Chanda Hahn's Blog, page 2

I know everyone is impatiently waiting for the release of Fable. It's off to my editor right now and sometime next week I will post a release date. Pre-orders may even be available for iTunes. I will have to wait and find out. Until then let's celebrate with some really cool items.

In honor of my Unfortunate Fairy Tales and a Fan who gave me the idea for the theme. I would like to introduce you to the LOVE IS GRIMM Swag!  Shirts, bags, necklaces and other good stuff is available to purchase through the UnEnchanted Swag Zazzle Store. Now this store is an online store, not one I own or do really anything with, other than upload the designs. I've tried to keep the prices as low as I can make them, but since I'm not ordering bulk, that's as low as they go.  But you can keep a look out for Coupon Codes at Zazzle that will allow you to get 20% off of your purchases.
But enough of that you want to see the items..Yes?

UnEnchanted Swag Zazzle Store
White Love is Grimm Womens Shirt $21.95
Love is Grimm Necklace $24.95
Love is Grimm Button $2.10
Love is Grimm Black shirt with #UnEnchanted hashtag on the back $32.95 Super cute Love is Grimm Tote with a Quote by me. $10.95
There is way more items and more coming soon on the Zazzle Site. But don't take my word for it. Go look!  And Have fun shopping!

It's Indiependence day

A day to celebrate the Indie Authors! I got to meet a fabolous author at the UtopYA Conference in Nashville, TN and do a little bit of shopping and lunch with her. One fun fact! We both drive White Mazda 5's. LOL

I also love the fact that she writes clean fiction.  So with no further ado here is a little bit about Amy.


Clicks - When you just know. Born and bred to win, Cami's family expects her to join a secret society called The Guard, marry one of the two identical twin boys next door, and stay on Pinhold Island for the rest of her life. But she has other plans: work beach patrol, win the Surf Carnival and leave Pinhold to compete in international surf rescue competitions and see the world.    Home to epic waves and black sand beaches, Pinhold Island is regularly voted the top surf spot in the country. People come from all over the world to ride the waves or just relax in the natural beauty and rejuvenating water.    While visitors are jealous of the few hundred people who get to live there, sixteen year old Cami feels stifled and trapped by her small community and her family's expectations.  Thanks to the intense link she shares with her twin brother Mica, she can't even be alone with her thoughts. As descendants of the ten families who originally settled on Pinhold, Cami and Mica are part of a new generation of extreme surf lifeguards who are expected to earn invitations into The Guard.   But a seemingly small injury  knocks her out of the first event and turns her summer upside down.  It's suddenly impossible for Cami to resist the magnetic attraction to Blake, one of the twins next door; the one she's never been interested in. Just as the Surf Carnival competition starts to heat up, the best swimmers start to drown. Pulled  to the ocean floor, they're found barely  alive, stuck in unexplainable comas. When Mica goes down too, Cami can no longer wait for those in charge to figure out how to help him.  To save the lives of her brother and their friends, Cami must ignore what she sees and what she's told, and instead must learn to trust the clicks, her instincts, that help her find the truth in her heart even when it goes against everything her brain thinks it knows.

What the READERS are saying.

I cannot put his book down! Written for young adults, Clicks is part adventure, part mystery, part sic fi with a romantic thread. I'm deciding to recommend to my 11 yo, but a must read for someone who wants a riveting read unlike anything else! --Esther Feldbaum

This novel reminded me of a mix between Sarah Dessen and Stephen King. It's full of twists and turns and is far from predictable. I suggest this novel to anyone who enjoys a book that makes them think and to anyone who loves a cute teenage romance.--A.K. Groupie

I finished The Pinhold Prophecy in two nights, and could barely put it down the whole time. The plot is full of unexpected twists and turns, and the author's description of the Surf Carnival and the entire island life made me feel like I was right there. I especially appreciated the real-world environmental and social undertones. This book is great for anyone interested in an engaging summer beach read or a fresh, new take on the coming-of-age novel. Highly recommended.--Rob


Amy Evans is a storyteller, wife, mother with a life-long obsession with the ocean. In addition to writing books, she loves developing story worlds for all kinds of technology. 

She loves dolphins, aliens and pugs, and sometimes writes for so long they all look like the same thing. 

Clicks is her debut novel about instincts, a Surf Carnival, and the hottest beach patrol on the California coast. Clicks are the sounds that the universe makes when it warns you that your world is about to change forever. If you listen to them, you get on the wave before it crests; control your path, surf into your destiny. If you ignore them, the wave crashes around you, and you try desperately not to drown.

Buy her books on KINDLE  Find her on FACEBOOK

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for nominating Fairest: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale for Best Fantasy Book of the Year. It is such a cool honor to be even nominated. But the public voting has now begun and Fairest is up against some tough competition. So if you loved Fairest! Go vote!

Fairest: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale....is 100% clean fiction for all ages. Or as I call it...The Little book that could.  Vote for your other favorites in other categories as well. But tell your friends, your teachers, your parents, your kids and help out an Indie Author.

Share The Link! Share The LOVE

VOTE HERE
I may even post a pic of the dress I'm going to wear to the UTOPYA AWARDS!But I think I have the coolest Fans!

This book is not released yet. I'm aiming for June (Fingers Crossed) But you can all see the pretty cover and get it on your calendars.


UpdatedComing August 27thPre Order available for Nook, Itunes and Kobo

Indie Life is a monthly blog post where we as  Indie Authors share a little of our life.
So you wrote a book Chanda Hahn. Now what?When I typed the very last sentence of my book, I jumped from my computer chair and did a little dance. Yesssss! But now what? I studied the market, found my dream list of agents, wrote personalized query letters for each of them and sat and waited. I queried for a very long time on my first book The Iron Butterfly, but the agents weren't big into YA Epic Fantasy.  I never even dreamed of self publishing until UnEnchanted. 
After I wrote UnEnchanted (which was the third book I wrote total) I was querying to agents and getting manuscript requests. Yesss (Fist pump) but then nothing. Then I noticed there were tv shows that were coming out that were super similar to my idea. Fairy Tales were becoming big. So I self-published just to preserve my copyright. Not to actually become an indie author permanently, but just so I had the copyright. It was cheap and easy.  I still had dreams of getting a publishing deal somewhere. But there was one problem, my book was becoming a success! It was hard after I became Indie to go traditional. I've had agents call me, worked with one even, but by then I was making to much money as an Indie author and the traditional publishing route began to loose it's shine. So now what? Now I have to forge ahead on the route of what it means to be an Indie Author and how it would effect my life. 
So how do I become an Indie author and live this glorious Indie life? I'll try to tell you, I'm not going to tell you how a get rich, become a best selling Indie author overnight. Because I can't. Even if you follow every one of the steps below, if you don't have a great book, then you won't sell. If your book sucks? Well not much I can help you with but if your book has a story, has a voice and has an audience, then I can help you.  But for those that just typed "The End" onto the last page of their book. I may be able to direct you in what steps you need to take. 
I will also encourage any of my fellow Indelibles to open and edit this post and insert their own resources. I don't mind really!
1. Write a GREAT BOOK! Figure that is kinda the point and self explanatory. If your reading this far along in the blog than you probably already wrote one. 
2. Edit your own book. Read your book out load to yourself and try the best you can to catch your own mistakes. Thanks to author Lisa Nowak, I suggest using WORDTALK if you have a PC. And GHOSTREADER if you have a MAC. These program will read your book out loud to you. So you can take notes and make changes on pacing. I tend to skip over my own writing when reading and miss a lot of mistakes.
3. Beta readers- You are not ready for anything until you find beta readers (beta readers are test readers that will read your book and give you their opinion and even help with basic editing). Family and close friends don't count. You can find Beta readers from library groups, writing groups or even a few online. I found my very first Beta Reader Jane Hawkey from Australia. She helped me, a newbie, that had been out of college for 8 years reconnect with basic story telling and editing.   ***(Always research each site yourself before choosing. Some may charge money, some maybe free, some change hands and policies)
Places to find Beta Readers:PERFECT IMAGINATION (This site keeps going under new management, but I use it)PASSION & PERFECTIONREAD 2 REVIEW
4. Repeat step 2 & 3.
5. Hire an editor.  I've been burned by having volunteers/friends edit my book. I've even had fans email volunteering to edit and it doesn't work out. HIRE SOMEONE! (These are editors we've worked with, find the one that works best for you.) It usually runs me around 300-500 to edit my books.BETHANY KACZMAREKVICTORY EDITINGINDIE AUTHOR SERVICESLOOKING GLASS EDITING
6. Hire a graphic designer to make your cover.  A cover sells your book. Don't make it yourself. Believe me the readers can always tell. Here are our some fav cover artists...in no particular order.STEVEN NOVAKROBIN LUDWIGMAE I DESIGN
7. Format your ebook, and upload to a publishing platform.    Find the one that is right for you. Each publishing site has different ebook formatting rules and you will have to format your document for each site. They are all listed on the site.KINDLE DIRECT PUBLISHING  a.k.a. KDP  (Amazon)PUBIT soon to be NOOK PRESS  (Barnes & Noble)KOBO This is the BIG Ereader for CanadaITUNES (Apple) Kind of a pain to upload to, you need a mac.SMASHWORDS  If you upload to smashwords and get into the premium catalog, they will distribute to Itunes, BN and KOBO for you. 
8. Wait, I'm stuck on formatting my ebook?  Hire an Ebook Formatter. ALI CROSS (Yes our very own Indelible)LUCINDA CAMBEL
9. Upload your ebook if you haven't already.
10. Format your book for paperback. You can use an independent print publishing to make your books into paperbacks. Using Print On Demand. It's cheaper than other paperback distributers.CREATESPACELIGHTNING SOURCE
10. Promote Your work doesn't stop. You need to blog, tweet, facebook and promote your own book. Because you are your own agent. You can do BLOG TOURS. BLOG HOPS and do give aways on your own blog using RAFFLECOPTER But I think going into promoting your book is for a different day and post. We could fill up pages and pages on what to do after you publish. But this is what it takes to become an Indie.
So this is what it takes and all the hard work we do for each and every single book we write. This is the true life of an Indie Author.



CHANDA HAHN
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Chanda Hahn is the author of the popular Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series which includes UnEnchanted and Fairest which have topped the ebook charts in 5 countries. She also has a passion for writing YA epic fantasy. She's been a children's librarian, children's pastor and costume mascot. She lives in the beautiful but rainy northwest that is Portland Oregon with her husband and twin children.

So I was playing around today and was doing some memes and posted this one. I'm having a little scavenger hunt because today I released the Name of the 3rd Book in the UnEnchanted Series.  The book is not released yet. Just the title...because I was sick of hearing about UnEnchanted #3 Release date questions or what is the title of the third book so I can keep an eye out for it.  So now there is a title.....out there somewhere.

But it will be a bit before the cover is finished. My talented Bro-in- Law does my covers on the side and is super busy with his own family and moving. So if you want the cover and title faster you need to send some love to Steve Hahn.

No if you email me asking for the title or hints I won't give it to you. I'm doing an experiment to see who can find it first and how long it would take for the rest of the world to figure it out and spread.
So don't ask. Bwa ha ha.

Good luck! And may the odds be ever in your favor!

And let the hate mail begin......Just kidding.

I just sent an email to someone today....and low and behold. I actually said something smart and worth sharing.  So I decided to copy and past a portion of it here for you to read as well. Hope the reader and mom don't mind.

I try and write each of my book series from a different girls point of view. So I may have the unpopular, clumsy, invisible girl, become the hero in one series.

In another, it is a girl who was kidnapped and abused becomes the hero and saves the world, and in my unreleased series it is a girl from a broken family who is unwanted, finds a place where she belongs.

This way when I'm done, there will be a series for every girl, in every stage of life. Someone will be able to relate and overcome their own situation because they read about a girl just like her. It's most important to me to tell the reader that they are not alone. That someone can write for them and understand them.

So tell your daughter (this goes for all of you aspiring writer's out there too) when she writes and illustrates, that she doesn't have to write what is popular, but to try and find a voice for a single girl or reader who desperately needs to hear her message. Whether that is a message of hope, strength, love, or that she is not alone in the world, then her books will mean something to herself and others, and that they can make a difference.

I pray that your daughter (and you writers out there)  grows up to make a difference. One word at a time, one page at a time and one book at a time.

Well today marks the first day of NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing month. All of November authors, writers and fans attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in one month.  Which boils down to 1666 words a day. It is 8 pm at my house right now and have I started my daily wordage yet. Nope! Am I? Probably not today. Two years ago I did Nano and I started a week late and the novel that transpired was the first book of the UnEnchanted series. I found the picture and inspiration for my book in the first week of November. So I will probably start writing tomorrow. Yep that means I'll have to type 3,200 words tomorrow. But I need to finish a different book, so it may be the kick in the pants I need to pump out and finish my book.

Well yes, I am a procrastinator and I tend to get easily distracted. But that doesn't mean I can't whip up a good book in a frenzy. I tend to work the best under pressure anyway. Are you writing a book for National Novel Writing Month? If your a teen that I would suggest trying to write a short story. Aim for 10,000 words. That would be writing 300 words a day and I'm positive most teens text more than three hundred words each day. LOL

So what is your project? What's your goal for the month?

Want to catch up and chat with me and live near Surrey Canada? Well now you can.I will be attending the Surrey International Writers Conference 2012 Book Fair Saturday October 20th at 5:30pm. I will have a table set up with books and you can stop by and ask me any question you want. I will also be signing books. You can bring your own or purchase a copy there.
 SIWC 2012The Sheraton Guildford Hotel [ Website / Google Map ]
15269 104th Avenue
Surrey, British Columbia
But that's not all! I will also be driving up with some great author friends. Stacey Wallace Benefiel Cheri Lasota Heather McCorkle
So stay tuned on twitter for some interesting trip pictures that are sure to follow.

Well, most of you know that I released UnEnchanted without being edited. I did it thinking it would sit out in cyberspace and no one would ever stumble upon. I was naive, it was my first epub book and I didn't know any better. Alas, it was the complete opposite, the book took off and gained a following. But I still had to deal with those nasty editing mistakes, but what to do, since so many people already had the book? Well I made it FREE.

I am happy to say that after working with an Agent and lots of editing on both of our parts. UnEnchanted is finished. It has been extensively edited and Re-released on 9/21/12. It can take a few weeks to a few months for the edits to trickle through the ebook world. But gone are 99% of the errors and a few added bonuses may be found in the ebook, and paperback version.

WHAT?!?! NO!!!!. 

Yes, I know that is what many of you are probably going to say, but it had to have happened sooner or later. So if you got a first copy of the book before the edits, you can say that you are extremely special.

What is different? 1. A few of the chapters have been combined. A couple of of them were super short and didn't need their own chapter heading. I had one chapter that was like three sentences. Going for drama there. Didn't need it.

2. Some of the POV's have been deleted. Because they were unneeded or were redundant. I loved throwing in a paragraph or two of what Mina's mom was thinking, but it didn't really move the plot along and it made it confusing in some parts. Other character's POV switches interrupted the flow of the writing and again weren't necessarily needed. So you may not hear from Brody's point of view or Jared's as much in UnEnchanted. But again, it is always more fun for a girl to fill in the blanks herself anyway.

3. A couple of scenes extended.

But that is it. UnEnchanted, though good, wasn't great yet! If we ever wanted to progress and tackle the world it needed to be done. So now I can quit getting all of the annoying emails from people asking to edit my books, or trying to sell me on an editor. I already had one. And it was a work in progress.

WAAAA! Have I been jipped? Did I miss something new?

It doesn't really matter, because the book is still FREE. Right now, at least. So you can still download it directly onto your computer from Smashwords. It may take a while for the new version to get to KOBO, APPLE and BN.

Soon, I will tackle Fairest, and give it a few tweaks as well.

But for all of the naysayers and mean critic's about editing and grammar etc. Here's big loud raspberry PPPPBBBBFFFLLLTTTTT. Because there, it is done and re-edited, but nobody but will never know or care. Only I will know and my fans!

So cheer with me, we will bring UnEnchanted to a higher standard and bring the rest of the world with us.