The Dates for the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference &
the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards Ceremony and Banquet
April 16 – 19, 2026
Please check back regularly for more information!
Master Classes on Thursday, April 16 (additional sign-up required)
- Advance Writing Craft
- Marketing & Technology
Conference Sessions & Panels on Friday and Saturday, April 17th and 18th
- Includes Luncheons with Keynote Presenters
- Sessions, Panels, Kaffeeklatsches, and Workshops
- Friday Mixer with Beaucoup Hors d’oeuvres and Cash Bar
Saturday Night Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Ceremony and Banquet
- Photo Session and Author Photos starting at 5:30pm
- Cash Bar Opens at 5:30pm Mixer & Networking
- Appetizers served at 6:30pm
- Seated Banquet at 7pm with plated salads and entrees
- Awards Presentation starts approximately 8:30pm
- Village Books will host Book Sales at the event
- Dessert & Coffee Bar during Awards Ceremony
SUNDAY BOOKS BY THE BAY BOOKFEST will be at Village Books Bookstore, Fairhaven, Bellingham, Wash.
- All day Sunday, April 19th, at the Village Books Bookstore
- Author Readings
- Author Events and Signings going on throughout the two-story bookstore
- Door Prizes
- Free Parking on Sunday
- Space is limited!
What are people saying about CAC?
“What an extraordinary time we all had at the Bellingham 2025 conference. If one of the objects for attendees was understanding how to make a business out of writing, this definitely made the whole thing worthwhile.” – John Middleton, Cape Town, South Africa, author of The Dark Lords.
WOW! Was CAC25 the greatest conference ever or what?! The conference really was outstanding, Kiffer, and I wanted to thank you and everyone at Chanticleer for such a great experience.” – Gail Noble Sanderson, author of Drew Davies Railway Mysteries
“CAC was a spectacular gathering of authors from around the world. Every workshop I attended was exceptional, well organized, and extremely informative.” – Denise Frisino, author of Storms From A Clear Sky, Hemingway First Place Winner
“Having worked in the corporate world, I’ve been to more than a few conferences. At most, there is an underlying sense of expectation around the idea, “We’re here to learn something,” but no real group camaraderie. I learned a lot of useful stuff at the just completed CAC, but what to me was the most memorable aspect was the energy, the pervasive positive vibes if you will, of so many creative people there not only to gain new knowledge, but to share support and encouragement.” – Dave Lager, author of the Ro Delahanty thriller/Suspense series
Upcoming Speakers for CAC26!
Mark Berridge – Journey Grand Prize Winner, Motivational Speaker and Coach
Mark Berridge is a former Journey Grand Prize Winner at Chanticleer for his book A Fraction Stronger, and we’re thrilled to welcome him back all the way from Brisbane, Australia.
Mark is a motivational speaker, award-winning author, resilience coach and optimist at heart. A life-altering cycling accident left him with a spinal injury and a future he didn’t choose. He rebuilt from the ground up — quite literally finding his feet again, one determined step at a time.
Now he helps others do the same.
Whether speaking to corporate teams or writing for people navigating life’s toughest moments, Mark’s mission is to help others step into strength, rise through uncertainty, and reclaim what is possible — even when everything has changed. Mark helps individuals and teams turn setbacks into stepping stones.
Gail Noble-Sanderson – Author
Gail enjoyed a productive and rewarding thirty-year career as a Speech-Language Pathologist providing therapy and instruction to children with special needs, later serving as the Director of Rehabilitation in a regional hospital and finally ending her career teaching at Western Washington University.
Throughout her career Gail wrote and published instructional programs for children with special needs. Ten years ago, she turned her love of writing to fiction completing the three awarding-winning historical fiction novels in her Lavender Meuse Trilogy series. She is currently writing a cozy mystery series that takes place in Wales. Gail self-publishes through her publishing house, Noble Press.
Gail and husband Terry love to travel the world including two trips to France during the research and writing of her first three books, The Lavender House in Meuse, The Passage Home to Meuse, and The Lavender Bees of Meuse. A trip to Wales is certainly on their agenda as she completes her first novel in the new cozy mystery series, “The Book of Rules”. The book’s protagonist, a young woman named Drew Davies, lives in the village of Mumbles, Wales, and works in the railway depot in Swansea, Wales. She, along with her Granda, her Nonna and a colorful cast of friends, become involved in Drew’s sleuthing as she attempts to solve the mysteries in this new series of novels.
STRIDER KLUSMAN – Award Winning Author and Host of the Author in the Headlights Podcast
An award winning, first place author of the Chanticleer International Book Awards, Strider began his writing career after twenty-five years as a fire fighter/EMT. The emotions and experiences of those calls carry themselves through every story, bringing true ‘been-there’ reality to the scenes.
With additional years as a business owner, general contractor, designer, wildland firefighter, big game guide, ski instructor, back packer and sword fighter, his wide range of knowledge is intricately woven throughout his stories.
To date, Strider has written YA (young adult), NA (New adult), and general fiction in the realm of: sci-fi western, light steampunk, dystopian (post apocalyptic), gaslight (early mechanism era) and just good fun reading.
JANET OAKLEY – Award-Winning Author and Historian, and Community Leader
J. L. Oakley writes historical fiction that spans the mid-19th century to WW II with characters standing up for something in their own time and place. She is an award-winning author and a recipient of the 2013 Bellingham Mayor’s Arts Award; the 2013 Chanticleer Grand Prize; the 2014 First Place Chaucer Award; an Everybody Reads and Bellingham. When not writing, she demonstrates 19th-century folkways in the schools and at San Juan Island National Park. She also has a cat who thinks she’s editing. Read pick and the 2015 WILLA Silver Award, Pulpwood Queen Book Club 2016 backlist pick for February 2016.
As a First in Category winner in the Goethe, Laramie, and Chatelaine Awards for Mist-chi-mas: A Novel of Captivity, the Chaucer Award for Timber Rose and The Jøssing Affair, the Hemingway Grand Prize Winner for The Quisling Factor and the OVERALL Grand Prize for her book, Tree Soldier.
Diane Garland – Your WorldKeeper – Continuity Senior Editor
Diane Garland and her editorial company Your WorldKeeper, specializes in the world of continuity. Multiple USA Today best-selling and award-winning authors in various genres rely on her system of cataloging and organizing the minutiae and rules of their story worlds. Growing up as an AF Brat, Diane traveled extensively as a child, which has fueled her passion for travel and reading. She graduated from Florida State University and is a life-long learner. She, along with her husband and two cats, have recently relocated to Columbus, Ohio from the Seattle, Washington area.
Paul Hanson is one of three co-owners of Village Books in Fairhaven and Lynden. As a writer, a publisher, and former President of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, he’s been an advocate for independent bookstores and independent publishers and authors. He programs the Chuckanut Writers Workshops and Classes and has been one of the Chuckanut Writers Conference planners since 2012. Village Books’ Publishing Division has helped hundreds of local writers to publish their works.
Check back often for updated info for CAC26
See our full list of presenters here!
What makes the Chanticleer Author Conferences so special?
- Most importantly, the attendees! You are what makes this conference so special.
- Learning from the experts – Learn from the Best!
- Learning from each other
- Networking and making new friends and connections
- Our Keynote Speakers
Below are further SESSIONS on the Business and Marketing Side of Being an Author with the latest in Technology and Trends planned for CAC 26
- Book to Film Workshop – What Every Author Needs to Know
- Podcasting for Authors
- Narrative Fiction Podcasts vs Audiobooks
- Decoding the Amazon Algorithm
- Outlining Your Books, Pacing & Plotting, Genre Specific Editing
- Kickstarter Publishing – Primer and How-To
- Exercising and Building Good Movement Habits for the Writing Life
- BookBub and Book Funnel Selling Platforms
- Increasing Your Email List and Expanding Your Readership
- Book Covers that Sell
- ChatGPT – What is it and What does it mean for authors and content creators
- Multi-Channel Marketing for Authors
- How to be Your Own Book Publicist
- Alphabet Soup – SEO, ISBNs, BISAC, Meta-Data for Book Distribution and Discovery
- and more to come!
Please check back often for updates
about the CIBA Ceremonies
The Chanticleer International Book Awards Announcements
and the
Chanticleer Authors Conference 2026
Book Fair managed by Village Books
Here is what past attendees say about the Chanticleer Authors Conference – just a few of the many kudos shared with us.
“Thank you for the marvelous event Chanticleer put on. I’ve been touting Chanticleer and the awards given to me on all the sights on which Abigail’s Window is being promoted.” – Susan Lynn Solomon, author of Abigail’s Window and 1st place category winner Mystery & Mayhem Awards and GRAND PRIZE winner of the Paranormal Awards
“I am so proud to be awarded First in Place in Little Peeps for A Tall Tale About Dachshunds in Costumes! Thanks to ALL involved to make the Chanticleer Conference and Awards top notch!” – Kizzie Jones, author of A Tall Tale About Dachshunds in Costumes and 1st place category winner Little Peeps Awards
“I’m so excited to have this award. The conference was very informative, well-executed and worth every penny.” – Carolyn Watkins, author of The Knock and 1st place category winner Little Peeps and Gertrude Warner Awards
“Now THAT was an incredible conference. Can’t wait to take part in another one (in person) at the Hotel Bellwether in the future. Thanks so much for all the hard work that must have gone into it.” – Nancy Thorne, author of Victorian Town and 1st place category winner Dante Rossetti Awards
“Thank you! Fantastic! It was great meeting everyone virtually in the Zoom conference. I really enjoyed it and appreciate all your incredibly hard work and dedication. It’s invaluable to indie authors that organization like yours support us.” – Palmer Pickering, author of Moon Deeds and 1st place category Paranormal Awards
“Thanks again for the positive experience during the virtual conference; you and your team put on a wiz-bang, professional show and I learned a lot.” – JI Rogers, author of The Korpes Agenda and 1st place category Cygnus Awards
“Thank you again and again for a wonderful two weeks! Tremendous range of content and presentation. I enjoyed everything and learned much that I can apply now.” – Judy Santamaria, author of Jetty Cat Palace Cafe
“Your workshops have been incredibly instructive, and I’m greatly looking forward to the next one with Donald Maass.” – John Middleton Simpson
“Thank you again for all your hard work on this year’s conference. Truly you three are on the cutting edge and allowing us to all see into the future of publishing. And thank you for including such an excellent array of presentations – broad-based and informative on so many levels.” – Gail Noble-Sanderson, author of The Lavender Meuse Trilogy
“I’m writing to say how much I enjoyed the conference this year.” – John W. Feist, author of Blind Trust
“Amazing job you did on presenting a VCAC!” – JP Kenna, author of Joel Emmanuel
“Hi Kiffer, Well, you guys did it! In my opinion, you pulled off a really good awards ceremony and I enjoyed attending by Zoom. I look forward to next year, in-person, fingers crossed.” – Tim Cole, science fiction author
“Hi Kiffer, I’m really enjoying my first (V)CAC! Thanx for a great conference! Very much appreciate all the work you and Sharon have done getting this conference and classes set up for everyone!” – Susannah Dawn, author of Search for the Armor of God
“How wonderful that the virtual conference was such a roaring success! You should be so very proud – and you are probably relieved as well! Thank you so much for all your hard work and making it wonderful for all the attendees!” – Alex Paul, author of the Middle-Grade series — Arkeen Freeth
“We had a blast at the Chanticleer Authors Conference—held in our living room…Since in-person conferences are on an indefinite hold, Chanticleer moved everything to Zoom and did a wonderful job at that…a good time was had by all. We missed the scenery and human connection, but were grateful Chanticleer was able to pull off such a great virtual conference. Hopefully, we can toast in person next year.” – V & D Povall, authors of Jackal in the Mirror
Please check back often as we continue to add presenters on a weekly basis. We will have more information about the presenters on the faculty page.
- * Speakers and schedules are subject to change. Please check back for most current listing.
No refunds are available after Jan 30, 2026. However, credit for Chanticleer Services may be arranged. Please email KBrown@ChantiReviews.com for more information.