Free E-Books on Amazon on Wednesday, February 19th AND Thursday, February 20th

Well, folks...sales on these books of mine (these great books) have been quite dull these past few months. With that in mind (and the wonderful advice I got at the SDSU Writer's Conference last month), I have decided to make them exclusive to Amazon for ninety days - maybe even longer.  

With that in mind, I thought that I would give you all information on my soon-to-be KDP exclusive books:

The Song of the Sleeping Grass is a women's fiction/romance novel.  It is about a woman named Becky Medina, who does everything right by her soldier husband.  She tends his home, loves him, and waits for him.  However, a traumatic event in battle caused her husband to see comfort in the arms of a female soldier.  The discovery of this devastates Becky, but she fights to save her marriage.  Unfortunately, it is a battle that this soldier's wife cannot win.  So, she painfully removes herself from the married life she built around her soon-to-be ex-husband and re-enters civilian and single life.  But before she fully reintegrates herself into her new world, she decides to go to Scotland on a long-postponed adventure, which is where she meets Robbie, an adventure guide who has some healing of his own to undergo.  Find out what happens next in:

The Song of the Sleeping Grass Amazon E-Book

Joppa Park is a women's fiction/suspense/romance novella about a probationary park ranger by the name of Kimberly Peters.  Kim is trying hard to make Joppa National Park's probationary job a permanent one.  However, her dual major in law enforcement and forestry is causing her a bit of turmoil, as the local police department has enlisted her expertise in finding a kidnapping/stalking subject (something she has experience with); her law enforcement work with the police department almost directly violates with the rules of being a park ranger.  She is warned that if she continues to pursue the case, that she might lose position at park (and the affection of a park ranger she has fallen in love with).  What will Kim win?  What will she lose?  Find out in:

Joppa Park Kindle E-Book

Summation of Love is a fiction/suspense/romance novella about two scientists: Dr. Samuel Turner and his assistant Laura Reynolds.  They travel around the country in a Winnebago, doing work for universities, conservancies, and cable TV shows. Their personalities complement each other quite well; Dr. Samuel Turner is a handsome, burly fellow who likes to stick to the rule books when it comes to research and projects; his assistant, Laura Reynolds is a beautiful (but socially inept) biologist who doesn't mind pushing the envelope a bit in order to find the truth among the known (and unknown) creatures that surround us. So what happens when two smart, very attractive people work together in a very small place for a long period of time? Well, you don't need to be a scientist or a biologist to figure that out! The conflict arises when things change between the scientists. One of the two is scared of change and the other is not. One of them wants to go after a Cryptozoological creature that has been dubbed the "Super Salamander" and the other does not. One of them wants something that the other one is terrified to give. Does the other party relent? Do they both miss out on love? Find out in:

Summation of Love Amazon E-Book

Nice Shootin', Tex! is a women's fiction/contemporary western/romance novel about Lauren McCoy - 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 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 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.  Find out what happens in:

Nice Shootin', Tex! Amazon E-Book

So, those are the books!  Please be sure to go to Amazon to download your free copies, and please, tell you friends!

An Alternate Ending to I Left My Heart in Old Town

Hi Folks!

The very wonderful Military Spouse Magazine has released part two of I Left My Heart in Old Town - the time travel/romance short story/novelette that I wrote.  I am so excited over that!

Here is the link for it: http://militaryspouse.com/articles/i-left-my-heart-in-old-town-part-2-(1)/

But guess what?...  I have an alternate ending in mind for the story. 

I know what you are thinking.  Why would I not just end the story in the way I wanted it to end?  Well, I'll tell you why.  The love of Sofia's life is...Lucas, her son.  He is the man that she would do anything for.  Like a good mom, she will do whatever she has to in order to make him as loved and as successful as possible. 

That being said...who did she love more?  Ted or Antonio?  Antonio.  She loved Antonio more.  He loved her with all of his heart, his being, and more importantly...his spirit.  She loved that Antonio loved God, and the church, and that he would revere his spirituality and her, no matter what. 

But what does that say about Ted?  What about poor Ted?  Well...Ted had been the love of her life, until she met Antonio.  Does that suck for Ted?  Yes.  No doubt.  But isn't that the truth of life?  Can we truly guarantee our love to someone...forever?  Can we guarantee that no one else will capture our hearts or our eyes forever?  I don't think we can.  I think that what we can guarantee is our own behavior. 

Sofia answered the call of duty to her son and to her vows, but not to her heart.  It came at a cost.  Was she sorry?  Yes.  She was sorry.  She found a measure of happiness with Ted again, but nothing like what they had pre-time travel.  Nothing like the love she harbored in her heart for Antonio. 

So, back to the alternate ending.  What if?  Do I have the right to change the story?  Darned right I do!  LOL.  I am the writer, after all. 

With that in mind, read on...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found myself walking back to Antonio's shop.  I don't know why.  My mind was telling me to go back to the square and back to the time where I'd made promises - lifelong promises.  Still, I stopped before the window of the leather shop and stared inside.

Antonio's strong hands were braced on his counter as he stared down at it.  His body shook as he cried so hard.  I began to cry, too.  I knew, then.  Softly, I knocked on the window.  He turned to face me and stared. 

An hour later, Antonio and I sat before Father Felix who was behind a large desk. 

"You look so distraught, Señora Sofia," he kindly said to me.

I opened my mouth to speak, but sobs came out.  Antonio fished a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to me.  I then realized that that was the third time he'd done that for me.  My heart swelled for him just a tiny bit more.

"Tell him," Antonio said.

"He's going to think that I'm crazy," I pleaded to him.

"I'm sure he's heard far worse, querida," Antonio sweetly said to me.

Dearest one, he'd called me.  I sighed and nodded.  I would be strong.  I then turned to Father Felix and told him everything.  Everything. 

Father Felix sighed and then nodded.  He leaned forward, drank some water, and then leaned back again. 

"Señor Antonio: do you believe her story?"

Antonio nodded and shifted on his seat.  "I do, Padre.  At first, I did not, but...she showed me proof."

"Might I...see this proof?"

Antonio shook his head slowly.  "I am sorry, father.  I cannot afford to risk her safety - nor that of Lucas."

I swallowed and sighed as I regarded Antonio.  He really was the most wonderful man I'd ever known.  

Father Felix nodded and turned to me.  "Okay, Señora Sofia.  I cannot say whether or not your story is true; however, I don't believe that is why you are here."

I nodded in agreement.

"I have a question for you.  What would you do if...your future husband would come here to claim you."

"But he can't," I said to him.

He raised a finger to me.  "But what if he did?"

I started crying again.  It was a good thing that I didn't have makeup on.  "I...I would apologize to my husband.  I would apologize to my son."

"Would you go back with him?"

I shook my head in small movements, so as to not be brazen about my choice. 

"Why are you here, Señora Sofia?"

I looked at Antonio for a moment and then back to Father Felix.

"I am here to announce my betrothal to Señor Antonio Juarez Miller."

With that, Antonio reached for my hand and squeezed it.  I looked at him and then interlaced my fingers with his.  In his eyes, I saw strength.  He'd hold me up whenever I felt guilt over my choice to stay behind, with him.  I knew that he'd protect me and my son, as he'd done so from the moment I first arrived to his time.  And I would protect his heart for the rest of our lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pictorial Accompaniment to I Left My Heart in Old Town - Part One

I had the wonderful privilege to publish a romantic short story called I Left My Heart in Old Town for the wonderful Military Spouse Magazine.  What is the story about?  It is about a Navy wife, who with her young son, travels to the San Diego of the 1850's - Old Town to be precise.  What does she find there?  You'll have to read I Left My Heart in Old Town - Part One to find out!

But in any case, I had the pleasure of driving down to Old Town to take pictures of it - (as it is today, obviously).  Hopefully this will get your curiosity of my story, and of Old Town, too, going:

Looks like great fun, doesn't it?  Be sure to visit the Old Town San Diego guide at Guide to Old Town San Diego for more information.  While you're at it, visit Military Spouse Magazine for more great stories about military life - and some good fiction, too!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Becky Campbell, Or Someone Like Her, Shops Here

Oh, the military commissary.  Oh, the military life!  My first book was called The Song of the Sleeping Grass, which was about a dutiful and loving military wife who was dumped by her husband for a female soldier.  It has happened.  I've seen it happen.  It is tragic for a military wife, I think.  Not only does she have her love life torn away from her, her home is taken away (if she lives in military housing), her shopping places have to change (if she shops on base), her friends are gone, and sometimes even her state is taken from her. 

That is what happened to Becky Campbell in Song.  Her ending is far different from her beginning, fortunately, but still, her pain bears witness as it is a pain that has been shared by many former military wives - just like the one who inspired the story. 

In any case, here are scenes from a commissary shopping trip:

Me waiting in line to pay.  The roast chicken in my basket ($6.99) is the best ever.  The eggs are cheaper at Albertson's though.  The burger buns and yogurt are cheaper at the commissary.  And no, I am never tempted by the aisle offerings by the waiting line. 

Supermarket to the military, and retirees as well as some DOD civilians.  Great deals here.  I would hate it if the commissary went away.

Some of my favorite aisles are featured that way. 

If you are out there, "Becky", know that this military wife sympathizes with you and has not forgotten you.