Draft:Jeffery Chaney

• File:Symbol opinion vote.svg 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 and the series Backyard Starship, which he cowrote with author Terry Maggert.

Life and education

Chaney was born in Avon Park, Florida.

He currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his wife, Krysta, and their son.

Career

Beginning

Chaney 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, 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. 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

Chaney'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. 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.

Bibliography

Solo author titles:

The Variant Saga

• The Amber Project (2015)
• Transient Echoes (2016)
• Hope Everlasting (2016)
• The Vernal Memory (2017)

Renegade Star Series

• 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

• Nameless (2018)
• The Constable (2019)
• The Constable Returns (2019)
• Warrior Queen (2019)
• The Renegade (2020)
• The Deal (2020)

Exodus Ark

• Exodus Ark (2020)
• Max Frontier (2020)
• Lost Heritage (2021)

1-800-Starship

• 1-800-Starship (2025)
• The Last Emperor (2025)

Standalone Books:

• Their Solitary Way (2016)
• The Other Side of Nowhere (2016)
• Forever Family (2019)

Awards and Recognition

Year	Award	Category	Nominated Work	Result	Refs.
2021	Dragon Awards	Military/Sci-Fi Novel	Sentenced to War - Co-written with Jonathan P. Brazee	Nominated
2022	Dragon Awards	Military/Sci-Fi Novel	Backyard Starship - Co-written with Terry Maggert	Nominated
2024	Discover Sci-Fi	Best Space Opera	The Enemy Within (Backyard Starship Book 24) - Co-written with Terry Maggert	Won

External Links

• Official Website
• JN Chaney Facebook Page