Candace Kade Speaker & Author of the Hybrid Series

Guest Speaking, Panels, & Interviews

• Conjuring the Mysteries of Writing Conference by OWFI l Oklahoma City l How to Write a Great YA Novel & Book Launch Success: Marketing Strategies for a Successful Release – Speaker (May, 2025)
• Oklahoma Society for Technology in Education Convention l Tulsa l Technology & Literature: Capturing the Imagination of Reluctant Students – Speaker l (Nov 7th, 2024)
• WriterCon | Oklahoma City | Samurai Storytelling: How to Write Fast Paced Action – Speaker (Sep. 1st, 2024)
• LitFest | Oklahoma City | The Heart of the Story: Understanding Romance and Writing for Teens – Panelist (August 17th, 2024)
• Young Writers Workshop Retreat | North Carolina | Samurai Storytelling: How to Write Fast Paced Action – Main Speaker to 300+ students (July 30th, 2024)
• Realm Makers | St. Louis | Traditional vs Indie Publishing – Panelist (July 20th, 2024)
• SOCK FanFest | Oklahoma City | Writing Action with Author Candace Kade – Speaker (June 12th, 2024)
• Lakeside Junior High School | Arkansas | Virtual Science & Art Talk – Speaker (April 5th, 2024)
• The Poisoned Pen Bookstore | Phoenix | Live and Virtual Event with Candace Kade & Sara Ella – Panelist (Oct. 14th, 2023)
• Young Writer’s Workshop | Virtual Mini Course Speaker | How to Write a Great YA Novel – Speaker (Sep. 23rd, 2023)
• Armadillo Con | Austin | Using AI as Your Personal Intern, Writing Fantasy Beyond “Traditional”, We Were Always Promised a Terrible 21st Century, The Impact of Travel Culture in Speculative Fiction – Panelist (August 4-6th, 2023)
• Realm Makers | St. Louis | Best Book Launch Ever – Panelist (July 12-15th, 2023)
• BookPeople Bookstore| Austin l Sci-fi – Panelist (April 29th, 2023)

Podcast Interviews with Candace Kade

• Okie Bookcast l Dragons, Serial Killers, and Martin Short (July 23rd, 2024)
• The Bookshop at the End of the Internet l Bookshop Interview with Author Candace Kade, Episode #206 (March 27th, 2024)
• The Experience | Author Candace Kade on Growing up in China, Leaving a Corporate Job for Writing, and the Importance of Persistance (March 4th, 2024)
• A Writer’s Day Podcast | Episode 184: Candace Kade Interview (February 12th, 2024)
• The Bookshop at the End of the Internet l Bookshop Interview with Author Candace Kade, Episode #187 (August 23rd, 2023)
• Of the Publishing Persuasion l Of the Publishing Persuasion – with ENHANCED author Candace Kade (August 22nd, 2023)
• Exploring the Blank Page Podcast | Episode 036: Candace Kade (May 19th, 2023)
• A Writer’s Day Podcast | Episode 144: Candace Kade Interview (May 15th, 2023)
• The Hope Prose Podcast | Episode 81: Here’s to the Misfits (March 13th, 2023)
• Fantastical Truth Podcast | Episode 154: What If You Had to Fake Being Genetically Modified? Enhanced with Candace Kade (March 21st, 2023)

Articles, Interviews, & Flash Fiction by Candace Kade

• Shoutout South Carolina l Meet Candace Kade l Novelist (April 3rd, 2024)
• Shepherd l The Best Books on Young Adult Near Future Novels (March, 2024)
• Indie Reader l IR Approved Author Candace Kade Tells All About Her Book (March 19th, 2024)
• Cultur Magazine l Enhanced A Futuristic YA Novel Set in Asia By Candace Kade, Hits Plenty Of TCK Notes (May 8th, 2023)
• Among Worlds Magazine | Embracing Belonging (April 27th, 2023)
• A Writer’s Table l Author Interview with Candace Kade (April 11th, 2023)
• Havok Publishing l The Empty Space Flash Fiction on Spotify (May 2022)
• Havok Publishing l The Empty Space Flash Fiction Article (May 2022)
• The Spinning Pen | 10 Ways to Increase Book Sales (May 12th, 2022)

ENHANCED Trade Reviews & Book Reviews

“Urban’s story flourishes in twists and turns that intrigue and engage.”

– Kirkus

“Intricately constructed and incredibly layered, ENHANCED by Candace Kade will suck readers in, taking them on a thrilling ride through a terrifying future that looks far too familiar for comfort.”

– Indie Reader Review

“Candace Kade’s debut Enhanced fuses old ideas of DNA rewriting with newer concepts of social credit systems … a fun and quick-paced read, filled with inventiveness and sharp detail.”

– Lorehaven

“Gattaca meets The Hunger Games—in China… vividly compelling, sometimes humorous, and frequently terrifying examination of transhumanism.”

– A.K. Preston at the Halverstadt Book Reviews

• Tell Tale Book Reviews | Celebrate Lit Blog Tour (April 9th, 2023)
• Locks, Hooks and Books | About the Book (April 5th)
• Library Lady’s Kid Lit | Blog Tour Review (April 4th)
• Texas Book-aholic | Enhanced by Candace Kade (April 1st, 2023)
• Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews | Enhanced by Candace Kade (March 31st, 2023)

About Candace Kade

Candace Kade Short Bio

Author Candace Kade grew up in China and currently lives in OKC. When she’s not missing Chinese food, she’s busy writing, exploring new countries, volunteering, hiking in national parks, teaching her husband Mandarin, and keeping two baby humans alive.

Candace Kade Medium Bio

Candace is a recovering over-achiever who spends her time dreaming up stories typically involving tech, psychology, culture, and/or swords. She’s a certified Krav Maga assistant instructor and loves writing action-packed martial art scenes. A third culture kid, she considers Chengdu and OKC to be her homes. When she’s not exploring new countries, she enjoys hiking in national parks, moving, teaching her husband Mandarin, and keeping two baby humans alive. She can be bribed with boba tea, fluffy puppies, and breakfast tacos.

Candace Kade Long Bio

Candace Kade was born in Ohio but moved to rural China at four years old where she lived on an orange tree grove with a view of rice patties. In her free time, she wrestled boys, fought with play swords, pulled pranks, and attempted to convince her parents she’d never need to learn how to read.

Despite her stubbornness, Candace’s parents prevailed. She found to her great surprise she actually enjoyed reading.

All the way through high school she read veraciously, played sports on local Chinese teams, and attended Chinese school part time. At the same time, she discovered her love for writing. What started as journal entries, the world’s worst poems, and never finished detective novels with atrocious spelling, turned into a lifelong passion. Though, she still has trouble spelling… thank God for spell check!

Candace knew from an early age she wanted to be a full-time author. But her path there wasn’t easy. Between her corporate career, training in multiple martial arts (to help with the fight scenes of course!), and traveling between America and China, she had little time for writing. As the years went by, she was able to finish two novels but also began to lose hope for getting published.

She had a decision to make. Give up on her dream of being published or sacrifice her career and take a risk to pursue writing full time. She chose the latter and hasn’t turned back since.  

Now, Candace tries to write every day while also teaching her husband Mandarin and keeping two baby humans alive. So really, she has three full time jobs. You can bribe her with Chinese food, boba tea, and trips back to her hometown in China. 

Her debut novel, ENHANCED, released in March of 2023 with Enclave Publishing. HYBRID, book two, released in March of 2024, and the third and final installment in the series will release in 2025.

Candace Kade head shot

About ENHANCED

Short blurb:

This thought-provoking novel explores the implications of identity and CRISPR gene editing technology in a future world that is all too believable.

Medium blurb:

In a society where everyone’s DNA determines their destiny, being a Natural means automatic relegation to the dangerous Outskirts. Adopted into the Enhanced high society of the Asian Federation, Urban is forced to conceal her genetic roots. Her lifelong goal of attending Peking University becomes a deadly trap as she’s targeted by a hacker bent on exposing her DNA. Can Urban continue the act, or will the cracks in her story expose her and endanger her family?

Long blurb:

Lee Urban is living a lie.

In a society where everyone’s DNA determines their destiny, being a Natural means automatic relegation to the gritty and dangerous Outskirts. With the harnessed power of gene-editing, the ability to create a super-human race has transformed the world and offered the opportunity of a genetically enhanced life. But only to those who can afford it.

Born a Natural, Lee Urban was adopted into the Enhanced high society of the Asian Federation and forced to conceal her genetic roots. When her dream of attending Peking University becomes a reality, she is determined to go despite a warning from a mysterious source.  

Targeted by a hacker bent on exposing her true DNA, Urban faces off with an Artificial Intelligence Game that puts her—and her lies—to the test. What was supposed to be a dream come true turns into a lethal gamble of hide-and-seek with her genetics. Can Urban continue the act, or will the cracks in her story expose her and endanger her family?

Enhanced (Book one in The Hybrid Series) Images

High resolution cover of ENHANCED

About HYBRID

Short blurb:

Hybrid dives deeper into a world of CRISPR gene editing in a world fast crumbling under the threat of civil war. The answers Urban seeks might cause more than one Federation to fall. 

Medium blurb:

After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding. Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent Western Federation. The journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins. In a world fast crumbling under the threat of civil war, the answers Urban seeks might cause more than one Federation to fall. 

Long blurb:

Lee Urban’s search for truth could destroy everything.

After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding, seeking refuge with her family for the Lunar New Year. But the relaxing holiday turns into a heist when someone crashes the party with intel on the hybrid’s identity. 

Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent West. As she follows the elusive clues to the hybrid, the journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins and the odd circumstances surrounding her adoption. 

Tensions between the Enhanced and Naturals grow increasingly violent and the Western Federation teeters on the brink of civil war. Urban’s choices threaten to tear her family apart, and the secrets she unearths just might shatter the delicate balance of society.

High resolution cover of ENHANCED

Have something in mind for an event, conference, media, book club, or panel? Contact Candace Kade to discuss at candacekadeauthor@gmail.com.