Ordering Seeds And The Power Of Small
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I have been ordering seeds for this upcoming outdoor gardening season (likely starting in May).
We ordered 500 spinach seeds.
The regular packet of spinach seeds we see in the dollar store or other places holds 50 seeds.
So the packet we ordered should have been 10 times as big, right?
Nope. It is the same sized packet. And it still had space for double that amount.
Seeds are amazingly small and light and it often feels like we’re buying a whole lot of nothing. But those 500 seeds, if half of them germinate, could supply the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I with spinach for almost five years.
There’s life in that tiny packet. There’s power. There’s energy.
I think of that when I write about a small heroine. She might be tiny but she’s often powerful. (grins)
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Raw Desires
(This description is VERY much unedited. My Awesome Editor, if she saw I was sharing it with you, would probably have an emotional meltdown.)
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
***
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors to have located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough and tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
***
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Pre-order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Gardening | Comments Off on Ordering Seeds And The Power Of Small
Muse Food – The Smallest Details
I tend to write three drafts of a story before I submit it to my Awesome Editor.
During the first draft, I scramble to write down all the broad components, the action, the key dialogue, the huge shifts in the characters’ thinking. There is sh*t in the first draft I won’t need in the final draft. There is sh*t that is missing. But the core story is there.
In the second draft, I add the details, smooth out the transitions, infuse the story with emotion.
Because the emotion is in the details. That is what makes the story live and breathe. The details allow us to fully picture the scene, to immerse ourselves in the story.
I think of it like this photo taken in Martinique. The first draft, the core story, is the pathway. But the aspect that makes it live for us is the mosaic trim, the colors, those details.
Don’t forget to add some details to your story!
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Raw Desires
(This description is VERY much unedited. My Awesome Editor, if she saw I was sharing it with you, would probably have an emotional meltdown.)
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
***
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors to have located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough and tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
***
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Pre-order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raw-desires-cynthia-sax/1142255510
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/raw-desires-2
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1166190
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – The Smallest Details
Muse Food – Moose
I grew up around moose so it likely isn’t a surprise I write stories set on alien planets. Moose are alien looking creatures. (grins)
They’re HUGE. That vending machine in the background of this photo of a preserved moose in Wawa, Ontario, Canada? It is full size.
If a car hits a moose, the car is totalled and the driver is likely dead. Shotgun (riding in the passenger seat) is a serious role up north. The number one task of every shotgun person is looking for moose.
Moose are also the top of the food chain, even though they eat vegetation. Nothing messes with a full grown healthy moose and that includes bears.
Moose don’t know fear. They’re armed with a solid set of antlers, long legs and deadly hooves. AND they know how to use them.
I find moose…inspiring. And I have a healthy respect for them.
***
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Over Torque
The safest place in the universe is in a cyborg’s arms.
Ceridwen has arranged transport for her and her cat on a freighter. They hope to find a new start and sanctuary on a distant planet.
That dream is blasted to bits when the Humanoid Alliance attacks the ship.
Torque, an E Model cyborg, is searching for wreckage to blow up. He and his friend locate an escape pod attached to the remnants of a freighter.
Inside that small craft are two lifeforms.
Both of these beings will change Torque’s lifespan forever.
Over Torque is a short, light, companion story set in the cyborg world and is meant to be read after Provoking Odium.
This Cyborg Romance features an explosion-loving cyborg warrior, a cautious human female, and her discerning cat.
Download Now:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/q74mwmx22v
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Moose
Muse Food – Blue Skies
This is the first week in a brand new year. I think of this time as a new beginning, a new start. Anything could happen. Anything is possible.
In business, we call this ‘blue sky.’ The skies are clear. We can go anywhere.
The characters in our stories often have blue sky moments. Maybe they have completed their big quest and are wondering what they’ll do next. Where will they go?
Their next action tells us their true nature. When anything is possible, what do they do?
***
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Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are manufactured to fight.
Almost all of the half organic, half mechanical warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his weapons and allocated his processors to less-violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female—the one being he’s destined to protect, claim, love for all eternity—and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete, and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, and seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Fake-Mate Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy who has no idea what they will soon unleash.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Blue Skies
Muse Food – Decorating Trees And Taking Over The Universe
Symbols and traditions and words are powerful.
The easiest way for one group to quash the power of another group’s symbol or tradition or word is to shift its meaning or steal it for its own use.
Whenever I see a decorated tree, I’m reminded of this truth.
Pagan and other older religions decorated trees. Christians never did that until they encountered these other religions. The locals didn’t want to stop decorating trees so Christians shifted the meaning of that tree decorating to fit into their worldview.
Today, many people will become upset if the tree is called a Holiday Tree and not a Christmas Tree.
THAT is how effective this strategy is.
I suspect invading forces across the universe would use this same strategy to erase the locals’ religions, customs, traditions, words.
***
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Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Decorating Trees And Taking Over The Universe
Muse Food – Wawa’s Goose And Tourist Attractions
A month ago, the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I went on a road trip across Northern Ontario, Canada.
There’s an expectation in the small Northern towns, situated on the highways, that they will have a statue or sculpture or some other attraction to draw people in and convince them to stop for a few minutes (or longer).
Cochrane has a huge polar bear statue. White River, the birthplace of Winnie The Pooh, has, of course, a big Winnie The Pooh Memorial.
Wawa has a giant Canada Goose (Wawa means Canada Goose in Ojibwe).
I envision small planets employing a similar strategy. They could erect huge sculptures (that don’t require beings to staff) to draw in weary space travelers, tempting them to get off their ships and stretch their legs for a while.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Wawa’s Goose And Tourist Attractions
Muse Food – Stairs To Anywhere
I LOVE stairs. Well… I love looking at stairs. I don’t like climbing up them as much. (grins)
It is the suggestion of movement that intrigues me. Stairs take us from one level to another level, one place to another place. There’s a transition and transitions are powerful in storytelling.
These stairs were spotted by the Dear Wonderful Hubby when he last toured Alcatraz. They appear older, have different levels, are quite beautiful.
With this view, they appear to be leading us into the blue sky. (smiles)
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Stairs To Anywhere
The School For Good And Evil And Expectations
Warning – I’m talking about the Netflix movie – The School For Good And Evil – in this post. There will be some (mild) spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this movie, you might wish to skip this discussion.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I watched The School For Good And Evil on Netflix. This fairy tale magical academy movie was based on the book by Soman Chainani and we quite enjoyed it. It was light and fun and had a girl power message.
It also does a brilliant job at using our expectations to create plot twists.
Sophie and Agatha are best friends. But they seem more different than similar.
Agatha wears all black. She loves her cat and her potion-creating mom. She has all the makings of the stereotypical witch in the fairy tales.
Sophie dresses in bright, happy colors. She’s a gifted seamstress and she dreams of being the princess she resembles.
When they’re transported to the School for Good and Evil, we assume Sophie will be placed in the good school and Agatha (whom I LOVE) will be placed in the evil school.
But the exact opposite happens. They are placed, they believe, in the ‘wrong’ schools, becoming instant and obvious outcasts.
I thought this was superbly done and I was extremely inspired by it.
***
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Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on The School For Good And Evil And Expectations
Muse Food – Birds And Beings In The Sky
One of the (many) things I’m very conscious of when I write stories set on alien planets is…
There would be activity in the sky also.
Look at the Earth. There is SO much livable sky above us. And birds and butterflies and other lifeforms take advantage of that space.
These birds were spotted off a beach in Florida, USA.
And here is one of their buddies. (grins)
The space above an alien planet would likely be utilized also. If the planet was rich in resources, the skies would likely be quite crowded with lifeforms.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Birds And Beings In The Sky
Muse Food – Woolly Bears
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spotted this little guy in our back yard.
He’s a woolly bear caterpillar, the larval form of the isabella tiger moth, and he’s a fascinating creature.
He hatches from his egg in the fall.
Then, when winter and the snow comes, he freezes solid. His heart stops beating. His guts freeze. His blood freezes. And finally the rest of his body freezes.
In the spring, he thaws and goes about his usual business. (grins)
Yes, he’s proof beings can be completely frozen and survive. That doesn’t merely happen in SciFi Romances.
Oh, and yes, I am heartbreakingly aware climate change is going to make it very difficult for the woolly bears to survive. These warm temperatures aren’t good for these little creatures.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are designed to fight. That is their primary purpose and 98.2356 percent of the manufactured warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his sword and allocated his processors to less violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female, the one being he’s destined to protect, to claim, to love for all eternity, and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy with enough firepower to blow up an entire sector.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grin-and-bare-him-cynthia-sax/1141413965
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grin-and-bare-him
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1145153
Topics: Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Woolly Bears
