Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

  • 10 QUESTIONS with AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR SUSAN FAW – Book Marketing, Increasing Book Sales, Author Interviews

    10 QUESTIONS with AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR SUSAN FAW – Book Marketing, Increasing Book Sales, Author Interviews

    Author Susan Faw is the perfect example of what I mean by #SeriousAuthor. She not only writes amazing YA Fantasy, she also approaches her writing as an occupation.

    She’s serious. She plans. She kills it. Every time.

    Please read, respond, and share this 10 Questions Interview with author, Susan Faw.

    Chanticleer: Tell us a little about yourself: How did you start writing?

    Faw: Back in 2014, the company that I had been working for since 1994 announced that it was merging with another company from the U.S.  I knew that it was the death knell for my position within the company and that it wouldn’t be a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when.’  I grabbed a bottle of wine, went out to my deck, cried for a couple of hours while I polished it off, then went inside and sat down at my computer and started to write Seer of Souls. My prediction came true on May 1st of 2017 when I was let go due to a “work slowdown.”  It was a nice way of saying I was over 50 and no longer wanted within the organization.

    Chanticleer: That’s fascinating. I often wonder about how stress has the power to alter our perception of the world around us – even how we define ourselves. And sometimes what it draws out of us in that altered state. When did you realize that you were an author?

    Faw: I think it started to feel real when Seer of Souls was picked up by Booktrope (now defunct). They gave me my start and dragged this new author through the process of taking a raw manuscript to finished, published product. Unfortunately, they closed their doors three months after my first book went live, and so I had to start all over again, learning the Indie way of doing things.

    Chanitcleer: Seer of Souls did well in our 2016 Dante Rossetti Awards. Talk about genre. What genre best describes your work?

    Faw: I am a fantasy author, first and foremost. I cut my teeth on the great fantasy authors of the century and have always loved to be transported to unique worlds.  I think the subgenre of dystopian fiction, which I see to be a hybrid of science fiction and fantasy, was birthed due to this need to know the answers to what if the worst case scenario happens.

    Chanticleer: What led you to write in this genre?

    Faw: I adore it. Despite what most people think, fantasy is about people, more so than even the romance genre. Fantasy explores the human condition through a portal of strange new worlds and if well written, challenges our beliefs about structures or ‘norms’ that we must accept in modern society. It allows us to talk about taboo subjects in a safe environment, because of it is “just fantasy.” I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction. When you immerse yourself in a genre, you learn the tropes, the norms, what works within the genre and what has been already done. By reading you absorb a culture that you can then build on. I couldn’t write romance. I don’t understand the genre.

    Chanticleer: Good insights. Are you a rule-follower or do you like to make up your own rules?

    Faw: I follow the rules for the most part, but I find that when I try to be formulaic about the rules, it shuts down my creativity. I become bored with the project, so a certain level of spontaneity is important for me.

    Chanticleer: Yeah, sometimes the best way to silence the muse is to unleash the editor in the middle of the creative process. Something, I’m sure, we all do from time to time. How do you come up with your ideas for a story?

    Faw: I like to do a day or two of random reading online. I check out the weird and the wonderful posts that litter the Internet and start taking notes of strange occurrences or weird events. Ghost stories or reports are a great source of inspiration. Paranormal activity can lead to all kinds of magical concepts.

    Chanticleer: Those nachos look good… How structured are you in your writing work? How do you approach your writing day?

    Faw: Now that is a work in progress. I recently moved and am still settling into my writing routine here. In the past I would write whenever I could squeeze the time in, but now that I am writing full time I have found my discipline to have weakened. Ideally, I like to treat my writing day like a work day, work 8-5 at my computer. I find that keeping a routine is the most productive. Beyond that, I like to write in the mornings and do the business side of things in the afternoon, such as marketing or production activities.

    Chanticleer: I believe you will settle into your routine in no time. Can you give us a few of your favorite authors and describe how they influence your work?

    Faw: JK Rowling, Robert Jordan, Erika Johnannsen, Terry Goodkind, Brent Weeks – all are fantasy authors and I love rereading their works because of the depth of their writing. The world building is amazing and the character development is so real, you would swear their characters breathed.

    Chanticleer: I love authors who can create worlds and characters like that. Do you use craft and/or business books? Which ones have helped you the most? 

    Faw: When it comes to editing, I put every book I write through this preliminary edit, to sift it for the chaff – The Word-Loss Diet by Rayne Hall. It is a small book stuffed with the most common, juvenile writing mistakes. I also reference The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman and Writing The Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. I need to give a shout out to indie author Chris Fox and his advice in Six-Figure Author – Using Data to Sell Books and Write To Market – Deliver A Book That Sells. That last book is not what you think but involves understanding your audience and discovering subjects within your niche that will resonate with your audience, within your genre.

    Chanticleer: That’s an awesome list. Thanks! Give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.

    Faw: Marketing is every author’s Achilles heel. Whether you publish the traditional route or are self -published author, like me, we all need to market. The reasons for this are varied, but in the end, it all boils down to the same two facts:

    No one will take as much interest in your career as you will.
    You are your own best advocate.

    Over the last three to four years, I have worked hard to learn the best practices when it comes to advancing and expanding your author footprint. No one answer works for everyone but there are some essentials that you must have in place.

    • Firstly, you MUST have a kick-ass(ets) cover. Everyone judges by appearance, if they have eyes to see. A poor cover is a stumbling block. When someone is browsing for a book to buy, your cover needs to stop them dead. It should compel them to read your blurb, to check out the ‘look inside’.  If you cover cannot grab their eyes, then you book will not grab their wallet. Spend the money on this, if you are an indie. If you are a traditional author, make this a serious discussion with your publisher.

    • Secondly, take the time to LEARN about Facebook ads, and Amazon (AMS) ads and how they work. As a traditional author, you might not be able to run Amazon ads, but you certainly can with Facebook ads. A small, effective and can make a huge difference in daily sales.

    • Thirdly, work hard to build a mailing list dedicated to your author brand. There is no better way to market than to a dedicated list of fans waiting to snap up every book you write. There are ways to introduce your work to new people, usually in the form of some sort of giveaway. It can be a short story related to your series or some deleted chapters, or original sketches/artwork that you have drawn. Work on building that audience who is hungry for your next book. The other reason why this is important is that it is a marketing activity that is totally within your control. Regardless of what happens with other advertising platforms, your list is yours. That direct contact with your customer is essential. An excellent coach for in this area is Bryan Cohen of the “Sell More Books Show” podcast.

    • Lastly, take the time to get to know other authors in the book industry. The collective wisdom of these smart people can help you avoid some costly mistakes and alert you to new possibilities as they crop up.  Whether traditional or indie, be humble enough to learn from others who may be farther along the path than you, or doing something smart.

    Chanticleer: Susan, thank you for spending time with us today. You are a powerful and positive force in the universe and we absolutely adore you! 

    Susan’s second novel, Soul Sanctuary, took home the 1st Place in the 2017 Dante Rossetti Awards! Check out her website and her other books, social media accounts. As you can see, she’s got it going on!

     

     Facebook  Twitter  Amazon   Website

    If you enjoyed 10 Questions with Susan Faw, please comment and share. Sharing is caring, baby!

  • JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction – 2018 Slush Pile Survivors

    JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction – 2018 Slush Pile Survivors

    The Journey Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Narrative Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Journey Book  Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAwards).

     

    These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2018 Journey Book Awards LONG LIST (aka the Slush Pile Survivors). We incorporate the Long List when the judges request an additional round of judging to accommodate the number and/or quality of entries received.  These entries are now in competition for the 2018 Journey Semi-Finalists List known as the SHORT LIST. Short Listers will compete for the limited First  Place Category Winners of the 2018 Journey Book Awards in the last rounds of judging and will be announced at the Awards Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 27th, 2019.

    Chanticleer Book Reviews 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.

    These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2018 JOURNEY Book Awards novel competition for Non-fiction Fiction and Memoir!

    • Joy Ross Davis – Mother Can You Hear Me?
    • Cheryl Aguiar – Great Horned Owlets Rescue: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way…
    • Sean Dwyer – A Quest for Tears: Overcoming a Traumatic Brain Injury
    • Philip Muls – Mind on Fire: A Case of Successful Addiction Recovery
    • H. Alan Day with Lynn Wiese Sneyd – Cowboy Up! Life Lessons from Lazy B
    • Andrew Jurkowski and Lisa Wright – Between The Swastika and the Bear: A Polish Memoir 1925 – 1948
    • Reanne Hemingway-Douglass – Baidarka Diaries: Voyages and Explorations: British Columbia and Alaska, 1992 – 2003
    • Donna LeClair – Waking Reality – Overcoming the Heartache of Abuse
    • Janice S. Ellis – From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream
    • Julie Morrison – Barbed
    • Kayce Stevens Hughlett – SoulStroller: experiencing the weight, whispers, & wings of the world
    • Liberty Elias Miller – The Heart of the Runaway
    • Jody Rae – Criminy Sakes Alive: And Other Generational Curses
    • Karen A. Anderson – The Amazing Afterlife of Animals; Messages and Signs From Our Pets on the Other Side
    • Kevin Howard – The Evolution of a Man
    • Abby Wilton – Machiavellian Bluff
    • Jeff O’Driscoll, MD – Not Yet
    • Dr. Rick Scarnati – Soul Explosion 2nd Edition
    • R. Scott Decker – Recounting the Anthrax Attacks: Terror, the Amerithrax Task Force, and the Evolution of Forensics in the FBI
    • Ellen Krohne – We Lost Her
    • GySgt L Christian Bussler – No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor – a memoir of a Mortuary Affairs Marine
    • Terry Milos – North of Familiar: A Woman’s Story of Homesteading and Adventure in the Canadian Wilderness
    • Nick Delmedico – Biography
    • Carolyn Porter – Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate
    • Dennis M. Clausen – Goodbye to Main Street
    • Russell Vann – Ghetto Bastard, A Memoir
    • Diane Pomerantz – Lost in the Reflecting Pool: a memoir
    • Rebecca Brockway – Miss Matched at Midlife: Dating Episodes of a Middle-Aged Woman
    • Austin M Hopkins – The Loose Ends Became Knots
    • Janis Couvreux – Sail Cowabunga! A Family’s Ten Years at Sea
    • Katrina Shawver – HENRY: A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America
    • Carol Folbre, Ph.D. – Edge of Abundance: Asian Sketchbook
    • Donna LeClair – IMMUNITY: Entitlement of Wealthy Political Notables
    • Lou McKee – Klee Wyck Journal
    • Cheryl Hughes Musick – The Day the Musick Died

    The JOURNEY Long Listers will compete for the 2018 JOURNEY Short List. Short Listers will then compete for the First Place Category positions. The First Place Category winners will automatically be entered into the JOURNEY GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition.  The CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse.

    All Short Listers will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.

    As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com. 

    Grand Prize Ribbons!

    Good Luck to each of you as your works compete for the JOURNEY Awards Short List. 

    The JOURNEY Grand Prize Winner and the Five First Place Category Position award winners will be announced at the April 27th, 2019 Chanticleer Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash. 

    We are now accepting submissions into the 2019 JOURNEY Awards writing competition. The deadline for submissions is April 30th, 2019. Please click here for more information. 

  • How to Write a Potent Action Scene by Jessica Page Morrell – Writing Craft Series

    How to Write a Potent Action Scene by Jessica Page Morrell – Writing Craft Series

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” padding_right=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text]

    Action is eloquence. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

    There are a few techniques it seems like I’m always passing on to my clients: amp up your verbs; use language and details to create more tension, and force scenes to rise. By ‘rise’ I mean writers need to thrust the drama level to a crisis, a confrontation, an explosion. Because in most scenes you’re aiming for the worst outcome.

    Components of an Action Scene

    Characters The main players in the scene with their key traits visible & engaged. Secondary characters need a reason for being.
    Setting The time, place and context in which the scene takes place. The setting is not just a backdrop; stage action scenes for maximum wattage.
    Scene Driver:  The inciting event/change/stimulus/threat.

    The event/stimulus/threat that starts the action rolling in the scene (action can be precipitated before the scene begins)
    Internal response

    External response

     

    		 How the main characters react emotionally to actions, threat, choice. How the main characters react physically–dialogue, movement, escape confrontation, fisticuffs. Typically there is a second driver (event or response)that starts the action.
    Goal What the main character decides to do as a reaction to the inciting event or threat.
    Consequence How the main character struggles to accomplish the goal.
    Resolution How the scene goal turns out–win, lose, draw, escape, disaster.
    • Three words to write by—cause and effect.
    • Action scenes are high stakes.
    • The action needs to build to a full boil crisis.
    • Whenever possible structure action scenes with a midpoint which is also a reversal.
    • Use all your tools to create a character’s emotional responses including, subtext, posture, facial expressions, gestures, mannerisms, eye movements, and voice quality. Voice includes pitch, the rate of speech (does the character talk fast when nervous?), and intonation.
    • As you write, imagine you’re holding a camera catching the action blow-by-blow.
    • With intense action, use short sentences to pick up the pace. Action scenes usually have a minimal amount of description unless it contributes to the scene. The scent of blood. The sound of a gun cocking, or the creak of a floorboard. This is not the place for describing the scenery or the characters.
    • Action scenes feature choppy and incomplete sentences. Such as, “What was that noise?” “What the . . .”
    • If the setting is complex and the action intricate, sketch out a map. Place coins or placeholders to mark your players, define the sight lines, scene’s boundaries (how far can a character reach?), and how long it might take to walk, run (or sneak) from point A to point B.
    • If the action is complicated, ask friends or family members to act it out so you can verify the sequence and reactions.
    • Read your dialogue out loud.
    • Use simple past tense verbs such as “kicked” or “punched” rather than those pesky ‘ing’ participles such as “kicking” or “punching.”
    • Your protagonist has skills, strengths, and weaknesses you can exploit and showcase. Foreshadow those traits throughout the story so when the reader reaches the action scene, he is expecting complications and credibility.
    • Scenes are never random events—they all need a logical connection to the storyline and to create ramifications.
    • Pay special attention to endings—they need weight, potency, and to reveal consequences.
    • Pacing is key but should be controlled by the scenes that come before and after. These will typically be slower to set up and react to the fight/conflict.
    • When writing fight scenes or violence, pack these scenes with an emotional punch too.
    • Read screenplays to digest the moment-to-moment breakdowns.
    • When you watch films study the reaction shots.
    • Some emotions in an action scene will be brief or fleeting.
    • When a gunshot is fired nobody has time to think. However, the body’s chemistry shifts to handle lethal threats, allowing the brain to process far more information in a shorter period of time.
    • Keep in mind that action scenes happen at several levels and much of the fight needs to be about internal changes, the inner world of the protagonist.
    • During revisions fine tune character’s emotional reactions so they’re unique, fresh, and individual. This aspect of revision can be difficult, but it is crucial.
    • Make certain you can justify carnage and bloodshed.
    • Don’t bog down the sequence with too much technical description. Show who has the upper hand, rack up the tension to the nines and tap into the motivations of the character readers root for. And if someone gets punched or shot or knocked to the ground, readers should feel it too.
    • Utilize all the senses and never rely solely on the physical description.

    The next article from Jessica Page Morrell will include an example of screenplay action from Air Force One by Andrew Marlowe.

    Jessica Page Morrell is a top-tier developmental editor and a contributor to Writer’s Digest magazine,  and she teaches Master Writing Craft Classes at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that is held annually.

    Jessica Page Morrell
    Jessica Page Morrell

    Jessica understands both sides of the editorial desk–as a highly-sought after content development editor and an author. Her work also appears in multiple anthologies and The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazines.  She is known for explaining the hows and whys of what makes for excellent writing and for sharing very clear examples that examines the technical aspects of writing that emphases layering and subtext. Her books on writing craft are considered “a must have” for any serious writer’s toolkit. For links for her writing craft books, please click on her above. 

    Chanticleer Reviews and OnWord Talks will interview Jessica for more of her writing tips and advice. Stay tuned! ~ Chanticleer

    We are planning a writing craft workshop soon that will be taught by Jessica.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction – 2018 Slush Pile Survivors

    CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction – 2018 Slush Pile Survivors

    Cygnus Award for Science FictionThe Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction.  The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBA).

    These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2018 Cygnus Book Awards LONG LIST. We incorporate the Long List when the judges request an additional round of judging to accommodate the number and/or quality of entries received.  These entries are now in competition for 2018 Cygnus Semi-Finalists List known as the SHORT LIST. Short Listers will compete for the limited First  Place Category Winners of the 2018 Cygnus Book Awards in the last rounds of judging and will be announced at the Awards Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 28th, 2019. 

    Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up. Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

    These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2018 Cygnus Book Awards novel competition for Science Fiction!

    • Andrew Lueders – Youth Patrol
    • Matthew D. Hunt – Solar Reboot
    • Mark Daniel Seiler – River’s Child
    • Samuel Winburn – Ten Directions
    • Rhett C Bruno – Titan’s Wrath
    • Catori Sarmiento – The Fortune Follies
    • Paul A. Vasey – Trinity’s Legacy
    • Isadora Deese – Right of Capture
    • Jim Cronin – Recusant
    • Phillip R. Onagan – Within The Gambit
    • O@4 – Europe United
    • Stu Jones & Gareth Worthington – It Takes Death to Reach a Star
    • Ryan London – Pillars of the Mortal Monarchies
    • Pamela LePage – Virtuous Souls
    • Richard Mann – Zeus 25 – Jory and Zenobia
    • Denise Lammi – Lucid World
    • M.Black – Electric Gardens
    • Mark Daniel Seiler – River’s Child
    • Daniel Zadow – Pigeon
    • Elizabeth Crowens – Silent Meridian, Book 1 in the Time Traveler Professor series
    • Elizabeth Crowens – A Pocketful of Lodestones, Book 2 in the Time Traveler Professor series
    • Gareth Worthington – Children of the Fifth Sun
    • KB Shaw – From the Shadows 
    • Sarah Katz – Apex Five
    • Lou Dischler – Meet Me Under the Comet
    • Cary Allen Stone – Seeds – The Journey Begins
    • Justine Avery – The One Apart: A Novel
    •  J. I. Rogers – The Korpes File
    • Timothy Vincent – Jack Out of the Box
    • Alexander Edlund – Keelic and the Pathfinders of Midgarth
    • Ted Neill – The Selah Branch
    • E.C. Fisher – The Deceived
    • Isadora Deese – Right of Capture
    • Megan Wetzel – Abandon
    • G.R. Morris – Tomorrows End

    The CYGNUS Long Listers will compete for the 2018 CYGNUS Short List. Short Listers will then compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. The Semi-Finalists will compete for the First Place Category positions. The First Place Category winners will automatically be entered into the CYGNUS GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition.  The 16 CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse. The CIBA Awards!

    Bennett Coles, CYGNUS Grand Prize Winner for his VIRTUES OF WAR series that was picked up by TITAN BOOKS U.K. for a three book series and recently by  Harper Collins.

    All Short Listers will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.

    As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com. 

    Grand Prize Ribbons!

    Good Luck to each of you as your works compete for the CYGNUS Awards  Short List. 

    The CYGNUS Grand Prize Winner and the Five First Place Category Position award winners will be announced at the April 28th, 2019 Chanticleer Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash. 

    We are now accepting submissions into the 2019 CYGNUS  Awards writing competition. The deadline for submissions is April 30th, 2019. Please click here for more information. 

     

  • ADVENTURES in SELF-PUBLISHING, #1: VANQUISHING the FEAR by Gail Noble-Sanderson – Self Publishing, Marketing, Moving Beyond Fear

    ADVENTURES in SELF-PUBLISHING, #1: VANQUISHING the FEAR by Gail Noble-Sanderson – Self Publishing, Marketing, Moving Beyond Fear

    We can do nothing, including taking risks, if fear is our overriding emotion. Fear is paralyzing and certainly, there are many of us who write that feel fear around the edges of our egos and emotions as we put pen to paper, share our work with others, send a letter to an agent, speak with a publisher or, even vaguely consider self-publishing our own work.

    You’ve GOT THIS!

    Moving through our fears is the only way to the other side where we can step fully forward making choices true to who we are.

    Many years ago, on Sunday afternoons when living in Maryland, I would pack up my two young daughters and, along with my guitar, we would visit with the very elderly in a nearby long-term care facility.  Although these senior folks could no longer carry on conversations regarding the present, they could remember the words to the old hymns, singing along as I strummed my guitar and my small girls dispensed hugs all around.

    I continued these weekly visits over several years becoming familiar with the relatives of these precious people and much about the lives they had lived.  I became especially close to a woman of 80 years named Calle.  Fragile of body, but sharp of mind, displaying a caustic wit and a no-nonsense approach to all of life, she was the last person whom we visited on those Sundays.  Calle was not especially social and did not attend the hymn singing as she was still living in the present and very conversive. All her friends had passed on and her two sons lived quite a distance away, seldom visiting their mother. We became fast friends.

    Calle was a woman ahead of her time.  She went to university and studied nursing and radiology. Radiology technology in the early 1900’s was a field in which she worked for over forty years.  She would tell me of the challenges of working in a profession primarily occupied by men and how her fiercely competitive nature and desire to constantly learn, often got her “into trouble.”

    She was never afraid to pursue excellence, never afraid to take risks.

    Calle thought me a fine young woman but extremely meek.  She persisted in challenging me to think about my own future.  What were my dreams and aspirations in addition to being a mother? I told her I loved playing music, writing songs, poetry, and stories.  And that because I stuttered, I wanted to someday go to college and become a Speech-Language Pathologist. She told me that “someday was here” and I was to plot a plan for how my future dreams were to be accomplished.  I told her I was afraid.  Afraid my husband would object to my going to university, afraid I would be seen as a negligent mother, afraid I wasn’t intelligent enough, afraid my music and writing would be found wanting by everyone – especially me.  With a great sigh, Calle asked me what I was NOT afraid of and I should start there.

    • Can you identify your fears related to your writing?
    • Where, as a writer, does your confidence lie?
    • Do you aspire to self-publish your stories, poems, novel, memoir, non-fiction – whatever you are wanting to publish?

    It is important first to recognize all your strengths and make them work for you.

    Gail Noble-Sanderson

    If you have entertained the thought that you might want to self-publish, I am here to tell you it is not rocket science (although I’m sure you could do that as well).  If you have done all the hard work of research, writing, and editing and are ready to send your work out into the world, then you can certainly self-publish.  Especially if you have attempted over some time to find an agent and/or publisher and there has been no forward movement. Or if you have spoken with other self-published writers, some of whom were published with a publishing house and later decided to self-publish, or if you feel strongly that you want to retain control of and manage your work from the beginning and thinking self-publishing is best for your vision.

    A few days before we moved to Washington state, I said my good-byes to Calle. I asked her if she had to live her life over what would she do differently.  She fiercely took hold of my hands and said, “I would have vanquished fear and taken more risks.”

    So, if you are considering the option of self-publishing your work, walk through the fear because, truly, it is not the difficult, frightening process some would lead writers to believe.  The next article in this series will look at where to begin and how to proceed when you decide to publish your own work.  Remember, “keep falling in love with the potential of what you are doing” and move you and your work forward without fear.

    Read the follow up to this article here.

     

    Gail Noble-Sanderson is the author of two works of historical fiction, both of which are self-published under her own Noble Press.  The Lavender House in Meuse is an emotional, intriguing, and sensitive account of the crises of World War I and one woman’s journey towards recovery and growth. Her second novel, The Passage Home to Meuse 

    won 1st Place in the 2017 Chatelaine Awards, the Chanticleer International Writing Competition for romantic fiction.

    Both books are available through Amazon and Village Books.

    Visit Gail’s homepage at http://gailnoblesanderson.com/ and follow her on social media.

  • 10 Questions – Author Interview: DENISE DITTO SATTERFIELD 2016 GRAND PRIZE Winner of the LITTLE PEEPS AWARDS – Author Interviews, Marketing, Writing

    Meet Denise Ditto Satterfield, 2016 Grand Prize Winner of the
    Chanticleer Little Peeps Awards

    I first met Denise at CAC17 and was impressed by her passion for writing and her ability to encourage those around her in their craft. Much like her Children’s books, she seemed to be spreading her charm and charisma (#fairy_dust) everywhere she went!

    Recently, we had a chance to chat and here’s what she said about her writing life and life in general. I hope you enjoy getting to know Denise Ditto Satterfield a little more through this interview.

    Chanticleer: Tell us your story, Denise, how did you start writing?

    Denise Ditto Satterfield: At the ripe old age of 44, I decided to go to college. My friends teased me, jokingly asking, “Why didn’t you go to college when you were supposed to?” You see, I started life the old-fashioned way … the way my dad said it had to be done. Graduate high school, get married and have kids. No college in the picture … especially not for girls. So, that is what I did. You ask, “How did that work out for you?” Not very well. Fast forward – I got divorced, my kids grew up, I got remarried and then I went to college. In my first English class, my love for writing was reignited. At the encouragement of one of my teachers, I submitted a story to the school’s literary magazine. I won first place in the competition and the rest is history. From that day forward I knew that one day I would quit my job and write full-time.

    Chanticleer: What a journey! It takes a lot of strength to break out of the mold and do something else. Follow your heart. Good for you! Let’s talk a little about your chosen genre. 

    Ditto Satterfield:  My genre, for the moment, is children’s chapter books. I am also working on a Tooth Collector Fairy handbook which will be a companion book to the chapter books. When I take a break from fairies, I’m working on a middle-grade book. I love writing for children because I think like a child. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.

    Chanticleer: That’s perfect. I find your work marvelously relateable. Maybe I think like a child as well… Do you find yourself following the rules or do you like to make up your own rules?

    Ditto Satterfield: Well, it’s funny you ask this question. The handbook I’m working on consists of the rules and guidelines that the tooth fairies must follow. The main character, Batina, is a hardcore rule follower. As for me … I would say that I am a rule follower when it comes to most things. My husband says more specifically that I don’t follow the rules because they are rules. I follow the rules because they make sense. If I find that the rules don’t make sense, I will tweak … or bend … or ignore rules – whichever makes the most sense.

    Chanticleer: I agree – things have to make sense. Easier to remember that way! What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.

    Ditto Satterfield: Up until May 2017, my hobby was motorcycling. I rode a Harley for 27 years. My road name was Wonder Woman which was later shortened to WW. I got this name when my husband and I rode to Raleigh, NC for a Marine Corp reunion about 18 years ago. I was meeting a group of old Marines whom I had never met before. When the word got around that Skipper (my husband, Frank) had arrived at the hotel where the event was being held, all the guys filed outside to greet him. When they saw me they couldn’t believe I, a girl, rode all the way from Texas with him on my own bike. What made it even better is that, at the time, I rode a Softail painted like the American flag. That was the day I got my name.

    When I quit my job to write full time, I became a joiner. I joined writing clubs, attended conferences, workshops, etc. I thought maybe I should learn how to blog so I went to a Leisure Learning class called, “Blogging for Dollars.” At that workshop, I heard something very interesting. The teacher said it was important for writers to build a platform. She suggested that for those in the class that didn’t have a website or blog should start one. She went on to say, “All you have to do is write about something you know.” I decided to take her advice – I started writing a motorcycle blog focusing on women riders. I gave tips in the form of videos. Honestly, they are a hoot. If you want a good laugh, visit www.motorcyclemommablog.com. Here are a few of my favorite videos – Blue Jean Shirts – Oct 2013; Bad Coffee – Apr 2013; Listening to music on the Motorcycle – March 2014.

    Chanticleer: You are hysterical! Great blogs – I hope this is something you can continue. Maybe add a Children’s Book Blog to your impressive platform? So now, how do you come up with your ideas for a story?

    Ditto Satterfield: When I was working everyone knew that I was going to quit my job one day and write full-time. When people know that they all have an idea of what you need to write about. I had one girl come to work one day and tell me that her daughter lost her tooth. The daughter wanted to know if all tooth fairies were girls. She told her no. Her request was that I write a story about tooth fairies that included boy tooth fairies. I thought that sounded like a pretty good idea. I wrote Batina’s Best First Day but didn’t have any tooth collector fairies that were boys, so in book two, Home from Decay Valley, I incorporated a boy tooth collector fairy. (He’s real cute … and very inquisitive … and I love him. He makes me laugh.)

    Chanticleer: I love it when your characters are so deeply developed you can’t help but fall in love with them! How structured are you in your writing work?

    Ditto Satterfield: I am not structured at all with my writing. I go in spurts and sometimes I work best under pressure.  For example, when I was working on, Home from Decay Valley, I set a date for completion. The rough draft spilled out pretty fast. It was the revision stage that bogged me down. I would talk about how I had to finish the manuscript and then find something else to work on. I think this is what some might call procrastination. But I’m the farthest thing from being a procrastinator. I’m the one that has to have all my ducks in a row and the sooner the better. When it comes to creativity, it’s just hard to turn it off and on.

    Chanticleer: It is hard! And it’s also important to let others know that the process isn’t easy. Thank you for sharing that. It’s important to work on your craft. What do you do to grow your author chops?

    Ditto Satterfield: I find that the best way to grow my author chops is to attend workshops and social events with other writers and conferences.  I always get fired up after a great conference. I also conduct a critique group at my house twice a month.

    Chanticleer: Good answers. What do you do in your community to improve/promote literacy?

    Ditto Satterfield: I have presented my book at schools and libraries. In addition, I visit the Ronald MacDonald House in House annually and read to the kids and sign and give away books.

    Chanticleer: You are truly amazing! Okay, before I start to cry because you’re too awesome, please give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.

    Ditto Satterfield: I love the marketing part of being an author. I believe an author must find his/her target audience first. Once the audience is identified, hit the road running. In my case, my target audience is 1. Children in the tooth losing age and their parents/grandparents, and, 2. People in the dental field i.e. dentist and dental hygienists.  What I’ve done to sell my books is a little bit different than most. Besides the usual avenues (libraries, schools, bookstores) I sell my books at different types of festivals. People love to shop at all the different vendor tables because they can get unique gifts not usually found in stores.

    Denise onstage!

    I gained a tiny, wee bit of notoriety when a children’s theatre group picked up my story and made it into a musical. This is how I did that. I pitched the idea to a children’s theatre group. They liked the idea and made it into a musical. This performance gave me a lot of mileage on sales prior to the Premier Performance date. I was able to hit events all over town promoting the musical and selling my book. Since the first performance, I have packaged the musical and am now taking it on the road. It was performed again this month, May 2018, in Conroe, TX by the C.KIDZ Theatre School. Lucky for me I was able to get the C.KIDZ Theatre School into the Children’s Museum of Houston to perform the musical again on May 27th. I will also be launching my second book at the museum on May 27th directly after the musical so that should increase sells.

    Chanticleer: You are blowing me off the page right now! What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?

    Ditto Satterfield: Right now I’m working on the Tooth Collector Handbook. It will outline the rules and guidelines for the Tooth Collector fairies.

    Chanticleer: That makes perfect sense – and smart, too. I can imagine kids will love this. Who’s the perfect reader for your book?

    Ditto Satterfield: Children between the ages of 5-10 and their parents and grandparents.

    Chanticleer: What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?

    Ditto Satterfield: I know that reviews are very important to most authors. I think that should be number as the most important thing a reader can do but … for me, the most important, rewarding thing a reader can do for me is tell me what they think about the story. I had a school visit a couple of months ago and there was a little girl in the class that had my book. She jumped up and told the class all about it. It was crazy fun. She was so excited to meet me and she told me she love, love, loved the book. That made my day.

    Chanticleer: I’ll bet it did! Denise, thank you for taking the time to share a little bit about yourself and your writing life with our community. You are a treasure! 

    For those of you in the Houston, TX area, Denise will be launching Home from Decay Valley that will include an onstage performance of Batina’s First Day on May 27, 2018, at the Children’s Museum of Houston.  A not-to-miss event! Denise will donate $1 for every book sold on May 27 to the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation.

    I would love to invite our readers to visit Denise’s website for her children’s books. It’s an education in marketing.  https://toothcollectorfairies.com/ 

    For her books, you can purchase them from her website, or your favorite retailer.

    Village Books :

    The Tooth Collector Fairies: Batina’s Best First Day

    The Tooth Collector Fairies: Home from Decay Valley

    We’ve asked 10 questions, now it’s your turn! What question would you like to ask Denise Ditto Satterfield?

    Denise won Grand Prize in the Little Peeps Awards for Children’s Books by entering the contest. Do you have a Children’s Book? The deadline for entering Little Peeps is September 30, 2018. Enter here today!

    You can read The Tooth Collector Fairies: Batina’s Best First Day Chanticleer Review here.

  • Top Eleven Reasons Why a Manuscript is Rejected by Jessica Page Morrell

    Or  “Why your manuscript did not make it past the “SLUSH PILE” [Chanticleer’s Editor’s Note]

    © Jessica P. Morrell

    1. The writing style is flowery, cluttered with modifiers, or sloppy.  Overuse of modifiers is one of the most obvious indicators of an unsophisticated or sloppy writer at work. The simple solution is to limit your use of modifiers and use them only when they contain information that a noun or verb cannot.

    2.  Mechanical errors such as spelling mistakes, grammar slip-ups, poorly constructed sentences, or punctuation problems.  In an increasingly competitive marketplace, these errors will knock you out of the running. Editors and agents are only interested in professional, polished and error-free writing.

    3. The conflict is weak or boring. Conflict ignites and powers a story. Your protagonist must be up against powerful opposition at every turn and must fight these forces with an all-out offensive.

    4. The opening does not contain a hook. The opening of a story is a gathering of forces to be unleashed. Stories always open with a change in the protagonist’s circumstances and this change is usually threatening. Openings also introduce a question that needs answering.

    5. The story and the individual scenes do not have a sense of tension building and suspense. Readers need a reason to keep turning the page and all stories need growing intensity until the climax or resolution. A story where the tension does not rise, without unanswered questions and a series of surprises and reversals, won’t captivate readers.

    6. The manuscript is plagued with dialogue disasters: overly long exchanges; characters giving speeches; or, the dialogue contains no tension or conflict. Other problems: each character does not sound distinct, characters talk about mundane topics not relevant to the story, or speech tags are distracting and filled with adverbs. Properly utilized dialogue defines characters, provides information and pushes the plot forward.

    7. There is too much telling, not enough dramatization. Whenever appropriate bring the story to your readers in scenes, where they can witness it unfold in real time. “Show, don’t tell” is a useful guideline for writers, but fiction is actually ‘told’ and ‘shown.’ A combination of both techniques creates the most effective fiction. Scenes are most effective when you’re revealing characters or complicated interactions between characters. Exposition is most effective when you’re filling in background information or moving quickly between two scenes. Too much showing or too many scenes makes the story too drawn out just as too much exposition makes it static. The best stories usually move back and forth between scene and description.

    8. Characters are underdeveloped. In the best fiction the reader has a sense that the characters have existed before the story began and will carry on after it ends. Memorable fictional characters are richly drawn, consistent, with dominant traits throughout.

    9. The ending doesn’t deliver or satisfy. The best endings are not contrived or convenient. They are the logical and highly dramatic culmination of the proceeding events. The climax is the highest emotional pitch of your story, a decision, a collision of forces, and settling of scores.

    10. The point of view is muddled or inconsistent. The point of view is the filter or lens which we see the story through. It is crucial that you understand who is telling the story and why. Viewpoint characters are generally those who will be most affected by the events of the story. If you’re using a multiple point of view, strive for a logical and consistent pattern.

    Another note from Kiffer Brown,

    One way to make sure that your work is the best that it can be before LINE EDITING and COPY EDITING, is to have a professional manuscript evaluation or manuscript overview assessment of your work-in-progress. This assessment will alert you to any of the above issues before you have your work edited.

    Click on this link or the one above for more information about manuscript overviews. 

    and finally, Number 11 – FORMATTING ERRORS and Erroneous Submissions

    11. The manuscript format is inappropriate or contains errors. There are no exceptions to the guidelines for manuscript submission. Margins, line spacing, fonts, and formats must be adhered to or your manuscript will be ignored.

    11a. The manuscript has been sent to the wrong person or house. For example, you send a category romance to a publisher that only publishes mainstream. Submissions require meticulous research and care. Whenever possible, make contacts in the industry and in general, send brief inquiries before sending any manuscript pages.

     

    Jessica Page Morrell

    Jessica Page Morrell is a top-tier developmental editor and a contributor to Writer’s Digest magazine,  and she teaches Master Writing Craft Classes at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that is held annually.

    Jessica understands both sides of the editorial desk–as a highly-sought after content development editor and an author. Her work also appears in multiple anthologies and The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazines.  She is known for explaining the hows and whys of what makes for excellent writing and for sharing very clear examples that examines the technical aspects of writing that emphases layering and subtext. Her books on writing craft are considered “a must have” for any serious writer’s toolkit.

    Chanticleer Reviews and OnWord Talks will interview Jessica for more of her writing tips and advice. Stay tuned! ~ Chanticleer

    We are planning a writing craft workshop soon that will be taught by Jessica.

  • EU GDPR? What does it mean? Are you ready? Get handy links and the 411 here.

    EU GDPR? What does it mean? Are you ready? Get handy links and the 411 here.

    Why are all these GDPR emails landing in your email inbox?

    And why all of a sudden are these Privacy Policy Updates appearing all over the Internet?

    Why have the regular websites that you routinely visit (like Chanticleer Reviews) appearing with requests such as ours:

    “We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyze site traffic, … Read about how we use cookies and how… If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.”  

    Why? Because of the European Union General Data Protection Act goes into effect on May 25, 2018.

    “The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the most important change in data privacy regulation in 20 years.”  – www.eugdpr.org 

    The EU GDPR is a law covering any organization of anywhere in the world that handles the personal data of EU residents (emails, credit card info, addresses, phone numbers, comments, etc.).

     

    And we at Chanticleer Reviews believe it is a good thing–protecting your data privacy. It is a duty that we take most seriously. We respect your privacy. Chanticleer Reviews has embraced and complied with the GDPR.

    What about YOUR websites, dear Chanticleerians? 

    Even though, you may not live in the European Union (Oh! to have a second house in the Algarve! Or a cozy hut in the Alps!), but if you interact on your website with people who do live in the EU and the U.K., you may want to make sure that your website is compliant with the GDPR.

    And what about your United Kingdom website subscribers? 

    Well, now that you have asked, this is what the Queen has to say:

    The Queen’s Speech has confirmed that the General Data Protection Regulation will form part of UK law following the country’s withdrawal from the European Union. … Once the UK has left the European Union, the legislature will be able to make changes to the GDPR framework as it sees fit. June 22, 2017

     

    http://www.blplaw.com/expert-legal-insights/articles/gdpr-and-brexit-uk-government-unveils-data-protection-plans

    Here are a few links if you wish to learn more about the EU GDPR and what it means to you, your website, and your digital information:

    SPECTRUM IEEE  (the professional electrical and electronics engineer’s organization and magazine) article titled:  “What Developers Need to Know About Europe’s Data Privacy Rules”

    https://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/what-developers-need-to-know-about-europes-data-privacy-rules

    A Summary of the EU General Data Protection Regulation

    Updated to consider the ePrivacy Directive review and how this will align with the General Data Protection Regulation, refresh your understanding of GDPR and what it means for your business with our handy summary – the most-read item on the site.

    https://www.dataiq.co.uk/blog/summary-eu-general-data-protection-regulation

    And what would an author’s site be if it didn’t have use of MailChimp? 

    Here is a link provided by MailChimp >

    New GDRP Tools From MailChimp

    https://blog.mailchimp.com/gdpr-tools-from-mailchimp/

    And finally, a recommended site for small business owners (and, ahem, authors) about information security is the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 

     

    So without further ado,

    Dear Chanticleerians,

    As you are probably aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into effect on the 25th of May, will soon have a major impact on European privacy law.

    We have now updated our online Terms & Conditions and Cookies & Privacy policies that align with our commitment to the GDPR.

    You can find our updated documents in the links below, which may also be found on the homepage of the Chanticleer Reviews website:

    · Cookies and Privacy Policy

    These updates will come into effect immediately for all existing and new customers. For those of you who have not heard of GDPR, please do not worry, the key message you can take from this email is that the changes we have made are all positive as they offer increased protection to your personal data. The changes will not prevent you from entering the book awards, obtaining manuscript overviews and editorial services, or purchasing shiny new stickers from us!

    If you are a subscriber to the Chanticleer Reviews e-Newsletters and you would like to opt out of emails you can do this by clicking UnSubscribe or Change your preferences.  Just remember that if we can’t email you we won’t be able to send you our informative tips to help you achieve your publishing goals or the latest book reviews or OnWord videoblogs or discounts…

    We also want to take this opportunity to remind you that your data is kept securely and that you can unsubscribe from our emails at any time.

    Many thanks,

    Chanticleer Book Reviews

     

    Team Chanticleer

    We do hope that this blog post, with its handy links, has been helpful and informative. Afterall, protection of data is a good thing to have!*

    *As usual, we are not attorneys nor do we pretend to be attorneys or specialists in this area. Please seek professional counsel and advice.

     

  • LOVE OF FINISHED YEARS by Gregory Erich Phillips – Historical Fiction, Literary, WWI

    LOVE OF FINISHED YEARS by Gregory Erich Phillips – Historical Fiction, Literary, WWI

    Overall Grand Prize Badge for Gregory Phillips's book The Love of Finished YearsAn immigrant’s journey, a forbidden love, a war to end all wars collide on the pages of a beautifully written historical fiction, Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips.

    At twelve years of age, Elsa Schuller carries no expectations when she reaches Ellis Island in 1905. In fact, she has no idea why her father insists on leaving Germany for this supposed Land of Opportunity. Riddled with nothing less than challenges and hardship working in the sweatshops in lower Manhattan, Elsa’s only ray of hope is learning how to read and write English.

    Her studying pays off when she’s hired seven years later to work as a maid and translator for an upper-middle-class family, the Grahams, on Long Island. For the first time, Elsa begins to dream of something more than the ragged gray life she and her family have lived thus far.

    Elsa is not quite sure what to make of Dafne, the Grahams’ ebullient yet impulsive seventeen-year-old daughter, who disregards class distinction and is fascinated by Elsa. After a time, the maid and her mistress become good friends. A few years later, Dafne becomes engaged to a close friend to both Dafne and Elsa, Glenn Streppy.

    Unfortunately, their engagement is overshadowed by the war that is brewing. And to Dafne’s disappointment, Glenn enlists in the army. It doesn’t help that he unexpectedly catches her with his best friend when he tries to visit her while on leave from his military responsibilities.

    Glenn cuts off all contact with Dafne, which saddens Elsa as she misses his friendship. In a daring move, Elsa visits him at his stationing post just before his transfer to Europe. It is during this short visit she realizes that she is in love with him. Moreover, Glenn reciprocates her adoration. While Dafne successfully snubbed the social mores of the day, Elsa cannot. She is still just an immigrant from a poor family—a poor German family—and has no right to fall in love with a man of standing.

    While guarding her emotions, Elsa has something even worse to consider: the reality that this encounter may very well mark the last time she’ll ever see her dear friend, Glenn, alive.

    Award-winning author Gregory Erich Phillips produces a poignant early 20th-century plot. So much more than your typical love story, Love of Finished Years raises readers’ consciences and invites them to consider the realities of a time not too long ago (and in some ways, still relevant in today’s discourses on immigration) when people were divided not only by language but by the social mores and their class in American society, but also between rich and poor, “citizen” and “immigrant,” male and female.

    Incorporating various themes into his absorbing plot, Phillips highlights the importance of workers’ rights (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory) the Women’s Suffrage movement; and the plight of immigrants, especially during The Great War. Some examples include the use of propaganda against the American Germans (via Liberty Bonds); again, the use of propaganda to boost American support, and the immorality of war.

    Laced with a well-defined cast, Love of Finished Years opens at a critical moment in Elsa’s life before taking readers back in time to her arrival to America followed by a chronological lead up to her relationship with Glenn and Dafne. Key to Phillips four-part story line is his use of genteel dialogue—typical of that era—to build emotional tension not only between his primary characters but secondary characters as well.

    From the riveting opening that takes place in NYC’s Lower East Side’s sweatshops until its gripping conclusion, this enthralling novel vividly portrays the desperate times of German immigrants landing at Ellis Island in 1905 in search of a better life. A timely read, illuminating the issues we are still experiencing a century later, Phillips reminds us that love, light, and perseverance can help us find a way to overcome almost any obstacle.

    Love of Finished Years is destined to claim a spot alongside our favorite reads. Love of Finished Years was awarded the Chanticleer Grand Prize while still in manuscript form. It has since been published and is highly recommended!

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews

  • 10 Question Author Interview with DESTINY ALLISON – 2016 Grand Prize Winner for JOURNEY AWARDS

    10 Question Author Interview with DESTINY ALLISON – 2016 Grand Prize Winner for JOURNEY AWARDS

    Destiny Allison writes narrative non-fiction/memoir, and she writes it in a no-holds-barred fashion that captures audiences across the globe. The Romance Diet: Body Image and the Wars We Wage On Ourselves was our pick for Grand Prize in the 2016 Journey Awards.

    Join us in discovering what drives Destiny Allison.

    Chanticleer: Tell us a little about yourself: How did you start writing?

    Allison: I started writing at a very young age. My father was an aspiring writer and I wanted to be like him. I published my first poems when I was nine.

    Chanticleer: Nine-years old? Wow! That is so exciting – Congratulations! When did you realize you that you were an author?

    Allison: The day I released my first book, Shaping Destiny. There’s a big difference between being a writer and being an author. When you become an author, you can change people’s lives.

    Chanti: Well said, Destiny. Thank you for that. What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.

    Allison: I love to hike with my dog and I love to kayak, which is difficult because I live in the desert. Finding water is a constant adventure and a joy. I also own and operate several businesses. I think I was a social entrepreneur before the term was coined.

    Chanti: You’re ahead of your time! How do you come up with your ideas for a story?

    Allison: Most often, they come to me, as long as I’m writing regularly. When I try to force an idea, the writing typically isn’t good.

    Chanti: Speaking of writing regularly, how do you approach your writing day?

    Allison: With anticipation. I’m very disciplined when working on a project and I like to start early in the morning. I have to write at least 500 words every day, but usually, by the time I do, I have the inspiration for a couple of thousand.

    Chanti: What areas of your writing are you most confident in? What advice would you give someone who is struggling in that area?

    Allison: Memoir is my greatest strength. My advice to other memoir authors is simple. Be brutally honest, but don’t feel like you have to provide every detail. Lay bare the bones of your story – know why you’re telling it and what message you hope your readers will take from it – then concentrate on the details that craft that message. Be lush with your imagery, authentic with your dialogue, and borrow from fiction. Your aunt may have been wearing a green hat that day but giving her a red one might flesh out her character and add pop to your story. It’s important to work on your craft. What do you do to grow your author chops? Read, write, repeat.

    Chanti: What do you do in your community to improve/promote literacy?

    Allison: I sponsor readings, support my local library, and help local authors sell their books.

    Chanti: That is so important – Thank you! Give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.

    Allison: While we all love to see our work in bookstores, I’ve found that marketing outside the mainstream is more effective. I sell The Romance Diet in a local boutique and it does really well there because the subject matter is so close the hearts of that store’s customers. Knowing you market matters most when promoting your book.

    Chanti: Very smart! What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?

    Allison: The most important thing a reader can do for an author is to leave a review. The next best thing is telling friends about the books they love and giving those books as gifts. Loaning a book is great, but gifting a book is better. Authors need to eat, too.

    Chanti: Destiny Allison is also a sculptor and works in steel. Here is a quote from her blog:

    Steel is exciting to me as a medium because it can have an exceptional softness in the final finish. I achieve a combination of organic forms and geometric shapes through the use of my MIG welder and plasma cutter. I create my colors by applying acid patina and heat to the raw metal, after the form has been completed. The combination of techniques allows me the freedom to explore relationships between emotional and intellectual responses to experience.

    Reminds me of the editing process…Chanticleer

    Thank you, Destiny Allison, for being a part of the Chanticleer Author Interview series! 

    Now, readers, you know what to do:

    • Like & follow Destiny’s Facebook Page
    • Check out her books on her Amazon.com author page
    • Read her book and, you guessed it, write those reviews!

    Here are Destiny’s other book links:

    Pipe Dreams  and Bitter Root