Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

The Mind & Spirit 2024 First Place Roundup for Spirituality and Enlightenment

The Mind and Spirit Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Enlightenment and Well-Being Non-Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Marijke McCandless’s book, Naked in the Now, will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Mind and Spirit contest page year ’round!

The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!

The 2024 Mind and Spirit Winners were announced at the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2024 First Place Mind and Spirit Winners!

Shari Biery – It’s Your Turn: How to Rediscover Yourself, Prioritize Your Well-Being, & Thrive with Purpose

Also a Chanticleer 2024 Military and Front Lines First Place Winner!

Are you feeling buried under the demands of supporting your spouse, family, and the chaos of daily life while your own needs fall to the bottom of the list?

As a midlife woman, it’s easy to always put others first, leaving little time or energy for yourself. But now, It’s YOUR Turn to break free from the overwhelm and reclaim your life.

In It’s Your Turn, Shari Biery—a National Board Certified Purpose and Well-Being Coach and former military spouse—shares her personal journey from self-neglect to self-empowerment.

The moment she received the American Flag at her husband’s retirement ceremony marked not just the end of his career but the start of her own new chapter. After years of putting everyone else first, Shari made a powerful shift, and now she’s here to guide you in doing the same.

Through relatable stories and actionable steps, Shari shows how common it is for midlife women, especially those supporting a spouse and family, to feel overwhelmed and disconnected—and how to overcome these challenges.

From Chanticleer:

The detailed and actionable guide, It’s Your Turn by Shari Biery, encourages women to reclaim the time and space they deserve in life from the slow creep of demands like home, childcare, and supporting a spouse’s career.

To help women take “their turn,” much of this book is devoted to slowing down: why, how, and when to do it. Even its conversational writing style is an invitation to do so. It’s Your Turn leads readers to reflect, assess, and make effective changes in their lives. This isn’t a quick-hit self-help book, but a meditation for navigating midlife flux amid marriage and family responsibilities.

Biery draws on her own experiences living through many challenges frequently encountered by modern women. She struggled most with balancing personal needs and family responsibilities. Biery’s own needs and dreams long fell by the wayside in favor of managing her household and supporting her husband with his career in the military. With It’s Your Turn, she hopes to share her process of reclaiming those needs and dreams and reclaiming her well-being.

It’s Your Turn is loosely organized around Biery’s “C.A.L.M. method.” Through Clarity, Awareness, Learning, and Mindset, she teaches women how to carve out necessary space for themselves.

Read More Here

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Damien Fozard- Disbelief

Manuscript

Eileen Marlowe – The Call to Connect with Spirit

Author and artist Eileen Marlowe is an Indigenous Chipewyan from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. She invites readers to learn from her journey of spiritual identity, to forge connections with spirit and leverage them to transform your life. Through the symbology of dreams and the vibrant colours of her abstract art, Eileen shares her experience of dialoguing with her spiritual guides. Her practices of daily meditation and her efforts of becoming the director and architect of her own life are embodied in the themes of the artwork throughout.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Anne Kiehl Friedman – Higher Love: A Psychedelic Travel Memoir of Heartbreak and Healing

Her entire life, Anne Friedman chased everything that society told her she should want: Marriage. Professional achievement. Thighs that didn’t touch. But all that got her was depression, anxiety, and disordered eating. Little did she know, her world was about to be turned upside down.

When her fiancé dumps her without explanation, she buys a one-way ticket to Costa Rica in search of answers. But what she finds there is beyond anything she could have imagined.

Through a spontaneous psychedelic experience in the jungle, Anne discovers three simple words that bring her peace. And in Amsterdam, on magic mushrooms with her dad, she has a series of visions that allow her to let go of the self-blame for her broken engagement.

But this is just the beginning of her journey. In Higher Love, Anne takes readers on a globe-trotting search for healing through psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and cannabis. As she travels through the Netherlands, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, and other richly sensuous locations, Anne shares the life-changing wisdom she gains from each psychedelic experience.

For fans of Eat, Pray, Love and Untamed, Higher Love is a guide for self-discovery with a delightful psychedelic twist. But be warned, this is not your average love story. With powerful emotions and a captivating setting, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Jane Kim Yu – Journey of Awakening and Higher Consciousness

Discover the journey of awakening in a new light never seen before. Read about our universal journey of discovery, of awakening to the greatest truth of the land, the truth that reverberates in our very hands, the hands of heart, the very heart of our being, that – you are love.

Through a profoundly rare experience that left the author’s mind silent for nearly half a year, it awakened her own desire to find her fire. The very fire that lit the night sky. The very fire that lives in all our hearts nigh. The very fire, to come alive.

Jane’s debut book Journey of Awakening and Higher Consciousness, is an offering of love that crystalizes her 3 passions: eloquent writing, creative expression, and the exploration of our divine humanity. These combine into an unforgettable experience that will awaken your inner fire and bring passion and purpose back into your life.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2024 Mind & Spirit First Place Winners!

Watch for our Spotlight and Hall of Fame Articles that will feature incredible books, including Marijke McCandless’ Grand Prize Award-winning Naked in the Now

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you enter the Mind & Spirit Awards!

Got a great Self-Help or Enlightenment Book?

The 2025 Mind & Spirit Book Awards are open through the end of September!

Submit to the Mind & Spirit Awards Today!

September 24, 2025
The 2024 I&I First Place Round Up for How-To and Self Help Guides
The Instruction and Insight Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Instructional Non-Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Lorraine Ballato’s Success with Hydrangeas: A Gardeners Guide, will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the I&I contest page year ’round!

The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!

The 2024 I&I Winners were announced at the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2024 First Place I&I Winners!

Margaret C. Beeler – Tropetails

Tropetails is the world’s first cocktail (and mocktail!) book centered around all your favorite bookish themes and literary tropes!

Featuring a whopping 50 carefully curated specialty drinks, Tropetails is the perfect book to add to your bar cart, coffee table, nightstand, heck, you could even snuggle with it in bed! Is that appealing? Perhaps you’d be better off leaving it in the kitchen…but I won’t tell anyone if you decide otherwise 😉

Each page of Tropetails has a hand-drawn illustration from “Chosen One”, to “Enemies to Lovers”, and “Who Done It”—all from your favorite genres across fiction and a unique recipe mixed to match the vibe of each different trope!

Find it on Amazon!

Tania Isreal – Facing the Fracture

Foster resilience in the face of political polarization

Unsettled by provocative news, clashing politicians, and social fragmentation, Americans struggle to navigate the challenges of living in a divided country. Facing the Fracture offers a path out of the distress and disempowerment plaguing everyday people. Grounded in psychological research, this book offers readers strategies to foster resilience in the face of political polarization.

In this valuable book, Israel moves beyond explaining the problem of polarization to demonstrate how individuals can cope with the political divide, which seems widen with each passing day. Readers will find guidance to reduce toxic input from media, manage polarizing thoughts and feelings, and engage effectively with others. And they will learn that they have the power to improve their personal wellbeing, relationships, community, and country.

Find it on Amazon!

Katherine Fabrizio – The Good Daughter Syndrome
You love your mother, but she drives you crazy.

She controls, criticizes, and butts into your life constantly. Then, when you try to set boundaries, the pushback and resulting guilt is so bad that you tell yourself… it’s just not worth it.

Is your mother narcissistic, borderline, or just plain difficult?

Are you empathetic, sensitive, and kind?

Do you feel stuck in your relationship with Mom:
- Trying to please her but never feeling good enough?
- Feeling responsible for Mom’s emotional well-being?
- Struggling to set boundaries without feeling guilty or getting so much pushback that you end up thinking… it’s just not worth it?
If so, chances are you have fallen into the hidden psychological traps that constitute The Good Daughter Syndrome.

Many self-aware daughters of narcissistic, borderline, or just plain difficult mothers know they need to stand up to their mothers and set healthy boundaries. Yet, they can’t bring themselves to do it and don’t know why.

They are caught in unconscious traps they can’t see or fully understand… Trapped by their difficult mother’s needs, the empathetic daughter can’t see a way to break free and still feel like a good person.

She can’t see these traps that keep her parallelized with guilt… or going round and round having the same arguments and getting nowhere with Mom, but I can.

Even better, I know how to escape them.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!
Bob Dahms – Let’s Talk About This

Bob Dahms has had a long and diverse career in business and in business advisory roles.

In this book he shares 50 Things You Need to Know About Starting and Managing a Small Business. Everyone who reads this book will learn something that they didn’t know before. Actually, it’s way more than 50; check it out.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Douglas A Burton – The Heroines Labyrinth

For decades, the hero’s journey has had a major influence on storytelling and story structure. Now, Douglas A. Burton presents a groundbreaking new paradigm for writers everywhere. Sourced entirely from heroine-led fiction—a unique narrative arc has been hidden in plain sight, complete with recurrent patterns and powerful archetypes. Burton offers writers a full fledges alternative that’s both original in its presentation, yet stunningly familiar. Discover the dynamism of story, conflict, and character development in a fresh new light. From myth to literature to TV to film, The Heroine’s Labyrinth explores story structure as modeled by heroic women in fiction. Burton’s theory on story has the potential to turn prevailing views of story structure upside down.

Inside, you’ll encounter 18 archetypal designs that form a distinctive narrative arc, each one rich with profound insights and powerful new perspectives. Discover the Masked Minotaur, the Sacred Fire, the Beast as Ally, the Poisoned Apple, and more. Novelists, screenwriters, RPG gamers, and memoirists will gain immediately useful insights in The Heroine’s Labyrinth. A must-read for writers.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Jacqui Clarke – Stop Worrying About Money

Also the Chanticleer 2024 Harvey Chute Award Grand Prize Winner!

Take control of your money, avoid common financial pitfalls, and prepare for whatever life throws at you

In Stop Worrying about Money, Jacqui Clarke, Australia’s best-kept money secret, delivers smart and sure-fire guidance that will see you through life’s financial ups and downs. You’ll learn to clarify your values, set goals, and be upfront and honest about your money―both with yourself and with others.

Fact: Money comes in and goes out. The cost of living is ever increasing, big changes can come as big surprises and sometimes you’re stuck just trying to keep on top of everything. It’s time to hit pause on the distractions and get wise with your finances. With Stop Worrying about Money, you’ll re-assess what financial independence and freedom mean to you. This is the guide that will help you build a less stressful, more empowering relationship with money, starting today.

From Chanticleer:

Stop Worrying About Money by Jacqui Clarke serves as a lucid and candidly insightful guide to understanding the cornerstones of financial literacy, whether for a working professional, business owner, or anyone seeking to better manage their savings and investments.

This practical and insightful approach to financial awareness endeavors to decode the mystifying fundamentals of financial freedom, wealth management, and money psychology. Rather than merely presenting facts on numbers and investments, it adopts a holistic perspective, covering principles of earning, understanding, and wisely managing money.

Written by an experienced professional and fiscal guardian to many, Clarke’s Stop Worrying About Money paves a clear and accessible roadmap for navigating the often-chaotic terrain of financial planning.

Read More Here

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2024 I&I First Place Winners!

Watch for our Spotlight and Hall of Fame Articles that will feature incredible books, including Lorraine Ballato’s amazing Success With Hydrangeas: A Gardeners Guide!

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the I&I Awards!

Got a great Instructional Book?

The 2025 I&I Book Awards are open through the end of September!

Submit to the I&I Awards Today!
September 24, 2025
ENEMIES DOMESTIC: Lark Chadwick Mysteries Book 6 by John DeDakis – Political Thrillers, Suspense Thrillers, Mystery

John DeDakis’s Enemies Domestic explores the pain, conflict, and intrigue behind the glitzy corridors of power, exploring with striking honesty and emotional depth the delicate battle between truth and artifice.

Beneath political headlines, a human story unfolds. Book Six in the Lark Chadwick Mystery series, Enemies Domestic comes out as a contemporary political thriller that exposes the politics of the White House amidst one woman’s personal anguish, professional stress, and inner strength.

Lark’s shattered self-confidence flounders beneath the expectations of the world. She must balance the shadows of her past, media intrigues, and power machinations as she goes from being a journalist to a political spokesperson.

We meet Lark Chadwick in her role of Press Secretary to the President of the United States, whose every word is weighed, every silence analyzed, and every gesture can become national news.

Power in this world, as Lark soon finds out, is measured not just by truths revealed, but those withheld. Every question in the press room is wrapped in politics, and inside the White House there is a strategy hidden behind every smile. Many times, Lark is forced to decide whether to tell the truth or become part of a system built on constant deception. In Enemies Domestic, enemies are not seen but felt.

Managing such a sensitive environment, Lark must hide a grief that has shaken her mental stability to show only strength in front of the world.

Tensions rise as political storms converge with personal ones. A press scandal, a security leak, and a private investigation challenge Lark on every front. She questions whether even the people she trusts are another sham. By the time she gets closer to the truth, she’s already many steps behind. Enemies Domestic gradually builds a sense of restlessness, binding the reader and forcing them to think each action through alongside Lark.

DeDakis’s clear, precise narrative style reflects his lived experience in journalism.

Short chapters balance a quick pace and deep plot. His naturalistic dialogue achieves meaning above dramatization through polite but sensitive language. Even in complex political discussion, the word-choice remains graspable.

Three central themes guide the story’s emotional weight: the contrast of power against helplessness, the role of the media, and the process of healing from grief.

Lark’s story reveals how, even at the height of power, a person may be breaking inside. In public life, vulnerability isn’t just rare; it’s dangerous.

Her inside knowledge as both journalist and representative highlights that power of media to not only report fact but also to shape public perception, even twisting the definition of truth.

As she becomes mired in political schemes and performance, Lark confronts grief as more than only internal, but as something that can deeply affect our professional decisions and persona. She can’t defer her sorrow forever.

Enemies Domestic by John DeDakis is a daring take on the familiar ground of political thrillers.

Lark Chadwick faces off against immense social and political pressure to forge a path of truth for herself. Her story makes us think about how often true emotions and human stories are hidden from the unclosing public eye.

This is a thriller that blends urgency with introspection. It not only excites but upholds compassion, truth, and courage, leaving readers with the lingering question—who is the real enemy?

Enemies Domestic by John DeDakis won Grand Prize in the 2024 CIBA Clue Awards for Suspense and Thriller Mysteries.

September 24, 2025
7 days Left! Book Awards for Young Readers Close at the End of September!
Time is almost up for these Back-to-School reads!

Don’t let your book miss out!
Only 7 days remain to enter your books to these CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success!

The Chanticleer International Book Awards provide ongoing recognition that amplifies authors’ digital footprints through high-traffic website features, social media promotion, newsletter spotlights, and long-tail marketing that continues promoting winners throughout the year and beyond!

The Dante Rossetti, Gertrude Warner and The Little Peeps Awards are still open!

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Little Peeps Awards for Early Readers!
- Kristen J Anderson – Lorelei the Lorelei: The First of Many Firsts
- Raven Howell – Keep Trucking
- Julie Lomax – Melissa Moo Moo’s Special Lesson
- Dr. Gerry Haller – Will’s Adventure to the Candy Mountain
- Shaziya M. Jaffer, Jessica Alexanderson and Brad W. Rudover – A Recycling Adventure to The Scrapyard!
- Mike Mirabella and Lenny Lipton – I Used to Be Shy
And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Early Peeps Grand Prize Winner:

Island Moon

By Ruth Amanda

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Gertrude Warner Award for Middle Grade Fiction!
- Thomas Kuhn – Tommy Rocket and the Goober Patrol
- Debbie Noble Black – Deetjen’s Closet
- M.J. Evans – Coal Dust and Dreams
- M.C. Dingman – Samantha Smee: A Pirate’s Life
- Maggie Lynch – The Power of S.A.D.
- Sue C. Dugan – Mayday
- Carolyn Armstrong – No Time To Waste
- Sandy Grubb – Just Like Click
And a huge round of applause for our 2024 Gertrude Warner Grand Prize Winner:

Back to Bainbridge

By Norah Lally

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Dante Rossetti Award for Young Adult Fiction!
- Mark Kraver – The Willow
- C.H. Brown – The Appearance of Power
- Eileen Charbonneau and Jude Pittman – Spectral Evidence
- J.A. Nielsen – The Winter Heir (Fractured Kingdoms, Book 2)
- John Middleton – The Pool of Initiation
- E. L. Werbitsky – The Marsh Keeper
And a huge round of applause for our 2024 Dante Rossetti Grand Prize Winner:

The Realm of Gods

By Glen Dahlgren

The CIBAs offer a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.

We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.

Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 17-19, 2026) where Winners from all 28 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

Let’s celebrate exceptional storytelling together!

Your book deserves to be discovered

Don’t Delay! Enter Today!
September 23, 2025
RALPHY’S RULES For FEELINGS by Talar Herculian Coursey and Riley Herculian Coursey, illustrated by Meri Andreasyan – Picture Books, Children’s Educational Books, Children’s Emotion Books

A gentle and thoughtful picture book, Ralphy’s Rules for Feelings by Talar Herculian Coursey and her son Riley Herculian Coursey, illustrated by Meri Andreasyan, helps young children understand and manage their emotions.

Ralphy the cheerful school bus-driving dog takes along Jackson Johnson, a wise and compassionate “Furrapist” (furry therapist) for the first day of school. As children board, Jackson gently encourages them to name their feelings and reminds them that all emotions are welcome.

Jackson introduces a creative way for the children to embrace their feelings as normal while taking some control over how they start their year.

Some of the kids are scared, some sad, some tired, and others nervous or embarrassed—only one of them hops onto the bus excited. Instead of telling the children to push aside their negative emotions, Jackson tells them it’s okay to feel that way and that they can sit their feelings down next to them. Once they get to school, they can choose to take the feeling with them or leave it on the seat.

Ralphy’s Rules for Feelings teaches children how to recognize their own emotions and the thoughts behind them.

One of the kids feels sad because she misses her mom, but through Jackson’s gentle guidance shifts her focus to the fun she’ll have jumping rope with her friends at school.

The idea that you can feel your feelings but don’t have to be controlled by them is both powerful and comforting to children in a world that often tells them to simply behave or stop crying.

Ralphy’s Rules for Feelings nails this concept, reassuring kids that it’s okay to first acknowledge their emotions, then study them, and finally decide on how they want to change them. In capturing this insightful message, the book proves to be more than just a story but a practical tool for emotional regulation.

Meri Andreasyan’s, gentle yet vivid illustrations render Jackson’s lessons both playful and soothing.

The characters’ facial expressions capture their feelings without needing lots of extra words, making this book especially welcoming to young children.

Parents, teachers, and counselors can use Ralphy’s Rules for Feelings as a springboard for conversations about difficult emotions, particularly with children who are starting school, navigating change, or dealing with anxiety.

Ralphy’s Rules for Feelings by Talar Herculian Coursey and Riley Herculian Coursey guides kids through its memorable strategies with age-appropriate language and a kind, encouraging tone.

An essential read in every home, classroom, and library, Ralphy’s tale will also help adults talk to children in a more thoughtful way. This friendly and concise lesson in an essential life skill comes highly recommended for ages 3–8 and any adult who wants to teach emotional intelligence in a clear and joyful way.

September 22, 2025
10 Days left for September Non-Fiction that Guides
Non-Fiction Closes Soon!

Don’t let your book miss out!
Only 10 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success.

The Chanticleer International Book Awards provide ongoing recognition that amplifies authors’ digital footprints through high-traffic website features, social media promotion, newsletter spotlights, and long-tail marketing that continues promoting winners throughout the year and beyond!

The I&I, Harvey Chute and The Mind and Spirit Awards are still open!

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Mind & Spirit Awards for Spirituality and Enlightenment!
- Shari Biery – It’s Your Turn How To Rediscover Yourself Prioritize Your Well-Being Thrive with Purpose
- Damian Fozard – Disbelief
- Eileen Marlowe – The Call to Connect With Spirit
- Anne Kiehl Friedman – Higher Love: A Psychedelic Travel Memoir of Heartbreak and Healing
- Jane Kim Yu – Journey of Awakening and Higher Consciousness
And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Mind & Spirit Grand Prize Winner:

Naked in the Now

By Marijke McCandless

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the I&I Award for Guides and How-tos!
- Margaret C Beeler – Tropetails: A Cocktail and Mocktail Book for Bookworms
- Tania Israel – Facing the Fracture How To Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation
- Katherine Fabrizio – The Good Daughter Syndrome: Help For Empathic Daughters of Narcissistic, Borderline, or Difficult Mothers Trapped in the Role of the Good Daughter
- Bob Dahms, MBA, CPA, CMA – Let’s Talk About This: 50 Things You Need to Know About Starting and Managing a Small Business
- Douglas A. Burton – The Heroine’s Labyrinth: Archetypal Designs in Heroine-Led Fiction
- Jacqui Clarke – Stop Worrying about Money
And a huge round of applause for our 2024 I&I Grand Prize Winner:

Success with Hydrangeas: A Gardener’s Guide

By Lorraine Ballato

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Harvey Chute Award for Business and Enterprise!
- Roger Spitz – Disrupt With Impact: Achieve Business Success in an Unpredictable World
- Jenny Li Fowler – Organic Social Media: How to Build Flourishing Online Communities
- Anastasia Kārkliņa Gabriel – Cultural Intelligence for Marketers: Building an Inclusive Marketing Strategy
- Neal Schaffer – Digital Threads: The Small Business and Entrepreneur Digital First Marketing Playbook
- Melina Palmer – The Truth About Pricing
And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Harvey Chute Grand Prize Winner:

Stop Worrying About Money

By Jacqui Clarke

The CIBAs provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.

We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.

Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 17-19, 2025) where Winners from all 28 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

Let’s celebrate exceptional storytelling together!

Your book deserves to be discovered

Enter Today!
September 20, 2025
THE MOURNING FIELDS by David Beaumier – Short Story Collection, Contemporary Relationships, Greek Myths

Ancient Greek myths resonate across millennia for their keen yearnings, tragedies, and refrains on human fragility. The contemporary short stories of David Beaumier’s collection, The Mourning Fields, echo these myths in both symbol and pathos.

Ranging from homage to magical realism, The Mourning Fields keeps a loose relationship to its Ancient Greek inspirations. These are fresh and intimate stories of trauma, loss, survival, and desire, rooted in modern life. These page-turning stories deliver genuine catharsis, drawing readers into characters whose struggles feel both timeless and urgently contemporary.

The Mourning Fields approaches violence and bigotry with a careful mix of social commentary and mythic allusion. The collection thoughtfully handles difficult subject matter including sexual assault and domestic abuse.

“Charon’s Crossing”, “Medusa”, “The White Pine”, and “Siren” confront violence against women, casting mythical powers as manifestations of trauma or justice. But even as Beaumier re-interprets these ancient myths, his stories don’t shy away from the more grounded subject matter. Their central characters hold readers close with the gravity of their fear, hope, and anger.

Where allusion lays thinner, The Mourning Fields maintains its own thematic coherence. “Just Say Yes” and “The College Experience” emphasize self-deception’s capacity for harm, as in each story the hero blinds themselves to sexual assault under their own roof.

Much of this collection’s tragedy springs from those characters who paint an ideal mirage over the real people around them.

“Kalanchoe” shows the violation of autonomy inherent to anti-queer bigotry, but also how difficult it can be to leave an abuser whose love has been genuine in the past. The collection’s titular story mirrors the form of a classic Greek tragedy, its hero driven to pursue someone who seems so perfect for him if not for her polyamory and his own irrepressible jealousy. Each piece appreciates the nuances of its characters, even around those motivations that drive them to hurt others.

Beaumier draws mounting pressure from the fault lines in close relationships. Characters warp love into frightening forms, calling into question what they might do when reality finally crashes down on them.

Fitting for its chosen pantheon of myth—and especially its particular namesake—The Mourning Fields illustrates many facets of desire.

Selfish and unchecked, desire burns through the heroes of “The Mourning Fields”, “Just Say Yes,” and “Hera”, leaving a painful emptiness in its wake. But shared freely between people, desire can bring light and even peace to their lives. In the darkness between an alley and balcony, two men welcome each other’s trespass (“Juliet on His Balcony”). The gift of music illuminates a father’s lost memories of reconciliation with his daughter and her wife (“Orpheus”). An adopted son’s academic passion helps him accept the love his parents offer (“Last Wish”).

Many of these stories explore the terrible consequences of a person trying to possess someone else in the supposed name of love. The Mourning Fields shows that true connection can only be made with an open hand.

Beaumier’s prose builds a strong sense of place, rooting characters in their moment.

Sensory description flows through them, taking on the weight of their emotion. The perpetual stickiness of a dive bar that glows in strange orange light, its signature drink stained by the taste of decay. Familiar streets and hallways become an exhausting labyrinth. Whether drawn from locations real or mystical, these settings feel lived-in, as if they’ve seen the cycles of their myths play out before.

Rich in its contemporary setting, mythic parallel, and characters walking between the two, The Mourning Fields by David Beaumier stirs empathy and delivers catharsis. Readers of mythology and contemporary fiction will find each of these short journeys affecting both in their own right and as a collection.

September 19, 2025
SHE WHO RIDES HORSES: A Saga of the Ancient Steppe Book One by Sarah V. Barnes – Historical Fiction, Ancient World, Horse Fiction

Wild horses race across the ancient Pontic-Caspian Steppe, hunted by predators and pastoral clans. But in Sarah V. Barnes’s She Who Rides Horses, Naya, daughter of a clan chief, ventures beyond the understanding of her people to form a bond of true partnership with a young filly.

Naya spends day and night watching a wild herd, drawn to a filly who shares her burning red hair and a dream of purpose to be found between them. But, nearing adulthood, Naya will soon be expected to marry and likely leave her clan for another. Her mother Sata and grandmother Ajiwa conspire to give Naya the chance to prove that she can forge a bond with the wild horses like those her people treasure with their livestock.

Though she has a vibrant will and the promise of a mystical vision behind her, Naya risks much more than social standing to ride the red filly.

An accident leaves Naya terribly injured, separated from most of her clan on their migration south, and caught on the steppe as winter winds howl. Sata has only two mistrusted strangers—travelers Oyuun and Aytal—and a few sleds of spare supplies to watch over her daughter throughout moons of cold and hunger. But in the midst of the snow, a familiar band of horses draws near their camp.

Through the wondrous vistas of the spirit world, the precarity of survival, and the choice whether to forgive the young man who wounded her, Naya reawakens to her dream of becoming She Who Rides Horses.

Barnes fleshes out the Pontic-Caspian Steppe of 4000 BCE with complex and well-researched societies.

Naya’s people live with a palpable connection to the natural world. Their relationships to plants, animals, and the landscape itself show how comprehensively their pastoral lifestyle shapes both daily life and culture. She Who Rides Horses explores the power structures in such a society, with Naya’s father Potis balancing his influence against that of the clan’s priests who claim sole access to the realm of the spiritual—something which Naya herself could threaten.

Barnes builds this story on an impressive foundation of historic research for such a long-gone time. Drawing from archaeological and genomic findings, she presents a fictional but realistic setting for such a monumental development as the early domestication of the horse. The words and names of her characters even reference the Proto-Indo-European language, among those of other nearby cultures. For lovers of ancient history, Barnes includes a list of references on her author website.

This historical detail comes through in colorful descriptions of every location and the tasks required to live within them. Wilderness and pockets of human settlement alike become palpable. As this world flows through the senses of each character, it reveals more about them both.

She Who Rides Horses stands out for its central cast caught between conflicting burdens and desires.

Naya and Sata share a painful distance from their own culture. Sata yearns for the far-away people of her childhood, and Naya bucks against patriarchal limitations while hoping that her elders can learn to appreciate the horses as she does. Oyuun, having lost his beloved many years ago, finds a connection growing between himself and Sata that could tear the bonds of both of their lives. Aytal gives up everything that he can in pursuit of forgiveness, even if it means turning away from his own purpose.

Each must find their true path forward, and decide which responsibilities to drop from their shoulders—or which to take on.

She Who Rides Horses switches between these characters’ perspectives, showing a more rounded view of their ancient world. No two have the same thoughts on their societies or relationships. The more readers learn of these disparate people along their shared journey, the more deeply they’ll care for each of them.

For anyone interested in ancient history, nuanced character-driven stories, or of course our world-changing equine companions, She Who Rides Horses by Sarah V. Barnes will satisfy and fascinate in equal measure.

Readers will gladly bound right into the second book of the Saga of the Ancient Steppe, A Clan Chief’s Daughter.

September 17, 2025
The 2025 I&I Spotlight for Self-Help and How-To
Mastering Life’s Skills

The I&I Awards can show you how!

In an era where knowledge is power and practical skills unlock new possibilities, readers are seeking guides that deliver real results. From mastering specific crafts and hobbies to developing personal growth strategies and exploring the world through informed travel, the best instructional works combine expert knowledge with clear, actionable guidance. The Instruction & Insight Awards for How-To and Self-Help celebrate the exceptional authors who transform complex subjects into accessible learning experiences, empowering readers to expand their capabilities and enrich their lives.

Celebrating Our Grand Prize Winner!

We’re proud to celebrate our 2024 I&I Division Grand Prize Winner, Lorraine Ballato for her comprehensive guide Success with Hydrangeas: A Gardener’s Guide. This expertly crafted work addresses one of gardening’s most beloved yet challenging plants, providing gardeners with the scientific insights and practical techniques needed to achieve reliable blooms and healthy growth. Ballato, who serves as the resident hydrangea expert at the New York Botanical Garden and has been teaching hydrangea classes for over a decade, brings both professional expertise and real-world teaching experience to this thorough guide.

What makes Success with Hydrangeas exemplary is its comprehensive approach to solving common gardening challenges. The book features over 150 photos and illustrations across thirteen color-coded chapters that cover everything from propagation and fertilizing to pruning techniques, pest management, and achieving desired flower colors. Ballato addresses the most frequent gardener concerns like proper pruning timing, optimal watering practices, and transplanting strategies paired with clear scientific explanations and practical solutions. The inclusion of garden design applications and a detailed index ensures readers can quickly find answers when they need them most. Ballato will receive a Chanticleer Editorial Review and be invited to participate in an Author Interview, offering deeper insights into her expertise and approach to hydrangea cultivation.

The I&I Awards recognize the remarkable breadth of instructional and self-improvement literature, encompassing categories from Travel Guides and Culinary arts to Health & Fitness, Writing Guides, and Home & Garden expertise. This comprehensive scope reflects our understanding that learning takes many forms, whether through Arts & Crafts tutorials, Nature & Environment education, Psychology insights, or Business & Money strategies that enhance personal and professional development.

Explore All Business & Self-Help Divisions

The I&I Awards are part of Chanticleer’s comprehensive celebration of transformative non-fiction:
- Mind & Spirit Awards for Spirituality and Enlightenment: Spiritual growth, mindfulness, meditation, and personal enlightenment
- Harvey Chute Awards for Business & Finance: Business strategy, finance, investing, technology guides, and professional development
We’d love for you to join us in reading about some of our favorite guides that we’ve reviwed!

Eating Together, Being Together
By Julian C.E. Clauss- Ehlers and Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers

Chanticleers 2023 I&I Grand Prize Winner!

Eating Together, Being Together is a rare, enlightening book that teaches the importance of family dining, both on the culinary side and in its benefits for childhood and young adult development beyond the kitchen walls.

Co-authored by master Chef and Dad, Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers, and Ph.D. Psychologist and Mom, Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers, Eating Together, Being Together offers up their parental wisdom and expertise from the heart of the home—the kitchen.

With informative but relaxed conversations about food choices, preparation, and related activities, the two provide great insight into how family mealtime promotes well-being in a child’s life. As involved adults, they incorporate thoughtful discussions about spending quality time with their children, sharing and mitigating bad feelings, and making wonderful memories. Ultimately, they showcase family meals as nourishment for both the body and soul.

Within the pages of the book readers will find ways food can serve as a message of care and support, as well as a way to model kindness in the face of questions and concerns.

Read More Here

What’s Your Name?
By Albert Jung

Albert Jung’s What’s Your Name?, subtitled How to Write Your Name in Han’gŭl Without Learning the Korean Language, is more than a primer for learning how to write in the Han’gŭl script — it’s a study of the evolution of the Korean writing system and, through it, the history of Korea itself.

What’s Your Name? offers a crash course in how to write your name in Han’gŭl for anyone who attends international conferences, hosts Korean exchange students, or simply has Korean speakers in their social sphere. Although the reader quickly plunges into the components of the Han’gŭl alphabet, Jung suggests a light read for the basics, and a comprehensive read for those seeking a deeper understanding of Han’gŭl and its evolution.

From absolute beginners to linguistics scholars and students, readers will find valuable reference material and guidance for practice in this extensive text.

Read More Here

Disability is Human
By Stephanie W. Cawthon, PhD

In Disability is Human: The Vital Power of Accessibility in Everyday Life, Dr. Stephanie W. Cawthon advocates for the rights and needs of a group that is often underrepresented, ignored, or misunderstood.

Disability is Human offers a broad scope of examples and advice that has proven to enhance lives through accessibility, whether implemented in programs, institutional practice, or daily life. The book also has a companion workbook for those interested in incorporating its ideas into programs, institutional practice, or daily life.

Cawthon contrasts ableism against accessibility, including her own experiences as a person born deaf who uses hearing aids and sign language to communicate. She tells of a time before anti-discrimination laws were enacted to protect disabled peoples’ rights and make the world available to everyone.

Cawthon comes to this conversation with deep, personal knowledge of the issues faced by disabled people.

Read More Here

Dementia Home Care
By Tracy Cram Perkins

An I&I First Place Winner!

Dementia Home Care: How to Prepare Before, During, and After, by Tracy Cram Perkins, offers the lived experience of a caregiver, sharing the experiences that impressed upon her the enormity of the physical, emotional, and psychological task she undertook.

These same experiences made Perkins aware of the dearth of practical resources for the novice embarking on this journey. She hopes to fill that gap with this comprehensive, “user-friendly” guide that goes well beyond the limits of a self-help book, impersonal how-to manual, or clinical tome. From Dementia Home Care, readers will gain new insights into human behavior and how to become an effective caregiver without sacrificing their own well-being.

Perkins’ written voice captivates from the beginning. Her first-person accounts of caring for afflicted loved ones are both relatable and authentic. The reader will find themself laughing aloud, or filled with dread, as the author recounts actual experiences that are otherwise hard to imagine happening to oneself.

Read More Here

These reviews represent just a glimpse of the practical expertise and transformative guidance waiting to be discovered in today’s instructional and self-help literature.

See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!

We’re excited about all the outstanding instructional and self-help works we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. Throughout this year’s I&I Book Awards, we had the pleasure of promoting numerous valuable guides as they advanced through our competition tiers. The Chanticleer International Book Awards provide ongoing recognition that amplifies authors’ digital footprints through high-traffic website features, social media promotion, newsletter spotlights reaching thousands of industry professionals, and long-tail marketing that continues promoting winners throughout the year and beyond!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.

Don’t Let Your Expertise Go Unrecognized!

The instructional and self-help market continues to thrive as readers seek trusted guidance for improving their skills, expanding their knowledge, and enhancing their quality of life. Whether your work provides step-by-step craft tutorials, transformative self-help strategies, comprehensive travel insights, or specialized knowledge in areas from cooking to psychology, the I&I Awards provide the recognition and promotional platform your expertise deserves.

Instructional literature has the unique power to unlock human potential, solving problems and opening new worlds of possibility. From practical guides that help readers master tangible skills to self-help works that facilitate personal transformation, every well-crafted instructional book has the potential to become an indispensable resource. Don’t let your knowledge remain untapped—submit to the I&I Awards today and join the skilled authors who’ve found their eager audience through Chanticleer!

Enter the I&I Awards today! Deadline: September 30th

You know you want it…
September 15, 2025
The 2025 Mind and Spirit Spotlight for Spirituality and Enlightenment!
Finding Peace in a Busy World

The Mind & Spirit Awards Are Looking to Unplug

In our increasingly fast-paced world, the search for inner peace and authentic connection has become more vital than ever. From mindfulness practices that ground us in the present moment to spiritual frameworks that illuminate our deeper purpose, readers are seeking guidance that nurtures both mind and spirit. The Mind & Spirit Awards for Spirituality and Enlightenment celebrate the exceptional works that provide this essential wisdom, recognizing authors who offer transformative insights and practical tools for living with greater awareness, compassion, and joy.

Celebrating Our Grand Prize Winner!

We’re delighted to celebrate our 2024 Mind & Spirit Division Grand Prize Winner, Marijke McCandless for her inspiring guide Naked in the Now: Juicy Practices for Getting Present. This accessible and warmhearted work offers a refreshing approach to mindfulness, providing simple yet powerful practices that help readers reconnect with themselves and find peace in everyday moments. McCandless understands that many people crave more presence in their lives but feel overwhelmed by complex spiritual practices, so she offers “tiny practices” that deliver “real relief” without requiring major life overhauls.

What makes Naked in the Now truly special is its blend of practical wisdom with gentle encouragement. The book helps readers spark insight and authenticity while quieting their inner critic through practices that can be integrated into busy schedules. McCandless shows the reader that even just five minutes a day can open doorways to the peace, vitality, and joy that already exist within us. She will receive a Chanticleer Editorial Review and has already completed her Awarded Author Interview, allowing readers to explore her insights on mindful living and practical spirituality.

The Mind & Spirit Awards honor the full spectrum of spiritual and wellness literature, encompassing categories from Enlightenment and Spirituality to Mindfulness, Meditation, Well-Being, and Energy work. This comprehensive approach reflects our understanding that spiritual growth takes many forms, whether through Motivational frameworks that inspire transformation or specialized practices that cultivate specific aspects of consciousness and healing.

Explore All Business & Self-Help Divisions

The Mind & Spirit Awards are part of Chanticleer’s comprehensive celebration of transformative non-fiction:
- Harvey Chute Awards for Business & Finance: Business strategy, finance, investing, technology guides, and professional development
- I&I Awards for How-To and Self-Help: Practical guides, self-improvement, skill development, and instructional works
- Nellie Bly Awards for Research and Journalism: In-depth explorations that changes the readers perspective on life
- Military and Front Line Awards for Service to Others: Stories of those who protect and engage in community
One Kiss
By Michelle Ashton

One Kiss by Michelle Ashton is a poignant and emotionally unvarnished memoir of life through loss, healing, and the grim, lovely battle of being human.

One Kiss feels like a private journal—vulnerable, scattered at times, terribly real and sympathetic. Readers walk beside someone who’s still dealing with life’s challenges—working through heartbreak, trying to heal, stumbling, getting back up, and asking big questions she hasn’t yet found the answers to.

Much of this book circles around Ashton’s deep, complicated attachment to Noah, the man she calls “Adonis” and her “Twin Flame.” She relates with painful but relatable honesty how it feels like to wait, to hope, to wonder if you should hold on or walk away. Who hasn’t sat there refreshing their messages or praying for a sign that maybe this time things will turn out differently?

Read More Here

Guided: Lost Love, Hidden Realms, and the Open Road
By Kirsten Throneberry

A Journey First Place Winner!

In her stunning memoir, Guided: Lost Love, Hidden Realms, and the Open Road, Kirsten Throneberry weaves together the highs and lows of a road trip packed with life wisdom, where she explores grief, spirituality, and rekindled hope.

Throneberry’s achingly vulnerable memoir splits its readers’ hearts and tenderly sews them back together.

In the aftermath of the devastating loss of her husband, Kirsten sells her home and takes her two small sons, two elderly pups, and eccentric mother on a year-long road trip around the United States in their new-to-them Bigfoot RV.

Encouraged by the same spirit guides whose earlier advice for her husband’s health left her broken and untrusting, Kirsten must learn to face the open road with an equally open heart and mind.

Read More Here

Ask Biella
By Syl Sabastian

Syl Sabastian’s Ask Biella is unlike today’s typical self-help books—ones that are quickly read, interpreted, and forgotten. Instead, Ask Biella is a thoughtful and thought-through self-help reference work featuring a fictional guide from Syl Sabastian’s core series fielding deep questions from real readers. It asks its audience for a different kind of commitment to its deep sharing: a raw, self-exploratory approach in which one creates a realistic-ideal world for themselves through the process of positivity and emphasis.

Ask Biella invites readers to turn inward for enlightenment, satisfying their questions with lasting internal empowerment rather than external compromises. Biella reveals the harmful mental habits to which we are all prone and points to the rope that can save us from ourselves. After all, according to Biella, “We, and we alone, are the creators of meaning.”

Biella’s world is rooted in real-world wisdom with an easy-to-follow candor, and pulls from Biella’s “Dictionary-of-Power,” hyphenating and capitalizing particular words and phrases for emphasis to change how the reader engages with the text. For example, Biella hyphenates and capitalizes the phrase “Thinking-Things-Through-TO-THE-END” to capture readers’ attention, changing the way readers’ brains respond to the words via emphasis. These specific words and phrases, or “tools-of-living,” cover a wide variety of topics.

Read More Here

Coming Out of the Metaphysical Closet
By Lisa Rhyne

In her stunning and intimate memoir Staying Married is the Hardest Part: A Memoir of Passion, Secrets and Sacrifice, Bonnie Comfort takes readers on a decades-long journey of deep love, laughter, and the challenges of a long-term marriage, from first meeting her husband Bob in the late 1970s until his death in 2010.

Throughout their life together, Bonnie and Bob have their fair share of disagreements—including where to live—but the main conflict within their marriage centers around their conflicting sexual needs and preferences.

As a professional psychologist, Bonnie shows the highs and lows of her marriage to Bob, contrasted by her job of helping others with their emotional and relationship problems. Bonnie and Bob’s committed love for one another makes staying married both the hardest and easiest part of their lives regardless of what challenges come their way.

Read More Here

These reviews represent just a glimpse of the transformative wisdom and practical guidance waiting to be discovered in today’s spiritual and wellness literature.

See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!

We’re excited about all the inspiring spiritual and wellness works we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. Throughout this year’s Mind & Spirit Book Awards, we had the pleasure of promoting numerous enlightening titles as they advanced through our competition tiers. The Chanticleer International Book Awards provide ongoing recognition that amplifies authors’ digital footprints through high-traffic website features, social media promotion, newsletter spotlights reaching thousands of industry professionals, and long-tail marketing that continues promoting winners throughout the year and beyond!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.

Don’t Let Your Wisdom Remain Unshared!

The spiritual and wellness market continues to flourish as readers seek authentic guidance for navigating life’s challenges with greater peace and purpose. Whether your work offers ancient wisdom adapted for modern life, innovative meditation techniques, energy healing practices, or motivational frameworks for personal transformation, the Mind & Spirit Awards provide the recognition and promotional platform your insights deserve.

Spiritual and wellness literature has the unique power to heal, inspire, and awaken readers to their highest potential. From mindfulness practices that bring immediate relief to profound teachings that shift entire worldviews, every thoughtfully crafted work has the potential to become a treasured guide on someone’s spiritual journey. Don’t let your wisdom remain hidden—submit to the Mind & Spirit Awards today and join the visionary authors who’ve found their spiritual community through Chanticleer!

Submit to the Mind & Spirit Awards today! Deadline: September 30th

You know you want it…
September 15, 2025