Writing 'The End.'

It's always satisfying to write those words on the first draft of a novel! The shelter-in-place order we're living under is a mixed blessing for me. Yes, we can't go out unless for essentials, but it also allowed me plenty of time to write. Appropriately enough for Shakespeare's birthday, a volume of his works features prominently in the new story.

Life in the Time of Coronavirus

This isn't the most regular of blogs. I see the last post I wrote here was three years ago. Ouch! So, I'll try to update at least every week or so from now on.

The Corvid-19 pandemic afflicting the world is a mixed blessing to writers and artists. Many people are finding the enforced quarantine and restricted movement a burden, for which I sympathise. Not being the most extroverted of people I'm tolerating the isolation better than most. It allows me a bit more time to work on manuscripts without distractions, and even time to create a blog post now and again. I'll also have a nice piece of news to share later regarding a new book series, but more of that anon.

In the meantime, I hope everyone stays safe. Hunker down, observe the measures against the pandemic, and see you on the other side.

Strange Tides - Out now at eXtasy Books!

Cover art by Valerie Tibbs.

A journalist, an islander, and an aviatrix set out on a mysterious quest…and end up saving the world.

The South Pacific, 1937...

When journalist Lynne LaRoche gets mixed up in a bar fight she plunges into an age-old mystery. Sexy islander Sinful Patrice and his sexy black partner, aviatrix Jessie Willard, have trouble on their hands from a trio of hoodlums. Lynne intervenes - and they embrace her in a ménage-a-troi, as a way to thank her.

Togther they set out on an adventure to seek Patrice’s inheritance on a volcanic island and run across a corrupt gendarme and an evil priest who conspire to take over the world. Only Lynne, with the help of Patrice and Jessie, can stop them.

Strange Tides - Out now!
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Read Lynne's earlier adventure, Awake in the Sun, in the Sizzling Summer Shorts from eXtasy Books!

Wake Island, the Pacific Ocean, 1937.

Liberated journalist Lynne LaRoche helps her new lover to trap the killer on his tail. When the Navy gets involved in the shape of rugged Lieutenant Greely, the heat level rises!

eXtasy Books Summer Sale!

#extasybookssale

EPIC Ariana Cover Art Award finalist!

I'm incredibly pleased to announce Martine Jardin, the talented artist who created the cover for Rebel Hearts, is in the Historical Covers finals for the EPIC Ariana eBook Cover Art Award!

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Martin's wonderful cover is shown above. I wish her every success in the finals! In the meantime, here's the blurb for 

Rebel Hearts.

When her father dies, Charlotte Pelham faces poverty—then her former lover, Robert Beckwith, walks back into her life, seeking to make amends. Together they set out to discover Charlotte’s legacy, following a trail that will lead them on a dangerous journey from England to the New World—and a rekindling of their love. Can their love and faith in each other survive the dangers of war and the deadly enmity of a powerful man?

Buy the book here!

My apologies for the long absence in posting here, but I've been rather busy with an exciting new development.

The Hetzenberg Chronicles has been accepted by Summerhouse Publishing for worldwide release in eformat!

Not only that, as seen above, the cover art for the first volume of the Chronicles, Prelude to War gets a spiffy new makeover! The original version is still available through Amazon subsidiary CreateSpace.

The second volume, The Heat of Battle is now going through pre-production and will appear in print sometime this spring.

Meanwhile, the adventures of Mary Amadeus et al will continue here as I find time.

Watch this space!

The print version of
the Hetzenberg Chronicles, vol 1: Prelude to War
will be on sale from tomorrow!

The Collector Series!

Available at Loose Id Books.

See all nine titles here!

The Hetzenberg Chronicles is a thrilling tale of adventure and derring-do in an imaginary 18th century Europe. Read how a far from innocent novice nun and her companion are swept up in events beyond their control as two nations prepare to go to war! The first chapter starts here...

Loving Who, the latest novel from Cynthíanna is out now!

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How many alien assassins tracking her down does one fangirl need?

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LOVING WHO by Cynthianna

Rated: 2 Quills

Length: Novel

Price: 5.99ISBN: 1-60180-075-4

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The man...the magic...the movie? Screwball romantic-comedy meets the world of Doctor Who fandom. Cici Connor's life will never be the same when she takes John Smith, a mysterious Brit, into her bed and her life begins to change... possibly for the better. After all, how many alien assassins tracking her does one girl need?

An Excerpt from Loving Who:

That's how it all began. A week later, 'John Smith' sat next to me on my slate-blue sofa with a bowl of microwave popcorn balanced on his lap. His eyes seemed glued to the TV screen as if it was the most wonderful invention to come to St. Louis since the introduction of microwaveable toasted ravioli.

“The crazy things that bloke gets up to,” he murmured as the credits began to roll on the third episode of the latest series. “Quite unbelievable at times.”

I laughed. “That's why it's called science fiction. It sure the heck isn't science fact.”

Suddenly those big brown eyes of his bore into mine. “You enjoy studying the sciences, don't you?”

I swallowed hard. How did he know? I nodded automatically. “Yeah, sure I do. I didn't get a chance to study any science in depth in college, but I've always had a layperson's fascination with all things astronomical.”

“Yes, I noticed your Amateur Astronomer certificate on the wall when we came in. It hangs beside the bookshelf containing an astrolabe, a year's worth of Sky and Telescope, and the hardback edition of Stephen Hawking's' A Complete History of Time.”

Whoa. This John Smith was much more observant that I had credited him. Here I thought for the last three hours he'd been simply enjoying my TiVoed episodes of Doctor Who. Instead, he'd been scoping out my apartment.

“You know what an astrolabe is?” I wondered aloud. Most of my friends had mistaken it for an unsually shaped, miniature telescope.

He frowned, puzzled. “Of course I know what an astrolabe is.”

A chill raced down my spine. Perhaps bringing this handsome stranger home hadn't been such a good idea after all…

“Is your fascination with the heavens why you've become such a fanatic over a television program about a time traveler?” he asked.

I blinked, but still I found myself glued to the spot. “Partly. Mostly it's pure escapism for me. I have to have something in life that will rescue me from this dreary existence occasionally. Doctor Who is a godsend.”

“Even when it went off the air for a decade?”

“Even then. There were the books, the conventions, the awful TV movie and the fans. The fans are the best. I've met a lot of lovely Doctor Who fans over the years. They've cheered me up enormously when I was down and out between jobs and husbands. When Southwestern Bell transferred me here from Dallas I didn't know a soul, but the local fans soon became my family. I'm not alone in the universe as long as I know there are others out there who like the same thing I do.”

“Hmm.” He scratched his chin thoughtfully. He seemed to be seriously contemplating my heartfelt disclosure. “Then why do you frequent dodgy establishments such as the place I found you in earlier today?”

I blushed and averted my gaze. It was time to spill the beans, to let him in on the underlying motivation for bringing him back to my place. I suddenly felt ashamed of my actions. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.
“Cici? Is there something you'd like to tell me?”

His voice sounded soft, yet demanding. He placed a hand under my chin and tilted my face until his penetrating eyes meet mine once more. My heart began to race and my breathing became ragged. His prying eyes continued to probe the depths of my soul. Every fiber of my being burned with a desire to make a clean start of our relationship.

“Okay, you caught me,” I confessed with a sigh. “We need you to star in our fan film. You're a dead ringer for the Doctor. My plan involved kidnapping and seducing you, forcing you to stay in town for a while so we could film our friend Sammy's screenplay. He's terminally ill. We want him to see his movie idea made before he passes on. That's all. I promise.

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Loving Who… available now at Mojocastle Press:
http://www.mojocastle.com/celine/lovingwho.html

Cynthianna
http://www.cynthianna.com/
Boldly going where no one genre has gone before!

Check out my comic strips On the plus side here!

My new website is now up and running. Visit it Here.

I read an article recently where women complained about the bad habits the men in their life have.

Excuse me? Men have awful habits? What about women? They’re constantly looking in the mirror, or adjusting their thong or bra straps, often in public places! They insist on navigating in the car but a map may as well be in Egyptian hieroglyphics for all the sense they make of it! (And some of us guys are capable of asking for directions, thank you very much!).

They say, “Do I look fat in this outfit?” And even if they do look like an orca, you have to lie and tell them, “Of course not, darling! You look like a svelte model.”
Handbags? Black holes! I know what’s in my pockets, but there are things in a woman’s handbag that have probably been lurking there since first grade! Henry Morton Stanley explored some of the remotest parts of the world, but he’d blanch if asked to delve in one of those things!

Do the towels in the bathroom really have to be color-coordinated with the curtains?
And what is it with buying these fancy cosmetics with ginseng, aloe vera and so on? That's food! In times past people wouldn’t have put the stuff on their bodies - they’d have thrown it in the skillet and cooked it!

And if I do, just occasionally, want a burger and fries without salad, I can do without an hour-long lecture on the perils of cholesterol!
Well, I’ve ranted long enough about these annoying little habits of women… Does your significant other have any “little habits” they drive you up the wall? Post them here and share them with the rest of the world–embarrass your mate to give them up!

The entire Collector series is now available at Fictionwise! Find it here.

My CaféPress store is open for business! Check here for a range of sexy goods...

I've submitted a new novel to Liquid Silver Books. It's an historical romance set in the closing year of the Revolutionary War, and is something of a departure for me.

Loose Id Summer Sale!

5% Off Selected Titles until 17th September!

Check out the entire Collector Series here!

And the Collector Series Grant Tour winner is..!

Mary Anne Williams of Ithaca, NY!

Congratulations, Mary Anne! The Grand Tour prizes are winging your way!

Work in Progress...

My historical novel is currently in the hands of my esteemed critique partners. To keep myself out of trouble I'm currently working on revising a time-travel/paranormal novel.

A big thank you to all who entered The Collector Series Grand Tour contest! The results and winner will be announced shortly.

The Collector Grand Tour Contest is now Closed!


We've had an excellent response and some interesting answers! A winner will be announced shortly...