Indie Spotlight – Chandra Press

Firstly, we want to thank Beth for the opportunity to be part of Indie Spotlight on Beforewegoblog. When she mentioned that she was thinking about creating a forum for independent authors to share their stories and showcase their work, we were like, “Hell yes! That sounds awesome. You should totally do it!” When she reached out to us, a startup indie scifi publisher, and asked if we’d like to participate, we were totally flattered and thrilled to do it. We are incredibly grateful for the chance to tell our story, highlight the books we’ve published, and talk about our next release.

So, just who are we and what are we doing? To answer that, I’ll share our mission statement:

We are a science fiction publishing house that brings new authors and amazing stories to readers of sci-fi around the world. Chandra Press is based on the spirit of passion, innovation, collaboration, respect, honesty, and integrity. We firmly believe that the best work comes from a place where creativity, diversity, inclusion, discussion, daring leaps, and the power of dreams are fostered. We believe in ourselves, each other, our vision and our ability to make a positive impact on everything we do. We are Chandra Press.

We started Chandra Press to address 2 major problems in the science fiction publishing space. Foremost is the incredible challenge new authors face in getting their books published by a traditional publishing house. An author needs an agent to get the attention of publishers. But… in order to get an agent, an author needs to be published. We believe this byzantine paradox keeps amazing stories from being told by fresh voices in the genre. To address it, we have an open manuscript submission policy. We don’t need an agent to tell us if something is good. We can do that for ourselves, thank you very much.

The second problem is the focus on paper books and old distribution models. We love our paper books, don’t get me wrong, but the old publishing model is outmoded. There is simply no reason why it should take a year from final draft to the hands of hungry readers. Additionally, the need for investment in physical inventory and the logistical costs of the classic distribution model keeps publishers from investing in new authors.  It is simply too risky financially. By embracing the digitization of content, we are able to invest our capital, time, and energy into making great books and fulfilling our goal of bringing new authors to the world. It’s pretty sweet. 

We officially opened for business on April 18th, 2018. We received our first manuscript that led to a published book on May 9^th. It has been an amazing year with many wins.  It has also been incredibly challenging. We wouldn’t want it any other way. Challenges lead to learning. And, we’ve learned a lot. Overall, we’re very pleased with our progress over the last year. 

We published three first books from three new authors so far with our next release on May 3^rd. Two of our three books have been Amazon bestsellers and ranked in the top 1% of books across the platform. While that is exciting all by itself, it also proved our business model. We were convinced that readers wanted new work from new authors. Fortunately, we were right (massive sigh of relief). “So, just what are these books?” you ask.

Our first book, Fusion World by Joseph Lewis Tamone, is a thrilling adventure of revenge, teamwork, and how a small group can make a big difference. If you like a science fiction novel with strong character development, a plot that keeps you guessing, and a dose of dystopia, you’ll love Fusion World.

Meet a character: Raven

Raven is a ruthlessly effective assassin for Vyndral. She hunts the former members of the Iota Corps, the group who managed to deploy an anti-terran device and bring an end to the Universal War. The device left Vyndral a cold, dystopian wasteland. Raven grew up after the bomb ruined her homeworld and knows how to hold a grudge. Her preferred method of dispatching her targets: stealth and poisoned blades.

Grab a copy of Fusion World: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JH3LN4X

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Rijel 12: The Rise of New Australia

Our second book, an Amazon bestseller – Rijel 12: The Rise of New Australia by King Everett Medlin, is a riveting, galaxy-spanning space opera of rebellion, piracy, world building, and the quest for redemption with a rich cast of human and alien characters that will keep you turning pages long past bedtime. 

Meet a character: Archibald Hicks

Hicks is the first general of the New Australian Resistance on Rijel 12 and a human. Gruff and blunt, his no-nonsense approach to matters rubs some the wrong way. His strategies are ingenious but incredibly risky. Can he and the rest of the council convince the gangs of Rijel 12 that they’ll work? And what happens if they don’t? It all rides on Hicks shoulder and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

Grab a copy of Rijel 12: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KSYQHHJ

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Thad Saves the Galaxy

Our third book, another Amazon bestseller – Thad Saves the Galaxy by C.T. Fleck, is a humorous galactic adventure with a vibrant cast of human and alien characters, space battles, and outrageous good times. If you like a hilarious dark comedy and sci-fi parody with a weed smoking, carefree, and comical main character who eventually rises to the challenge, you’ll love Thad Saves the Galaxy.

Meet a character: Zinka

Zinka is an Aldinian on the run from the tyrant, Derask. Zinka is an outspoken critic of Dreask’s policies and advocate for the oppressed. She has one goal in mind: taking Derask down. When Thad saves Zinka from a gang of rednecks and takes her in, she thinks he just might be able to help her in her quest. She tolerates Thad’s bizarre antics and tries to keep him on a short leash. Zinka is tough, reliable, smart, and proves herself to be the leader that can give Derask the fight of his life.

Grab a copy of Thad Saves the Galaxy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ND6QCCV 

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Our next release, Sworld: The Chronicles of Malick is a thrilling science fiction adventure with excellent character development, planet-spanning exploration, epic discovery, and perilous danger. The reviews have been awesome:

“Sworld is a sprawling epic that can be enjoyed for all the ingenuity of creation.” – Paul’s Picks

“Sworld was a brilliant read, and one I highly recommend for all science fiction fans out there.” – Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks

“If you enjoy science fiction in all its glory, this is the novel for you.” – Anthony Avila

Malick, the genetically modified captain of The Pioneer, and his crew are on a scientific expedition to the far reaches of the solar system when they received a highly unusual distress call. The source is unknown, no other ship has been out this far. Compelled to investigate, Malick and his team discover an alien vessel with a mysterious cargo that ultimately leaves them hopelessly marooned on the unexplored planet Sworld.

With no way home, they begin a journey of discovery into a rich and vibrant world with new life forms and intelligent species, but also dark mysteries and perilous danger. An ancient race, once peaceful, has turned to violence and aggression. Plunged into a quest for answers and an end to the bloodshed, Malick and the crew must solve the enigmas of Sworld or perish.

Sworld will launch on May 3^rd and is available for preorder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QHZ5DZJ 

We continue to be blown away by the quantity and quality of manuscripts we receive. We’ve had to grow the editorial team to keep up with all the amazing stories we want to publish. We’ll be announcing some new additions to the team in the coming months. Our pipeline is full of wonderful stories that we’re sure readers will love. We’ve got the bases covered from epic world builders, to exciting explorations, to the grueling hardships and wonderful discoveries of colonization, to perilous adventures. And, new stories continue to come in.

In closing, we’d like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to our authors, readers, and friends. We really couldn’t do this without you. Your support means the world to us. Thank you.

If you’d like to learn more about us, you can check out our website: https://www.chandrapress.com, follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chandrapresspub, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialchandrapress/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialchandrapress/. If you like to be in the know and get access to cool stuff before others, you can subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.chandrapress.com/newsletter. You can also contact us directly: chandra@chandrapress.com.