Cherie Reich's Blog, page 3

May's Bookworm News #SpecFic

BOOK READThe Attitude of Silence (Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda #5) by Jeff Mariotte
BOOKS RELEASEDCat Sidhe by Jeff ChapmanThe Plastic Magician by Charlie N. HolmbergSome Very Messy Medieval Magic by C. Lee McKenzieBandwidth by Eliot PeperThicker Than Blood by Angela RoquetTrue Born by L.E. SterlingSupergirl: Curse of the Ancients by Jo WhittemoreDark Rising: A Paranormal and Fantasy Romance Boxed Set by Various AuthorsTick Tock: A Stitch in Crime by Various AuthorsAND FOR THOSE WHO LOVE READING BOOKS ON PHYSICSThe Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli

Springing into Writing? #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. May's co-hosts are JQ Rose, C. Lee McKenzie, Raimey Gallant, and E.M.A. Timar. Please visit the other participants.

OPTIONAL IWSG Day Question: It's spring! Does this season inspire you to write more than others or not? In the past, I have found a spurt of energy once the weather starts getting warmer. Usually in April and/or May, I'll write and/or edit more than usual. This April found myself with low energy still, but I'm hoping to make progress in my May goal. *crosses fingers*
What are your insecurities this month?
Tick Tock: A Stich in Crime is now available! Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda Renée, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard. Congrats!
Available atAmazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
Add it to read on Goodreads.
Check out the Tick Tock Mysteries blog!
And their Facebook page.
As mentioned above, I had a low energy month in April. I did a tiny bit of formatting for Elements of Untethered Realms (Forthcoming October 2018), but I did not work on my story for Untethered Worlds, except for thinking about the story and potential scenes. What words I did add (a little over 2500) involved a document I plan to print out and take when I find a doctor to help with some mental health issues I've been having.

My goal this month is to continue working on Elements of Untethered Realms. I am in the print formatting stage. After that, we'll need to create the book description and settle on cover art. Once everything looks good digitally, I'll order a print proof for one last proofread. I figure this goal will take the next few months.

What are your goals for May?


2018 Stats20,257 words written17,708 words edited80,236 friends' words edited

April's Bookworm News #specfic

BOOK READSeven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli
BOOKS RELEASEDStolen Enchantress by Amber ArgyleZombie Abbey by Lauren Baratz-LogstedThe Oracle Queen by Kendare BlakeQueens of Fennbirn by Kendare BlakeRevolution 2050 by Jay ChalkWings of Flesh and Bones by Cathrina ConstantineScylla and Charybdis by Lindsey DuncanInferno by Julie KagawaThe Blood King by Liz LongThe Flash: Johnny Quick by Barry LygaA Glimmer of Hope by Steve McHughDragon Essence by Niamh MurphyJax Starlight Volume One: The Earth Ten by Jenn NixonThe Rogue Element by M. PaxBroken Wide by Susan Kaye QuinnThe Fates Divide by Veronica RothBest of Beyond the Stars by Various AuthorsThe Birth of Hate by Nicole ZoltackAND FOR WRITERSStrangers to Superfans: A Marketing Guide to the Readers’ Journey by David Gaughran

When It Pours #IWSG

The IWSG was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. April's co-hosts are Olga Godim, Chemist Ken, Renee Scattergood, and Tamara Narayan. Please visit the other IWSG participants.

IWSG Day Question: When your writing life is a bit cloudy or filled with rain, what do you do to dig down and keep on writing?
If March is any indication of what I do when it's hard to keep writing, the answer is I don't write. *sighs*
Last month was hard. It started out all right, but I received a Tetanus booster on March 5 during my yearly physical. I've never had a reaction to any vaccination before, but this one got me. I had a rash around the injection site for a week and my entire body ached. I still have a swollen, painful-to-the-touch lump at the injection site, and it's been almost a month since the injection. Then I somehow locked my sacroiliac joint with my pelvis on the left side. I was hoping it would fix itself, but it didn't. On March 26, I went to the chiropractor. The area isn't locked anymore, but I'm still having muscle spasms and pain from it. I've purchased a sacroiliac belt to stabilize the area, so we'll see how that works. If not, I'll have to return to the chiropractor.
So the increased pain meant less energy, so there was no writing in March.
That said, I am hoping to get the pain to more manageable levels so I can get back to writing. *crosses fingers*
What do you do to keep writing? So my March goal of rewriting/editing 20,000 words in Forged did not happen. In fact, I've been thinking a lot about Forged and what I want to write in the future. Right now, I'm all into sci-fi, which makes it hard to write YA epic fantasy. I've consider unpublishing Reborn and Marked and making the shift to writing science fiction under the name CN Reich as opposed to Cherie Reich. But I hate the thought of leaving the few people who have read and enjoyed Reborn hanging. Plus, it'll be another year or more until I'll have enough research to write The Triliths Portals the way it needs to be written. So I do still plan to rewrite, edit, and publish Forged and Destined.

But I need a break from it too.

So for the next few months, I plan to focus on the print/ebook versions of Elements of Untethered Realms (forthcoming October 2018) and my UR Worlds story (forthcoming 2019). My UR Worlds story, though fantasy, involves a protagonist who is studying physics and astronomy, so I'll be able to indulge it my scientific knowledge while working in a fantasy world. My hope is that I'll be ready to rewrite/edit Forged once I finish the print proofread of Elements of Untethered Realms and the first draft of my UR Worlds story.

We'll see how it goes.

What are your goals for April?

2018 Stats17,708 words written17,708 words edited78,718 friends' words edited

March's Bookworm News #SpecFic

BOOKS READHyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and The Tenth Dimension by Michio Kaku
The Cost of Honor (Stargate SG-1 #5) by Sally Malcolm
BOOKS RELEASEDLast Dragon Standing by Rachel AaronThe Big Bad Wolf by Jus AccardoTime Bomb by Joelle CharbonneauDay Killer by Clara CoulsonRisen by Cole GibsonPhoenix Fire by S.D. GrimmBlue Sludge Blues and Other Abominations by Shannon LawrenceThe Tracer by M. PaxThe Midnight District by Angela RoquetThe Cost of Devastation by Nicole ZoltackHow to Not Give Up by Nicole ZoltackA Magical Adventure by Nicole Zoltack and Nathan HoweA Magical Sickness by Nicole Zoltack and Nathan HoweThe Cost of Devastation by Nicole ZoltackThe Wings of Fury by Nicole ZoltackOnce Upon a Darkened Night: Books 1-3 by Nicole Zoltack

Writing All Wrong #IWSG | Stargate's #DriveToRevive

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. March's co-hosts are Mary Aalgaard, Bish Denham, Jennifer Hawes, Diane Burton, and Gwen Gardner. Please visit the other IWSG participants.

So February was a pretty epic fail on the writing front. I'm proud of what I rewrote/edited for the 3-4 days I worked on Forged, but I should have done more. A combination of lack of energy and an obsession for all things Stargate and physics helped me to push Forged to the side. At the rate I'm going, Forged may come out this year. It may not. I need to get back into rewriting it, though. But I also kinda need to watch Stargate and read about hyperspace, parallel universes, antimatter, dark energy/matter, etc. And then I have this idea for a science fiction series that does involve an Einstein-Rosen bridge portal (like Stargate with a device to travel between planets but many differences too), but I keep telling it no. At least until The Fate Challenges are published.
I must admit I'm pretty insecure about my special interest taking over all else.
What are you insecure about?
IWSG Question: How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/finish a story? See. I knew I was doing something wrong. I never celebrate when I achieve a writing goal or finish a story. Maybe if I did, it might help to get to that "the end." I also don't write "the end" on a finished draft either. I'm weird like that. March's goal is pretty much February's goal as well as January's goal. Write 20,000 words in Forged. If I accomplish that, then I'll be up to 38,000 words rewritten/edited. *crosses fingers*

2018 Stats17,708 words written17,708 words edited78,718 friends' words edited
March 8 is my 36 birthday. To celebrate, anyone who enters this month's giveaway will win a copy of one of my ebooks. Please one entry per person.Attention all fans and potential fans of Stargate. We're trying to show our support to our favorite sci-fi series and perhaps get an additional series set in the Stargate universe.
To do so, there will be two tweet parties: one on March 9 (US) and one of March 10 (World).
Please stop by and tweet/retweet if you can. For more information, please visit Joe Mallozzi's blog also follow @StargateNow on Twitter.

February's Bookworm News #SpecFic

BOOKS READ The Physics and Astronomy of Science Fiction: Understanding Interstellar Travel, Teleportation, Time Travel, Alien Life and Other Genre Fixtures by Steven D. Bloom Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
SPECULATIVE FICTION BOOKSRELEASED IN FEBRUARYBy a Charm and a Curse by Jaime QuestellAssassin of Truths by Brenda DrakeOnce Upon a Quest by Various AuthorsStar Trek: Discovery: Drastic Measures by Dayton WardOf Locks and Grizzlies by Nicole ZoltackThe Arm of Fear by Nicole ZoltackThe Runes Universe: Troubled Souls by Nicole ZoltackLock and Key by Clara CoulsonThe Runes Universe: Imperfect Souls by Miranda HardyKingdom of Storms by Jasmine WaltThe Rifters Box Collection, Books 1-3 by M. PaxInsatiable Darkness by LM PrestonOrder of the Regent by Jasmine Walt and Melle AmadeAND SINCE I’M CURRENTLY OBSESSED WITH THE SCIENCE OF SCIENCE FICTIONThe Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth by Michio KakuAND FOR WRITERSOutline Your Novel: The How To Guide for Structuring and Outlining Your Novel by Scott King

What If It's All About Love #IWSG #SpecFic

The IWSG was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. February's co-hosts are Stephen Tremp, Pat Garcia, Angela Wooldridge, Victoria Marie Lees, and Madeline Mora-Summonte. Please visit the other participants here.

My biggest insecurity this month is getting back on track with my rewrite/edit of Forged (The Fate Challenges #2). When I was working on the rewrite, everything was going well. I often was hitting 1,000-2,000 words per session, and I felt like what I was writing was shaping up into the novel I hope Forged will end up being. Unfortunately, I didn't get that many days to work on Forged during January, so I only rewrote 11,000 words instead of the 20,000 I was going for. So somehow I'm going to have to increase my pace because I would really love to have this rewrite finished by the end of April. Wish me luck!
February's question: What do you love about the genre you write in most often? Is everything an acceptable answer? I write speculative fiction, which is a fancy umbrella term featuring "what if" scenarios often in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. I suppose if I had to pick one thing I love about the genre is the ability to create new worlds or modify the ones existing around us. I can let my imagination run.
What is your insecurity this month? What do you love about the genre you write most often? Though I did only rewrite 11,000 words in Forged instead of 20,000 words in January, I did finish a critique of my critique partner's newest novel.
I only have one main goal for February, which is rewrite/edit 20,000 words in Forged, which will put the manuscript up to 31,000 words (or about a third finished).
What are your goals for February?

2018 Stats11,055 words written11,055 words edited78,212 friends' words edited
Also, I'm hosting a monthly giveaway where one person a month has a chance to win one of my ebooks. You can enter the giveaway here.

January's Bookworm News #SpecFic

This month's Bookworm News will cover what I read in December 2017 and January 2018 as well as what has released in January 2018.
BOOKS READ IN DECEMBER Don't Forget Dexter! by Lindsay Ward A Matter of Honor (Stargate SG-1 #3) by Sally Malcolm Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Cron
BOOKS READ IN JANUARY Of Blood and Sorrow by Christine Rains Desperate Hours (Star Trek: Discovery #1) by David Mack
BOOKS RELEASED IN JANUARYEmergence by Graeme IngBlood Dolls by Angela RoquetThe Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara BaysingerBatman: Nightwalker by Marie LuThunderhead by Neal ShustermanThe Cruel Prince by Holly BlackOf Straw and Stone by Nicole ZoltackHow to Survive by Nicole Zoltack
The Cost of Prejudice by Nicole ZoltackAND FOR WRITERSLet’s Get Digital (3rd edition) by David Gaughran

2018 Goals #IWSG #amwriting #amediting

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. January's co-hosts are Tyrean Martinson, The Cynical Sailor, Megan Morgan, Rachna Chhabria, and Jennifer Lane. Find the other IWSG participants here.

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe 2018 is upon us, but we've made it.
In 2017, I wrote 111,465 words and edited 908,937 words between my own work and other people's work. I've been on a writing hiatus since October 24, but I'm back writing as of January 1. And I'm trying to be more realistic of what I can accomplish. *crosses fingers* We'll see how it goes.
In 2018, my goals include:Publish Forged (The Fate Challenges #2) in mid-2018.Publish Elements of Untethered Realms (Elements of Untethered Realms 1-4) in October 2018.Rewrite and start editing Destined (The Fate Challenges #3) for a 2019 release.I also hope to read at least twenty-four books, continue to critique for my critique partners, and schedule in the occasional breaks.

What are your goals for 2018?

OPTIONAL IWSG Day Question:What steps have you taken to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing? For over two years, I wrote every single day. I don't plan to do quite that, but I am trying to do better about having reasonable goals and scheduling in some downtime too. For me, I need to remember writing is part-time. I have a full-time job, and it's too hard for me to treat writing as one too. So my plan is to have monthly goals and take one day at a time. Since I'm trying to be more realistic about my goals, here is what I hope to accomplish in January.Rewrite/edit 20,000 words in Forged.Edit my friend's novel.Yep, that's pretty much it. Five thousand words or so a week and I'll meet my writing goal, but I'm hoping to spend a few days writing/editing more so I can take a day or two off here and there.

Here's to a productive 2018!

A reminder: Bookworm News has moved to the last day of the month.