Jennifer Alice Chandler
Writing update
8/26/23
https://jenniferalicechandler.substack.com
I’ve started a newsletter publication on Substack. It’s entitled Land of Dystopia. I try to analyze some of the current events and figure out the motivations of people making decisions. I also try to analyze the current worldview through the lens of my worldview — which is based on Judeo-Christianity. It’s hard sometimes when you’re inundated with one worldview that’s often in direct conflict with your own. So, it’s therapeutic for me to dissect things like globalism and wokeism and try to figure out what they’re really saying beneath the platitudes and the rhetoric. I figure writing from a different perspective may also help people who have a similar worldview as mine sort through their feelings. As of right now an anti-God worldview is not only predominating the media, its adherents are actually taking over the world’s governments. Sometimes the only thing you can do besides pray is try to keep in touch with yourself and your own truth and not let them mess with your mind too much.
I’ve been pretty pleased with book sales. I got some readers from the Smashwords sale in July. I’m surprised that my paperbacks are selling so well. You don’t hear much about paperback sales anymore. I’m glad to see there’s still a market there, and I’m happy with Draft2Digital’s efforts to get my books out there!
Right now I’m working on several books. Four are in the writing process. I write mostly by hand in cursive. I write better by hand; it matches the way my brain works. I am actually using a lot of notebooks and going through a lot of pens! Then, the books have to be typed.
The typing is almost complete on a fifth book, which is the first book in a new series. This book is entitled Biosphere. The lead character is called Kenya Winters. The plot involves a scientific experiment that goes terribly wrong — leading to a population who feed off the energy of other people. It is projected to enter the editing process at the beginning of September. I usually go through the books at least twice. The first go through I call a hard edit since it involves content as well as grammar. Then, I go through it at least one more time for grammar and tweaking. Then, comes the formatting and the cover.
I’m hoping to have Biosphere ready to go for Cyber Monday in November, but my priority is for the book to be the best it can be rather then have the fastest turnover time possible.
As far as the other four I am currently writing — even though I only average about two pages a day, six days a week — I’ve gotten pretty far in most of them.
As soon as the typing is complete on Biosphere, the typing of the third installment in the Mind Master Chronicle series is slotted to begin. I am not quite finished writing it, but I’m close. It focuses in part on Kurt years later as well as two new characters. I actually write in part from Kurt’s perspective, which is quite the experience. Actually, at times it is rather disturbing. Anyway, two of the other books in progress are part of the same series as Biosphere. Book 2 is actually not as far along as book 3! The fourth book is a standalone new adult romance with some dystopian elements. The typing has already begun on that one — but at a slower pace. I’m combining source material from more than one book I wrote to form a new version. So, I needed to refresh my memory to what I had written before. It should make for an interesting edit.
I hope to have the third book of the Mind Master Chronicles done by the spring of 2024. The second book from the same series as Biosphere I’m hoping to have set to go for fall of 2024. God willing.
Thanks for reading this! And thanks especially to those who have been reading my books!
Writing Updates
Writing Update #8
6/27/24
It’s about time for the Smashwords Store sale, which is starting July 1st and lasts all of July. All my books, including my new one, Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere, will be free.
Break the Leg to Bend the Knee: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1415973
Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1545993
Mind Master Chronicles: Labyrinth: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1353449
Mind Master Chronicles: Puppet on a String: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1386746
Meanwhile, the typing up of Contagion Phase 2: Beginnings is underway. And I’ve completed the first round of editing of the Mind Master Chronicles: The Pretender (Book 3). Here is the summary:
The Mind Master emerges from the shadows in order to play a game. Only it’s not the game he sold to his contestants online. No, that was a simple reality TV show, a promotional tool for their futures. In reality, the Mind Master’s game is a battle of wits to the death.
The editing for Mind Master Chronicles: The Pretender is going faster than it did with Biosphere. I had to make a lot more content changes with Biosphere.
I haven’t been writing as much as I’d like. I read an article recently on budgets — how you can focus on the interest rate or on the balance as your primary goal. I’m an interest rate person since it is the most efficient. Still, when you chip away at a lot of things rather than get fewer things done faster, you oftentimes don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere. And that can affect your morale. Still, I’m planning on continuing to try to do two pages a day per book because it keeps the pacing right for a book length story. Trying to add content later if you find the book is too short tends to harm the book. I will just have to dig deep and try to resume my schedule. Yes, I believe in taking breaks on occasion when I hit blocks. Putting too much pressure on yourself just creates anxiety. But you do have to prod yourself from time to time as well in order to keep the momentum going.
Update: Amazon is again offering up to $3.00 per transaction for Prime No-Rush and Amazon Delivery Day Rewards. The amount of Digital Rewards given seems dependent on the quantity of items purchased and what day of the week you purchase the items. It seems you need to buy four items at a time to qualify for the $3.00. The books I write qualify for Digital Rewards, so in theory you can get one of my eBooks if you get the $3.00 maximum reward once.
Writing Update 5
2/22/24
I’ve decided to do a fourth go over on Biosphere. I’ve decided to make this a pattern for all of my future books. I intend to do five Word pages on days I edit my books. Then, I will do four rounds. It just doesn’t feel like I’ve been thorough enough otherwise. Then, I plan to do the formatting and the cover. My new goal is to have the book up for pre-order in April. The release date goal is set for Monday, April 29th. I figure around May is a good time to release a new book. I think this will give me enough time to get everything to my liking and build up some anticipation for my release as well.
Meanwhile, I’ve decided to set my baseline price for most of my eBooks to $2.99 instead of $3.99. I know it’s hard to find money in the budget for books these days. Labyrinth will still be set to free for most retailers. Biosphere will be $2.99. Of course, I also intend to participate in the Smashwords Store sales when they come up. As far as I know, they’re still having one in July.
I’ve also changed the category of my book series The Mind Master Chronicles from juvenile fiction to regular fiction. I did this because the first two books … Labyrinth and Puppet on a String … could probably fit either category, but the third book, that’s in the editing process, and the fourth and fifth book, which are being written, lean more toward adult fiction. In other words, they are on the edge of adult and really edgy and dark juvenile fiction. But since people tend to view juvenile as a subcategory of children’s books, and I don’t see these as children’s books I decided to move them to adult fiction. Still, since there aren’t any sex scenes in the book, right now I’m not inclined toward the 18 warning / recommendation for the Mind Master Chronicles. I just don’t want people to blindly give books three through five to a five-year-old because they’re listed in the children’s section. And it really didn’t make sense to me to have books in the same series in different categories. Hopefully, this change won’t be too confusing for people.
I want to thank the people who have read my books. It’s probably easier to get books for free at the library. But I think it’s still hard to break into the library system if you’re an independent writer rather than a traditionally published one. So, I appreciate the effort people have made to read my books, even though I don’t have as much access to readers as I could have.
I realized recently how important readers are. They are rare gems to be treasured. It’s really gratifying for a writer when someone actually identifies with your work. Ideally, it truly is a symbiotic relationship where everyone benefits and is made happier as a result.
So, I will continue to make my books as affordable and accessible as possible. And you readers keep up the good work. I am convinced your efforts are appreciated by the authors whose books you read!
https://jenniferalicechandler.substack.com/p/writing-update-5-435
Writing Update # 2
10/2/23
I am delving into editing now. Biosphere has been typed; now I have to continue with my commitment to get it done. I can edit, but I don’t enjoy editing. And really it’s hard to shift gears — to go from creative flow, which is enjoyable, to perfectionistic nitpicking, which is not. Plus, there seems to be an impossibility of anything being perfect in the English language. You’d think that would be a relief — that that would mean a reduction of expectations. But in reality, it seems to be the opposite. The lack of consensus on a lot of things means that routinely people will think that you’re wrong, and you just have to live with that. Still, I like writing in English. Not only is it familiar, but it also has more flexibility than any language I’m aware of, so the capacity of self-expression is pretty high.
In order to try to get Biosphere ready by Cyber Monday, my self-imposed goal, I’m reducing work in other areas. I’m only consistently writing in two books rather than four at the moment — unless I feel inspired to write something. I’m finishing up the third book in the Mind Master Chronicles series and the second book in the series with Biosphere in it. Right now Mind Master Chronicles Book 3 is being typed, but only at most two pages a day until Biosphere is published. I made a schedule for myself for the editing, formatting, and cover. Now I have to stick to it.
As far as the writing goes, the second book in the series with Biosphere in it has turned out to be unpredictable. I’ve been letting it go its own way rather than having a set direction for it. That seems to work for it.
As far as Mind Master Chronicles Book 3 goes, it is darker and more violent than I anticipated — much like the world itself. So, I don’t know if I should set it as an adult book like I did Break the Leg to Bend the Knee. Mind Master Chronicles Book 3 lacks sexual content, and it’s really not more violent than say The Hunger Games, but I’m finding it to be kind of psychologically disturbing to get into the head of a sadistic psychopath. Of course, I’m not sure how realistic Kurt is as a sadistic psychopath, but it feels realistic. I don’t know. I may err on the side of caution and just set it to adult. The first two books are really complete in and of themselves, so you don’t have to read Book 3 to have a complete story it you find it disturbing. But I do think it’s a worthwhile book since I find most things in the world disturbing now, and yet so many people don’t seem to see how truly disturbing the world is.
Writing Update # 6
I finally got the pre-order for Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere up. It is set for release on April 29th, 2024. Right now it is available at the Smashwords Store for pre-order. It comes in the following formats at the Smashwords Store: epub mobi pdf lrf pdb txt. The price will be $2.99 for the eBook. Here is the summary:
Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere
In order to please her father, sixteen-year-old Kenya Winters agrees to go to a summer internship at the biosphere. She thought her being claustrophobic made the situation enough of an ordeal, but the reality is far worse. For outside the biosphere horrible things are happening — an experiment has gone terribly wrong and the consequences from it may just destroy them all.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1545993
I’ve also submitted the book to Draft2Digital for the print version. The price for the print version is $12.99. It is also set to be released on April 29th, 2024. I will be providing links to other stores as they become available! Thanks for reading this!
7/24/23
I’ve got the links updated in the Books Available section. My three books: Mind Master Chronicles (Book 1): Labyrinth; Mind Master Chronicles (Book 2): Puppet on a String; Break the Leg to Bend the Knee are available in paperback at: Barnes and Noble; Books A Million; Ex Libris; Saxo
Mind Master Chronicles (Book 1): Labyrinth; Mind Master Chronicles (Book 2): Puppet on a String are available at Eden.co.uk.
The Smashwords store sale where all three books are free is still ongoing until July 31. If you’re interested in reading any of my books, this would be a great time! And if you find yourself enjoying any of my books, please leave a review if you have the time!
Smashwords:
Mind Master Chronicles (Book 1): Labyrinth https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1353449
Mind Master Chronicles (Book 2): Puppet on a String https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1386746
Break the Leg to Bend the Knee (18 and over) https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1415973Type your paragraph here.
Writing Update #4
12/17/23
I just got through my second editing run of Biosphere. I did five Word pages a day on days I worked. I admit, some days it was rough. I had to get used to the process again. It got easier toward the end. I’m going to read it through again. I’m not sure what pace I can set for the next round, but I think I’ve made good progress so far.
Meanwhile, my first three books are enrolled in the Smashwords End of Year Sale between December 15 & January 1:
Free E-book! Labyrinth (Mind Master Chronicles — Book 1) Jennifer Alice Chandler
Twelve-year-old Aronade plays a lot of games, but they aren’t games of her own design. These games have been crafted by a man who goes by the name, “The Instructor.” He creates these mind games called scenarios in order to teach Aronade “lessons” about how the world truly operates. But when Aronade discovers a nearly drowned teenage boy from the outside world at the complex, she soon discovers that the Instructor’s games may not be so harmless after all. In fact, they may be deadly.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1353449
Puppet on a String (Mind Master Chronicles — Book 2) Jennifer Alice Chandler Sale price $0.99 Sixteen-year-old Aronade’s life has changed dramatically. She was taken from the compound and placed in a private school for the elite, a group of people genetically altered to increase their longevity. She is still reeling from the knowledge she is a carrier of a disease that could kill the elite. Her benefactor, a man who goes by the moniker of the Instructor, is using her as leverage to stop the elite from wiping out the rest of humanity. Only it has become clear that the Instructor cares little for anything but the game he’s playing. And if Aronade has to be sacrificed in order to win that game, so be it.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1386746
Break the Leg to Bend the Knee Jennifer Alice Chandler Sale price $0.99
After the world that she knew falls apart, a woman named Genevieve seeks refuge at a local hospital. It is in the course of her duties as a doctor’s assistant that Genevieve first encounters the Guild, a militant organization of formidable men. Her encounter is in the form of an enigmatic man named Roan Phillips. If Roan were typical of the Guild, the only thing Genevieve would have to worry about is losing her heart. But unfortunately, it turns out another man, the sadistic Gregory, is far more typical of the Guild. And because of him, Genevieve is at high risk of losing her life.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1415973
Writing Update #3
11/15/23
The editing of Biosphere has been taking longer than I had hoped. Really, in retrospect, I had no idea how long it would take. Each book is different. For this book, I jumped around a lot between scenes, which unfortunately left a lot of scenes not linked together well. So, I’ve had to write the linking scenes to make smooth transitions between sections. I’ve finished my first run-through. I will probably have to go through it two more times to make sure it flows smoothly and is logically sound. This is going to take longer than expected to do well. So, probably the end of January would be the soonest it might be released. I wish I could know in advance how long things will take, but like I said there’s really no guide in place to writing books.
Meanwhile, I have finished the first drafts of the third book in the series with Biosphere in it, and the third book of the Mind Master Chronicles series. Currently, I’ve been writing Book 4 of the Mind Master Chronicles, Book 2 of the book in the series with Biosphere in it and my other standalone book.
7/2/23
So, it’s July again! I just published a new adult romance/ dystopian novel entitled Break the Leg to Bend the Knee. I just published it on June 28th via Smashwords. It’s been listed as adult since I didn’t feel as though some of the content is suitable for children.
Here is its summary:
After the world that she knew falls apart, a woman named Genevieve seeks refuge at a local hospital. It is in the course of her duties as a doctor’s assistant that Genevieve first encounters the Guild, a militant organization of formidable men. Her encounter is in the form of an enigmatic man named Roan Phillips. If Roan were typical of the Guild, the only thing Genevieve would have to worry about is losing her heart. But unfortunately, it turns out another man, the sadistic Gregory, is far more typical of the Guild. And because of him, Genevieve is at high risk of losing her life.
Since I had to resubmit it due to a formatting error, it will take a bit longer for it to be reapproved for the premium catalog. It’s available at four stores right now:
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6450757764
Rakuten kobo USA: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/break-the-leg-to-bend-the-knee
Rakuten kobo Canada: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/break-the-leg-to-bend-the-knee
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1415973
I am working on approving a paperback version via Draft2Digital. It’s at the printing stage. If you want a paperback copy of Mind Master Chronicles: Labyrinth or Mind Master Chronicles: Puppet on a String, you should probably purchase them through the following stores:
Labyrinth:
Barnes and Noble Ebook/ paperback: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mind-master-chronicles-jennifer-alice-chandler/1143138689
Books A Million paperback: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Mind-Master-Chronicles/Jennifer-Alice-Chandler/9798215803240
Eden.co.uk paperback: https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/books-for-teens/youth-and-teen-fiction/science-fiction-and-fantasy-for-youth-and-teens/mind-master-chronicles-labyrinth/
Saxo paperback: https://www.saxo.com/dk/mind-master-chronicles-labyrinth_bog_9798215803240
Puppet on a String:
Barnes and Noble Ebook/ paperback: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940166053503
Books A Million paperback: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Mind-Master-Chronicles/Jennifer-Alice-Chandler/9798223459040?id=8883344300895
Eden.co.uk paperback: https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/christian-fiction-for-children/age-11-to-13/fantasy-stories-age-11-to-13/mind-master-chronicles-puppet-on-a-string/
Saxo paperback: https://www.saxo.com/dk/mind-master-chronicles-puppet-on-a-string_bog_9798223459040
Like I mentioned, it will take a bit more time before the paperback version of Break the Leg to Bend the Knee is available.
I tracked the store links down myself. Periodically, I plan to Duck Duck Go my books, so I can keep up-to-date on which stores are carrying them. Saxo is apparently from the Netherlands. That’s pretty exciting for me. Also exciting is that I’ve already sold one copy maybe two of Break the Leg to Bend the Knee! Thank you to whomever purchased it. It means a lot to me!
Finally, all three of my published ebooks will be free in July at the Smashwords store as part of their yearly sale.
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1353449
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1386746
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1415973
Thanks for reading this and have a blessed day!
Jennifer Alice Chandler
Writing Update 7
4/28/24
Tomorrow’s the day! Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere will be released! I have updated the Books Available links page with links to retailers. It will be available in eBook format for $2.99, paperback for $12.99, as well as the Everand subscription service.
If you have Amazon Prime, you can use No-Rush Rewards or Amazon Day Rewards and get Amazon Digital Services credit to buy the Kindle Ebook versions of Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere, Mind Master Chronicles: Puppet on a String, or Break the Leg to Bend the Knee on Amazon. You can get up to $3.00 per transaction, which would pay for any of these Kindle eBooks. [Update: It appears the Amazon No-Rush Rewards policy has changed. You now get $1.00 Amazon Digital Services credit per transaction.] And of course the Mind Master Chronicles: Labyrinth eBook remains free.
Also, currently buying an eBook for $2.99 gives you 9 Kindle Rewards points per book toward the purchase of other Kindle books. Once Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere becomes available on April 29th, it should also net you 9 points for the eBook. As far as the paperbacks go, you can get 10 pts for Mind Master Chronicles: Labyrinth, 15pts for Mind Master Chronicles: Puppet on a String and 12 pts for Break the Leg to Bend the Knee. Since Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere is still in pre-order, points aren’t listed yet. But the going rate is 3 pts per dollar spent on Kindle eBooks, and 1 pt per dollar spent on paperbacks. 300 points equal $3.00 in Kindle Rewards book credit.
In July, I plan on submitting this book and my other three books to the Smashwords store sale.
I am happy to have completed the book and am hopeful it will be an enjoyable read for any readers out there! Meanwhile, the typing up of Mind Master Chronicles: The Pretender (Book 3) is almost complete and it will then enter the some-days-it-seems-endless editing process. After the typing of Mind Master Chronicles: The Pretender (Book 3) is complete, then the typing will commence on the prequel to Contagion Phase 1, which is aptly entitled Contagion Phase 2: Beginnings. The typing and the editing of the two books will occur simultaneously. Happy reading! And if you like any of my books, feel free to leave a rating! I appreciate it! Thanks!