Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

Launch into Boating Season with 5 Inspiring Nautical Adventures

What Opens but Never Closes? The Opening Day of Boating Season

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Opening Day of Boating Season

Here are five of our favorite reads from authors who followed their dreams to sail away.

One couple (with two teenagers in tow – yikes!) started by building their boat in the backyard of their suburban home; two who started only with the love for each other, the support of friends and family, and a dilapidated hull and a three cylinder iron works engine; one whose true story will make you reconsider taking to the tall seas; one whose story will inspire you to look beyond society’s conventional solutions and rationalizations and to plot your own course; and one who shares how an everyday couple made their dream come true of sailing the Pacific Ocean on a 31-foot boat and a tight budget.

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”0px” paddingright=”0px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]Boating season begins in the Pacific Northwest on the first Saturday in May, a tradition which goes back to the 1920’s. To celebrate, we thought we would offer you this superb reading list of true story boating adventures by local northwest authors.

After all, if you are going to be spending time boating this summer, or enjoy dreaming about boating from your lawn chair, stocking your library is just as important as stocking your galley!

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More Faster Backwards: Rebuilding David B by Christine Smith

“Christine Smith and her husband Jeffrey race against time, money, and natural elements to save the David B—the vessel that they bet all of their resources on in hopes of making their dream of owning and operating a small expedition cruise boat in the Pacific Northwest come true.

“More Faster Backwards, Rebuilding David B” seamlessly mixes nautical terms with natural elements and boat builder’s craft. Those who enjoy cooking and baking will also discover it a delightful read. Seafaring people will sail through the narrative like soul mates, but landlubbers might appreciate a glossary of boating terms. The map provides great references and the photo albums heighten the pleasure.

More Faster Backwards, Rebuilding David B by Christine Smith won the Grand Prize of the Journey Awards for Narrative Non-fiction, a division of Chanticleer Book Reviews Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.” Read full review…

Christine Smith started working on tour and whale watching boats in 2001. It combined her love for nature and her interest in helping others to enjoy it. She is also an avid birder, and has worked as a volunteer interpreter for the Eagle Watchers on the Skagit River from 1997 to 2008, she helps visitors observe the local eagle population. She is also a founding member of the Northwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, which became part of Whatcom Humane Society in 2014. She served for two years as a board member and Secretary for the North Cascades Audubon Society in Bellingham, Washington. When not watching birds or cooking on the David B, Christine enjoys running, ice skating and downhill skiing. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]

Cape Horn: One Man’s Dream, One Woman’s Nightmare by Réanne Hemingway-Douglass

“In Cape Horn: One Man’s Dream, One Woman’s Nightmare,” Réanne Hemingway-Douglass vividly recreates a sailing voyage in which she and her husband Don set out to round Cape Horn. As the reader discovers, they never quite got there. Meanwhile, Hemingway-Douglass shares the heady magic of starlit nights and breathtaking dawns, grueling and toilsome days, emotions ranging from joy to absolute terror, and a determination not to give up hope when all seems lost.” Read full review…

Réanne Hemingway-Douglass is a sailor, writer, cyclist and language teacher. Here articles have appeared in numerous outdoor magazines. Her best-selling book, Cape Horn: One Man’s Dream, One Woman’s Nightmare, has been published in French and Italian and is being translated into Spanish. In the 1980s, Réanne led the first women’s bicycling team to cross Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”#f8fafb” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”4px” bordercolor=”#4687bf” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]

Home on the Waves by Patrick Hill

“Family, love, and adventure are all tied together in Patrick Hill’s alluring travel memoir “Home on the Waves.” It’s a story set in the 1970’s that provides remarkable insight into the lives of a family exploring the open ocean and discovering new cultures and people.

Hill’s memoir is an excellent read for everyone interested in reading about out-of-the-ordinary lifestyles and family adventures, even if they have never set foot on a boat.

“Home on the Waves” brings life to exotic cultures, sailing, and family life in 1970’s America. It’s a true story that will inspire readers to seek their own adventures and find ways of making dreams come true.” Read the full review…

Patrick Hill, with wife Heather and family, have been sailing out of Vancouver, B.C. for years. They’ve owned nine sailboats from a 17′ to a 42′ boat, Sky One Hundred which they built. They have cruised extensively, written articles for magazines, made presentations to yacht clubs, libraries, the Vancouver Aquarium, and a major Alaskan cruise line[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]

Prepare to Come About by Christine Wallace

“Christine struggles with her loss of identity as a successful professional, a role model, a caring mother, and a supportive spouse while she battles with the economic recession, personal depression, and, worst of all, her own loss of trust in herself and her capabilities.

Her fractured family makes an unorthodox choice that pivots them all into unfamiliar waters. Their lifeline comes in the form of a tall ship named Zodiac and its enigmatic captain. Life or death challenges and unforeseen moments of wonder and awe await Christine and her family. As they venture forth together in this new venture, the family members reconnect and rebuild their lives.” Read full review…

Christine Wallace is the author of two books including The Pocket Doula and Prepare to Come About. Her work has appeared in the literary journal Clover (vol. 3, 2012, vol. 6, 2014). Christine was founder and CEO of “Gracewinds Perinatal”, a nationally award winning business. Christine currently resides in the Pacific Northwest onboard an ex-forestry boat with her husband, youngest daughter and a seaworthy tabby named Lucky Jack. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”#f8fafb” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”4px” bordercolor=”#4687bf” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]

Tightwads on the Loose by Wendy Hinman

“Tightwads on the Loose – A Seven Year Pacific Odyssey” opens with a map of the Pacific Ocean that showed the voyage of the sailing vessel Velella starting and ending in Seattle. Soon the reader is immersed in the plans of Wendy and her husband, Garth, to set sail on their open-ended adventure. And we wonder how long an introvert, whose motto is “always be prepared,” can live in tight quarters with an extrovert whose motto is “just wing it.”

This book will definitely appeal to those who are curious about sea voyaging. Armchair travelers will find a diversity of cultural experiences, historical details, and adventures for their entertainment and education. Come on board and sail away with the intrepid Wendy Hinman and her humorous and ingenious insights about life at sea.” Read full review…

Wendy Hinman, author, editor, and speaker, has shared her sailing adventures through emails and her blog. She is a regular contributor to the Magazines 48 North and Latitude 38. Wendy’s also been featured in Sail, Cruising World, Sailing, CYC Leadline, Hebe Jebees (Hong Kong) and Kazi Magazine (Japan).[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Enjoy getting to know these intrepid souls by visiting their websites for more information and the latest updates on their adventures.

Reanne Hemingway-Douglass

Patrick Hill

Wendy Hinman

Christine Smith

Chris Wallace

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

May 7, 2016
E-Book Sales as Core of Your Books’ Marketing Plan by James Wells
The eBook market is a huge opportunity, especially for indie authors.

If you’re not focusing on eBook sales as a core part of your marketing plan, you’re missing out.

When I published my first novel The Great Symmetry, I printed a few hundred copies and imagined that it would be a great success if I sold them out. I had no idea where I would find the vast majority of my readers.

Just a year later, about 95% of my sales are eBooks. Every day, readers are buying my book on Amazon and other sites from all over the world.

To get traction in the eBook market, I tried out new things, made plenty of mistakes, and then had a series of increasing successes. I’m grateful to the authors who helped along the way. Now I’m distilling the most important lessons to help other authors.

At the upcoming Chanticleer Authors Conference, I’ll be presenting a series of three sessions about eBook publishing. The content won’t focus on mechanics like eBook file formats – that’s boring and you can figure out that stuff easily. Rather, we’ll dig into the most important decisions facing an author in the eBook market. The sessions are:
- eBook Publishing 101: Designing your points of sale (such as your Amazon page) to convert browsers into buyers.
- eBook Publishing 102: Getting readers to your points of sale. We’ll emphasize the most cost-effective tool around – the discount promotion.
- eBook Publishing 103: Advanced topics such as series planning, reader magnets, and more.
An overarching theme of all of these sessions is that your eBooks are a central part of your offering.

For some types of book (especially genre fiction by indie authors), it’s the most important channel for you. This means you should plan ahead for your eBook. For instance, some cover designs look wonderful in print, but are failures online – we’ll discuss how to avoid that pitfall. There may even be reasons to modify the text of your novel to sell well as an eBook.

It’s ironic because I don’t even like reading eBooks myself. I only just gave in and bought a Kindle last week. But my preference doesn’t matter to the market – your priority as an author should be to make your book available, and well positioned, in the channels where the readers are found. These days, that means eBooks.

Note from Kiffer Brown

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James R Wells, Science Fiction Author

I would like to thank James R. Wells, the author of The Great Symmetry for sharing his knowledge and experience with the Chanticleer Community.

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April 25, 2016
How to Become a Jedi Knight at Book Marketing by Susan Colleen Browne

“You can’t become a Jedi at whatever it is you’re doing unless you know it.” Jeni Britton Bauer.

Take book marketing. A lot of students in the writing classes that I teach are really intimidated at the thought of marketing and promoting their book. But it’s not rocket science.

To get started, you can go to writers’ networking meetings, see what other authors are doing—maybe launch a blog or update your existing one, or join Goodreads and run a contest. You can attend events like the Chanticleer conference, and learn more about social media or refresh your marketing skill set—perhaps get up to speed with book clubs or the latest in online retailers’ promotions, or meet experts in book marketing you may want to collaborate with.

Once you’ve assessed your options, you can focus on the strategies that especially resonate with you. If you’re the adventuresome type, you can also try the proverbial “throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks” approach. Whatever you choose, you can make the most of your marketing funds if those tools not only fit your budget and available time, but are those you’re most likely to follow up on.

Whether you’ve published your book or you’re an aspiring author, keep your eyes open for inspiration in unexpected places. I recently came across a piece in More magazine about updating your elevator pitch. To take your pitch or tagline from generic to sparkling, don’t begin with your name. Instead, tell a personal mini-story, then use vivid language to briefly describe what sets you apart. (From Robin Hatcher of SpeakEtc., a company that focuses on communication and presentation skills.)

Ms. Bauer (see the Jedi quote, above) is an ice cream impresario, who not only makes ice cream but lives it. She isn’t talking about executing something perfectly, but mastering a skill until it comes organically to you. And having a great time doing it! Which brings us back to writing…

Many authors say the best marketing you can do is to write your next book. So…above all, reserve the mental bandwidth you need for storytelling, keep refining your editing talents, nurture your creativity and have fun! Hopefully, you’ll find a balance between writing, promotion, and cultivating an interesting and creative life.

May the Force be with you!

A note from Kiffer Brown:

I would like to thank Susan Colleen Browne for her guest blog-post. Susan will present several sessions at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held on April 29, 30, & May 1, 2016 in Bellingham, Wash. She writes Irish stories about love, friendship, and family. You can find her books available for purchase at the Books By the Bay Fair that will be held in conjunction with the conference.

We invite you to visit Susan’s delightful website for more information and for links on how to order her books.

April 23, 2016
HOME ON THE WAVES: A Pacific Sailing Adventure by Patrick Hill

Family, love, and adventure are all tied together in Patrick Hill’s alluring travel memoir Home on the Waves. It’s a story set in the 1970’s that provides remarkable insight into the lives of a family exploring the open ocean and discovering new cultures and people.

Hill’s memoir is an excellent read for everyone interested in reading about out-of-the-ordinary lifestyles and family adventures, even if they have never set foot on a boat.

As a previous liveaboard and fellow sailor, I enjoyed reading a story that showed the family’s journey in becoming familiar with the sea. Their adventure starts with Patrick, a civil engineer, sitting in his office reliving fond memories of his days on the water.

He decides to take action and create more treasured memories and to share his love of sailing with his wife and children. That momentous decision will disrupt his normal life with its mortgage almost paid off and a boss not expecting him to ask for an extended leave of absence just so he could go sailing.

From start to finish, we see every step of Patrick and his family’s adventures in building the boat and getting it into the water. I particularly liked watching them build the boat in the backyard, and reading about all the BBQs they had and the friends they made (and neighbors they probably annoyed).

A novel and compelling addition to this engaging memoir is his incorporation of his family’s perspectives. His wife, Heather, and his children Jeremy and Erica, voice their experiences, including both the happy memories and the frustrations of living together on a 42-foot sailboat with one head (toilet) over fourteen months and across 15,000 miles at sea while moving at an average speed of five miles per hour.

This family travel memoir uses some technical terms of boating and lingo of sailors, adding to the genuine nautical ambiance of the story. I found it fascinating to read about sailing during the 70’s before computer technology was available to individuals. Cell phones, personal computers, chart-plotters, “epirbs” for satellite location, and other gadgetry didn’t exist. Noon sights had to be taken from hand-held sexton for navigation, printed charts were a must, and de-salinator water makers were not readily available, so gathering rain water using tried and true methods was essential.

What really makes this memoir a special gem are all the nuances incorporated into the chapters. I learned about pleasingly random things such as how to make limes last longer and on which side to wear a flower in your hair when attending local festivities. As well, Hill is unflinchingly honest about the less glamorous aspects of sailing: trash on the shores, paying people off to get gas, and long johns. Are you wondering what they are (and they are not what you thinking)? Join Hill and his family to find out.

The Hill family definitely was at home on the waves as they sailed down the coast from Vancouver, British Columbia to Mexico, over to the Marquesas, on to Bora Bora, and finally, back north to Alaska. As I sailed with them, I kept an atlas nearby to orient myself to major points. This gave me a deeper “armchair adventure” to the South Pacific and to Alaska. I was engaged quickly and then transported because there was never a dull moment in this Pacific sailing adventure and Hill graciously supplied photographs of the family’s journey.

Home on the Waves brings life to exotic cultures, sailing, and family life in 1970’s America. It’s a true story that will inspire readers to seek their own adventures and find ways of making dreams come true. Here’s to the Hill family and their adventures, their boat, Sky One Hundred, and to all those who follow their dreams.

April 21, 2016
Three Questions with the Founder of the World’s Largest Book Club – Kathy Murphy
Pulpwood Queens Book Club’s Founder, Kathy Murphy, tells all!

Meet Kathy Murphy, the “Pulpwood Queen” who opened the only Hair Salon/Bookstore, Beauty and the Book in the country in Jefferson, Texas and in 2000, founded and now operates the 600+ chapter book club, The Pulpwood Queens, nationally and in 15 foreign countries. Have a question for the Queen? Bring it to the Chanticleer conference session!
1. What was your motivation to launch the Pulpwood Queens?
Shortly after opening my Hair Salon/Book Store, (Beauty and the Book), the local book club invited me to join them for a meeting. I thought they invited me to join and be a MEMBER, not!

Evidently, only eight members were allowed to join and as the hostess told me, “Unless someone dies or moves away, that is all that will fit around our table.”

I was secretly thinking, Who made up that RULE?! Anyway, I went home, sat down, and made a list on what I would do if I started my own book club. This book club would be inclusive, not exclusive. We would call ourselves The Pulpwood Queens, “where TIARAS are mandatory and reading OUR good books was the only Rule!”

By wearing the crown, we would tell the world that we were “beauty within” queens as we were real readers. So for nearly 16 years we have been meeting monthly, first with my charter chapter, The Pulpwood Queens of East Texas.

Since then we have made the news with appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, we kicked off their “READ THIS” Book Club and other radio and print media with now over 600 chapters nationwide and in 15 foreign countries.

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Timber Guy Sexy Reading Contest at the Pulpwood Queens’ Girlfriend weekend!
1. What will readers get out of being a member of a chapter and where/how can they hook up with an existing Pulpwood Queens or Timber Guys chapter?
Everything pertaining to membership is on our website, www.beautyandthebook.com but the difference our book club has over others is we bring the authors into the picture. Most of our authors will teleconference, SKYPE or even visit chapters and for sure be featured at our annual Pulpwood Queen Girlfriend Weekend. I know of no other book club where you have this kind of access to the authors.

I also make all the authors participate in ALL EVENTS at our Girlfriend Weekend. So it’s no secret that Pat Conroy has served Sweet Tea at our Author Dinner, where I make all the authors wait the tables in crazy costumes. You eat, drink, and the authors even stay in the same hotels and bed and breakfasts.

It’s full immersion into the Wonderful World of the Pulpwood Queens with the Grand Finale being our Great Big Ball of Hair Ball. The theme this year is ONCE UPON A TIME. All the authors dress up, too, and it’s the ultimate Kodak moment, so bring your cameras BIG TIME!

Ed. Note: To become a member, visit: www.beautyandthebook.com/membership
1. What is Kathy Murphy looking for in a good book? What speaks to you as a reader?
Since my book club is now international, here is what I am looking for:
1. An unknown author, one that is perhaps a first time/first book or one that hasn’t been discovered in a really big way. Yes, I want to pick a big name once in while but only if they can come and be a Keynote at my annual convention which we call Girlfriend Weekend. Example, Pat Conroy, Fannie Flagg, John Berendt, Jamie Ford, etc.
2. This is a given but it must be well written, free of flaws and my book club members do not like to read books with gratuitous violence or language, but I do make exceptions. I selected Girl with the Dragon Tattoo because it was just such a great, well written story.
3. Most important of all, the book must tell a story that has NOT been heard before or from a perspective that gives the reader a different view of a subject. Examples: The Sunday Wife by Cassandra King, The Dive From Claussen’s Pier by Ann Packer, Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman. Do not send me another queen book set in the south, particularly one that is also a hairdresser. I hold that card, DONE.
4. I want a book that changes people’s lives for the better. Examples: My Orange Duffel Bag, Same Kind of Different As Me, a book that is discuss-able and that includes book club discussion questions written by the author. My book club hates generated book discussion questions, too literary and not very personal. Authors tend to write questions that they answered.
5. I really don’t care who publishes a book, a good book is a good read no matter who publishes it.
6. Last, I want a real book to read, I’m on the computer so much, I want to cuddle with a book in bed!
Thank you Shari Stauch, CEO of Where Writers Win, for this informative interview with Kathy L. Murphy, the Pulpwood Queen!

Shari will present several sessions sharing her book marketing expertise at CAC16 along with Friday evening’s keynote presentation.

Tell Us About the Live Book Clubs YOU Know!

The WWW team and the Chanticleer Reviews team are reaching out regularly to bloggers, Twitter-ers, indie bookstores, readers at book festivals and more, once every few months we circle back to the coolest source –YOU– to ferret out the latest book clubs in cities around the world. Because, the club you know about might also be of value to one of our other emerging authors – and their club may be of value to you!

Contact: BookClubs@ChantiReviews.com and/or contact Where Writers Win.
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Editor's Note about Kathy L. Murphy:
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DreamWorks signed on to produce a movie about Kathy, though as she says, ”I did not do this alone and am not an overnight sensation,” Murphy said. “This came about through years of struggle and hard work and the incredible friendship and help of my Pulpwood Queens Book Club members and our authors and the love of my daughters, my sister and family. We — note that I say WE — have struck a film deal.”

The latest update regarding the film as of April 2016 is that the screenplay has been written and approved. Dreamworks has sent the script “out to talent,” so stay tuned to see who will play Kathy L. Murphy.

We can hardly wait to see it!

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April 16, 2016
Why Book Clubs Matter by Shari Stauch, CEO of Where Writers Win
CEO of Where Writers Win, Shari Stauch, and Pulpwood Queens Book Club founder Kathy Murphy, will conduct a special session at the Chanticleer Conference, “Why Book Clubs Matter” – Here’s some great info to get you ready!

LIVE Book Clubs: Are You Reaching These Critical Influencers?

IBook clubs can be a defining moment in any author’s career. Fact is, the success of any book is accelerated if book clubs get hold of it and begin spreading the news. That’s why we call them “influencers” and that’s why book club listings are a key component of WWW’s Winner Circle.

We encourage every author to develop a list of at least 10-12 thoughtful questions that relate to their book(s). Here’s how to get going with your own set of book club questions, what to do with them once you have them, and how you can share book clubs you know about, too! My next article will share some special insights from Pulpwood Queen Kathy Murphy,

1. How to Write Your Book Club Questions

If you’re unsure where to begin, here are a couple sites to get you started. PLEASE note, these are generic questions and we strongly suggest you use these as your “starter dough” to establish thoughtful reader discussion questions that pertain directly to your own work:
1. From LitLovers.com – Questions for Fiction: http://www.litlovers.com/run-a-book-club/questions-for-fiction
2. From LitLovers.com – Questions for Non-Fiction: http://www.litlovers.com/run-a-book-club/questions-for-nonfiction
3. From AboutEducation.com – A list of general book club questions for discussion: http://classiclit.about.com/od/bookclubs/a/aa_bcquestions.htm
4. From Book-Club-Queen.com – More general discussion questions for fiction at: http://www.book-club-queen.com/book-club-questions.html
5. From Book-Club-Queen.com – General non-fiction discussion questions: http://www.book-club-queen.com/book-club-discussion-questions.html
6. For reading guides/book club questions from hundreds of other books, visit: http://www.booklistreader.com/2008/05/07/book-groups/stalking-the-online-reading-guide/
Here are a few of our authors with some fun book club questions that began with the starter dough above. Use them to inspire you:
- Mary Arno’s Thanksgiving: http://maryarno.com/book-club-questions/
- Kat Varn’s Ameera Unveiled: http://katvarn.com/book-club-questions/
- Bruce T. Jones’ Lost Reflection Series: http://www.brucetjones.com/book-club-qs/
- Jane Flagello’s Bamboozled: http://www.janeflagello.com/book-clubs/
- Barbara McLennan’s The Wealth of Virginia: http://wealthofjamestown.com/discussion-questions-the-wealth-of-virginia/
2. Where to Post Your Book Club Questions

Your book club questions, book discussion guide, or whatever else you want to call it, should be listed in the back of your book. Whether or not that’s possible, there are other places to share as well:

On your author website. Have a separate page/tab for your book club questions. We typically suggest that you paste them into the site, but also have a pdf of the questions, (perhaps nicely laid out with a graphic of your book’s cover), that readers can easily download and print for their next meeting.

Share this page widely on your social media outlets. You might also put up a question a day or one a week over the course of time to create more following and even encourage online discussion of your book.

Include your questions when pitching reviewers or book clubs. Make sure you let reviewers, clubs and conferences you may be pitching know that you have discussion questions. You needn’t list them out in each pitch, but do provide a link to where they can view and/or download your guide. One paid option we’ve seen ($200 and we don’t have feedback yet as to its worth to authors) is ReadingGroupGuides.com – you can visit this link for more info: http://www.readinggroupguides.com/how-to-add-a-guide.

With your help, our vetted list of LIVE book clubs in the Winner Circle, now already over 300 live clubs and thousands of readers strong, will offer emerging authors the best chance to expose your work to thousands of new readers. And book clubs will have the opportunity to read new work in the genres of their choice, and maybe even influence who the next best-seller will be… That may be you!

A note from the Chanticleer Reviews Team:

Thank you, Shari Stauch, CEO of Where Writers Win, for sharing this useful information with the Chanticleer Community. We are looking forward to hearing more from you about reaching out to book clubs at CAC16!

We would also like to mention that we have a special blog post just for connecting authors and readers on the homepage of the Chanticleer Reviews website. Be sure to check it out for the latest in specials and offerings just for readers!

Book Clubs and Readers Community News from Chanticleer
April 15, 2016
CO-OP Publishing: An Indie Option by Sara Stamey
Join award-winning novelist and editor Sara Stamey to explore one of the newest alternatives to traditional publishing at #CAC16.

Sara Stamey Unlocks Her Secrets to Successful Publishing

After being published by a traditional “Big 5” house and then starting her own “micro-press,” Sara has now joined Book View Café, one of the leading co-op publishers. With over 50 professional novelist members, the co-op takes control of how its authors’ writing is published, bypassing restrictions and delays of mainstream publishers, and distributing straight to their readers.

“I was frustrated with my treatment by my traditional publisher and the endless delays, as well as mismanagement. But going it alone as an indie author was exhausting. Working together with a supportive group of fellow authors has made all the difference.”

Join Sara for an introduction to the cooperative publishing model and ideas for joining or creating your own author coop at the Chanticleer Authors Conference 2016. Sara will be sharing her knowledge of this economical and highly vetted publishing avenue that is available to qualified Indie authors.

“Our members donate the skills they have in return for the skills they need to publish books. So each of our members is both an author and an important cog in a publisher. We emulate everything a major publisher does.

We have editors, ebook formatters, print typesetters, cover designers, accountants, web designers, IT and legal professionals, PR people, administrators and managers. We even sell sub-rights – we’ve sold the audio rights to a couple of hundred of our books for a very good six figure sum to Audible.

We also make our ebooks available in libraries – selling to them direct and via all the major library distributors like Overdrive, 3M, and Gardners.” -Book View Café member Chris Dolley

http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/

“I love the freedom, the fact that we can mix genres, that our books won’t be slashed to fit marketing’s mandated word count, that we get vigorous editorial feedback and it doesn’t take years, that people will do my formatting and covers for me. The team effort, I feel, makes us much greater than the sum of our parts.” -BVC member Sherwood Smith

Sara’s newest novels from Book View Café, both Chanticleer Award-winners:
- The Ariadne Connection – CYGNUS 2014
- Islands – Paranormal Awards 2014.
www.sarastamey.com

Listen to Sara Stamey talk about indie publishing on Episode 05 of “The Whatcom Wordsmith” podcast with Jennifer Karchmer.
April 13, 2016
The SOMERSET Awards for Contemporary & Literary Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winners
The Somerset Awards Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Contemporary/Literary Fiction. The SOMERSET Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

We are honored to announce the 2015 SOMERSET Awards Official First Place Category Winners. Good Luck to them as they compete for the 2015 SOMERSET Grand Prize Award.

Congratulations to the 2015 SOMERSET Awards First In Category Award Winning Contemporary/Literary Fiction Novels:
- Contemporary: Tom And Nancy Wise – Life On Base: Quantico Cave
- Women’s Fiction: Kayce Stevens Hughlett – Blue: a novel
- Speculative Fiction/Magical Realism: Rick Lenz – The Alexandrite
- Literary: Caitlin Hicks – A Theory of Expanded Love
- Mystery/Suspense: Judith Kirscht – Hawkins Lane
- Adventure/Action: Jen Michalski – The Tide King
- Blended Genres: Gary Grossman – Old Earth
Honorable Mentions:
- J.P. Kenna – Toward a Terrible Freedom
- James Gregory Kingston – The City Island Messenger
- Cat Lynn Boyle – Shadow Dance
- Tom Glenn – The Trion Syndrome
More than $30,000 dollars in cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer International Blue Ribbon Awards Winners annually.

The SOMERSET First Place Category award winners will compete for the SOMERSET Grand Prize Award for the 2015 Contemporary/Literary Fiction Novel. Grand Prize winners, blue ribbons, and prizes will be announced and awarded on April 30, 2016 at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala, Bellingham, Wash.

The First In Category award winning titles will receive an award package including a complimentary Chanticleer Book Review of the winning title, digital award badges, shelf talkers, book stickers, and more.

We are now accepting entries into the 2016 SOMERSET Awards. The deadline is November 30, 2016. Click here for more information or to enter.

Congratulations to those who made the SOMERSET Awards 2015 FIRST PLACE official listing.

More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2015 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Ten genres to enter your novels and compete on an international level.

Who will take home the $1,000 purse this coming April at the Chanticleer Awards Gala and Banquet?
March 20, 2016
The PARANORMAL Awards for Supernatural Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winners
The Paranormal Awards Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal and Supernatural Fiction. The Paranormal Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

We are honored to announce the 2015 Paranormal Awards Official First Place Category Winners. Good Luck to them as they compete for the 2015 Paranormal Grand Prize Award.

Congratulations to the 2015 Paranormal Awards First In Category Award Winning Supernatural Fiction Novels:
- Young Adult: Shaila Patel – Soulmated
- Supernatural Powers -Romance: Carolyn Haley – The Aurora Affair
- Supernatural Powers: Paula Cappa – Greylock
- Romance: Diana Green – Bronze Fox
- Werewolves, Vampires, etc.: Kayla Hampton – The Assassin
- Legends & Lore: Gail Siler, PhD – Decoding the Butterfly Promise
- Fairy Tale, Fable, Myth: Sabina Khan – Realm of the Goddess
- Time Travel> Magic : Karen Musser Nortman – The Time Travel Trailer
- Time Travel> Gripping: Andy Kutler – The Other Side of Life
- D.L. Koontz – Edging through the Darkness
- Urban/Edgy: K. J. McPike – XODUS
- Historical: Michael Schmicker – The Witch of Napoli
- Gothic: K.C. Finn – The Book of Shade
- Contemporary Gothic: Linda Watkins – Return to Mateguas Island
- Ghosts: Aphrodite Anagnost & Robert P. Arthur – Passover
Honorable Mention
- Penny Page – Coven Corners
- Alex E. Carey – Earth’s Embrace
- Harry Steven Ackley – Our Lady of West 74th Street
More than $30,000 dollars in cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer International Blue Ribbon Awards Winners annually.

The PARANORMAL First Place Category award winners will compete for the PARANORMAL Grand Prize Award for the 2015 Supernatural Fiction Novel. Grand Prize winners, blue ribbons, and prizes will be announced and awarded on April 30, 2016 at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala, Bellingham, Wash.

The First In Category award winning titles will receive an award package including a complimentary Chanticleer Book Review of the winning title, digital award badges, shelf talkers, book stickers, and more.

We are now accepting entries into the 2016 Paranormal Awards. The deadline is October 31, 2016. Click here for more information or to enter.

Congratulations to those who made the PARANORMAL Awards 2015 FIRST PLACE official listing.

More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2015 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Ten genres to enter your novels and compete on an international level.

Who will take home the $1,000 purse this coming April at the Chanticleer Awards Gala and Banquet?
March 18, 2016
The CLUE Awards for Suspense/Thriller Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winners
The CLUE Awards Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Suspense/Thriller Fiction. The CLUE Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

We are pleased to announce the 2015 CLUE Awards Official First Place Category Winners. Good Luck to them as they compete for the 2015 CLUE Grand Prize Award.

Please note that Global Thrillers and Lab Lit fiction entries were moved to the newly offered Global Thrillers Awards 2016.

Congratulations to the 2015 CLUE Awards First In Category Award Winning Suspense/Thriller Fiction Novels:
- Blended Genre: Timothy S. Johnston – The Tanner Sequence
- Suspense/Thriller: K. J. Klemme – Tourist Trapped
- Mystery/Crime: Patrick M. Garry – Blind Spots
- Manuscript Mystery/Crime: Scott D. Smith – Guilty Deeds
- Espionage/Spy: Michele Daniel – The Red Circle
- Contemporary Suspense: Christine Benedict – Anonymous
- Mystery: Lonna Enox – Blood Relations
- Historical/Vintage Thriller: Michael Scheffel – St. Louis Affair: The Adventures of Herbert Falken
- Legal/Medical/Police Procedural: Laurie Stevens for The Mask of Midnight
- Courtroom Drama: Hubert Crouch for The Word
- True Crime: Zach Fortier for CurbChek Reload
- International Mystery & Crime: Marian Exall – A Dangerous Descent
More than $30,000 dollars in cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer International Blue Ribbon Awards Winners annually.

The CLUE First Place Category award winners will compete for the CLUE Grand Prize Award for the 2015 Suspense/Thriller Fiction Novel. Grand Prize winners, blue ribbons, and prizes will be announced and awarded on April 30, 2016 at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala, Bellingham, Wash.

The First In Category award winning titles will receive an award package including a complimentary Chanticleer Book Review of the winning title, digital award badges, shelf talkers, book stickers, and more.

We are now accepting entries into the 2017 CLUE Awards. The deadline is September 30, 2016. Click here for more information or to enter.

Congratulations to those who made the CLUE Awards 2015 FIRST PLACE official listing.

More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2015 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Ten genres to enter your novels and compete on an international level.

Who will take home the $1,000 purse this coming April at the Chanticleer Awards Gala and Banquet?
March 15, 2016