like spaghetti noodles with a little bit of tomato sauce) were always associated with happiness, with celebration, with fun and laughter.
And now, when I need comfort, I make those ‘budget meals.’
Because they aren’t budget meals in my mind. They are comfort meals, happy meals, meals that remind me of fun and laughter and they make me feel smile when I eat them.
We can all do this.
A budget friendly soup can become a comfort meal, a source of happiness, if we always pair it with bad joke telling. A stir fry made from leftover, wilting vegetables can be a celebration if we always cook and serve it to music.
Associate joy with a budget friendly meal and, during tough times, that joy will remain.
This is an investment in future you. And future you deserves this happiness.
(smiles)
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Make A Budget Meal A Comfort Food
Wicked: For Good And Romance Endings
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about Wicked: For Good, the second and final movie concluding the story of the Wizard Of Oz’s ‘Wicked’ Witch, and it WILL contain spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this magical movie with a solid romance novel-worthy ending (YES!!!!), you might wish to skip this post.
I was dreading watching Wicked: For Good. I loved the first movie so very much and the trailers looked like the second part of Elphaba’s story would ruin that for me.
It didn’t ruin it. At all.
It made me love the story MORE.
I LOVED Wicked: For Good.
The characters held true. The relationships evolved and grew stronger. The tie-ins to the original Wizard Of Oz were magical. The girl power and friendship rocks messages remain.
And the ending…the ending, my friends. It had all the aspects of a great romance novel ending.
It was unexpected and hard fought for.
During the dark moment, I truly thought all hope of ANY sort of happy ending was impossible. I definitely didn’t think there would be a romantic happy ending.
Yet there was.
And it was delightful and different, not-at-all what I thought their romantic happy ending would be like yet it was perfect for them.
This is definitely a movie to rewatch when writing an ending to a romance novel. It is inspiring.
(smiles)
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Wicked: For Good And Romance Endings
