Which Toys Did Your Characters Play With?
One of my joys during the holiday season is buying toys for our local toy drive. The dear wonderful hubby and I weren’t blessed with children but we were both children once. Shopping for toys brings back memories of our own childhoods.
My characters also had childhoods and favorite toys. Some of them you might expect. Some of them might surprise you.
Belinda from Sinful Rewards
Belinda’s favorite childhood toy won’t be a surprise to any Sinful Rewards reader. This fashionista was (and still is) a Barbie lover. Her hard working single mom scoured yard sales for second hand Barbies and clothing, especially keeping an eye out for designer fashions (one of her finest finds was this Badgley Mischka Bride Barbie Doll – the dress was a little smudged but Bee was able to clean it).
Nicolas from Sinful Rewards
Nicolas’s favorite childhood toy is also not a surprise. This real estate billionaire played Monopoly every chance he could, learning skills he’d eventually use to build his empire. He preferred to be the banker and he considered the rules to be guidelines. He spent a bit of time in jail and he didn’t like it. He also didn’t understand why a low rent property had to stay low rent, especially if he owned all of the properties around it.
Hawke from Sinful Rewards
I expected Hawke, our former Marine, to be a G.I. Joe type of kid. Bee actually calls him G.I. Joe during one of their arguments.
But nope, Hawke spent his childhood outside, trekking around the orchard with his best friend Rock. He was an active boy and a bit of a terror. His favorite gift was a slingshot. He would use rotten apples as targets, challenging Rock to best him.
Writing buddies, which toys did your characters play with? Reading buddies, which toys did you play with when you were a child?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Nicolas Rainer, Chicago’s most sought-after billionaire bachelor, has finally decided what he wants, and that’s Bee Carter in his arms, forever. He shows up unannounced on her doorstep and kisses her until her toes curl and her body burns.
Nicolas wasn’t the sexy man Bee expected to see this morning. Hawke Masters, her tattooed former marine, is riding his customized chopper toward the condo building, anticipating an equally mind-meltingly erotic encounter.
Both men want her with a thrilling intensity. Neither her billionaire nor her biker wishes to share her affections. Is today the day Bee is forced to choose?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00IMHU7FG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards5-1663924-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-5
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-5-cynthia-sax/1119919838
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_5?id=nFaYAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-5/id828414457
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Which Toys Did Your Characters Play With?
My Top 10 Free or Low Cost Gifts For Aspiring Writers
The holidays are fast approaching and you’re looking for a gift for that aspiring writer in your family or social circle. There are plenty of sites pimping the latest electronics or espresso machines or fancy gadgets for writers. I’m a bit more frugal and I believe that it is truly the thought that counts. I thought we could talk about free or low cost gifts today. These are in no particular order.
1. Inspirational Writing Quote Of The Day/Week/Month – Cost: Free
This is exactly what it sounds like. Once a day or week or month, you send the aspiring writer a writing quote (simply Google writing quotes and you’ll find a zillion). If you have an email provider or social media that allows you to schedule emails or direct/private messages, you can set this up once and forget about it. One of my writing buddies sends eCards with encouraging messages from a free online provider.
One of the biggest issues aspiring writers have is feeling alone. This easy and free gift shows them you support them.
2. Notebook With Encouraging Messages Or Inspirational Writing Quotes – Cost: $1
One of my sisters did this for me. She bought an inexpensive notebook from the Dollar Store and wrote encouraging messages like ‘You can do it!’ , ‘I believe in you!’, ‘You can write one more page!’ and ‘I’m proud of you!’ at the top of some of the pages. You could decorate it with inspirational writing quotes instead. Hey, if your writer likes erotic romance, you could glue photos of hot naked men and call it her inspiration notebook! Have some fun with it!
3. Flower Pens – Cost: $4 for 12
Speaking of sisters, one of my sisters always makes me flower pens. She buys a pack of inexpensive Bic pens, some green florist tape and some fabric flowers from The Dollar Store. She then extracts one of the flowers, and tapes its stem to the pen, covering the entire barrel. I have a vase on my writing desk with this bouquet of flowers. I never have to look for a pen and whenever I use one, I think of my sister.
Pens are great gifts for writers. Many of us hoard them.
4. Fine Tip Markers – $3
I love my fine tip markers. They help me with writer’s block. Studies show that colors stimulate different parts of the brain. I’ll switch colors until the words start to flow. Different colored fine tip markers are also great for editing, for making notes, for organizing types of writing issues (maybe plot issues are red, emotion issues are green). Some of my writing buddies use them at book signings.
5. Email From Her Favorite Writer – Free If Unframed
Many writers (myself included) would happily write a few words of encouragement to an inspiring writer. Consider emailing your loved one’s favorite writer (preferably a writer who is still alive – grins). Writers normally have contact forms or email addresses on their websites. Share with this writer what you wish to do, asking her for a tip or a word of inspiration. If the writer agrees (and many writers have crazy deadlines so this might not be doable for them), forward this email to your loved one. Better yet, print the email on card stock and frame it.
6. Dive Underwater Writing Slate – Cost: $10
Inspiration strikes in the craziest of places. One of the most common places is in the shower. Underwater writing slates or whiteboards (http://www.amazon.com/Compass-Scuba-Underwater-Writing-Slate/dp/B000L3T0AW/ ), originally designed for divers, are perfect for a writer’s shower stall (they’re also great for exchanging sexy, funny messages with the hubby – grins).
7. Colored Paperclips or Binder Clips – Cost: $1
I LOVE colored paperclips or binder clips! They make me happy. I deal with a lot of paper. I always print out a copy of my manuscripts to do a final read-through (because seeing the words on paper fools my brain into thinking it is a brand new manuscript). I have research notes and clippings. I receive contracts, have to track expenses. One of my sisters (yes, I have quite a few sisters) buys these for me from The Dollar Store as a holiday present every year.
8. The Gift Of Time – Cost: Your Time
There is one thing ALL writers need—whether we’re just starting out or we’ve had our 100th story published—and that is time. Does your aspiring writer have kids? Why not offer to babysit them for an evening a month, allowing her time to write? If she doesn’t have kids, offer to clean her place or complete some other task. If you enjoy doing this task, that’s even better!
9. Fingerless Or Knitters Gloves – Cost: $5
If your aspiring writer lives in a cold climate, consider buying her fingerless or knitters gloves. My dear hubby gave me a pair of fingerless gloves years ago and I LOVE them (since then, I’ve seen them for $1 in The Dollar Store). They keep my hands warm while I’m typing. They’re now one of my essentials.
10. Writing Craft Books From The Library – Cost: Free
My dear wonderful hubby does this for me all the time. He’ll borrow a stack of writing craft books from the library. I’ll skim through these books during the holidays, gleaming some tips. One or two might become reference books. My hubby will buy these books for me during the next special occasion.
If you don’t live close to your aspiring writer, you could email or print some tips from online sources. Maybe your aspiring writer is struggling with evaluating ideas. Comb the internet for advice from different writers on how to do this and compile the information for her.
The big book I’m writing for 2015 is based in an exotic country. My dear hubby borrowed travel books for this country from the library. He sends me photos of the setting, tips on little things I might not know that will add flavor to my story, AND, best of all, he has arranged interviews with his friends who have lived in this setting.
Writers, what are some low or no cost gifts you’d love to receive? Gift givers, what are your suggestions?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Nicolas Rainer, Chicago’s most sought-after billionaire bachelor, has finally decided what he wants, and that’s Bee Carter in his arms, forever. He shows up unannounced on her doorstep and kisses her until her toes curl and her body burns.
Nicolas wasn’t the sexy man Bee expected to see this morning. Hawke Masters, her tattooed former marine, is riding his customized chopper toward the condo building, anticipating an equally mind-meltingly erotic encounter.
Both men want her with a thrilling intensity. Neither her billionaire nor her biker wishes to share her affections. Is today the day Bee is forced to choose?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00IMHU7FG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards5-1663924-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-5
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-5-cynthia-sax/1119919838
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_5?id=nFaYAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-5/id828414457
Topics: Guest Post | 1 Comment »
Interview With Declan Sands
I sat down (virtually) with Declan Sands for a short interview. Declan’s latest release is Oh! Hoaley Night!, a sexy Christmas story.
Cynthia Sax: What do you love about Oh! Hoaley Night!?
Declan Sands: I absolutely love the Christmas season. And I love small town mysteries, so what could be better than a small town mystery at Christmastime? Like many people, part of my history with the season involves traveling home to be with my family at Christmas. That was the inspiration for Oh! Hoaley Night!. In the first 3 books of the series, there wasn’t a lot of information about Adam’s family. He’s moved away from the small town in Southern Indiana where he was born and raised and rarely visits his parents. Adam and his dad haven’t always seen eye to eye on things and, rather than work things out, they’ve pretty much just avoided each other whenever possible. But, as we’ve all experienced, it’s hard to avoid each other during the holidays! This forced togetherness sometimes brings about revelations we might not otherwise have faced. That’s the setting for the story, but when Adam arrives in his home town of Candlelight, Indiana, things get even more complicated. There’s a dead body in the manger of the living crèche, and Adam’s dad appears to be the chief suspect.
Cynthia Sax: What is your favorite line from Oh! Hoaley Night!?
Declan Sands: My favorite line from the book is the opening line. Because it pretty much sums up how painful it can be spending extended family time during the holidays:
“That’s crazy talk, Ads. Visiting your family is not like being castrated with a rusty can opener.” #:0)
Cynthia Sax: Where is Oh! Hoaley Night! set?
Declan Sands: As I mentioned above, Oh! Hoaley Night! is set in a small town in southern Indiana at Christmastime. I’ve always loved writing about small towns. They’re a whole entity of their own. Just as a large city has a unique pulse and flavor, small towns have a totally different feel to them that I find fascinating. In a small town everybody knows everybody else, and probably has from birth onward. Most of the inhabitants of a small town have some kind of history with your characters and, probably due to the innate nosiness bred into this kind of setting, most people will have some kind of secret they’re trying to keep. It can make for really fascinating fiction, especially in a murder mystery!
Cynthia Sax: Is Oh! Hoaley Night! part of a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Declan Sands: Oh! Hoaley Night! is Book 4 in my Hoale Construction Mysteries series. I’ll definitely be writing more books in this series, in fact I’ve already started penning the next one, tentatively entitled By All That’s Hoaley.
Thank you, Declan Sands, for joining us today!
Declan Sands’s Website: http://www.declansands.com/
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Sometimes going home is clarifying. Sometimes it’s just plain deadly!
Adam travels to Candlelight, Indiana to visit his parents for Christmas. When he arrives he discovers somebody has killed a man and dumped him in the manger of the living crèche at the local church. Unfortunately, all signs lead back to Adam’s father as the murderer. A Sheriff with a grudge and a small town more interested in gossip than reality, convince Adam that it will be up to him and the gang to clear his father’s name.
Buy From Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GTMQEKS
Buy From ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ohhoaleynight-1352639-149.html
Buy From B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oh-hoaley-night-declan-sands/1117542756
Topics: Author Interviews | Comments Off on Interview With Declan Sands
Interview With Genevieve Scholl
How about some Christmas in August? I sat down (virtually) with Genevieve Scholl for a short interview. Genevieve Scholl’s latest release is Love Claus- Book 1 in The Naughty North Pole Novels.
Cynthia Sax: What makes Trent sexy?
Genevieve Scholl: He’s Santa Claus’s son, loves the Christmas holiday, and loves animals; what’s NOT sexy about that?
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Love Claus?
Genevieve Scholl: I love Christmas and everything having to do with it- except the religion part of it- and I wanted to share my love of the holiday and my belief in Santa Claus and the North Pole with everyone. My ultimate fantasy is to meet and fall in love with Santa Claus’s son; in this book, I and my readers were able to.
Cynthia Sax: What makes Trent and Cindy right for each other?
Genevieve Scholl: My characters, Trent and Cindy, are perfect for each other, because Cindy loves Christmas, but none of the people in her life do; her parents don’t celebrate it and her best friend hates cold and snow. Being with Trent makes Cindy feel safe and at home, because she doesn’t have to be ashamed of her love of the holiday.
Cynthia Sax: Does a character in Love Claus have a secret?
Genevieve Scholl: Yes, Trent keeps the secret of him being Santa Claus’s son at first until he knows Cindy is ready for the truth.
Cynthia Sax: Is Love Claus a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Genevieve Scholl: Books 2 and 3 will be out in November and December of 2013.
Thank you, Genevieve Scholl, for joining us today!
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Cindy Gingerman loves the Christmas holiday, but sometimes she feels like she’s the only one. Her parents don’t celebrate, her best friend would rather be in Tahiti than watch the snow fall, and Cindy’s been single for a while. What a depressing Christmas.
Until, Trent shows up at her door dressed like Santa and holding a tree. Something draws her to him and she lets him into her home and her head…
Now, the only question is, will she let him into her heart as well?
Trent Claus knew that Cindy was his destined bride. From the moment he saw her, there was no denying it. The only challenge he had to face was getting her to believe it as well. Can he do it?
“Sweet Cindy…”
He believes he can, until his father falls ill and he has to move his plans along a lot faster than expected. What will Cindy think of his little town and the truth of who he is?
Will she run like his ex-girlfriend had? Or will she stay and make him the luckiest, and happiest, man on Earth?
“Please don’t go…”
Buy From Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Claus-Naughty-North-Novels-ebook/dp/B00APKJM5Y
Buy From Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-claus-genevieve-scholl/1114302425
Buy From Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/268577
Topics: Author Interviews | Comments Off on Interview With Genevieve Scholl
