Friday, November 8, 2013

The Wolves - New Cover Art AND New Sales Price $0.99

Hi Folks!!!

I just wanted to share with you all the awesome cover art that I had commissioned for The Wolves (Books 1-5):


Explore the world of The Wolves by accompanying Lana Boxer on her journey from a human automaton, to that of an invigorated and fully living werewolf.

From the shores of Annapolis, Maryland to the woods of the Black Forest in Germany, you will become invested in the life of a woman who felt less than nothing to a being who learned to love herself and the wolf who rescued her, gifted, mated, condemned and defended the life she is now grateful to have.


 
It won't be on sale forever, but it will be on sale for a while.  Here are the following links for all of your e-reader needs:

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wolves-books-one-thru-five-cyndia-rios-myers/1113784303?ean=2940015859263

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/254457

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Wolves-Books-One-thru-Five-ebook/dp/B00A6B0SK0/ref=la_B005UR9CA2_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383961288&sr=1-11

The sales price expires...soon (I haven't decided when, yet).  Jump on it while you can!!!


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Friday, October 25, 2013

Where I Write Other Things

Hi Folks!

I know that it has been a while since I lasted updated you all, so hello!

How have you been?  Have you been reading any good books lately?  I hope so!  I had a great time reading Chimes at Midnight (October Daye #7) by Seanan McGuire, The Last Word: A Spellman Novel by Lisa Lutz, and am still working on Biting Bad (Chicagoland Vampire Series #8) by Chloe Neill; it is taking me a bit longer to get through Biting Bad, which is okay.  For that matter, I am still working on Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell; it is a great non-fiction title, but well, this girl needs fiction to keep the pages turning.

But I did write a couple of non-fiction pieces for Military Spouse Magazine (I love them).  I wrote a short horror story called: The Creep I Found in My Crawlspace.  That one was fun!  Here is the link to that: 

http://www.militaryspouse.com/articles/the-creep-i-found-in-my-crawlspace-(1)/

Here is non-fiction piece I wrote about the vulnerabilities that come with being a woman:

http://www.militaryspouse.com/articles/feeling-vulnerable-during-deployment/

I am thinking about doing the Nanowrimo this year.  I'll let you all know what I do!

In any case, thanks for stopping by!



Cyndia Rios-Myers

Monday, October 7, 2013

Free To Read On Goodreads: The End of Thunder and Lightning: Alanna's Fall

Hi folks!

I hope that you are all doing well.

I have uploaded The End of Thunder and Lightning in its entirety to Goodreads, so please go on over there for a quick, but good read.  Here is the write up for it:

The End of Thunder and Lightning: Alanna's Fall tells the story of Alanna - a powerful and beautiful young woman who hails from the Clan of Thunder and Lightning. She knows that her death is inevitable and is coming soon. However, she hopes to use her powers to take down as many vampires as she can and hopefully find love as well.

 
 
 
 
 
Here is the link to it for Goodreads (also, you can download the entire novella for free through Barnes and Noble and Smashwords):  https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/285220-the-end-of-thunder-and-lightning-alanna-s-fall-free-novella

Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Monday, September 30, 2013

Coming Soon - Rescued by the Wolf, Book One of the Wolves FREE on Amazon!


Hi Folks!

I hope that you are all doing well.  I just wanted to let you all know that I will be making Rescued by the Wolf, Book One of the Wolves free on Amazon for two days this week. 

Please be sure to pick up your free copy if you have not yet done so!


Thanks for reading.

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Why You Should Read The Wolves...

I love women's fiction.  I love paranormal novels.  I even like horror.  As a writer, I wondered if I could merge those three genres into one novel.  I think I did that. 

Rescued by the Wolf tells the tale of Lana Boxer, a child-abuse survivor and now Social Worker for the state of Maryland. Because of her traumatic past, Lana is a woman who is working and living on auto-pilot. The only light in Lana’s life comes from her friend Jenny, a fellow Social Worker. One day after a particularly difficult case, Jenny goes missing. Making matters confusing, Jenny re-surfaces but only to let her family know that she will never see them again and to never look for her. That is not good enough for Lana so she searches for Jenny anyway. Finding Jenny turns out to be a lot easier than Lana imagined. However, Lana loses and finds more than what she bargained for when she is bitten by a werewolf.


According to these Amazon reviews, others agreed:

The book opens with a social worker, Lana, whose life thus far has been a difficult climb. When her friend and coworker disappears, Lana goes searching for her friend only to find more than she bargained for. The romantic side of the book is full of love and passion and such a wonderful blend of tenderness while the supernatural side brings a combination of horror that fits well in the werewolf world.

I loved the blend of mystery and romance. In addition to heat and passion, the story is a powerful tale of true love.


****

A fun read. I enjoyed it and will be checking out the next book as well. Cheers to new authors!

****

Have you ever read a book that gave you the shivers?
Not because it was spooky or chilling... but because it was so real!

Lana works diligently to keep life an arms-reach away. But, her cases as a social worker reflect too vividly her own traumatic past that is best left behind.

There's only one person... Jenny, a coworker, that she can truly get close to.
In return, Jenny shatters Lana's world and slashes her tenuous grip on life and reality... to bits.

Too real.
Well done!


****

Rescued by the Wolf: Book One of the Wolves is currently enrolled in Amazon's Kindle Direct Program.  Because of that, it will on by available through Amazon until late November of this year.  However, The Wolves: Books One thru Five  is available through every major e-book retailer. 

Here are the links: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rescued-Wolf-The-Wolves-ebook/dp/B005F1OJHE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wolves-books-one-thru-five-cyndia-rios-myers/1113784303?ean=2940015859263


Give it a shot!

Thanks for reading,

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Jennifer Bauer

Thanks to everyone who downloaded Rescued by the Wolf, Book One of the Wolves during the free download days I had last weekend.  A bigger thanks goes to everyone who has purchased the following books in the series.  Yay Canada, by the way!!  (I usually sell well here in America and the U.K., but not so much Canada.  That has changed (just a bit) thanks to the free promo.

Now onto the title of this blog post.  Why am I talking about Jennifer Bauer?  (Those who have gotten past Book Two (Gifted by the Wolf) know just who Jennifer Bauer is. 

I have to disclose the name of Jennifer Bauer, because someone very close to me spilled the beans regarding sequels to The Wolves series of novellas. 

There will be two novel-length (see, I wasn't lying about there being no more installments of novellas to the series) sequels to The Wolves.  The first of which will be called: (I can italicize this now, which is kind of exciting!) Jennifer Bauer.  This will be her story, and not that of Lana and Jorgen. 

What will the second one be called?  Clara Bauer.  Again, it will be her story, although you will be able to understand what goes on in the lives of Jorgen and Lana as Clara and Jennifer tell their stories. 

You will understand the end ,too, as the series will definitely conclude after Clara Bauer. 

To be honest, I flirted with the idea of writing a prequel about Jorgen, which would have been titled: The Wolf, but I don't know that I need to.  Also, prequels never get around to telling what happens after the previous installment (which is really what readers want).  Although, I reserve the right to change my mind about that prequel!


Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers






P.S.   Oh.  Some of you might be wondering about a release date for Jennifer Bauer.  Okay.  I will share that.  January 2014 will be the release date of that.  Thanks again!!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Why I Didn't Finish Reading Your Book...

Hello there, fellow independent author.  How are you doing today?  I hope well.  Did you make any sales last night?  I hope so.  Those numbers going up make our days a bit brighter, don't you think?

So, I bought your book.  The title was good.  The premise was promising.  Unfortunately, though, I wasn't "grabbed".  Why?  Because you didn't let me bond with the protagonist within the first few pages.  You didn't give me anything that allowed me to empathize with her/him and wonder what would happen to their lives. 

I'll be the first to say that I am not a bestselling author.  But I am an avid reader, and I do want to give fellow indie writers a shot. 

So, if you want to take my advice, please consider the following:

  • First impressions matter.  I'm talking beyond cover art and even minor grammatical problems.  The person you are selling is the protagonist.  Make me care about him/her as soon as possible.  That means giving me their background, personality quirks, aspirations and a problem they are facing. 
  • Take your time introducing new characters.  If your protagonist lives in her/his head a lot, and frequently thinks about the people in their life, describe them in his/her eyes so that I have an easy time connecting them. 
  • Make the rest of your characters vulnerable, too; it will make me care about what happens to them. 
I think that one thing all indie writers (and probably all writers) share is that we are avid readers.  I try to keep my "reading points" in mind when I write.  Try to think of your own, too.

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Friday, September 6, 2013

Where Fiction Comes From (At Least For Me)...

Articles like this are what get my mental gears going:

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/the-strange-double-disapearance-of-teacher-hannah-upp--191509506.html

Where in God's name did Hannah Upp go for three weeks?  How did she go from jogging outside of her apartment, to be found sunburned and floating (alive, thank God) in the Hudson River THREE WEEKS later and have no memory about that time at all?

How does it happen again?  She disappeared for two days, and was found unharmed by friends who were searching for her. 

This poor soul has no idea what happens to her.  By all counts, she appears to be a very smart woman (a Spanish teacher and an assistant teacher at a Montessori school).  Doctors have diagnosed her with a condition called Dissociative Fugue (sudden and spontaneous amnesia is characterized by a loss of identity, coupled with prolonged, seemingly directionless wandering).

I truly wish Hannah Upp all of the luck and health in the world. 

But in stories like this (where unanswered questions abound) is where I find all sorts of inspiration. 

So, go online and look on the news.  Watch TV shows on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, The Learning Channel or even HGTV to find the questions you don't have answers to.  The answers you make up on your own makes for very entertaining fiction.

Happy Writing!

Cyndia Rios-Myers 

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Thank You!!

I know that you are all tired about hearing my request for reviews, so I am going to put a stop on that (for a while; writers need reviews!).

What I wanted to do was thank my readers for liking my books so much.  The messages on Facebook and the ones in person mean so much to me.  I am so glad that the little stories that have played out in my head (and made it to paper) have amused you all so much. 

That makes me happy to write, and happy to publish.  With that in mind, it is time to get back to writing. 



Thank You!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Why Did You Return That Book?

Hi There!

It's me - Cyndia Rios-Myers.  I hope that my name rings a bell.  It should (maybe vaguely) as you purchased one of my books. 

But here's the thing...you returned that book you purchased.  Why did you do that?  Had you purchased it before?  Did you not like it?  If you purchased it before, I understand.  If you didn't like it, I have to tell you that disappoints me (but I understand). 

There is one more alternative that disturbs me.  If you read the book (the entire book), and then returned it, I have to tell you how messed up that is.  Very.  Extremely.  It is horribly messed up.

Let me tell you something about us self-published writers.  We work HARD at this; at writing, at editing, and at marketing our works.  We don't get a lot of respect from "traditionally published" writers or from academics.  That does not deter us, though.  We continue to sell our wares. 

But having to deal with unfair reviews, no reviews, and questionable returns is not easy at all.  But then again, we are used to rejection. 

Still, when buying books, don't be a jerk.  If you hate a book and don't read it all the way through, return it.  We understand.  If you purchased it in error, we understand that too.  But if you read the book and returned it to get your money back, that is awful.  That makes you a thief. 

So please be a considerate reader, and a considerate human being. 


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

New Cover Art for The Song of the Sleeping Grass

Hi Folks!!  I wanted to share the new cover to The Song of the Sleeping Grass with you all.  The old cover was okay; I threw it together myself a few years ago.  I figured that I should go ahead and soup up the cover a bit.  Here it is:

 
 
 
The new cover is now live on Barnes and Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-song-of-the-sleeping-grass-cyndia-rios-myers/1029286320?ean=2940012032683); I think that it will be ready to go on Amazon very soon. 

Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Thank You!!!

Thank you all for downloading Rescued by the Wolf, Book One of the Wolves and for telling your friends about it!  It means so much.

So enthralled was I by all of the purchases that I reread the book myself.  What did I find?  I'll tell you.

Yes, the book could use a bit of editing.  That aside, I LOVE that book.  I was enthralled by the story all over again.  I felt the pain of Lana's life, the companionship of her wolf, and her peace with which she accepted her new life, along with all of its perils. 

I hope that you liked it, too.  I hope that you believe that Lana, Jenny and Coyle were more ordinary than extraordinary and that you could relate to them.

In any case, keep reading the series.  I promise that it will have ups and downs, and lots of real life problems along with those of the paranormal.


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Hello There!

And thank you for downloading my book!  I really hoped that you enjoyed Rescued by the Wolf - Book One of The Wolves.  I hope that you read the rest of the books in the series and that you enjoy them just as much. 

I'll tell you what I was thinking when I wrote the book, or what my inspiration was.  I wanted to know if I could write a women's fiction novel combined with a horror/paranormal one.  Do you think that I pulled it off?  I hope so. 

I love writing Women's Fiction.  I love it, love it, love it.  I love taking a section of a woman's life, dissecting the emotional aspects of it and then laying those out for all to see.  But I also think that werewolves are pretty darned cool.  There is something tortured about their souls; I love creating a venue where empathy can be created for them. 

Thanks again for downloading my book!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Friday, August 30, 2013

So Far, So Good!

I'm thrilled to report that Rescued by the Wolf, Book 1 of the Reviews has been downloaded like CRAZY!  I am so glad that I took the plunge with Amazon's KDP deal.  I only wish that Barnes and Noble had a similar program to promote the works of self-published writers.

The free promo ends at midnight on the 31st.  Please be sure to download a book if you have not yet done so.

Thank you!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Rescued by the Wolf: Book One of the Wolves Free on Kindle from 08/29-08/31

So I did it, folks!!

Rescued by the Wolf, Book One of the Wolves will be exclusive to Amazon from now, through November 25th of 2013.

You can get a free copy between the dates of 08/29-08/31.  Please be sure to make your way over there for your free copy.

http://www.amazon.com/Rescued-Wolf-The-Wolves-ebook/dp/B005F1OJHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377710674&sr=8-1&keywords=cyndia+rios-myers

Thanks again for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Opening Salvo of Apology(ies)!

Hi Folks.

How are you doing today?  Good? I hope so.  How are the kids?  How are the pooches?  And the kitties - are they good, too?  I hope so.  I really hope that your weather is good, too, that you are happy with your weight, your boss, and your commute. 


I'm okay.  Things are good at home.  I'm staying busy.  No pooch here, nor kitties either.  But the spouse and offspring are good.  The weather in Southern California is always good.  We are fortunate to have a great infrastructure, I don't have a boss, I'm happy with my weight, and the commute from my bed to my kitchen table is pretty good, too. 

What a nice talk we are having!

In any case, I am here to apologize for removing Rescued by the Wolf from all retailers that are not Amazon.  I am really, REALLY sorry about that.

So, I have decided to make an advance act of contrition (did you catch the fact that I'm catholic there?).  That act of contrition is the fact that I am offering THREE paperback copies of Rescued by the Wolf: Book One of the Wolves available for FREE.  All you have to do is tell me which retailer you tried to purchase the book from through a message on this blog. 

That's it.

Again, there will only be three copies made available; please try to send me a message as soon as you can.  I'll even mail you a copy for free {if you are in the United States or the U.K. (I sell most of my books in those to countries, so I kind of have some loyalty to them)}.

To prove that I am not lying, here is a picture of said books:


See?  I'm for real.  And I'm sorry!  (There goes the catholic guilt, again). 

Still, send me a message if you want to be one of the three lucky readers to get a copy. 

Thanks for reading!!!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

I'm Going There...And I'm Sorry!!!!

Where?  To KDP Select for ninety days. 

I wish that I didn't have to do this.  After all, I own a Nook myself and LOVE it.  However, Barnes and Noble is not offering the same sort of promotional opportunities that Amazon is.  While Smashwords is a boon to any writer, my free book trials there have not yielded many sales as far as my other titles are concerned.   It doesn't sit easy with me, though. 

As a writer, I owe it to myself to do my very best to promote my works.

So what title will I be taking off of everything else but Amazon?  Rescued by the Wolf: Book One of the Wolves.  For ninety entire days.  Yikes!!  It makes me nervous. 

But I do hope that you all understand.  It will be back...everywhere else (in ninety days).

Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Hello There (For Those Of You Have Read One of My Paperback Books - And Everyone Else Too)!

Hi There!

Chances are you read either The Song of the Sleeping Grass or Rescued by the Wolf: Book One of the Wolves.

Thank you so much for reading my book(s).  I hope that you enjoyed your time with either Becky/Robbie or Lana and her crew.  I hope that you'll read my either books (The Song of the Sleeping Grass is a stand alone book), or will read what happens to Lana in the following books in the series. 

I have to admit that I had forgotten how good it felt to hold an actual book in my hands.  To hold a book with my name on it?  That blew my mind. 

Because of that, I am going to work at getting the rest of my e-books onto paper form.  It will take a while to get there, but I am determined. 

Thanks again for giving me a shot!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

The Wolves

Hi Folks!

I know it's been a while since I last updated this, so I thought that I would drop in to do so.

So...what have I been up to?  Writing, as always.  Right now, I am writing something in a very old school method - in a composition notebook - long hand!  Why?  Because it provides method of inspiration.  Sometimes a Microsoft Word doc looks...very plain and blank.  A composition notebook, however, has the black-and-white marbleized cover that evokes memories of the past.  Also, the way my ballpoint, blue ink Papermate pen sails over the paper gives me a sense of pleasure that tapping away on a keyboard does not. 



What else is new, is a new way of promoting my books.  It was a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself.  That has been exciting.

But back to the topic of this post.  "The Wolves."  People have been asking for more.  Unfortunately, Lana and Jorgen's story is told.  However, there might be two full length novels in the future, told through the voices of other characters in the series.  Lana and Jorgen will stay be a part of the story, but will not be the main focus.

Well, this is all for now.  But thanks for stopping by, and thanks for reading!


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Monday, July 15, 2013

The Wolves (Compilation of Books 1-5) on Sale!

Hi Folks!

I just wanted to let you all know that The Wolves (Compilation of Books 1-5) is on sale at Smashwords for $0.99 for a VERY limited time (Monday, July 15th, 2013 through Saturday, July 20th, 2013) with coupon code AK93Q. 

Please be sure to take advantage of it!

Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/254457

Saturday, July 6, 2013

The Song of the Sleeping Grass - Available as a HUGE Paperback!

Hi Folks!

The Song of the Sleeping Grass is now available as a paperback book on Create Space: https://www.createspace.com/4262828

The book is not small at 722 pages, but I think that's okay.  The font is nice and large, so you don't have to squint much at all.  In any case, here is the write-up:

Have you ever been so attuned to the woven strings of a relationship that you can tell the exact moment when one of those strings snap? Even when your loved one is hundreds of miles away and assures you that all is well? Such is the moment that opens the tale of Becky Medina, a 24 year old Army wife trying to keep the home fires burning in Pennsylvania while her husband is deployed to Iraq. Change is forced on her and she has to learn to live with the fact that a traumatic episode in her husband's life has made him seek solace in the arms of another. Painfully breaking away from the life she was sure was forever, she has to start from scratch again back at her childhood home with her father. But when she decides to go on her long-postponed honeymoon to Scotland by herself, she finds comfort, passion and love in the arms of a sexy Scotsman who is in need of healing of his own and finds it in Becky.

 

It retails for $17.99 plus shipping (these print-on-demand books are not cheap), but remember that you can also buy it as an e-book for $3.99 on any e-book retailer. 

Check it out!

Friday, July 5, 2013

Real Books - In the...flesh?

So, here they are.  Real paper books:


It was time to pull the trigger and to commit my words to actual paper, and not just Microsoft Word documents that would then be read as e-books. 

Why print now?  Because I've realized that most people still prefer to read books they can hold in their hands, and not virtual ones on e-readers. 

Through these tangible copies of my books, I will be engineering brand-new promotional events for myself.  What will they consist of?  I don't know.  But I promise to keep you all posted!

Thanks for reading!!


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

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

Monday, June 24, 2013

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

Friday, June 7, 2013

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

Friday, May 24, 2013

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:
Barnes and Noble:
Smashwords:
 

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

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

What's Coming Next...

Hi Folks!

I just thought that I would drop you all a line to let you know what was coming next.  Here is the cover art:



Nice Shootin' Tex! is a contemporary western romance/women's fiction novel.  It features Lauren McCoy, a beautiful (and blonde - finally!), 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 interesting vehicle which would be the catalyst for change in her life is 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 sex 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.

I hope you enjoyed that write-up and are hungry for more!


Cyndia Rios-Myers


Friday, April 26, 2013

Now Available! Razed by the Wolf - Book 7 (And Final) of The Wolves

I know.  I know, I know, I know.  It is about one month and two weeks overdue.   What was the hold up?  Well...I'll tell you what the holdup was.  I had an interesting case of Writer's Conflict.  It is kind of like Writer's Block, but different.  I had a lot of good stuff for the final novella, but did not know where to place it. 

So what did I do?  I referred to the old writing adage of "When in doubt, cut it out."  Every piece I had a doubt on, I got rid of.  What was left were the bones of the story - good, strong bones that delivered an ending that was long coming (and maybe predictable for a lot of readers). 

What was unexpected were the tying of loose ends of stories featuring ancillary characters of the story.  My heart was right there, in those stories. 

But back to my excitement.  Yay!!!!  The last novella of The Wolves is now available for purchase on Amazon and Smashwords (it should be available on Barnes and Noble sometime today). 

On Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Razed-Wolf-Seven-Wolves-ebook/dp/B00CJ0WMR8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367011343&sr=8-2&keywords=cyndia+rios-myers

On Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/310059

Here is the cover art, one last time:


Thanks for reading!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Yep. It's April. Book 7 Is Not Out Yet... (but here is a free preview!)

...and I really should have a good reason(s) why.  And I do!  I shall give you all a list.

  1. My husband is on vacation from work.  He is VERY distracting.
  2. We just finished doing some extensive home renovations.
  3. We just got back from a loooong road trip. 

That's really all I've got.  Still, I want to leave you all with something.  So, here is a scene out of the new book - never seen anywhere else:

******************************************************************************


After looking at the exterior windows of a fashion store, an ice cream shop, a furniture store and a shoe store, I settled on one.  It was a luxury linen store.  Soon, we would sleep on a mattress of pine needles and wool.  Probably more in our wolf forms than our human ones.  I would not have linen spray or high thread count sheets.  Not that I had them anyway. 

                "I would have bought you those if you'd asked for them," said Jorgen.

I half smiled.  He was trying.

                "I felt bad about the expense.  I worried that the pups would ruin them."

But there was more to it than that.

                "I didn't know that I was on a clock," I silently said to his mind.

                "I did not know that either," he softly said.

I stopped short at the electric doors to the linen store.  I did not think about what my husband would miss. 

                "Tell me," I said to his mind.

                "Ice cream.  Beer.  Hamburgers.  Pizza.  My tools.  The lumber yard.  The way my wife looks when she dresses up for a date.  My brother," he said in a thick voice.  "The way he plays with our children."

I took a moment to look down and pinch the bridge of my nose. 

                "I don't want to upset you," he said in an apologetic tone.  "Please go and try to enjoy yourself."

                "No.  I want to hear of your pain.  It makes me feel better.  It makes me feel less selfish."

                "No.  You are not selfish.  There has never been a selfish hair on your body."

How I loved him.  I said as much. 

                "I know that.  Go and shop now," he said in a stronger tone of voice. 

I smiled at the thought of my husband's strength.  Even when he was vulnerable, he was never weak.  I sighed.

                "Okay."

                "That's my girl."

With that, I entered the store. 

It was a lot like Bed, Bath and Beyond back in America - only it did not have as much of the "As Seen On TV Products."  I liked that.  I walked around the bottom floor.  Lots of glassware and plates there.  Beautiful place settings there too.  I gave myself the opportunity to fantasize about what I might come home to in fifteen years. 

                "When this is done, I will buy you whatever you want," Jorgen said.

I smiled.  After that, I walked to the escalator and got on the bottom step.  Thump-thump it sounded under my feet as I rose higher and higher.  It felt good.  I set my hands on the moving handrails and surrendered control of my movement for a few seconds. 

However, that peace was not meant to last.  In front of me were two wolves.  Two werewolves.  How in the fuck did I miss that?  How in the hell did wolf miss that?

                "I did not," she said to me.

                "How about sharing it with me?" I argued with her.

I felt Jorgen's presence in me.  He growled under his breath from where he sat in his truck. 

                "What are you doing, wolf?" I asked.

                "You have work to do," she said to me.

There was no use arguing with wolf, I knew.  I shook my head and stared at the back of the heads of the wolves before me.  They had not noticed me yet.  My powers were coiled up in me, so they could not sense me.  I didn't know how Jorgen did it, but he also managed to make werewolves "miss" my scent. 

I took the opportunity to inspect the couple, because a couple they were.  The woman to the left had long, red curly hair.  The man to the right of her had long brown hair.  I sniffed the air around them, but didn't recognize their scent.  However, I knew that I had seen them before. 

                "They are up to no good.  Handle it," growled my husband.

                "Shall they know of...I?"

                "Yes," Jorgen said.

I nodded.  "Yes, alpha."

I did nothing but stare at them as they rose on the escalator steps before me.  I did not rush up the steps as they debarked the escalator and walked right.  I took my time as I walked off the escalator and turned my head to watch their retreating backs.  The heels on my boots pivoted on the ground as I turned right and followed them.  I took in the woman's dress.  She wore a black leather jacket and black pants.  She had black boots on too.  The man had a brown leather jacket on and jeans.  He had work boots on too.  Suddenly, I knew who I was staring at.  Wolf stretched in pleasure.  She was having a good time hunting.  So was I, actually. 


*****************End of Preview*********************

So.  I promise that I will deliver the goods THIS MONTH!

Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Are Werewolves Real? Post

I love to read great sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novels.  Carrie Vaughn, Stephenie Meyer, Paticia Briggs...they are awesome writers, and I consume their novels as soon as they are available for my Nook.

I sometimes read the blogs of fellow werewolf writers.  Sometimes, they answer the question: "Are Werewolves Real?"  So, I thought I would answer that question.

No.  They are not real.  At least, I don't think that they are real.  But then again, you have to take that answer with a grain of salt, as I do believe that Bigfoot exists. 

But I think that my novellas are more in the vein of Women's Fiction novels, because I like to write about true-to-life dilemmas. 

So, I have my own real questions.  Such as, "Why do some women (and men) stay in situations or relationships that are truly hurting them?"  Also, "Why don't people realize that they get one life?  Why do they let the days pass by while they are in unhappy situations?" 

Sadly, I don't always get the answers to those questions.  I have tried to answer them in my own life, though.  I joined the Navy when I was 17.  I did a drastic thing to get away from a bad man.  I mustered the courage to heed the call of a voice telling me to introduce myself to a certain guy 12 years ago (he is currently spackling the baseboard in our hallway).  I was able to hold myself up and be strong for my daughter, who passed away years ago.  I became an awesome swimmer.  I went to college.  I started my own business (and closed it too).  I started writing fiction and self-published (I'll let you know how that goes). 

Truth be told, I wasn't alway successful in my ventures in...adventure, but I always tried.  I always got something out of that scary, unknown. 

I just hope that everyone else finds the courage to do that - to do the thing (whatever it is) that they want to do, but are terrified of. 

So...I'm sorry if I am not giving you answers on werewolves.  But if they did exist, I am pretty sure that they would have the same questions about life that we do.  I do hope that they find their answers though (and that you do too).


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

So What's Next?

Well, I'll tell you...

The final novella of The Wolves will be published this month...some time.  There will be two more full length novels, which will then close the series. 

So what else is in the works?

Well, as you may (or may not know) I have other books that are not of the paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy genres.  I am going to write in that vein (women's fiction) some more. 

But just in case you don't know, here is some background on The Song of the Sleeping Grass, my first book. 

 
Have you ever been so attuned to the woven strings of a relationship that you can tell the exact moment when one of those strings snap? Even when your loved one is hundreds of miles away and assures you that all is well? Such is the moment that opens the tale of Becky Medina, a 24 year old Army wife trying to keep the home fires burning in Pennsylvania while her husband is deployed to Iraq. Change is forced on her and she has to learn to live with the fact that a traumatic episode in her husband’s life has made him seek solace in the arms of another. Painfully breaking away from the life she was sure was forever, she has to start from scratch again back at her childhood home with her father. But when she decides to go on her long-postponed honeymoon to Scotland by herself, she finds comfort, passion and love in the arms of a sexy Scotsman who is in need of healing of his own and finds it in Becky.
 
On Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-song-of-the-sleeping-grass-cyndia-rios-myers/1029286320?ean=2940012032683

On Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Song-Sleeping-Grass-ebook/dp/B004I1L5JM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1363728425&sr=8-4&keywords=cyndia+rios-myers

On Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/83621

Thanks for stopping by!!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Monday, March 18, 2013

I'm Back!

Hello Folks!!

I hope that you are all doing well.

I am back to having a blog hosted here on Blogger as having a website was not as productive as I thought it would be.  Also, it is much easier to post on blogger. 

So what is new? 

I published the compendium of The Wolves and published that in August of 2012.  In December, I published Unveiled by the Wolf - Book Six of the Wolves.  Here at the links for those:


On Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Wolves-Books-thru-ebook/dp/B00A6B0SK0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363654370&sr=8-2&keywords=cyndia+rios-myers

On Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wolves-books-one-thru-five-cyndia-rios-myers/1113784303?ean=2940015859263

On Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/254457


And here is Unveiled by the Wolf: Book Six of the Wolves:

 
 

On Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Unveiled-Wolf-Book-Wolves-ebook/dp/B00AOMKS4M/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1363654723&sr=8-10&keywords=cyndia+rios-myers

On Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unveiled-by-the-wolf-book-six-of-the-wolves-cyndia-rios-myers/1113981259?ean=2940016081731

On Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/265830

In other news, book seven will be published this month!!!  More info to come soon. 


Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers