Friday, February 14, 2020

Confessions of a Part-time Writer


Fantasy has always intrigued me. From the time I was a little girl, I had an extremely vivid imagination. Stories, of any kind, were an integral part of my adolescent life. As I grew, my love for stories flourished and blossomed. I experienced them in any and every way I could until I was bursting with creativity and a zest for life. Then, like everyone eventually does, I became the most dreaded thing in the world: an adult.

I've pretty much held a full-time job since my senior year of high-school (I don't want to admit how long ago that was, but it's been quite some time 😀). Adult life sucked brought with it a lot of growth and new experiences. I married, had kids, honed my carrier and built a good life. Stories became something I enjoyed in the form of movies and TV for many years before I finally got back into reading.

Something about immersing myself in a book feels more luxurious than watching a movie or binging Netflix (Although I do enjoy this, too--Pretty Little Liars, anyone?). I began writing part time in 2009, and I vigorously researched writing rules and how to obtain an agent. To be honest, it's all quite a blur. Finally, I had what I needed to write a novel, and I did. I researched and researched some more on how to get this glorious thing I'd just completed into the hands of other people who really love fantasy. I absorbed so much information from any source I could think of, but I wasn't sure what to do with my beloved novel. Then, I lost my six-year-old nephew to a tragic accident. His loss catapulted my desire and enthusiasm to live. So, I took a leap of faith and dove into the deep end of writing life in 2010. My entire experience would take pages and pages to explain, so I'll spare you the many sordid details. After much deliberation and rewriting my first two books completely, I decided to self publish.  Boy, was I in for a ride. Self publishing was a pretty new thing back then, and I missed a lot of important opportunities because of my full-time job. I've regretted not taking advantage of some of those things, but to date, I'm actually happy where I am in my part-time writing career.

So here comes my confession: I actually like having a full-time job, which allows me to write part-time. I enjoy my career. I am a professional medical documentation and coding consultant with the largest healthcare organization in Utah. I make a great living, and I truly love those I work with. So why do I still write, then?

My job is fulfilling and fun at times, but it doesn't completely fulfill my creative desires. That's where writing comes in. Like Captain Kirk from the Starship Enterprise, I get to explore strange new worlds...seek out new life and new civilizations...and boldly go where no (man: hahaha) has gone before. Pretty cool, right? I think so.

Each time a new story hits me, the excitement of discovery returns. Writing is truly like exploring a new world. Meeting a character for the first time is like meeting a new friend. For me, characters come with their stories, and they're the ones who tell them. I'm merely a conduit unless I allow my fears to block the story. I honestly don't think I've experienced true writer's block. I've experienced fatigue. Writing uses a lot of emotion, and most days, I enjoy experiencing a different life on the page.

Do I ever want to be a full-time writer? Maybe. If the circumstances were right, but for now, I'm content in writing when I have the time and energy. How about you? How do you experience stories? Do you write, read, watch, listen? Stories are all around us, and they have a lot to teach us if we'll listen.

Until next time,

Christie Rich
Part-time Writer

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Smashwords: Wattpad Runs Major Promotion Featuring 72 Authors

Smashwords: Wattpad Runs Major Promotion Featuring 72 Smashwor...: Smashwords and Wattpad today launched a multi-week promotional feature at Wattpad that showcases 74 books by 72 Smashwords authors in the ...

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Twilight Rising--6 Books for only 99 cents!

Hello lovelies!
Needs some great reads to kick off summer? Check out Twilight Rising, an awesome collection of SIX young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels for only 99 cents!
This bundle includes Five, so if you haven’t had the chance to grab the first book of my exciting fae romance series, now is a fantastic time. And if you’ve already read Five, (supper YAY), then this set is going to rock your socks with five other great titles. How awesome is that?
Grab Twilight Rising at any of these great retailers today!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

Saturday, February 28, 2015

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkowsi Review!

I fell for an Amazon add, and I'm glad I did. I went to open my Kindle and this beautiful cover caught my eye. I love the tie in to the story. There's something completely haunting about this cover, from the typography to the color scheme.

I was taken by this story. I fell in love with the characters, the struggles, and the hope and loss on both sides. I'm not usually drawn to stories that have the potential to end in a tragic way. I like my stories to have a happily ever after, and I'm truly not sure what will happen in this trilogy. I'm usually pretty good about seeing where a story is going, but the middle of this one threw me for a loop I still haven't fallen from. It was so unexpected, and is what cinched my love of the characters and their struggles.

This is a story about life and love and how fragile both are. It kept my attention from beginning to end. It made me want to yell at the characters and close my eyes for some scenes because I didn't want to see what happened next, but I had to. I'm looking forward to and dreading book 2. Yes, it's that good ;) If you want something to make you think, this might be your next great read. 

Monday, February 23, 2015

Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn Review!



I learned about Sharon Shinn through Sarah J. Maas' recommended authors, and I have to say I am not disappointed. I loved Shinn's writing, her characterization and story telling in general. The sweeping landscape of Gillengaria was easily visualized, and I became enthralled in the lives of the characters. I didn't want their journey to end, and I'm glad to see it hasn't. If you're looking for an enthralling fantasy, give this one a go. It was an easy read, as I didn't want to put it down.

5 Stars

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas--So worth the read!

The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass, #0.1-0.5)The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sarah J. Maas is one of my all time favorites. I wasn't sure if I wanted to pick up this book, but I'm so glad I did. It gave me insight into so many things I questioned in the previous books and really has ingrained the characters of the series into my mind forever. I love Ms. Maas' writing and can't wait for more.

View all my reviews

Monday, November 17, 2014

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas--Review



I've found a delightful author in Sarah J. Maas. (I know, where have I been?) This series is a best seller for a reason! I haven't been a fan of epic fantasy because it usually gets bogged down with details I don't enjoy. I like my books to be fast paced and chuck full of excitement, so when I had the chance to read Throne of Glass at a discounted price, I snapped it up. I had been looking for something exciting, and I wasn't disappointed. Ms. Mass is a master of words. I don't say this lightly. She weaves lines so exquisitely I can't help but be sucked into her prose.

The idea of a female assassin who was only eighteen and had endured so many hardships wasn't too appealing to me at first. I'd like to say I had real enthusiasm for this story going in, but I didn't. Celaena Sardothian swiftly stole my heart, and I was along for a glorious ride from that moment on. Celaena is likeable in most ways, yet flawed deeply. I like this about her character and was drawn to her imperfection and her sense of self. She'd been raised to be confident. She'd killed people for money, but what I saw in her was a young woman trying to make sense of a messed up world. I could relate, lol.

I won't go into details of the story. For that, you'll have to read the book. This is a no spoiler zone, so there :)

I've read the three available books in this trilogy and can't get enough. May 2015 won't come soon enough for this fan!