Cynthia Sax's Blog
September 24, 2025
Throwback Thursday – Raw Desires
Raw Desires is a true enemies-to-lovers romance. Taytu, the heroine, is sincerely trying to kill Raw, the hero.
But he’s a cyborg and his kind are extremely hard to kill.
Taytu is also his genetic match. And he is greatly enjoying their courting.
(grins)
Raw Desires
His human female is attempting to kill him.
This cyborg finds that adorable.
Raw, a K model cyborg, is one of the lucky warriors who has located his genetic match. He hears his human female’s voice over the communication lines and immediately processes she is his.
Winning her affections will be a greater challenge. Battle has always been Raw’s focus. The rough-and-tough warrior has no idea how to engage anyone’s tender emotions.
Fortunately, he isn’t alone in the universe. His unmatched male friends help him craft a plan.
All Raw has to do is relay a few unsettlingly sweet words to his female and give her the thoroughly unfunctional wall decoration he has obtained. He projects she will then jump into his big, strong arms and beg him to claim her.
Taytu isn’t jumping anywhere. She has one mission—kill every cyborg in existence.
The huge, handsome male traveling to meet with her is her first target. His rough hands, firm lips, and sparkling, energy-infused eyes won’t save him from her vengeance. She has trained vigorously for this moment, and she won’t fail at her assigned task.
The cyborg will die.
Raw Desires is an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
Buy Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0BFG8W5JM
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/raw-desires/id6443413750
Assassin’s Haiku Featured On Veronica Scott’s Awesome New Releases Post
Assassin’s Haiku, my rerelease of a beloved Dystopian Romance, has been featured on Veronica Scott’s excellent SciFi/Romantasy/Paranormal Romance New Release Post!
Woot!
This weekly post is a must read for those of us who love these types of stories.
I find so many new-to-me authors and stories through it.
You can read the post here
Assassin’s Haiku
C.S. Sax
Twice a week, every week, Haiku sits beside Dante in the dimly-lit underground poetry bar. As they listen to the poets read, she basks in the warmth of her genetically-enhanced assassin’s body, and longs for the smack of large, leather-clad hands against bare skin. No other male, human or otherwise, makes her tremble like Dante can with one dark look.
Her heart, body and soul are his, if only he’d ask.
Dante won’t ask, because he knows a killer doesn’t deserve love. Instead, he sits in silent torment, watching Haiku, wanting Haiku, yet unable to touch her.
She is poetry and light, embodying all that he fights for, and when Agency operatives attack the bar, putting Haiku in danger, he must protect her. He takes her to the safest place on the planet, his underground bunker, and then realizes he has made a deadly mistake.
Haiku may now be safe, but Dante’s heart has been put in jeopardy.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/assassins-haiku/id6751852667
September 23, 2025
Storing And Reusing Potting Soil
Potting/container soil can be quite costly. It is also bulky and an all around pain in the a$$ to buy.
The good news is…
Soil can be reused! For years!
I have two main ‘rules’ regarding container soil.
Soil that goes outside stays outside. There are a gazillion microbes and insects and insect eggs in healthy soil. You don’t want to bring those little creatures inside your home.
And
If the plants grown in it were diseased or pest-attacked or stunted in any way, that soil isn’t directly reused. It is either put in the compost bin for a refresh or I’ll use it to build up the ground in non-vegetable-growing areas.
All other soil is stored over the winter and reused the next year.
Last year I stored the outside soil in a huge cardboard box. Which would have worked well except…squirrels. They decided there must be something awesome in the box and clawed it to bits. (shakes head) The box barely held together.
This year, I saved the bags from any soil we purchased. These bags are extremely thick. I plan to close them with rubber/elastic bands and store them under the deck. And…I’ll hope for the best.
Many gardeners store their soil in the containers they used for growing or they use plastic totes/bins or garbage bins. Some even use old kiddie pools with a tarp placed over them.
The next year, I’ll ‘refresh’ the soil with a little bit of compost before I reuse it.
And I’m good to go. I’ve saved money, time AND hassle.
(smiles)
Assassin’s Haiku: A Dystopian Romance From C.S. Sax Is ReReleased
Assassin’s Haiku is one of my favorite early stories. It features a genetically enhanced assassin hero and a very human poet heroine.
I republished Assassin’s Haiku because I really wanted it out there in the world. It is SUCH a good story.
And I republished it under the C.S. Sax name because it isn’t technically SciFi Romance (or Contemporary Romance).
But I think reading buddies who enjoyed Breathing Vapor (or Releasing Rage) will likely enjoy Assassin’s Haiku.
Assassin’s Haiku
C.S. Sax
Twice a week, every week, Haiku sits beside Dante in the dimly-lit underground poetry bar. As they listen to the poets read, she basks in the warmth of her genetically-enhanced assassin’s body, and longs for the smack of large, leather-clad hands against bare skin. No other male, human or otherwise, makes her tremble like Dante can with one dark look.
Her heart, body and soul are his, if only he’d ask.
Dante won’t ask, because he knows a killer doesn’t deserve love. Instead, he sits in silent torment, watching Haiku, wanting Haiku, yet unable to touch her.
She is poetry and light, embodying all that he fights for, and when Agency operatives attack the bar, putting Haiku in danger, he must protect her. He takes her to the safest place on the planet, his underground bunker, and then realizes he has made a deadly mistake.
Haiku may now be safe, but Dante’s heart has been put in jeopardy.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/Assassins-Haiku-Dystopian-C-S-Sax-ebook/dp/B0FN314X65
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/assassins-haiku/id6751852667
September 22, 2025
Visiting A Botanical Garden In Akureyri, Iceland
Akureyri, Iceland is a fairly small and extremely walkable town.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spent a good portion of our time there exploring the Botanical Gardens, which are absolutely gorgeous.
There were so many flowers and many were bright colors like vivid purples or deep blues. The bees were buzzing. The birds were singing.
There were displays of older farming equipment like tractors placed throughout the gardens. And charming little buildings.
It is well worth a visit.
September 21, 2025
Muse Food – Cats, Butterflies And Being Hunted
The heroine is exploring a wild, nature-filled alien planet.
The tall grasses bend, moving against the wind. A twig snaps.
She’s being hunted.
She raises her gun, waiting, waiting, waiting.
A cute little kitten (or a butterfly or a bunny) emerges from the vegetation.
This creature purrs. He is small and he looks so soft.
Our heroine lets down her guard, not knowing she is encountering the most dangerous creature in the universe.
We expect hunters to LOOK like hunters. They are bigger, scarier, with sharp teeth or claws.
A cute harmless-looking yet extremely deadly threat would be a twist many readers (and characters) wouldn’t see coming.
(smiles)
September 20, 2025
Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – September 21
I continue to work on my secret writing project. (smiles) I suspect I’ll be working on it at the very least until the end of the year. I also suspect I won’t release any of the parts of these writing project until 2026. Because my pre-order abilities have been revoked for most of 2025.
(shrugs)
It is what it is. I have no issues with saving up stories now to release them in the future.
Have a wonderful week, my friends. (big hugs) Treat yourself to a new-to-you pen. One that flows beautifully, that looks cheerful and happy, that you find joy in holding and using. It will change your day for the better. (smiles)
Taking Vengeance
The only force stronger than their hate is their love.
Vengeance hates all humans. They killed every being he ever cared about. When the huge C Model cyborg is told he’s genetically compatible with the enemy, he makes it his mission to capture the female and use her to expel all humans from his home planet. That should be disappointingly easy. She’s a weak, fragile human.
Then she blows up his ship, blasting to bits his preconceived notions about the enemy.
Astrid, aka the Buoir Berserker, hates all cyborgs. They killed her entire clan, including her baby sister. The warrior female has vowed to hunt down and destroy the enemy. When a savage cyborg arrogantly puts his hard, sexy body within her reach, she does the only thing a female can do—she peppers his muscular physique with projectiles.
The more passionately they fight, the stronger their attraction becomes. Neither of them will relent on their missions, yet they can’t keep their hands off each other. Their battle will either end in love to last an eternity or in death.
Taking Vengeance is a STAND-ALONE story.
It is also an enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, often violent universe.
Order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Vengeance-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B079YGMLD2
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taking-Vengeance-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B079YGMLD2
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Taking-Vengeance-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B079YGMLD2
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/taking-vengeance/id1352770472
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/taking-vengeance-1
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/794862
September 19, 2025
Back To School Backpacks
One of the things the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I do every year is donate at least one new backpack to the Little Free Library.
Sometimes we receive these backpacks from companies as schwag or some other giveaway. Sometimes we buy the backpack.
Then we leave it, with a sign ‘Free To A Good Home’ attached to it, before 3pm on a school day at the Little Free Library closest to the nearest primary school. Kids get out shortly after that time. And the backpack is always picked up the first day by someone.
One year, I was fortunate to see the kid who picked up the backpack. The little boy had a clearly done-at-home haircut. His clothes were worn yet clean. He was carrying his books and papers in his hands.
Yes, folks, he didn’t have ANYTHING to carry his books in.
His female guardian (likely his Mom) saw the backpack first. The relief on her face was palpable. She gave it to the boy.
The boy cheered, lifting it above his head like it was a trophy he’d won.
Children like this boy is why we donate these backpacks. We changed two lives that day. And that was so simple and easy to do.
(smiles)
September 18, 2025
The Other Boleyn Girl And Fanfiction
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about The Other Boleyn Girl and it WILL contain spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this awesome fanfiction-based movie, you might wish to skip this post.
Every so often, there will be a debate in writing communities about whether or not fanfiction is a valid type of writing.
The Other Boleyn Girl, the movie, based on the book by Philippa Gregory, is definitely fanfiction.
The names of the characters are real. Certain things like Anne Boleyn marrying King Henry VIII and then being beheaded are historical facts.
Most of the rest of it is completely made up.
Heck, even the birth order of Mary and Anne Boleyn has been fabricated.
Mary, in the movie and in the book, resisted becoming the mistress of the King Of England, as another example. She didn’t want to cheat on her husband.
According to many historians, in reality, she was the mistress of the King Of France before she was the mistress of the King Of England. And her first husband was aware of that before he married her.
So I doubt there was much resisting happening.
I KNOW The Other Boleyn Girl is fanfiction.
I KNOW it has very little historical content.
Yet I still very much enjoy the movie.
It has an amazing cast (Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas, Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, and more). The costumes are gorgeous. The story is entertaining.
It works for me as a movie.
Fanfiction is a valid form of writing (as long as you observe copyright).
Don’t let anyone tell you any differently.
September 17, 2025
Throwback Thursday – Grin And Bare Him
Cyborgs were manufactured to be warriors. And that’s it.
A society can’t survive with just warriors. Beings with other skills are needed.
Fortunately, some cyborgs operate ‘out-of-spec.’
Grin is one such cyborg. He’s the equivalent of a space architect. He designs structures.
His heroine, however, doesn’t require a space architect right now. She requires a warrior. Desperately.
And that’s who Grin will try to be for her.
Grin And Bare Him
This cyborg will be the warrior his female requires.
Cyborgs are manufactured to fight.
Almost all of the half organic, half mechanical warriors enjoy battle. Tremendously.
Grin, a K model, is one of the rare exceptions. When he escaped his cruel creators, he set down his weapons and allocated his processors to less-violent pursuits. He projects he’s left his war-waging planet rotations behind him forever.
Then he meets his beautiful, beguiling female—the one being he’s destined to protect, claim, love for all eternity—and his plans for peace are completely decimated.
Mohini needs a ship.
She has a dangerous mission to complete, and the first step in that assignment is arranging transport to an enemy-controlled planet. The vessel she has set her sights on is guarded by the sexiest cyborg she’s ever seen.
To gain access to his ship, Mohini is prepared to kiss, caress, and seduce the muscular male. The mission is her focus. The pleasure she experiences will merely be a bonus.
A female has to do what a female has to do to save the universe.
Grin And Bare Him is a Fake-Mate Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a humanoid female undertaking a dangerous mission, a cyborg intent on keeping her alive, and an enemy who has no idea what they will soon unleash.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09ZCWMSDV
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/grin-and-bare-him/id1622100495
