Venom And Betrayal
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about the 2018 movie Venom and will contain spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this movie, you might wish to skip this post.
I finally watched Venom and stars, I enjoyed it. The main character(s) are definitely anti-heroes and delightful at that. The villain is believable and interesting. The female lead is strong.
She is so strong I don’t believe she’ll ever be stupid enough to take the main character back as a romantic interest.
Because he betrays her. Completely. She trusts him with her password and with her device and he abuses that trust for personal gain (to give himself an edge in an interview).
She gets fired. But, in my eyes, the relationship broke the moment he used her password.
There are some lines even a romance antihero can’t cross. I remember that when I’m crafting my stories.
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Drift Would
A cyborg and a spy fly into danger.
***
Drift is one of the best pilots in existence, and he has been assigned a perilous mission.
The G Model cyborg must fly to a distant planet, locate the sector-destroying superweapon the enemy is projected to be developing there, and obliterate that threat to the universe.
When Drift arrives at his destination and meets with an informant, he’s distracted by a mysterious human female seated in the shadows. She’s Drift’s genetic match, and she is the one being he’s destined to care for, claim, and protect.
She’s also a liar and a thief. And she might be working with the enemy.
Trusting her could kill him and everyone he cares about.
Liar. Thief. Seductress. Saboteur. Roshini has been called all of those things. And she has earned each label. She’s done some terrible things to safeguard the beings she loves.
A gray-eyed cyborg warrior with nimble hands and a shared need for speed won’t stop her high-risk activities.
She’ll sacrifice everything, including her lifespan, to complete her self-appointed top-secret assignment.
***
Drift Would is a standalone, enemies-to-lovers, Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a cyborg who loves to break speed records, a human spy with a talent for changing her appearance, and a foe intent on killing them both.
Pre-Order Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Drift-Would-Dauntless-Cyborgs-Book-ebook/dp/B0CSJQC36S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drift-Would-Dauntless-Cyborgs-Book-ebook/dp/B0CSJQC36S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Drift-Would-Dauntless-Cyborgs-Book-ebook/dp/B0CSJQC36S
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/Drift-Would-Dauntless-Cyborgs-Book-ebook/dp/B0CSJQC36S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/drift-would/id6476230561
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/drift-would-cynthia-sax/1144659255
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/drift-would
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/1508730
Topics: Movie Reviews | Comments Off on Venom And Betrayal
Writing Tips: Dealing With Runaway Characters
There’s no ‘right’ way to write.
We do what works for us.
The folks at Coffee Time Romance know this.
They have a new feature where they ask help with a common writing problem and then a variety of writers give advice.
This week, we’re giving advice about runaway characters.
Here’s a snippet from my answer…
“This is what I want as a writer – to have characters come alive, drive their own actions, take over the story. I’m a character-driven panster (A pantser is someone who writes by the seat of her pants, having no fixed plot. Character-driven means I allow characters to lead when writing.). Much of my early writing in a story is wandering in the wilderness, waiting for my characters to form their own personalities and make decisions.
Here is a link to my full answer…
http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/admar2018-cynthia-sax/
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Taking Vengeance
The only force stronger than their hate is their love.
Vengeance hates all humans. They killed every being he ever cared about. When the huge C Model cyborg is told he’s genetically compatible with the enemy, he makes it his mission to capture the female and use her to expel all humans from his home planet. That should be disappointingly easy. She’s a weak, fragile human.
Then she blows up his ship, blasting to bits his preconceived notions about the enemy.
Astrid, aka the Buoir Berserker, hates all cyborgs. They killed her entire clan, including her baby sister. The warrior female has vowed to hunt down and destroy the enemy. When a savage cyborg arrogantly puts his hard, sexy body within her reach, she does the only thing a female can do—she peppers his muscular physique with projectiles.
The more passionately they fight, the stronger their attraction becomes. Neither of them will relent on their missions, yet they can’t keep their hands off each other. Their battle will either end in love to last an eternity or in death.
Taking Vengeance is Book 12 in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is a STAND-ALONE story.
It is also an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, often violent universe.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Vengeance-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B079YGMLD2
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taking-Vengeance-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B079YGMLD2
Apple/iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/taking-vengeance/id1352770472
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taking-vengeance-cynthia-sax/1128043105
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/taking-vengeance-1
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/794862
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Tips: Dealing With Runaway Characters
10 Romance Writing Rules To Break
When Camille, the heroine of Breaking All The Rules, is presented with a rule, her immediate reaction is to question it and then, if she thinks it’s silly rule, break it. She pushes people and boundaries.
Hmmm… doesn’t this sound like every writer you know?
Which makes it ironic that there are so many rules floating around Romanceland, rules that savvy writers should consider breaking, rules like the following
Plot And Characters
1) Your Heroine And Hero Must Meet In The First Chapter
This is such an established ‘rule’ that some contest judges will deduct marks if it is broken. Many category romances also insist on stories adhering to this rule. The thinking is that romance readers read for the romance and the romance doesn’t start until the heroine and hero meet.
I’ve broken this rule plenty of times. Why? Because we have to learn about the heroine before we care about her or anyone else she meets. Sometimes this learning takes more than 12 pages (3,000 words). Maybe she’s fighting zombies or returning home after a long absence or dealing with a personal tragedy. Girlfriend has things to do before she meets Mr. Hunkalicious.
2) Your Heroine Must Be Nice
Writers are told that their heroines must be sympathetic. Some writers assume sympathetic equals nice. Ummm… no. Sympathetic means we can relate to her. We understand what she’s feeling. This doesn’t mean she’s all sweetness and light. Some of the most interesting heroines in Romanceland are a wee bit nasty. They have a reason to be nasty and we understand this reason but they’re certainly not winning any Miss Congeniality awards.
The opposite of this rule is
Your Villain Must Be Mean
Many of my villains become heroes of their own stories. Yes, when they’re depicted as villains, they make trouble for the heroines and heroes. They might appear mean. But when they tell their sides of the stories, readers realize they have justification to act this way. I once read that the scariest villain isn’t the crazy axe-wielding psychopath. It is the normal person with a different motivation.
3) Your Heroine Must Immediately Recognize Her One True Love
I understand this rule. I fell in love with my dear wonderful hubby at first sight (20 plus years later, we’re still very much in love). Some of my heroines look across the room and KNOW their heroes are the men for them. They have been looking for their true loves their entire lives. They BELIEVE in true love.
But there are heroines who no longer believe in love. They’ve been burned by men or relationships too many times. Or their heroes are their enemies. Or, sometimes worse, they’re friends with their heroes. Even if these heroines feel something for their heroes, they dismiss their emotions. They certainly don’t recognize the heroes as their true loves.
4) Your Hero Must Say ‘I Love You.’
I like it when the hero says the words. It confirms what I think he’s feeling, makes his emotions real. Many readers feel the same way. I’ll often receive emails if the hero doesn’t say the words.
But writers have to be true to our characters. If the hero would never ever say ‘I love you’, under no circumstance, not even under the threat of death (his or the heroine’s), we shouldn’t force him. Sometimes the heroine will say the words for him. Sometimes he’ll show his love in such a way that no reader can deny it.
5) A Romance Must End With A Wedding
I love weddings. The happiness overflows and I usually end up crying, even during fictional weddings. Years ago, almost every romance novel ended with either a wedding or a baby.
But this is 2014 and some of our romance heroines or heroes would never consider having a wedding at the end of the story. Sometimes the relationship is still too new. They’re committed but not ready for this step. Sometimes they don’t believe in marriage. Maybe, like Camille’s hippie parents, they don’t believe in the legislation of love. Sometimes, in the case of futuristic or SciFi romances, marriage no longer exist.
Again, writers have to be true to their characters.
Writing And Publishing
6) You Must Be A Plotter Or You Must Be A Pantser
Writers are either predominantly plotters (writers who plot, who know the entire story before they begin to write) or predominantly pantsers (writers who write by the seat of their pants, who sit down at a blank screen and start to type). Plotters think everyone should plot. Pantsers think everyone should let their muses roam free.
My experience has been that both pantsers and plotters complete the same steps. We simply complete them in different orders. My buddy is a plotter. She’ll outline her key turning points, ensuring they adhere to a three act structure, BEFORE she starts writing. I’m a pantser. I’ll write the first draft and THEN I’ll outline my key turning points, ensuring they adhere to a three act structure (that’s my preferred structure also), tweaking the story upon revision.
One way isn’t better than the other. There are best selling plotters and best selling pantsers. We end up with the same quality of story.
7) A Romance Must Be Told From Both The Hero’s And The Heroine’s Points Of View
Again, this rule is so established, that some contest judges will deduct marks if a story is told only from one point of view. Some category romance lines specifically ask for both points of view.
All of my contemporary erotic romances (He Watches Me, He Touches Me, He Claims Me, Flashes Of Me, Breaking All The Rules, and the upcoming 12 novella Sinful Rewards serial) are written solely from the heroine’s point of view. They can ONLY be written from the heroine’s point of view. The stories fall apart if the hero’s perspective is given.
Point of view is a tool. Use the best point of view to tell your story.
8 ) Your Story Must Be X Number Of Pages
When print ruled Romanceland, a story’s word count or number of pages was very important. Printing and binding a forty page story made no sense. The costs and corresponding price would be crazy high and very few stores would stock such a story.
With eBooks, this has all changed. There’s no printing and no binding. The online booksellers happily stock shorter stories. This is also true for longer stories. I’ve seen 1,200 page stories being sold.
Although some publishers still request a certain word count, there is a market for every length. Use as many or as few words as your story requires.
9) Print Must Be Your Goal
Some writers don’t feel published until they see their book in print and on shelf. For some of us (myself included), this isn’t necessary. eBook only writers have hit the best seller lists. They have large readerships and make very healthy livings.
But this might not be your goal either. There are many different reasons to write. The happiest writers in Romanceland ensure their goals line up with their reasons for writing.
10) Your Story Must Be Perfect Before You Submit It To A Publisher/Agent
Yes, your story should be the best it could be. Publishers and agents see hundreds, sometimes thousands of manuscripts. Showing your work to trusted critique partners, writing buddies, or beta readers before sending it to publisher or agents can increase the odds of receiving a ‘yes, we love it’ response.
But your story won’t ever be perfect. EVER. Even after 12 rounds of edits with a professional editor and copyeditors, your story won’t be perfect. One of the stories I think is the tightest story I’ve ever read has a typo in it.
Your goal should be to write a great story, not a perfect story.
What other rules do you think romance writers should break?
Nathan Lawford, Blaine Technologies’ chief financial officer, is known as the Iceman. He conducts his personal and business affairs without emotion, never allowing himself to become involved with anyone. When Nate sees something or someone he wants, he negotiates, paying a simple, set monetary price.
Now he wants Camille, the company’s green-haired intern.
Camille Joplin Trent never expected to be paid to pleasure the man of her dreams. She can’t quite figure out why this is a bad thing. Nate is intelligent, handsome, sophisticated, everything she’s ever wanted in a lover and never thought she could have. Their contract is for a month, thirty lust-filled days of making every sexual fantasy they’ve ever had come true. At the end of this month, the rules state their relationship will end.
Of course, Camille has never been good at following rules.
Pre-order Now At Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-All-Rules-Erotic-Novella-ebook/dp/B00F2I2GXY
Pre-order Now At ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-breakingalltherules-1453084-149.html
Topics: Coming Soon | 6 Comments »
