Lucifer And Having Fun
I talked the Dear Wonderful Hubby into watching the first few episodes of Lucifer (available on Netflix in my corner of the universe) and he is now addicted to the TV show (which is based on characters crafted by Neil Gaiman). We’re watching it from the beginning.
There are a number of reasons why I love Lucifer. Tom Ellis, who plays Lucifer, is super hot. (grins) I also find D.B. Woodside, who plays Amenadiel, extremely attractive. There’s tremendous girl power in the show. The female characters often have bonding and supportive moments. There are demons and angels and, of course, the devil. I really enjoy the casually delivered quips and insults. They make me laugh.
But, most of all, I love how the cast always seems to be having fun. They have glints in their eyes when they are on screen, like they’re sharing a private joke. I feel the joy, the love in even the darkest episodes.
Joy is important for writers also. I think readers can feel when a writer is having fun, is loving a story. When I re-read a story, sometimes for the fifteenth time, I note if it makes me smile.
If the story makes me smile, I hope it will make you smile.
***
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Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Lucifer And Having Fun
Wonder Woman 1984 And Tightening Scenes
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about Wonder Woman 1984 and it will involve spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this movie, please consider skipping this post.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I recently watched Wonder Woman 1984. We enjoyed it. It was light(er) and colorful and entertaining.
The script, however, did have major issues.
Some reading buddies have asked me in the past what I mean about a plot being ‘tight.’ That’s easiest illustrated by using a plot that ISN’T tight.
Wonder Woman 1984 is a great (or, rather, bad – grins) example of this.
At the beginning of the movie, for example, a jewelry store is being robbed. The thieves aren’t seeking to steal jewelry. They want the antiques being sold out of a back room.
That’s a very specific goal…especially for thieves who are portrayed as being inept and unsophisticated. They don’t seem to be the types to choose hard-to-resell antiquities over easy-to-fence diamonds and gold.
I assumed someone hired them. Yet they aren’t searching for a specific item when they rob the place and they clearly can’t take everything. Some of the items are too large to be easily or discreetly carried out of the store. They appeared to be stealing random sh*t.
If the thieves were hired by someone, we never find out who did that hiring. Or what that person was seeking to find.
We never see or hear about the thieves past that early scene. They are throwaway characters.
The two purposes of the scene seemed to be showcasing Wonder Woman’s powers and transferring the dream stone, via the FBI, to the Smithsonian where Wonder Woman works.
That’s a loosely written scene. It does the bare minimum, moves one plot point forward.
A tighter scene would have the thieves working for the villain or for an alternate villain. That they were chosen by the villain would relay things to us about this big baddie, about his connections, his personality, his goals.
We’d then see the thieves a few more times during the movie. The thieves might reveal or reflect more aspects of the villain.
Or maybe the thieves flip on the villain and align themselves with Wonder Woman. And then they reveal or reflects aspects of our heroine.
There are a gazillion other ways to make this scene do more. Maybe the happy little girl Wonder Woman saves appears in the world is going to Hell scene (instead of a random family). Or there is a running joke about shopping malls being dangerous.
That would tie this early scene to future scenes. It would mean more, would make the plot more cohesive, be ‘tighter’.
The movie would feel like one work of art instead of a series of random scenes.
***
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Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Wonder Woman 1984 And Tightening Scenes
Baggage Claim And Numerous Love Interests
Warning: This post assumes you’ve watched Baggage Claim (the 2013 movie starring Paula Patton) or have read the book (written by David E. Talbert). There will be spoilers.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I watched Baggage Claim recently. I was in the mood for something light and fun and this romantic comedy was certainly that. The movie had some issues but I treated it as fantasy and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I found Baggage Claim especially fun because we’re introduced to a variety of love interests for the heroine. They represented a range of romance hero types – the good-with-his-hands small business owner, the singer, the politician, the billionaire. They are all good looking in their own way and all fairly wealthy (because very few of us fantasize about being broke a$$ – grins).
If you read contemporary romance, you know immediately which man she’ll choose. The movie follows romance guidelines. The hero is not much of a mystery.
And that’s a good thing because I liked one of the men more than I liked the hero. That’s a risk with introducing numerous possible love interests. We might get attached to the wrong being and find the ending of the movie or book or other work not as satisfying.
In the case of Baggage Claim, that didn’t happen because the hero was obvious. He WAS a nice guy, very sweet and patient and so very much in love with the heroine. I merely thought the other man was a bit more interesting (but then I like Kralj, the hero from Dark Thoughts, and he likes to eat his enemies so my judgment might be lacking – laughs).
***
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Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Baggage Claim And Numerous Love Interests
The Girl With All The Gifts And Creating Sympathy For Morally Dubious Characters
Please Note: This post will have spoilers for The Girl With All The Gifts. If you haven’t watched this movie or read the book it is based upon (written by M. R. Carey), you might wish to skip this post.
One of the challenges of writing about morally dubious characters is making them sympathetic to readers, ensuring readers care about beings who don’t follow society’s rules, who might be seen as monsters.
A key trick is, what writers call, ‘saving the cat.’ The character does something honorable or noble or self-sacrificing early in the story.
But that isn’t possible when that’s not in the character’s nature.
The Girl With All The Gifts uses a different tactic. The storyteller depicts the character as being innocent simply by the nature of who she resembles—a human child. Then she is put in a situation that would appall the average person. She is locked in a cell by herself.
Everything is designed to gain our sympathy. She has a photo of a kitten she hides under her pillow. She is polite and friendly to the hostile adults who collect her. These adults point guns at her, treat her like a monster.
She doesn’t ‘save the cat’ (an ironic phrase – grins). There’s no self-sacrifice. She is merely portrayed as someone we would be predisposed to protect. We view her as being wronged and the adults as wronging her.
By the time, her true nature is revealed, we care for her. We’re firmly on her side.
The Girl With All The Gifts isn’t without its flaws but I enjoyed it for its fresh take on creating sympathetic characters and its clever spin on zombie movies.
And yes, the super fast zombies in this movie make me think about the Humanoid Alliance’s reanimation experiments in Containing Malice. I suspect I might be sympathetic to some of those tortured beings also.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on The Girl With All The Gifts And Creating Sympathy For Morally Dubious Characters
Love, Actually
Warning: This post will assume you have watched Love, Actually. If you haven’t watched it, you might wish to do that because I LOVE this movie (it is 17 years old and usually plays at least once on every TV Channel). But you also might wish to skip this post.
One of my favorite Christmas movies is Love, Actually, a movie that follows eight different lead characters as they search for love (of all kinds) over the holidays.
The happiest storyline in this movie for me is the one with newly widowed Daniel (Liam Neeson) and his son Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster). The storyline that most tore my heart out was, of course, the one with Karen (Emma Thompson) and Harry (Alan Rickman). That dang gold necklace!
But the most frustrating storyline is the one with hard working Sarah (Laura Linney) and hottie Karl (Rodrigo Santoro). Their romance sizzles over days and nights working together. They hook up at the office holiday party but that encounter is thwarted by calls from Sarah’s will-likely-always-be-in-need-of-some-help brother.
I suspect the writers thought this was an illustration of sibling love but it isn’t. It is an illustration of choosing safety and loneliness over love and happiness.
Sarah is a classic romance heroine. She is avoiding romantic love and possible hurt by doing other things. In her case, these other things are working long hours and making her brother the center of her life.
When she finally ‘grows’ enough to take a chance on the holiday party and on Karl, she receives a call from her brother and immediately retreats, using that as an excuse to avoid romantic love.
Karl isn’t given the chance to be the hero.
Sarah is extremely cruel to him, telling her brother multiple times that she wasn’t doing anything important within Karl’s hearing. She turns her back to him. She communicates quite clearly in multiple ways she doesn’t care about his feelings.
Not being an a$$helmet, Karl backs off. In a romance, this is when the heroine realizes she will lose her hero and her chance at romantic love. The heroine will then pursue her hero.
But Sarah doesn’t do this. She acts like she doesn’t give a sh*t. And Karl leaves.
This frustrates the heck out of me as a romance reader and writer…which is WHY I read and write romance.
Heroines in romance tend to…eventually…go after what and who they want. A Romance Heroine would have figured out a way to have romantic love AND support her brother.
There would be no choosing between romantic love and sibling love. She would have devised a means to enjoy both (and that would have made her brother’s life richer also).
What is your favorite storyline in Love, Actually?
***
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Holding Hoarse
This cyborg warrior WILL become worthy of love.
* * *
Hoarse hasn’t found his female, the one being manufactured for him. There is only one reason he can process for his lack of success—he isn’t yet worthy of claiming a female.
The big C Model is determined to change that status. He considers ulu, or doll, fabrication to be an essential part of mate preparation. Seeking to hone his skills, he contacts a reclusive doll maker and asks her to train him.
He doesn’t realize the being he is sharing his deficiencies with is his destined mate.
Arlicia desires a male whose face she has never seen. Her new trainee’s persistence, intelligence, and curiosity warrant admiration. His deep voice evokes visions of passionate kisses and heated embraces. His large hands cause her to quiver with wanting.
Before their professional relationship ends, she wants to rendezvous with Hoarse. The curious doll maker hopes for a glimpse of the huge warrior.
When a cyborg intent on being the perfect mate meets the female who knows all his secrets, garments are shed, illusions shatter, and beings die.
***
Holding Hoarse is a short, light, companion story in the Cyborg Space Exploration series and is meant to be read after Testing Truth.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance featuring an intense C Model warrior, an understanding doll maker, and packs of imperfect toys seeking loving homes.
Download For FREE Today:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/9u4o1im0u0
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Love, Actually
The Old Guard And Minor Characters
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I watched The Old Guard last night on Netflix.
We both really enjoyed this movie. It was action-packed yet emotional, had a message of finding hope in a dark world that really appealed to me, especially in these pandemic times. I could easily relate to Andy (played by Charlize Theron), a warrior who has seen too much and is weary of everyone’s sh*t. (grins) Nile (played by KiKi Layne), was convincing as the brand new addition to the team.
But the characters who stole my heart, who really made the movie wonderful for me were Joe (played by Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (played by Luca Marinelli). They have a M/M romance subplot that would make any romance reader super happy.
The declaration of love scene was one of the best I’ve ever seen on screen. It inspires me to ramp up my own scenes. Their how-I-met story was adorable and fresh and so very appropriate for two warriors. The brief scenes of tenderness, the cuddles, the glances, the speaking without words, melted my heart. There was a protectiveness in them worthy of any romance novel alpha. Their relationship was SO well done.
I feel no shame about watching the movie mostly for them. Just as I don’t mind it when reading buddies tell me they read Warlord’s Return for Kralj and Dita. Every character is different and we will, of course, be drawn to some characters more than others.
IMHO…this is one of the many reasons why storytellers include minor characters in their stories.
Oh and if you love minor characters and would like to see more stories or shows or movies about them, tell the writers/other creators. I’ve written many extra scenes and snippets and even a novella or two because reading buddies have requested more time with certain characters.
***
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Warlord’s Return
Ariq is a barbarian warrior seeking a war.
He locates that battle when he meets Xareni.
* * *
Ariq is one of Chamele’s top warriors. A genetic predisposition to fighting, paired with intensive training and experience, has honed the scarred male into an effective killing machine. He loves war, can’t live without combat.
The Succession Wars, however, have finally ended and the Chamele sector is now at peace. Seeking excitement and purpose, the barbarian warrior accompanies his Second to the Refuge, an outlaw settlement on Carinae E. He hopes to locate the battle he’s been craving there.
Ariq finds that conflict and more when he meets his fated mate.
Xareni owes the Ruler of the Refuge a favor. That’s the only reason she has returned to the settlement. She doesn’t like crowds or structures or a certain barbarian warrior who insists on following her everywhere. It doesn’t matter that there’s a connection between them, that he makes her burn with desire, that he looks at her with heat in his dark eyes.
She’s a monster and monsters don’t need anyone.
* * *
Warlord’s Return is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a determined barbarian warrior, an equally resolute human female, and an eyeball-eating mini dragon.
Buy Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FTJY7P1
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08FTJY7P1
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08FTJY7P1
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-return/id1527631786
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-return-cynthia-sax/1137482152
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-return
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1038052
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on The Old Guard And Minor Characters
Bloodshot And Nanocybotics
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I recently watched Bloodshot, a movie in which Vin Diesel (bites fist) plays a cyborg. (grins) Yes, this movie is pretty much designed for me.
We became super excited when we saw Vin Diesel’s ‘nanites.’ They are EXTREMELY similar to the nanocybotics in my cyborg romances. There are some variances but they are basically tiny machines that repair wounds and other damage and they looked dang close to how I’ve always pictured them.
How is this possible?
These similarities are possible because we likely based our nanocybotics/nanites on the same existing research and we both increased their capabilities, projecting the most obvious improvements to the technology in the future.
As Bloodshot’s Director, Dave Wilson, shares “The concept of having a microscopic, robotic organism in our bodies that delivers medicine to a particular part of your body, that is not far away. We use that as a base and take a giant, scientific leap.”
Before writing Releasing Rage, I talked to a gazillion scientists about how cyborgs could repair themselves and a few of the scientists had the same suggestion. That suggestion was the basis for nanocybotics.
This is one of the (many) reasons why I’m cool with other writers using nanocybotics and other ‘technology’ in their own stories. I based these technologies on existing research. If other writers read the same research or talk to the same scientists, they would likely have the same ideas. The ideas aren’t truly mine. They belong to the research, to today’s information.
***
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Testing Truth
A fun-loving cyborg gets serious about love.
***
Truth lives each moment as though it were his last. The cyborg warrior rushes into danger, teases beings he shouldn’t provoke, accepts every call of adventure he encounters.
When a prissy little human princess floats into the Rebel structure Truth is occupying, seeking a mercenary to assist her and her unusual entourage, he volunteers to be her warrior. She claims their assignment is dangerous, warns him he might not survive the task.
That is exactly the type of fun he has been seeking.
Princess Nanette of the planet Royaume must rescue her estranged brother from an enemy prison ship. That is her duty, and she has been trained to always place the needs of her planet and her subjects before her own. Nancy doesn’t have the freedom to indulge her passions for a certain dark-haired, gray-skinned cyborg. Not permanently and not publicly.
But she is unable to resist the warrior. Truth, with his laughing eyes, smiling lips, and rough hands, tempts her as no one else ever has. He could be her one fleeting act of rebellion before she’s matched with the powerful ruler her planet requires.
If they survive their current mission.
Their love is doomed. Their lifespans are at risk. This cyborg and his princess will need the help of every ally they have if they wish to see another sunrise.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/testing-truth/id1520415369
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/testing-truth-cynthia-sax/1137237855
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/testing-truth
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1029497
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Bloodshot And Nanocybotics
Something Borrowed And To Be Continued
I finally watched the 2011 romantic comedy Something Borrowed this week. This movie is based on an Emily Giffin book with the same title.
I resisted watching this movie and reading this book based on the premise – A woman falls in love with her best friend’s fiancé. Yes, ouch. There are only two outcomes I can predict with that premise – either the woman ends up broken hearted or a close friendship ends. I like happy endings and neither of those outcomes are happy.
I won’t talk about that in this post. What I wanted to talk about is the ending. Don’t worry. This will be fairly spoiler-free.
The ending is a Romance Novel sexy brother ending amplified.
In what I call a sexy brother series (other writers have other names for this type of series), every story has a couple (or more) with their own romantic happy ever after BUT another intriguing character or couple (or more) is also introduced in their story.
Seasoned Romance Novel readers such as myself (and I suspect you) know that character or couple (or more) will have their own story told next or soon after. This is often implied rather than outright stated.
Why isn’t it outright stated?
Because a gazillion things could prevent that next story from being published. And if the next story isn’t ever published, making a too obvious link between the two stories will hurt our enjoyment of the first story. I can’t recommend to buddies a book 1 that needs a book 2 if the book 2 will never be published.
The odds of a next movie being produced are even lower than the odds of a next book being published. Yet Something Borrowed ends with a very strong link to the next movie, a movie that 9 years later hasn’t happened and likely will never happen.
The link might have been forgivable if it hadn’t been for the message they placed at the end of the movie – To Be Continued…
These three words took away my ability to think of Something Borrowed as a completed story or film. There was no doubt left in my mind. I had watched only a portion of the story.
It was frustrating and completely unnecessary and is a great lesson for writers everywhere. Unless we are certain there will be a next story, we should think carefully before strongly linking stories.
Note: I now self-publish all my stories which means, barring any huge disasters, I’m in complete control over my next stories. I can talk about Power’s story because, if there is any life left in my 40-something currently-relatively-healthy form at all a year from now, Power’s story WILL be written and, soon after that, released.
I still prefer that my stories stand on their own as I know not all heroes or heroines or premises appeal to all reading buddies. And hey, things happen.
***
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Testing Truth
A fun-loving cyborg gets serious about love.
***
Truth lives each moment as though it were his last. The cyborg warrior rushes into danger, teases beings he shouldn’t provoke, accepts every call of adventure he encounters.
When a prissy little human princess floats into the Rebel structure Truth is occupying, seeking a mercenary to assist her and her unusual entourage, he volunteers to be her warrior. She claims their assignment is dangerous, warns him he might not survive the task.
That is exactly the type of fun he has been seeking.
Princess Nanette of the planet Royaume must rescue her estranged brother from an enemy prison ship. That is her duty, and she has been trained to always place the needs of her planet and her subjects before her own. Nancy doesn’t have the freedom to indulge her passions for a certain dark-haired, gray-skinned cyborg. Not permanently and not publicly.
But she is unable to resist the warrior. Truth, with his laughing eyes, smiling lips, and rough hands, tempts her as no one else ever has. He could be her one fleeting act of rebellion before she’s matched with the powerful ruler her planet requires.
If they survive their current mission.
Their love is doomed. Their lifespans are at risk. This cyborg and his princess will need the help of every ally they have if they wish to see another sunrise.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08BTYN7TT
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/testing-truth/id1520415369
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/testing-truth-cynthia-sax/1137237855
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/testing-truth
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1029497
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Something Borrowed And To Be Continued
Vivarium And Aliens Thinking Like Aliens
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I watched Vivarium on the weekend.
This movie has romantic elements but it is NOT a Romance. Don’t expect a Romance ending.
It is also a SciFi Fantasy. The world and premise have HUGE plot holes in it. They are intriguing but they make no d@mn sense.
For example, there is a huge amount of effort expended for very little payback and I’m almost certain aliens with that amount of power could design a more efficient means of achieving the same results.
If you plan to watch this movie, put logic aside and simply enjoy it.
Because it IS an enjoyable movie. The world is fresh and interesting and it sparked my muse.
Most alien movies feature an alien species that looks excitingly different but thinks very similarly to humans. One of the things I loved about Vivarium is…they flip this. The aliens in it look similar to humans yet they THINK very differently.
And it isn’t due to culture as it is with the aliens in many of my stories. The BRAINS of the aliens in Vivarium are different. They can’t dream, as one example, and it was implied they don’t have the capacity for imagination or creative thought.
Imagine not being able to imagine. Yeah, that freaked me out a bit. Because much of what we do every day is based on creative thought. That’s how we tackle problems we face for the first time.
And sleep for these aliens must be endless darkness. I LOVE dreaming. That is one of the many enjoyable parts of my day…or night. (grins) Dreaming is like watching a movie that has been especially filmed for me.
I am unlikely to craft an alien hero/heroine who has a different type of brain. Why? Because I adhere to Common Ancestor Theory with my humanoid aliens. That proposes that all humanoids and humans come from one common ancestor, which is why my aliens can make babies with my humans. Their genes are extremely similar. That means their brains would be extremely similar also.
But for writing buddies who don’t adhere to Common Ancestor Theory, messing around with the brains of aliens can be an awesome variation in your worlds. It would cast ripples across every facet of your societies and make them excitingly different.
***
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Other Chameles view him as the enemy.
She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.
* * *
Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.
That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.
After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.
He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.
Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.
* * *
Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.
It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.
Book 1: Warlord Sky
Book 2: Warlord’s Bounty
Book 3: Warlord Unarmed
Book 4: Warlord Reunited
Book 5: Warlord’s Mercy
Book 6: Warlord’s Return
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1
SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Vivarium And Aliens Thinking Like Aliens
Extinction And Making Viewers Uneasy
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I recently watched the Netflix SciFi movie Extinction.
I almost didn’t stick with this movie. Yes, there were awesome explosions and great invasion scenes but when I watched the main characters, I was uncomfortable.
Everything was a bit…off. The timing of their responses was slightly delayed. The emotions weren’t quite right. The kids seemed determined to put themselves in the most vulnerable positions possible, having to be saved by the parents again and again.
What I believed were annoying ticks or instances of surprisingly bad acting were, in reality, brilliant storytelling decisions. I was supposed to feel that way. I was meant to pick up on all of that.
Those small irritations were all, as I call them, breadcrumbs. The uneasiness I felt was gifted foreshadowing, something I aspire to in my own stories.
I love dropping clues about the big plot twist, giving reading buddies who pay close attention the opportunity to guess what comes next. I love when reading buddies re-read a story to pick up hints they might not have noticed during the first read. That makes me happy.
Does every reader ‘get’ what I am trying to do? No. Does every attempt I make to do this work? Again, no. And it didn’t work for all viewers of Extinction. That’s why there are so many bad reviews for this movie.
But when it works for a reader, for a viewer…stars, it is magical.
(Also, I LOVED that Lizzy Caplan was one of the stars in this movie. I loved her in Cloverfield and the subconscious coupling with that movie made Extinction even more enjoyable for me. It helped guide me in the absolute wrong direction. – grins)
***
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Other Chameles view him as the enemy.
She sees the warrior hero he never believed he could be.
* * *
Tolui is a Warlord in search of a planet to rule. He has been leading his fellow clones in a stealth battle, fighting for both control of the Chamele sector and the right to exist. The brave warriors he commands warrant respect, and they deserve the best.
That best isn’t the barren, dangerous terrain on Chamele 4. When Tolui crashes on that planet’s surface, he’s determined to leave it as soon as possible. The tiny human female rescuing him might be as beautiful and as wild as the land she inhabits, but her flowing words, trusting gaze, and enthralling submission won’t stop him from rejoining the war.
After many solar cycles of living alone, Lea is overjoyed when a tall, scarred, muscular warrior falls from the sky. Her savage stranger is strong and severe, and he makes her feel safe, an emotion she hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.
He also insists they must part. Before they do, she’ll show him the splendor of her home, and she’ll enjoy his big form, collecting passionate moments she can revisit when she’s solitary once more.
Every additional moment Lea and Tolui spend together increases the chance they’ll both die. Lea is being chased by female-hating fiends. Tolui is being hunted by the best bounty hunters in the universe. War will soon arrive on their threshold, and the blood spilled might be their own.
* * *
Warlord’s Mercy is based on a much shorter story sharing the same title.
It is a STANDALONE Alien Barbarian SciFi Romance featuring a villain turned hero and a brave, chatty heroine set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Warlord’s Mercy is the fifth of six core stories in the Chamele Barbarian Warlord series.
Book 1: Warlord Sky
Book 2: Warlord’s Bounty
Book 3: Warlord Unarmed
Book 4: Warlord Reunited
Book 5: Warlord’s Mercy
Book 6: Warlord’s Return
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0886K65F9
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0886K65F9
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0886K65F9
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/warlords-mercy/id1511995733
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warlords-mercy-cynthia-sax/1116524052
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/warlord-s-mercy-1
SmashWords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1020349
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Extinction And Making Viewers Uneasy
