Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Wishing a 2017 filled with love, laughter and some great books!
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Three Battered Hearts. One Perfect Love
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.
Carys is the Commander of a Rebel Battle Station. She has dedicated her lifespan to seeking vengeance against the Humanoid Alliance and the cyborgs who killed her daughter. On her battle station, she makes the rules, and if she wants to kiss, touch, and pleasure two mysterious warriors, she will. Nothing, not even enemy warships and a mass cyborg rebellion, can stop her.
In the midst of a war, enemies can become lovers and loyalties can change in a moment. Can a forbidden relationship between two cautious cyborgs and one unbending human Commander survive?
Hers To Command is Book 8 in the Cyborg Sizzle series.
Due to the number of returning characters in this story, you’ll enjoy Hers To Command more if you’ve read the other stories first.
This is a MMF BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hers-to-command/id1179869260
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herstocommand-2178067-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hers-to-command-cynthia-sax/1125247346
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/hers-to-command-6
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Happy New Year!
Pushing Boundaries With Your Writing
One of my mottos is… “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” I believe in pushing boundaries with my writing, trying things I haven’t yet tried, writing stories I haven’t seen available for sale.
Knowing Where The Boundaries Are
What ARE the boundaries?
The booksellers have boundaries. For example, many state there are to be no child abuse, incest, rape or bestiality (excluding shifters) scenes depicted as ‘sexy times’ (i.e. the goal isn’t to be sexual gratification). Be especially careful of these boundaries if you write erotic. The more explicit the scene, the greater the chances the book will be removed.
Many boundary-pushing writers cite Lolita as a book that is taboo yet sold at booksellers. Vladimir Nabokov was never graphic in his language. He uses imagery heavily. I think this is what makes this story allowable. The booksellers view the story as artistic, not pornographic.
Genres, subgenres and niches also have boundaries. Some boundaries are ‘hard’. The definition of romance is a romantic happy ever after or happy for now ending. Kill the hero and your story is no longer a romance. Some boundaries are ‘soft’. A hero, for example, usually only kills good guys on the page.
One of the reasons writers advise newer writers to read is because that’s a great way to learn where the boundaries are. If no one cusses in any of the Inspirational Historical Romances you read, for example, you know cussing might be taboo for that niche.
I normally write balls to the wall during the first draft and then self-censor (or not!) during the subsequent drafts.
Crossing a boundary at the publishing stage should be a conscious decision.
Why?
Because crossing boundaries can have consequences.
The Risks Of Crossing A Boundary
The boundaries are there for a reason. Someone, either the reader or the bookseller, likes having them in place. Cross a boundary and you’ll upset someone. Cross multiple boundaries in one story and you might upset everyone.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But we should know the possible downsides.
When I Indie published Releasing Rage, I knew I was taking a chance not only with readers but also with booksellers. Bad things happen to the heroine. Even though these bad things happen off page and are clearly depicted as an act of violence, not titillation, the booksellers could have removed the story. They have that right. It is clearly stated in their terms of service.
I took that risk. The booksellers didn’t remove the story. I’m certain it was reported. I’m certain someone at Amazon reviewed the story. They must have decided the scene was acceptable.
Other buddies have had to remove offending scenes or craft new covers or change book descriptions or remove tags. Their stories were temporarily removed until they were deemed compliant. In some cases, there was no tweaking the stories to satisfy the booksellers. Perhaps the stories centered around the offending action. The writers either decided to publish it on another platform (marketing it as ‘too hot for XXX bookseller’) or they shelved the stories.
If your story pushes bookseller boundaries, assume it will be reported and evaluated. The better your sales, the quicker your story will be reported.
You will also receive 1 star reviews and angry messages from readers. I received plenty of both for Releasing Rage. I saw them as confirmation I was doing something different in the cyborg space.
The Upside
There are some glorious upsides to pushing boundaries. It is artistically freeing to write our stories exactly the way we want to write them. We have the excitement of being first. Hopefully, some readers will love it.
For a short time (a day or two or sometimes more), we’ll have the only story in that space, have zero competition. We’re doing something different and that is likely to be discussed with bloggers and reviewers, giving the book some much needed promo.
Many breakout books push boundaries in some way. Life is too short to play it safe. (grins)
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Three Battered Hearts. One Perfect Love
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.
Carys is the Commander of a Rebel Battle Station. She has dedicated her lifespan to seeking vengeance against the Humanoid Alliance and the cyborgs who killed her daughter. On her battle station, she makes the rules, and if she wants to kiss, touch, and pleasure two mysterious warriors, she will. Nothing, not even enemy warships and a mass cyborg rebellion, can stop her.
In the midst of a war, enemies can become lovers and loyalties can change in a moment. Can a forbidden relationship between two cautious cyborgs and one unbending human Commander survive?
Hers To Command is Book 8 in the Cyborg Sizzle series.
Due to the number of returning characters in this story, you’ll enjoy Hers To Command more if you’ve read the other stories first.
This is a MMF BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hers-to-command/id1179869260
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herstocommand-2178067-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hers-to-command-cynthia-sax/1125247346
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/hers-to-command-6
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Pushing Boundaries With Your Writing
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates!
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Three Battered Hearts. One Perfect Love
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.
Carys is the Commander of a Rebel Battle Station. She has dedicated her lifespan to seeking vengeance against the Humanoid Alliance and the cyborgs who killed her daughter. On her battle station, she makes the rules, and if she wants to kiss, touch, and pleasure two mysterious warriors, she will. Nothing, not even enemy warships and a mass cyborg rebellion, can stop her.
In the midst of a war, enemies can become lovers and loyalties can change in a moment. Can a forbidden relationship between two cautious cyborgs and one unbending human Commander survive?
Hers To Command is Book 8 in the Cyborg Sizzle series.
Due to the number of returning characters in this story, you’ll enjoy Hers To Command more if you’ve read the other stories first.
This is a MMF BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hers-to-command/id1179869260
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herstocommand-2178067-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hers-to-command-cynthia-sax/1125247346
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/hers-to-command-6
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Merry Christmas!
Comparing Ourselves To Other Writers
It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others, to reassure ourselves that we’re ‘normal’ (whatever that is – grins). Many writers will tell you not to do that. They’ll point out that comparing yourself to other writers will cause you unhappiness.
I’m not going to tell you that. I think it’s impossible to stop comparing ourselves to others. It would also be hypocritical of me because I compare myself to other writers ALL THE TIME.
I AM going to tell you that you shouldn’t feel bad after the comparison.
Why?
Because you don’t know the entire story.
The Successful First Time Writer
This is the comparison that would bother me the most.
Years ago, a writer released her first book, coming out of nowhere. She sold a gazillion copies, was beloved by (almost) every reviewer in Romanceland.
I had 50 plus releases and was still struggling for my first 100 readers. I wouldn’t have received media attention if I had set myself on fire.
Then I found out… that ‘first time writer?’ She was a HUGE bestselling writer secretly trying out a new subgenre under another pen name. She had over 30,000 newsletter subscribers, which she leveraged for that release (putting an ad in her own newsletter). She knew and was liked by almost everyone in the business (including myself).
E.L. James, another bestselling first time writer? She had TV experience, had brilliantly leveraged the fanfic community, is a savvy marketer.
Luck is almost always an element in every writer’s success but, time after time, when I delved into backgrounds, there was usually something else, something I might or might not have been able to duplicate.
What IS Success?
Then there’s the discussion around what success truly is. Is it hitting the bestseller lists? Is it being beloved by reviewers? Is it having the largest readership? Is it making a great income?
Often these definitions of success don’t co-exist.
When I first started, I thought every writer on the bestseller lists (USA Today or New York Times) was making six figures. (grins) Yes, stop laughing.
Sometimes (rarely), that’s true. Often it’s not. I’ve hit the USA Today Bestseller List twice. Both times, my earnings didn’t cover my costs. You read that correctly. I hit the lists and lost money.
I know writers with New York Bestseller above their name who can’t cover their writing costs. And I know writers who have never made a list and they quietly sell a steady number of books each and every day. Those sales add up to an almost obscene income.
Some of the bestselling writers aren’t the darlings of the influential reviewers. Some of the writers with the highest incomes don’t have the largest readerships.
We can’t determine this by glancing at the lists or rankings or bios.
This is true of other goals also, including word counts. I write 2,500 fresh words a day but I require 12 drafts. My buddy writes 500 fresh words a day but she requires 1 draft. Word count alone isn’t an indication of a successful day writing.
Why Compare Ourselves To Other Writers?
If we never see the entire picture, why compare ourselves at all?
First, I don’t think we can stop comparing ourselves to others. I certainly can’t.
Second, sometimes when I delve deeper into successes, I learn tactics I can use with my own career. Writers, especially in Romanceland, are often open about what they think contributed to their successes. Maybe there was a change at a bookseller I didn’t know about. Maybe there was a promotion I hadn’t considered. Maybe there was a trend I wasn’t aware of.
Compare yourself to other writers but, keep in mind, you don’t know the entire story.
You Are Someone Else’s Success
And keep in mind that someone is comparing herself to you.
One of my sisters is a reader only. She has always envied my ability to write, even when that writing was done in a lemon-scent diary. When I was writing part-time, I envied anyone who finished stories. When I finished my first story, I envied anyone who received a request from a publisher or agent.
There is someone in Romanceland who considers you a success. She’s comparing herself to YOU. Remember that when you’re comparing yourself to another writer.
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Three Battered Hearts. One Perfect Love
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.
Carys is the Commander of a Rebel Battle Station. She has dedicated her lifespan to seeking vengeance against the Humanoid Alliance and the cyborgs who killed her daughter. On her battle station, she makes the rules, and if she wants to kiss, touch, and pleasure two mysterious warriors, she will. Nothing, not even enemy warships and a mass cyborg rebellion, can stop her.
In the midst of a war, enemies can become lovers and loyalties can change in a moment. Can a forbidden relationship between two cautious cyborgs and one unbending human Commander survive?
Hers To Command is Book 8 in the Cyborg Sizzle series.
Due to the number of returning characters in this story, you’ll enjoy Hers To Command more if you’ve read the other stories first.
This is a MMF BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hers-to-command/id1179869260
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herstocommand-2178067-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hers-to-command-cynthia-sax/1125247346
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/hers-to-command-6
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Hers To Command Is MMF – What Does That Mean?
Hers To Command, my February release, is a MMF cyborg story. It is a ménage (a threesome) with two male cyborgs (Ace and Thrasher) and a female human Commander (Carys).
MMF means the two males have a physical relationship. (If the story was MFM, that would mean the heroes only had a physical relationship with the heroine. She divides them in the sleeping chamber.)
Ace and Thrasher first appeared in Breathing Vapor and it was clear even then that their relationship was closer than that of mere brethren. Some reading buddies have asked me why they needed a female in the mix.
A third being was needed to stabilize their relationship. Without Carys, it doesn’t work, not well.
Why?
Because cyborgs are part human, part machine and Ace and Thrasher are at opposite ends of that spectrum. Ace is more machinelike. He bases his decisions on logic. Thrasher is more humanlike. He bases his decisions on emotion, on gut instinct. They argue constantly because they don’t speak the same language.
Carys, a brilliant leader, is the perfect translator. She’s well versed in communication and takes command of their relationship.
Here’s a snippet…
Thrasher placed his hand on top of Ace’s. “I don’t consider us to be defective.”
“We are defective and don’t touch me.” Ace pulled his hand away. “Focus on our Commander.”
Someone was in denial about his feelings. Carys watched the interchange with interest. Is that why Ace considered himself defective—because he desired the other male? “Your Commander wants to kiss both of you.”
Ace covered her lips with his.
She drew back, breaking the embrace. “No. I want to kiss both of you. Keep your mouth slightly open. Allow Thrasher to join us.”
She kissed him, demonstrating, leaving space for the other warrior. Thrasher, the more fearless of the two, filled that space.
Ace’s body twitched. She petted his cheek, soothing him, reassuring her cautious warrior that this was what she wanted, what they all needed.
Lips pressed against lips. Tongues tumbled with tongues. Some might view what they were doing as unnatural. It felt right to Carys.
Carys isn’t an add-on to their relationship. She’s an essential component. I doubt Ace and Thrasher would have ever kissed without her involvement. They also desire her as much as they desire each other.
Hers To Command is my only planned ménage in the cyborg series. All of the other stories will likely be MF couples. Ace, Thrasher and Carys’ story is truly unique and I was thrilled to write it.
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Three Battered Hearts. One Perfect Love
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.
Carys is the Commander of a Rebel Battle Station. She has dedicated her lifespan to seeking vengeance against the Humanoid Alliance and the cyborgs who killed her daughter. On her battle station, she makes the rules, and if she wants to kiss, touch, and pleasure two mysterious warriors, she will. Nothing, not even enemy warships and a mass cyborg rebellion, can stop her.
In the midst of a war, enemies can become lovers and loyalties can change in a moment. Can a forbidden relationship between two cautious cyborgs and one unbending human Commander survive?
Hers To Command is Book 8 in the Cyborg Sizzle series.
Due to the number of returning characters in this story, you’ll enjoy Hers To Command more if you’ve read the other stories first.
This is a MMF BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hers-to-command/id1179869260
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herstocommand-2178067-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hers-to-command-cynthia-sax/1125247346
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/hers-to-command-6
Topics: Coming Soon | 1 Comment »
Dealing With Writer Burnout
When I first started publishing my stories, I thought writer burnout was a myth. Writing is fun. How could I get tired of a fun task?
Seven years later, I can assure you—younger me was an ignorant asshole. Writer burnout is VERY real. Do any task 16 hours a day, 7 days a week and it can become work. Unfortunately, almost every writer deals with writer burnout at least once in her/his life.
I know I’m getting burned out when I dread the writing. I’m tired all the time and feel overwhelmed about everything. I get every flu that is going around. I become snippy with readers and other loved ones and, well, just about everyone.
The Number One Cause
The number one cause of writer burnout is overcommitting to projects. It is tempting to participate in every project offered to you. Caution! Caution! That way lies burnout. It is much better career-wise to participate in a manageable number of projects forever than to binge on projects, get burned out, and stop writing for months or years or, in the case of a dear friend, decades.
The Fear Of Missing Out
You can’t participate in every project. You simply can’t. Have I regretted saying ‘no’ to some projects? I’m not going to blow smoke up your ass. Of course, I have. The first boxed set I was asked to participate in hit both the New York Times and the USA Today Bestseller Lists. I turned that opportunity down.
But most opportunities come around again. I’ve, since then, participated in two boxed sets that hit the USA Today Bestseller List. I’ve been offered spots in other boxed sets that made both lists.
The Fear Of Falling Behind
Another reason we hesitate to say ‘no’ to projects is the fear of falling behind. XXX is releasing a story a month. If I release a story every 3 months, I’ll fall behind. I’ll only have a third of XXX’s success.
Success in Romanceland doesn’t work that way. Fifty Shades of Grey’s E.L. James has released 4 books over the past 5 years. Yep, less than a book a year. Very few writers have a readership rivaling hers.
I have a much larger readership now than I did when I was producing a story a month. With a release a month, I didn’t have time to talk about my books. I was releasing stories but I didn’t tell anyone about them. Readers have to know about our books in order to read them.
Promotion can have a huge influence on success. The number of stories released every year? Not-so-much.
Pressure From Readers
If one of your stories is well loved by readers, you will likely be pressured to write another story in the series. Readers always want this story as soon as possible. Why wouldn’t they?
But they’ll wait for it. Most readers will choose a slow release time on quality story over a fast turnaround time on a shitty story. (Note: You CAN write a quality story in a short length of time but that’s usually not possible to do when you’re burned out and brain dead.) Romance readers, in particular, want to read new stories from their favorite writers for decades. They’ll accept longer delays between releases to ensure that happens.
Know Your Ideal Pace
Figure out what a comfortable schedule looks like for you (this ideal schedule will likely change over time).
Right now, my comfortable schedule is a 56k/200 page story releasing every 3 months. For promotion, it is 1 Facebook party a week, 3 blog posts a week, promoting on 10 Facebook groups a day, 1 newsletter a month, etc.
This is what I commit to. This is what others can count on me producing. If I want to release a story in a series every three months, this means I can only have one series on the go.
If I’m approaching burnout, THIS is the core schedule I’ll dial back to.
If I get ahead of this schedule, I’ll take on another project. Right now, I have February’s release (Hers To Command) already written, edited and available for pre-order. The next core story isn’t releasing until May (my 3 month schedule). Having time and energy, I wrote Dark Thoughts, Kralj’s story. If I had been burned out, I would have taken time to recuperate between the committed stories instead of writing that extra story.
That’s one of the many wonderful things about this career. You’re in control. You can craft the career YOU want.
If one story a year is your comfort zone, produce one story a year. You can easily promote that story for 12 months. Unless your story has sold more than 125 million copies (the number of copies Fifty Shades Of Grey has sold), you haven’t sold your story to every reader in Romanceland.
You’re Already Over Committed
What happens when you’re looking at writer burnout and you’ve already committed to more projects than you can handle?
Can Deadlines Move?
Some deadlines are set in stone. Some can move. Ask if the deadlines are flexible.
Note: If you’re going to miss a deadline, communicate the situation as soon as possible. That might save your relationship with that person or publisher.
Outsource Everything You Can
An awesome editor once told me that she could help a writer with edits and subsequent drafts but the first draft had to be written by the writer. That’s just about the only thing we can’t outsource.
Cover, formatting, promo, newsletters, all of these things can be completed by other people. You can pay these awesome folks or you can call in favors. Much of Romanceland runs on favors, asking for them and granting them.
You’re Normal
Every writer you know has either had writer burn out or they will have writer burn out. They might look like they have their shit together. They likely don’t.
If my tips don’t work for you, ask other writers for their tips. Eventually you’ll find something that jives with your unique brain.
Take care of yourself!
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Three Battered Hearts. One Perfect Love
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.
Carys is the Commander of a Rebel Battle Station. She has dedicated her lifespan to seeking vengeance against the Humanoid Alliance and the cyborgs who killed her daughter. On her battle station, she makes the rules, and if she wants to kiss, touch, and pleasure two mysterious warriors, she will. Nothing, not even enemy warships and a mass cyborg rebellion, can stop her.
In the midst of a war, enemies can become lovers and loyalties can change in a moment. Can a forbidden relationship between two cautious cyborgs and one unbending human Commander survive?
Hers To Command is Book 8 in the Cyborg Sizzle series.
Due to the number of returning characters in this story, you’ll enjoy Hers To Command more if you’ve read the other stories first.
This is a MMF BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hers-to-command/id1179869260
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herstocommand-2178067-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hers-to-command-cynthia-sax/1125247346
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/hers-to-command-6
Topics: Writing Tips | 4 Comments »
You ARE Loved
I’m at Delilah Devlin’s blog today talking about how much romance writers love their readers (we truly do love you).
http://www.delilahdevlin.com/blog/2016/12/11/cynthia-sax-you-are-loved-giveaway/
Here’s a snippet…
“Today, I saw four, FOUR messages from Facebook buddies wondering if anyone cared about them. This stuns me because I can guarantee you, if you’re my reader, I care about you. And I believe many writers feel this way.
One of the many wonderful things about Romanceland, about the reading community, is writers and readers have a relationship. Writing is communication. Communication requires more than one person. Both people are important, are valued.
If you’re a reader, you have a connection with your favorite writers. A specific writer’s story speaks to you because you share some of the same soul. You understand the writer, perhaps better than anyone else, and she/he understands you.”
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
He requires an Expert. She needs a hero.
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.
Nola wants the role Barrel is offering so badly she bends a few truths. Yes, she was born off planet but she has lived almost all of her lifespan in sheltered Academies. Yes, she has learned Tau Cetian but she has never spoken with a local. Yes, she plans to follow the rules but his deep, sexy voice tempts her to rebel.
When a fact-morphing human academic meets her battle-worn cyborg warrior, deceptions are revealed, passions flare, and circuits sizzle. Wrong seems right. Lies turn into truth. The candidate least qualified for the role becomes the one candidate Barrel can’t let go.
Jumping Barrel is a short companion story in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is meant to be read after Releasing Rage, Breathing Vapor and Crash And Burn.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Read it now for FREE
If it isn’t FREE, please contact me and I’ll send you a copy.
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Apple/iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/jumping-barrel/id1178813929
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-jumpingbarrel-2177045-168.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jumping-barrel-cynthia-sax/1125190786
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jumping-barrel
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on You ARE Loved
Jumping Barrel Mentioned On Veronica Scott
Woot! Veronica Scott mentioned Jumping Barrel in her awesome new release roundup!
Just a reminder – Jumping Barrel should be FREE.
It is my gift to you.
If it isn’t free and you’d like a copy, please contact me!
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He requires an Expert. She needs a hero.
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.
Nola wants the role Barrel is offering so badly she bends a few truths. Yes, she was born off planet but she has lived almost all of her lifespan in sheltered Academies. Yes, she has learned Tau Cetian but she has never spoken with a local. Yes, she plans to follow the rules but his deep, sexy voice tempts her to rebel.
When a fact-morphing human academic meets her battle-worn cyborg warrior, deceptions are revealed, passions flare, and circuits sizzle. Wrong seems right. Lies turn into truth. The candidate least qualified for the role becomes the one candidate Barrel can’t let go.
Jumping Barrel is a short companion story in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is meant to be read after Releasing Rage, Breathing Vapor and Crash And Burn.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Read it now for FREE
If it isn’t FREE, please contact me and I’ll send you a copy.
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Apple/iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/jumping-barrel/id1178813929
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-jumpingbarrel-2177045-168.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jumping-barrel-cynthia-sax/1125190786
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jumping-barrel
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Jumping Barrel Mentioned On Veronica Scott
Interview With Elizabeth A. Schechter
I sat down (virtually) with Elizabeth A. Schechter for a short interview. Elizabeth A. Schechter’s latest release is Haven’s Fall, a Fantasy Romance featuring asexual characters.
Cynthia Sax: Why are you excited about Haven’s Fall?
Elizabeth A. Schechter: What I find exciting is that there don’t appear to be many people writing romances with asexual main characters. I checked Goodreads, and I found a list of romance novels with asexual MCs. 57 books, counting my own Counsel of the Wicked and Haven’s Fall. That’s not enough. There need to be more books with asexual characters. There need to be more romances with asexual characters, if only to dispel the misconception that asexuals either can’t or don’t experience romantic love!
It’s important to be able to find yourself inside the pages of a book. It’s important to be able to relate to characters, and to know that other people are seeing this character, and might just be able to understand you a little better. My biggest worry as a writer is whether or not I’m portraying a character properly and respectfully, because if I’m not, then I have work to do to fix it.
Cynthia Sax: So true. (nods) Where did you get the idea for Haven’s Fall?
Elizabeth A. Schechter: You know how places can be characters in a book? In the case of the Rebel Mage series, a place inspired the whole thing. I was in North Carolina, helping my sister out while she had the flu. Part of this involved taking her daughters to church. Since this was in December, that meant going to and from Sunday Mass, then to and from the rehearsals for the Christmas show, and finally to and from Faith Formation. Three trips, six times driving past the Stonewall Jackson School for Boys, a historic site located north of Charlotte. I looked it up, because I was curious, and I found out it was a reform school, and that it had a really lurid history of abusive behavior toward the boys. That history, combined with the last trip through the rain and fog, where all I could see from the road was the octagonal stone gazebo, created The School. Then Matthias walked out of the fog.
Cynthia Sax: What advice would you give new writers?
Elizabeth A. Schechter: It’s kind of cliché, but the one piece of advice that I have given writers, and that I will continue to give to new writers, is to keep writing. To not worry about how badly their first draft sucks, because first drafts are supposed to suck. That’s why they’re first drafts. It’s what you do with that draft that is important.
Cynthia Sax: That’s awesome advice. My first drafts are always challenged.
What do you love about writing Fantasy?
Elizabeth A. Schechter: The possibilities. When you write fantasy and science fiction, there are no limits. You can do anything. I’ve written about shapeshifting demigods and intelligent machines (more than once!). There have been trickster gods and BDSM vampires, BDSM super predator-warriors and gods trapped in human form. There’s about to be a blind mage, and then there’s the dystopian world of the Rebel Mage series, with its theocratic despots and the young asexual mage who everyone wants to either co-opt or kill. And eventually, there will be steampunk on the high seas, there will be more BDSM vampires, and there will be anything else I can dream up.
I have the best life— I get to drink coffee and make stuff up. Can’t get any better than that!
Cynthia Sax: Thank you for joining us today, Elizabeth A. Schechter!
Elizabeth A. Schechter’s Website: http://www.elizabethschechterwrites.com
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Haven had been their goal since escaping the destruction of the School. Haven had promised safety, rest, an end to running and death. But things had gone badly wrong in the mountains. Tam and Linnea had to leave Matthias and Solomon behind to face the Elders, hoping to return for them once they’d found Haven. The reality does not live up to the promise. Isolated and dying, Haven fears outsiders almost more than it needs new blood. With only the griffon Dancer and the human healer Ilane for allies, Tam and Linnea fear that Haven’s rulers will prevent them from going back for their friends—then fire rains down from the sky, and things became so much worse for everyone.
Buy Now:
On Fantastic Fiction Publishing: http://www.fantasticfictionpublishing.com/product/havens-fall
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Hers To Command Makes Holiday Gift List
The always awesome Jolie Mason has listed some book suggestions for the holidays.
https://joliemasonblog.com/2016/12/02/whats-in-your-stocking/
Hers To Command, my February 2017 release, made the list!
Woot!
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Three Battered Hearts. One Perfect Love
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.
Carys is the Commander of a Rebel Battle Station. She has dedicated her lifespan to seeking vengeance against the Humanoid Alliance and the cyborgs who killed her daughter. On her battle station, she makes the rules, and if she wants to kiss, touch, and pleasure two mysterious warriors, she will. Nothing, not even enemy warships and a mass cyborg rebellion, can stop her.
In the midst of a war, enemies can become lovers and loyalties can change in a moment. Can a forbidden relationship between two cautious cyborgs and one unbending human Commander survive?
Hers To Command is Book 8 in the Cyborg Sizzle series.
Due to the number of returning characters in this story, you’ll enjoy Hers To Command more if you’ve read the other stories first.
This is a MMF BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hers-Command-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0I7X49/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hers-to-command/id1179869260
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herstocommand-2178067-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hers-to-command-cynthia-sax/1125247346
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/hers-to-command-6
Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Hers To Command Makes Holiday Gift List
