Cherie Reich's Blog, page 2

Sharpening the Creative Mind #IWSG

The IWSG was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. November's co-hosts are Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Ann V. Friend, JQ Rose, and Elizabeth Seckman. Please follow the other participants.

November's IWSG optional question: How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?
A person prone to daydreaming and even more vivid dreams, I've always felt creative. Writing, however, was not something I was interested in doing for a very long time. Yet the characters were there, and after ten years of online roleplaying games, I delved into writing my own works.
There were starts and stumbles. I had, and still have, so much to learn, but each day I feel like I grow more creative. I delve with more purpose into the characters I create and their complex lives. I can't imagine not spending time with them. They help me piece together our world.
As for insecurities, I am slowly making more progress after months of working on Elements of Untethered Realms as well as going through an autistic burnout. I still am exhausted most weekends, but I'm working toward writing more regularly.
What are your insecurities this month? So last month, I was working on a short story as well as planning to set my sights on the next Untethered Realms' anthology. I didn't touch my plans for UR Worlds, but I did complete one scene out of three in my short story. Unfortunately, I still have not completed said story in time to submit to a certain anthology.

The good news is I am making progress in the story, which was named "Fade In... Fade Out" but is now called "Paper Faces." The story leans toward YA contemporary romance and was loosely connected to the town from my Once upon a Nightmare collection. Now I'm going back through and adding some Paperist touches because I've decided early next year to release "Paper Faces" as part of a short story collection titled Folds in Life and Death. The collection will also include the stories from my paper magics' world that are previously published: "Folds in Life and Death" from Parallels: Felix Was Here, "Paper Lanterns" from Mayhem in the Air, and "The Folding Point" from Spirits in the Water.

I am also trying to keep up with writing a bit a day, so I've set a 15 minute writing goal every day for the month of November. So far, so good. With any luck, I'll finish the first draft of "Paper Faces" and will be able to start outlining Entangled for UR Worlds.

What are your goals for November? Good luck to those participating in NaNoWriMo!

2018 Stats23,144 words written46,303 words edited381,387 friends' words edited

Bookworm News: October Edition #specfic

BOOKS READOf Gods and Sorrow by Christine Rains Sphere by Michael Crichton The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli

BOOKS RELEASED IN OCTOBERFestival Stories Through the Year by Rachna ChhabriaStar-Crossed by Pintip DunnAfter Always by Barbara J. HancockShadow of the Fox by Julie KagawaRenegades by Marissa MeyerWar of the Wilted by Amber MitchellMuse of Nightmares by Laini TaylorElements of Untethered Realms by Various Authors (myself included!)Legend by Nicole Zoltack

Life Finds a Way #IWSG | Elements of Untethered Realms #newrelease

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. October's co-hosts are Dolorah @ Book Lover, Christopher D. Votey, Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken. Please visit the other participating blogs.

October's Question: How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something? For those of you who have been following my blog, you can probably make an educated guess on how I handle writing during major life events. Frankly, I am not as capable of writing when life drains my energy. The good news, though, is writing is something I come back to as soon as I'm able.
Writing also helps me understand the world. I wouldn't be the person I am today without it.
What are your insecurities this month?
By the way, I made an appearance on the new IWSG Anthologies' blog last month. Visit my post about reading short stories. Though I still am finding myself lacking energy towards the end of the week, I did complete everything I needed to do for Untethered Realms. The ebooks of Twisted Earths, Mayhem in the Air, Ghosts of Fire, and Spirits in the Water have been updated. Elements of Untethered Realms is published in print and ebook formats, and I even updated Fantasy Uprising, which no longer includes Reborn but five short stories from my People of Foxwick and Their Neighbors. I've also been working on my short story for a certain anthology too.

In October, I plan to finalize my submission for that anthology as well as turn my sights to writing Entangled, a UR Worlds novella.

What are your goals for October?

2018 Stats21,215 words written43,416 words edited306,748 friends' words edited
From USA Today bestselling and popular science fiction and fantasy authors comes Elements of Untethered Realms, a supernatural compilation of the anthologies Twisted Earths, Mayhem in the Air, Ghosts of Fire, and Spirits in the Water. These forty thrilling tales feature authors Angela Brown, Jeff Chapman, Cathrina Constantine, Julie Flanders, River Fairchild, Gwen Gardner, Misha/M. Gerrick, Meradeth Houston, Graeme Ing, Simon Kewin, M. Pax, Christine Rains, Cherie Reich, and Catherine Stine.
Available at Amazon, Kindle, Google Play, iTunes, Kobo, and Nook.

Bookworm News: September Edition #SpecFic

BOOKS READHarnessing the Winds by Morena Silver The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston
BOOKS RELEASED IN SEPTEMBERThe Legacy of Earth by Daniel ArensonTwo Dark Reigns by Kendare BlakeSouthern Karma by Amy BoylesA Deadly Brew by Lynn CahoonFirst Kisses Suck by Ali CrossDark Sentinel by Christine FeehanPecan Pies and Dead Guys by Angie FoxPutting the Fun in Funeral by Diana Pharaoh FrancisRed Harvest by Patrick C. GreeneAfterimage by Naomi HughesWaking the Dark by K.N. LeeThe Golden City by Liz LongStalk the Moon by Jessica LynchEmpress Unveiled by Jenna MorlandGive the Dark My Love by Beth RevisWake Me After the Apocalypse by Jordan RivetTimeless by R.A. SalvatoreVampires Like It Hot by Lynsay SandsHappy Doomsday by David SosnowskiLemuria by John TriptychThe Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

I Want to Believe But Trust No One #IWSG | Bookworm News #SpecFic

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. September's co-hosts are Toi Thomas, T. Powell Coltrin, M.J. Fifield, and Tara Tyler. Please visit the other participating blogs.

I apologize for skipping IWSG last month. I was deep in an autistic burnout that left me physically ill (sore throat, headache, no energy, and eventually swollen lymph nodes and laryngitis). The mystery illness lasted over two months and took two rounds of antibiotics, some corticosteriods, and several sporadic days off work where I would sleep 12+ hours at a time to start to feel better. I'm still not at 100%, but I am finally getting more energy to do things.
Optional IWSG Day Question: What publishing path are you considering/did you take and why?
My path to publication may have started with small publishers, but I prefer self-publishing and plan to continue publishing my own work for the foreseeable future.
Why you might ask? In my school days, I was never much of a group project girl. I just didn't trust anyone with my grade, and I'd been burned by such groups in the past. I have similar feelings toward publishers. I do believe most are honest, knowledgeable, and do their best for their authors, but I prefer to keep the control and do things myself. That way I know the work will live up to my rather high standards.
What are you insecure about today? Because of the burnout, I was slow in proofreading Elements of Untethered Realms, which I finished on August 30. We're still on schedule to publish the anthology collection in early October. I'm waiting on any proofreading changes the authors want to make on their stories. Then I'll make changes to the print document and create the ebook versions as well as update the single anthology titles too. Then it'll be publishing time!

This month, I'm taking down Reborn, Determined, and Marked from retailers and Reborn from Wattpad. The reasons why are
I also have a short story idea for a certain anthology--you can probably guess which one--so I'm hoping to write the story and have it edited before the deadline.

I also want to start seriously planning to write Entangled, a UR Worlds' story.

We'll see how things go.

What are your goals this month?

2018 Stats20,257 words written43,416 words edited303,449 friends' words edited Since I missed August's bookworm news, I've decided to add it here.
BOOK READ Elements of Untethered Realms by Various Authors (myself included)

BOOKS RELEASED IN AUGUSTNightblood by Elly BlakeQueen of Thieves by Katherine BogleEye of Truth by Lindsay BurokerBloodlust by Midnight by Deanna ChaseHunted by Darcy CoatesWhat Gods Incite by Clara CoulsonShadow on the Stairs by Blair DanielsBlackout by Dannika DarkHarley Merlin and the Secret Coven by Bella ForrestRelic by Alan Dean FosterIron Bones by Yasmine GalenornQuintus by Kym GrossoSerpentine by Laurell K. HamiltonThe Immortal Queen by Jennifer L. HartA Girl of White Winter by Barb HendeeThe Fated Sky by Mary Robinette KowalDo Not Go Alone: A Posthumous Mystery by C.A. LarmerCatwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. MaasElemental Thief by Rachel MorganSeafire by Natalie C. ParkerEchoes to Ashes by Ainsley ShayQueen of Iron and Blood by Melissa WrightThe Girl Who Sees by Dima Zales

A Short Blogging Hiatus

Thank you for stopping by, but I've decided to take this IWSG off as well as the rest of August from blogging. Comments are turned off for this post. I hope to be back in September.

July's Bookworm News #specfic

BOOKS RELEASEDWhat Man Defies by Clara CoulsonWhen Fire Rains Down by Cecelia EarlVeins of Gold by Charlie N. HolmbergTempting Friendship by Patricia JosephineThe Onyx Ring by Tanya MirandaShades of Fae by Various AuthorsBright We Burn by Kiersten White

Ever Evolving Goals #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. July's co-hosts are Nicki Elson, Juneta Key, Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne. Please visit the other participating blogs.

Optional IWSG Day Question: What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?
Ultimate Goal #1: Take over the world, Pinky.
Oh, whoops, wrong list. Writing goals, writing goals, where are you? Ah, here is the list.
My current ultimate writing goal is to produce enough work that sells to supplement my retirement in 24+ years. When I first started writing with publication and profit in mind, I had hoped to eventually make enough money to write full-time, but I've decided I'd rather not have my main income tied to the whims and fancies of readers and retailers. The market is too unreliable for my anxieties to put all my faith in my books selling. But it would be nice to make enough where I could retire early.
Of course, most days I'd settle for breaking even. Heh.
What are your insecurities this month? First off, thank you so much for your comments on
So my proofreading goal didn't quite work out as planned. I was placed on a new medication that drained me of all my energy. I struggled to just stay awake at work and get the day job work done. *sighs* My energy levels are a bit iffy still, but I think I'm doing a little bit better. *crosses fingers* This month's goal is to finish proofreading all 571 pages of Elements of Untethered Realms.

What are your goals this month?

2018 Stats20,257 words written17,708 words edited106,163 friends' words edited

June's Bookworm News #SpecFic

BOOKS RELEASEDBrief Cases by Jim ButcherEden Conquered by Joelle CharbonneauWhat Fate Portends by Clara CoulsonMask of the Dragon King by J. Keller FordTouched by Magic by K.N. Lee and Nicole ZoltackBorn in a Treacherous Time by Jacqui MurrayCrystal Casters: Awakening by Jenn NixonHarnessing the Winds by Morena SilverStar Trek: Discovery: Fear Itself by James SwallowEmpires of Shadow and Ash by Various AuthorsThe Hand of Alarm by Nicole ZoltackAND FOR WRITERSWrite with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You From Idea to Publication by Chrys Fey

What Is in a Name #IWSG | Fate of The Fate Challenges

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. June's co-hosts are Beverly Stowe McClure, Tyrean Martinson, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor. For a list of the other IWSG posters, click here.

OPTIONAL IWSG Day Question: What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names? For me, character names. I tend to land on a book title much easier than come up with however many character names I need, especially characters' last names. I'm terrible figuring out last names and that's the reason why no one in The Fate Challenges has them. LOL!
What are your insecurities this month? Last month went fairly well, despite beating my head against the wall trying to create the perfect file and cover for the print version of Elements of Untethered Realms. I spent way too many hours on it, but I'm so pleased with how it turned out. It's one beautiful book. This month's goal is to proofread at least half, if not all, of the 570 pages (242,000+ words) in Elements of Untethered Realms.

What are your goals for June?

2018 Stats20,257 words written17,708 words edited81,684 friends' words edited
If you read my newsletter, you've already read this part...
This year, especially in May, I've been thinking about where I want to take my writing, particularly concerning The Fate Challenges and my current passion leaning toward science fiction rather than fantasy. The thinking involved math too.
If I can rewrite/edit an average of 1,000 words per hour and proofread 2,000 words per hour, it'll take me around 260 hours to finish Forged and 360 hours to finish Destined. 620 hours, not including the time it takes for my critique partners to edit Destined, wouldn't be too bad if I could work 20-40 hours a week on it. With a full-time job and health problems, which cause low energy levels, 20-40 hours a week won't be happening anytime soon. Plus, there is the passion part too. I stand by my plans for The Fate Challenges, but I want to start writing science fiction sooner rather than later. The more time I spend with The Fate Challenges, the less I'll have for what I really want to write.
So how much time do I think I can give to The Fate Challenges a week? I've settled on 2-3 hours, which I could either do in thirty-minute intervals throughout the work week or all in one day, depending on my energy levels. In theory, I should have time to work on science fiction too, if I limit how long I work on The Fate Challenges.
At 2.5 hours a week, it'll take me nearly five years to complete Forged and Destined. I don't want future readers to continue to wait that long as some readers have already waited over four years for Forged. With that in mind, I've made the decision to unpublish Reborn on retailers/Wattpad, Determined from my website, and Marked from retailers. I will do so after Labor Day (US) as I will need time to update websites and such.
After Untethered Realms publishes Elements of Untethered Realms and I'm finished writing my story for Untethered Worlds Anthology #1, I plan to start working on The Fate Challenges again (near the end of this year, early next year). I'll likely start at the beginning with a light edit on Reborn, Determined, and Marked before continuing on with Forged and Destined. When I'm at the proofreading stages for Destined, I plan to start publishing the series again. Perhaps the stories will be re-titled too. I'll keep you all updated as who knows what the publishing world, or the world in general, will look like in the next 5-6 years.
Though I am sorry it'll take much, much longer to complete The Fate Challenges, I must admit I feel good about this decision, especially since it means I'll be able to start working on science fiction later this year. Right now I plan to start on a duology set around a 1,000 years in the future on Mars and Earth. The idea came to me while reading an article on SpaceX. You can use your imagination to fill in the details as I won't say much more. Yet.