Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

CYGNUS AWARDS for SciFi & Speculative Fiction FIRST PLACE Category Winners
Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the Cygnus Awards 2014, a genre division of the Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Award Writing Competitions.

The Cygnus Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Mythological, and Steampunk fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer Book Reviews Blue Ribbon Awards Writing Competitions.

First Place Category Winners for the Cygnus Awards are:
- Space Opera Sci-Fi Series: Citadel 7, Earth’s Secret: Enemy of Existence by Yuan Jur
- Military Sci-fiction: Betrayal on Triton by Ryan Henry
- Paranormal: The Unbeliever by Zachary Kitchen
- Dark Fantasy/Gamer: Mythborn: Rise of the Adepts by Vijay Lakshman
- Epic Fantasy: Dream of a Vast Blue Cavern by Selah Tay-Song
- Speculative Fiction: The Ariadne Connection by Sara Stamey
- Mythological: The Immortal Game by Joannah Miley
- Sci-Fi: Shadow of the Last Man, Book 1 by J. M. Salyards
- SciFi/Cyperpunk: Legacy: The Biodome Chronicles, Book 1 by Jesikah Sundin
- Time Travel: Timelapse by Lorrie Farrelly
- Lab Lit SciFi: The Borealis Genome by Thomas P. Wise and Nancy Wise
- New Adult Dystopian: The Cloud Seeders by Jamie Zendt
- New Adult Sci-Fi: ISO by H.G. Bleackly
- YA Dystopian: All Is Silence by Robert L. Slater
- Best SciFi Manuscript: Natural Selection by Michael Simon
CONGRATULATIONS!

The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the CYGNUS AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 CYGNUS category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.
- The deadline for The Cygnus Awards 2014 was Jan. 31, 2014.
- The deadline for The Cygnus Awards 2015 is Jan. 31, 2015.
GRAND PRIZE Overall Cygnus Awards Winner from 2013:

Bennett R. Coles, Virtues of War.

Titan U.K picked up VoW for a three book deal. Check out the cover reveal from TOR here.

Tor.com is pleased to reveal Fred Gambino’s cover art for Virtues of War, a new military science fiction novel from Bennett R. Coles! Virtues of War is the first book in The Astral Saga trilogy, and will be published in June 2015 by Titan Books.

To view the 2013 CYGNUS Award Winners, please click here.

To compete in the 2015 CYGNUS Awards or for more information, please click here.

THE DEADLINE TO ENTER THE 2015 CYGNUS Novel Writing Competitions is January 31st, 2015.

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Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are why literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also why our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com about any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
January 10, 2015
Best of the 2014 Summer Shorts & Novellas Writing Competition
Summer Shorts 2014 Overall Best Short Story/Novelette Writing Competition Official Announcement

We are pleased to announce the first place overall winner for the 2014 Summer Short Stories and Novelettes Writing Competition. The honor goes to:

The Stone God’s Wife

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Sharon E. Anderson, author

by Sharon Anderson (please click on her name to visit her website)

This short story is an exceptional example of the dark fantasy genre. Desperate to save her sister, Cilla does the unthinkable…and the unforgivable. The Stone God’s Wife is compellingly written, well characterized, fast paced, and engaging.

Sharon Anderson will be awarded a CBR Blue Ribbon and a $100 U.S.D. purse at the 2015 Chanticleer Authors Conference Awards Banquet.

We invite you to also check out the Finalists who made the short list! Click here for the list.

Congratulations to all the finalists of the 2014 Summer Short Stories and Novelettes Writing Competition!

Do you have a short story or novella that you would like to enter?

2015 Short Stories, Novellas, and Novelettes Writing Competitions offer two submission deadlines:
1. January 15, 2015 Please click on the date for more information.
2. June 15, 2015 Please click on the date for more information.
Click here for general contest information. [/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
December 29, 2014
Win a Manuscript Overview for Your RAW NaNoWriMo 2014 Manuscript!
Do you have a diamond in the rough with your 2014 NaNoWriMo manuscript?

If you think that you have written a diamond in the rough during NaNoWriMo 2014: a great story, created compelling characters, or have a new twist to a classic theme (think Twilight), then consider entering the Chanticleer RAW NaNoWriMo writing competition.

This is the probably one of the few times that an author should not polish a work before submitting it to a contest. Judges are looking for raw storytelling ability and/or originality of story concept. CBR has been contacted by publishers and literary agents to hold a RAW NaNoWriMo contest to search for that next Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen or Wool by Hugh Howey.

Does your RAW work have a compelling story? Is it original? Does it have an irresistible plot arc? Will your work’s characters resonate with readers?

Here is your chance to find out!

Enter your official 2014 NaNoWriMo manuscript into the RAW NaNoWriMo 2014 competition.
- Ten genres to choose from to enter your NaNoWriMo 2014 work: SciFi, Romance, Historical, Paranormal, YA, Western, Mystery, Thriller/Suspense, Literary, and Narrative Non-Fiction
- Keep in mind that this contest is for UNEDITED works. Judges, editors, and literary agents are looking for RAW writing talent.
- The number of entries is limited to insure that each work will be seen by the panel of NaNoWriMo 2014 judges. Don’t delay, enter today!
- Each work submitted will go be seen by NaNoWriMo 2014 CBR judges.
- A maximum of 11 winners’ slots! One for each genre writing competition that CBR offers. However, winners are selected on merit and not to fill slots.
- Minimum word count: 50,000.
- You must be able to supply your 2014 NaNoWriMo Winner’s Certificate upon request.
- Authors/Publishers maintain all rights to their works submitted to the RAW NaNoWriMo contest. Simple.
RAW NaNoWriMo 2014 Prize Package

The Best NaNoWriMo 2014 entry will receive a CBR Manuscript Overview Evaluation ($395).*

1st Place Genre Winners will receive a complimentary CBR writing novel contest entry gift certificate ($45) along with a Great Beginnings entry gift certificate ($ 15) valid until Feb. 1st, 2016.

Maximum Prize Package Value upon entering the polished work in the Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Novel Writing Competitions:
- A chance to take home the $1,000 Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Grand Prize purse!
- A chance of your work being awarded One of TEN CBR Genre Grand Prize Packages valued at $750
- Or a chance at a First in Category Chanticleer Review Package!
- And, most importantly, to have your published work listed in the Chanticleer Best Book Discoveries.
Winners will be announced before May 1st, 2015. Results will be announced as they come in on Chanticleer’s social media posts. The Official RAW NaNoWriMo 2014 Winners Website Posting will be published by May 15, 2015.

Submissions will be accepted until Jan. 30th, 2015, midnight PST or until the limit of entries is met.

Enter your work into the CBR RAW NaNoWriMo 2014 competition rounds for a $35 fee. This link will take you to the submissions page.

Click here for more information.

Images courtesy of NaNoWriMo. Please click here for more information about how to participate in NaNoWriMo! By clicking this link, you will be taken directly to the Official NaNoWriMo organization’s website.

NaNoWriMo Facts and Stats

National Novel Writing Month was established in 1999. It is also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes stories matter.
December 27, 2014
An Editorial Review of “Tree: One Life that Made a Difference by Norman E. Kjono

It is clear that Norman E. Kjono, author of Tree: One Life That Made a Difference, cares deeply for the interconnected nature of all living things. In his book, he takes us on a journey to a small valley in the Pacific Northwest where the “lifes” of this sacred place are in trouble—the inhabitants of this valley consider themselves to be lifes.

“In the valley they thought of themselves together as “lifes.” This preserved their individual identity yet acknowledged the plural sense of them together as more than one.”

The core message in Tree: One Life that Made a Difference, is thought provoking. That all lifes would work toward being the best they can be, and helping others without thought of reward, is ideal. This is a story that mixes form—interspersing prose, poetry and songs; the poems dispersed through the story are to be read like proverbs.

Valley culture is built on the idea that all lifes are interdependent, and that by each individual doing his or her best, the purpose of the Cosmos and Creator will be best served. Few characters in this novel are human, and a few are even inanimate, like Stream and Rock. Owls, deer, beavers, mushrooms, frogs, raccoons, and other creatures including Tree and the Ancients (redwood trees) make up the cast of characters in this inspirational work that asserts that one life can make a difference. And that difference begins with one positive act that in turn inspires another and another.

The valley thrives and draws human visitors who leave their negative energy behind when they return home. All the lifes come together to try and figure out a way to deal with the negative energy produced by visitors to the valley. A toll plan is put forth by Elizabeth Jay and Harvey Crow. At first, this seems reasonable, but soon any life that disagrees with the plan is attacked and threatened by Jay and Crow, showing their intentions to be about controlling Life rather than helping it. The lifes of the valley quickly decide the toll plan is not for them, and the rest of the book takes place largely in dialogue over the best possible way to exist.

Most of the book deals with examples of why interdependence works best. The tale that best shows this is about Randolph Raccoon, an ambitious life who almost destroyed his people and caused a war. Randolph’s tale shows how greed and the desire for power can destroy a life’s internal spirit and their community as well.

Kjono shares his core belief of interdependence based on love and compassion with more than 300 pages of philosophical debate that extends from the local lifes of the valley to Arthurian legend told to them by the Ancients to a brief introduction of other-worldly aliens to the valley lifes. What begins as an interesting thought experiment quickly becomes a homily. However, Kjono’s supposition of doing your best to support not only yourself, but others around you, without regard for how you benefit, is a noble one.

Norman E. Kjono has put forth a beautiful philosophy that if one of aspires to do what is best for one’s world, that others will follow suit. And, as Tree said, “If we start out thinking it can’t be done, the we’ve lost before we begin!”

November 12, 2014
2014 Journey Award Finalists–Official List

The results for the Finalists for the 2014 Journey Awards are in!

The Journey Awards recognizes new and emerging talent in the genre of Narrative Non-Fiction. It is a division of the Chanticleer Book Reviews Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

There are nine sub-categories for the Journey Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction.

Congratulations are in order to the following authors whose works have made it out of the slush pile and past the first round of judging. These works will go on to compete for First Place Category Winner for their respective categories within the 2014 Journey Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction. First Place Category Winners receive a competitive prize package including: shelf talkers, digital award badges, stickers, a complimentary book review and more.

Soviet Letters by Michael Schneiderstein

One Thousand Days in the Asylum by Shanny Nadudvary

Coulda, Woulda, Shouda: a Mother’s Lessons, Learnings, and Insights from Her Daughter’s Battle with Cancer by Kenna P. Marriott

Thwarted Escape: A Journey of Migrant Trails and Returns by Lopa Banerjee

Five Thousand Brothers in Law: Love in Angola Prison by Shannon Hager

Caregiving Our Loved Ones by Nanette Davis

Once Upon a Road Trip by Angela N. Blount

The Breast is History: An Intimate History of Breast Cancer by Bronwyn Hope

Private Svoboda: Hope is the Last to Die by Steven Roberts

Horse Vet; Chronicles of a Mobile Veterinarian by Courtney S. Diehl, DVM

Three Day Rule by Jack L.Cooper

Moroccan Musings by Anne B. Barriault

Waking Reality by Donna LeClair

CURBChek Reload by Zach Fortier

Bread and Butter: a Memoir and Recipes From a Writer’s Hearth by Jane Ward

The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son – an Autism Memoir by Annie Lubliner Lehmann

Entry into the 2015 Journey Awards is now open. The deadline is February 28, 2015.

October 23, 2014
Jay Klages, author of the thriller “Measure of Danger”

Thank you for your team’s review of Measure of Danger. I was really impressed by the detail and particularly on how many of the plot dots were connected. I appreciate the review, the additional postings of it everywhere. I look forward to continuing the relationship with CBR. Thank you!

October 16, 2014
Diane Isaacs, executive film producer whose latest project is “The Prodigal”

Chanticleer’s review is compelling. It got my attention and is a game-changer for The Prodigal by Michael Hurley.

October 16, 2014
An Editorial Review of “Soccer Dreams” by Clare Hodgson Meeker

Score! Clare Hodgson Meeker’s simple but sweet story about soccer and what it means to one young boy will touch kids of all ages and levels of experience with the game, and maybe even a few parents. Kids who already love soccer – especially fans of the Seattle Sounders – will be riveted, and those who’d never played could be inspired to start.

The book follows Todo, a young boy who moves with his family from his old home in Kenya to a new one in Seattle. He loves soccer and feels a special connection with the Sounders from the beginning, and in Seattle he is quickly sought out by the coach of a local team. On the team Todo makes friends, helps the others learn teamwork and cooperation, and navigates a rivalry with an antagonistic boy who is also in his class at school.

When Todo strikes up a friendship with a player for the local girls team, Todo’s sister Adila wonders if their parents would allow her to play on a team as well. Throughout the story, Todo’s skill and love of the game helps him find friends and community, and to forge a special connection with his new home. Meeker’s writing makes this simple story heartfelt.

The main story is interspersed with short profiles of different players on the Seattle Sounders, including favorite position and a short quote from each. If you are a Sounders fan, you will find these profiles interesting, but for reader who doesn’t follow the Sounders, the profiles may distract from the central story of Todo and his love of soccer.

For boys and girls enthusiastic about soccer, sports, or the Seattle Sounders, this book is a shoe-in. It effectively communicates the fun and importance sports can have, and deftly touches on issues of sexism and racism that middle-schoolers may have to confront without becoming moralistic or overly dark. Most importantly, young readers will come away from the book with the message that sports can be a way to forge connections across social boundaries and make dreams come true.

Well-written and touching, Soccer Dreams could serve as a starting point for a conversation about some serious real-world issues, or simply a fun way to share a love of soccer. Either way, it’s a winner.

October 15, 2014
An Editorial Review of “The Politician’s Daughter” by Marion Leigh

Petra Minx may look young, but she is a Sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with over ten years in the Marine Unit and Special Investigations. Her qualifications and good looks make her the ideal person to go undercover to find the missing daughter of an influential Canadian politician. Emily Mortlake is young woman known for partying and getting into trouble. Her father can’t bear the thought of her creating more public scandal that he will have to handle.

Marion Leigh’s book, The Politician’s Daughter, takes us from Canada, to Southern England, and then down to the Mediterranean where she applies for a “hostess” position on the mega yacht Titania, the last known place Emily was seen. Once Minx goes undercover as a hostess, she discovers her old friend Carlo, who now works with Interpol, is posing as a bartender on the mega yacht.

We follow Minx’s investigation into a criminal underworld that centers on the mega yacht Titania and her owner, Don León. Minx is initiated into the sordid excesses of Titania’s clientele who are used to getting what they want–no matter what the cost in this action thriller.

During her mission, Minx focuses on Carlo’s drug investigation, the potential to get close to the ruthless Don León, and dealing with the wealthy sexual perverts she encounters only to find out that everyone has a different theory as to when, why, and where Emily left the yacht. Meanwhile, we, the readers, are taken to Monte Carlo, Italy, Spain, Morocco, and other Med destinations of the rich and famous. Leigh’s images and descriptions of the seascape, Spanish cities, and boats, are well-realized and easy to visualize as Minx seeks answers to what has happened to Emily in this action thriller. Is she dead? Has she been kidnapped? Is she still alive somewhere?

The mega yacht Titania and its clients asserts a certain allure to the innocent and the glamour seekers. Leigh’s scenes jump between subtle power struggles, drug wars, and the ever-returning sexual perverts. There is a juxtaposition of glamour and depravity. Be prepared for violence, sex scenes that are not “lovemaking,” and perversions.

What keeps the mystery going throughout the novel is the question of why Emily Mortlake disappeared. The novel is kept interesting because each character sees himself or herself as the good guy. All characters act to protect their own interests, and put those they love or want to possess above their own needs. This reviewer would have liked to have read more about Leigh’s characters and have their personalities showcased.

The Politician’s Daughter’s mix of mystery, puzzles, unexpected twists, and potential villains makes it an entertaining adult read. Even Minx is seduced by Don León’s worldly charms even as her life becomes more endangered and she realizes that time may running out for Emily. Marion Leigh’s use of imagery sets up scenes well making The Politician’s Daughter a vacation read accompanied by a cosmo or a gin and tonic.

October 13, 2014
Summer 2014 Short Stories and Novelettes Writing Competition Finalists
The Finalist results for the 2014 Winter Short Stories and Novelettes are here. We are pleased to announce the following authors whose works have made it to the Finalist round and will go on to compete for first place overall winner.

Congratulations are in order to the following authors:
- My Square Inch of Alaska by Sharon Short
- You’re the One by Alix Nichols
- Philbert Colfax: Life’s Out of Kilter by Stephen J. Flitcraft
- For the Love of Ellen by Carla Shaffer Evans
- The Stone God’s Wife by Sharon Anderson
- Ruth Judges Joshua by Dermot Davis Cleveland
- Worlds Away: Point of No Return by Barry Kirkwood
- A Collection of Sayings from Leptis Magna by Michael Hugos
- A Tale of the Later Roman Empire by Michael Hugos
- Shakedown by J.Gunnar Grey
- Who Killed Bootsy Carter by Roxanne Dent
- Santa Claus is Missing by Saul Greenblatt
These finalists will continue on to compete for first place overall winner for the 2014 Summer Short Stories and Novelettes.
October 10, 2014