Category: SamSkyborne_Blog

  • Book review: Blake Crouch “Dark Matter”


    Blake Crouch "Dark Matter"

    My thoughts:

    I really enjoyed the concept of this book and it has fuelled my imagination no end and I sometimes wish I had written this book. However, I do not envy the author for having to struggling with the conundrums and complexities this concept must have presented. A fantastic intellectual and emotional challenge I suspect.
    The only down side, if there could be a down side to such a wonderful book, I would say was the ending. But then, how does one deal with the problem of infinity nice and neatly in the final pages of a novel?

    << Click the image to get your copy.

     

  • 2017 Round-up

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    2017 has been another exciting year for Sam Skyborne. My adventures include:

    1. Hosting and reading on an LFEST Author Panel
    2. Participating in two book readings at Sappho International Women’s Festival in Lesbos.
    3. Attending the marvellous Caro’s Camping weekend in Dorset.
    4. Going on research trips to:a) Maldives – for a romance series I am working on.
      b) South Africa – to fill in the gaps of my memories of Cape Town for my current novel a thriller called Alice (working title).
    5. Taking a couple of trips and retreats to the South West that really helped me hit some key deadlines.

    The highlight of my year was to finally publish RISK: Three Crime-fighting Women Risk All for Love, Lust and Justice. This project has been in my WIP box or buried in my drawer for a few years now. So, it felt particularly good to finally set it free to be all it can be. I’m very proud to say that so far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you to all my readers and to my wonderful close circle of supporters on this journey!

    In addition, I have also published, “Saying Sorry” and “Cat Sitting” as short story & short film combos. This was an experimental endeavour, which I think has also worked very well – once I helped my readers realise that they were getting a bargain, in the form of a book and film in one package — something that has not really been done before.

    I’m really pleased to say that the first draft of my next story, the thriller called Alice (working title) has been completed and I am now steadily working my way through the rewrite. I always find this draft the hardest, since it requires one to be cautious and critical of one’s own writing and to be bold and adventurous in equal measure.

    Alice is the story of a young ingenious woman who accompanies her patriarchal husband and his ageing mother to South Africa from the United Kingdom. While in South Africa, the beautiful environment and the situations she finds herself in, collude to present her with a life changing decision:

    a) Return to the UK to resume the safe secure life she knows with a husband who is somewhat flawed but who provides for her and, more importantly, to an identity and life purpose that is already set in stone…

    or

    b) Stay in South Africa and start from scratch, reinvent herself, alone, unprotected, in this beautiful but wild and sometimes scary world…

    Please sign up to my mailing list here (http://DukeBox.life/subscribe) for updates on Alice’s publication date and to hear about other exciting promotions and author readings that I have coming up in 2018.

    And finally…

    A very big THANK YOU to all my readers and everyone who helped, supported and contributed to making 2017 such a wonderful year! May 2018 be even better, with more fun, laughter and wild adventures all round.

    Wishing you a Happy New Year – and enjoy your reading!

  • Book review: Philip Pullman’s La Belle Sauvage


    Philip Pullman's La Bell Sauvage

    My thoughts:

    I loved the “Dark Materials” trilogy and was super excited when I discovered here was another opportunity to meet up with Lyra and go on adventures in her fantastical world of daemons and dust. This prequel did not disappoint. It is certainly another, hugely imaginative, awe inspiring, action packed quest to save the magical child set in Oxford, England.
    Personally, I would have liked to have known more about some of the characters, especially the more mystical ones. The baddie, in particular, was an intriguing, very sinister character that certainly captured my imagination. However, I would have liked to know more about him. What made him the way he was? And, I would have liked to understand his motivation for pursuing the main characters, a bit more fully.

    << Click the image to get your copy.

     

  • Merry Christmas!! – Gift for You!

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    So…

    I have written a short little fic distantly related to the Toni Mendez (RISK) universe called “Stakeout”.
    It’s a steamy little dream Toni had about her long term friend and occasional colleague, Lizbeth, one night on a stakeout and what happened afterwards during the early days of her realising her own feelings…. There is no hiding from one’s own unconscious!

    Not only because it’s Christmas… but it is a small token of my gratitude to you all for your kindness and support.

    Thank you!



  • Free “RISK” Sample now available

    I am very pleased to say I finally managed to get a sample sorted of RISK!!

    You can get the details of how to download it below.

    Happy reading!!

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    RISK – Free Sample!

    Three Crime-fighting Women RISK All for Love, Lust and Justice

    A Lesbian Crime Thriller & Romance!

    For Adults ONLY!

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    Hot new crime thriller – A gripping, racy page-turner, starring three strong, sexy female protagonists on the hunt for a psychotic killer.

    “In the dark domains of crime, lust and love – innocence and guilt mix like blood and water. Will Toni RISK it all to catch the psychotic killer?”

    Toni Mendez, an ex-cop turned private investigator in London, takes on a case to find the truth behind the violent murder of the young wife of a successful entrepreneur, Lucille Ransom-Evans. Little did she know that this case would bring to her door Maxine Bennett, a feisty, opinionated, American detective, on the hunt for a serial killer.

    Maxine not only infiltrates Toni’s working life presenting a sore reminder of a profession she once loved, she also invades her private life by seducing her best friend, Lizbeth Du Cannon. As the investigation continues, Toni is immersed more and more, both professionally and privately, into a subculture she knew only from a distance – the LGBTQ+ world. She is forced to reassess everything she thought she knew about herself and the foundations of her long-term friendship with Lizbeth.

    Get your Sample here:



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    “A complete thrill!” – Melonie
    “Don’t read on the Tube! – TOO HOT” – Rosie
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    “A gripping and sexy page turner” – Patty
    “Great sex!” – Jane
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    “A new depiction of our world. I like it!” – Jake
    “I like the combination of crime and sizzler!” – Pepe

    Or Buy NOW:

    Large Print Copy of RISK

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    More Reader Reviews

    Note: If you too enjoyed the book, please let me know!! And join my VIP mailing list to be notified about any new releases.

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    Loved it!

    “It is 2am. I’ve just finished this book. I picked it up last night at 9 thinking I’d read a few pages. Now I am buzzing! 😉 Loved it. Loved the fact that it was sexy and also engaged my brain in a good story.” – Jacky

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    A really good read

    “I really enjoyed everything about this book. The characters are excellent & you really feel you get to know them and can relate to them. There are lots of twists & turns along the way which you don’t see coming & which keep you turning pages. RISK cleverly combines crime, romance, and some brilliantly written sex-scenes, and is a great read from start to finish. I really appreciate the fact this book has a real story line and plot, and that the additional romance within its pages just happens to be between women. Definitely recommended.” – Lily

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    A thoroughly enjoyable read

    “Risk is a fast – paced, exciting book with a host of interesting and relatable characters and a lot of hot intimate scenes! I read the whole book in one sitting and was kept guessing right up until the end. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates good crime writing and strong female characters!” – Elly

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    Stimulating Page turner

    “Not your usual detective novel, yes it has a crime, intrigue but this book offers more, much more.
    The sexual tension between the detectives is well,…. Very tense.
    This is a gripping page turner in every sense of the word, both for plot and characterisation.
    Yes it deals with lesbian relationships which are often fraught. But it is not your usual shallow lesbian novel, this spreads it’s wings further, it captures your imagination and draws you in.
    This book is definitely a Risk worth taking”
    – Gery

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    FIVE STARS for another great read from Sam Skyborne

    “Bought this from the author at #LFest and I couldn’t put it down!!! It’s a brilliant read – I’ve been waiting for another story from Sam Skyborne and RISK doesn’t disappoint. It’s a real page-turner: a great story, fast moving with lots to it as well as three strong – and sexy – female leads. Now all we need is a follow up, please!” – Ally

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    Fun Sexy Read!

    “I really enjoyed this book. I hate to sound cliche but….I had a hard time putting it down. The crime aspect is well thought out and kept me engrossed and to be blunt…it is sexy as hell (and that really kept me engrossed). The squirming sexual “awakening” of Toni was fun to follow. I don’t like reviews that give away the entire plot so suffice to say….I really enjoyed it, it was a fun read, and I recommend it!” – Musiclover

    As indie authors it is very hard to spread the word about the books we have spent time and toil creating for our readers. Please help us by telling others whom you think might be interested in RISK about it.

     

  • Supernatural Book Readings… Book readings boring? Ha.. watch this.

    So.. some of you might have heard of the odd book reading or two.. and let’s be honest mostly they can be rather dull… but not always. Here is a clip taken of one of my readings in Skala Eressos in September during the Sappho International Women’s Festival.

    Get your copy here: Simulation: The Dawn of a Superhero my futuristic lesbian sci-fi fantasy.

    If you’d like to receive notification of my new posts or new book/film releases and promotions, please add your details here to my private mailing list.

    And see the right side column for some of my other books. 🙂

  • “Cat Sitting” Story/film COMBO on Promotion! NOW – until 30th Nov 2017

    Twinkles Diva

    Twinkles is very pleased to announce that we are currently running a special promotion of “Cat Sitting” the short story and short film combo box, wherein she is undoubtedly the DIVA. 💅🏻

    Be sure to get your eBook or Paperback copy from Cat Sitting on Amazon SOON. The promotion ends on Thursday the 30th November 2017.

    What do you think? Does Twinkles’s performance is worthy of her DIVA status?

    📌 Also check out the right side 👉🏻 column for some of my novels 📚.

  • Holiday Snaps – Hookey and me (Follow on from Holiday Romance)

    As so often happens with holiday romance stories… sometimes one can get carried away. 🙄 “He”/”she”, who seemed like “Prince/ss Charming” at the time, turns out to be a real toad as time goes by and they forget to text or write or message….

    So, just to prove that I was not making it up, I thought I’d post two lovely holiday snaps of my tall dark handsome stranger.

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    Needless to say he has not texted or written or messaged .. 😔 .. but with climate change he has promised to come visit.
    If you’d like to receive notification 📧 of my new posts or book/film releases and promotions 💫🎉 , please add your details here to my private mailing list >>

    Check out the right side 👉🏻 column for some of my novels 📚.

    *** Other NEWS: Promos ***

    I am running a special promo for “Simulation”, “Cat Sitting” and “Saying Sorry” during the next two weeks on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Find out more here >>

  • Whaleshark – Holiday Romance

    It is a true story, even though the telling of it is creative…

    Whaleshark Snorkelling Holiday Romance
    Sometimes reality is better than fiction. That is me in the picture!

    He was a tall (2.5 meter long) dark stranger. We met one morning in late September just off the shore of a beautiful tropical island. I can honestly say, for me, it was love at first sight.

    As often happens in these situations, when they sneak up on you, I was not looking at my best. I was wearing an ill-fitting bikini which was clinging a little too snugly across the bulges that had come to rest on my midriff during the recent over indulgent summer holiday. To add to the ensemble, I had a red over sized life-jacket tightly strapped over the top making me look like a beached baby whale in a corset. I had patiently waited my turn to take the plunge off of the twelve foot luxury yacht that had brought us out for our morning snorkel excursion. When it came to it I tried, but I suspect failed, not to plop too inelegantly into the azure water.

    I was still catching my breath from the shock of submerging my small rotund self in the chilled salt water, bobbing uncontrollably like a buoy, when he glided up next to me, catching me by surprise. In contrast to my frenetic splutters and splashes, his large, lithe form was confidently languid, moving with effortless grace. His wise but little eyes gave me the once-over and then with an imperceptible nod he invited me on a tour of his world. Yes, he invited me, or so it felt, even though there was a whole gaggle of snorkelers clambering over each other (literally swimming over one another, fighting, flapping fins in faces) to get closer to him.

    Very, very calmly and considerately he took the lead, gently guiding our path. Like a true gentleman, he’d slow down when I could not keep up, or I got water in the spout, or I steamed up my goggles. Once I’d caught my breath or he thought I might be getting bored, he’d speed up again, alternating in just the right proportions between diving down, swimming deeper to show me interesting things on the ocean floor, and surfacing to snuggle in closer for a more intimate exchange. Together we danced an intoxicating dance through the cobalt blue of the Indian Ocean and for three short hours I felt like the queen at the prom and he was my king.

    Then, when it was over and my ride was ready to leave, I thanked him and blew him a kiss. Like the mysterious tall dark stranger he is, he nodded, bid me farewell “until we meet again” and disappeared off into the deep blue distance.

    And we, Hooky and I, will meet again. I’m sure of it.

    It was a brief but awesome encounter – the type that will feed fantasies for a lifetime.

    If you’d like to receive notification of my new posts or new book/film releases and promotions, please add your details here to my private mailing list.>>

  • Why L.E.S Combos?

    I have been asked quite frequently why I decided to create the Lesbian Erotic Stories COMBO Collection. Why did I feel the need to rewrite the stories of already great little short films?

    Well, the answer is this. These films, like many others, not least a number of lesbian films, have been subjected to the “kiss CUT TO: The morning after” syndrome.

    There are many reasons for this I am sure. I suspect is because:-
    1) Writing sex scenes is rather difficult. I certainly am only just learning and starting to experiment with how to do it. Filming a good sex scene is even harder.
    2) Filming sex scenes is often prohibitively expensive and certainly not often viable for a short film.
    3) By leaving it blank the writer or filmmaker opts out of taking any stand. They tactfully allow the readers or audience to fill in the blanks in ways that are personal and suit each individual.

    These are all very valid reasons and often the story does not require a detailed extrapolation on the sex scenes.

    However, by taking this as default position I believe we miss out on an opportunity to give a view, to engage in a discourse on a topic which is essentially a part of our identity, our sexuality.

    “Lesbians” and “sex” are not often mentioned in the same sentence in any non pornographic/more serious capacity unless it is a discussion on “Lesbian bed death”.

    I exaggerate. True!

    However, my point is, in my experience, lesbians and lesbian life-style is not commonly associated with adventurous sexual activity. In fact, it is quite commonly believed that most lesbians lead a more or less platonic life with their life-partners, favouring intellectual, spiritual or pure emotional connections with their significant other…. right in between digging up a flower bed in their communal allotment or brewing an herb tea. 😉

    Gay men on the other hand, have a completely contrary reputation and very little is talked about the more lasting, deeply emotional connections between gay men and their life partners. But more about that later.

    I am often told that there is no reason to fill in the blanks and that most explicit depictions of sex is gratuitous. I believe differently. There should be a good balance. I believe it is important that lesbian sexuality is visible, presented, discussed and enjoyed.

    So what is it then? What do lesbians do in bed?

    I am sure there are probably as many variations in lesbian sex as there are women on the planet, if not more.
    🙂

    So, with the L.E.S COMBO Collection I try to fill in the blanks by giving A VIEW of what could possibly happen in the absent CUT TO scenes. I also hope to demonstrate a sex scene can be an essential part of the story—without it the story is only half told. It was my hope to fundamentally change/augment/provide a twist to each of these stories in someway, by the addition of a meaningful sex scene.

    What do you think? Did I succeed?


    If you’d like to watch the films and read the stories they can be found here:

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    Cat Sitting

    L.E.S Combo I

    A sexy lesbian romance of Loss, Lust & Love.

    Sometime after a messy breakup, Alex finally agreed to do the cat sitting for her ex-lover, Teresa. She knew her first visit back to what she used to call ‘home’ would not be easy. However, she could never have imagined such an unexpected turn of events! =)

     

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    Saying Sorry (On Pre-order Now)

    L.E.S Combo II

    A sexy lesbian story of Love, Anger and Forgiveness.

    Having screwed-up again, Jo finds there is no easy way to say sorry. Repentance and forgiveness is a two-way interaction and the journey is not always easy, nor predictable. Each person needs to find their own way to the same end.