Claimed By The Cyborg NBTM: Interview + Giveaway

Claimed by the Cyborg

by Cara Bristol

GENRE:   Science Fiction Romance

BLURB:

March Fellows assumed he had all the time in the galaxy to pursue a relationship with Jules, an alien exchange student from Xenia, until she vanished without a trace. After years of searching, he finds his lost love on the eve of her arranged marriage.

The daughter of the Xenian emperor, Julietta never meant to fall in love with a Terran man while visiting Earth. Leaving to fulfill her responsibilities on her home planet opened up a hole in her heart that could never be filled. When March, now a cyborg, unexpectedly shows up just before she is to be bonded, she struggles to find the courage to turn him away a second time and follow through with her duty.

Before she can act, the lovers are thrust into a political conspiracy that threatens the Xenian empire and their lives.

Claimed by the Cyborg is a standalone read in the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance series.

Exceprt:

 “The library of ancient books is one of the largest we have,” Jules said as they strolled down the corridor. “Of course, most everything we read these days is on the electronic network, but much of the ancient wisdom is still recorded in paper volumes.”

Books. According to his cyber brain, they had visited a library. His human brain didn’t remember, because he’d been too busy staring at Jules, absorbing her presence into his consciousness.

 “Rumor has it the seer consults with the Book of Prognostications before pairing mates.”

“The seer chose your mate based on something written in a book a thousand years old?”

“Not exactly. She gets visions of who should be matched, but she checks with the ancient verses for clarity.”

“It might be time to retire that book,” March muttered.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”  Maybe if the crone had consulted something a half millennium more modern she wouldn’t have ruined two lives. Three, counting Jules’ would-be consort. Naimo would be better served with someone as desirous of the bonding as he.

Jules peered at him through her lashes, and one of her rare smiles lit up her face. There was no sadness this time, only an unexpected playfulness. “I saved the best for last.”

“And that is?”

“The grotto.”

“We’re going outside?” He glanced out the window. Nightfall bruised the sky; before too much longer blackness would prevail.

“You’ll see…” she skipped away and beckoned with a curved finger.

I shouldn’t be here. This is playing with fire. 

Interview: 

What inspired you to write this story?

I got the idea for Claimed by Cyborg as I wrote another Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance, Married to the Cyborg (a free book readers get when they subscribe to my newsletter). The initial idea grew out of idle chit-chat between two characters. Married to the Cyborg heroine (Penelope) attends a gala where she meets the Xenian emperor’s daughter (Julietta). I’m a total pantser. I make stuff up as I write. The two women start talking, and Julietta tells Penelope that she’s planning her wedding ceremony, but that she hasn’t met her mate yet, doesn’t get to see him until the day of the ceremony. Say, what??? How can she marry a man she hasn’t met? I realized there was a story there. 
What was your favorite part to write?

The buildup and suspense to when the hero and heroine meet. Hero March goes to Xenia hoping to find his lost love, Jules. He doesn’t know that Jules is Julietta, the emperor’s daughter, who’s going to be bonded to her mate in two days. The reader knows what the characters don’t.
What was the hardest part to write? 

March and Julietta are former lovers who were forced to part, but still love each other. Not by choice, she is “engaged” to be bonded to another man. When March appears on scene two days before her ceremony, she is has to decide what she’s going to do. Proceed with the bonding? Run away with March? I needed to ensure that Julietta’s internal conflict, motivation, and circumstances were perfectly clear to avoid the suggestion of infidelity. She had no control over the bonding. It was arranged when she was an infant. 
How did you come up with your characters?

All Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance series books are standalone reads, but minor characters in one book reappear as main characters in another book. March Fellows was a secondary character in Captured by the Cyborg; Julietta, as I mentioned, was created on the fly in Married to the Cyborg. All the heroes are cyborgs, human males who have some computer/mechanical modifications. They work for a secret organization called Cyber Operations, fighting against terrorism and crime in the galaxy. With the heroines, I try to challenge the heroes, to partner him with the one woman in the galaxy who will twist his shorts in knot, the one he can’t stay away from, the one he can’t forget.
Do you have anything coming up and can you tell us about it? 

I’m writing a new standalone sci-fi romance novel, an alien “mail order” bride story. Also this year, I’ll write another Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance story – Carter Aymes will be the hero. He’s the director of Cyber Operations and appears in every book. Readers have been clamoring for his story. And then, I have a new series idea knocking around in my brain that I need to develop. It’s a spinoff from the Cy-Ops series.

About The Author:

USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol has been the no. 1 best seller in science fiction romance, bdsm erotica, and holiday fiction on Amazon. She’s the author of two science fiction romance series featuring tough alpha heroes: the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance cyborg series and the Breeder science fiction romance series, which emphasize character-driven stories written with a touch of humor and sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine. Cara lives in Missouri with her own alpha hero, her husband. 

Cara’s Website:  http://carabristol.com

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Cara-Bristol/e/B004D8KZTQ

 
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Buy Links: 

Amazon: 

http://hyperurl.co/Claimed-Amz

 iBooks: 

http://hyperurl.co/Claimed-iBooks 

Kobo:

 http://hyperurl.co/Claimed-Kobo

BN: 

 http://hyperurl.co/Claimed-BN

 
Paperback version:

 http://hyperurl.co/ClaimedinPrint
Giveaway:

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