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Stars Align: Acknowledgements & Thanks
This past year will go down in my history book as one never to repeat—a year of much change, much sadness and one precious lesson: We can’t argue with fate, BUT we can make doubly sure to grab life with both hands and live it to its fullest, with love, honour and integrity! I know I would not have been able to get through, let alone complete this book without the support and friendship of all the wonderful people currently in my life, specifically Jude Dempsey, and my inner circle of friends and family who have stuck by me and supported me and my family through this. You have been my rock! Writing is my life, so if you are part of my life, you have probably been involved in my writing process in one way or another. Hence, I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved, both directly and indirectly, with the creation of this book. And a big thank you to my tenacious editor and friend who tirelessly points out the importance of logic, idiom and grammar and specifically the difference between ‘No more wine!’ and ‘No, more wine!’ All typos, errors and inaccuracies that remain are entirely my own. To my wonderful beta readers, street team and my VIP Reader Club, whose feedback, reviews and tireless promotion are essential to my success. Thank you! I hope within these pages you have been able to find a sprinkling of joy, intrigue, and adventure to tickle your imagination. Finally, thank you to Twinkle-Toes, for just being you, and allowing me to love you, cuddle you, and probably overfeed you. Who knows, maybe by the end of the next book you’ll be able to talk back to me.
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“Unbroken”: How the HandLBaR came about.
I, like so many people, am an avid fan of everything Steampunk: from the elaborate Victorian costumes, to the bizarre and often slightly macabre inventions and steam-driven technology. This genre provides such an immensely rich soil for creative endeavour, because it not only draws on an historic era which, in itself, has provided the inspiration for some awesome narrative fiction, but it also benefits from a wonderful overlay - a lavish, intricate, imagined world of invention and fantasy. There is no better...
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Astronomy vs Astrology: It’s all gravity.
If you’ve ever found yourself gazing at the night sky, wondering about the mysteries of the cosmos, you’re not alone. For centuries, humans have looked to the stars for guidance, inspiration, and answers. But while the twinkling lights above us inspire awe, they’ve also sparked one of history’s most fascinating debates: astronomy vs astrology. Let’s dive into the origins, conflicts, and surprising similarities of these two cosmic cousins. A Brief History of Star-Gazing Astronomy and astrology both trace their roots back to ancient civilisations that saw the heavens as a source of divine power and wisdom. The Babylonians, around 2000 BCE, were among the first to chart celestial movements, using them to predict earthly events – from the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates to auspicious times for planting crops. For them, the stars were a calendar, a guide, and a cosmic clock. Astrology’s foundations were laid when ancient scholars began attributing human traits and events to the movements of planets and constellations. The Greeks took this idea and ran with it, with philosophers like Ptolemy writing influential texts such as the “Tetrabiblos,” which mapped out the zodiac as we know it today. For centuries, astrology was considered a legitimate science, practised by learned scholars and royal advisors. Meanwhile, astronomy as we understand it today began to take shape as a distinct discipline during the Renaissance. Visionaries like Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler ditched the mystical interpretations and focused instead on observing, calculating, and understanding celestial mechanics. Galileo’s use of the telescope in 1609 revolutionised the field, turning star-gazing into a science grounded in evidence and mathematics. The Main Arguments: Science vs Mysticism Fast forward to today, and astronomy and astrology find themselves on opposite ends of the intellectual spectrum. Astronomy is firmly entrenched in the world of science, studying the…
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News: 2025/01/08
Happy New Year! 💜💜💜 May your glass be permanently 😘 💜💜💜 overflowing in 2025… 2024 Roundup: It was a big year. For one, I rolled into my next decade, which is always interesting. The celebrations were great, and I had big plans for the year. Unfortunately, the gods were not on point, and the year turned out rather different to what I had envisaged or hoped for (in fact, it sank like a lead balloon) and I spent a sizeable chunk of the year back home and dealing with rather tragic personal matters. So, I am happily kicking 2024 to the curb in favour of hopping on board a more buoyant 2025. 🏄🏼♂️ Plans for 2025: I hope the gods are paying attention right now. I need everyone of them onboard and paddling in unison this time. 1) Publishing “Stars Align” the next book in the Lesvos Island series by the end of January 2025 (Find out more: https://SamSkyborne.com/Stars/?org=News_Blog_250108 2) Launch a very exciting project, codenamed “Littlest Hobo”… for a very good cause. Details coming out soon. 3) A top secret writing project… Can’t say more or I will have to shoot you. 😎 3) Take the plunge into audio publication: 4) After many requests from readers, take a leap into translation 5) Write the prequel to my new speculative fiction series about a world after the death of A.I. set in Cornwall, UK, with the working title: “Intel.” 6) Dust off my film camera… Can’t say much more 🤫 now. 7) Author readings & events: A number of them in the pipeline, so watch this space. 8) Last but not least… endeavour to engage with my VIP Reader Club in a more consistent and informative way, espceially on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/samskyborne). So, please follow me. See my about page for…
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News: 2024/04/17
Celebrations Last month I had the fortunate pleasure of celebrating a big birthday… 🤫 … We had a drinks reception and gathering on the Southbank in London that will not be forgotten. It was a lovely evening, and I felt humbled and truly loved by the amazing number of friends and family that travelled from far and near to help me celebrate. I was sad not everyone could make it, but I say, “next time!”… I have a feeling the celebrations might not be over yet, just punctuated by some good, solid, hard work. Thank you 🙏🏼 also to all my fantastic readers—to those that sent me such warm wishes on all the various communication channels. It made the occasion even more special. IHS “Finding ALICE” promo & giveaway This week, I am very pleased to say, “Finding ALICE”, the Toni Mendez case about Alice, who went missing in Cape Town, South Africa, is included in the I Heart SappFic “Mistaken Identity” reading challenge. TheChallenge: http://samskyborne.com/News_240417_IHS_Alice_challenge “Finding ALICE” page on IHS: http://samskyborne.com/IHS_Alice As part of this challenge, TB and her crew are publishing an interview with me about my writing and research adventures in South Africa. http://samskyborne.com/IHS_Alice_Interview “Finding ALICE” is also currently on SALE, down from the usual $6.99 to $2.99 on all platforms, including directly from my shop: * Please remember to leave a review if you’ve read it. Reviews are like gulps of oxygen to us humanoid authors. 🙏🏼 And, if you’d like to take part in the FREE Giveaway competition and stand a chance of winning some wonderful FREE books, including “Finding ALICE”, visit: http://samskyborne.com/News_240417_IHS_Alice_Giveaway IHS “Sealed with a Kiss” promo next week. Next week is the same procedure as this week, except “Sealed with a Kiss”, the bittersweet romance in my Lesvos Island Collection is being…
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News: 2024/03/17
IHS “Starting Over” Romance reading challenge Running from the 18th March until the 22 March 2023. [Link coming as soon as it is live.] “Eye of the Storm” by Sam Skyborne When does a tragic ending become a new, bright beginning? Pat Richardson-Rose lived the dream life—a highly respected paediatrician in Rhode Island, USA, happily married to the soon-to-be mother of their daughter. Then, in a flash, everything changed…. Unable to live in the graveyard of her past, Pat decides to start over on a Greek island a million miles from her old home. Robin Pérez came to Skala Eressos for a holiday, expecting sun, sea and cocktails. What she found changed her life forever. Inspired, but rubbing pennies together, she starts up an animal rescue clinic in an old, derelict barn, on a deserted piece of land. But… What happens when the missing, presumed dead, landowner returns? And she is drop dead gorgeous, arrogant, more stubborn than a mule and heart-stoppingly dangerous—everything that both irks and ignites Robin’s deepest desires. Can the eye of the storm really be heart-shaped? About this lesbian romance collection:This collection consists of self-contained, standalone novels, all set around the same time, with overlapping characters on the Island of Lesvos. They can be read in any order.Books in the Collection: IHS “80 Days Around the World” reading challenge Starting on the 20th March 2023. Running for 80 days! [Link coming as soon as it is live.] “Finding ALICE” by S.M. Skyborne Have you ever been on holiday and just wanted to stay? How far would you go for this newfound freedom? For P.I. Toni Mendez, the honeymoon seems over with her long-time best friend — recently turned girlfriend. Needing time to think, she takes on what looks like a straightforward missing person case in a…
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The authors strike back – LFEST 2019!
Camping, reading and shooting the breeze (more like hurricane) in Llandudno - Find out more?
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“Saying Sorry”… And having Sex?
I first came across this charming little story in the form of a short script that was submitted to me as part of our, London based, Whipped Cream Productions, women's film making group. From the moment I read the story, I absolutely loved it, and so we immediately embraced the challenge of making it into a lesbian short film. Back then, that took us a while, since we were all newbie filmmakers and had a minuscule budget, a fact that will prove most relevant, as I explain further...
Lesbian Fiction Author & Writer
