No matter your writing level, your story needs a kickass main character. Now, I don’t mean you need a brawler, a bully, or beast to headline your story–instead, you need someone who readers have never met before. An unforgettable someone who fascinates and captivates. Someone who readers can care about, empathize with.
A story person who can carry the weight of your storyline.
Examples: Katniss of Hunger Games, Kirsten of Station Eleven, Jay Gatsby in the Great Gatsby, Celie in the Color Purple, Poirot in the Hercule Poirot series, Arsene Lupin of the Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar series by Maurice Leblanc, Harry Potter of the Harry Potter series.
You will notice that most of these protagonists can carry the weight of a series. Readers want to spend time with them.
Hercule Poirot of Agatha Christie’s series
Create a worthy protagonist:
A fictional person who is about to face some of themost interesting events and hardest challenges of his or her life. Elizabeth Bennet ofPride and Prejudice is a good example.
A protagonist who hasskin in the game. Elizabeth’s situation–living with her family because she has no means of support–means she is in aninescapable position.
A character you can pile on troubles and miseries and he or shewon’t topple. Well, maybe topple, but then is capable of rising again to face the challenges of the story events. This means your protagonist can stand up to his or her opposition, enemies, and travails, however difficult.
Think about the character Kirsten Raymonde in Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Kirsten is strong, observant, and skilled in protecting herself. She struggles with the violence of the new world and the fact that she has killed other people to survive. She believes in the power of art to make her new brutal life worth living and longs to better understand the world left behind.
The protagonist, Kirsten Raymonde, of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
A character withrealistic and possibly relatable flaws. InPride and PrejudiceLizzie Bennet possesses a sharp tongue that matches her quick wit, but she’s also prone to jump to conclusions {prejudice} and might be prouder than might be good for her.
A character who is complicated and complex, which in turn leads to inner conflict.This means protagonist battles his/her circumstances hindered by his or her personality, nature, and circumstances.
Use characters with significant histories{backstory}that cast a shadow onto the present. Typically this means past traumas or troubles that somehow mess with his/her ability to face the story conflict and hardships. InPride and PrejudiceElizabeth Bennet’s family is dysfunctional, in that the father is uninvolved and distant, their mother is an ambitious busybody, and her younger sisters will chase any man in a uniform. Which is going to lead to a scandal that the family might not recover from.
Lizzie’s older sister Jane is typical of a woman of her times–Regency England–who seems to accept society’s norms and has a sweet disposition. Oh, and low expectations. Lizzie, on the other hand, is different from her sisters–a reader, a dreamer and yet a realistic type because she’s aware of her family’s flaws and disapproves of her father. But importantly, she’s a woman who will not marry unless her beloved is a perfect match.
Smiling in spite of being subject to England’s Inheritance Laws during the Regency Era.- which means they will not inherit land or the family home. Husbands will be required.
But the ultimate backdrop for this story comes from England’s inheritance laws. The family’s five daughters unable to inherit their family estate because they’re female, which creates a threat that hangs over the story. This is an excellent example of the Regency English era.
All stories need anoverarching threat. Think worst-case scenario.
Fiction typically, but not always, is told from the protagonist’s viewpoint.The pov character is the reader’s entrée into the story world, the lens we view the story through.The prideful Lizzie provides access into society’s norms and expectations for females. Thus, she serves as a reflection of the story’s themes and premise. {It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of good fortune, must also be in want of a wife.}
If Pride and Prejudice was told from elder sister Jane’s or Lydia’s viewpoint it would be a far different tale.
Less complex and involving, since Jane isn’t exactly a firecracker and 15-year-old Lydia’s agenda is all about romance with a dashing soldier, Mr. Wickham. No matter that his agenda is ungentlemanly at best. Then there’s the matriarch, Mrs. Bennet, who is well aware of the unfairness of inheritance laws and is determined her daughters will be married because that’s all the security they can hope for. While Mrs. Bennet is realistic, it’s doubtful she’d provide an honest perspective.
Early on in your story development, consider thinking about or perhaps outlining what the narrative would look like from your other character’s perspectives. You may gain an interesting slant to your story line. Kiffer
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.
Sandra Wagner-Wright’s Saxon Heroines is a three-part historical fiction work that transports readers to seventh century Northumbria, exploring the lives of several women and their important title roles in recorded history. Here she uncovers the powerful influence of queens over kings, their relationships with sons and daughters, the movement of Christianity across the region, and the significant role of abbesses and their religious holds throughout the land.
Whether Queen Ethelberga intent on converting her husband King Edwin to Christianity; her daughter, Enfleda, who must accept marriage to King Oswy; or granddaughter, Elfleda, who will be trained to become an abbess, following in the footsteps of Hildeburg, the king’s niece; such women, capable of negotiating a united church between royalty and religious leaders, prove decisive and dedicated contributors to a traditionally male-dominated society. Wagner-Wright gives each woman a voice in important matters.
In the audio version, Deepti Gupta’s mildly accented narration sets the stage for an ancient, medieval storyline capturing a particular time frame (624 – 706 AD). Her diction is well-suited to the material in a mixture of quiet tones and firm directives.
In a chronological format, events of the day are intricately detailed. Against a landscape where Anglo Saxon states attempt to assert dominance and gain power, listeners will absorb and visualize the likes of plans against the enemy, illustrious banquet halls, wedding celebrations, marital beds, the use of a birthing chair, baptisms, battles, and death.
While the narration informs us of character changes, and vocal inflections help distinguish the individuals, these can sometimes be a bit too subtle. Some listeners may be challenged with key character names, which are pretty similar. This often occurs within a family lineage, thus making it particularly hard to distinguish within the realm of a generational saga. Name pronunciation, itself, can also prove a tricky.
As chapters play out in a timely fashion, the title notations provide the year and the focal event happening within that time frame.
While listening time is nearly 8 hours (7 hours and 57 minutes), pausing throughout the narrative will help listeners absorb the information, allowing them a chance to recognize and place characters within the context of the story. Wagner-Wright’s final notes include facts about the characters and subsequent eighth-century events in Northumbria. An initial visual reference chart of names, places, and dates that a listener could access on their device would be of tremendous use.
Saxon Heroines audiobook will greatly appeal to those who enjoy the medieval history of the mid to late seventh century, including its religious conflicts, and particularly those interested in the role of critical female figures involved in the spreading of Christianity. While primarily research-based, Wagner-Wright aptly weaves human interest elements into the story and laces the narrative with descriptive characteristics that color and bring life to these inspiring heroines in history.
Sandra Wagner-Wright is an impressive historian who brings these forgotten women into the 21st-century limelight. For those who wish to read the book along with the audiobook, follow this link to our review ofSaxon Heroines.
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 all 2021 Hearten Non-Fiction entries to the 2021 Hearten Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2021 Hearten 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 25h, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST 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.
Rick Avery with Tom Bleecker – A Life at Risk
Mark Allen – Based on a True (Traumatic) Brain History: a Short Memoir
Bruce Rowe, MD – Everything Under the Sun: A Family Doctor’s Reflections on Life, Love, Loss and Renewed Hope in Medicine
Lisa Smith Molinari – The Meat and Potatoes of Life: My True Lit Com
Cheryl Troxel – The Inexplicable Gypsy
Jean-Philippe Soule – I, Tarzan: Against All Odds
Wendy Sanford – These Walls Between Us: A Memoir of Friendship across Race and Class
Richard Jespers – That I Do Not Lose You: One Man’s Family Roots
Heather Haldeman – Kids and Cocktails Don’t Mix: A Memoir
Burl Harmon – Combat Missions
Jeremy Rhyne – His Name is Cwiz
Frederick Douglass Reynolds – Black, White, and Gray All Over; a Black Man’s Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement
Meredith Wargo – DAWGS: A True Story of Lost Animals and the Kids Who Rescued Them
George Farag – Unbecoming My Father’s Son: A Memoir
Carolyn Lee Arnold – Fifty First Dates After Fifty: A Memoir
Leah Witman Moore – Loving You Big: Embracing the Unexpected
Shelby Wagner – Learning to Dance in the Rain II
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
Richard Jespers – That I Do Not Lose You: One Man’s Family Roots
Robert E. Lofthouse – Honor Through Sacrifice
Judith Briles – When God Says NO – Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present
David Soh Poh Huat – Care Giving Gift of Unconditional Love
Jane Eden – Nail Soup
Allison Hong Merrill – Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops
Julie Ryan McGue – Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging
C.L. Olsen – The Home for Friendless Children
Fred Guttenberg – Find the Helpers
Meghan Caughey – Mud Flower
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
Betty Jean Craige – Ruminations on a Parrot Named Cosmo
Audrey Stelzig and Norman L. Johnson, MD – Grandpa, Were You Ever a Kid
Judy Taylor – The Boy Who Wrote Poetry
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
Colonel Van H. Slayden, USAF, with Patrecia Slayden Hollis – Normandy to Nazi Surrender, Firsthand Account of a P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot
Richard Lui – Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness
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 Three
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 all 2021 I&I Non-Fiction entries to the 2021 I&I Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2021 I&I 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 25h, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST 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
Brian Dillon – From Ex To Excellence
David Perlmutter – The Encyclopedia Of American Animated Television Shows
David Soh Poh Huat – Nature Gifts of the Soursop Leaves
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
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
Rob White – The Maestro Monologue
Cheryl Troxel – The Inexplicable Gypsy
Sabbithry Persad – What Is Coronavirus? How It Infects, How It Spreads, and How to Stay Safe
Stan Bernard, MD, MBa – 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
Ben R Teeter – Falling Into All
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.
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post.
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.
Some dreams delight. Some terrify. Celeste’s dream haunts her in Susan Z. Ritz’s supernatural mystery, A Dream to Die For.
Celeste wonders why she would dream of a woman in danger. After all, it seems like someone else’s dream. As Celeste reflects on what she remembers, indistinct features begin to focus, revealing details. Celeste’s concerns for the unknown woman grow.
That dream, so tangible in the moment, refuses to leave her. How could it, with the woman in imminent danger? Celeste doesn’t realize that this dream will put her in peril. Can she find the answers she needs before a killer switches his target? Can Celeste and the unknown woman be saved?
Celeste rushes to the office of Larry–her therapist and Riverton’s acknowledged cult leader.
Despite her fiancé’s demands that she stop seeing Larry, Celeste hopes she’ll find the support and help she needs at his office. Instead, Larry convinces her to break up with her future husband. As for her beautiful engagement ring, well, that, of course, goes to Larry.
But when she describes the troubling dream to him, Larry trembles in fear, or was that fury? He throws her out of his practice. Later, Celeste returns to find Larry dead, murdered. The police are looking at Celeste as their primary suspect. Someone else’s dream becomes her nightmare.
In immediate need of a savvy defense attorney, Celeste pleads for help from an old friend.
Together the accused and her lawyer begin a fantastic, desperate, and risky investigation to find Larry’s killer. That strange dream, and the woman in it, become a surprising key to proving Celeste’s innocence.
Through their analysis of clues and suspects, they plunge into the depths of Larry’s cult, now in disarray. Both cult followers and doubters reveal many surprises. These two groups struggle against each other, but they may need to find a way to cooperate to expose the events that led up to Larry’s murder – and who did it.
A chilling mystery, author Susan Z. Ritz has filled her book with intrigue and subtle clues.
A variety of suspects hide the most compelling motives. Which of these Riverton characters, including Celeste’s intended, killed Larry? Can Celeste trust the guy, despite his questionable actions? This investigation puts her love for him to an extreme test. Can she live with him? Will she live without him? Should she fear him?
Ritz weaves a clever plot, set in a plausible contemporary social issue of a cult that demands complete loyalty and dominates every aspect of its followers’ lives.
How could Celeste prove her innocence and name the one who killed the cult leader? Celeste and others struggle to break the cult’s puzzling and psychological hold on them and learn to live free of it. Will the truth of the murder and the cult be discovered? Can Celeste save the woman in her dream? Will she find the killer before another person succumbs to A Dream To Die For?
The third Monday in January in the U.S.A. honors the American clergyman, activist, and leader of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on his birthday. The first observance on a national level was in 1986. Dr. King gave his last speech on April 4, 1967, the night before he was assassinated. He was just 39-years-old.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. 1965
Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Is An Example We Should Never Forget by Janice S. Ellis, PhD.
If you ever doubt that one person can make a difference, the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. as an example that we should never forget. Too often, we see a problem, an injustice, a need of any kind and feel we are helpless to do anything about it.
When confronted with a situation that needs a voice or action, we allow those feelings of helplessness and doubt to take over. We are besieged by questions like: Who am I? What can I do? Too often, we conclude we are powerless to do anything.
The life of Martin Luther King, Jr. is an example of how not to let those feelings of doubt and helplessness deter you. In the face of fear and constant threats of harm and death, Martin Luther King, Jr. refused to be deterred from his work to achieve racial and social justice.
As we reflect on thelife of Martin Luther King, Jr., we should be inspired to become engaged and involved with whatever issues or conditions concern us. As we pause to commemorate the birthday of King, the only question is: Do we care as much as he did? This is a question we should ask ourselves every day, at every opportunity.
There is no greater force or power than that of the human will. We see it all around. We see it in extraordinary athletic achievements in sports. We see it in the awesome achievements of those with physical or mental disabilities.
And then, there are those who have achieved incredible gains for others who have suffered physical oppression, social inequality, economic and judicial injustices, across generations for centuries. The life of Martin Luther King, Jr. is an example of one of those giants.
It should be noted that King was a teenager when he became interested in getting rid of racial injustice in America. It was an interest that turned into a mission—a mission that he pursued during his entire short life, a mission that costs him his life. Had he not died at the hand of an assassin and lived, we would be celebrating his 92ndbirthday!
When he felt compelled to fight to improve the plight of the oppressed, he did not know all the things he would confront. But, during the days, weeks, months and years, he stayed the course despite constant obstacles, threats, persecution, and physical and emotional abuse.
The life of Martin Luther King, Jr. is an example, which shows if you care enough, are bold enough, courageous enough, and believe enough,you can make a difference.
As we pause to commemorate Dr. King, each of us can give serious thought about how we can apply our efforts to make things betterwhereverwe can, as Martin Luther King, Jr. did.
“As we pause to commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., we seem further away from the goals for which he worked and gave his life: Freedom, Justice, and Equal Rights for All! This is most evident in the growing racial discord and the threat to suppress the very basic right to vote. Again! Like Dr. King, we as individuals can work in our community, our city, our state to ensure that all of our citizens will be treated equally and with respect. One specific way we can do that, right now, is to work to ensure eligible citizens are able to cast their vote in the 2022 mid-term elections. There are many other things we can do, as individuals, to keep working to achieve a better world for those around us and all of our fellow human beings. What is the area where you can work to make a difference? Dr. King’s work is an example of the many areas where our involvement is still sorely needed.” Janice S. Ellis, PhD
Dr. Janice S. Ellis
For four decades, Janice Ellis has analyzed educational, political, social, and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age, and socio-economic status. Dr. Ellis holds a Ph.D. in Communication Arts, and two Master of Arts degrees, one in Communications Arts and a second in Political Science, all from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. Her memoir,From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dreamwon Journey Book Awards Grand Prize (CIBAs) along with national and international awards.
Her new book,Shaping Public Opinion: How Real Advocacy Journalism™ Should be Practiced, won the Nellie Bly Nonfiction Journalism Award. Restoring honesty and civility must be the priority among journalists and commentators if we are to serve a dependent and vulnerable public and safeguard a fundamental tenet of our Democracy–that is the focus of the book.
Both books have received and continue to receive great editorial reviews and endorsements as well as customer reviews.
Janice Ellis, a native daughter of Mississippi, grew up and came of age during the height of the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. Born and reared on a small cotton farm, she was influenced by two converging forces that would set the course of her life. The first was the fear and terror felt by blacks because of their seeking to exercise the right to vote along with other rights and privileges afforded to whites. The second was her love of books, the power of words, and her exposure to renowned columnists, Eric Sevareid and Walter Lippmann, whose work solidified her belief that the wise use of words is what advances the good society.
Janice Ellis became determined to take a stand, and not accept and allow the conditions of that farm life, or the strictures of oppressive racial segregation and entrenched sexism limit what she could become. She became determined to use whatever talents God had blessed her with and the power of words to help improve the human condition.
We thank Janice S. Ellis, PhD. for contributing today’s article in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Every Author Needs an Effective Website, But What Should You Do to Manage Yours?
Now is the time to freshen your website or seriously consider creating one dedicated to your author brand.
The internet is confusing enough without having to look at the back end of a webpage that’s supposed to draw others in. For many authors, their website will be the first thing online readers will come across, and it should represent the best parts of you and your work.
AUTHOR BRAND – Your website your reflects your author brand
Like a Resume, the Author Website should highlight what’s special about you
If your book receives a positive review or award, crow about it on your website. You can see Nancy Thorne doing that on her site here for her book Victorian Town, which won a First Place blue ribbon in the Dante Rossetti Awards. Having that digital badge can be the difference between someone purchasing your book and passing on it.
Where else will people find information about you?
Aside from your author website, most readers will find out about you from bookstores, social media, through your publisher, or through Reviews and Awards as described above.
The only place you fully control is your Author Website
The Bones (wireframe) of Your Website
These are the key subjects your author website should touch on for readers:
Your AUTHOR BRANDING – this will be a blogpost to itself – please see links at the end of this article,
What do you write – Fantasy? Historical Fiction? Non-Fiction? Children’s Books?
Do you have an elevator pitch for each of your works? If so, this is where you put it. Then drill down with more info.
What information or services you provide?
Are you available to present?
Are you available for Book Clubs? (You do have a Book Club page—right?)
Do you promote/support any causes? Humane Society? Autism? Wildlife? Lover of Libraries? Board Games?
Schedule of where people can meet you? Author Events, Wine Tastings/Lavender Days, Comic-Cons?
Products (books) to sell –
Can they be purchased directly from your website?
Can they be purchased from your fav Indie bookseller? Amazon? Barnes and Noble? Bookchain?
Kudos given your works
Digital badges, links to awards and accolades
Access to your Blog – it should be easily available AND with at least once a week posts.
Blogposts do not have to be long – a short paragraph will do to keep it fresh and earning “browser love” i.e. ranking on search engines
An outdated blog suggests that you are not interested in what you are doing (writing/written).
BIO – why readers should READ your books rather than another author’s works in the same genre
Please have easily downloadable photos, short and snappy bio with an invitation to contact you (see below) if a more in-depth one is needed, and graphics of your book covers available for those who want to promote you and your work. For example – you are going to do a book signing at your local bookseller – they will want to be able to create posters, social media posts, mailings, etc. and will need this basic info easily and readily available.
Also, have links or a listing to where you have presented, been interviewed, and/or published, accolades and awards
Contact info – Social Media Links, a secure way of contacting you, and a place to subscribe to your newsletter .
Social media links – especially LinkedIn and Twitter
Subscribe to your newsletter (yes, you read that correctly)
Secure way of contacting you while allowing for your privacy
However you go about making your website, the first thing to check is that it’s presented cleanly. Simple is going to be better than an over complicated landing page with too many buttons to look at. There should be a natural progression to your website to help visitors navigate it with ease.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that Chanticleerian Rochelle Parry does a deep dive into this subject here here.
1. Communicating What you Write
Readers should automatically know what genre you write in when they look at your website. Ideally this is done with design and by saying it directly. Consider what images are important to the work you do and how you describe the genre of your work. Both should be front and center. Again, the design doesn’t need to be over the top or fancy, but rather focused on communicating directly to the reader to let them know if they’ve landed in the right space. For example, these are the first big buttons anyone who comes to ChantiReviews.com sees:
Obviously we consider our Newsletter, Awards, and Reviews to be fairly important. Ask yourself what the main purpose of your website is—selling books? Selling copyediting services? Providing reviews? Whatever that is, it needs to be the main focus.
2. About Page
This is where you’ll want a professional head shot and a little bit about you and your story. You can ease up on the advertising here, and talk more about why you’re passionate about the subjects you write about.
We’re all about giving this rooster some love here.
An author page that puts the author front and center is Janice S Ellis, PhD’s website here. You get a good sense of who Dr. Ellis is and the reason that she is a reliable authority for her books. A different route is to be a website that primarily highlights your book, like Avanti Centrae’s website here. You can see the difference in focus, especially since Dr. Ellis’s work tends to have a wider range of subjects, while Centrae’s focuses exclusively on VanOps novels and thriller series.
3. Books
Your books will undoubtedly be an important part of your author website. If you’ve won any awards, such as from our Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs), you should include your digital badge to help the book stand out to those who visit your site. Likewise, if you’ve received a good Editorial Book Review from us, you’ll want to make a note of that and link to the review.
The goal is to show readers that your book stands out, and that it’s well connected enough to receive widespread recognition.
One of the biggest things we see with author websites is they forget to list those awards. Your website is a storefront among millions of digital storefronts, and something needs to be there to make your product stand out beyond what other authors have.
4. Contact
The Contact page is where you have a chance to let your audience reach out to you. It’s a great spot for people to request your presence at their book club, writing group, author’s conference, or upcoming Awards Ceremonies.
Your Contact page is also an excellent place to gather information for your Newsletter. Your Newsletter lets you speak directly to your audience, cutting through the algorithms of social media and the whims of the internet to land directly in their inbox. Make sure you share information that’s fun and to the point of what might interest an audience.
5. Interact
If you have a blog and people interact with it, take a little bit of time to respond to them. Likewise, if you have emails from you contact page or responses from your Newsletter, you can take the time to let people know you heard them and respond in a positive way.
Your interactions may not be this cute
This is part of the business side of being a writer, so set up some dedicated time each week to deal with it rather than letting it bother you a little bit every day. Schedules can be the best way to avoid the death of a thousand cuts.
One of the big ways we promote interaction is through The Roost. The Roost is our personally curated social media site that allows authors to network and ask each other questions, while at the same time taking advantage of some extraordinary discounts. Learn more about The Roost here.
6. Avoid Sales Resistance
Sales Resistance is when the design of your website prevents readers from following you or buying your products. This is a huge personal pet peeve of Kiffer herself. To avoid this double check all your buttons and links, and even consider setting up multiple buttons for one product that your visitor can click on to buy your work. It can help here to have a friend explore your website and test it out. A second pair of eyes (or more) can’t hurt!
Hand in hand with that, share your brand! Promote your new book, promote new merchandise, and remind people of the services you offer If you have a new book? Advertise it! Win a new Award or receive a good review? Advertise it! Make sure it’s clear how to contact you, and that your SEO is up to date. What’s SEO you ask?
7. SEO and Publishing Alphabet Soup (How you and your works are found in the Internet of Things)
Possibly the most confusing element to the world wide web is the idea of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Tags and Keywords are the first start to this. Rather than go with the first idea that comes to mind, so a little bit of searching. The word “raffle” has nearly 90 million searches on Google while “giveaway” has 335 million. Generally, you’ll want to focus on the one that’s more common. The exception to this rule is what makes you shine should be a keyword more unique to you. You can read more about SEO here.
SEO is all about driving traffic back to your website, and you can do this by referencing your website frequently and generously. Have it ready when people ask where to find you on podcasts or guest blogs, and double check to make sure that information is posted to send their audience back to you.
8. Social Media
Links to your social media help so much, because that’s a good way to stay in your reader’s mind throughout the day. You can link individually to your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and anything else, but what happens when you need to link to multiple sites (including your author website) from a space like Instagram?
No need to fear Social Media!
At the recent Chanticleer Authors Conference, VCAC21, Chelsea Bennett of LuLu and Alexa Bigwarfe talked about different ways to put up multiple links using Linktree and Shopify.
The big difference between the two is that Linktree is just for sharing links, whereas Shopify also doubles as a storefront, much like Squarespace, but it’s an all in one paid tool. If navigating multiple platforms is a challenge for you, Shopify may be worth the expense.
8. Newsletter
Your Newsletter is one of the best ways to connect with readers. Unlike social media, which is always filtered through automatic algorithms, people have signed up for and chosen to receive your newsletter. You don’t have to pay extra for it, just send it out to regularly tell your readers that you’re thinking of them, and to let them know how best to support you!
Newsletters can seem overwhelming, but you can break them down into a few simple steps. Here are a few possible choices:
Recent Publications
Status of Current Works in Progress
What You’re Reading
Writing Thoughts
Links to your Social Media
You know yourself best, so choose what works best. The other big question with a Newsletter is how often to send one out. Luckily, the answer is you can send it out as little as twice a year. While there should always be a way for your readers to support you in the letter, it’s important that the main thrust of it is in connecting with them.
Your newsletter is a chance to give your books a big hug
What is the Author Website, in the end?
Your website is the hub of your part of the community of writers you’ve joined. It’s like a small inn where you invite readers in and can provide resources and support to your fellow authors. Be kind and excellent to each other.
Thank you for joining us and please stay tuned for the next Chanticleer’s Business of Writing Tools and Tips Article!
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.
Fine artist and award-winning author Ron Singerton turns his astute attention to some little-known history, enmeshed in immortal names and enduring truth in his mystery romance novel, The Refused.
The story boils from the first page, depicting families from the North and South in 1859 America. The brewing conflict will pull all of them into its orbit. In the South we meet Charlotte, her half-brother and slave, Jerome, who sail to France at war’s end.
Life and love in Paris become the vibrant heartbeat in The Refused.
Jack Volant, an aspiring painter and Union cavalry officer, wounded at Gettysburg, travels to Paris following the war to become a more accomplished artist. It is there that he begins a tumultuous relationship with Charlotte, a sculptor who sells her work to Empress Eugenie, wife of the Emperor, and a noted art patroness.
Jack’s younger brother Steven, while still in America, becomes embroiled in an affair with a professor’s wife. When the professor, an expert shot, learns of it, he challenges the young man to a duel. Fearing for his life, Steven changes his name and flees to Paris where he engages in the eerie occupation of unwrapping mummies in the salons attended by the elite.
All these dynamic characters, many involved in intrigue and murder, will interact in the decadent City of Light. They enjoy its ambience for only a short time, however, before war finds them once again. In 1870, the influence of the Empress, Prussian militarism and national rivalry will lead to disaster for France in the Franco Prussian war, the siege of Paris. In the chaos, Charlotte, deeply in love with Jack, waits anxiously as he attempts to save his brother and Jerome from the Prussian onslaught.
The Refused is more than the title of a novel.
Jack will find himself accepted by and creating new works alongside the Impressionist painters. Their adopted sobriquet, the Refused, stems from their rejection by the mainstream critics of the day. Their band includes Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Degas, Cezanne, and Renoir. They all resolve to paint what they want and hope for success, even if it be posthumous.
This novel explores far more than artistic expression.
Even after Prussian victories in the field, Paris holds out and becomes a hotbed of the Parisian underclass, the Communards. Jerome, with his sympathy for the desperately poor, joins the movement, putting his life in danger. As turmoil explodes around them, Jack, Charlotte, Steven, and Jerome attempt to survive as the reign of Emperor Louis Napoleon III and the Second Republic implode around them.
Singerton writes with verve and intelligence. He fashions several interwoven plots in numerous historical settings, while making all his players come to life as credible people, some with high aspirations and others with low scruples.
The author provides useful background in his “Author’s Notes.” He cites the real people and fact-based events that he selected for this engaging tale. The narrative encompasses formal dueling, womanly wiles, shadowy views of a typical morgue, costuming, cafés, conditions in Paris in wartime, and many other fine touches that powerfully immerse the reader in the times and places.
Singerton served in Asia with the US military, was a Civil War cavalry reenactor, an art and history teacher, and enjoys saber fencing and horsemanship. He has penned notable works of historical fiction. And significantly, he is also, like several of the book’s protagonists, a professional artist. All these interests weld neatly together into this enthralling novel, sure to please his current audience and garner new readership.
The Nellie Bly Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Long Form Journalistic and Investigative Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Nellie Bly Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring Social Science, Data Driven Reporting, Equality and Justice, Ethics, Human Rights, and Activists Groups. 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 all 2021 Nellie Bly Non-Fiction entries to the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards SHORT LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2021 Nellie Bly Finalists. Finalists will be selected from the Short List. 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 FINALISTS position of the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2021 CIBAs.
Azim H. Jiwani, MD – Humanizing Medicine: Making Health Tangible
Betty Jean Craige – Ruminations on a Parrot Named Cosmo
Burl Harmon – Combat Missions
Dori Jones Yang – When the Red Gates Opened
Dr Kate Dolan – Beating Drug Addiction in Tehran: a Women’s clinic
Jim Lichtman – Trust and Confidence
Julie Ryan McGue – Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging
Martha Bolton with Linda Hope – Dear Bob… Bob Hope’s Wartime Correspondence with the G.I.s of WW2
Daisy Hernandez – The Kissing Bug: A True Story of a Family, an Insect, and a Nation’s Neglect of a Deadly Disease
Nicole Evelina – America’s Forgotten Suffragists: Virginia and Francis Minor
Richard Jespers – That I Do Not Lose You: One Man’s Family Roots
Richard Lui – Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness
Abe Streep – Brothers on Three: A True Story of Family, Resistance, and Hope on a Reservation in Montana
Janice S. Ellis, Ph.D. – Advancing the Good Society: Real Advocacy Journalism in Action
Cheng Wang – From Tea to Coffee
Grover Nicodemus Street RN, Sandra de Abreu Guidry-Street MD, & Ja-ne de Abreu – Chasing the Surge: Life as a Travel Nurse in a Global Pandemic
Hafiz Sheriff – History As I see It And Others
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. 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.
Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews
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Good luck to all as your works move on the next rounds of judging.
The Grand Prize Winner for the 2020 NELLIE BLY Awards is William “Mecca” Elmore & Susan Simone for Prison from the Inside Out: One Man’s Journey from a Life Sentence to Freedom
We are now accepting submissions into the 2022 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Overcoming Adversity in 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 Mind and Spirit Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Enlightenment and Well-Being Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Mind and Spirit 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 enlightenment, motivational/self-help, spirituality, mindfulness, well-being, meditation, and energy. 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 all 2021 Mind and Spirit Non-Fiction entries to the 2021 Mind and Spirit Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2021 Mind and Spirit 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 SHORT LIST of the 2021 Mind and Spirit Book Awards novel competition for Enlightenment, Spirituality, and Mindfulness Non-Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2021 CIBAs.
Ramzi Najjar – The Ultimate Human Secrets
Mike Lutz – Jesus Speaking
Tammy Green – Living Without Skin: Everything I Never Knew About Fierce Vulnerability
Michael Vincent Moore – Mastering your Emotional Heart-Print
Beth Gibbs – Enlighten Up!
Rosemary A. Schmidt – The Happy Clam
Carolyn Lee Arnold – Fifty First Dates After Fifty: A Memoir
Starr Regan DiCiurcio – Divine Sparks: Interfaith Wisdom for a Postmodern World
Ben R Teeter – Falling Into All
Randi Benator – Awaken to Your Calling
Richard Lui – Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness
George Marino , CPA, CFP – Beyond Balancing the Books: Sheer Mindfulness for Professionals in Work and Life
David Soh Poh Huat – Care Giving Gift of Unconditional Live
David Soh Poh Huat – Nature Gifts of the Soursop Leaves
Bedri Cag Cetin Ph.D. – Sacred Life: Healing from the Virus in Consciousness
Reagan J. Pasternak – Griffin’s Heart: Mourning Your Pet With No Apologies
Carlo Pietro Sanfilippo – AfterLIFE, Waking up from My American Dream
Dr. BethAnne K.W. – Revelations of The Sky: 133 passages on the alchemy of grief
Ramzi Najjar – The YOU beyond you: The knowledge of the willing
Judith Briles – When God Says NO – Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present
Labar Laskie – Above the Din: Diary of the HepC Wonder Drugs
Meg Nocero – Butterfly Awakens: A Memoir of Transformation Through Grief
Angela Quijada-Banks – The Black Foster Youth Handbook
James Martin – Revelation Through Science
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 Mind and Spirit Book Awards for Enlightenment and Well-Being 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.
