Book Brain And Writers Working Weekends
My goal for today is to complete the second draft of Warlord’s Return (releasing in November). That requires revising the last three chapters.
I have SEVERE book brain. The book is all I can think about. The Dear Wonderful Hubby knows there is no holding a logical conversation with me on days like this. I am useless for making decisions. He usually either makes dinner or he orders it…and he always has quite a bit of chocolate on hand. (grins)
It is Saturday and I woke at my usual 8 am and will likely work until 2am or longer. I don’t usually work THIS hard on a weekend, only when I’m completing second drafts, but I almost always do something writing-related.
Many writers work weekends. Writers who juggle a full time job in another field with the writing often devote their weekends to writing. We might not appear as much on social media or answer emails on the weekend but that doesn’t mean we’re not working.
Being a writer is, in my humble opinion, one of the best jobs in the world. When we love what we do, we tend to do it more often…and on weekends. (smiles)
***
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: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Book Brain And Writers Working Weekends
Story Ripples
One of the many things I love about writing in a (now) huge world like the cyborg series is I have the ability to see the ripples actions make throughout the universe.
Almost every story can be read on its own and that holds true for Testing Truth but the more stories you read, the more impact certain events will have on you, the more meaning they will have.
In Testing Truth, as one small example, the heroine’s planet had been occupied by the Humanoid Alliance. When the cyborgs rebelled, they took away the Humanoid Alliance’s fighting force. The Humanoid Alliance couldn’t hold the heroine’s planet. They retreated. The heroine and her subjects were freed.
(This is all relayed in the second chapter. It isn’t a spoiler.)
The actions in a story occurring 7 core stories ago impact this story. Truth wouldn’t have met his female in his story if the cyborgs hadn’t mass rebelled.
Every story changes the cyborgs’ world a little bit. The actions in Testing Truth will add more ripples to the world, especially for the Rebel cyborgs.
This is one of reasons I doubt I’ll ever get series fatigue. The world and the occupants of that world constantly change.
***
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: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Story Ripples
Teenage Cyborgs
Future, Vector and Kasia’s son, makes an appearance in Testing Truth. We find out more about this freeborn C Model and his challenges on board the Reckless, reporting to his extremely protective Dad.
Future is physically fully mature. Cyborgs reach that point within one solar cycle (one year). Emotionally…well…he’s a teenager. He might have a little more control over his moods WHEN he wants to have that control. His processors and other mechanics assist with that. But when he’s acting without restrictions, he’s similar to a human teenager.
Young cyborgs, under Humanoid Alliance control, didn’t have the luxury of acting like human teenagers. Their training was severe. If they expressed emotion, they were decommissioned. If they refused commands or talked back, they suffered the same fate.
So the freeborn cyborgs are the first generation to have that experience. It is almost…a privilege (though I suspect their parents don’t always view it as that). And it will make them very different from their parents.
***
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: Cyborg Facts | Comments Off on Teenage Cyborgs
Indie Publishing And Why There Won’t Be A Romance Novel Shortage
On a recent phone call with my Awesome Mom, she commented on how there are very few movies being released to the movie channels and streaming services. She talked about how her favorite TV shows no longer have any new episodes.
She also worried she’d run out of new books to read.
I told her there was absolutely NO chance of that happening.
Why?
Because many of the series she loves are written by Indie writers. These writers have always worked remotely. Their teams are small (my team consists of a cover artist and an editor) and they usually deal with these team members through email and other messaging systems. They sell primarily through the online booksellers. Physical bookstores being open isn’t a big factor for them.
The Great Pause hasn’t impacted our production systems. Our muses might have taken the hits (or, in my case, they might be supercharged – grins) but our systems are intact. Most of us will continue to release our books on schedule.
Movies and TV shows, in contrast, require hundreds, sometimes thousands of people. They have to be filmed on location. Actors and others have to meet face-to-face. That’s difficult and dangerous to do under the current circumstances.
I suspect the big Trad publishers, the huge companies often located in New York, might experience a few hiccups. They rely more heavily on physical bookstore sales. Hundreds of people are involved in production and distribution. They aren’t as accustomed to working remotely.
But there are plenty of Indie Romance writers, like myself, who can fill in any gaps.
You will NOT run out of Romance Novels to read. (smiles)
***
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: New Releases | Comments Off on Indie Publishing And Why There Won’t Be A Romance Novel Shortage
Dark Stories And Light-Hearted Characters
Testing Truth, the September Cyborg Romance release, will have everything you expect from one of my stories—steamy scenes, violence, trauma, pain, love, laughs. But it will also be lighter in tone than many of my core cyborg romances.
Why?
Because Truth deals with tension, with conflict by teasing others, by making jokes, by laughing at the ridiculousness of the universe. And half of the story is written from his view. (grins) It isn’t a dark story because he won’t allow darkness to hang around him.
It doesn’t matter how grim life gets, how bad the situation is, the losses he is facing, Truth is determined to lighten the mood…and he is usually successful at doing that. He has many human lifespans of practice at adding levity to his surroundings. He’s very good at it.
Will there be scenes that make you cry? Likely. There are several scenes that make me teary-eyed when I merely think of them. But expect more laughs in this story than you usually find in one of my cyborg romances.
It is a magical quirk of the universe that I’m telling Truth’s story at one of the times in history we need some lightness, some levity. I find that so very interesting. And Truth would appreciate that ‘coincidence’. He has a healthy respect for what humans often call fate.
***
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: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Dark Stories And Light-Hearted Characters
Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – July 19th
My Facebook account is still under review, has been in that no man’s land for 4 long weeks. (big sigh) I email every admin email address I can find (including Zuckerberg’s) every week and I tweet at Facebook but I’ve never received a reply. I suspect no humans are actually working in customer service at Facebook and the bots are giving me the silent treatment.
I finished the first draft of Warlord’s Return, the sixth and final Chamele Barbarian Warlord series (releasing in November), last week. Woot! That’s always a huge accomplishment for any writer. This week, I’ll be working on the second draft. The second draft is much more brain intensive than the first draft. You might see some bizarre posts on this blog this week (grins).
I received the second round of edits on Testing Truth (releasing September 15th) back from my Awesome Editor and have completed them. I love this cyborg romance and I think you’ll really love it also. Truth and his princess are magical together.
My agent said the idea I sent her would be a very challenging one to sell. The idea needs a big New York Publisher to work well so I’ve shelved it. I have a gazillion ideas. Input from advisors like my agent allows me to prioritize them, to figure out where I should spend my very limited time.
***
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: Cynthia Sax Weekly Update | 4 Comments »
The Power Of Books During A Crisis
My Awesome Mom hasn’t left her small apartment since the middle of March. She hasn’t seen her kids or grandkids in person (except for my eldest brother who lives with her) since then. Being at high risk, she can’t allow anyone to visit her. Her beloved baseball has also been postponed. I worried she’d find all this challenging.
She is incredibly and marvelously happy.
Why?
One of the reasons she’s happy is because she has discovered large print cozy mysteries. She has been reading at least one of those a day. They give her an escape into another world, a world in which there is murder (grins) but that murder is always solved and there is no pandemic.
These books have not only given her joy but they have greatly eased my concerns over her emotional wellbeing.
Reading and writing stories during a crisis might seem like a trivial use of our time. In the movies, during times of crisis, people are constantly fighting to survive, battling the baddies. There’s no downtime. It is all action all the time.
This is reality, however, and we need downtime. We also need happiness. To experience moments of joy at a time like this, to have the ability to leave all our troubles behind and escape is essential. It is magical. It empowers us to handle everything else.
That’s not trivial. At all. That’s a gift, one we should cherish.
***
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: Writing Tips | Comments Off on The Power Of Books During A Crisis
Testing Truth – Releasing September 15th
Testing Truth, my next cyborg romance, has returned from my awesome editor for first round revisions and she LIKES it! She said it was her favorite story in the series!
Woot!
I have loaded Testing Truth to booksellers for release on September 15th. It should be available for pre-orders within two days.
Amazon US (always the quickest – grins) already has a link –
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BTYN7TT/
I LOVE that the last two letters in the ASIN are TT – Testing Truth. That seems like a magical coincidence!
***
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: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Testing Truth – Releasing September 15th