“Thank you for the wonderful review! Please pass on my thanks to your editor, who not only read the book carefully, but also took the effort to pass on her recommendations to me. It’s been a pleasure working with you, and I’ll recommend your service to others!”
Author: chanti
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Fiona Rawsontile, author of “Starlight Fortress”
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Dale B. Jackson, author of “Unbroke Horses”
“Chanticleer’s editorial review is excellent and I appreciate the time you have taken to do such a great job with it.”
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Register for the Chanticleer Awards Banquet, Conference, & Book Fair
We are excited to announce Chanticleer’s Awards Banquet, Book Fair, and Mini-Conference!
Register Today! Please visit our CBR Awards & Conference Page.
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 20th & 21st at the Bellwether Hotel, by beautiful Bellingham Bay, Wash.
Meet other members of the Chanticleer Community of Authors and Readers at this fun and informative two-day event featuring:
- CBR Awards Banquet
- Books By the Bay BookFair at the Bellwether
- Mini-conference with workshops/social media sessions/marketing lessons
- Networking Opportunities
- Prizes and Drawings
The Chanticleer Awards Banquet will be held Saturday, September 20, 2014
Chanticleer Awards Banquet Information:
- We will announce the Chanticleer Grand Prize Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions 2013 Award- winning author and title at the Banquet and present the $1,000 award.
- Ten Overall Best of Genre Awards will also be presented at the Chanticleer Awards Banquet with the $250 prize for each of the Best of Genre winning authors and titles. (10 awards of $250 for each Blue Ribbon division of the Chanticleer Writing Competitions).
- The Banquet will start with a Cocktails at 6 in the evening. Dinner will begin at 7:30.
- Tickets and Reservations are Required. Seating is Limited. Guests are welcome to attend.
Books By the Bay Book Fair at the Hotel Bellwether, Sunday, Sept. 21st from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.
- Open to the Public
- Author Readings
- Prizes & Drawings
- Events & Exhibitors
- Cash Bar with Local Beers, Wine, & Cocktails
- Food will be available for purchase
- Jazz starts at 4 p.m.
Mini-conference for the Chanticleer Community: Sat. & Sun. Sept. 20 & 21
CBR mini-conference will take place from 9 a.m until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20th. Lunch and Break snacks included.
Sunday, Sept. 21st from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21st. Coffee Break included.
- Master Workshops
- Keynote Speakers
- Social Media Sessions
- Marketing & Book Promotion Sessions
- Networking Opportunities
For those arriving on Friday, Sept. 19th, we are hosting a Cash Bar Cocktail Hour and other fun events.
Registration is now OPEN!
A HUGE THANK YOU to all of the members of the Chanticleer Community of Authors and Readers!
Your support and participation is greatly appreciated!
Here are some photos of the event and the winners from last year. Our very first CBR Awards Event!
Now that was something to CROW about!
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The Somerset Awards for Literary & Mainstream Fiction: First in Category Winners
The Somerset Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Contemporary, Mainstream, and Literary Fiction.
The Somerset Awards is a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions. This contest division is named after W. Somerset Maugham (1874- 1965), author of “The Moon and Sixpence,” “Of Human Bondage,” “Razor’s Edge,” and other literary masterpieces. Maugham was trained and qualified as a medical doctor. He served in the Red Cross ambulatory corps in WWI, then was recruited in the British Secret Service. During and after the war, he traveled extensively.
We are honored to post the Official List of 1st in Category Winners for the Somerset Awards 2013.
These 1st Place Category Winners have been read cover to cover and have made it through seven rounds of judging. The authors of the winning titles will receive a Chanticleer Editorial Book Review and promotional package.
First Place Category winners will compete for Overall Best of Somerset Awards for Contemporary, Mainstream, and Literary Fiction 2013. Overall Best Book for the Somerset Awards 2013 will win a $250 purse and will compete for the Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Awards Grand Prize for Best Book 2013 and a $1,000 purse (U.S. Dollars). Awards will be announced and presented at the Chanticleer Awards Banquet on September 20th, 2014.
The Overall First Place Category Winner for the Somerset Awards 2013 is:
Jeremy Bullian, Individually Wrapped
The First Place Category Winners Titles & Authors of the Somerset Awards 2013 are:
- Contemporary: Chocolates on the Pillow by Sean Dwyer
- Satire: Brain: The Man Who Wrote the Book that Changed the World by Dermot Davis
- Mainstream: The Prodigal by Michael Hurley
- Speculative Fiction: Individually Wrapped by Jeremy Bullian
- Adventure/Suspense: Tarnished Hero by Jim Gilliam
- Literary: The Opposite of Everything by David Kalish
- Women’s Fiction: Cheating the Hog by Rae Ellen Lee
- New Adult: Saving Faith by Patrick M. Garry
Congratulations to the Somerset Writing Competition 2013 Finalists and 1st in Category Winners!
The staff and judges at Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions want to thank everyone who participated in the Somerset Awards Writing Competition 2013. The selection process was quite competitive.
We are now accepting entries into the Somerset Awards for 2014. Click here for more info.
CBR — Discovering Today’s Best Books with International Writing Competitions!
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An Editorial Review of “Candles in the Window” by Karl G. Larew
Candles in the Window, by Karl G. Larew, follows a group of college students as they make their way through a year of school at the University of Connecticut in the 1950s. The military draft was in full swing, young women were pursuing college degrees in more than negligible numbers, wives still had to have their husbands sign contracts for them, and homosexuality was considered a heinous crime.
Candles in the Window is brilliantly told in a non-traditional manner rather like the storyline of the Mad Men TV series. (Keep in mind that Mad Men script was first aired in 2007 while Candles in the Window was originally published in 1999.) There is no typical plot line of rising action, climax, and quick resolution. Rather, the story takes place over the course of one academic school year at the University of Connecticut (or UCONN as it is called throughout the novel).
This work chronicles what happens to a group of students who attend school there. The focus of the narrative is shifted regularly between eight to ten characters. The author makes the characters come alive with spot-on dialogue and pieces of reality from this era when society’s social norms are about to experience a great upheaval.
There is one character who serves as the axis for the story, and that is the alluring character of “Silky” (aka Susan Schreiber). However, no one really seems to know her or her whole story, in fact, no one even seems to be able to agree on what her first name is. Nevertheless, she’s beloved by everyone despite, or perhaps because of, the mystery surrounding her. Her story comes through in bits and pieces.
When tragedy strikes part way through the school year, the students must learn to cope and several of them find they need to reevaluate what they hold dear along with how they define relationships and love. The conversations between them often wax philosophical, as conversations between college students are wont to do.
Readers should be aware that the novel’s prologue sets the stage and framework for the story. We get the opportunity to see Silky through the different perspectives of the other characters as the story progresses. Be advised by this reviewer to read Candles in the Window’s epilogue for a more satisfying conclusion and for tying up most of the threads. Again, if you are a fan of Mad Men, (which I am) and how its characters grapple with rapidly changing realities and social norms, then Candles in the Window comes highly recommended.
The novel cleverly documents the contradictory and conservative morals of the 1950s. Readers will experience a world where female college students have curfews and male students don’t, unmarried individuals are expected to know nothing about sex, and religious tension is often swept under the rug. This novel intelligently and authentically explores the true nature of humans against the standard of this era’s “traditional family values” that come on the heels of the two great wars.
Candles in the Window by Karl G. Larew is a captivating and intriguing account of young people who find themselves increasingly at odds with the dictates and mores of “The Greatest Generation” as they contend with new advents just on the horizon: civil rights, war protests, equal rights, and the sexual revolution.
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The Official List of the Somerset Awards 2013 Finalists
The Somerset Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Contemporary, Mainstream, and Literary Fiction.
Finalists will compete for 1st place category positions. 1st Place Category winners will compete for The Somerset Awards Grand Prize for Overall Best Book 2013 and a Chanticleer Book Review and SEO package, a $250 purse, and promotional opportunities. The grand prize winners of ten genres will compete for the Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Grand Prize 2013 and a $1,000 purse.
The Somerset Awards is a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions. The contest divisions is named after W. Somerset Maugham, author of The Moon and Sixpence, Of Human Bondage, Razor’s Edge, and other literary masterpieces.These finalists have made it through the first three rounds of competition. The first sixty to ninety pages of each work have been read by CBR judges. They are presently making the next circuit of rounds. From here on out each round is more competitive as the judges determine if works will continue to move forward to best of category.
We are honored to announce the Official Finalists of the Somerset Awards 2013:
- Stormy Weather by Dermot Davis
- Mother Teresa’s Advice for Jilted Lovers by Donna Barker
- Individually Wrapped by Jeremy Bullian
- In Search of Sticks by Randy Kaneen
- Opposite of Everything by David Kalish
- Cheating the Hog by Rae Ellen Lee
- The Devil Wears Scrubs by Freida McFadden
- Morning Star by Roger Schick
- Surviving 26th Street by Carol June Stover
- Sparrows Cannot Catch Me by R. Mursell
- Midlife Fanilow by J. M. Holder
- The Prodigal by Michael Hurley
- Chocolates on the Pillow by Sean Dwyer
- Tarnished Hero by Jim Gilliam
- How to Make a Pot in 14 Easy Lessons by Nicola Pearson
- The Botanist’s Daughter by Angela Belcaster
- Family Bonds by Kate Vale
- Color of Lies by Abbe Rolnick
- The Orbiter by Jana Krause
- The Fosters, a Novel by C. Alease
- Never Turn Your Back on a Wolf by Jennifer Mueller
- Take the Pilgrim Road by Frank T. Klus
- Saving Faith by Patrick M. Garry
- The Apprentice by Jana Barkley
- Brain, the Man Who Wrote the Book that Changed the World by Dermot Davis
- Sacred Mountain by Ken Farmer & Buck Stienke
- Freak Story by Jim Musgrave
From the this list, only six First in Category award winners will be chosen.
Congratulations to the Finalists and Good Luck in the next rounds of the Somerset 2013 Competition.
- 1st Place Category winners will be announced in approximately two months.
- We are now accepting entries into the 2014 Somerset Awards.
https://www.chantireviews.com/services/#!/~/product/category=5193080&id=21521214
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Paranormal Awards 2013 Finalists – Official List
The Paranormal Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Gothic and Paranormal Fiction as defined as stories that are set in a normal world where there are supernatural or speculative characters or elements that are beyond the range of scientific explanation that interact in what is otherwise considered a normal construct. Gothic fiction (also known as literary horror i.e., Frankenstein, Dracula, and Poe’s works (not graphic horror) is also another sub-genre of Paranormal Fiction.
Finalists will compete for 1st Place Category positions. First Place Category winners will compete for The Paranormal Awards Overall Best Book 2013.
The Paranormal Awards 2013 is a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Awards Writing Competitions.
These Finalists have made it through the first 3 rounds of competition. The first sixty to ninety pages of these works have been read; they are presently competing in the next series of rounds. From here on out, each round is increasingly more competitive as the judges determine if the works will move forward to best of category.
We are honored to announce the Finalists of the Paranormal Awards 2013. CBR Official List of Titles & Authors Finalists for the Paranormal Awards 2013 are:
- The Immortal American by L.B. Joramo
- Third Eye Witness by Kathi Bjorkman
- Death Sword by Pamela Turner
- Montana Mustangs by Danica Winters
- The Dream Jumper’s Promise by Kim Hornsby
- Dark Dancer by Maureen Fisher-Fleming
- Spirit Legacy by E.E. Holmes
- The Witch’s Malice by David Hutchison
- Bayview by Penny Page
- The Third Option by Ben A. Sharpton
- Second Sight by Ben A. Sharpton
- The Watcher by Lisa Voisin
- The Djinn Master’s Legacy by Emily Ford
- Poe, Nevermore by Rachel Martens
- Azriel, The Angel Chronicles by Mark D. Chevalier
- Three Squared by Koko Nervelli
Now this is something to CROW about!
Congratulations to the all those whose works made it to the Paranormal Awards 2013 Shortlist!
- Good luck to all in the next competitive rounds for 1st Place Categories!
- 1st Place Category winners will be announced in approximately two months.
We are now accepting entries into the Paranormal Awards for 2014. Click here for more info.
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An Editorial Review of “Unbroke Horses” by D. B. Jackson
I read the early pages of D.B. Jackson’s Unbroke Horses with a heavy heart. If anything could be considered even partial mitigation for the senseless evil, cruelty, and disregard for life displayed by Jackson’s first-carved characters—Civil War deserters Brevet General Ike Smith and his dull-witted brother, Private Raymond Smith—one might seek an explanation in the gruesome experience of the war itself. Yet General Ike shows no inclination to change his postwar life. He seems to have no different thought for their future than living off the blood of others. After killing two farmers for fresh horses and an elderly man for his purse, the two take on a partner, a silent mulatto named Sandoval—thenceforth, Private Sandoval Smith.
The murderous violence reaches its apex when the monstrous Smiths kidnap the slightly built, fair-haired Matthew Stanford, whose preacher father they had senselessly murdered on the trail. Though only fourteen years old, Matthew grows up all too quickly in their cruel hands.
On one hand, this is a coming of age story of a boy, Matthew, who must survive by his wits when he is kidnapped by the three vicious men. It is also an epic account of the heroic battle waged by one of the trio’s badly injured victims, J.D. Elder, who must fight a deadly wrenching conflict as he tries to rescue the boy from the sadistic threesome. It is a powerful, un-blinking telling of the hard-fought war between the bravery of J.D. Elder who refuses to give up against the cunning cruelty of the malevolent trio.
Caught up by his own part in the violence, Matthew is convinced that he has become as evil as his captors. Matthew’s destructive attitude becomes his worst enemy. The question becomes, will he find a way back from the darkness that has taken over him or will he be forever doomed to the cold, ugly life of violence and killing?
While Jackson’s excellent prose and poetic sketches help balance the harshness of the first part of his story, in the second part these are played to advantage in portraying the majestic beauty of Montana’s mountains, the peace of a flowered meadow, the fury of the white-water streams, the camaraderie of cowboy life on a cattle ranch, the dangerous power of “unbroke horses,” and the spiritual wisdom that an old Indian draws upon.
D. B. Jackson’s Unbroke Horses has carefully chiseled characters and is written with unflinching clarity in short, powerful chapters dominated by taut dialogue and hard hitting action. If you’re a Cormac McCarthy fan who appreciates western literary thrillers, this masterfully written novel is a must-read.
Unbroke Horses by D. B. Jackson was awarded the 1st Place for Western Literary Category in the Laramie Awards 2013 for Western fiction, Pioneer, and Civil War fiction, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.
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PubSmart 2014, Here We Come!
Come celebrate the new golden age of publishing and learn how to PubSmart!
In April, the first ever PubSmart publishing conference will be held in beautiful Charleston, S.C.
“I can’t wait for PubSmart and the unparalleled opportunity to catch up on recent developments in this
ever-changing industry of ours. Conferences like PubSmart remind us of the need to continue sharing and learning from one another… we will have a chance to take stock together, to learn from one another, to see what tomorrow might hold. I don’t know what we’ll find there, but I promise the journey will be rewarding.” PubSmart Keynote Speaker, Hugh HoweyClick here for more information about PubSmart 2014 April 16, 17, & 18, 2014 in beautiful Charleston, S.C.
You will find Chanticleer Book Reviews participating in PubSmart’s collective brainstorming sessions, conversations, and education of the new publishing models and opportunities in today’s market place.
- “Cultivating Influencers, Reviewers, and Book Clubs” panel on Thursday, April 17th.
- “Dish and Dialog Brunch” on Friday, April 18th.
- Look for our booth in the PubSmart Digital Discovery Zone
- Stop by to find out the time and place for Chanticleer’s Happy Hour Rendezvous.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND PUBSMART 2014?
- Traditionally published authors who want to improve sales and discover new markets and avenues for their work
- Self-published authors who want to reach more readers
- Aspiring authors seeking guidance from industry professionals
- Independent publishers who want to better serve their authors and improve their performance
Here are just a few of PubSmart’s Keynote Speakers and Presenters:
Hugh Howey, author; Jane Friedman, Publishing Industry Specialist; Laura Dawson, Bowker; Mitchell Davis, BiblioBoard; Brenda Copeland, St. Martin’s Press; C. Hope Clark, author; Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent; Eric Liebetrau, Kirkus Reviews; Kathy Meis, Bublish; Will Murphy, Penguin Random House; Kristine Monroe, Kobo Writing Life; Amy Quale, Wise Ink Creative Publishing; Maya Ziv, Harper Collins
Now this is something to CROW about! See you there! Kiffer Brown
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Jumpstart Your Novel – Masters Workshop
Chanticleer Master Workshops assist serious writers who are continuously striving to perfect their craft and reach their publishing goals.
How do bestselling authors write so many books each year?Their Secret: Many top authors gather in groups to brainstorm the framework of their next novels.
Here’s your chance to do just that!
→ Jumpstart Your Novel – a Master Workshop
With the guidance of our staff, you will flesh out your story idea with:
- characters & character traits
- precise story goals and conflicts
- summaries of your major plot points and story arcs
- knowledge of how to use and create backstory without info dumping
- a master document/template to jumpstart your next novel
A detailed schedule and worksheets will be emailed to all attendees before the workshop. You’ll leave this intense brainstorming workshop with handouts and checklists, new friends and colleagues, and crucial information for finishing the first working draft of your novel.
Dates: Friday, May 16 – Sunday, May 18, 2014 ( Three Full Days)
Location: Charming La Conner, Wash., conveniently located between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.
Workshop Cost: $275 (3 jam-packed days of instruction, all handouts, worksheets, advice, and refreshments)
This workshop is limited to 10 participants.
Register NowAll participants must begin with a story concept that they want to work on. When you register for this workshop, you will need to type or paste your story idea/concept (maximum of 100 words) in the text box on the Workshop Services check-out page.
Examples of succinct story concepts:
- A young journalism student is determined to reveal the truth about a series of murders in the past, despite evidence that the killer may be a member of her own family.
- A big-city detective stuck in a gossipy small town struggles to solve the mystery of a baby’s disappearance, despite the fact that a signing gorilla appears to be the only witness to the crime.
- A biologist fights the rugged wilderness terrain, the worsening weather, and mounting media pressure to find a missing child and save the lives of her beloved cougars.
Workshop Staff
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Pamela Beason Pamela Beason
Learn from the author of the Summer Westin Mysteries (Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime), the Neema Mysteries (WildWing Press), Shaken and Call of the Jaguar (romantic suspense – WildWing Press), and various nonfiction books. She is also is a private investigator and a screenplay collaborator.
Pam has worked as a ghost writer and “book doctor” (manuscript editor) for private clients and major publishers. She frequently shares her experiences in traditional and indie publishing with writers groups around the Pacific Northwest, and has taught writing and editing courses and workshops for a variety of organizations. Her author website is http://pamelabeason.com.
Winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award for Mysteries & Chanticleer Book Reviews Grand Prize.
Kiffer BrownMedia scout for literary agents, publishing houses, movie producers, and industry professionals, along with folks seeking a good read, Kiffer is known for her instinct for picking winners. Reader Extraordinaire, she reads thousands of works a year searching for today’s sparkling gems that will become tomorrow’s best sellers.
Kiffer is also the founder of Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media. CBRM Discovers Today’s Best Books with Editorial Reviews and Writing Competitions.
You will leave with a framework for your novel idea – ready to begin work with a clear plan along with specific objectives and goals to move your writing career forward!
The Jumpstart Your Novel Brainstorming Master Workshop will take place at La Conner–a favorite Washington State get-away location with antique shops, fine dining & casual pubs, wine tasting rooms, and boutiques & specialty shops.
We have selected the La Conner Channel Lodge as our Brainstorming Headquarters. The Channel Lodge boasts Northwest styling, water views, and an ideal location for exploring the charming town of La Conner located on the Swinomish Water Channel. It is just steps away from the La Conner Marina and is home to diverse mix of artists, writers, craftsmen, fishermen, and farmers.
La Conner Channel Lodge is offering special rates to all workshop attendees:
- Queen Room with View: $169 per night/double occupancy.
- King Parlor Suite with View: $229 per night (sofa sleeper included)
These rates are valid until Sunday, April 13, 2014.
- Attendees are responsible for making reservations and paying for accommodations.
- Call for reservations: 360-466-4113. Ask for the Chanticleer Writers Workshops discount rate.
La Conner Channel Lodge accommodations include:
- WiFi
- Continental breakfast
- In-room gas fireplace and sitting area
- Writing table and chairs
- Parking is included with rate
- In-room gourmet coffee and tea
- Mini-refrigerator
- Luxurious linens & comforter
- Flat Screen TV and DVD player
Your workshop staff will organize no-host dinners, outings, and mixers for those who would like to participate.
If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at: info@ChantiReviews.com. Please type Brainstorming Workshop in the subject line of your email.
REFUND POLICY:
- We apologize, but we are not able to refund workshop fees after noon Monday, April 14, 2014.
- Workshop refunds prior to April 13, 2014 are subject to a 30% administration fee.
- Hotel refund policy is through the hotel where lodging reservations were made.
All workshop refund requests must be submitted in email to: Admin@ChantiReviews.com.
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