Cynthia Sax's Blog, page 2
August 27, 2025
Moonbeam Featured On Veronica Scott’s New Releases
Moonbeam, a collection of two previously published alien romances set in the very real town of Moonbeam, Ontario, has been featured on Veronica Scott’s awesome new release post.
This weekly post is a must-read for cyborg romance and alien romance readers (and writers)!
Moonbeam: Two Alien Romances From The Vault
Moonbeam includes two sizzling alien romances from Cynthia Sax’s vault.
Lust By Moonbeam
Cathy arrives at Moonbeam, the Roswell of the North, with one goal—to prove the mysterious dead tree circles are not caused by UFOs. Meeting a devastatingly handsome lumberjack with unusual blue and green eyes is a bonus.
He thinks he’s an alien.
That doesn’t bother Cathy. She can tolerate a little strangeness in a one-night stand, especially since Rellec claims her body as no sane man ever has—with the hungry touch of forever.
Rellec arrives at Moonbeam with one goal—to retrieve his destined mate, ensuring the continuation of his species. Having trained long and hard for his passion-filled mission, he is determined to claim his tiny human.
Failure is not an option.
Ravished By Moonbeam
When Officer Danielle smacks a hunky alien with her police cruiser, she suspects her black-and-green perp is up to no good.
She shoots him. He grins.
She hunts him down. He captures her, seducing her on a bed of pine needles.
And she’s never felt so alive.
Krol is Sila’s best warrior. He’s rough and tough and he knows a fragile human female can’t handle his true nature.
To win his mate and ensure the continuation of his species, he attempts to be the gentle male he believes she needs.
Then his Danielle tries to terminate him, and he discovers Earth women aren’t as dainty as they appear.
In Ravished By Moonbeam, the heroine harbors VERY dark suspicions regarding the hero.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Moonbeam-Two-Alien-Romances-Vault-ebook/dp/B0FMXC4CNY
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Moonbeam-Two-Alien-Romances-Vault-ebook/dp/B0FMXC4CNY
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Moonbeam-Two-Alien-Romances-Vault-ebook/dp/B0FMXC4CNY
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/Moonbeam-Two-Alien-Romances-Vault-ebook/dp/B0FMXC4CNY
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/moonbeam-two-alien-romances-from-the-vault/id6751244980
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/moonbeam-two-alien-romances-from-the-vault
August 26, 2025
Seed Saving And Sharing
(The radish seeds, contained within these pods, are almost ready to harvest. They merely need to dry a bit.)
I reserve a part of the harvest for the wildlife.
The Mafia Squirrels will steal some cherry tomatoes. The birds will eat some raspberries. The slugs will devour some green beans.
That is the reality of gardening and is a part of the honor of sharing this wonderful planet with other lifeforms.
I also, however, reserve a part of the harvest for seeds.
I allow some plants, like radishes and spinach and others, to flower and then go to seed. This is a long process and I can’t use that garden space for anything else while it is happening.
But it is necessary to ensure there will be a harvest next year.
We saw during the early days of COVID that buying seeds is not always a reliable option. It was almost impossible to find lettuce seeds in my part of the world in 2020, for example.
If times get tough, seeds will be difficult to obtain again.
Plus saved seeds are usually more suited to our particular growing conditions. The plants that survived to give us those seeds thrived in our gardens.
Often, when we save seeds, we end up with WAY more seeds than we could ever possibly use.
I could convert the entire neighborhood to 100% spinach lawns with the seeds I’ve saved.
(grins)
I share my excess seeds with other gardeners in the area. It is an easy and free way to make their lives a little bit happier.
August 25, 2025
Kerid Volcanic Crater, Iceland
One of the stops on the Golden Circle Tour the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I took in Iceland was Kerið Volcanic Crater.
This is exactly what it sounds like – a volcanic crater. But it has been filled with water and now hosts a spectacular lake. The colors and contrasts are amazing.
There are two main hikes visitors can do. We can hike around the top of the crater. The Dear Wonderful Hubby did this one. And we can hike around the lake at the bottom of the crater. We ran out of time to do that one.
August 24, 2025
Muse Food – The Struggle
(These gorgeous flowers in Iceland are growing where very few flowers could – amidst bare rock during harsh weather.)
One of the (many) reasons we love romance novels is
because the heroes and heroines (and everyone else) have to FIGHT to secure their romantic happy ever afters.
It’s difficult. There are mistakes, pain, and, in my stories, sometimes decapitations. (grins).
The heroes and heroines have to somehow navigate situations such as the dark moment, where every hope of happiness seems to be lost.
An easy romantic happy ever after is boring. It isn’t believable. It is unsatisfying and a dang short story.
We NEED the struggle.
Give that to your characters.
August 23, 2025
Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – August 24
The publishing landscape is changing so much and so quickly. I don’t know if you’ll be able to read the Moonbeam Duets when they go live. But I’ve loaded them to booksellers and I’m hoping for the best.
(smiles)
And I continue to work on my fun secret writing project. It gives me joy.
When I started writing, I never imagined anyone else would ever read my stories. I was writing for myself.
It seems…destined that I’m back to writing purely for myself, not knowing if anyone else will ever read my stories.
Have a wonderful week, my friends. (big hugs) Do something purely for yourself. Don’t worry about what others will think about it. Or if it will earn a gazillion dollars. Or make other people happy. Do it for yourself. You’re worth it!
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is huntedby a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning.The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made byhis cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is underhis cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, andtold to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a smallremote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they weresent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She iswatching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would endher lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left ofher kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of herplanet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and coveringherself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned,brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she hasto save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurtStrain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE CyborgSciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, ahuman female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who viewthem both as light, tasty snacks.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
August 22, 2025
Grieving What We Lose While Appreciating What We Still Have
(This is one of the many gorgeous rooms in Isafjordur Public Library in Iceland. This library is a must-see for book lovers!)
I don’t talk about this much but…
The book banning/shadow banning makes me VERY sad.
I love reading steamy stories and diverse stories and stories that cover a wide range of experiences. I also love writing steamy stories and diverse stories and stories that cover a wide range of experiences.
It saddens me that we have people telling us what we can read and write and experience.
If this makes you sad too, know that it is OKAY to be sad, to miss what we have lost. It is OKAY to grieve the losses of these freedoms.
Feeling sad is a human response.
It is the RIGHT response.
Take time and feel your feelings.
I will be doing the same.
I will also be noting the happinesses, the joys we have left.
And I will savor those MORE. I won’t take them for granted. I’ll enjoy them with my whole heart, knowing how special and rare and, perhaps, fleeting they are.
(smiles)
August 21, 2025
Will A Book Be Banned?
(There are SO many gorgeous rooms in Isafjordur Public Library in Iceland. This is one of them.)
Books are being banned or shadow banned (not banned outright but it is VERY difficult finding them or accessing them at booksellers, on social media, etc) in the US AND the UK, two of the largest English-language romance countries.
This includes many of my published stories.
This makes it almost impossible to cover production costs. And there isn’t much hope of covering other costs like…food and electricity.
My secret writing project, however, has no on- or off-page sex. It doesn’t have traditional cuss words.
Under today’s environment, this SHOULD mean this story won’t be banned or shadow banned.
But two years ago, NONE of my stories were banned or shadow banned.
This is how quickly the writing environment is changing.
There are no guarantees my secret project won’t be banned in the near future.
My advice to writers is…
Ensure the story you are writing gives you joy. THAT is the only thing right now you can control.
My secret writing project is giving me great joy.
(smiles)
August 20, 2025
Throwback Thursday – Baring Grudge
Cyborgs were manufactured to be perfect warriors. They were decommissioned when they were permanently injured in battle and no longer looked perfect.
Grudge is well aware he doesn’t look perfect. He has mismatched arms.
He sees his imperfections as weaknesses.
When he meets his human female, he soon realizes they can be strengths.
Baring Grudge
No one in the universe is more determined than a cyborg warrior tracking his female.
***
Grudge, a C Model cyborg, has been assigned a mission – safeguard a Humanoid Alliance space station for his kind. Honor was once all he had, and he is determined to fulfill his duty.
That resolve is tested when a tiny human female enters the space station and sets the prettiest little explosives the warrior has ever seen. She is Grudge’s genetic match, the one being manufactured for him. He wants to touch her, kiss her, claim her in all ways, but first he has to stop her from blasting him into the next galaxy.
Taelyn has a self-appointed mission—to destroy every battle robot the Humanoid Alliance has ever manufactured. A huge gray-skinned, blue-eyed cyborg warrior with mismatched arms won’t prevent her from achieving her goal. She’ll escape him, leaving destruction in her wake.
Before she departs, she’ll experience one toe-curling moment of hatred-edged passion with her handsome foe. She’ll show him how skilled with detonations she truly is. He will have his universe rocked.
Then she’ll disappear.
Her cyborg, however, has no intention of ever letting her go.
***
Baring Grudge is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a determined, damaged warrior, an equally resolute human female, and an explosive game of predator and prey played across galaxies.
Baring Grudge is the third of five core stories in the Rebel Cyborgs Series.
Book 1: Containing Malice
Book 2: Under Strain
Book 3: Baring Grudge
Book 4: B Free
Book 5: Seizing Power
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZL2D986
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08ZL2D986
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08ZL2D986
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/baring-grudge/id1559566673
August 19, 2025
Sharing The Harvest
The harvest from the backyard vegetable garden ramps up during the month of August. The plants are often producing more than the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I can consume.
We freeze much of the excess to enjoy during the winter months.
And we give some vegetables to neighbors.
We do this for a couple reasons.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I both love to feed people. It gives us joy. And it is one of our ways of showing love or caring.
We also know our backyard vegetable garden isn’t the prettiest back window view at certain times of year (like early Spring or late Fall/Autumn). It isn’t the perfect lawn many of our neighbors have.
And it sometimes smells. (sheepish grin) Compost can smell. Coffee grounds definitely smell. Aged manure smells.
Our neighbors tolerate that and we thank them by giving them some fresh vegetables.
But, mostly, we are showing them love.
(smiles)
August 18, 2025
Gullfoss, Iceland
One of the stops on the Golden Circle Tour the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I went on in Iceland was the Gullfoss, a beautiful waterfall near Reykjavík.
There is a great viewing platform really close to the parking lot. (This is where we took first photo on this post.)
If you want to get super close to the waterfall, there’s an easy trek down to it. We got a bit wet on this trek but dried off quickly in the wind.
I loved how the Hvítá river has carved huge crevices in the rock. Water is SUCH a powerful force.
