The Best Day To Release Books
When I was releasing stories through publishers, I had no control over my release dates. The publisher told me when the story was being released and I had to work with that date.
Now that I’m Indie, I have total control over my release dates.
Indie writers decide on release dates based on a variety of ways. Some writers have lucky dates (for example, the 7th of every month). Some writers have set number of days between releases. Some writers always release on a specific day on a specific week (for example, the third Wednesday of the month).
The release month for my stories is usually determined by how quickly I can write these stories. It normally takes me two months to write one of the cyborg stories. Then it takes me a month for multiple rounds of edits. That means I can release a cyborg story every three months.
The actual date in that month is determined by what I personally like as a reader. I believe a writer can never go too wrong if she/he makes decisions around what readers like and want.
I prefer that releases in my favorite niches are spaced out time-wise. Having stories from fifteen of my favorite SciFi Romance writers releasing in one week stresses me out. Which story do I read first? I want to read them all on release day. It also depresses me because I know there will be weeks with NO big SciFi Romance releases.
What I do, as an Indie writer, is look at the Hot New Releases Top 100 lists on Amazon for my categories and note when other writers are releasing. I also reach out to other writers in my niche. I’ll message Cara Bristol, for example, and ask if she’s releasing a story from her awesome cyborg series that month.
If another writer’s cyborg story is releasing in the second week, I might release my story in the third week. If twelve SciFi romances from other writers are releasing in the third week, I might release my story in the fourth week.
Sometimes I’ll move months. I had originally planned to release Chasing Mayhem in August. Then I discovered that Laurann Dohner, one of my favorite cyborg romance writers, was re-releasing her 8 story cyborg series AND releasing a brand new 9th story in August. I knew I’d be reading those stories all month. I figured other cyborg romance buddies would be doing the same thing. So I moved Chasing Mayhem’s release date to September.
As for the day of the week, I usually release stories on Tuesdays. Big publishers release their stories then because it is the ideal day for making the USA Today Bestseller List. I release my stories then because, thanks to the big publishers, that’s when many readers (including myself) expect them to be released. If the story releases early, I’m happy. If the story releases later, I usually worry that I’ve somehow missed release day.
That’s my rather bizarre method of determining release dates. (grins)
Reading buddies, is there a day you prefer stories be released on? Writing buddies, how do you decide release dates?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Wild. Free. Hers.
Mayhem has spent his lengthy lifespan obeying the Humanoid Alliance’s rules. Finally free from their cruel control, the cyborg warrior plans to cause chaos. He infiltrates a remote settlement, provokes the savage locals until they want him dead, and allows himself to be captured by the sexiest little Retriever he has ever laid his mechanically-enhanced eyes on.
Imee’s sole mission in life is to keep her family alive. To do this, she must hunt rebels, returning them to the Humanoid Alliance’s evil clutches where they will be executed. She doesn’t allow herself to feel anything for her targets…until she meets a tall, muscular cyborg with wild hair and even wilder eyes.
With his sure hands, laughing lips and erotic holds, Mayhem makes Imee’s body sizzle and her resistance melt. Their love is doomed. She must deliver the warrior to his death or she’ll place her family’s safety at risk. But she can’t resist him.
Imee soon discovers that Mayhem, life, and love are never predictable.
Chasing Mayhem is Book 6 in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is a STANDALONE story.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY#nav-subnav
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-chasingmayhem-2077430-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chasing-mayhem-cynthia-sax/1124139998
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/chasing-mayhem
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Through A Cyborg’s Eyes
One of the many fun things about a cyborg series is we get to see the heroines through the cyborgs’ eyes. The warriors bring their unique views of the world into the descriptions of the females they’re destined to love.
Here is a snippet from Chasing Mayhem…
She peeked out of her hiding place and Mayhem sucked in his breath.
His female was stunning, more beautiful than anyone or anything he’d ever seen. She had uniquely shaped brown eyes, her eyelids lacking the useless crease his had. Her skin was golden and glistened with a layer of sweat, her thermoregulation system not as efficient as a cyborg’s. Her hair was as straight as a thrown spear and as black as open space. A long scar carved her left cheek in two. RET56927 was inked under her right eye.
She wasn’t a cyborg. He’d be able to detect that.
But she had been the property of the Humanoid Alliance. His scan revealed one of their tracking devices in her right wrist.
Mayhem, being a cyborg, sees even the female he’ll love in terms of functionality and efficiency. Eyelid creases have no functionality so he deems Imee’s eyes better designed. When he describes her features, he compares them to things he knows—weapons and space travel.
Imee is a muscular female. She’s a Retriever, a bounty hunter for the Humanoid Alliance, and is super fit. But Mayhem still perceives her as being soft.
Why?
Because cyborgs have metal frames. They’re hard…all over (grins). A human’s form would, of course, be much softer, much more giving.
Mayhem also views Imee as being tiny, which makes sense because cyborgs are HUGE. All humans, male or female, would be smaller than they are. (I find that REALLY sexy. There’s nothing as thrilling to me as a hero who can pick up a heroine.)
Every cyborg is different and brings a unique perspective to his story. Mayhem values different traits and characteristics than Rage or Crash or Barrel (his free short story will be releasing in December).
This makes every story and every heroine’s description exciting.
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Wild. Free. Hers.
Mayhem has spent his lengthy lifespan obeying the Humanoid Alliance’s rules. Finally free from their cruel control, the cyborg warrior plans to cause chaos. He infiltrates a remote settlement, provokes the savage locals until they want him dead, and allows himself to be captured by the sexiest little Retriever he has ever laid his mechanically-enhanced eyes on.
Imee’s sole mission in life is to keep her family alive. To do this, she must hunt rebels, returning them to the Humanoid Alliance’s evil clutches where they will be executed. She doesn’t allow herself to feel anything for her targets…until she meets a tall, muscular cyborg with wild hair and even wilder eyes.
With his sure hands, laughing lips and erotic holds, Mayhem makes Imee’s body sizzle and her resistance melt. Their love is doomed. She must deliver the warrior to his death or she’ll place her family’s safety at risk. But she can’t resist him.
Imee soon discovers that Mayhem, life, and love are never predictable.
Chasing Mayhem is Book 6 in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is a STANDALONE story.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY#nav-subnav
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-chasingmayhem-2077430-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chasing-mayhem-cynthia-sax/1124139998
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/chasing-mayhem
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Through A Cyborg’s Eyes
5 Things This Writer Learned From The Summer Olympics
I’m not the most sporty person in the world. (sheepish grin) I prefer to write about action, not participate in it. But I’ve been watching the Summer Olympics with great interest.
And it has taught me a few things about writing.
1) We’re Truly Competing Against Ourselves
Yes, every athlete at the Olympics would love to medal. Everyone would like to be the best in the world. But many athletes realize they’re not yet ready. They’re unlikely to beat top athletes like Usain Bolt and Simone Biles at these Olympics. These up and coming athletes merely wish to do their personal best.
There are 15 slots on the New York Times Bestseller List for eBooks every week. Every year, only one book wins a Romance Writers Of America Rita in each category. These goals might be unreasonable for newer writers but we CAN do our personal best. We can write the best story we’ve ever written. We can reach the most readers we’ve ever reached.
How do we do this? We learn from other writers, which leads me to the next point…
2) Improvement Is Contagious
Many athletes will have personal bests at the Olympics. Why? Because they’re competing against the best in the world. This not only pushes them to try harder but they also learn from other athletes.
We see this in Romanceland. A writer will release an innovative story, perhaps it is a unique twist on a tried-and-true premise or has a different tone or is simply an exceptionally well-written tale. This will prompt other writers to do the same, to try harder, to think differently.
There are some wonderful cyborg romances being written right now. This pushes me to bring my A game to every story, to give readers the best stories possible.
I LOVE this. It is exciting for the niche and exciting for me as a writer.
Of course, not every new writing project will be successful.
3) Things Go Wrong
An athlete could be the world champion, could be the best in the world, have the best preparation, the best trainer, the best gear, and not even medal at the Olympics. Things could go wrong on the day they compete.
I’ve experienced the same thing with the writing. I can write the best book of my life, have a wonderful marketing plan, a great cover and blurb, and then, on release day, something happens to stop readers from enjoying my book. Maybe a man with the same first name as my hero does something very, very bad. Maybe booksellers go on yet another anti-erotic romance crusade and delist the book. Maybe another writing buddy releases a book with the exact same premise the week before (this happens).
When things go wrong, athletes dust themselves off and concentrate on the next competition, the next opportunity. We should do the same. Focus on the next book.
Ignore the haters, because…
4) EVERYONE Is Criticized
Olympic athletes are some of the fittest people in the world. They’re the top amateur contestants in their fields. Yet some of them were brutally criticized for their appearances and for their performances, often by people who didn’t know shit about them or their sports.
This might seem like a negative but I found it truly freeing. If the best in the world are harshly criticized, of course, we, mere mortals, are going to be harshly criticized also. And if we’re all going to be harshly criticized, why do we give a flying fuck about criticism? Why are we even listening to these comments?
Focus on other things and…
5) Have Fun
All Olympic athletes work hard. They usually have some sort of athletic gift or natural talent for their sport. But this doesn’t guarantee success. The majority of Olympic athletes will never win an Olympic medal. They’ll never make a dollar from their beloved sport. However, they ALL can have fun. They ALL can enjoy the Olympic experience.
Success, however we define it, isn’t guaranteed for writers either. We can have talent and work really hard and still never find our readerships. But we CAN find joy in our writing. We can have fun. We can enjoy the twists and turns, the ups and downs, in this unpredictable, wildly exciting journey. That is absolutely doable.
What did you learn from the Summer Olympics?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Wild. Free. Hers.
Mayhem has spent his lengthy lifespan obeying the Humanoid Alliance’s rules. Finally free from their cruel control, the cyborg warrior plans to cause chaos. He infiltrates a remote settlement, provokes the savage locals until they want him dead, and allows himself to be captured by the sexiest little Retriever he has ever laid his mechanically-enhanced eyes on.
Imee’s sole mission in life is to keep her family alive. To do this, she must hunt rebels, returning them to the Humanoid Alliance’s evil clutches where they will be executed. She doesn’t allow herself to feel anything for her targets…until she meets a tall, muscular cyborg with wild hair and even wilder eyes.
With his sure hands, laughing lips and erotic holds, Mayhem makes Imee’s body sizzle and her resistance melt. Their love is doomed. She must deliver the warrior to his death or she’ll place her family’s safety at risk. But she can’t resist him.
Imee soon discovers that Mayhem, life, and love are never predictable.
Chasing Mayhem is Book 6 in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is a STANDALONE story.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY#nav-subnav
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-chasingmayhem-2077430-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chasing-mayhem-cynthia-sax/1124139998
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/chasing-mayhem
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Fun With Police Batons And Character-Driven Sex Scenes
Today, I was working on a sex scene for Jumping Barrel, my December freebie short story, and I also received a… different… review for Speed Demon, a M/M short story I wrote years ago that has been re-released by my publisher as part of the multi-author series celebration.
I figured it would be a great time to talk about how I write sex scenes. If it works for you, great. I’m happy I helped. If it doesn’t work for you, try another writer’s method. Experiment until you find one that works.
In Speed Demon, there are fun times with a police baton. Yes, ouch. The reviewer somehow seemed to think I equated being gay with painful sex.
Let’s say I had this (extremely bizarre) perception. Writing sex scenes based on stereotypes and generalizations about groups of beings is lazy writing. It is also boring reading. And it usually doesn’t add anything to the story. It doesn’t make the story unique or special.
I prefer to write sexy times as character-driven scenes. These are two very unique individuals, with their own histories, their own personalities, their own goals. How would these two characters have sex?
Sarge is a genetically enhanced supercop. He’s in love with Nero, his partner, a blood demon, the most violent kind of demon. These two males are extremely forceful and very competitive. They run into dangerous situations, not away from them. They consider scars to be badges of honor and would display them proudly.
Sex between these two males would be very rough. They’re not human. Painful for us wouldn’t be considered painful for them. They also tend to push each other and not always (grins – not ever) in a safe way.
Sex scenes should also have a story reason for being. They should push the action forward or move a character along his character arc. If a scene, ANY scene, can be taken out of a story and the story doesn’t change, that scene should be deleted.
In Speed Demon, Sarge is deep in denial about his sexuality. He loves Nero but he’s been taught that gay men are weak men. He thinks acknowledging his sexuality will make him a wimp.
Having fun times with a police baton would likely kill a human male or, at the very least, send him to the hospital. When Nero challenges him to do this, he is telling Sarge he can be gay AND still be strong. He doesn’t have to choose. He can be both.
This is THE most important scene in the entire story. If Sarge was human or if he was a gentler male, I would have written the scene in a very different way. But this works for him.
Being true to my characters DOES create challenges. When I write Ace, Thrasher and the rebel Commander’s story in the cyborg series, there won’t be any anal sex scenes. The cyborgs equate that type of sex with torture. They would never torture a being they loved. They’d find other ways to enjoy themselves.
But being true to my characters also means sex scenes are interesting, both to write and to read. That’s worth the challenge.
Writers, how do you write your sex scenes? Readers, what is the best sex scene you’ve ever read?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Wild. Free. Hers.
Mayhem has spent his lengthy lifespan obeying the Humanoid Alliance’s rules. Finally free from their cruel control, the cyborg warrior plans to cause chaos. He infiltrates a remote settlement, provokes the savage locals until they want him dead, and allows himself to be captured by the sexiest little Retriever he has ever laid his mechanically-enhanced eyes on.
Imee’s sole mission in life is to keep her family alive. To do this, she must hunt rebels, returning them to the Humanoid Alliance’s evil clutches where they will be executed. She doesn’t allow herself to feel anything for her targets…until she meets a tall, muscular cyborg with wild hair and even wilder eyes.
With his sure hands, laughing lips and erotic holds, Mayhem makes Imee’s body sizzle and her resistance melt. Their love is doomed. She must deliver the warrior to his death or she’ll place her family’s safety at risk. But she can’t resist him.
Imee soon discovers that Mayhem, life, and love are never predictable.
Chasing Mayhem is Book 6 in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is a STANDALONE story.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY#nav-subnav
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-chasingmayhem-2077430-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chasing-mayhem-cynthia-sax/1124139998
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/chasing-mayhem
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Fun With Police Batons And Character-Driven Sex Scenes
I Ain’t Afraid Of No Trolls – Is Your Book Being Targeted By Trolls?
As I’m writing this post, Crash And Burn, book 3 in the cyborg series, has an average Amazon rating of 4.6 stars out of 5.0. It has one 2 star review and zero 1 star reviews.
Defying Death, book 4, in contrast has an average Amazon rating of 4.0 stars out of 5.0. It has FOUR 1 star reviews and FOUR 2 star reviews.
Readers of my series know that, of the two books, Crash And Burn is FAR more controversial than Defying Death.
If I printed out the upset emails and messages I received from readers on Crash And Burn, I could fuel a wood stove for an entire winter. I set up a page on my site to talk with readers. That’s how upset everyone was. Yes. Ouch.
I only received ONE upset email/message from readers on Defying Death and that was from my beloved super anti-fan who hates every story I write (yet continues to buy and read them). I’d be worried if I didn’t receive an email from her.
(Defying Death has also been nominated in the Best Syfy/Fantasy Romance category at the Smexy Summer 2016 Beach Reads celebration. They must think it is a good story.)
So how is it possible that Defying Death has a lower rating and more 1 and 2 star reviews than Crash And Burn?
It was the target of a troll campaign.
What Is A Troll?
In Romanceland, a troll is the name given to someone who posts reviews, not to benefit other readers, but to serve their own purposes. Their objective is to dampen sales of the book, perhaps prevent future actions, and sometimes, unfortunately, hurt the writer.
How To Recognize A Troll
Trolls are often well organized. They usually don’t operate alone. Their strength comes with anonymity and, in the case of campaigns, with numbers.
With a campaign, one of them might read the book first or they might pluck some of the bad points from previous reviews and emphasize them. They take their trolling seriously. They know how to kill a book’s sales. They know how to make a review look like it is legitimate.
These reviews will almost always be tagged verified purchases. The trolls understand the system. They know that 1 or 2 star non-verified purchase reviews are likely to be deleted. They will buy the book, review it, and then return it. OR the person organizing the troll campaign will reimburse the troll for the price of the book (and sometimes pay for the review itself).
The trolls will often start the review with “I don’t usually give 1 star reviews” or “This is my first 1 star review ever” or “I’ve liked all of Cynthia Sax’s previous books but I couldn’t finish Defying Death.”
They make it seem like they’re the writer’s biggest fans (which not only kills sales but inflicts the most pain on the writer). They put in enough ‘truth’ that the review seems legitimate, add typos to make them look real. Sometimes they’ll stick in some good points (but not enough to make the reader buy the book).
And they ensure they use the sales-killing words/phrases, words/phrases like “waste of money”, “the writer wasn’t even trying”, “amateurish”, “disappointed”, etc. These are all words/phrases that will make readers not buy a book.
Combine the sales-killing words/phrases with the writer’s biggest fan words/phrases and you likely have a troll review. A writer’s biggest fan wouldn’t try to kill one of her series like this. She just wouldn’t.
With my books, the easiest way to determine legit reviews from troll reviews are the spoilers. Trolls usually don’t read the book all the way through so they rarely mention spoilers. The one 2 star review for Crash And Burn was posted by a troll. She didn’t mention the HUGE reason the legitimate readers were upset with that story.
Other than these two points, it is often difficult to differentiate between a troll and a legitimate unhappy reader. That’s one of the reasons I’m writing this post. Many people will push back on a writer’s claim that she’s been trolled, denying this is an issue in Romanceland. In my case, it was obvious that I WAS trolled.
Writers might not be skilled at differentiating trolls from legitimate readers but trolls are certainly skilled at writing these so-called reviews. This is their focus, their ‘job’, and yes, often they’re paid to do this.
Why Do Trolls Exist?
Some trolls are compensated. It is a business for them. There are writers who buy great reviews for their own books and there are writers who buy bad reviews for books they perceive as competition (that’s a sad way of looking at the world – but there are a few unusual writers in Romanceland).
Some trolls belong to street teams or they consider themselves to be super fans of a ‘competing’ writer (If anyone claiming to be my super fan does this, TELL me. I view other writers as my friends, not my competition.) They think they’re helping their favorite writer by hurting the perceived competition.
(In reality, what they’re doing is destroying any chance that these two writers will ever work with each other, which is a shame because working with another writer is one of the best ways to meet new readers.)
Some trolls have other agendas. Maybe they don’t like erotic romance or they have an issue with writers putting romance in SciFi stories or they have a personal non-writing-related issue with the writer. They have a problem with something other than the specifics of the story.
What Are Trolls Trying To Do?
They’re trying to kill sales. That’s their number one agenda. And that’s one of the reasons why I like to promote pre-orders (the main reason being my stories usually have spoilers in them and reading the story on the first day ensures readers don’t see these spoilers). Trolls can’t attack a not-yet-released book.
The happy thing is… if the trolls’ goal is to kill sales, it is because they believe the book has sales to kill. Maybe they hear excitement about the book. Maybe the book hits an Amazon Top 100 list. Maybe they see the cover, read the blurb, think, “Damn. This book looks awesome,” and they feel threatened in some way.
They often don’t want the writer to write another book. I believe that was the key goal behind the troll attack on Defying Death. It was Book 4 of a series. Book 5 in a SciFi Romance series is usually when readership really starts to grow (if writers don’t do what I did in Book 3 – sheepish grin – The irony is the troll attack wasn’t needed. I killed my own sales. Thank you very much.).
There could be other goals but these are the main two.
How To Avoid A Troll Attack
Stop publishing your stories. That’s the only way to avoid a troll attack.
I have seen the nicest, most generous writers in Romanceland have their books attacked by trolls. I’ve seen great, skillfully-written, emotionally-gripping books attacked by trolls. I’ve seen first books attacked by trolls (which I find especially disturbing – these writers haven’t yet developed the rhino skin needed in this business). I’ve seen last of a series books attacked by trolls (which makes no sense to me).
If you’re in this business long enough, at least one of your books will be attacked.
What Can Writers Do?
Your book is attacked by trolls. What can you do?
First, pat yourself on the back. It is a sign that something you’re doing is working. The trolls are trying to kill sales they believe your book deserves. DESERVES. Say that out loud with me because you need to hear it. Your book deserves to be read. Your book is also causing excitement and, unfortunately, some of that energy will be negative. Always. It comes with a bit of success. You might not see yourself as successful but someone else does and isn’t that a cool thing?
Second but equally important…
Know that it is okay to reach out for reassurance about your writing.
It was clear what was happening with Defying Death yet I still doubted myself. That little bit of truth that the trolls focused on did a number on my self-confidence. My heroine WAS passionate about viruses (as many writers are passionate about writing and many readers are passionate about reading). Did I overdo it? What if Mayhem, my next hero, is too wild? Or Imee, his heroine, is too strong? I questioned everything. I think that’s the reason I put a zillion more rounds of revisions into Chasing Mayhem, Book 5. I wanted that book to be perfect. My editor had to force it from my hands.
So do what you need to do to get your confidence back. Surround yourself with readers who love your writing. Re-read the great reviews. Review all of your positive writing milestones. If you have an editor or a publisher, remind yourself that they loved your story, that they wouldn’t allow you to release a bad story. Your book DESERVES to be read. Repeat that a million times if you have to.
Third but likely most important…
DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS.
This is why I waited a few months to write about this. Don’t respond to them. They love it when you react. Seeing that they’ve upset you makes the trolls happy. It draws more attention to them. It provides proof for the professional trolls to show their future clients. The trolls tell their buddies to come, join the bashing party, and the situation gets worse.
They’re not worth your time. You have stories to write, legitimate readers to speak with, other shit to do.
Fourth, fifth, sixth, whatever steps…
Many writers report the troll reviews as abuse and often Amazon will remove the reviews. I didn’t because I believe in freedom of speech so much; I’m willing to lose sales and take the emotional beats to preserve it. Thanks to the Dear Wonderful Hubby paying our bills, I can afford this stance but I don’t recommend this to others. Not reporting the troll reviews will decrease your book’s readership and your book DESERVES to be read. Report those reviews. This is a do what I say, not a do what I do moment.
Write the next book. This is the BEST way to stick it to the trolls. This is their biggest fear. You’ll write the next book and it will be as awesome or even more awesome than the book they trolled. Tell your buddies you’re going into the writing cave, put your head down and write. Pour all of your emotion onto the page.
There are quite a few fight scenes in Chasing Mayhem, Book 5, for this reason. I killed some trolls on the page and boy, did it feel good!
I also reduced the price of Releasing Rage, the first book in my series, to free. (laughs) Yes, I’m a bad woman. I knew that would irritate the trolls. That was the last thing they wanted.
What Can Readers Do?
Your favorite writer is attacked by trolls. What can you do?
First, thank you for caring. (big hugs) That writer is lucky to have a reader like you.
But
DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS.
I said this above in the writer section and it deserves repeating. Trolls thrive on attention. Starve them. Don’t respond to their reviews.
Instead, leave your own review. That’s why Defying Death has a 4.0 Amazon rating. Legitimate series-loving readers left reviews and these reviews offset the troll attacks.
Show the writer you support her, because she’s feeling a bit battered right now (even if she tries to be chipper). Tell your friends about the book. Share some of the writer’s promo posts on Facebook or Twitter. Send the writer an email or message saying how much you loved the book. Pre-order the next story in the series. Remind her that at least one reader wants her next story.
Surviving Trolls
I’m told that the first mass troll attack is the worst. It wasn’t a happy time in my life. That’s for certain. But it reaffirmed that I was meant to write, that I love writing and having my stories published enough to put up with the ugliness, that I have people around me (readers, other writers, bloggers, reviewers) who support me and want me to write more stories.
And my rhino skin is an inch thicker now. It is dang near bulletproof.
You will survive this too. (big hugs) Keep writing. Continue chasing your dreams. Don’t allow anyone to stop you.
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Defying Death
He’ll risk it all for one moment of happiness.
Cyborgs don’t show emotion. Death learned that lesson early in his long lifespan. To survive, he hides his fierce passions behind a stoic wall. He calls no warrior friend. He never admits to caring for any being.
Even the human female he’s destined to love.
Tifara is Death’s obsession, his sole opportunity for happiness, to express the all-consuming passion burning brightly inside him. He’ll do anything to obtain the curvaceous medic: defy a direct order, abduct Tifara from her battle station, and wage war on his fellow cyborgs.
To earn her love, he’ll have to risk much, much more.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Defying-Death-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01D6OUQS2/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Defying-Death-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01D6OUQS2/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-defyingdeath-2001671-147.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/defying-death-cynthia-sax/1123562659
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/defying-death-2
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Why Writers Should Know About Pokemon Go And Game Of Thrones
Whenever a writer posts (usually rather proudly) that she doesn’t know or care about Pokemon Go (or Game of Thrones or Supernatural or whatever the popular entertainment option of the day is), I want to scream. In my humble opinion, knowing about this stuff is our job. We shouldn’t be proud of not doing our job.
But-but-but I’m a writer. I don’t develop video games, a writer might argue.
The reason Pokemon Go is popular right now is because this game is giving our readers something we’re not. That’s why readers prefer to play Pokemon Go rather than read our books.
Does that mean we should all rush out and develop a romance novel game with similar characteristics?
No. (laughs) But we might be able to serve the same needs with our books.
For example, Pokemon Go asks players to go out and find things.
Marvel movies give viewers a similar quest. Viewers know that Stan Lee appears in many of the movies. I watch for him and feel an absurd amount of satisfaction when I spot him.
We could do something similar with our stories. Maybe every story we write has a certain object hidden in it and we ask readers to find that object. That’s a simple tweak that shouldn’t disrupt or change our stories in any significant way yet we’ve satisfied that need in our readers. We’ve given them more.
Or if we go deeper, what emotional need does Pokemon Go fulfill? Is one of these needs a yearning for spontaneity, the knowledge that targets can be anywhere at any time? Could we do something similar by surprising readers with a short story? Or a flash sale? Or an update of beloved characters in a newsletter?
But-but-but I don’t like Pokemon Go, a writer might say. I don’t have the time or the inclination to play it.
We don’t need to play Pokemon Go to understand it. Thankfully, our readers have been posting about this game all week on Facebook, Twitter, other social media outlets. All we have to do is read these posts to understand the appeal.
Readers have been sharing why they’re excited about Pokemon Go. We see the posts on finding certain targets, the satisfaction readers feel. We hear about readers going on hunts with their entire families, how they’re finding the targets in unusual places.
With popular TV shows, I normally watch at least one episode (either the first episode or the episode everyone is talking about or both). Again, I read posts about the show or episode, paying attention to what readers are excited about.
Please do NOT discourage these posts. We want readers to talk to us about their passions. We want them to share with us why they love a video game or book or movie. That’s how we learn about their likes, wants, underserved needs.
A Writing Perk
Still skeptical? Then listen to the taxman. A writer’s business need to stay abreast of entertainment trends is so key; even the government recognizes it. In Canada, for example, many writers can expense movie tickets and cable TV on their tax returns. (Consult your tax specialist before expensing these items.)
Going Your Own Way
If you decide to remain detached from popular culture (maybe that makes your muse happy), hey, I support your right to do this. But know the costs of being detached and think twice before posting proudly that you don’t know what is happening in our industry.
I must now re-watch the season finale of Game Of Thrones. It’s a tough job but this writer feels she has to do it. (grins)
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
He wants one night. I want forever.
Hit it and quit it—that’s Smoke Sheridan’s relationship philosophy. The tall, dark, and dangerous club owner never spends more than one night with any woman. He seduces the broken-hearted, leaving them with smiles on their faces and a sexual confidence other men can’t resist.
I need his services.
My boyfriend of four years dumped me because I’m a lousy lay. Smoke can help me win him back, teach me how to make my man writhe in ecstasy. I’ll show him such bliss, he’ll bellow my name in the dark of the night, want me with an all-consuming desire.
This sounds like a great plan. Except I see the loneliness in Smoke’s eyes, feel the wistfulness in his touch, experience the wanting in his embrace. The player isn’t as shallow as he appears.
And I’ve never been good at letting go.
One And Done contains inappropriate humor, very bad pickup lines, a BBW heroine who doesn’t know what she’s doing and a player who thinks he does.
This is a standalone story.
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-oneanddone-2040641-340.html
On Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-and-done-cynthia-sax/1123809444
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/one-and-done-1
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Why Writers Should Know About Pokemon Go And Game Of Thrones
Sense And Sensibility And Tears
The July movie selection at Smart Bitches Trash Books is the 1995 adaptation of Sense And Sensibility. I rewatched this movie for the 15th or 16th time on Saturday.
This movie is my favorite reminder to limit a heroine’s tears. When I first started writing, I thought the more a character cried, the more a reader would feel. The reader would find the heroine more sympathetic, softer, likable.
The opposite usually happens. The more a character cries, the less sympathetic we are. We view the tears as meaning less to the heroine and that makes them mean less to us.
In Sense And Sensibility, Marianne (played by Kate Winslet) is extremely emotional. She cries and cries and cries. The first time she cries, I’m sympathetic. By the end of the movie, I feel irritation, not sympathy. Yes, she hurts but she hurt previously and recovered quickly. I assume she’ll recover quickly again.
Elinor (played by Emma Thompson), in contrast, tries to contain her feelings. She fights her agony, struggles to hide it, and when she finally breaks down and cries, I cry with her. I know the pain is deep and will likely last.
Because she doesn’t cry often.
That’s key. When a character does something…well…out of character (grins), that action is highlighted, circled in red, meaningful for the reader.
The struggle is important also. It shows us there is something at stake for the heroine if she ‘fails’ and cries. Elinor sees how people judge Marianne when she becomes emotional, how they pity her, how they think her sister is weak. She’s proud and doesn’t want people to judge her the same way.
This makes her failure to suppress her emotions even more powerful. She hurts so much; she has to cry, even though she knows the possible consequences.
I love Sense And Sensibility for many other reasons (Alan Rickman being one of them – grins). I definitely recommend watching it, especially if you love period pieces.
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
He wants one night. I want forever.
Hit it and quit it—that’s Smoke Sheridan’s relationship philosophy. The tall, dark, and dangerous club owner never spends more than one night with any woman. He seduces the broken-hearted, leaving them with smiles on their faces and a sexual confidence other men can’t resist.
I need his services.
My boyfriend of four years dumped me because I’m a lousy lay. Smoke can help me win him back, teach me how to make my man writhe in ecstasy. I’ll show him such bliss, he’ll bellow my name in the dark of the night, want me with an all-consuming desire.
This sounds like a great plan. Except I see the loneliness in Smoke’s eyes, feel the wistfulness in his touch, experience the wanting in his embrace. The player isn’t as shallow as he appears.
And I’ve never been good at letting go.
One And Done contains inappropriate humor, very bad pickup lines, a BBW heroine who doesn’t know what she’s doing and a player who thinks he does.
This is a standalone story.
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-oneanddone-2040641-340.html
On Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-and-done-cynthia-sax/1123809444
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/one-and-done-1
Topics: Writing Tips | 3 Comments »
Writing Romance – Showing Love
Note: In this post, for simplicity reasons, I’ll use couple to refer to the romantic relationship. Your ‘couple’ might be a threesome. It might be five women and one alien. The thinking should apply to all relationship constructs. I’ll also refer to a hero and a heroine. The same thinking can apply to two heroes in love or five vampires in love or any other combination/types of characters.
The sole ‘rule’ of writing romance is that the couple has a romantic happy ever after or a romantic happy for now at the end of the story. What this means is they’re in love and reading buddies believe this love is going to last.
Simply having the couple say “I love you” won’t achieve this. We’ve all said things we didn’t mean (like telling people we’re ‘fine’ when we feel like shit). We’ll all been lied to. The words aren’t enough.
Writers have to show love also.
This is reflective of reality.
“Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of Silent Messages, conducted several studies on nonverbal communication. He found that 7% of any message is conveyed through words, 38% through certain vocal elements, and 55% through nonverbal elements (facial expressions, gestures, posture, etc).”
How To Show Love
There are internal sensations when you’re in that character’s point of view. The hero’s pulse races when the heroine is near. Her stomach flutters. She gets tingles when he touches her (this sometimes happens when the Dear Wonderful Hubby touches me). He loses his train of thought when she looks at him. She feels safe with him. Tension eases from his shoulders when she’s in the same room.
There are the physical actions. The hero brushes a strand of hair away from the heroine’s face. He lowers his voice when he talks to her. When she walks in the room, she captures his complete attention. He anticipates her needs, pulling out a chair before she sits, bringing her a cup of coffee, prepared the way she likes, when they have a meeting.
I usually get a good indication for how people feel about each other by how they stand or sit near each other. Couples in love naturally move or lean into each other. The hero rests his forehead against the heroine’s. The heroine leans back into the hero. The hero, in a crowded party, gradually drifts toward the heroine’s corner of the room.
The Transition From Hate To Love
The power of non-verbal communication is we can use it to show the gradual transition from indifference/hate (paired with lust) to love (ideally still paired with lust – grins). As the relationship progresses and the love builds, the non-verbal clues become more and more pronounced.
In Chasing Mayhem, Mayhem and Imee are adversaries. She’s a Retriever, a bounty hunter for the Humanoid Alliance. He’s her target. They physically fight. In the early scenes, Imee doesn’t pull her punches. She knees Mayhem in the groin, hard (Mayhem, being the wild cyborg he is, loves that she does this). As their relationship progresses, Imee plays nicer and nicer, choosing not to inflict pain on her cyborg.
Love In The Black Moment
We can also use non-verbal communication to show there’s still love in the midst of the black moment, the point in the story where everything goes wrong. This is especially important if our black moment is close to the end of the story. We want to show there’s some love left to be saved.
In One And Done, Smoke is extremely angry and upset with something Jenella has done. His actions, however, tell her (and readers) he still cares.
I chatter about nonsense—my job, my childhood, my adventures with Azure. Smoke says nothing, driving stone-faced.
But he doesn’t turn on the radio, doesn’t try to drown me out.
And he leans slightly toward me.
He’s like Woofer. Both of them say more with their actions than their words. Both of them have been hurt badly.
Both of them need love.
A Checklist I Use
To ensure I’m not relying on the words, I’ll often refer to The 5 Love Languages as a checklist when I revise my story. These are the five ways people usually give or receive love (and can be very helpful in our real relationships).
Has the hero said the words (Words Of Affirmation)?
This should, ideally, be “I love you”. Many readers won’t believe the hero feels the love unless these three words are spoken.
If that’s not possible (and sometimes it isn’t), it might be the hero’s equivalent, something he has never said to another being.
Has the hero done something for the heroine (Acts Of Service)?
This ‘something’ shouldn’t benefit him. His sole reason for doing it is to make the heroine happy.
For example, in Defying Death, Death carefully cuts Tifara’s nutrition bars into squares. This is an act of love for him.
He had always loved her. She simply hadn’t seen it.
Tifara gazed at the squares Death sliced so diligently with his dagger. The Erinomean girl had offered him pieces of nutrition bars. That had been his first experience with love.
And now he offered them to her. He sheathed the dagger and slid the squares toward her. “Eat.”
“I love you too.” She tossed one into her mouth.
His eyes gleamed.
Has the hero given the heroine a token of his love (Receiving Gifts)?
I love it when the token is something personal, unique, meaningful for the two of them. The billionaire hero gives his heroine a necklace he bought for her the weekend they met. He’d been holding onto it for years, waiting for her to be ready. Death’s gift of the nutrition bars is definitely a token of his love.
Has the hero chosen to spend time with the heroine (Quality Time)?
The workaholic hero takes the day off to hold his heroine’s hand as she visits her sick mom. The cyborg hero forgoes a mock battle to plant seedlings with his botanist heroine.
Has the hero touched the heroine in a loving way (Physical Touch)?
This is touching without the possibility of sex. The hero kisses the back of the heroine’s neck and then walks away. In the midst of reviewing a report, he picks up her hand and brushes it over his cheek.
It isn’t essential that all of the love languages are represented but the more that are present in the story, the more readers tend to believe in the happy ever after.
How have you shown the love in your stories?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
He wants one night. I want forever.
Hit it and quit it—that’s Smoke Sheridan’s relationship philosophy. The tall, dark, and dangerous club owner never spends more than one night with any woman. He seduces the broken-hearted, leaving them with smiles on their faces and a sexual confidence other men can’t resist.
I need his services.
My boyfriend of four years dumped me because I’m a lousy lay. Smoke can help me win him back, teach me how to make my man writhe in ecstasy. I’ll show him such bliss, he’ll bellow my name in the dark of the night, want me with an all-consuming desire.
This sounds like a great plan. Except I see the loneliness in Smoke’s eyes, feel the wistfulness in his touch, experience the wanting in his embrace. The player isn’t as shallow as he appears.
And I’ve never been good at letting go.
One And Done contains inappropriate humor, very bad pickup lines, a BBW heroine who doesn’t know what she’s doing and a player who thinks he does.
This is a standalone story.
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-oneanddone-2040641-340.html
On Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-and-done-cynthia-sax/1123809444
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/one-and-done-1
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Romance – Showing Love
How To Deal With Hate Mail
Note: I’m not a security professional. I’m also not a lawyer. This is my experience and my opinion only. If you receive a threatening message, contact the police immediately. Do NOT respond to that message. Do NOT engage the person sending the message.
I thought long and hard before writing this post. I’m usually happy-happy on this blog. I also know that talking about this problem will likely bring me to the attention of the unwell people causing this problem.
But recently I’ve seen posts shaming hate mail senders, posts about interacting (in a humorous way) with online scammers and creepers and it makes me nervous. The folks sending hate mails or creepy messages are either professional criminals or mentally unwell. Neither of these groups responds well to being mocked.
Why We Should Treat This Shit Seriously
Back in the early days of blogging, a buddy of mine was one of the few women posting in the very male-dominated business blogosphere. Many men liked that she was blogging. They supported her, cheered for her. Some men hated it. They wanted to hurt her blog. A few men, one in particular, hated not only her blog but my blogging buddy. They wanted to hurt her.
One hater sent her increasingly threatening and increasingly personal emails. He would show up, using different identities, at all of her online events. He knew things about her that she hadn’t posted. We refer to this now as online stalking.
My blogging buddy was worried. She mentioned it to some of her fellow bloggers. They told her that all bloggers have some unwell people following them, that it comes with the role, with being high profile. What they forgot to tell her was she should have been worried. She should have been taking precautions.
One night, she returned home after a meeting. The hater was waiting for her with a knife. He hurt her in all of the ways a man can hurt a woman. She survived. Barely. He went to jail. My blogging buddy was never the same. She moved. She changed her name. She stopped blogging. To this day, she doesn’t have an online presence (and I’m respecting that decision by not mentioning her name or the blog she once owned).
It Couldn’t Happen To Me
But-but-but, you say, I’m a baby writer/blogger/reviewer. No one knows I’m alive.
When I started my business blog (under another pen name), my first readers were women-hating men. When my first short story was published (Dragon Lord’s Mate), I attracted an unwell reader, a woman who regularly sent me hate mail.
If you’re online, you could attract one of these scary stalkers. If you’re a writer/blogger/reviewer, it increases your chances of being their target.
An Ounce Of Prevention
In an ideal world, we shouldn’t have to protect ourselves. We should be able to write or blog openly and feel safe doing so.
This isn’t the ideal world.
We can only control what WE do and what we can do is minimize the risks.
Consider…
– Using a pen name
– Using nicknames for your loved ones (like calling your hubby…well… hubby)
– Not posting your physical address. Instead, use a P.O. Box or your agent’s address or your publisher’s address (many publishers are fine with this)
– Not posting photos of your house
– Not posting other personal details like where you’re vacationing or where you work or where your kids go to school
– Saying ‘no’ to requests for personal information. I don’t share my photo or my address, two pieces of personal information many writing gurus say are musts to share. Most readers, reviewers, bloggers understand. They want to keep writers safe also.
This will not only make the personal information more difficult for a scary stalker to track down but it will tell you when threatening messages reach the ‘get your ass to a police station immediately and insist the police officers act on the threat’ level.
If your scary stalker mentions something you didn’t talk about on social media, he/she isn’t merely talking scary stuff, he/she is taking action. He/she is hunting you. You should take action also.
Hating Your Book vs Hating You
There’s a big difference between a reader hating your book and a reader hating you.
Hating Your Book
We’re writers. One of our goals is to inspire fierce emotion in readers. We’d prefer that this fierce emotion is love but sometimes it will be hate. Every story, even the much loved classics, have haters.
If you attract enough readers, some of them will send you messages about how much they loved your recent release and some of them will send you messages about how much they hated your recent release. These messages and the reader’s love/hate should be centered around your book and/or your characters, not you.
Many writers recommend not engaging these readers. I usually respond with a message like “Thank you for reading (my title). I’m sorry (my title) disappointed you. Every book I write, every character I explore is different. I hope you’ll like (my next release).” I don’t try to change the reader’s mind because I won’t. Her view of the book is set. Her view of me as a writer and as a person isn’t.
Note: If any of these messages make you feel unsafe in any way, contact the police. This includes love mail as well as hate mail.
Hating You
When the hate mail turns personal, don’t hesitate—Contact the police. If the sender talks about doing harm to you or to your loved ones or he/she mentions anything personal that you haven’t shared online, go to the police. Don’t mess around with this. Walk your ass into a police station.
Taking Action
If you feel unsafe, contact the police and explain what is going on. If your scary stalker knows personal things about you that he/she shouldn’t, stress that it is serious. Insist that the police take action. This is an extremely dangerous situation.
You should NOT take action on your own. I’ve spoken with many police officers over the years. One recommendation that remains constant and is stressed is NOT TO ENGAGE the scary stalker. Do NOT respond, in ANY way. That means no posting the message on Facebook, no public shaming (Even if the name of the sender is hidden or deleted, he/she is stalking you. He/she WILL see it.), no mocking the stalker.
What Readers Can Do
If your favorite writer/reviewer/blogger has a person hanging around them (online or physically) that you feel uncomfortable about, contact them. Ask them if they know the person.
If that favorite writer/reviewer/blogger is scared, recommend that she/he contact the police. Do NOT take action on your own. Do NOT engage the scary stalker. Do NOT share posts about the scary stalker. This will only make the situation worse.
Understand if your writing/reviewing/blogging buddy doesn’t wish to share her/his more personal information (an example would be giving you their address so you can send a holiday card to them). It is easy for a scary stalker to pretend to be you online and get the information through your friendship. Don’t give him/her that power.
The Good News
There is good news.
Most people who send hate mail don’t progress past that step. I receive at least one angry email a day and I haven’t been physically confronted by any of those senders. I still take each one seriously as you should but I’m not hiding out in an underground bunker.
The police are better trained to deal with these situations. They take hate mail seriously and they often have some great advice on how to handle it.
And the scary stalkers are the exception. Most of the folks in Romanceland are kind, supportive, wonderful people. They believe in love and optimism and hope. These are the readers we write for, the readers we should focus on.
Be safe!
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
He wants one night. I want forever.
Hit it and quit it—that’s Smoke Sheridan’s relationship philosophy. The tall, dark, and dangerous club owner never spends more than one night with any woman. He seduces the broken-hearted, leaving them with smiles on their faces and a sexual confidence other men can’t resist.
I need his services.
My boyfriend of four years dumped me because I’m a lousy lay. Smoke can help me win him back, teach me how to make my man writhe in ecstasy. I’ll show him such bliss, he’ll bellow my name in the dark of the night, want me with an all-consuming desire.
This sounds like a great plan. Except I see the loneliness in Smoke’s eyes, feel the wistfulness in his touch, experience the wanting in his embrace. The player isn’t as shallow as he appears.
And I’ve never been good at letting go.
One And Done contains inappropriate humor, very bad pickup lines, a BBW heroine who doesn’t know what she’s doing and a player who thinks he does.
This is a standalone story.
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Done-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B01FOVMF70
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-oneanddone-2040641-340.html
On Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-and-done-cynthia-sax/1123809444
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/one-and-done-1
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on How To Deal With Hate Mail
Your Favorite Writer Ignored You – And Other Reasons To Be Happy
You’ve saved up your cash, paid for a once-of-a-lifetime trip to a Romanceland conference, specifically to meet that writer you’ve admired for decades. You see her walking toward you, call out her name…
…and she walks right by you, acting as though she hasn’t seen you.
You’re a writer’s number one fan. You bought her first book on its release day before anyone else knew she existed. You’ve promoted every release she’s ever had, followed her across genres, even bought that unicorn-shifter-in-space stepbrother-post apocalyptic serial that ended after book one.
You email her to ask her for a copy of her latest cover so you can promote it.
She replies with a blank email. Or worse, she doesn’t reply at all.
Clearly these writers are class A bitches, not worthy of your fandom, right?
That’s possible. There are class A bitches in every profession. There aren’t many in Romanceland but there ARE some.
OR
These writers could be working on what just might be the best book of their lives and they have serious book brain. They don’t know what they’re wearing or where they are or why it’s so fuckin’ noisy in the Regency bookstore they think they’re standing in. They’re currently living in their book, similar to how you will hopefully live in that book when you read it.
Writers don’t talk about this much because… well… we’re constantly seen by the rest of the world as being a bit crazy. Talking about book brain would prove that the rest of the world is right. We ARE a bit crazy.
But crazy in the best way, a way that often benefits readers. Book brain usually means the writer is so sucked into her story; she can’t leave it. Even when she’s not writing, the story continues in her mind. Her characters won’t shut up. They won’t take a break and allow her to rest. They have lives of their own and they’re not listening to her.
It is like trying to go through a regular work day with two or more people yelling in your face at the top of their lungs. You can’t ignore these people because they might not repeat themselves and their words might mean the difference between creative, financial, and professional success or failure.
It’s stressful but also exciting and magical. My best stories come with a serious case of book brain.
Not every writer gets book brain. Book brain tends to happen more to pantsers (writers who write not knowing what will happen next) than to plotters (writers who need to know the plot of the story before they start writing).
And not every writer gets book brain all the time.
My book brain is the worst when I’m writing the first draft of a story that requires detailed world building.
Once in the middle of writing Releasing Rage, my first cyborg story, I walked right past my Dear Wonderful Hubby, a man I’ve loved passionately for over 20 years. He bumped against me. I mumbled an apology and continued walking. He laughed his fool head off.
I didn’t see him. At all. I was in the battle station with Rage and Joan, surrounded by Humanoid Alliance baddies.
I’ve also called Dear Wonderful Hubby by my hero’s name. More than once. During sexy times. (sheepish grin) This has happened so often; the stinker usually asks me whom he’ll be playing that night (or morning or whatever).
When I write non-fiction, I don’t get book brain at all.
My loved ones, my close friends and family, have either learned to accept my book brain, some having fun with it as my Dear Wonderful Hubby does, or they mysteriously disappear during the periods of extreme book brain (my Dear Wonderful Hubby always warns my super sensitive middle sister – she gets upset when I call her by my characters’ names or when she finds the birthday card she’s lovingly chosen for me filed in my refrigerator by the Costco-sized container of mustard).
Readers, reviewers, bloggers often don’t understand. Writers who don’t get book brain often don’t understand. We tend to disappoint these much loved, much appreciated people and that feels horrible.
Ideally, we should communicate with the real world AFTER our book brain has gone away. That’s the safest strategy. However, in this social media, instant contact environment, many people expect quick replies. They associate quick replies with caring and every writer I know wants her readers to feel appreciated.
Realizing this, many of us will try to function through the book brain. This often has disastrous results. We’ll call a blogger by a character’s name. We’ll send unsuspecting reviewers rambling answers to questions they never asked. I once emailed a reader an unedited extremely gruesome battle scene from a cyborg story I was writing. All she wanted to know was when my next much lighter billionaire story was releasing. (winces) We’ll comment on Facebook posts from the point of view of the character we’re writing and unfortunately our not-yet-redeemed hero is a foul-mouthed, insensitive ass.
I’ve been lucky. My Dear Wonderful Hubby tends to monitor my internet usage during my periods of book brain, hinting that maybe I shouldn’t be on Facebook while I’m channeling a grief-stricken intergalactic bounty hunter. And almost everyone I associate with has a healthy sense of humor. But I know it is only a matter of time before I appear on a list of writers behaving badly.
If that happens, I will likely crawl under a rock and beg Death to take me. (winks) But you should celebrate. It means I have book brain. I’m so sucked into my own story; I’ve temporarily lost my grip on the real world.
THOSE are the stories that end up being special.
And please don’t take it personally if you’re the unfortunate buddy who has to deal with my book brain. Wait a week and ask me for an explanation. Delete the extremely gruesome battle scene. Ask if the wrong name I called you belongs to a character. Tease me mercilessly about my error until the end of time.
I love you. I appreciate you. Never question that.
Note: Book brain is a temporary affliction. It also isn’t a get-off-the-writers-behaving-badly-list-for-free card. If I’m ever an ass to you, book brain or not, I deserve to be on that list.
Just know that my ass-ness is about ME, not you. You ROCK. Don’t ever believe otherwise.
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Defying Death
He’ll risk it all for one moment of happiness.
Cyborgs don’t show emotion. Death learned that lesson early in his long lifespan. To survive, he hides his fierce passions behind a stoic wall. He calls no warrior friend. He never admits to caring for any being.
Even the human female he’s destined to love.
Tifara is Death’s obsession, his sole opportunity for happiness, to express the all-consuming passion burning brightly inside him. He’ll do anything to obtain the curvaceous medic: defy a direct order, abduct Tifara from her battle station, and wage war on his fellow cyborgs.
To earn her love, he’ll have to risk much, much more.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Defying-Death-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01D6OUQS2/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Defying-Death-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01D6OUQS2/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-defyingdeath-2001671-147.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/defying-death-cynthia-sax/1123562659
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/defying-death-2
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