Masoud Malekyari’s Great As a Button is a delightful children’s book that places a soulful little plastic adornment at center stage in a thought-provoking story that offers up a positive lesson about self-worth.
This tale unfolds from a first person POV as a lonely, black plastic button falls off a shirt. The button ruminates over its plight of feeling too plain to be noticed, and wishes perhaps to be a sock, a key, or a pair of glasses, i.e., a more important item that the button surmises someone would go out of their way to look for.
Amidst encounters with an inquisitive dog and some playful ants, the button has longings to reside in a big castle while adorning a king’s coat, or to sail across the ocean while attached to a boat captain’s slicker. Fate suggests that the button might be in trouble if snatched up by birds; lucky if used by a seamstress; or forlorn when not chosen like the more ornate accessories in a tailor’s shop. When given to a young boy, surprising opportunities send the button in an unexpected direction where ultimately, he discovers newfound importance on a sunny winter’s day.
Illustrations by Sebastião Peixoto prove glowingly complimentary and are a key component of the story.
The natural color shadings render quiet, yet well-defined drawings. Quirky and whimsical features lend true personality to the bevy of characters. From the intense facial details of a battling buttons army to the sad expression of the central plastic disc pondering his plainness, this simple character with its curlicued thread body is artfully brought to life.
Peixoto also smartly visualizes enlightening options between the little button’s desire to live in a royal palace, contrasted with an outdoor tent-like open book structure, where a smokestack chimney provides warmth on a snowy day. Likewise, the thought of adventure on the high seas is pitted against the simplicity of a paper vessel floating down a curbside stream.
Great As a Button is a charming take on learning to be happy with who you are.
Like the little button, it may take some of us a bit longer than others, but finding our particular niche is key. Our own unique traits and talents will lead us to where we belong, and satisfaction will come with contentment. Comparisons with others is unnecessary, as we come to realize we are each an individual with our special place in this world.
Like the simple button who comes to understand his self-worth, this quaint, imaginative read is an important work with a vital message for both young readers and the confident adults they aspire to be.
In Eudora Space Kid: The Lobster Tale, author David Horn continues the spell-binding adventures of a third-grade girl living on a massive spaceship in the year 4021. Eudora Jenkins enjoys using her very sharp mind to play tricks on the grown-ups – but her latest one may backfire and cause an interplanetary crisis.
As The Lobster Tale opens, Eudora, the narrator and mastermind of her sometimes disastrous but always hilarious gambits, is in a tunnel on the AstroLiner Athena. The plan? Just a few minor computer alterations. She is aided in this naughty but essentially harmless prank by her sometimes nervous buddy Arnold. Her changes will be revealed later when she and Arnold visit the ship’s bridge. Both are excited to watch the regularly scheduled battle training exercises they will view on the main computer.
Arnold’s stepdad is what Eudora calls a “Lootenant” (her spelling does not always keep up with her math and technical skills). He will allow them into Athena’s inner sanctum to watch war exercises staged to practice in case they are attacked by the galaxy’s worst enemies, the Qlaxons. Watching the practice is a rare treat and needs the approval of the ship’s captain, Captain Jax.
Of course, Captain Jax welcomes Arnold, but some of the staff are annoyed to find Eudora with him. You see, Eudora has a particular reputation for mischief, which is proven again when her minor computer tweaks cause the “red alert” signal to blare out as an ancient earth song, “Wiggle Your Booty.”
Eudora is sent to the “brig,” run by her mom. Her punishment? She is consigned to a holding cell to do her homework.
While there, she learns that Athena’s head chef wants to commandeer all the lobsters in the ship’s aquarium to prepare a great feast. Eudora’s stepdad oversees the aquarium and studies sea animals. He would never agree to have the lobsters boiled and eaten.
Eudora hatches a plot to save the lobsters. Arnold, his usual slightly reluctant self, agrees to help. Sneaking through the ship with two huge bags of lobsters, they are caught up in what appears to be a potential war with the Qlaxons. But things really heat up when a lobster from Eudora’s stash leaps out and attacks!
Horn’s creative skills are undeniably in sync with the younger readers (age 6 to 10). Children will be magnetized by the latest tale of Eudora’s shenanigans, supported perfectly by the energetic, illustrations by Deven Hoover.
Both author and artist have humorized their personal descriptions, transforming even those usually didactic segments into a fun read. Eudora is an exemplary narrator, referencing earlier actions she has taken (i.e. writing to the president of the galaxy “to get homework added to the list of enemies”) or simply skims over another adventure, saying, “I’ll tell you about that another time.”
This chatty, youth-centered storytelling brings out the hilarity and occasional genuine peril of Eudora’s antics far more powerfully than a third-person approach. This storytelling style serves to keep youngsters turning the pages. With a strong female protagonist accompanied by her more cautious and diplomatic companion, David Horn succeeds in fascinating all who read the book, whether the audience is young or a bit older. In short, Eudora Space Kid: The Lobster Tale is one Children’s chapter book we can highly recommend!
Read our review of the first book in the series, Eudora Space Kid: The Great Engine Room Takeover, here.
Mark’s story is unique and powerful – and his unwavering sense of humor will catch you off guard!
Let’s get to it. Dear Chanticleerians, meet my friend, Award-Winning Author, Mark H. Newhouse.
Chanticleer: Tell us a little about yourself, how did you start writing?
Newhouse: I was born in Germany two years and one day after Mom was freed from Auschwitz and my father from Buchenwald. I lost my grandparents and most of my family in the Holocaust. With my parents struggling as new immigrants and in a terrible marriage, I turned to writing. My pen was a magic wand where I could make the world better. I still think of that as my goal.
Chanticleer: Wow, there’s a lot there to unpack. I cannot imagine the trauma your parents must have gone through during that horrendous time. Ultimately, I believe to have a goal of making the world a better place is the best goal one could possibly have. When did you realize you that you were an author?
Newhouse: I think of myself as a ‘struggling author’ because I learn something new every day. It is the challenge of capturing my thoughts and ideas, and learning something new, that makes this so exciting. I feel like an author when I read reviews that tell me I touched a reader’s heart and soul and made a difference in their lives.
Chanticleer: Well, you certainly touched our souls and made a difference in our lives with your series, The Devil’s Bookkeepers. Your books have won a number of awards and the series as a whole is getting many great reviews. Why did you write this series that is so different than your other work?
Newhouse: My parents never told us about what they suffered during the Holocaust. They were focused on survival as immigrants. Mom gave me a copy of The Chronicle of the Lodz Ghetto published in 1984 by Yale University Press. Reading the anonymous entries, I was shocked by the true events. I realized few people knew about this incredible story and the efforts by its controversial chairman to save the ghetto by brutally forging it into a factory for the Nazis. I had to try and write this story so my children would know what I didn’t.
“My pen was a magic wand where I could make the world better. I still think of that as my goal.” – Mark H. Newhouse
When I read chapters of The Devil’s Bookkeepers to critique clubs, they encouraged me to publish it and enter contests. I was surprised and thrilled when we won. I think the suspense and unique love story keeps people reading. Unlike many Holocaust books, it is not about death and the gas chambers, but about people searching for friendship, love, and survival, in a time of terror. When its protagonist tries to save his loved ones from the tightening Nazi noose, readers ask themselves what they would do. I asked myself that question with every page. It will haunt you.
Chanticleer: I’m glad you told that story. It needs to be told! And you did it beautifully. What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.
Newhouse: I get in trouble. Actually, I was an elementary school teacher who loved working with my sixth graders. I have more than one thousand of my former students on Facebook with me sharing our lives, some more than 50 years after they left my classroom. I think it says a lot about their ‘crazy’ teacher, but also about them that they still care about me. I love feeling I am helping them and others, so I lead a writing group, write the Writing Bug monthly column mailed to thirty-thousand homes, and am Florida Writers Association’s Youth Chairperson and a Board of Directors member. I keep pretty busy. I also play lousy golf, read, swim, and drive my wife crazy.
Mark and Linda relaxing.
Chanticleer: Mark – that’s just – well, remarkable! The connections you forged with your students, the care and concern you gave them, means a lot. So much that they maintain contact with you! I don’t know of many teachers that have that same influence in their students lives. Good for you! And, dude, it doesn’t look like Linda minds you driving her crazy… How do you come up with your ideas for a story?
Newhouse: I wish I knew. Ideas drop from the sky—too many–I learned to focus on one at a time. I keep ideas in a file cabinet and carry a pocket notebook to grab ideas as they hit. I get a lot of ideas from news. For example, I read about an elderly woman evicted from her home to build a parking lot and turned it into The Case of the Disastrous Dragon, where a dragon is imprisoned for burning the butts of knights evicting him from his ancestral home. Welcome to Monstrovia, an award-winning comical mystery, started out as a play I wrote for my students. Most of my books started as my way to help my students have fun while learning.
Chanticleer: I love the covers! And who wouldn’t want to read a story about a butt-burning dragon? I know I would! How structured are you in your writing work?
Newhouse: I’m usually at the computer before 6:30 in the morning and work until breakfast. I also like to write after dinner. I’m not a t.v. watcher or video game player. Instead, I sneak into my office whenever my patient wife is busy. My biggest problem is forcing myself to stick to one project at a time. I never thought I had the discipline to finish The Devil’s Bookkeepers trilogy. It was a tough challenge, three years of hard work, but worth it.
“My advice: join a critique group and be willing to learn from and help others.” – Mark H. Newhouse
Chanticleer: I’ll say! It’s important to work on your craft. What do you do to grow your author chops?
Newhouse: When I was young, I thought I had to write by myself, as if in a jail cell. As a teacher, I realized when students worked together, they learned from each other and it was more fun. I join writing groups to improve my work and help others. I attend conferences, read articles. I challenge myself by entering contests such as those offered by Chanticleer. Contest deadlines help break through Writer Block. My advice: join a critique group and be willing to learn from and help others.
Chanticleer: Ah yes, the magical thinking strikes again. Writing is writing. Many authors get wound up in the notion that everything has What do you do in your community to improve/promote literacy?
Newhouse: As an author, especially for children, I work to create positive role models. My heroes are underdogs who solve problems with courage and intelligence, not violence and magic. I try to infuse plots with humor and suspense that make children want to read.
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
I love visiting schools, libraries, and other institutions to share my message: “Never Give Up.” I do presentations to help people learn about the Holocaust. I want to inspire others to end hate and prejudice as well as to preserve their family histories.
I originated and am ‘Top Cat’ of a club where we collaborate on books we donate to worthy causes. Our latest, SuperBudz, promotes literacy and fights pollution. I am the Florida Writers Association Youth Chairperson and a member of the Board of Directors. We offer clubs, webinars, contests, and a professional conference to help youth writers. I write the monthly Writing Bug column promoting local authors and inspiring writing, mailed to more than 30,000 homes. I’m pretty busy but love it. It keeps me out of mischief.
Chanticleer: You are an amazing man, Mr. Newhouse. You truly are. Tell me, what drives you to write for children?
Newhouse: Being abused and bullied as a child, I want my writing to help others solve problems without violence. I try to empower children, and adults, to face life’s obstacles with hope and faith that they can overcome whatever is thrown at them with courage and intelligence. They don’t need violence and magic to do magical things with their lives.
“I love visiting schools, libraries, and other institutions to share my message: Never Give Up.” – Mark H. Newhouse
Chanticleer: I appreciate that message. Give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.
Newhouse: The best advice I give authors is: Don’t sell books, sell yourself. Think of your books as helping others, educating, entertaining, them. Seeing myself as performing a public service, and not just as a book salesman, helped me overcome my marketing phobia. It also steers me to groups and media that may be interested in my contributions.
Most important: make sure your book is the best it can be. Don’t rush to publish until you have tested your work with your critique group, beta (pre-publication) readers, and have it edited. A final test: enter a contest, especially where you get impartial feedback. Nothing hurts book sales worse than a poorly edited book.
Chanticleer:That’s good advice! What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?
Newhouse: I just finished, My Family Secret: The Holocaust, and it won a Silver Medal from the Florida Writers Association, so now I am back writing my multi-award-winning Defenders of Monstrovia comical mysteries. In Book 5, The Case of the Cruel Cyberbullies, a teenage boy and half-human girl face danger when they must solve a tricky case in Monstrovia, a secret sector of the USA where humans are rare. Will the cyberbully get away with murder? That’s the fun of this series. It teaches law in a land of monsters and fictional characters with edge-of-the-seat suspense. I love writing these fun mysteries.
Chanticleer:They sound hysterical! Congratulations on your Silver Medal from FWA. What a treat! I do hope we get to see it in our CIBAs… Who’s the perfect reader for your book?
Newhouse: That’s easy. The perfect readers for my books are children and adults who care. My books deal with things I care about, and I try to create page-turners for people who love humor and mysteries but most importantly, care.
Chanticleer:I’m raising my hand, can you see me? What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?
Newhouse: Buy our books. Seriously, share your thoughts or endorse our books with your reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or with your friends. Several years ago, a boy wrote me and said, “Rockhound is my favorite human being.” Rockhound, the hero of the Rockhound Science Mysteries, is a teenage dog detective, so that got a laugh, but the best was yet to come: “I know all authors are rich so can I come and swim in your pool?” I replied, “If I had a pool, I would invite you.” I really would.
Chanticleer:Oh, that’s so sweet. I agree with you – Everyone who picks up a book and reads it needs to review it! Simple as that. Do you ever experience writers block? What do you do to overcome it?
Newhouse: I have tons of ideas waiting for me, but everyone gets WB at some point. When I get it, I enter contests with a theme. I also have a few quick-tricks. I love titles, so I shake up a Boggle or Scrabble set and see if any of the words suggest a great title. I do a ‘blind’ search in a book: flip to any page, close my eyes and see what words my finger lands on. I then form a title and brainstorm a story idea. Goodbye WB. Hey! Not a bad title.
Chanticleer: I have never thought of that. How fun! What excites you most about writing?
Newhouse: Everything. But it is the passion for my story. I care about my subject and my readers. I am excited and proud when readers write about The Devil’s Bookkeepers.
What readers are saying about The Devil’s Bookkeepers: “I could not put it down.” “It kept me reading all night.” “I felt myself choking.” “One of the most powerful books I have ever read.”
When you feel you touched someone’s heart and soul, all the sweat is worth it. I get an amazing high when I hear a child laugh at my creations. I am honored and grateful for the awards and when someone shares how my work made a difference in their life.
Chanticleer:No doubt, that is a tremendous high. I love it! What other goals do you have?
Newhouse: I would love to work with a television/film producer to create a miniseries of The Devil’s Bookkeepers. It is an important and powerful story that needs to be shared so it never happens again to anyone. Readers root for the characters and are haunted by the true events. I can visualize the scenes with powerful performances that could win awards. I know it is a long shot but am going to try and send it to agents. The awards from Chanticleer will help open the door.
Chanticleer: It absolutely will. Thank you, Mark. You are a delight and we are honored to call you friend. You truly do make the world a better place.
Newhouse: Thank you for allowing me to share my journey and books with your readers. My books are available on Amazon/Kindle. The Devil’s Bookkeepers novels are also available as wonderful audiobooks. For more information, please contact me at www.newhousecreativegroup.com.
Mark’s view – nothing short of inspirational!
Chanticleer: Well, you heard the man! Go seek out Mark H. Newhouse’s works, read them and review them. Trust me, you’ll not be sorry!
In When the Wind Chimes by international best-selling author Mary Ting, Kate Summers wants to make this Christmas extra-special for her older sister, Abby, and four-year-old nephew.
A year ago, she’d given up Christmas with her family to spend the holiday with her boyfriend, Jayden, whom she had caught cheating on her the next day. Not only is she hoping to erase that memory, but she also has another even more important reason to make this Christmas special. A few months after her disastrous break-up with Jayden, her brother-in-law, Steve, passed away from cancer, so Abby and Tyler will be spending their first Christmas alone.
After taking a leave from her job as a graphic designer in LA, Kate flies to Poipu, Kauai, determined to make this an amazing holiday, but on her way to her sister’s house, she meets a mysterious man, who gives up his cab for her. Kate can’t get the handsome stranger out of her head, and when she sees him again in her sister’s art gallery–and destroys his expensive shirt with paint–she is both mortified and excited.
Billionaire Leonardo Medici, the heir and CEO of Medici Real Estate Holdings, is the most sought-after bachelor on the island and the most elusive. Lee just wants privacy and a temporary nanny for his four-year-old daughter, Bridget. When Kate applies for the job, neither is aware of their previous connection to each other until they meet in Lee’s mansion after Kate is hired by his permanent nanny, Mona. Bridget quickly bonds with Kate, and as they grow closer so do Lee and Kate. Kate’s rocky relationship past, however, keeps her on edge, and she must find a way to overcome the damage done by her cheating ex before she can ever learn to love again.
The unpredictability of life and fate’s subsequent role in a person’s future is a major theme within this novel.
Abby, Kate’s sister, never expected to be a widow in her twenties. Steve, her husband, died suddenly from cancer. The disease progressed more quickly than doctors predicted, and she is left to fend for herself and Tyler. Moving to Kauai, the place where she and Steve honeymooned, is an attempt to escape her sadness and find peace in the place where their life together began. Starting her own gallery in such a small community was another uncertainty, and while the gallery struggles at times, destiny brings Lee into her small business, and he becomes her best customer. Lee purchases art to stage his more expensive listings, which is how he encounters Kate a second time after a quick-passing rainstorm brings them together the first time. Had Kate not jumped into his cab, slinging water all over his suit, they would not have met. Kate would have never seen the ad for a nanny had Abby not come down with a cold and needed Kate to drop Tyler off at preschool, and she would not have gotten the job had Mona not needed a replacement nanny for two weeks. The kismet that brings Lee and Kate together is an interesting and humorous part of the novel. This fate-filled string of coincidences adds a hint of the supernatural to their love’s beginning.
Vulnerability is another great theme found in the award-winning, When the Wind Chimes.
Abby is most definitely a strong woman. She not only begins her own business but also must be both mother and father to her son. However, Abby can’t do everything on her own. With her struggling business and the demands of her private life, she welcomes the help Kate brings and hopes she will stay on the island rather than going back to Los Angeles. The close relationship between the sisters is touching, and Kate’s job search shows how much she loves Abby and Tyler. Even though she fails to find a job as a graphic designer and has no experience as a nanny, she takes the job, planning to give the money to Abby to help her support Tyler.
However, Kate’s willingness to try something new despite her uncertainty extends to her own artistic ability. Since her horrible experience with Jayden, she has lost her confidence and desire to paint even though Abby has successfully sold Kate’s pieces in the past. It takes courage and a release of her own fear to get her in front of a canvas, but her regained confidence brings her into contact with Lee again–albeit accidental. Lee has his own vulnerability issues. Opening up and bringing Kate into his life is a risk. He cannot allow just any woman into his life. Most of the women who approach him are only interested in his money or looks, and he must protect both his privacy and Bridget. His own past causes him trepidation because he harbors a deep hurt that is known only to those within his immediate circle. Both he and Kate learn to face their deep-seated emotions rather than burying them beneath fear and uncertainty, but to do that, they must give vulnerability free reign.
When the Wind Chimes is more than a romance novel. It’s a heart-warming, feel-good read that will leave readers wanting more.
Thank you for sending this to me. I was anxious and excited to read the comments and suggestions. Please convey my sincere thanks to S. Taylor they did an excellent job pointing out flaws and issues to tighten up in my story. This was exactly what I was looking for and will be implementing all the suggestions. I will highly recommend your services to all of my fellow authors in the future. – Brent Golembiewski, Flick of the Switch
The Hearten Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Uplifting & Inspiring Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Hearten Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them. See our full list of Non-Fiction Divisions here.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2021 Hearten Non-Fiction Long List to the 2021 Hearten Book Awards SHORT LIST. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22).
The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 24 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALISTS of the 2021 Hearten Book Awards novel competition for Uplifting and Inspirational Non-Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2021 CIBAs.
Lisa Smith Molinari – The Meat and Potatoes of Life: My True Lit Com
Cheryl Troxel – The Inexplicable Gypsy
Wendy Sanford – These Walls Between Us: A Memoir of Friendship across Race and Class
Heather Haldeman – Kids and Cocktails Don’t Mix: A Memoir
Burl Harmon – Combat Missions
Meredith Wargo – DAWGS: A True Story of Lost Animals and the Kids Who Rescued Them
Carolyn Lee Arnold – Fifty First Dates After Fifty: A Memoir
Leah Witman Moore – Loving You Big:Embracing the Unexpected
Cheng Wang – From Tea to Coffee
Rod Baker – Unexpected Treasures – Running a Mental Health Nonprofit
Linda Jamsen – Odyssey of Love: A Memoir of Seeking and Finding
Evelyn LaTorre – Love in Any Language
Meg Nocero – Butterfly Awakens: A Memoir of Transformation Through Grief
Jim Enderle – Fight, Flight, or Freeze: A Love Story
Robert E. Lofthouse – Honor Through Sacrifice
Judith Briles – When God Says NO – Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present
Jane Eden – Nail Soup
Colonel Van H. Slayden, USAF, with Patrecia Slayden Hollis – Normandy to Nazi Surrender, Firsthand Account of a P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot
Allison Hong Merrill – Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops
Jeremy Rhyne – His Name is Cwiz
Julie Ryan McGue – Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging
Dennis J Kotchmar – The Joy of Searching, Buying, and Selling Antiques and Home Decor from France and England
C.L. Olsen – The Home for Friendless Children
Fred Guttenberg – Find the Helpers
Kim Fairley – Shooting Out the Lights: A Memoir
George Kohn – Vector to Destiny: Journey of a Vietnam F-4 Fighter Pilot
Sara Easterly – Searching for Mom: A Memoir
Linda Morrow – Heart of This Family – Lessons in Down Syndrome and Love
Lisa Dailey – Square Up: 50,000 miles in search of a way home
Abe Streep – Brothers on Three: A True Story of Family, Resistance, and Hope on a Reservation in Montana #2
Dr Kate Dolan – Beating Drug Addiction in Tehran: a Women’s clinic
Richard Lui – Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness
Rick Avery with Tom Bleecker – A Life at Risk
Labar Laskie – Above the Din: Diary of the HepC Wonder Drugs
Bedri Cag Cetin Ph.D. – Sacred Life: Healing from the Virus in Consciousness
Carole Bumpus – Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, Book Two #2
Marcus A. Nannini – Midnight Flight to Nuremberg: Capture of the Nazi Who Put Adolph Hitler into Power
Rosemary Keevil – The Art of Losing It: A Memoir of Grief and Addiction
Gerri Almand – Running from Covid in our RV Cocoon
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.
We are now accepting submissions into the 2022 Hearten Book Awards for Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction & Memoir. The 2022 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2023.
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
The I & I Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Instruction and Insight non-fiction that are self-help, how-to, guides, or explanatory. In non-fiction works, the author assumes responsibility (in good faith) for the truth, accuracy, people, places, or information presented. The I & I Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best Instruction and Insight books featuring How-To, Guidance, Travel Guides, Cookbooks, Self-Help, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them. See our full list of Non-Fiction Divisions here.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2021 I&I Non-Fiction Long List to the 2021 I&I Book Awards SHORT LIST. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22).
The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 24 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALISTS of the 2021 I&I Book Awards novel competition for Instruction and Insight Non-Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2021 CIBAs.
Aaron Taylor – Stretching Your Way to a Pain-Free Life: Illustrated Stretches for Sports, Medical Conditions and Specific Muscle Groups
Angela Quijada-Banks – The Black Foster Youth Handbook
Brad Borkan and David Hirzel (co-authors) – Audacious Goals, Remarkable Results: How an Explorer, an Engineer and a Statesman Shaped our Modern World
Dr Kate Dolan – Beating Drug Addiction in Tehran: a Women’s clinic
Eleanor K. Smith and Margaret Pastor – One School’s Journey – Further Down the Path
George Marino, CPA, CFP – Beyond Balancing the Books: Sheer Mindfulness for Professionals in Work and Life
Geraldine Clouston and Susan Weintrob – indieBRAG Eat, Read & Dream Cookbook
Jennifer George – Communication is Care: 9 Empowering Strategies to Guide Patient Healing
Jim & Jessica Braz – Baby Out of Wedlock
Judy Taylor – Breaking the Boundaries: The Rug Hooking Artistry of Sharon Johnston
Kaitlyn Jain – Passports and Pacifiers? Traveling the World, One Tantrum at a Time
David Soh Poh Huat – Nature Gifts of the Soursop Leaves
Kelly Tan Peterson, Dan Peterson, MD. – KETO BAKED
M. J. Simms-Maddox, Ph.D. – A Handbook for Emerging and Seasoned Authors
Mary M. Clare and Gary Ferguson – Full Ecology: Repairing Our Relationship with the Natural World
Phoebe Walker – Freedom Found – Productive and Joyful Living In Spite of Chronic Pain
Cheryl Troxel – The Inexplicable Gypsy
Sabbithry Persad – What Is Coronavirus? How It Infects, How It Spreads, and How to Stay Safe
Stan Bernard, MD, MB – BRANDS DON’T WIN: How Transcenders Change the Game
Susan Marie Conrad – Wildly Inside: A Visual Journey Through the Inside Passage
Wendela Whitcomb Marsh – Recognizing Autism in Women and Girls
Bedri Cag Cetin Ph.D. – Sacred Life: Healing from the Virus in Consciousness
Carole Bumpus – Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, Book Two
Jan Kaa Kristensen – Splitting Up Without Falling to Pieces
Melanie Choukas-Bradley – Finding Solace at Theodore Roosevelt Island
Vindy Teja – YOLO: Essential Life Hacks for Happiness
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.
We are now accepting submissions into the 2022 I&I Book Awards for Instruction and Insight Non-Fiction. The 2022 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2023.
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
The Short Story Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in Collected Works such as Short Story Collections, Essay Collections, and Anthologies. The Short Story Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards program.
The Chanticleer International Book Awards program discovers today’s best works. The Short Stories Awards discovers the Best New Shorts in Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction. These books have advanced to the next judging rounds. We will put them to the test and choose the best among them.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2021 Shorts Book Awards entries to the 2021 Shorts Book Awards SHORT LIST. The Short Listers will compete for the Finalist positions. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22).
The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 24 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference–whether virtual, hybrid, or in-person.
NOTE: We are posting the Individual Short Stories, Essays, and Novellas in a different post. These are Collected Works
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2021 Shorts Book Awards novel competition for Short Story Collections, Essay Collections, and Anthologies!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2021 CIBAs.
These titles have advanced to the Short List of the 2021 Shorts Book Awards competition for Short Story Collections, Essay Collections, and Anthologies and are in the run for the FINALISTS!
Grendolyn Peach Soleil – The Mermaids Melt at Dawn for Fantasy and Myth
Susannah Dawn – K Team – 4th Galactic Cavalry for Space Opera
Russ Colson – Kernels of Mind – for Philosophical SciF
Leah Angstman – Shoot the Horses First for Americana Fiction
Helena P. Schrader – Grounded Eagles for 20th c. Wartime Fiction
Susannah Dawn – I’m Not What I Used To Be, Yet I Am Who I’ve Always Been – Excerpts From My Journey for Personal Journey Non-Fiction
Judy Taylor – The Boy Who Wrote Poetry for Family Stories
Lisa Lynn Veith – Gold Medal for Personal Growth and Romance
Domenick Venezia – The Edwerd Chronicles for Magical Realism
Dianne Ebertt Beeaff – On Traigh Lar Beach for Connections
K. –Resistance, Revolution and Other Love Stories for Literary Love Stories
Dreena Collins – She Had Met Liars Before for Literary
Michael T. Tusa Jr. – A House Without Books for Social Themes and Philosophy
Elizabeth Crowens – New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst for Anthologies and Mixed Media
Jeff Richards – Everyone Worth Knowing for Literary
Maria Rybakova – Quaternity: Four Novellas From The Carpathians for Contemporary Themes
Frances Howard-Snyder – Through a Glass Darkly for Contemporary Themes
Elizabeth Reinach – Three Dimensions – Lizzie’s Histories for Historical Comedy
Elizabeth Reinach – Three Dimensions – Lizzie’s Fizzies for Satire
James Musgrave – The Valley of the Dogs for Absurdism
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
The Short Story Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in Short Stories, Essays, Novelettes, and Novellas. The Short Story Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards program.
The Chanticleer International Book Awards program discovers today’s best works. The Short Stories Awards discovers the Best New Shorts in Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction. These books have advanced to the next judging rounds. We will put them to the test and choose the best among them.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2021 Shorts Book Awards entries to the 2021 Shorts Book Awards SHORT LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2021 Shorts Finalist positions. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22).
The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners will be announced on June 25th from the 24 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference–whether virtual, hybrid, or in-person.
NOTE: We are posting the Collected Works such as Short Story or Essay Collections and Anthologies in a different post. These are Individual Works
These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2021 Shorts Book Awards novel competition for Short Stories, Essays, Novelettes, Novellas!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2021 CIBAs.
Out of This World Fiction (Cygnus (SciFi), OZMA (Fantasy), Paranormal (Supernatural)
Susannah Dawn – Command of the Butterfly
Susannah Dawn – On The Run With Meagan Wise
J.L Oakley – Dragons End
Karina McRoberts – Dargo – Eco Hero!
Susan Faw – The Wizard of Bastion
Diamond Ligues – The Bird of Hermes Shall Get its Wings
M.J. Fitzmaurice – The Night Warrior
Gina Detwiler – Before: Jared’s Story
Kourtney Spadoni – In The Underwood
Clayton Marshall Adams – The Mask
Mysteries and Suspense (Mystery/Thriller/CLUE)
Monique Snyman – Black Mariah: Victoria West, Northern Cape, South Africa
Dalton Mire – A Chance to Serve
M. K. Wiseman – Sherlock Holmes & the Ripper of Whitechapel
Lori Robbins – Leading Ladies
The Historicals (Chaucer/Goethe/Hemingway)
David Martyn – Huldah and the Last Righteous King.
Kristie Clark – Dragon of the Sea
Nicole Evelina – Consequences
Joy Ross Davis – The Sutler of Petersburg
Elizabeth Wolf – The Royal Foetus: A very short novel based on the very short life of King Louis XVII
Breakfield and Burkey – Out of Poland
Box of Chocolates Assortment
Lindy Miller – Sleigh Bells on Bread Loaf Mountain
James Musgrave – The Castaways of Mar-a-Lago
Barry Robbins – Oh Daddy Chronicles: The Tasting
David Perlmutter – No Son Of Mine
Dane S. Skorup – Kid Kingmaker
Jean-Jacques Jura – Acadian Chronicles: When Ancestors Look Down
Somerset – Literary & Contemporary Fiction
Toni Ann Johnson – Homegoing
Mekiya Walters – Bathwater (or, The Miseducation of Ness Chairmonte)
Esta Lemon – The Name.
Frances Howard-Snyder – Face to Face
J.F. Penn – Blood, Sweat, and Flame
Dalton Mire – A Minefield of Memories
Grace Sikorski – How To Become a Mother
Narrative Non-Fiction
Lisa Lynn Veith – Gold Medal
J. L. Oakley – Putting Things Away
David Soh Poh Huat – Care Giving Gift of Unconditional Love
David Soh Poh Huat – Nature Gifts of the Soursop Leaves
Vicky Oliver – A Valentine to my Mothers and Other Dubious Role Models
Judy Taylor – The Boy Who Wrote Poetry
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
Award-winning author, motivational speaker, and podcast host Judy Gaman befriends a fun-loving and feisty centenarian in her CIBA Grand Prize-winning novel, Love, Life, and Lucille.
The list of titles and accolades Judy Gaman has accrued begin to pale when she encounters Lucille Fleming for the very first time. The whole reason for the meet-up with the centenarian was specifically to get her opinions on “aging gracefully,” the featured topic of a new book Judy planned to write. What was scheduled as an hour-long interview turned into an absolutely delightful, near three-hour visit. Lucille turned the tables and began asking questions about Judy’s life with compelling earnestness—something Judy rarely experienced. She was unprepared yet exhilarated.
Judy couldn’t stop thinking about this “dressed to the nines” woman with an ear-to-ear smile and a sturdy, affectionate hug. Her contact with this larger-than-life woman was so infectious, Judy made up an excuse—so that she could see her again. During that second meeting, the two became fast friends as they set Fridays aside as their day to get together. Before their next planned meeting, Judy learned that Lucille had gone into cardiac arrest. She was dead for three minutes before she came back full of vim and vigor as if nothing had happened. Five months later, Lucille was more than ready for TV interviews. With that, Judy made plans to write a second book about Lucille and their relationship.
Once Lucille agreed to Judy’s literary plans, their Friday get-togethers morphed into long, memorable, eye-opening, and at times, heart-wrenching lunch outings.
The two would share their life experiences—many happier Lucille memories than Judy’s dark, divorced-riddled childhood recollections. At the same time, those outings provided valuable lessons for Judy. She realized she had stopped thinking about her work to-do list but, instead, was “simply living in the moment” when she was around Lucille. “With every lesson, she taught me, she was making me stronger, both mentally and emotionally.” Judy had no idea that her newfound strength from her newfound best friend would carry her through a series of unforgettable roller-coaster events.
Award-winning author Judy Gaman retells the remarkable, life-changing story of her relationship with Lucille, the woman who profoundly changed her life.
Life, Love, and Lucille reads more like fiction than nonfiction. A true storyteller, Gaman enthralls her audience by taking common scenarios—visiting a friend; going to restaurants—and turning them into significant unanticipated spiritual encounters. During those moments, Gaman realizes that Lucille’s optimism came from years of perseverance through life’s ups and downs, which gave her optimism and determination, qualities severely lacking in Gaman’s life. Little by little, Lucille’s passion for life and people began to penetrate the carefully-protected recesses of Gaman’s heart.
Gaman’s first-person narration delicately weaves a consistent theme highlighting the pair’s incredibly close relationship: Lucille’s stories; how Lucille’s stories affected Gaman; Gaman’s personal, gut-wrenching struggles with family members; and the testing and strength of their faith in God that led to wholeness.
Drawing each chapter to a cliffhanging close further heightens the storyline. From one human-interest situation to the next, Gaman fills her narrative with a sequence of circumstances, slowly evolving from lighter, happier junctures to more heart-rending ones. Judy Gaman masterfully weaves her story, heartfelt, funny, outrageous – all to a compelling must-read narrative.
Through Gaman’s Love, Life, and Lucille, Judy Gaman gifts us all with the experience of what it is like to meet a woman who chose hope, love, and life above all else. Highly recommended!
We met Mark H. Newhouse in Florida where he wondered whether or not he should enter his epic historical novel into our CIBAs.
In When the Wind Chimes by international best-selling author Mary Ting, Kate Summers wants to make this Christmas extra-special for her older sister, Abby, and four-year-old nephew. 
Thank you for sending this to me. I was anxious and excited to read the comments and suggestions. Please convey my sincere thanks to S. Taylor they did an excellent job pointing out flaws and issues to tighten up in my story. This was exactly what I was looking for and will be implementing all the suggestions. I will highly recommend your services to all of my fellow authors in the future. – Brent Golembiewski, Flick of the Switch
