I'm very excited today to have
as my guest.
She's answered a few questions in regards to her release of
a free download
and her upcoming debut novel Reborn book one of the Fate Challenges
You're an editor,
writer, Vice President of Valley Writer's and a member of several writing
groups, was this always your goal? Please tell us a little about your writing
journey and current goals.
I never thought I would do anything with books beyond read them. In high school and my first two years of college, my goal was to be an opera singer until I changed majors to Classics (Ancient Greeks/Romans). When I got my library job, I considered getting a Masters in Library Science, but then I started writing (beyond online roleplaying and fanfiction) because I had ideas and time at the new full-time day job. I'd love to eventually make enough money with my writing to supplement my library pay or even be a full-time writer, but that could take awhile.
What is speculative fiction, what made you choose it, and what are your goals for this or other genre's.
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term for fantastical genres such as science fiction, fantasy, horror, and alternate history. Speculative fiction focuses on the question: what if. I have a tendency to jump between writing horror, fantasy, and science fiction, so it made sense that I was more of a speculative fiction author than just a fantasy author, etc. I have quite a few stories planned that involve speculative fiction, although I'd eventually like to branch out and write a few contemporaries and even mysteries.
You're offering your short story, Magna's Plea, as a free download. Is this part of a marketing plan for your book coming out in 2014 – Reborn, book one of the Fate Challenges. Is there a plan behind your 'madness'?
Yes, having Magna's Plea for free is part of my marketing plan for Reborn. In Magna's Plea, the reader will get a sense for the world in The Fate Challenges as well as be able to read a sneak peek of Reborn, which is the prologue. If the reader likes what she sees, then she'll be more likely to add Reborn on Goodreads or sign up for my newsletter. At least that's the plan. Plus, Magna's Plea is only 5500 words, so I feel a bit weird making people pay $0.99 for it, so free is an additional bonus. Right now, it's all about spreading the word, making connections, and gaining a few new fans here and there.
Tell us about Reborn and The Fate Challenges.
To save a kingdom, a prophetess must challenge Fate.
On the day of Yssa's death and rebirth, the god Apenth selected her as the Phoenix Prophetess.
Sea serpents and gods endanger the seventeen-year-old prophetess's journey and sour the omens. Yssa is cursed instead of blessed, and her duties at the Temple of Apenth prove it. She spends her days reading dusty scrolls, which does nothing to help her forget the boy she left at home. The ferryman's son won't leave Yssa alone for two grains of sand either and is a distraction she can't predict.
When visions of her parents' murders consume her, Yssa races across an ocean to stop the future. If she can't change Fate, then she'll refuse to be the Phoenix Prophetess any longer. Fate, however, has other plans for her and the kingdom.
Reborn is a 90,000+ word YA Epic Fantasy
novel and the first book in The Fate Challenges. It was also my first novel I
wrote back in 2009. The idea for Reborn came from a roleplaying
character I had in a Harry Potter RPG. She was stillborn, but her father
revived her. From then on, she had the gift of prophecy. I liked the idea, but
I wanted to take a character with that premise and create my own world; thus,
Yssa and the Kingdom of Amora was born. I knew from day one that The Fate Challenges
would be a trilogy because of Yssa's character growth evolves well to fit three
novels, and it's my goal to have at least the first drafts completed of Reforged
(Book Two) and Redestined (Book Three) finished by May when Reborn
releases.
MAGNA'S
PLEA
by CHERIE REICH
An Excerpt:
Amora
12-13
Days of Luquiry
Year
1717 AUC
Tendrils
of smoke swirled heavenward. The smoldering stench reached Princess Magna at
the top of the palace’s northern tower. She wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant
odor, yet it still smelled better than the filth plaguing the besieged
seven-hilled city.
She’d vowed to protect Amora. Her heart shattered a
little more each day at the devastation afflicting her kingdom.
The once grassy and flower-filled plain sprouted
dust plumes from the trampling feet. As the sun neared the western horizon, a
bloody hue washed over the battlefield. Tiny, metallic dins and men’s shouts
rang out. Magical bursts flashed in the sky like Thean’s lightning, beautiful
and deadly. A wooden catapult hurled a human-sized stone slab into the city’s
wall. Magna jerked away from the opened window she stood before, as if the
object had struck her instead. Rock crumbled from the impact, but the barrier
held.
When the reddish orb sank lower, the fighting
ceased. War’s chaos parted into two orderly sides, and soldiers crossed the
field to gather their dead.
She brushed a shaky hand over her cheeks. Tears
dampened her face, and she struggled to turn away from the battle before her.
Almost two months had passed since the Apenthans had begun their attack Amora.
How much longer could the Amorans—she—stay safe behind their impenetrable wall?
***** *****
Read online at Wattpad
Add to Goodreads
***** *****
About the Author: A self-proclaimed bookworm,
Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction writer, freelance editor, book blogger,
and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in
magazines and anthologies, and her books include the horror series Nightmare, a space fantasy novella
trilogy titled Gravity, and the
fantasy series The Foxwick Chronicles.
She is Vice President of Valley Writers and a member of the Virginia Writers
Club and Untethered Realms.
Her debut YA Epic Fantasy novel Reborn, book one in The Fate
Challenges, will be released on May 23, 2014.
***** ***** *****
This Friday, the first day of November
I am thankful for early Christmas presents,
for the NANO challenge that is all about focus and WRITING!
and for the beginning of a holiday season that's all about family!
Wishing you all a great, great beginning to the
WRITING SEASON!
28 comments:
Cherie is one sharp writer. Love the cover too. Isn't it wonderful? I must read this. I do enjoy spec fic when it's done well.
Hello Yolanda! That colour post is up just now on my blog. Tell me about your colour change. And are you doing NaNo?
Denise
Good strategy to offer the download free as a sneak peek for your upcoming book, Cherie. I wish you well with it.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Offering a free short story that leads into a novel is a smart idea. Good luck when the full novel launches.
Nice idea for a marketing plan indeed
That's cool you can write in so many genres. Hope Magna's Plea launches Reborn in style!
An opera singer? Way too cool, Cherie! Congrats on yet another release. :)))
From opera singer to writer. That kind of fits since opera tends to be about classic stories and larger than life situations. Great interview Yolanda.
Wow, from opera singer to speculative fiction writer. Although Cherie's writing voice is intriguing, I sure hope she's still exercising her singing voice, too. Singing beautiful music can be so exhilarating and uplifting. (THEN she can sit down and torture her characters...)
It's a fantastic idea to offer a free story to promote an upcoming release. (I wish I woulda thought of it...) Good luck!
Nice interview, ladies.
Opera Singer? Well, now, there's something I didn't know. I can see you going full-time, especially if you keep pumping out the quality and quantity. Great interview Yolanda.
I think it's so interesting that Cherie wanted to be an opera singer. She's a woman of many talents. :)
Happy November, Yolanda.
Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Yolanda!
Thank you, Denise! Hope you enjoy the story, if you get a chance to read it.
Thank you, Lee!
You're welcome Cherie!
I hope the world accepts your work with open arms and while free right now, I do hope that later it all translates to enormous success! Wishing you all the best!
Thanks everyone for coming by and supporting Cherie after such a busy Halloween!
Hi Yolanda and Cherie,
And from opera singing to having your words sing out to your reader from your wonderfully articulate thoughts. The future is looking very good, dear human, Cherie.
Thank you for this superb interview and further awareness of Cherie, Yolanda.
Pawsitive wishes and happy longer weekend,
Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar! :)
Yay for Cherie - it's a great story, and I recommend everyone get it! Very interesting you were almost an opera singer. Cool!
Good luck with NaNo, Yolanda! :-)
Focus and Writing is a great way of describing Nano.
Thank you, Diane!
Thanks, Pat!
My ideas like to genre hop. Bad ideas! LOL! ;) Thanks, Alex!
Yes, I used to sing opera. Thank you, Candilynn!
It definitely does fit. Opera is all about the drama. :)
Aww, thanks, Susan! I don't do too much singing anymore, except in the car.
Thanks, Cher! Full-time writer is the current dream, but it might be more than a few years away.
Aww, thanks, Julie! All those talents help with writing. :)
Aww, thanks, Penny! :)
Aww, thank you, Lexa!
Awesome interview! Cherie's story is fantastic. I need to get writing for NaNo too. Have a good weekend. :)
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