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Comment: If any of his books have received reviews in reliable sources (e.g. established newspapers, not blogs or similar) please add those as references. MCE89 (talk) 16:06, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
Jeffrey Chaney is an American science fiction author best known for his Renegade Star series[1] and the series Backyard Starship, which he cowrote with author Terry Maggert[2].
Life and education
editChaney was born in Avon Park, Florida[3].
In 2025, he moved from Las Vegas, Nevada to Orlando, Florida with his wife, Krysta, and their son.
Career
editBeginning
editChaney wanted to be a writer since he was in high school but did not initially intend to pursue it professionally. After writing and publishing fan fiction stories in online forums for games such as The Legend of Zelda[4], he decided to pursue his Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing.
After graduating with his undergraduate degree, Chaney joined the Air Force to provide a pathway for him to become a full-time writer. He also received his Master of Arts in Creative Writing during this time. While serving, he saved 25 to 50 percent of each paycheck, turning down nights out with friends, visiting family, and often ate cereal for dinner. When he left the Air Force, Chaney had saved enough to support himself for eighteen months.[5] While still in the Air Force, Chaney began writing his first book, The Amber Project, that would later lead to his first series, The Variant Saga.
Variant Publications and Publishing Model
editChaney's independent publishing company, Variant Publications, was named after his first series, The Variant Saga. He is widely known for having published over 400 books due to his publishing model, where most of the books are written with co-authors whom Chaney collaborates with, and up to 45 books can be published in one year.[3] However, Variant Publications still partners with traditional publishers, such as Audible Studios and Podium Entertainment to handle other markets, such as audiobooks.
According to Chaney, when working with co-authors, he comes up with a concept for a book or series, then finds authors with the experience to match the concept. From there, they outline the characters, setting, and plot together before beginning the writing process. Depending on the book, both authors will either split writing chapters, or the co-author will write most of the book, with Chaney's role focusing on editing when the drafts are complete.[6]
Bibliography
editSolo author titles:
editThe Variant Saga
edit- The Amber Project (2015)
- Transient Echoes (2016)
- Hope Everlasting (2016)
- The Vernal Memory (2017)
Renegade Star Series
edit- Renegade Star (2017)
- Renegade Atlas (2017)
- Renegade Moon (2017)
- Renegade Lost (2018)
- Renegade Fleet (2018)
- Renegade Earth (2018)
- Renegade Dawn (2018)
- Renegade Children (2018)
- Renegade Union (2019)
- Renegade Empire (2019)
- Renegade Descent (2019)
- Renegade Rising (2019)
- Renegade Alliance (2019)
- Renegade Evolution (2020)
- Renegade War (2020)
- Renegade Peace (2020)
Renegade Origins
edit- Nameless (2018)
- The Constable (2019)
- The Constable Returns (2019)
- Warrior Queen (2019)
- The Renegade (2020)
- The Deal (2020)
Exodus Ark
edit- Exodus Ark (2020)
- Max Frontier (2020)
- Lost Heritage (2021)
1-800-Starship
edit- 1-800-Starship (2025)
- The Last Emperor (2025)
Standalone Books:
edit- Their Solitary Way (2016)
- The Other Side of Nowhere (2016)
- Forever Family (2019)
Awards and Recognition
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Dragon Awards | Military/Sci-Fi Novel | Sentenced to War - Co-written with Jonathan P. Brazee | Nominated | [7] |
| 2022 | Dragon Awards | Military/Sci-Fi Novel | Backyard Starship - Co-written with Terry Maggert | Nominated | [8] |
| 2024 | Discover Sci-Fi | Best Space Opera | The Enemy Within (Backyard Starship Book 24) - Co-written with Terry Maggert | Won | [9] |
References
edit- ↑ "Renegade Star – JN Chaney". Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ "Backyard Starship – JN Chaney". Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- 1 2 "From secret fanfiction writer to Amazon best-selling sci-fi author, story of Jeffrey Chaney". The Ignite Collective.
- ↑ Bolton, Naomi. "JN Chaney - Genetic Engineering, Dystopian Societies and Mysteries". Many Books.
- ↑ Scott-Hainchek, Sadye. "Author Q&A: JN Chaney". The Fussy Librarian.
- ↑ Chaney, Jeff. "How do you manage writing books with a co-author?".
- ↑ "Sfadb: Dragon Awards 2021".
- ↑ "Sfadb: Dragon Awards 2022".
- ↑ "DSF Readers' Choice: 15 Must-Read Sci-Fi Books of 2024". 9 January 2025.

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