Today, I saw four, FOUR messages from Facebook buddies wondering if anyone cared about them. This stuns me because I can guarantee you, if you’re my reader, I care about you. And I believe many writers feel this way.

One of the many wonderful things about Romanceland, about the reading community, is writers and readers have a relationship. Writing is communication. Communication requires more than one person. Both people are important, are valued.

If you’re a reader, you have a connection with your favorite writers. A specific writer’s story speaks to you because you share some of the same soul. You understand the writer, perhaps better than anyone else, and she/he understands you.

If you’re a writer, you have a similar connection with your readers. You might not know everything about that reader. You might not know her or his name. But she/he ‘gets’ you. She/he realizes where you’re coming from. Since many of us are rather unusual (I’m certainly not normal – grins), that’s a very special thing.

Yes, I write for myself. But I only publish stories I think readers might like. Often I’m thinking of specific readers, readers who have contacted me in some way. I think to myself, ‘Jill or Elizabeth or Janet might like this story. I’ll publish this one.’ I usually don’t tell them I’m publishing the story for them because that puts quite a bit of pressure on these readers to like it but I AM thinking this.

I know, from the conversations I’ve been having with many of my writing buddies, that I’m not alone in this. They’re thinking of their readers also. This time of year, especially, we, writers, brainstorm, thinking of ideas to show our readers how important they are to us, to thank them.

Some writers host contests (this is why so many writers have contests in December). Some writers share bonus scenes in their newsletters. Some writers send holiday cards. I write and publish a short story set in my most popular series of that year.

This year, the story is Jumping Barrel, a FREE cyborg short story (if this story isn’t free at your favorite bookseller, please contact me). It is sweeter and shorter than the regular stories in the series because December is often busy for readers. This story isn’t a marketing ploy. I already have the first story in the series (Releasing Rage) available for free. It is a thank you, pure and simple, because I love and appreciate my readers.

You’re part of the reading community. You’re not alone. And yes, people care about you. Never doubt that.

Jumping Barrel

He requires an Expert. She needs a hero.

Barrel requires an Expert for the Tau Cetian orphans. He’s looking for a female who is willing to commit to a lifespan-long role, who is comfortable with moving off planet, and who, preferably, has the ability to speak the offsprings’ first language.

Nola wants the role Barrel is offering so badly she bends a few truths. Yes, she was born off planet but she has lived almost all of her lifespan in sheltered Academies. Yes, she has learned Tau Cetian but she has never spoken with a local. Yes, she plans to follow the rules but his deep, sexy voice tempts her to rebel.

When a fact-morphing human academic meets her battle-worn cyborg warrior, deceptions are revealed, passions flare, and circuits sizzle. Wrong seems right. Lies turn into truth. The candidate least qualified for the role becomes the one candidate Barrel can’t let go.

Jumping Barrel is a short companion story in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is meant to be read after Releasing Rage, Breathing Vapor and Crash And Burn.

It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Read it now for FREE

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Apple/iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/jumping-barrel/id1178813929
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-jumpingbarrel-2177045-168.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jumping-barrel-cynthia-sax/1125190786
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jumping-barrel

About Cynthia Sax

USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes SciFi, contemporary and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of erotic romance top ten lists.

Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter and visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com

Website:  CynthiaSax.com
Newsletter:   http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Facebook:  facebook.com/cynthia.sax
Twitter:  @CynthiaSax
Blog:  TasteOfCyn.com