A Public Service Announcement...From Me

"Don't give out your personal information unless you have to," we usually hear folks say.  We know that applies to our Social Security Numbers, our phone numbers, our addresses, and passwords to our accounts.  But did you know that also applies to e-mail addresses?  That's right.  Email addresses.  Hackers can now link e-mail addresses to our cell phone numbers and wreak irreparable damage.  How do I know that?  I was a victim of it.

I was lured into "the trap" by whom I thought was my cousin.  I thought that I was chatting with him on Facebook (not face-to-face), but it wasn't him.  He simply asked me for my email address and for a code that I would get after giving him my email address (he said that he was entering a contest).  However, I did not receive a reply over email.  My phone rang instead!  My cousin does not have my cell phone number.  However, I relayed the code given to me by the automated voice on my phone.  That sealed my doom. 

Minutes later, after much haranguing on my part, my real cousin came on and said that he was hacked and to please not take ANY calls.  Too late, unfortunately. 

So, along with nursing a massive headache yesterday, I spent most of my day changing my phone number and my login information everywhere.  I feel violated.  I feel stupid.  I feel outsmarted.

So what is the lesson here?  Keep your email address to yourself.  Who knows what will fall into the hands of thieves?  For me, some of my unpublished books (still unfinished) that I saved onto my Skydrive.  That is what pains me the most. 

So, keep your business private, and remember to not rely on technology to keep your secrets.

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Rescued by the Wolf: Book One of the Wolves - Free Thru June 27, 2013

Hi Folks!

I thought that I would offer the first book of my very fun series of novellas for free, through 06/27/2013.   Please go to Smashwords and redeem it with code LV99E.  Here is the link:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/83869

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Don't Pick a Side!! Equal Opportunity For All E-Readers!

Hello there, Writer.  My name is Cyndia Rios-Myers.  Just like you, I am a writer.  Do you know what else I am? A reader.  I love to read.  If you read my last post, you probably discovered that I love series fiction/paranormal fiction.  I also love nonfiction.  I am currently reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.  AWESOME book, by the way.  I "picked it up" on sale at Barnes and Noble for my Nook, which brings me to the topic of this "conversation."

Why do you chose to publish e-books on only one website?  Actually, you don't have to answer that.  I know that you do it because one particular book selling website allows you a great place to garner great publicity for your books.  Trust me, I know that we indie writers/publishers need all the help we can get out there.

But where does that exclusivity leave readers who own an e-reader made by another website?  I'll tell you where - without a copy of YOUR book, which is where I find myself right now.  I really wanted to buy a copy of the book Girls Gone Skank: The Sexualization of Girls in America but cannot as it is not offered as an ebook for my particular e-reader. 

So, when taking advantage of a free publicity deal, please take all of your customers into consideration.  Your next biggest fan might own an e-reader that you are not offering your e-books to.


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Moving Forward....

The Wolves was such a fun series to write.  I loved every minute of it.  However, it had to come to an end, which it did...kind of.  Lana and Jorgen's life will continue, but the story being told through Lana's perspective is over.  Two full length novels may or may not occur, which would be told through the perspective of two different sets of eyes. 

But for now, I want to write stand alone books.  I have so many unique stories to tell.  Still, it seems like people love reading series - paranormal ones.  Even though I have women's fiction novels, The Wolves are still my best selling titles. 

You know, it would by hypocritical of me to say that I was not a series fiction fan.  I am!!  Here are the heroes and heroines whose lives I HAVE to be apprised of:

1. Harry Dresden
2. Rachel Morgan
3. Kitty Norville
4. Mercy Thompson
5. Merit Merit
6. Clare Fraser
7. October (Toby) Daye
8. Isabel Spellman (non paranormal, but still awesome)

I am sure that there are more, but I cannot recall the names of all of them just now. 

So...I understand why people love series books.  But stand alone stories are great too.  I write them in a way where people don't have to wonder what happens after the heroine rides into the sunset (by herself or with her man). 

So, get yourself a preview of The Song of the Sleeping Grass, Joppa Park, Summation of Love, or Nice Shootin' Tex.  Of course I am biased, but they really are pretty darned good. 

Cyndia Rios-Myers

What Is Next

Hey Folks!!

I hope that you are all doing well, and are enjoying whichever one of my books that it is that you are currently reading, or have just finished reading.

So, what will be coming next, you might be asking yourselves.  Well, The Wolves series is over (mostly), and Nice Shootin’ Tex! was a stand-alone novel, so you are probably wondering what might come next. 

Well, I will be venturing into the realm over the paranormal again, as it is simply too much fun to leave alone!  I don’t have a name for the novel yet, but its working title is “Fabula”, which means fable in Spanish.  Is in in Spanish?  Kind of!  Well, 99% of it is in English, but some phrases are in Spanish.  Will it take place in Spain?  No, it will not.  It will take place in Puerto Rico - Arecibo, Puerto Rico as well as Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, which are two towns on the north/northwestern part of the island. 

So, why Puerto Rico, you might wonder.  I’ll tell you why.  I am of Puerto Rican descent (I don’t say that I am all-out Puerto Rican because I was born and mostly raised here in America, served in the U.S. military and will live and die here) and lived on the island for 6.5 years.  It was a mostly wonderful 6.5 years!  I loved seeing and living on the lands where my parents were born and raised.  I loved the language, the food and the customs as well.  I am crazy about my family members who still call the island their home.

But another thing that I am crazy about is the culture and the stories about what came before, and what might still exist in the land and in the waters that surround the island.  Sure, most people blow it off, but I don’t.  Doesn’t a little fantasy make day-to-day life more exciting?

In any case, Fabula is a love story between a girl and a boy, as well as a story of love between a girl and her family.  It is about making hasty decisions and living with those consequences.  It is about exchanges between family members that live long after the conversations die away. 

I would say that the book is at its 60% completion point at this time.  It will probably be ready for publishing sometime near winter of this year.  I will keep you all posted!

Again, thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Nice Shootin' Tex!

 

 

Hi folks!  I thought that I would give you all a look at the write up and an excerpt of Nice Shootin’ Tex!, my latest, which is a contemporary western/women’s fiction/romance novel about a sweet girl just trying to find her way in the world:

 

Here is the write-up:

Lauren McCoy, is a beautiful, smart, artistic, sweet, hardworking, sharp-shooting cowgirl of a woman who is feeling the urge to leave her daddy's farm and strike out on her own to make a life for herself, and hopefully find love too.

The catalyst for change is a cable TV show shooting contest that her brother enters her into. Defying her father and going further away from home than she ever has before, she goes on to show the world (and a very sexy TV show host) just how good a shot she is.

However, there is more to winning at shooting and winning at love than meets the eye. Lauren learns that even though she can't win at everything, she is still triumphant because she has a home full of love to come home to, and a happy future she could not predict.

 

 

And here is the excerpt:

Vibrant red canopies covered the grounds behind the mansion.  Under one canopy was a Barbeque pit being tended to by uniformed employees.  Another tent contained tables with electronic equipment with small monitors, and a few people watching those.  The third tent, a very large one held a massive screen.  Stepping closer to that tent, I found that the images on the screen were bits and pieces of Season One of American Sharpshooter.  I was impressed by the skills demonstrated by the competitors on the show.  Some of the shots I knew I could have made; others I was certain that I could not make. 

"I'm going to go mingle," said Suzy after a minute.

"I think that I'll stay here to watch the footage for a while longer," I said with a smile.

"It's good preparation; I watched the entire show myself already."

With that, she left my side.  I watched her as she easily mingled with a few of the guys outside of the food and beverage tent.  I knew that I should do the same, but I was too transfixed with the footage from the last season of the show. 

"I hated the way my hair looked last season," I heard a voice say from next to me.

Trevor was standing right next to me; he wasn't looking at me at all but was watching the video on the large screen.  My heart began to pound in my chest at the realization of his presence.  How long had he been standing there?  Not knowing what else to do, I looked back at the screen.  His hair had been longer, but it didn't look bad.  Nervously, I turned to look at him and noticed that it was shorter - and that it looked better too.

"It looked good then, Trevor.  It looks good now," I said with a blush.

Just then, he turned his beautiful green eyes from the screen to my own.  My breathing quickened and my pulse raced as I felt his eyes drink me in.  I watched as his eyes looked me over and I felt my mouth dry. 

"You look lovely tonight, Lauren," he said in a quiet, husky tone.

I took a breath and held it as I looked at him up close.  His skin was lightly tanned - he probably worked in the sun a lot.  He had a long straight nose that looked so refined on him.  His dark brown hair and his dark eyelashes made his green eyes pop even more.  He wore a red canvas shirt like the kind Tim wore.  He also wore blue jeans and boots.  He wasn't that tall though - maybe only five foot ten to my five feet of height but with all of his features, he looked like he belonged on a commercial or a magazine or something - he looked that handsome.  Which was probably why he was on television, after all.  Finally, I released the breath I'd forgotten I'd been holding.  He half smiled at me before speaking again in a low tone.

"It was nice...standing with you here, Lauren.  But I've got to get back to work now."

My heart picked up its pace with those words.  Did that mean that Trevor...the person and not the TV host might be interested in me?  God, I hoped so.  I then remembered my words earlier and my face flushed.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier - when I called you a Prison Warden.  I'm sure that you have a job to do and I'm sorry if I offended you."

He leaned his head back then and laughed out loud.  His green eyes were mischievous as he looked at me again.

"Don't you apologize for that.  It was pretty funny, actually."

I smiled in relief at that. 

"Good."

His expression went a bit serious then.  I watched his eyes go from me to something just behind me.  He then looked down at me and smiled again, but the expression looked forced. 

"I am the face of this show.  Sometimes that's fortunate but other times it is unfortunate.  Just like it is now." 

I watched as he took a step away from me and addressed someone I had not yet seen.  Looking around, I saw that the rest of the contestants were watching us with varying degrees of interest.  Had I done something wrong? 

"One of those unfortunate things is the footage I am about to show you all here on the big screen.  It is the audition footage that each of you sent in.  From this point on, you'll be able to gauge your competitors - see their strengths and weaknesses."

Trevor took a couple more steps away from me and spoke in a louder voice.

"You might have made friends in the past four hours or so - or might have at least made friendly with your competitors.  That might be about to change."

***

Nice Shootin’ Tex! Is available at:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Nice-Shootin-Tex-ebook/dp/B00CLVA8FI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369437580&sr=8-2&keywords=cyndia+rios-myers

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nice-shootin-tex-cyndia-rios-myers/1115228376?ean=2940016523569

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/313076

 

About That Review...

Reviews.  Writers need reviews.  It lets prospective readers (and buyers) know that the book is purchasable.  It gives them the confidence to take a chance on a new writer.

Up until yesterday afternoon, I was annoyed over the lack of reviews I was getting.  But then, something happened (sounds like a typical pivot point in my novels).  I went to a hair salon near my home and read a sign that stuck with me (probably owed to the Business Ethics class I took back when I was in college).  It read:  “A free bottle of XXX shampoo will be given to each customer once their Yelp review has been posted.”  That bothered me, but I decided to explore it later. 

My haircut was just okay, and very expensive, which bothered me, of course.  I then wondered why I thought I would have a satisfactory experience at that salon.  Then I remembered!  The salon was reviewed SO WELL on Yelp.  It had tons of 5 star reviews, which was why I chose it.  Most of those good reviews were probably owed to free shampoo.  Not cool.

So what did I do?  I sent an email to the wonderful folks at Yelp.  After all, I’ve done business with great vendors, which I owe to Yelp.  The classy folks at Yelp are now investigating said salon for “the violation in policies” exercised by the folks at that beauty salon. 

The truth is that I feel a bit like a tattle-tale; I mostly feel like I am doing a favor to customers who might visit that salon based on inflated Yelp reviews. 

But what does all of that have to do with book reviews?  I’ll tell you.  I will no longer solicit them (book reviews).  I will no longer guilt my readers into leaving them.  If you buy my books, thank you.  That is all I have to say on that. 

 

 

Cyndia Rios-Myers