Cynthia Sax's Blog, page 178
August 18, 2016
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
August 14, 2016
First Scene From Chasing Mayhem
Chasing Mayhem, the next cyborg story, is releasing on September 13th (it is available for pre-order now) and I’ll be sharing the first chapter over the next few weeks.
***
Chapter One
Mayhem was free.
Since the planet rotation he had been manufactured, he’d been forced to follow other beings’ commands, to adhere to an order he found unnatural. He had finally escaped the Humanoid Alliance’s cruel control, and he planned to create chaos.
He planned to create it on the small planet of Carinae E.
With Menace’s assistance, he guided the ship they’d stolen downward. White sand swirled below them, eddies of grit pinging against the metal underbody. Carinae E was unmonitored, sparsely populated, and thrillingly uncivilized.
Anything could happen.
“We should have buzzed the settlement’s watchtower.” Excitement coursed through his circuits. “That would have gotten Death’s attention.”
“Death might not have landed on Carinae E.” Menace, his friend and partner in this latest escapade, resembled him in many ways. He had the same dark-brown hair, dark-brown eyes, tanned skin. His model number was inked on his cheek and he wore the Humanoid-Alliance-issued black body armor. They were both highly trained warriors.
But they weren’t clones. There were differences between them, slight but significant. Menace’s hair was cropped short. It wasn’t as spiky and wild as Mayhem’s was.
He also didn’t share Mayhem’s appreciation for the randomness of the universe.
“Death’s female is human.” Mayhem shrugged. “He has to stop somewhere and replenish the nourishment bars she requires.”
Cyborgs could utilize the input tubes built into their ships, inserting those energy and nourishment feeds into their wrist interfaces. Humans didn’t have that capability.
“He should have returned to the Homeland,” Menace grumbled.
Most cyborgs who had found their females returned to the Homeland or other cyborg-controlled space, to the many rules and restrictions there. Females compatible with cyborgs were rare, a fluke of genetics tying a warrior to one particular female. Those ‘lucky’ enough to find their females protected them, and the best place to do that was on the Homeland.
Mayhem had no desire to ever voyage to the Homeland and he had no interest in finding his female. He enjoyed being free, having no responsibilities.
Assisting Death with protecting his female wasn’t truly a responsibility. It was merely an excuse to join him on his adventure.
Death was one of the best warriors in the galaxy. He could protect one small human female.
“He could have returned to the Homeland. We don’t know.” Mayhem loved the uncertainty of their mission. Yes, Death’s ship had been tracked to this sector and yes, Carinae E was the only planet in the sector containing life, but the cyborg and his female could have already left, moving to the next planet, the next unknown.
It was a big glorious galaxy filled with unexplored terrain and unfamiliar beings.
“If this piece-of-debris ship could distinguish cyborgs from humanoids, we’d know if he was here.” Menace smacked the console with his palm. “Our search would be over in mere moments.”
They could scan the settlement without landing on the surface.
“What would be the fun in that?” The floor shuddered under Mayhem’s booted feet as the ship touched down. He cut the engines and removed his hands from the control panel. “While searching, we can mix with the locals. Some are bound to be violent and–”
“All beings within the Refuge are under my protection.” A voice crackled over the ship’s communications system. “There’s no killing without my authorization.”
Mayhem stared at the distorted image appearing on the main viewscreen. He had planned to make a comment about killing, a task cyborgs were designed to do, a task many of them thoroughly enjoyed.
Who is he and how did he access our ship’s systems? Menace asked using their private transmission line. We blocked all incoming communications.
They were cyborgs, half organic, half machine. No being should be able to break that block.
Mayhem tried to unscramble the image and was unable to. That was another testament to the male’s skills.
“Your friend and his female aren’t in the settlement,” the unknown male informed him, using the universal language. “But you’re welcome to search it, providing you follow our rules.”
Frag that. Mayhem was done with following rules. “How do you know who we’re looking for?”
Had Death and his female been captured by the Carinae? Is that how the male knew about them?
Death was one of their best warriors but there were rumors of genetic enhancements and cloning on Carinae E. It was possible to modify a humanoid until his or her skills in battle rivaled a cyborg’s.
“I know everything.” The male’s tone was arrogant.
***
***
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
August 12, 2016
Breathing Vapor – 5 stars!
Woot! Cara’s Book Boudoir has reviewed Breathing Vapor and she likes it!
She shares…
“Breathing Vapor is an amazing book that had totally captured my heart and locked me in as a Cyborg fan! Which is why I give it 5 stars!”
Read the full review here
http://www.carasbookboudoir.com/2016/08/breathing-vapor-by-cynthia-sax-review.html
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Vapor is the most advanced cyborg the Humanoid Alliance has ever developed. He’s a finely honed weapon, a warrior without parallel, half man and half machine. No lock can contain him. No being can stop him. Whatever he wants, he takes.
He wants Mira Breazeal, the Designer’s daughter.
She’s his one temptation, his sexy target. Vapor shouldn’t crave her caresses, steal her kisses, make her scream with ecstasy. The cyborgs want her dead and they would question his loyalty if he didn’t kill her. The humans would shoot him on sight if he dared to touch her.
Their love is forbidden. Their desire could be lethal. One human and one cyborg will risk everything for a moment of passion.
Buy Now:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Breathing-Vapor-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B015UN87JC/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breathing-Vapor-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B015UN87JC/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-breathingvapor-1897324-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breathing-vapor-cynthia-sax/1122718203
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/breathing-vapor
August 9, 2016
Interview With Cara Bristol
I sat down (virtually) with Cara Bristol for a short interview. Her latest release is Destiny’s Chance, a paranormal with a twist (and a spark – grins)!
Cynthia Sax: I feel the excitement around Destiny’s Chance. What, do you think, is causing this?
Cara Bristol: The way readers react to the story! I took risks in writing Destiny’s Chance. It’s “out of the box.” If readers want to read something that isn’t a same-old, same-old trope, then they should give Destiny’s Chance a try. It has received the best reviews of any book I’ve ever written. Here’s a sampling of what readers are saying:
“Absolutely amazing and very romantic. This read had me going from the moment I started reading it. I read it front to back in one night. I just couldn’t put it down.”
“The reader will quickly learn that the author has crafted a story far outside the box, and it’s fabulous.”
“Moving on so many levels.”
“This is a beautiful tale of second chances at true love that really pulled at my heartstrings quite a bit. The romance was sizzling hot with just the right amount of kink to not be too dirty, yet definitely spicy enough to make my toes curl.”
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Destiny’s Chance?
Cara Bristol: It evolved out of the idea of envy, desiring to walk in someone else’s moccasins. Did you ever want what someone had and wish you could be him or her? In Destiny’s Chance, that’s what happens. Destiny secretly loves her best friend’s boyfriend, Chance Everett. (I emphasize that Destiny never acted on her feelings, never betrayed her friend). But fate steps in. Destiny and Zoe (her friend) are in a terrible accident, Zoe is killed, and Destiny finds that her soul has taken possession of her friend’s body. Although she feels terrible about it and wishes she could bring her friend back, she realizes that in the eyes of the world, she is now Zoe and she can love Chance the way she always wanted to. Except….what Destiny’s doesn’t know is that Chance and Zoe had broken up and Chance had secretly loved Destiny. She’s expecting to pick up the relationship; Chance is thinking as soon as “Zoe” recovers, they’ll go their separate ways.
Cynthia Sax: How does Destiny’s Chance start?
Cara Bristol: The story opens with Destiny Grable waking up in the hospital. She doesn’t know yet that her soul has taken possession of her friend’s body and that in eyes of the world, she’s Zoe Richards. Zoe’s boyfriend comes to visit her, which surprises Destiny. Why would her friend’s boyfriend come to see her?
Cynthia Sax: Will Destiny’s Chance be the first story in a series?
Cara Bristol: It’s not a series, but there’s a potential for another spin-off story between Destiny’s sister Laura and Chance’s brother Roman.
Cynthia Sax: Thank you, Cara Bristol, for joining us today!
Cara Bristol’s Website: http://www.carabristol.com
*****************************************************************************
Fate gave her a chance for love. Is she brave enough to accept it?
Destiny Grable has loved Chance Everett for as long as she could remember, but he was never interested in her until a tragic act of fate grants her heart’s desire. Now Chance is all hers—body, mind, and soul. But once they’re together, she discovers he has a kinky side she never knew about. Is she ready for it? Can she handle it? And Chance isn’t the only one with a secret. If he discovers what she’s hiding, will he still want her?
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J0CU3S2
On Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J0CU3S2
On Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01J0CU3S2
August 7, 2016
Interview With Zara Zenia
I sat down (virtually) with Zara Zenia for a short interview. Her latest release is Benzen: Warriors of Orba, a SciFi Romance!
Cynthia Sax: How does Benzen: Warriors of Orba start?
Zara Zenia: The Orbas are on their spaceship, fleeing their planet from the takeover by Palzu, another one of the Orbas. They end up crash landing on Earth and everything is new to them. I wanted to start it this way, so we get to see each of the Orbas who fled, and show what they know or don’t know about Earth, and to possibly have them come back in a future book!
Cynthia Sax: Where is Benzen: Warriors of Orba set?
Zara Zenia: It is set in Virginia, in the US, on Earth. It is in a smaller city, and the Orbas don’t know anything about customs or even foods on Earth. It is literally all foreign to them. It is exciting as you can see what another life form sees, thinks, feels, and knows compared to humans. It adds a sexy factor to the story, as it is as if Allison, the human on Earth, gets to do things with Benzen that he has never experienced before.
Cynthia Sax: Is Benzen: Warriors of Orba part of a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Zara Zenia: Yes this is a series, and I will certainly be writing more, possibly with the other Orbas as the lead characters!
Cynthia Sax: What advice would you give new writers?
Zara Zenia: To just start writing, get words on the page, and then publish! Just sitting and thinking about writing won’t help!
Cynthia Sax: Thank you, Zara Zenia, for joining us today!
*****************************************************************************
After escaping their home, six aliens hope to find freedom on a different planet. They end up crashing onto a strange land, a strange culture, and even stranger inhabitants.
They expected to learn some new things. However, one didn’t expect to find love.
Benzen, Voland, Draygus, Victorinth, Jarick, and Ethazol are on the run from their people, now that their once peace-loving planet has been taken over by a hostile dictator, Palzu. They end up on Earth in order to start over and meet a young woman named Allison who takes them under her wing.
When Palzu’s soldiers come after them, the group splits up and Benzen stays behind to protect Allison and begins to develop feelings for her. What will happen when he’s forced to show her what he truly is? Will she accept him or fear him?
This is a sci-fi romance novel, with NO cheating, NO cliffhangers, and guaranteed HEA!
Buy Now:
August 3, 2016
Releasing Rage And The SFR Brigade Showcase
See other great SciFi romance posts here – http://sfrcontests.blogspot.ca/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html
Chasing Mayhem, my sixth story in the cyborg series, is releasing on September 13th (you can pre-order it on Amazon US here – https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mayhem-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B01IRPO9WY#nav-subnav ). I’m super excited about this!
If you’re new to this series, Releasing Rage is now free at all booksellers.
Here is an excerpt from Releasing Rage
***
She stepped into the firewall square. The door behind her closed and she authorized the interior door to open.
A buzz swept over her. No, not simply over her. Into her. She gasped, her inhalation of air drawing more of this unknown presence inside her.
It was too much, almost suffocating. Joan swayed, lightheaded. “Do not faint. Do not faint,” she repeated to herself, closing her eyes.
The rolling under her feet gradually stopped. She opened her eyes and wished she hadn’t. Crimson spray covered everywhere she looked. Gore was splattered into the farthest corners, hanging from the ceiling. Cleaner bots scrubbed the walls and floor.
This was why she felt dizzy, she reasoned. She smelled and sensed this butchery.
C899321, the being she had been told was responsible, stood in his uploading dock, a cable inserted into his nape, his towering form naked, covered with blood, his long black hair dripping with it.
He turned his head, locked his gaze with hers and she sucked in her breath. There were worlds of agony, of rage, in those bright blue eyes. This was no rational, logic-driven cyborg. This was a man, an animal, crazed by bloodlust and pain.
“They thought to pacify me with the use of a human female?” he thundered, his deep gravelly voice clawing across her skin, awakening parts in her she didn’t realize slept. “I’d kill you before I allowed you to touch me.”
This insult didn’t hurt her the way he’d intended. Joan knew she wasn’t the slim tiny female males desired. She was solidly built, good breeding stock, as her mother had once said.
She discarded his words and focused on the torment in his tones. He hurt. Horrifically. Her fingers twitched, the urge to reach out to him, to comfort him, tremendous. Judging by the flex of his powerful biceps and thigh muscles, by the anger radiating from him, he wouldn’t appreciate that response.
He also wouldn’t listen to any command she issued. A reprimand, verbal or physical, would add to his hostility. Some being had already tried to restrain him and failed. The reportedly unbreakable wrist and ankle cuffs attached to the frame of the uploading dock had been shattered, rendered useless.
Joan discarded four solar cycles’ worth of theory on how to handle malfunctioning cyborgs, realizing now that the academy experts knew nothing.
Her late father, however, had taught her how to deal with wild beasts.
“I would never touch you without your permission.” She lowered her gaze, showing submission, recognizing C899321 as the dominant male he was. He’d seek to harm any aggressor, to protect himself and his territory. If she wasn’t female, she suspected she’d already be dead.
“I also would never hurt you.” Joan stuffed a couple of cleaning cloths into her pockets and dropped to her knees, into a puddle of red. The moisture soaked through her flight suit. “I’m here to serve you, to clean you.”
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.
Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.
Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.
When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?
Buy Now for FREE:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ZOL1DRO/
On Apple/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/se/book/releasing-rage/id1025933626?l=en&mt=11
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/releasing-rage
August 1, 2016
Interview With Tina Donahue
I sat down (virtually) with Tina Donahue, one of my good buddies, for a short interview. Today is the release day for Passionate Pursuit, Tina’s sexy new historical!
Cynthia Sax: What makes Tomás so freakin’ sexy?
Tina Donahue: Although Tomás is a warrior knight, having fought in countless conflicts for the Spanish crown, he’s also a fair and compassionate man. With Beatriz, the woman he adores, he’s protective and gentle. Add to that his generally easy-going nature and wit, and he’s everything any woman would want. Courageous and daring on his alpha side, but also cherishing on a deeper level. Like most women, I love a strong hero. However, that doesn’t mean a man who snarls, dictates, or is generally abusive toward the heroine. That isn’t strength. A real man is comfortable in his own skin and can afford to be kind, generous, and cooperative. That’s also an adult. Nothing is sexier than a man who isn’t afraid to be emotionally intimate.
Cynthia Sax: You had me at warrior. How does Passionate Pursuit start?
Tina Donahue: Tomás has just finished his service to the Crown and has survived a near-fatal illness. You’d think the poor guy has earned some down time. Not a chance. Time now for him to wed. At least that’s what the Spanish mamás and their eager-to-marry daughters think. They descend upon his castle en masse. Fighting Moors has never been this challenging. Tomás longs to flee. More importantly, he yearns for Beatriz, the one woman he does want. However, as the story opens, Beatriz is a mere servant at his castle. Tomás has no idea the secret she’s hiding or that her past is an enormous obstacle to their future happiness.
Cynthia Sax: Ohhh… secrets. I love secrets. Where is Passionate Pursuit set?
Tina Donahue: Passionate Pursuit is set in medieval Spain. 1489 to be exact. The war with the Moors is ongoing with the Crown eager to reconquer lands. The Inquisition rages. Within this turmoil, is the countryside. A veritable paradise of lush forest, endless wheat fields, and Moorish castles that warrior knights have reclaimed for Spain. The monarchs have gifted Tomás with an opulent estate for his military service. Within this Eden, Tomás devises numerous delights for Beatriz to woo her and make her his.
Cynthia Sax: What advice would you give new writers?
Tina Donahue:Write daily, read as much as you can, and know there isn’t anything close to overnight success. Yes, I know there are stories about authors who one day decided to write a book, did so, and now they’re zillionaires. If you dig deeper into their backgrounds, you’ll see they wrote and read as much as they could prior to writing that bestseller and they also were savvy marketers. Some also have contacts in the publishing industry. No successful writer happens by accident. That’s a myth. It takes endless hard work and constantly perfecting your craft to succeed. If you want to be a writer because it sounds cool or you’re eager to make a lot of money, this isn’t the career for you. Authors who last in this profession are those who write because they have to, not because they want to. Writing to them is as necessary as breathing, eating, living. It’s part of their soul. They’d be lost without it. If you don’t have that fire and drive, then you need to find another occupation.
Cynthia Sax: So true. I write for myself. I have stories published for readers. Thank you for the great advice, Tina, and also for joining us today!
Tina Donahue’s Website: http://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/
*****************************************************************************
Is their passion strong enough to break her chains?
Andalucía Spain, 1489: Innocent Beatriz is desperate to escape the threat of a miserable marriage to a cruel Marquis. Forced into the betrothal by her ruthless merchant papá, her only hope is to conceal her identity and become a servant in a nearby castle—a life drastically different from her comfortable upbringing.
Tomás doesn’t know what to make of his well-spoken new servant girl. Her beauty and charm captivates the military hero; her mysterious nature intrigues him. And the desire she ignites burns brighter with each glance, as does his longing to claim her for his own.
Beatriz can’t resist Tomás’ passion nor deny the heat of her own. But neither the lush countryside nor the walls of the opulent Moorish castle can entirely protect her—and if he were to discover her secret, she could be torn away from him forever. Yet how can she sustain his love if she’s living a lie?
Buy Now:
On Amazon.com: https://goo.gl/GOhbrm
On Amazon CA: http://goo.gl/OQoyKI
On Kobo: https://goo.gl/ZjVJJ2
On Books a Million: http://goo.gl/FqvCzl
On Penguin-Random House Canada: http://goo.gl/WsuyMm
July 26, 2016
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
July 22, 2016
Chasing Mayhem – Available For Pre-Order
Chasing Mayhem, the next cyborg story, will be releasing September 13th. It is available for pre-order now! As with all of the longer cyborg stories, there are spoilers so you might wish to read it close to release day.
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
July 19, 2016
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
