Tag: self-publishing

Holiday Sign & Ship Returns (with an exciting new twist!)

Merry Happy, Readers! As the holiday season unfolds, Santa brings forth a gift to illuminate your festive nights — Social Vampire. This witty, tender, and pacy YA novel, shortlisted for the Bath Novel Award and The Letter Review Manuscript Prize , invites you into a world where secrets, love, and the transformative power of resilience converge. But that’s not all the magic Santa has in store; stay tuned for thrilling news from the Click Your Poison universe!

Sink your fangs in Social Vampire: Head to a small mountain town obsessed with vampires and follow Gordy and his dad as they navigate the aftermath of a family tragedy. Social Vampire is a heartwarming coming-of-age story that playfully incorporates screenplay elements, delivering a unique and endearing narrative. As you unwrap this literary delight, let the pages humorously guide you through the secrets of self-reinvention and the beauty of living one’s truth.

Special Delivery: Picture this: Santa himself, donned in crimson and white, delivering a personalized, signed copy of Social Vampire directly to your doorstep or that of a loved-one. A comedic and heartwarming tale of intrigue and secrets arrives just in time for the holidays, making your festive season a bit more extraordinary.

Exclusive Preview for Click Your Poison Fans: Hold tight, fans of the Click Your Poison series! Usually, my holiday sign & ship events are for any and all of my books, but this year I’m excluding CYP while Santa is busy delivering good readers their copies of Social Vampire.

Why? In the coming days, prepare for a revelation that will turn the page on what’s next for the series, involving a deluxe illustrated hardcover edition of MURDERED. Stay tuned for a crowdfunding project that will not only bring this vision to life but also offer signed special editions of your favorite Click Your Poison books. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss out! In the meantime, enjoy this exclusive preview:

Concept Art for the 10th Anniversary Deluxe Illustrated Edition

Ordering Details: Ready to receive your special delivery from Santa? Head over to my contact page or fill out the form below and let me know you’re eager to unwrap Social Vampire this holiday season. See what all the critical acclaim is about in either paperback or a few limited hardcover copies.

Stay tuned for more thrilling announcements on the horizon, ensuring that your Click Your Poison collection is about to become even more extraordinary. Merry reading and happy holidays!

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Deep Dive: Steep Competition(s)!

I’ve been writing a lot of short stories recently, and there’s a question that naturally begs itself: what do you do with a short story?

Eventually, the plan is to publish my own collection…but first? Story competitions and (hopefully) publication in various literary magazines and anthologies.

I’ve written nine shorts so far, and I’m submitting these to competitions while I work on other stories. I’ve already had results back from a few such outlets, as you’ll see below, and the biggest lesson I’ve learned thus far is: it’s all subjective.

Just like book reviews, where one reader might offer a scathing 1-star critique, another reader might shower the book with 5-star praises; it’s all about connecting with the right reader at the right time.

As I’ve been looking for reputable contests to submit my shorts, I’ve also found some novel competitions, and I’ve decided to submit my work there as well. How is it going, you ask?

Aug 1st update, by the numbers:

Novel Competitions:

  • 12 contests submitted to thus far
  • 10 pending
  • 2 rejections
  • 1 longlist/shortlist*

*I can’t say much about this one yet, because I don’t want to jeopardize the blind judging process, but I’ve made the top 2 cuts thus far! As a shortlisted finalist, I’m eagerly awaiting the competition results in September. Stay tuned for updates!

Short Story Competitions:

  • 33 contests submitted to thus far
  • 24 pending
  • 7 rejections
  • 1 withdrawn
  • 1 win/placement*

*Wait, whaaaaat???? That’s right! I won 2nd place in a short story competition!

Okay, let’s talk about my second place finish!

The Deepest Part of Man is an Edwardian epistolary tale of dread told in the style of Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft. It was a fun exercise to put myself in the shoes of these forefathers of the horror & Sci-Fi genres, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

The Henshaw Press competition is run by Hobeck Books, a small, independent publisher based in Staffordshire, UK. The competition runs quarterly, with anthologies of winning entries (that’s me!) published as they’re collected.

But you don’t have to wait that long to read my story.

The top three award winners are published right now on the Henshaw Press competition awards page!

What’s next? Well, I plan to continue writing stories and submitting to competitions! I’ll post collected results like this periodically on this blog, or you can follow me on social media for more instantaneous results announcements.

Thanks for reading, and in the meantime, wish me luck!

Your author,

by Categories: Fiction, MusingsTags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Summer Updates

Summer is heating up! In this blog post you’ll learn more about a Click Your Poison update, author life, and new opportunities ahead.

Up first: it’s the 10th Anniversary of MURDERED this year!

As such, I’ll be making a deluxe illustrated hardcover edition to celebrate, full of bonus goodies like a new cover, behind-the-scenes illustrations, photos and stories from my own travels to Brazil, the jungle, and the favelas, and more! (if you have any other ideas, let me know in the comments)

Stay tuned for updates on this project. And if you haven’t heard yet, there’s a 10th Anniversary Deluxe edition of INFECTED and a fully-illustrated hardcover of HAUNTED already in existence!

The Rising Cost of Print Books

It seems like everything is getting more expensive these days, and the publishing world is no exception. The cost of book printing is increasing. In some ways, its a minor miracle that printing costs haven’t changed in my ten years as a professional author, and I think we’re fortunate they haven’t gone higher.

What does this mean for you?

You’ve probably seen some price hikes already, but for my titles, I’ll need to increase prices of physical books by about $1. I keep my margins low, but with the printer increases, I need to raise the price so that expanded markets like libraries can still order my books.

The price change will go into effect by the end of next week, so if you’ve been waiting to complete your Click Your Poison collection or try out Social Vampire, now’s the time!

Check out my full catalog here: https://www.amazon.com/author/schannep

How’s it going?

I’ve been busy since the launch of Social Vampire this spring.

Hair today, gone tomorrow. Time for a new look! What do you think?

On the writing front, I’ve been working on short stories, which I hope to collect in an anthology later this year. I’ve been submitting a few of these to contests and literary journals, as well as submitting my novel to various book awards.

On a personal note, my wife and I are expecting our third child, who’s scheduled to arrive next month! Hopefully, short projects like these and the deluxe illustrated edition of MURDERED will still be doable with a full house…

I’m also going to do a few book signings, starting with the grand re-opening of The Book Archive on July 1st, which has featured my stories in the Fountain/Colorado Springs area since last fall.

That’s about it for this update. In the meantime, you can find me on social media, on my website, or in my books. Happy summer reading!

by Categories: MusingsTags: , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Mayday, mayday, mayday!

I need your help on this day in May (see what I did there?).

Do you love libraries and local bookstores? Meeee too!

A bookstore, somewhere, presumably.

I used a new distributor for Social Vampire that makes it easier than ever for the book to hit shelves, but that’s where you come in. If you request it, using the book’s unique title, my unique name, or this unique identifier (ISBN: 1954747055), your favorite book-based location can order the book in at a very favorable rate.

Please let me know if you’re going to bring Social Vampire to your hometown by name-checking it in the comments. I’d love to know how far and wide this book is spreading!

Note the category…
by Categories: Social VampireTags: , , , , , , 2 Comments

New Release Day! Social Vampire: A Novel

I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to tell you, and the world at large, about this book.

Although I have seven published books, Social Vampire is technically my debut novel. The other titles are better classified as gamebooks, or interactive fiction (I’m talking about my Click Your Poison series here).

But unlike my other books, the only choice here, is whether or not to give it a try.

No flowchart necessary, though the story is full of twists and turns!

The novel is meant to be humorous, heartfelt, and to resonate with both teens and adults. Coming-of-age is a genre of fiction for general audiences, but my protagonist is a teenager; does that make the book YA?

There are romantic elements to the story — should I highlight those, like in this promotional graphic?

Not Romance with a capital R, but it is a story of young love.

In a perfect world, I’d like you to hear about this book through word of mouth. It might not look like something you’d normally read. It might not even sound like what you’d normally read, but if a trusted friend recommended it, I’d hope you would give it a try.

So let me start: read this book.

You’ll find heart and soul, clever turns of phrase, genuine laugh-out-loud moments throughout, and probably a chapter or two threatening to be a tearjerker.

After that, it’s your turn. If you read the book and love it, tell the world!

Reviews are appreciated, and crucial to a book launch.

As you can see above, the early reviews are flowing in. Here are some more testimonials:

“It’s like Mean Girls flavored with Teen Wolf”
(for my film & TV followers)

“In the vein of John Green”
(for my literary lovers)

“Mmm…veins”
(for the humor fans)

And, of course, I hope to see your thoughts on the book as well. But you’ve got to get it first… Fortunately, the day has finally arrived! Social Vampire is now widely available in both print and ebook. Here’s a list of just some of the retailers that carry the book:

https://books2read.com/b/socialvampire

Want to know more?

Head over to the Social Vampire page for more information, as well as instructions on how to order the book to your local library or favorite brick-and-mortar bookstore:

https://jamesschannep.com/fiction/socialvampire/

Are you excited? Are you willing to give it a try? Let me know in the comments below.

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Social Vampire COVER REVEAL

In bringing Social Vampire into the world as a novel, I knew I had to create a cover that jumps off the page as much as the story does. Something that would showcase the fact that the book is hilarious, but with heart hiding beneath.

After weeks of design and workshopping, I finally have a cover I love.

And today I’m ready to show it off!

What’s more: as of now, the book is available for preorder in both Kindle edition and paperback.

What’s even more: the book is available to PURCHASE TODAY in hardcover. That’s right, you can get Social Vampire a full five weeks early in hardcover! I’m still waiting for my copy to arrive so I can show it off, but the hardcover edition has a gorgeous removable dust jacket and a handful of interior illustrations to make it extra special.

A few notes:

  • With an official release date of 4/4/2023, the novel will launch in paperback, ebook, and audiobook (hopefully…more on this later).
  • The ebook version will initially be Kindle-exclusive for 90 days to do various promos, with plans to take the electronic version wide to other retailers after this launch period.
  • The paperback preorder currently shows “unavailable” on Amazon, but I’m told this should update any day now. The paperback and hardcover are already available for preorder/purchase respectively at all major book retailers, including Barnes & Noble.
  • As of this post, the hardcover purchase page is so new that sales page doesn’t show the cover image, but rest assured, it’s the same as what you can see below…

So, without further ado, here’s the cover for Social Vampire!

At a new school, you get a chance to reinvent yourself, so…why not be a vampire?

Click me to see a gigantic version

What do you think? Personally, I LOVE how it turned out. From the sad-sack vampire telling us “a novel” to the mean girls vibe of the teens at the top, for me it just works.

(Aside, from a design perspective, he’s the one “upside down” but we’re seeing the story from his point of view).

And here’s the full wraparound cover:

Click me to zoom in

Okay, I’ve told you enough times that I love this cover, but now I want your thoughts! Let me know in the comments what you think (good, bad, or ugly — I’m happy to receive whatever feedback you’ve got).

Are you excited to read my first novel?

Will you be waiting for the ebook, the paperback, the audiobook, or picking up the hardcover right now?

I’ll share pictures once I get my copy of the hardcover and share more about the audiobook version soon.

Until then, I remain:

Your author,

by Categories: Social VampireTags: , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Remodeling My Home(page)

Fashions change and the internet is no exception, so every few years I’ll give a facelift to my official online presence (namely, this site). For 2023, I’m going to use remodeling as the metaphor, since these changes are more than cosmetic.

My homepage, and all the other pages, should now be complete and ready to receive visitors!

Please, take a look around, make yourself at home, and–most importantly–let me know if you see any cracks in the foundation or leaks in the plumbing.

Tell me: what do you think?

If you’ve been here a few times over the years, let me know in the comments how this new look compares. Or, if you’re here for the first time, welcome! I’d love to hear what you think as well.

by Categories: MusingsTags: , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Halloween Hangover?

I don’t know about you, but Spooky Season is one of my favorite seasons. After that, it just gets cold and…merry…(shudders).

So, I’ve got a bit of a Halloween Hangover (and not just because my Vella just released part three of three in its Halloween party episodes!).

The HAUNTED: Deluxe Illustrated Collector’s Edition has been well received, so thank you to anyone who picked up a copy to keep the spooky times rolling.

I’m currently working on a collection of short stories centered around death and extinction (sounds fun, right?), which will likely also make its debut on Vella.

Now it’s November, and I need your help. If you’re not aware, Vella has these things it calls “faves” — basically a vote for your favorite story you read that week.

I kind of love that my Vella about a teen pretending to be a vampire…is the #2 fave in vampires.

They reset at the start of the month, and there’s a lot of shifting and vying for positions in these early days.

So…I need your help. 5 minutes of your time.

A new month means it’s time to crown the new kings and queens of Vella! This is the NUMBER ONE way for new people to learn about the story. I hate to ask, but it makes a huge difference.


If you’re in the US, go to my SOCIAL VAMPIRE page (https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0BDGM1J8J) and unlock any episode (past 1-3). Then you get to vote for your “fave” — this should pop up automatically after you like the episode at the bottom, but if not, you can click the icon noted in the image below:


If you’re not in the US, I’m sorry they STILL haven’t made it available for you to read. Fear not, it will be available in print & ebook (and I’m looking into audiobook) in 2023.

Now I’m going to go crawl under a rock and try to recover from how awkward it felt asking this of my fans.

Does anyone have any bonus spooky stories they can give me? I’m enjoying Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix. What about you?

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Flash Sale – Kindle Vella

In case you missed it… 
15 chapters of “Social Vampire” are waiting for you!

We had a long holiday weekend, so in case Wednesday’s post was lost in the shuffle, today is the FINAL DAY of the Kindle Vella sale. There are 15 episodes waiting for you to unlock on Social Vampire, and best of all, I still get an author royalty. Win/win!

I’m at almost 1,000 chapter reads for the week thanks to this promo. Can you help me reach my goal? Check out Social Vampire now: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0BDGM1J8J

Some final points:
-Even after this flash sale ends, Prime Members will receive 200 free “tokens” to unlock future episodes. Which is great news, because episode 16 drops tomorrow!
-If you’ve started reading and you’re following the story, THANK YOU. Please consider leaving a review before the story has completed. The idea is to get people to jump on the bandwagon while the wheels are still in motion.
-I appreciate you. This is different from my other works, but if you appreciate my prose, the humor I generally suffuse into my writing, and the care with which I try to craft compelling narratives — then I think you’ll love Social Vampire as much as I do!

Have you started reading "Social Vampire" yet?

Read Now

At a new school, you get a chance to reinvent yourself.
So…why not be a vampire?
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HAUNTED: Special Edition

It’s here, and it’s extra spooky. In fact, it’s Spooktacular! The HAUNTED: Deluxe Illustrated Collector’s Edition hardcover is now in stock.

I was supposed to write this blog post yesterday, as I’d already teased it in the “steps forward” portion of my newest blog post but I spiked a 105*f temperature and was busy with lucid fever dreams. Which is rather apropos, as that’s exactly what this alternate cover art is meant to convey.

What else makes this Spooktacular edition so special? All new content, available for the first time, including:

  • An interactive author foreword.
  • New cover art, bound in hardcover. An impressive tome any respectable necromancer should own.
  • Fully illustrated interior; a mix between original line drawings and road hazard signs to help signpost and guide your path.
  • Expanded maps and floorplans detailing more of the Tansky House than ever before.
  • A flowchart story map to help you navigate the twists and turns of this fiendish book.

Of course, you can still enjoy HAUNTED as an ebook or paperback. I just thought it would be fun to make something extra special for collectors, which is available in time for Halloween and will keep you up at night all spooky season. Ready? Here’s the sales page: http://hyperurl.co/HAUNTEDillustrated

With that, it’s time for more Tylenol. I’ll leave you with more fun previews of the interior:

What do YOU think? Excited? Unenthused? Ready for special editions of more in the Click Your Poison series? Let me know in the comments below and keep it spooky!

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