Taste of Cyn

Mini Writing Conference Hosted By Avon Writers

By Cynthia Sax on July 21, 2014

The RWA (Romance Writers Of America) Convention is Wednesday – Saturday in San Antonio. Many Avon writers are trapped in the writing cave and we’re hoping that writers and readers attending will post photos and share highlights on

Share your favorite fangirl (or fanboy) moments.

We will also be talking about writing all week, sharing our best writing advice, how to craft characters, how to start stories, etc. If you have a buddy who is constantly talking about writing a book, invite her/him to this group. If you hear someone express how sad they are to miss the convention, invite her/him also!

Today’s topics include…

Our best writing advice

and

Why we chose a traditional publisher instead of self-publishing.

Sinful Rewards 1

Cynthia Sax

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Mini Writing Conference Hosted By Avon Writers

Favorite Quotations From Sinful Rewards 1

By Cynthia Sax on July 21, 2014

As reading buddies are highlighting their favorite Sinful Rewards 1 quotations, I thought it would be fun to share some of mine with you.

“More jelly beans.” Cyndi holds up a bag labeled Wynters Confectionary. “I don’t know what happened to the last batch.” She pours the candy into a crystal bowl.

“You dumped them out of the window, making it rain jelly beans, and then wore the bowl as a hat,” I remind her. “The next day, every occupant of the south tower received a memo from management forbidding us to throw candy or any other food item off our balconies.”

I love this exchange between Bee and her best friend Cyndi. It shows the difference in their personalities and why they work. Cyndi is the fun loving party girl and Bee takes care of her, worrying about the consequences, keeping her safe.

“I’m. . .” He shifts in his seat, appearing uncomfortable. “I’m not accustomed to people doing nice things for me without wanting something in return.”

I was on the fence about liking Nicolas until he shared this. Then I melted. Nicolas, being a billionaire, is surrounded about people who are nice to him because they want something from him. They lie. They try to cheat him, to use him. This happens so often that he assumes everyone is like this. Yeah, I know. It breaks my heart also.

The purse drops to the sidewalk, the contents spilling. I watch, mortified, as a gold tube of lipstick rolls toward the tattooed hunk. He nudges the sidestand into place, stretches out his right leg, and stops the lipstick’s escape with one big black boot.

I like this snippet because it reveals a bit about the type of man Hawke is. He doesn’t wait until Bee asks him for help. He doesn’t seek Bee’s permission to stop the lipstick. He simply stops it because it is the right thing to do, because saving the day is what this former Marine does.

What are your favorite lines from Sinful Rewards 1?

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Favorite Quotations From Sinful Rewards 1

Sinful Rewards Is The Book Of The Week

By Cynthia Sax on July 18, 2014

N.J. Walters has chosen Sinful Rewards as her book of the week!

http://njwalters.blogspot.ca/2014/07/sinful-rewards-by-cynthia-sax-is.html

She shares

“Now, I’m not usually a big fan of serials or stories written in the first person, but I absolutely loved this book and am hooked on this author. Cynthia Sax is the queen of the erotic serial series.“

She is SO going to make me cry! (hugs N.J.)

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Reviews | Comments Off on Sinful Rewards Is The Book Of The Week

How To Make An Erotic Romance Writer Blush

By Cynthia Sax on July 15, 2014

I’m at For The Love Of Bookends today,

talking about what makes me blush

http://loveofbookends.blogspot.ca/2014/07/welcome-cynthia-sax-guest-post.html

Here’s a snippet…

I’ve written over seventy erotic romance stories. I’ve written MF, MM, MFM, MFMMMM, sex with an android, with partially shifted beings, with voyeuristic billionaires (grins – just throwing that in there to see if you’re paying attention). My characters have done the deed almost everywhere in almost every position.

I’m also lucky to have some of the best reading buddies in the world. They’ll message or email me about sex scenes, sexual preferences, how big certain body parts should be or how many appendages my alien heroes should have. I love this. I encourage it. I might even use the information in my next story.

Sheri V knows this so I suspect she’d figured she’d stump me by asking what still makes me blush. I must have seen and heard about everything, right? If I haven’t written about it, one of my buddies has. Surely I wouldn’t continue to turn red.

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on How To Make An Erotic Romance Writer Blush

Interview At Fresh Fiction

By Cynthia Sax on July 15, 2014

Fresh Fiction interviewed me!

http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=6071

Here’s a snippet…

Billionaires are a hot topic in erotic literature. As a writer, what draws you to the billionaires for your leading men?

Cynthia: For me, billionaire is a short form for alpha of the business world. What this label communicates is the hero is successful and (usually) the boss. He has reached the top of his game (likely expecting that this achievement would fix whatever is broken inside him) and then he realizes something or someone is missing.

My billionaires are all different. For example: The CEO of a high tech company (Blaine from HE WATCHES ME) is very different from the CEO of a real estate company (Nicolas from SINFUL REWARDS). The high tech CEO designs products that will become obsolete with every improvement in technology. The CEO of the real estate company is building structures that will last for generations. They have very different reasons for entering their respective industries and different demons driving them to work harder.

Of all of the types of heroes, I believe the billionaire has the greatest range of possible personalities. There are billionaires in almost every industry.

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

I’m at Dawn’s Reading Nook today, talking about Billionaires, Bikers and Bad Boys!!!
http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.ca/2014/07/discover-cynthia-saxs-sinful-rewards.html
Here’s a snippet…
I have a weakness for billionaire heroes. They’re the alpha dogs of the business world. They’ve achieved great success, both in their careers and financially. Many of them have built companies and lead employees. Often these employees are extremely loyal to their CEOs.

Nicolas is no exception. His employees will volunteer to work weekends (he pays them, of course). This handsome young billionaire has built a real estate empire, providing homes for individuals and families. He isn’t perfect. He’s hiding a secret and he’s done some very bad things but he’s worthy of lasting love (although he believes he isn’t).

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Interview At Fresh Fiction

Billionaires, Bikers and Bad Boys!!!

By Cynthia Sax on July 15, 2014

I’m at Dawn’s Reading Nook today, talking about Billionaires, Bikers and Bad Boys!!!

http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.ca/2014/07/discover-cynthia-saxs-sinful-rewards.html

Here’s a snippet…

I have a weakness for billionaire heroes. They’re the alpha dogs of the business world. They’ve achieved great success, both in their careers and financially. Many of them have built companies and lead employees. Often these employees are extremely loyal to their CEOs.

Nicolas is no exception. His employees will volunteer to work weekends (he pays them, of course). This handsome young billionaire has built a real estate empire, providing homes for individuals and families. He isn’t perfect. He’s hiding a secret and he’s done some very bad things but he’s worthy of lasting love (although he believes he isn’t).

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

I’m at Dawn’s Reading Nook today, talking about Billionaires, Bikers and Bad Boys!!!
http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.ca/2014/07/discover-cynthia-saxs-sinful-rewards.html
Here’s a snippet…
I have a weakness for billionaire heroes. They’re the alpha dogs of the business world. They’ve achieved great success, both in their careers and financially. Many of them have built companies and lead employees. Often these employees are extremely loyal to their CEOs.

Nicolas is no exception. His employees will volunteer to work weekends (he pays them, of course). This handsome young billionaire has built a real estate empire, providing homes for individuals and families. He isn’t perfect. He’s hiding a secret and he’s done some very bad things but he’s worthy of lasting love (although he believes he isn’t).

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Billionaires, Bikers and Bad Boys!!!

Talking Bad Boy Bikers With Tina Donahue

By Cynthia Sax on July 15, 2014

I’m talking about bad boy bikers on Tina Donahue ‘s blog today!

http://www.tinadonahue.com/lose-yourself-in-sinful-rewards/

Here’s a snippet…

Although Hawke, one of the heroes in Sinful Rewards, is a biker, he’s not the popular type of biker we currently see in Romanceland.

He doesn’t ride a black Harley. He rides a blue customized chopper, a bike Bee, the heroine, calls pretty. (Warning: Do NOT call Hawke’s bike pretty to his face.)

His motorcycle club isn’t one of the 1%, breaking laws, trafficking in guns and drugs (a nod to Sons of Anarchy). Hawke rides with veterans who fought to protect regular law abiding Americans. Yes, he’s big and bad and a rebel but he doesn’t consciously break any rules

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Talking Bad Boy Bikers With Tina Donahue

How To Write A Powerful Love Triangle

By Cynthia Sax on July 15, 2014

I’m visiting the ARe blog today, talking about how to write a powerful love triangle.

http://www.arecafe.com/cafe-news/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-writing-power-love-triangles/

Here’s a snippet…

To make a love triangle work, the two heroes have to represent different futures yet be equally powerful.

In Twilight, Bella could live forever with her vampire OR have pups and a semi-human existence with her wolf. Both heroes could protect her. In a fight, either hero could win. She’d have a remarkable life with either hero.

In Sinful Rewards, Bee could have riches, a stable home, loving marriage and a family with her billionaire OR she could have a wild, throw-caution-to-the-wind affair with her biker. Both heroes are panty-dropping sexy. They want Bee and are willing to fight for her. They’re also nice men. I cried when she chose her hero because I loved both men so much.

The reasons these heroes appeal to different readers are the reasons they appeal to different facets of the heroine.

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on How To Write A Powerful Love Triangle

Some Sam And Dean On Release Day

By Cynthia Sax on July 15, 2014

I LOVE this Sinful Rewards post at I’ll Read Until I Drop!!!

Sam and Dean from Supernatural ROCKS!

http://willreadtillidrop.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/release-day-blitz-sinful-rewards-by-cynthia-sax/

And the chosen quotes – freakin’ AWESOME!

I love the header quote…

“I was wrong about you, wasn’t I?”

“You’re not a good girl.”

– Nicolas

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Some Sam And Dean On Release Day

Why Some Writers Shouldn’t Give Interviews – Grins

By Cynthia Sax on July 15, 2014

A Reader Lives a Thousand Lives interviewed me today!

http://areaderlivesa1000lives.blogspot.ca/2014/07/book-nerds-dozen-cynthia-sax.html

Here’s a snippet…

Waiting in line at Starbucks, what are you ordering? What name do you give?

Cynthia Sax: I’m a chocolate gal so a tall hot chocolate for me, no whipped cream or any of that fancy stuff. (grins) My name is Nutella. When they call that, the chocolate lovers FREAK out.
(grins)

And the interview gets crazier from there.

Sinful Rewards 1

Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.

Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.

But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.

Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Why Some Writers Shouldn’t Give Interviews – Grins