In The Jøssing Affair, J.L. Oakley shifts the spotlight from the familiar battlefields of World War II to Norway’s brutal occupation, revealing the extraordinary courage of the jøssings—Norwegian resistance fighters who risked everything to oppose Nazi collaboration.
For every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. In The Jøssing Affair by J.L. Oakley, opposition to the Nazi regime and all who collaborated with it is seen in the jøssings, those Norwegians who opposed Nazism and everything it stood for. Those beleaguered jøssings worked tirelessly in the shadows in whatever way they could, whether by organized resistance, by sabotage, through intelligence operations, providing an escape route for those in immediate danger, or simply, but just as dangerously, by distributing uncensored news from abroad and the contents of rare supply drops from Britain and America.
A master spy’s double life tests the limits of endurance.
Tore Haugland lives a precarious double existence as an undercover intelligence agent posing as a deaf fisherman in the coastal village of Fjellstad. As the final desperate year of German occupation unfolds after D-Day, Tore must maintain his cover while building resistance networks. Smuggling arms and protecting his operations from Nazis and Norwegian collaborators – the despised quislings who gave their name to treachery itself.
Oakley’s tight focus on Tore’s psychological journey creates remarkable intimacy within the vast canvas of war. Years of maintaining deadly secrets have worn down this stalwart operative, and when he finally allows himself to get close to someone in Fjellstad, the consequences threaten everything he’s worked to protect. The author masterfully captures the exhaustion of living perpetually on edge, where a single slip could doom not just Tore but everyone depending on him.
Chris Humphrey’s exceptional narration brings the Norwegian resistance to life.
The audiobook version of The Jøssing Affair showcases narrator Chris Humphreys at his absolute finest. Drawing on his Norwegian family heritage and considerable acting experience, Humphreys seamlessly blends his refined British accent with flawless Norwegian pronunciation, creating an authentically immersive listening experience. His nuanced performance captures both Tore’s outward calm as a simple fisherman and his inner turmoil as a resistance operative, while his smooth delivery of Norwegian names and phrases adds remarkable depth to the historical atmosphere.
Humphreys’ vocal range brings distinct life to each character, from German occupiers to Norwegian collaborators to the brave jøssings themselves. His ability to convey the mounting tension as the German net closes around Tore makes the audiobook version particularly compelling for listeners seeking full immersion in this gripping wartime thriller.
This vast and absorbing historical saga sets itself apart from other stories of World War II through its unique focus.
Focused not on Western theater or the British or American home fronts, but on the less explored occupation of Norway, Oakley zeros in on the final year of the brutal German occupation in the desperate months after D-Day when the Allies’ march on Paris gave hope to so many that the war would soon end, even as the German forces in Norway dug in for one last bloody stand.
By focusing this story on the Norwegian occupation and then tightening the focus to one single man’s experience of that war and the secret work needed to survive and win it, The Jøssing Affair creates an immediacy for the reader that is utterly compelling. WWII is a story that has been told many times over since 1945, and this setting makes all that history feel fresh and alive again.
This is just the start of an extraordinary story of resistance and bravery.
For historical fiction enthusiasts seeking fresh perspectives on World War II, The Jøssing Affair delivers compelling characters, meticulous research, and a story that honors the often-overlooked heroes of Norwegian resistance. And for listeners who have the time to invest in the audiobook of this work, the narrator’s flawless pronunciation and smooth inclusion of Norwegian names and simple phrases adds to the deep immersion in an already absorbing story.
Tore Haugland’s story continues in Oakley’s award-winning series with the prequel, The Brisling Code and the sequel, The Quisling Factor, promising readers more adventures with this unforgettable protagonist.
There’s something magical that happens when a single great book becomes part of something larger—when characters you’ve grown to love continue their journeys, when worlds you’ve fallen into keep expanding, and when the story you thought was over reveals it was just the beginning. The Series Awards celebrate this unique literary achievement: the ability to sustain excellence across multiple volumes while building reader loyalty that lasts for years.
In today’s competitive market, a successful series doesn’t just sell books—it creates communities. From fantasy epics that span generations to mystery series featuring beloved detectives, from young adult adventures that grow with their audience to non-fiction works that build comprehensive expertise, series offer something no standalone work can: the promise that the story never truly ends.
The Power of Sustained Storytelling
Creating a successful series requires more than just writing multiple books—it demands the vision to build worlds that can support extended exploration, characters complex enough to evolve across volumes, and the skill to maintain consistent quality while keeping readers surprised. It’s the difference between telling a story and creating a literary universe.
Series also offer unparalleled marketing advantages. When readers discover a series they love, they don’t just buy one book—they buy the entire collection and eagerly await the next installment. Publishers understand this power: a successful series can anchor an entire catalog, creating reliable revenue streams and devoted readerships that traditional standalone novels rarely achieve.
But perhaps most importantly, series allow authors to explore themes and develop characters in ways that single volumes simply cannot accommodate. The greatest series become more than entertainment—they become ongoing relationships between authors and readers.
Multi-Genre Excellence
The Series Awards welcome submissions across every genre and format, recognizing that great serial storytelling knows no boundaries. Whether your series spans science fiction galaxies, historical periods, contemporary mysteries, or non-fiction expertise, we celebrate the unique challenges and rewards of multi-volume excellence.
Our categories align with all Chanticleer divisions, encompassing both fiction and non-fiction works. From epic fantasy trilogies to business guide series, from young adult adventures to literary explorations, every genre offers opportunities for the kind of sustained storytelling that creates lasting reader relationships.
Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!
We’re thrilled to honor Tim Facciola, whose epic fantasy series A Vengeful Realm claimed the 2024 Series Grand Prize with a completed trilogy that masterfully demonstrates everything we look for in award-winning series fiction. This sweeping saga—described as “Spartacus meets Game of Thrones”—follows Zephyrus from his awakening as an amnesiac gladiator through his ultimate confrontation with gods and destiny.
What makes A Vengeful Realm exemplary is Facciola’s ability to sustain complex world-building across three volumes while developing characters who evolve authentically with each installment. From The Scales of Balance through The Age of the End, readers witness not just epic battles and political intrigue, but profound character growth and an ever-expanding fictional universe that rewards investment.
The series showcases the marketing power of cohesive serial storytelling—Book 1 won the 2023 Overall Grand Prize for Best Book, proving that exceptional series often begin with exceptional individual volumes. Facciola’s achievement demonstrates how the best series create worlds readers never want to leave and characters they never want to say goodbye to. In addition to ongoing promotional features, A Vengeful Realm will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame posts. Tim Facciola will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview and receive continued recognition across our promotional platforms.
Looking at Series Excellence
Check out some of these outstanding series we’ve celebrated recently that showcase the power of sustained storytelling!
The Nightingale and Sparrow Chronicles
By Jerena Tobiasen
Jerena Tobiasen’s The Nightingale and Sparrow Chronicles weaves together the personal costs of duty with the sweeping political upheavals of early 20th century Europe. Through Viscount Simon Nightingale-Temple’s journey from naval officer to reluctant spy, Tobiasen creates a panoramic view of revolution, family loyalty, and survival.
Love and loss define the stakes in revolutionary Russia.
Beginning with Simon’s covert mission in Petrograd during the 1915 Russian Revolution, the series establishes its emotional core through Simon’s romance with Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna—the sole surviving Romanov daughter. As Mary hides among British aristocracy in the second book, her trauma from witnessing her family’s execution adds psychological depth to the espionage framework.
Family betrayal elevates traditional spy fiction.
What distinguishes Tobiasen’s work is her willingness to complicate spy narratives with intimate family conflicts. Simon’s forced recruitment into MI6 becomes doubly painful when he must investigate his own brother Richard’s treason. The series succeeds because Tobiasen balances meticulous historical research with emotionally resonant character development, grounding the series in lived historical reality while exploring timeless themes of loyalty and sacrifice.
Read the review for book 1 Tsarina’s Crownhere and book 2 Tsarina’s Jewelshere.
These works demonstrate how the best series create something greater than the sum of their individual volumes—building reader loyalty and literary worlds that endure.
Bella Brown Series
By J.W. Zarek
J.W. Zarek’s Bella Brown series captures the joy of childhood curiosity and the special bond between grandmother and granddaughter. Through Bella’s adventures with butterflies and everyday challenges, Zarek creates stories that blend whimsical exploration with gentle life lessons, all brought to vibrant life by illustrator Anastasia’s playful artwork.
Grandma Yetta’s wisdom guides Bella through wonder and worries.
Whether Bella is searching for Grandma Yetta’s missing butterfly locket across imagined global destinations or tackling her overwhelmingly messy room, their phone conversations form the emotional heart of each story. Yetta’s calm blue dialogue contrasts beautifully with Bella’s energetic pink text, making it easy for young readers to follow their conversations while emphasizing their different approaches to problem-solving. The series celebrates how patient guidance can transform daunting tasks—from cleaning chaos to processing memories—into manageable, even enjoyable experiences.
The books excel at teaching through discovery rather than preaching. Bella learns butterfly facts during her imaginative travels and cleaning strategies through Yetta’s step-by-step encouragement. Anastasia’s illustrations enhance this educational element with hidden details like Pip the Domovoi tucked throughout the pages, rewarding careful observation. The vibrant pastel artwork makes each location and emotion feel immediate, whether capturing the wonder of butterfly gardens or the satisfying transformation of a clean room.
Read the review for Bella Brown—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Lockethere and Bella Brown’s Messier Than Messy Roomhere.
Helena P. Schrader WWII Aviation Series
By Helena P. Schrader
Helena P. Schrader delivers two of the most authentic and compelling WWII aviation novels in recent memory, exploring the psychological toll of aerial warfare on RAF pilots and crews. Through meticulous research and deeply human storytelling, Schrader captures both the technical precision of military aviation and the emotional cost of sustained combat operations during Britain’s darkest hours.
From the dogfights of the Battle of Britain in Where Eagles Never Flew to the bomber campaigns of 1943-44 in Moral Fibre, Schrader demonstrates masterful command of aviation history and human psychology. Her aircraft practically come alive with technical detail—Hurricanes, Spitfires, and Messerschmitts engage in breathtaking aerial battles that feel immediate and visceral. Yet what elevates these novels beyond military fiction is Schrader’s unflinching examination of combat stress, survivor’s guilt, and the crushing weight of repeated missions under impossible conditions.
Character depth transcends genre expectations.
Kit Moran’s journey from decorated veteran to accused coward and back to redemption in Moral Fibre exemplifies Schrader’s nuanced approach to heroism. Rather than creating invincible warriors, she crafts vulnerable, authentic characters who struggle with fear, exhaustion, and moral complexity. The novels explore Britain’s class-conscious culture while celebrating the resilience and camaraderie that sustained the RAF through its most desperate period. Schrader’s authentic dialogue and multiple perspectives—including German airmen—create a comprehensive portrait of aerial warfare that honors both the sacrifice and the humanity of all involved.
Read the review for Where Eagles Never Flewhere and Moral Fibre: A Bomber Pilot’s Storyhere.
Salem Stories Series
By Sandra Wagner-Wright
Sandra Wagner-Wright’s Salem Stories series brings 18th-century Massachusetts to vivid life through the interconnected sagas of the Derby and Crowninshield families. These meticulously researched novels explore how personal ambition and family loyalty shape the founding of American maritime commerce, told through the perspectives of both powerful patriarchs and the strong women who guide them behind the scenes.
Family rivalry drives early American enterprise.
The series chronicles the fierce competition between merchant dynasties as they build privateering empires through dangerous overseas trade. From Mary Derby’s marriage to George Crowninshield in the first novel to the next generation’s struggles in Sea Tigers & Merchants, Wagner-Wright demonstrates how family bonds and business rivalries intertwine across decades. The Derby and Crowninshield families are simultaneously connected through marriage and divided by commercial ambition, creating complex dynamics where brothers-in-law compete for dominance while their wives navigate the social and emotional costs of such rivalry.
Authentic historical detail anchors personal drama.
Wagner-Wright’s extensive research shines through rich period vernacular, detailed descriptions of maritime commerce, and unflinching portrayals of 18th-century hardships. The novels capture everything from the perils of childbirth without modern medicine to the treacherous realities of international trade in an era of pirates and hostile foreign governments. Rather than romanticizing the past, Wagner-Wright shows how families built fortunes through calculated risks while facing genuine dangers—both on the high seas and in Salem’s ruthless social hierarchies.
Read the review for Ambition, Arrogance and Pridehere and Sea Tigers & Merchantshere.
See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!
We’re excited about all the exceptional series we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!
The Series Awards provide recognition that extends far beyond individual book promotion. When we celebrate your series, we’re promoting an entire literary universe—creating marketing momentum that benefits every volume and builds anticipation for future installments.
Your Literary Universe Awaits Recognition
Whether you’ve completed a trilogy that ties together all loose ends or launched an ongoing series that promises years of reader engagement, the Series Awards recognize the unique achievement of sustained excellence across multiple volumes. For publishers, series recognition provides powerful marketing tools that highlight your investment in long-term storytelling. For authors, it validates the vision and commitment required to build worlds worth revisiting.
The Global Thriller Awards celebrate the highest-stakes suspense fiction—where the fate of nations, civilizations, or even humanity itself hangs in the balance. While our Clue Awards focus on personal crimes and our M&M Awards celebrate intimate mysteries, Global Thriller demands nothing less than world-shattering events and planet-threatening conspiracies.
This is where Jack Reacher meets Mission: Impossible, where scientific discoveries become weapons of mass destruction, and where a single hero’s actions determine whether civilization survives another day. From underwater empires fighting for the future of humanity to cyber-terrorists threatening global infrastructure, Global Thriller authors understand that sometimes saving the world is the only story worth telling.
The Categories Where Heroes Rise to Global Threats
Historic features the theater of war, international spycraft, and epic conflicts that shaped our world—think The Hunt for Red October or wartime espionage where one mission changes history.
LabLit merges real science with “what-if” scenarios that feel terrifyingly plausible—where cutting-edge research becomes humanity’s salvation or its doom, like The Andromeda Strain for the modern age.
Science Fiction explores threats from beyond our known reality—alien invasions, interdimensional warfare, or technological catastrophes that make Independence Day look like a warm-up act.
Dramatic delivers classic Die Hard-style consequences where personal stakes escalate to global proportions—one hero, impossible odds, and the clock ticking toward worldwide disaster.
Action/Adventure needs no explanation—pure adrenaline-fueled storytelling where heroes race against time to prevent global catastrophe through spectacular set pieces and death-defying stunts.
CyberTech (Cyberpunk) presents dystopian futures with 1980s aesthetics and futuristic technology—where digital wars determine physical reality and hackers hold the keys to civilization’s survival.
Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!
Timothy S. Johnston took home the 2024 Global Thriller Grand prize win with his epic underwater thriller A Blanket of Steel! This concluding volume of The Rise of Oceania series delivers everything we expect from world-class global thriller fiction.
Johnston’s masterpiece imagines a future where climate change has devastated the surface world, forcing humanity to colonize the ocean floors. As nations suffer famine, drought, and apocalyptic flooding, underwater leader Truman McClusky faces his gravest threat: a Russian assassin bent on destroying humanity’s last hope for oceanic civilization. With the fate of underwater colonies hanging in the balance, Mac must uncover the killer’s identity while leading the largest underwater battle ever assembled.
A Blanket of Steel represents the pinnacle of global thriller storytelling—The Expanse but told beneath Earth’s oceans, where one man’s final test determines the future of human survival. In addition to all the featured posts that have already gone out for the Global Thriller Awards, A Blanket of Steel will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame post. Timothy S. Johnston will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and A Blanket of Steel will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.
Looking for Your Next World-Saving Read?
Check out some of these incredible global thrillers we’ve reviewed recently that showcase the life-or-death stakes that define the genre!
THE LAST RIVAL: A Time of Our Choosing By Kyle Palmer
The Last Rival: A Time of Our Choosingby Kyle Palmer is a modern take on the mid-20thcentury style of pulp-fiction, combining the genre’s brazen and entertaining storytelling with reflections on the deeper meaning behind all the action. This masculine romp through history dares to imagine the aftermath of World War II—in a slightly different world.
The story opens in Washington, DC, in 1946, through the eyes of a fictionalized “Wild Bill” Donovan. The real Wild Bill was an American soldier and intelligence officer, perhaps best-known for founding the CIA. Author Kyle Palmer deftly weaves such historic details into his fictionalized account of American history, offering readers a chance to learn as they come along for the ride.
From the machinations of government in Washington, DC,The Last Rivalspirals into the wild resurgence of a World War II threat. The powers of the Third Reich haven’t truly been neutralized.
THE WOLF HUNTER: DESOLATION: Mack Murphy Series Book 1 By Terrence O’Malia
InThe Wolf Hunter: Desolation, Book One of Terrence O’Malia’sMack Murphyseries, staff sergeant Mack Murphy is convinced there are three types of people: sheep, wolves, and hunters.
The sweet, innocent, dutiful sheep are blissfully unaware of the deadly wolves that could strike at any time. But thankfully, the hunters protect the sheep and even seek out the wolves to prevent their attacks on the flock. Mack defines himself steadfastly as a wolf hunter. He loves his family with all his heart and would do anything to protect them.
Mack’s protective nature continues into his military life where he is part of a team based in the mountains of Afghanistan. Just as it is with his family, he pledges his full allegiance to his team.
Frozen Conquestby Randall Krzak is a thrilling and intense conflict between the cold of Antarctica and the blazing ambition of those seeking global control, fusing the issues of power, greed, and survival into a high-stakes adventure.
The icy edge of Antarctica serves as the center of a sinister organization, Diablo Corps. The ruthless leader, Walter Brown, threatens global mayhem if his aspirations for power are not met. With technological efficiency and the ability to disrupt critical infrastructure, Diablo Corps is poised to leverage its capabilities against the G7. Soon, an anonymous climate-related warning is sent out, with events such as the hacking of the London metal exchange proving to authorities the true weight of that threat.
Such dire actions demand an immediate answer. A classified team of specialists is called upon to gather at Ramstein Air Base. With naturally skilled leader Craig, sharp and observant Evelyn, and the humor and humility of Rufus and August, the promising recruits form the Bedlam Quick Reaction Force (QRF) and venture out into the peril of a frozen land.
CLIMATE DRAGON: Treachery, Pestilence & Weirding Weather By S.W. Lawrence
Climate Dragonby S.W. Lawrence offers a unique blend of climate fiction, thriller, and real scientific inquiry, setting the stage for an intriguing trilogy centered on dual crises—an impending climate catastrophe and the outbreak of a mysterious disease.
Jake Harper, a newly minted engineering professor, and his romantic partner Abbey London, an infectious disease specialist, balance their burgeoning careers with their bustling inn outside Washington, D.C. But the demands of their lives are disrupted as the two crises draw in Jake and Abbey—the only people prepared to face them.
Jake’s suspicions of a cyberattack on the North American power grid grow after attending a lecture at George Washington University. Meanwhile, Abbey discovers an alarming new bleeding disorder spreading among the drug-injecting population, raising the stakes for both her career and personal safety as she navigates the risks to her pregnancy.
The Byzantine Crossby Dena Weigel starts at the end of an explosive rogue mission. Sarah Kraft is committed to saving a record of irreplaceable relics from a bombing mission in World War II. Despite her extraordinary success, the OSS spy is later put out in the cold by her handler, Albert Phillips, for a mistake she didn’t commit.
Years after World War II has ended and the Cold War is dominating headlines, Kraft has a new role as an art insurance appraiser in New York. The company’s lip service for their rich clients and irreverence for her skills don’t sit well with Sarah. It becomes clear that her moral compass will soon lead her into unemployment. But right at the end of her rope, Agent Phillips returns to recruit her back into the organization, now rebranded the CIA.
Sarah Kraft’s mission is simple: break into the Kremlin and retrieve an ancient relic from before the birth of Christ.
These reviews represent just a glimpse of the high-stakes adventures and world-threatening scenarios waiting to be discovered in today’s global thriller fiction.
See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!
We’re excited about all the exceptional books we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.
The World Needs Your Story!
Global catastrophes demand global recognition. Whether your thriller features international conspiracies, scientific disasters, or heroes racing to prevent worldwide destruction, the Global Thriller Awards provide the platform your world-saving story deserves.
In a world facing real global challenges, readers hunger for stories that remind them heroes can triumph against impossible odds. Your thriller could be the next to join the ranks of celebrated authors who understand that when the stakes are planetary, only the best storytelling will do.
“The child remains with us.” Trauma, especially that suffered as a child or adolescent, does not fade easily. In his frank and unguarded memoir, Little Boy I Know Your Name, Mitchell Raff shows the generational impact of the Holocaust on his parents and guardians, and how their trauma continued through him.
Mitchell’s childhood fractured between the grip of a deeply abusive mother and his extended family’s struggle to save him.
Four years after she’d abandoned him as a baby, Mitchell’s mother Giza returned to claim him. Though his uncle Issa and aunt Sally didn’t want him to go with her, Mitchell was too small a child to resist the idea of having a Mom. With his father Moshe too deeply traumatized by surviving the Dachau concentration camp to raise a child, Mitchell packed his little suitcase and walked into a new childhood that would leave terrible wounds on his mind.
Giza had spent WWII hidden in the barn of a Christian family, abused, terrified, hungry, and horribly alone when her own mother died. While none of Mitchell’s family spoke openly about their experiences under Nazi rule, Issa and Sally sought to protect him from such trauma. Giza, however, repaid the cruelty she suffered by inflicting the same onto her son. She beat Mitchell mercilessly. Often, he would have no idea what he’d even done. Mitchell became eternally vigilant, while subsisting on little food and less affection.
For years, Mitchell could rely on only his little sister Regina and the support of Issa and Sally—although they had to remain distant or risk Giza’s fury.
When Issa began proceedings to gain legal custody of Mitchell, Giza kidnapped Mitchell and took him and his sister Regina to Israel.
Giza had become too sick with hepatitis to raise either of them, so Mitchell and Regina—who soon began going by her Hebrew name Malka—were left in the hands of the foster care system and eventually separated from one another.
Even here, Mitchell had family who loved him. His aunt Ruska and uncles Yosef and Shraga worked with Issa to continue the arduous work of bringing Mitchell home. Eventually, they succeeded, but this was not without its own losses. Malka was Mitchell’s half-sister, so his extended family had no legal claim for custody. She had to stay behind. Yosef suffered fatal heart failure after exacerbating an earlier condition in a fight over transport documents.
All of these traumas followed Mitchell into adulthood, leaving him a “well-dressed poser” who fled depression and guilt into addiction even as he built a seemingly stable life.
Though he maintained a compartmentalized life for some years, Mitchell’s harmful coping strategies would end up costing him his relationship with his wife Betty and his son Joseph. He could present himself as the man he wanted to be, but beneath the surface couldn’t truly be so.
Little Boy I Know Your Name doesn’t paint a clean picture of recovery from trauma but it shows that, even after decades, healing is possible.
Over time, Mitchell recognized the patterns of harm that had ravaged his sense of security and self. And despite even greater loss than he had yet experienced, he began to face the trauma handed down to him.
Raff maintains impressive and vulnerable honesty throughout Little Boy I Know Your Name.
He empathizes with the scars of his family while being open about his own feelings towards them—even those feelings which might seem unfair or ignoble. This story approaches generational trauma without valorizing or demonizing those who bear it. Because of this honesty, Little Boy I Know Your Name reveals myriad ways people can respond to trauma, how they try to survive it and how it can transform as it is passed down to the next generation.
Raff hopes this book will encourage others to work through the trauma they carry even when it feels insurmountable. His bold confrontation of the ugly reality of trauma—in himself as much as his family—will speak to readers with an impact that couldn’t come from a more sanitized story.
A thoughtful recounting of family dysfunction, the cultural weight of trauma, and the daunting but necessary work towards breaking such a cycle, Little Boy I Know Your Name does justice to the joint pain and love in a wounded family.
You have until July 31st to share your Novel with us and enter the 2025 CIBAs!
This Division is dedicated to one of the most Well-known Mystery authors, Dame Agatha Christie. Writer of Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, and so much more.
WWI Nurse, Writer, Playwright (and record holder of longest running Stage Play, The Mousetrap which opened in 1952), and Archaeologist, the latter of which contributed greatly to her novels.
When she wasn’t busy writing, She spent quite a good amount of her life working on excavations in Egypt and Iraq with her 2nd Husband, archaeologist Max Mallowan.
Agatha Christie (center) with Max Mallowan and Sir Leonard Woolley at the ruins of the Mesopotamian city of Ur in 1931
But enough about Christie. The Hall of Fame features the Grand Prize Winners of the Mystery and Mayhem Award who we are proud to have in the Chanticleer Family!
If Two Are Dead: A Garnick and Paschal Mystery By Jeanne Matthews
An enigmatic raven-haired beauty mysteriously murdered and cast into a stranger’s grave, left for scurrilous resurrection men to uncover in the dark of night! In Jeanne Matthews’s historical mysteryIf Two Are Dead,Detectives Quinn Paschal and Gabriel Garnick take up this case of vicious murder and ignite a mire of secrets and resentment at the pinnacle of 1867 Chicago society.
After catching the body-snatchers in the act of stealing a freshly buried corpse to sell for medical research, Quinn and Garnick realize the body found in Emmett Buck’s grave is by no means that of a young man, but that of a woman, whose bloody head and clean clothes point to a complex mystery. With only her appearance and some identifying jewelry, Quinn insists they can and will catch the killer of ‘Marietta A.V.’ Enlisting the help of an unscrupulous journalist, they locate her husband, a wealthy and influential doctor.
The woman’s husband, Dr. Horace E. Vinings, offers them an incredible reward if they can find Marietta’s killer. But Quinn and Garnick suspect he might not like the answer he receives.
A Haunting at Linley: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel By Michelle Cox
In this seventh book of the series, Clive and Henrietta return to England to find Castle Linley in financial ruin. When Clive’s cousin, Wallace, invites an estate agent in to assess the home’s value, the agent is later found poisoned, throwing all of the Castle’s guests into suspicion. Clive and Henrietta are soon drawn into an investigation, which is slowed by an incompetent local inspector and several unexplained phenomena—the cause of which many, especially the frail Lady Linley, believe to be the workings of the ghost of a hanged maid.
Meanwhile, Gunther and Elsie have begun life on a farm in Omaha. Circumstances are difficult, but they are content—until Oldrich Exely appears, proposing an option Elsie finds difficult to ignore. Melody Merriweather, still masquerading as a nun to aid Elsie’s escape, likewise finds it difficult to ignore a letter with tragic news from home, while Julia, on the other hand, receives a very different sort of letter from Glenn Forbes.
Back in England, Clive is called away to London on suspicious business, leaving Henrietta to carry on with the investigation alone. When she is mysteriously locked in the study one night, however, things take on a more deadly, supernatural feel, leaving her to fear that Lady Linley’s “ghost” might just be real after all…
A Spying Eye: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel By Michelle Cox
Brooding Château du Freudeneck, just outside Strasbourg, France has villains in the drawing rooms, stolen art hidden in the cellars, and bats in the belfry – all the best elements for a 19th-century Gothic mystery.
However, in Michelle Cox’s novel, A Spying Eye it’s the 20th century. The Great War is passed, but the next war already looms on the horizon. The people of Strasbourg feel the growing conflict sharply, at the heart of Alsace-Lorraine, a fertile region that has been contested between France and Germany since time immemorial.
Which means those bats are in the unfortunate head of the elderly Baron Von Harmon, the current lord and master (as much as he’s still able to be, at least) of the Chateau, while the stolen art is pursued by both the villainous Nazis and the only slightly-less villainous agents of Britain’s MI5.
Ophelia’s Room by Michael Scott Garvin begins with a bang – and a child’s whimper.
A frantic, distraught father pounds on a bolted chapel door in a small country hospital…. A tiny, two-day-old infant cries in peril…. A deranged grandfather sees demons in every shadowy corner.
The opening scene read like something out of a young parent’s nightmare. Will their child be healthy? Will they grow up to be successful? Will the child be safe in their grandparents’ arms? Questions that any new mother and father ask themselves. In Garvin’s Ophelia’s Room, the answers are terrifying.
Patrick M. Garry’s The Discovery encompasses a narrative that traverses a family legal case jigsaw puzzle toward a discovery of self by exploring the ghost of ancient regrets, basic human desires, and questions of faith.
Frank Horgan, a former lawyer at one of Minneapolis’ largest firms, now practices small-case litigation in the little community of Basswood Hills. Frank, a victim of his own follies, has one more chance to restore his career to its former glory. But not before a huge legal matter comes knocking on his door at his father’s diner. This case kicks off the legal drama, bringing in several main and secondary characters to play their parts in the ultimate discovery of buried contentedness and eventually a scandal that breaks into the national newspaper.
Meanwhile, Frank comes upon the case of the most prominent McCorkle family in Basswood Hills.
From Victorian Chicago to wartime France, these Hall of Fame winners prove that the best mysteries don’t just puzzle readers—they transport them to other worlds entirely. Each of these celebrated authors cracked the code that so many mystery writers struggle with: how to stand out in a crowded genre.
What’s their secret?
They didn’t let their stories remain unsolved cases buried in obscurity.
Your cozy mystery deserves the same recognition. In Dame Agatha Christie’s tradition, the M&M Awards celebrate authors who understand that the most satisfying mysteries combine clever plotting with unforgettable characters.
You know you want it…
The Case for Your Mystery
Will your amateur sleuth be next to join this prestigious lineup? Whether your story unfolds in a quaint English village or a bustling American town, the M&M Awards provide the recognition and promotional platform that transforms hidden gems into must-read mysteries.
The horror fiction genre is full of scary and scintillating sub-genres, each offering its own unique flavor of terror and suspense. From the eerie atmosphere of gothic horror to the intense, cerebral tension of psychological horror, there are sub-genres that cater to a wide range of tastes and interests. Like romance, including a little horror can elevate your story and drag the reader kicking and screaming to the next page.
The key to effective horror writing lies in choosing the right sub-genre approach for your story’s needs. Each sub-genre offers unique methods for building suspense, developing atmosphere, and connecting with readers who crave that spine-tingling experience.
Classic Foundations: Where Horror Began
Gothic Horror
Gothic horror combines atmospheric dread with romantic elements, creating stories that feel both timeless and deeply emotional. Think Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula—these foundational works established horror tropes that continue to captivate readers today. Gothic horror typically features decaying settings, family secrets, and protagonists caught between love and terror. The underlying themes often explore human nature’s darker impulses, making readers question what we’re truly capable of when pushed to our limits.
Perfect for: Historical fiction writers, romance authors seeking darker themes, or fantasy writers building atmospheric world-building.
Psychological Horror
Rather than relying on jump scares or gore, psychological horror gets under your skin by exploiting fundamental human fears: losing control, being manipulated, or questioning reality itself. This sub-genre creates tension that lingers long after readers close the book because the horror is experienced internally. When done subtly—settling into the subconscious without overt horrifying acts—it’s called “quiet horror.”
Perfect for: Literary fiction, contemporary drama, or any story exploring mental health, family dynamics, or social pressures.
Action-Driven Horror: High Stakes and High Fear
Slasher Horror
When a slasher is on the loose, no one is safe. These antagonists hunt methodically, treating their victims like prey in stories designed to keep readers on edge. The appeal lies in the relentless pursuit and the question of who, if anyone, will survive. A newer variation, “splatter horror,” emphasizes excessive blood and gore as integral story elements—messy, shocking, and viscerally terrifying.
Survival horror places characters in environments where death lurks constantly—whether from supernatural beings, natural disasters, or post-apocalyptic scenarios. The key is creating relatable situations that could theoretically happen to anyone, then amplifying the danger beyond normal human experience. Zombie fiction falls into this category, with its methodical, unstoppable threats that transform familiar environments into deadly landscapes.
This sub-genre ventures beyond known reality into realms of magic, spirits, and otherworldly phenomena. Characters face threats they can’t fully understand or prepare for—extrasensory perception, ghostly encounters, cryptozoology, and unexplained phenomena that leave everyone tenuously off-balance. While similar to gothic horror, paranormal horror often features contemporary settings and modern characters encountering ancient or otherworldly forces.
Perfect for: Fantasy writers, urban fantasy, or contemporary fiction with magical elements.
Science Fiction Horror
Sci-fi horror blends familiar horror elements with scientific complexity, introducing innovative threats that make readers question what’s possible. H.P. Lovecraft mastered this fusion, creating cosmic horror that made humanity feel insignificant against vast, unknowable forces. Modern sci-fi horror might explore AI gone rogue, genetic manipulation, or extraterrestrial threats that view humans as nothing more than obstacles.
Perfect for: Science fiction writers, dystopian fiction, or stories exploring technological advancement’s dark side.
Dark Fantasy
When horror meets fantasy worlds, anything becomes a potential threat. Witches, shapeshifters, dark wizards—these antagonists wield magic that defies conventional solutions. Characters face seemingly insurmountable odds against supernatural powers, creating terror through the unknown capabilities of magical threats. The fantasy setting allows for creative freedom in crafting unique, otherworldly fears.
Perfect for: Fantasy writers seeking darker themes, fairy tale retellings, or urban fantasy with horror elements.
Specialized Horror Approaches
Body Horror
Body horror exploits our fundamental fear of physical transformation and decay. From Oscar Wilde’s The Portrait of Dorian Gray (accelerated aging) to Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis (human-to-insect transformation), this sub-genre makes the human body itself the source of terror. Modern body horror might explore medical experimentation, genetic mutation, or loss of physical control.
Occult Horror
Satan, demons, and religious corruption dominate occult horror. Stories like Ira Levin’s Rosemary’s Baby blend supernatural terror with religious themes, creating atmosphere through familiar spiritual concepts turned malevolent. The power of faith—and its potential corruption—provides rich material for exploring good versus evil.
Eco Horror
Environmental catastrophes and nature’s revenge characterize eco horror, serving as metaphors for real-world ecological crises. Samanta Schweblin’s Fever Dream exemplifies this sub-genre, combining maternal anxiety with environmental pollution. Common elements include deadly toxins, mutated creatures, animated plants, and killer viruses—all reflecting our complex relationship with the natural world.
Techno Horror
When technology becomes the enemy, techno horror explores our dependence on systems we don’t fully understand. AI malfunctions, computer viruses, and rogue robots create scenarios where characters must fight threats beyond their technical capabilities. This sub-genre resonates particularly well in our increasingly digital world.
Hybrid and Flexible Approaches
Comedy Horror
Sometimes writers want chuckles instead of screams. Comedy horror takes terrifying elements and places them in absurd situations, creating three distinct approaches: black comedy, parody, and spoof. Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow demonstrates how humor can actually enhance horror by making readers lower their guard before delivering genuine scares.
Teen Horror
Stephen King’s Carrie perfectly exemplifies teen horror, where adolescent experiences—physical changes, social pressures, identity formation—intersect with supernatural or horrific elements. This sub-genre recognizes that teenage years already feel terrifying to many people, then amplifies those fears through genre elements.
Pulp Horror
Fast-paced and lurid, pulp horror embraces accessibility and entertainment value. Born in the late 19th century and popularized in the 1950s, pulp horror delivers quick thrills through sex, drugs, violence, and supernatural elements. It’s horror designed for pure entertainment rather than deep psychological exploration.
Finding Your Horror Approach
The beauty of horror sub-genres lies in their flexibility. Writers can blend multiple approaches—combining psychological elements with supernatural threats, or mixing sci-fi concepts with body horror. The goal isn’t purity but effectiveness: which horror elements serve your story’s emotional core?
Consider your primary genre first, then identify which horror sub-genre complements your story’s needs. A romance writer might find gothic horror perfect for historical settings, while a contemporary fiction author could use psychological horror to explore family trauma.
With all these fun and frightening horror sub-genres, writers can mix and match them or go heavy one specific theme. With a goal to twist their readers into knots with plots that will keep them up at night, these stories will have you questioning every noise you hear and every shadow that passes your way.
Thanks for reading about these spooky Horror Sub-genres, and don’t be scared of that beast under your bed tonight!
Whether you’re writing pure horror or incorporating horrific elements into other genres, professional recognition celebrates the craft behind effective fear. The Chanticleer International Book Awards recognize outstanding speculative fiction across multiple divisions that welcome horror elements:
The 2025 deadline is June 30th—less than a week away! These awards recognize the skillful blending of genres that creates memorable, impactful fiction.
Horror isn’t about shocking readers—it’s about creating emotional experiences that resonate long after the final page. Whatever your primary genre, the right horror elements can transform good stories into unforgettable ones.
Submit before June 30th and let professional judges recognize your skill in crafting compelling, genre-blending fiction.
The Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries. The Grand Prize Winner, Jeanne Matthews’s book, If Two Are Dead will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the M&M contest page year ’round!
The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!
Jenny Hershberger returns to Apple Creek, Ohio, called by Detective Elbert Wainwright to help solve another cold case—a young Amish boy murdered in a deadly snowstorm and never identified. But as she digs into the case, she finds so many connections to her own life that the story becomes like a house of mirrors. As Jenny and Bobby Halverson travel from Apple Creek to Shipshewana, to Texas and Colorado, and back to Apple Creek, the trail grows warmer each day. But each step uncovers a new murder… and a new twist. Who is the killer? And who is…THE BOY IN BLUE DENIM?
A photo assignment at the cemetery leads Callie Cassidy to a corpse—this one above ground. Now, her search for the killer unearths some long-buried secrets…
Callie’s mother Maggie, a notorious hobby jumper, has embarked on a new pursuit—grave rubbing. When she recruits her daughter to photograph her first endeavor at the local cemetery, Callie brings golden retriever Woody and tabby cat Carl along for the outing. It’s a breathtaking autumn morning in Rock Creek Village, Colorado. Golden aspen leaves rustle in the cool breeze, and the air is filled with the scent of pine. What could go wrong on a day like this?
Then, a ghostly woman emerges from the trees, bleeding from a head wound and claiming to have no memory of how she arrived, or even who she is. Maggie quickly identifies her as a woman who disappeared from the village forty years ago—without a trace.
If that’s not enough intrigue, Woody disobeys her and sprints deeper into the cemetery. When Callie catches up to him, he is sitting sentinel at the tombstone of a recently deceased villager. And behind the stone, a man lies on the ground—with a pickaxe jutting from his neck.
Callie recognizes him as the low-level mobster who has been dating her best friend Tonya’s mother—and they’d been having problems. Did Tonya’s mother kill the man? Could it have been the mysterious woman? Or maybe someone with ties to his crime family?
Callie can’t resist investigating—and this time, Detective Raul Sanchez welcomes her assistance. Because if they can’t solve the crime soon, the town may be facing grave consequences…
Swansea Station – 1947 The war is over, and with hopes of reconstruction beginning, rationing ending, and lives starting over, Drew awaits the decision regarding a new position with the railway. But mystery and mayhem arrive aboard an afternoon train carrying the new vicar, Liam O’Neill, and a cadre of visitors from Ireland. Drew’s attention is once again focused on unraveling the threads of revenge and solving another murder. The unfolding of an unexpected relationship with the young vicar proves another mystery for Drew to unravel. This is the second book in the award-winning Drew Davies Railway Mystery Series.
The third Trudy Genova mystery from award-winning author M. K. Graff brings Trudy home, leaving her New York City studio consulting job to visit her rural hometown of Schoharie, three hours north. NYPD detective Ned O’Malley accompanies Trudy, primed to meet her family, but with a secret mission to find out what really happened when her father died eleven years ago.
Mario Genova’s death was deemed a tragic accident, but Trudy feels there was more to her beloved father acting out of character the day before he died. After years of hard work building a successful apple orchard business with her mother, Mario cleaned out their bank accounts. No reason-and no money-was ever found. As Trudy and Ned try to investigate without informing her family of their actions, a new death occurs on Genova Orchards property, and once again Trudy’s family is under scrutiny.
She’s hired to find criminals. What if they find her first? She’s racing to stay alive and bring them to justice.
Saskia is an unlikely hero, a computer geek and mountain bike enthusiast, but when she arrives in the highlands of Australia to help restructure a family-owned logging company, she soon finds herself in the heart of a wild chase to uncover a surprising plethora of crimes. With the fate of a logging community hanging in the balance, can Saskia unravel the mystery in the forest before it’s too late?
From Chanticleer:
The Forest, a slow-burning mystery and the second book in Miriam Verbeek’s Saskia van Essen series, follows a young investigator trying to unravel a mystery that sits deep in the core of a private logging organization.
Saskia, a co-owner of International Financial Services, is requested by Tania to help uncover a network of criminal activity in her family’s Australian timber business. After taking over the company as its new director, Tania doubts the legitimacy of their remarkable profits, given high expenses, severe competition, and a substantial reduction in timber production that should have made it difficult to make any substantial gains.
Wasting no time, Saskia travels to Australia, having agreed to investigate possible criminal activity while helping the timber mill restructure.
1885. Arabella Pryce is struggling with heartbreak. In keeping with her late husband’s final wishes, she must leave behind her dazzling celebrity and breathe new life into their namesake hotel in Colorado.
But when a beloved town beauty is found dead, all eyes—and suspicion—turn to her.
With blood-stained evidence, handsome sheriffs, and libelous journalists turning her investigation into a dangerous drama, this determined thespian fears she’s missed her cue for survival.
Amid whispered betrayals and shadowed secrets, a mischievous ghost guides her through a maze of perilous clues, drawing her ever closer to a truth more shocking than the lies surrounding her.
Can she unmask the true killer and clear her name before her reputation is ruined forever?
Viscount Simon Nightingale-Temple seeks a life of peace with his beloved Mary after the harrowing years of the Bolshevik Revolution. But in Tsarina’s Jewels, the second book in Jerena Tobiasen’s The Nightingale and Sparrow Chronicles, Simon is dragged back into global conflict through his very family.
While serving in the British Embassy in Petrograd, Simon witnessed firsthand that bloody revolution and the assassination of the Tsar’s family—all but one daughter, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, the beautiful woman who became his wife.
Maria, “Mary”, hides in plain sight among the British aristocracy, and the couple hope to settle into their lives with Simon’s parents. However, soon after his return, the highest levels of the British government force Simon into service for the newly minted MI6. Under threat of being blamed entirely for the Romanov family’s execution, Simon has no choice but to accept.
Little does Simon know he’ll soon be spying on his own brother.
As the second son, Richard resents Simon’s success and future inheritance. After drinking and womanizing his allowance away, Richard is forced into a job by his father. Though he holds a respectable clerk’s position, Richard steals files concerning the British movements against the Ottoman Empire.
In a bid to become his own man, Richard now races to sell his secrets to the Turkish government.
Simon has to bear the weight of family obligation and looming treason all while trying to maintain his wife’s secret identity. When a threatening figure returns from his past and adds yet more pressure onto his shoulders, Simon’s life might well come crashing down around him.
The characters of Tsarina’s Jewels develop with compelling emotion in the face of trauma and responsibility, most of all Mary.
Mary, heir to the Russian throne, has lost everything—her home, her family, her very heritage. Still healing from her own physical wounds, she now contends with the full force of her grief. The Nightingale-Temple family helps to fill some of her emptiness, but nothing can entirely replace the family taken from her. Not only is she haunted by the happiness they shared, but also the image of their deaths in her dreams.
Despite all of this, she takes up the mantle of nurse to join her mother-in-law Ann as a volunteer in the local hospital. Mary does what she can to comfort a flood of Spanish Flu victims. Many are Russian immigrants, but Mary refuses to let her fears of recognition stop her from tending to her countrymen—in essence her people had the crown not been stripped from her family. Her brave soul is a shining light throughout the novel.
Even Richard shows a growing depth and capacity to change, although he can’t turn back from his crimes.
Initially, Richard seems entirely loathsome, and the novel appears to move in the formulaic classic spy novel. However, even before Richard begins his life-altering exodus from England, the reader sees a shift in his character. Richard is deeply in love with Sally, an unassuming and hard-working woman. Though he doesn’t voice the feeling aloud, his actions clearly show his devotion angst at leaving her.
As Simon gets closer to catching him, Richard weathers his clashing sentiments about the treasonous path to which he’s committed himself.
Tsarina’s Jewels combines thrilling spycraft with the intricacies of 1918 European conflict, a fresh and fascinating continuation for this historical fiction series. Tobiasen explores the internal conflicts of her characters to build them up as familiar, inspiring, and rewarding to care for, giving emotional life to both suspense and history.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Gail Avery Halverson recently. The author of the historical fiction romance novel Sea of Glass, Book Three in her Stockbridge Series. Avery Halverson took home the 2023 Chatelaine Grand Prize for Romance for Sea of Glass, and she’s sharing her journey to becoming an award-winning author with us today!
Here’s what we talked about:
Chanti: Your romance novel, Sea of Glass, also falls under the category of historical fiction. Can you talk about what drew you to both of these genres?
Avery Halverson: I began writing in my twenties when I was a flight attendant and had a lot of days off during any given month. At first, I wrote mostly spec scripts for existing half-hour sitcoms to practice the craft of conveying a story through only what can be seen or heard. One of those spec scripts found its way to an agent in LA and after signing with her, I wrote two movie screenplays which were both optioned by Longbow Productions, but not made.
I took some time away from writing to raise my son, and when he was a sophomore in high school, I began to toy with the idea of writing a novel. When I heard the story of ‘The Plague Village” in England, I knew I had my novel. From there, I had to learn a new style of writing that encompassed all the senses, in addition to creating accurate historical story arcs and believable, very real characters a reader would care about. After writing the first book, I was completely hooked!
Chanti: Have you always been a writer? When did you realize you could write?
Avery Halverson: There were several points along the way, and while I can’t say that any one of them were really a defining moment, when I was in third grade, I wrote a story about a little girl that had gone through the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. I knew in my heart the minute I finished the assignment that it was an A+ story. It turned out that the grade was exactly that, and when the teacher handed my story back, she told me that I had a real talent.
The other defining writing moments were those early screenplay options; when I read the reviews of the first book; when I won the Chanticleer awards for all three books; and when a London agent at the agency representing Julian Fellows said I was very talented (sadly, due to a personal emergency, she was not taking on new writers). Although as all writers know, the most exciting, validating, and I think, thrilling “writer” moment, was the moment when I opened that first box of books with my name on the cover.
Chanti: I can tell you have a good eye for accurate period details in your books. What draws you to write historical fiction?
Avery Halverson: As I mentioned, the first fictional story I ever wrote was about a little girl going through the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and as I think of it, that may be where my love of writing historical fiction began. Funnily enough, I don’t particularly read historical fiction – my tastes run more toward action – Ken Follet, Clive Cussler and the like, but I find I absolutely love the research involved in writing historical fiction. If I were to refine if further, I love using fictional characters to bring to light actual women in history who did not get the recognition they deserved for accomplishing some amazing things.
Chanti: What areas in writing am I most confident about in writing?
Avery Halverson: I feel very confident in two areas of the writing process. The first is story arc, and the second is dialogue. As to the former, I’ll insert another Chanticleer author question here – which is, which craft book(s) have helped the most. The answer to that question is the book How to Write a Screenplay in 30 Days by Viki King. She wrote the book many years ago, and while it was intended for screenplays, the information also applies beautifully to novels, as well. In the book, Ms. King describes a story arc as a clothesline, with clothespins evenly spaced. The clothespins are plot points, and the corresponding visual reference in her book made perfect sense to me, in that each book has a story arc, each chapter has a story arc, and each character has a story arc. In the case of my Stockbridge trilogy, I had to create an all-encompassing, three book story arc, as well, and I find the construction of all that fascinating. As to dialogue, I can only credit being a bit of a natural mimic – and many, many years of flying, listening carefully to not only a multitude of accents, but the vocabulary and word choices, the cadence, tone and even underlying sub-text of the conversations I heard from passengers.
With respect to my books, I did a tremendous amount of research into the letters and formal writings of people in the 1600’s, not only in England but in early America as well and had to interpret that formality so that it captured the essence of what was being said, but did not sound as stilted as it did while reading the material. I also had to consider which social class a character belonged to and the way each group spoke, as well as in the case of Book Three, A Sea of Glass, the way a young, African American woman born in America, might have spoken. So, in terms of advice to a new writer, I would say eavesdrop all you can, then read your dialogue out loud after you’ve written it. Every single person on this planet has a different way of speaking – young vs. old, male vs. female, etc., and I’m always amazed when dialogue sounds stilted. People rarely, if ever, speak in grammatically correct sentences. Also, to a new writer, use the “find” button on your computer and try your very best to eliminate every single “ly’ adverb. Create a new way to say it – your writing will be clearer and far more concise.
Chanti: Those are wonderful tips for writers getting started, and great advice for editing. Can you talk about what happens when you stall (if you do), with writer’s block?
Avery Halverson: On occasion, I’ll run up against a brick wall where nothing comes to mind. When that happens, I usually dig deeper into history – nothing made up could ever top some of the things that actually happened. At one point in The Skeptical Physick, I needed a side character with a talent, which could then be something my heroine could learn. At that time, the Great Fire had just decimated nearly all of London, and my heroine had natural artistic talent, so I searched the history books and found Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham, a real-life 17th Century architect. Perfect. Lady Wilbraham and her story became that side character. I also try to read a few chapters leading up to wherever I am to get in the flow and that will usually get me started again. I also find that doing something else away from the computer – laundry, gardening, errands, or even soaking in the bath – allows my mind to wander and the creativity or solution to the current writing puzzle usually comes.
Chanti: Taking time away from the screen can be one of the most valuable tools for moving forward. Would you talk a little bit about your writing “comfort zone?” Are you a structured writer, or do you write when the moment feels right?
Avery Halverson: When I started writing my novels, I was very disciplined. At first, I tried every desk and office area in my house, but finally ended up sitting on the couch, feet up on the coffee table in front of the fire. I would start at 9am sharp and write until noon. If I hadn’t written 1500 words, I’d began again at 3:00pm, then continue until I hit that number. With that structure, I finished my first book, The Boundary Stone in six months.
I confess that I relaxed a bit on the next two books in the trilogy. I still tried to meet that 1500 word a day goal, but if a natural break point came and I’d only written 750 words, I would not panic, but I would spend the other hours editing or researching. I had a lot more fun that way, rather than forcing myself to reach a hard goal. Interestingly, I found that on most days, I would still exceed that 1500-word goal.
Chanti: 1500 words a day is impressive! What excites you most about writing to keep that drive?
Avery Halverson: What excites me most about writing are those two magical words, “The End.” I absolutely love accomplishing a goal I’ve set for myself, and I don’t think there’s a more exciting moment than finishing a novel. I also love those writing days when the words just seem to flow out, and the days when I don’t even look at the word count until I close the computer for the night and find I’ve written far more than I thought I had. I love writing a great scene, or even a great sentence, and I especially love the research into and writing about the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary people long forgotten by history – especially women.
Chanti: Your love of extraordinary people is clear in your intriguing cast of characters, absolutely! Who is the perfect reader for those forgotten stories of brilliant women?
Avery Halverson: I think anyone who likes historical fiction with strong, intelligent characters and a touch of elegant romance. I’m not one for stories where someone deliberately makes a bad decision and ruins the lives of everyone else around them. I much prefer to write the stories of good people who are thrust into circumstances beyond their control and how they use their intelligence, their wits and their integrity to survive. It’s funny, I thought the trilogy would appeal to mostly women, but some of the best reviews I’ve had have been from men, so I hesitate to limit the category of readers.
Chanti: I believe there are a lot of men who love romantic adventures! How do you come up with ideas?
Avery Halverson: I read everything! I’ll read everything from the National Enquirer to Neuroscience News and anything in between, but my favorite thing to do is to go down Google rabbit holes. I’ll start with Wikipedia for a general introduction to historical figure or event, then start to dig from there, and in that digging I very often find the story.
Chanti: Reading deeply is definitely crucial! What about for readers? What is the most important thing they can do to support an author who they want to read more of?
Avery Halverson: I’ve found that the most important things a reader can do to help an author is to post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and other reader sites, to create social media posts about the books, and to generate interest via word of mouth and any other promotional ideas they can think of, and an especially helpful thing is to invite an author to their book clubs. All authors are tremendously grateful to any reader offering to help promote their books!
Award-winning writer, Gail Avery Halverson, is the author of The Boundary Stone, and its sequel, The Skeptical Physick, a historical romance novel set in 1666 England at the time of the Great Fire and the Scientific Revolution. The Boundary Stone is a Chaucer Award First Place winner (historical fiction) and The Skeptical Physick won First Place in the Chaucer Awards and 2019 Grand Prize in the Chatelaine Award. Sea of Glass was awarded Grand Prize in the Chatelaine Award in 2023.
Ms. Halverson is also the writer/producer for “Take it From The Top,” (sitcom pilot, Twin One Productions, Inc.), as well as the playwright and composer of musical plays that have been performed for nearly 300,000 children since 2004. Writing for both theater and television, she holds a B.A. in English Literature/Communications from the University of California, Davis, and is currently at work on the third novel in the Stockbridge Series. She lives in Northern California with her husband and son.
The submissions for the 2025 CIBAs are underway, and Mystery & Mayhem Awards close submissions on July 31, 2025!
The Mystery and Mayhem Awards celebrate the art of the puzzle, inspired by the legendary Agatha Christie and the tradition of mysteries where brilliant minds triumph over criminal schemes. While our Clue Awards focus on gritty thrillers and our Global Thriller Awards feature high-stakes suspense on a global scale, M&M honors the cozy (and not-so-cozy) mysteries where amateur sleuths reign supreme and the violence often happens off-page.
Why rely on police detectives when a curious librarian, a sharp-eyed baker, or a meddling village resident can solve the case just as well? From quaint English villages to small American towns, the M&M Awards recognize stories where wit, observation, and a good cup of tea are often more valuable than forensic labs and SWAT teams.
The Categories Where Curiosity Conquers Crime
Amateur Sleuth features everyday heroes who stumble into mysteries—think Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series or the Thursday Murder Club, where regular people use extraordinary insight to catch criminals.
Romantic Mystery blends heart-fluttering romance with puzzling crimes, proving that love and mystery make the perfect pair—whether it’s a meet-cute over a murder scene or romance blooming during a dangerous investigation.
Historical Mystery transports readers to bygone eras where period details and historical context add richness to the puzzle—from Victorian London to Jazz Age speakeasies, these stories prove that human nature and criminal minds are timeless.
Classic/British Cozy honors the tradition of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and modern masters who understand that the most satisfying mysteries often happen in drawing rooms rather than dark alleys.
Mystery Caper/Adventure features lighter, more playful mysteries with humor and hijinks—think Knives Out energy where the puzzle-solving is as entertaining as it is clever.
Animal Mystery showcases our four-legged detectives and the humans who love them, proving that sometimes the best witness has fur and four paws.
Small Town Cozy Mystery explores the dark secrets hiding behind picket fences and friendly facades, where everyone knows everyone—and someone knows too much.
Blended Genre celebrates mysteries that incorporate elements of fantasy, paranormal, or other genres while maintaining that cozy mystery heart.
Congratulations once more to our 2024 M&M Grand Prize Winner Jeanne Matthews for If Two Are Dead!
Set in 1867 Chicago, this compelling novel showcases everything we love about historical mysteries: rich period detail, complex characters, and a puzzle that keeps readers guessing until the final revelation. Matthews’ masterful blend of historical authenticity and classic mystery plotting in the Historical Mystery category exemplifies the sophisticated storytelling we seek to recognize. In addition to all the featured posts that have already gone out for the M&M Awards, If Two Are Dead will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame post. Jeanne Matthews will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and If Two Are Dead will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.
Looking for Your Next Puzzling Read?
Check out some of these incredible cozy and not-so-cozy mysteries we’ve reviewed recently that showcase the delightful diversity of the genre!
RED HERRINGS RADIO: The Media Mysteries Series Book 6 By Gail Hulnick
From its very first page,Red Herrings Radio,from Gail Hulnick’s Media Mysteries series, evokes the classic mystery novels of days gone by. We meet protagonist Lillian on September 7, 1964, in the pre-dawn hours as she heads to work. The early shift at a bustling radio station may seem like excitement enough, but soon Lillian’s faced with unexpected and unpleasant thrills: there’s a dead body at work, and it’s one of her best friends.
Red Herrings Radiouses many elements of classic mystery, even down to the noir lighting of the early-morning streets. Yet it also diverges from mystery-novel tradition in interesting ways.
Unlike many older mystery books, it has not only a female sleuth, but a focus on the challenges and barriers faced by a woman in the 1960s. The book is studded with authentic period details, from Beatles mania and folk music to the Royal Tour and the World’s Fair. It also doesn’t shy away from the weightier topics of the era. As Lillian investigates Susan’s death, she finds herself grappling with looming issues like abortion and gender equality. Author Gail Hulnick gives these issues their due complexity, painting a realistic picture of the 1960s as an era of global change and growing pains.
A HAUNTING At LINLEY: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel By Michelle Cox
Dire darkness descends upon Castle Linley inA Haunting at Linleyby award-winning author Michelle Cox. Lord Linley is dead, black blankets and sashes cover windows, mirrors, and all sources of light. Mourning overtakes all—well, almost all.
Henrietta and her husband, Inspector Clive Howard, return to England and the estate. They come to offer comfort, but quickly discover the family needs much more help than anticipated.
TOMMY ROCKET And The GOOBER PATROL By Thomas R. Kuhn
Tommy Rocket and the Goober Patrolby Thomas R. Kuhn follows Nate, a young boy growing up in the 1970s, whose friendship with the kid genius robot builder, Tommy Rocket, leads him into mysterious adventures.
Tommy’s father invented the Prometheus chip that gives sentience to robots, and from a young age Tommy started creating a gang of robots called the Goober Patrol. Eccentric and wheelchair-bound, Tommy prefers to tinker with his robots at home. But he befriends Nate after he saves Tommy from bullies.
When Tommy’s aptly named ‘Monster-bot’ gets loose, Nate is tasked with finding and securing the rogue bot before anyone finds out. But the two boys soon find out there is more at work than one missing robot. There’s another tinkerer in town and they’re building their own special group of robots—which look just like one of Tommy’s creations. Nate and Tommy have to find out who has gotten their hands on the Prometheus chip before it’s too late.
In the small Missouri town of Walkers Corner, it seems everyone has a dark secret. InParallel Secretsby ML Barrs, a TV journalist comes to town to do a magazine piece on a missing girl and begins uncovering many of those hidden stories.
Motivated by feelings of guilt for not following up on a previous unsolved case, Vicky Robeson’s joins the search for the missing child. She’s tenacious in her investigation. As a TV station journalist currently between jobs, she has well-honed investigative skills, specifically in her ability to wheedle stories from even the most reluctant people. She’s familiar with Walkers Corner; and as a reporter for a St. Louis TV station, she covered the case of a never-identified mystery girl. She believes the two cases are connected. The similarities that link these cases to her own experiences as a child make her unable to let this new story go.
Safe to say, her investigating is not welcomed by most of the locals in this close-knit town.
These reviews represent just a glimpse of the clever plots and charming characters waiting to be discovered in today’s mystery fiction.
See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!
We’re excited about all the wonderful mysteries we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. Throughout this year’s M&M Book Awards, we had the pleasure of promoting over 70 books as they advanced through our competition tiers. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.
Don’t Let Your Mystery Remain Unsolved!
The cozy mystery market is more vibrant than ever, with readers hungry for clever puzzles, charming characters, and satisfying resolutions. Whether your amateur sleuth is a retired teacher with a knack for observation, a small-town baker who stumbles upon murder, or a historical figure solving crimes in a bygone era, the M&M Awards provide the recognition and promotional platform your mystery deserves.
Mystery fiction has the unique power to engage readers’ minds while providing the comfort of justice served and puzzles solved. Don’t let your story remain a cold case—submit to the M&M Awards today and join the ranks of celebrated mystery writers who’ve found their audience through Chanticleer!
Historical Fiction Romance
