Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

The 2023 Chaucer First Place Roundup for Early Historical Fiction!

The Chaucer Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Early Historical Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, James Hutson-Wiley’s book, The Merchant from Sepharad will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Chaucer 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!

In this years Chaucer posts, we are also highlighting some of the female authors of the past, often overlooked by History.

Marie de France was a 12th Century poet, considered to be the earliest known female poet writing in French. Her work is still read and was also an influence on the genre of Chivalric Romance. One of her works is a series of 102 fables, some translated from Aesop, the ones in the series she wrote have a focus on Female characters. Fable 51 is considered an early version of the Raynard the Fox tale, which was an inspiration for Chaucer while writing the Canterbury Tales, specifically the Nun’s Priest’s Tale, the tale also starring a certain rooster named Chanticleer.

The 2023 Chaucer Winners were announced at the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2023 First Place Chaucer Winners!

Gina Buonaguro – The Virgins on Venice

Venice in 1509 is on the brink of war. The displeasure of Pope Julius II is a continuing threat to the republic, as is the barely contained fighting in the countryside. Amid this turmoil, noblewoman Justina Soranzo, just sixteen, hopes to make a rare love marriage with her sweetheart, Luca Cicogna. Her hopes are dashed when her father decides her younger sister, Rosa, will marry in a strategic alliance and Justina will be sent to the San Zaccaria convent, in the tradition of aristocratic daughters. Lord Soranzo is not acting only to protect his family. It’s well known that he is in debt to both his trading partners and the most infamous courtesan in the city, La Diamante, and the pressure is closing in.

After arriving at the convent, Justina takes solace in her aunt Livia, one of the nuns, and in the growing knowledge that all is not strictly devout at San Zaccaria. Justina is shocked to discover how the women of the convent find their own freedom in what seems to her like a prison. But secrets and scandals breach the convent walls, and Justina learns there may be even worse fates for her than the veil, if La Diamante makes good on her threats.

Desperate to protect herself and the ones she loves, Justina turns to Luca for help. She finds she must trust her own heart to make the impossible decisions that may save or ruin them all.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Griffin Brady – The Hussar’s Duty

A duty he believes in. A general he idolizes. But when doubts surface, will he stay true to honor or the chance to return to the woman he loves?

Poland, 1620. Jacek Dąbrowski scents war in the air. Away from the battlefield for five years, the renowned fighter yields to a growing itch and answers the general’s request to help lead the army against the Ottomans. But he’s torn between duty and family when the perils of combat force him to leave his defenseless wife behind.

Attending war councils and taking command of problematic noblemen, Jacek starts to doubt the mission and the sacrifice of being far from his loved ones. But his loyalty to his commander could put him on an irreversible path to disaster…

Will Jacek’s call to arms prove to be his death song?

Find it on Amazon

Robert S. Phillips – Elodia’s Knife

Set in the late 4th century CE, Elodia’s Knife tells the gripping tale of a young Gothic girl who kills her abusive husband and flees his family’s retribution by rafting across the Danube River into Roman territory. Against the backdrop of a crumbling empire and the looming threat of Gothic invasion, Elodia must use her wits and her strength to rise to power in a world that seeks to crush her. With unforgettable characters, pulse-pounding action, and a vivid sense of historical detail, this is a must-read for anyone who loves adventure, romance, and history.

From Chanticleer:

Elodia is a young woman driven by dreadful circumstances to act with deadly force in the Robert S. Phillips novel Elodia’s Knife.

What Elodia hoped would be her leap away from danger instead left her surrounded by perilous threats that now threaten to consume her. Armed with her courage, determination, instincts, and a trusty knife, Elodia faces a hostile world in foreign territory.

Not all are against her though. Allies– even a friend– can be found, if Elodia can summon the bravery to listen to her feelings and own deep wishes.

Young Elodia is unhappily married to an abusive husband. But when he tries to attack her again, she strikes back and kills him.

Read More Here

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Rozsa Gaston – Margaret of Austria

Margaret of Austria was the most significant political negotiator of early 16th-century Europe. About as Austrian as French fries are French, she was born in Brussels in 1480, raised in France, married and widowed in Spain, then married and widowed again in Savoy by age twenty-four.

In 1506 Margaret’s life turned upside down when her brother Philip of Burgundy unexpectedly died in Spain. With their mother Juana of Castile insane, four children, heirs to the Habsburg empire, were left behind in the Burgundian-Habsburg Netherlands.

Margaret stepped in and took the reins.

Appointed by her father, Maximilian I, Margaret became governor of the Netherlands, then widened her role to broker the 1508 Treaty of Cambrai where Europe’s princes united against Venice.

Ferdinand of Spain, Henry Tudor then Henry VIII of England, Louis XII of France, and Louise of Savoy for Francis I all came to Margaret’s negotiation table. Under her deft diplomacy princes saw reason and wars were averted.

Enjoying political power, Margaret avoided remarriage. Then Henry VIII’s right-hand man Charles Brandon turned her world upside down.

Margaret’s court attracted Europe’s brightest, including the young Anne Boleyn. Yet halfway through her rule Margaret was ousted by enemies. She won back her position with a comeback strategy as astute today as it was in 1517.

Journey to the Renaissance with Margaret of Austria, who shot the fortunes of the House of Habsburg to the stars while setting a winning precedent for female rule in the Netherlands.

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Rebecca Kightlinger – The Lady of the Cliffs: The Bury Down Chronicles, Book 2

Now nearly seventeen, Megge and Brighida must endure another brutal loss.

As they perform the rites of transition that precede a burial, Megge accepts a daunting new charge that carries consequences not even her cousin the seer can predict. It brings visions. Dreams. And voices that come to her as she goes about her work.

A silken voice beckons her back to the cliffs of Kernow, which she has seen only in dreams.

A commanding voice orders her back.

And the menacing voice she’s heard since she was a girl is now ever at her ear, bringing a haunting new meaning to her grandmother’s words, “You’re never alone.”

But only when the tales of an old woman, a stranger to Bury Down, echo those voices and conjure those cliffs does Megge embark on a journey that leads to a secluded cove they call The Sorrows and a destiny none of the women of Bury Down could have foreseen.

From Chanticleer:

In The Lady of the Cliffs, an ambitious sequel in the Bury Down Chronicles by Rebecca Kightlinger, a teenager embarks on a journey that will bring her face to face with unexpected destiny.

The year is 1286 CE in Cornwall, England. At the turn of her seventeenth year, Megge and her cousin Brighida find themselves dealing with a new loss, one that breaks both their hearts. As heirs to the Book of Seasons and Book of Times respectively, they have to protect the books from sinister hands as they hold knowledge and wisdom that must one day be united. The power of these two books calls for a duty that is far greater than any woman of Bury Down has ever borne.

As they take part in a final right of passage that the women of Bury Down perform for their dead, Megge, an apprentice weaver, takes on new challenges that Brighida, an apprentice seer, cannot foretell. Megge begins having dreams and visions. In one of her dreams, she sees a rolling sea drive itself into a cove at the foot of a cliff, and a silken voice asking her to return to the cliffs of Kernow, a place that she has only seen in her slumber.

Read More Here

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C.V. Lee – Token of Betrayal

1461, Isle of Jersey. Disillusioned by war, Sir Philippe de Carteret returns home to hang up his sword and embrace his duties as seigneur of the island’s most powerful manor. Desiring to raise his son in peace and safety, he is dismayed when news arrives that the impregnable fortress of Mont Orgueil Castle has been breached.

He seeks assistance from England to expel the invaders. But amid the chaos of the Wars of the Roses, his pleas go unheeded. To safeguard his son and preserve the family legacy, de Carteret pledges fealty to the new lord. Hopeful that the French will rule benevolently, his illusions are quickly shattered when their tactics turn brutal.

With spies everywhere and unsure of whom to trust, can de Carteret build a rebel force and lead them on a quest to liberate the homeland he loves?

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2023 Chaucer First Place Winners!

You can see our Hall of Fame on the Chaucer Grand Prize Winners, including James Hutson-Wiley’s incredible book The Merchant From Sepharad here.

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards!

Got a great Fiction Book? The 2024 Chaucer Book Awards are open through the end of September!

Note: Submissions don’t officially close until the date changes on the website!

Submit to the Chaucer Awards Today!

October 4, 2024
IF SOMEDAY COMES: A Slave’s Story of Freedom by David Calloway – Historical Fiction, African American History, Slavery & the Civil War

David Calloway’s moving historical fiction, If Someday Comes: A Slave’s Story of Freedom, tells the true story of his great-grandfather George Calloway, born into slavery on January 8, 1829. in Cleveland, Tennessee.

It is a tale of determination, perseverance, and achievement before and during the Civil War. If Someday Comes covers George’s final years in slavery; detailed accounts of the Civil War and its impacts on George and his family, both Black and White.

It is a family saga of survival and endurance.

The story begins in Cleveland, Tennessee, March 6^th, 1857. We meet George and his family, his wife Elizabeth, their infant daughter Baby Caroline, and the stratified world of slavery in which they live. Thomas Howard Calloway (Marsa Thom), is their White owner who owns the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, the South’s only copper mines, and the local bank. He is one of Cleveland’s prominent town leaders.

Lincoln wins the 1860 election and the White community reacts fearfully. Fort Sumter is attacked, the War begins. The families of East Tennessee are mainly pro union, including Thomas Calloway. Cleveland is ‘occupied’ by the Confederate Army. The Union men flee to join the US Army or hide out in the nearby hills.

George and his family begin to help ‘runaway’ slaves escape north, eventually helping White men to escape to the Union Army. The Confederates take all the guns and food from the Union families.

Times get desperate: Marsa Thom is stripped of all his properties and must go into hiding among the caves in the mountains. George risks his life making repeated trips to the caves to take food and clean clothes to Marsa Thom for the duration of the war. Without the protection of Marsa Thom, George’s family is in constant danger of cruel punishments, violence, and exploitation.

Union and Reb troops fight over the tiny town and vital rail line, with control passing back and forth between the two sides. Treachery and desperation add to the suffering of both the White Calloways and the Black Calloways.

George becomes the undeclared head of both the White and Black families. With grit and determination, he provides for all, protecting them throughout the war.

“I found that to understand America, you must first understand the Civil War. George was then, and remains, a hero of our family.” – David Calloway

This account honestly and vividly depicts an era in history that should never be forgotten.

Those that love the history of the Civil War will be fascinated by this retelling.

David Calloway expresses his hope for the day when America will rise beyond the racist heritage that the founding fathers left behind. This award-winning historical masterpiece, If Someday Comes, combines the author’s relatives’ direct experiences and extensive, meticulous historical research to deliver a story that readers will appreciate through to the very end.

If Someday Comes: A Slave’s Story of Freedom by David Calloway won Grand Prize in the 2023 CIBA Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction.

October 4, 2024
The 2023 Clue Awards First Place Roundup for Suspense/Thrillers

The Clue Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Thriller and Suspense Mysteries. The Grand Prize Winner, Kevin G Chapman’s book, The Other Murder will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Clue 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!

The 2023 Clue Winners were announced at the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2023 First Place Clue Winners!

Daniel V. Meier Jr. – Guidance To Death

In this gripping opening to a detective series, we dive into a world where the line between accident and foul play blurs. The story begins with the mysterious crash of an Amertec Electronics company jet, just after it takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on a dreary, rain-soaked day with low visibility. While the National Transportation Safety Board deems it an accident, the victim’s wife insists it was murder.

Enter the protagonist, a seasoned former NTSB investigator turned independent aviation accident sleuth. He takes on the case, only to find himself caught in a web of intrigue that points to deliberate sabotage. As he digs deeper, an additional murder ties back to Amertec, thickening the plot and confirming his suspicions of foul play.

The investigation soon reveals a complex puzzle with international implications. Working mostly solo, our detective finds himself in need of assistance and turns to an old flame and a retired Washington D.C. police officer. Their journey into the underbelly of air traffic and corporate espionage is fraught with danger, challenging their wits and courage.

The narrative weaves a tale of high-stakes and suspense, taking readers on a behind-the-scenes exploration of the aviation world. The story not only captivates with its thrilling plot but also educates, offering insights into the intricacies of air travel and investigation

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Frederick Douglass Reynolds – Saint Bloodbath

Detectives McGuire and Cortes take on a gruesome homicide case in Long Beach, California, and navigate the complex role of being the murder police in an area marked by homelessness, drug abuse, and gang violence. With little but their combined decades of detective experience to go off of, they investigate personal and gang-related motives in an attempt to identify and arrest their suspect. When a severed hand is found in the desert nearly 100 miles away, their years-long investigation crosses jurisdictions, and they must connect the dots before the bloodbath continues. Saint Bloodbath explores the true story of multiple heinous crimes, but perhaps more importantly, highlights the lives and experiences of the victims, their peers, and the investigators who sought to bring a murderer to justice.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Jode Millman – The Empty Kayak

For Detective Ebony Jones, crime is always personal. But this time, it strikes too close to home.

A pop-up thunderstorm marched its way across the Hudson River, ambushing a young couple’s kayaking trip. The woman miraculously made it back to shore, but her fiancé remains missing. Ebony and her partner are the first responders who rush to the river to assist in rescuing the capsized boater.

The victim’s identity shocks Ebony to the core. Kyle Emory, the ex-boyfriend of her estranged best friend, attorney Jessie Martin, is the man who never made it out of the water. The accident ignites a firestorm between the two friends, pitting them against each other in a race to discover whether Kyle survived or whether he met his untimely demise. Under pressure from the chief and the DA, Ebony needs to solve the mystery, while Jessie seeks justice for the sake of the daughter she shares with Kyle.The investigation leads them through the dark worlds of social media, online sports betting, and extreme sports. Along the way, they uncover lies and betrayals and gather a list of dangerous suspects who are all linked to the accident survivor, Kyle’s mysterious fiancée. Even more, the discovery that Kyle possessed his own life-shattering secrets has trapped Ebony between her career and her lifelong friendship with Jessie. Yet neither Ebony nor Jessie will stop until they discover the truth about the drowning, even if it destroys their friendship and their lives.

But the evidence is as murky as the secretive Hudson River. Only the river knows whether Kyle’s tragic death was an accident, a suicide, or something more sinister.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Michelle Cox – A Haunting at Linley

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…

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Margaret Mizushima – Standing Dead

Deputy Mattie Cobb and her sister, Julia, travel to Mexico to visit their mother, but when they arrive, they discover that she and her husband have vanished without a trace. Back in Timber Creek, Mattie finds a chilling note on her front door telling her to look for “him” among the standing dead up in the high country.

The sheriff’s department springs into action and sends a team to the mountains, where Mattie’s K-9 partner, Robo, makes a grisly discovery—a body tied to a dead pine tree. Mattie is shocked when she realizes she knows the dead man. And then another note arrives, warning that Mattie’s mother is in desperate straits. In a last-ditch gambit, Mattie must go deep undercover into a killer’s lair to save her mother—or die trying.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Raymond Paul Johnson – Conspiracy Ignited

“Drop the case!” Bashed over the head and tossed overboard into the cold, dark water of a Los Angeles marina, combat veteran turned litigator Eric Ridge struggles to stay alive—and discover who is trying to kill him. And why. No matter the answer, one thing is certain: Eric Ridge does not abandon his clients and will not drop the case. The question is, what case was his assailant yelling about? Working with his legal team—including his best friend and his computer-whiz wife—Ridge is ultimately drawn into the sinister world of the Raven Society, a secretive cabal that controls the courts by coercing or killing judges. And anyone else who gets in their way. In a race against the clock, will Ridge and his team survive to use the evidence they’ve developed? Or will they suffer the same fate as others who have dared to confront The Raven Society?

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2023 Clue First Place Winners!

You can see our Hall of Fame for the Clue Grand Prize Winners, including Kevin Chapman’s incredible book The Other Murder here.

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards!

Got a great Fiction Book? The 2024 Clue Book Awards are open through the end of September!

Note: Late submissions are accepted until the dates change on the website!

Submit to the Clue Awards Today!

October 3, 2024
The 2024 Chatelaine Book Awards Long List for Women’s Fiction and Romance
The Chatelaine Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Romantic Fiction. The Chatelaine Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best new books featuring romantic themes and adventures of the heart, historical love affairs, perhaps a little steamy romance, and stories that appeal especially to fans of affairs of the heart to compete in the Chatelaine Book Awards (the CIBAs). We will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the first look rounds from all 2024 CHATELAINE Romantic Fiction entries to the 2024 Chatelaine Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2024 Chatelaine Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. FINALISTS will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC25.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 5th, 2025 in beautiful Bellingham, WA at the Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2024 Chatelaine Book Awards novel competition for Romantic Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Reenita M. Hora – Vermilion Harvest – Playtime at the Bagh
- Leslie Wibberley – The Unraveling of Emma Hill
- Olivia North – Sharp Edges
- MaryAnn Clarke – Secrets at the Aviary Inn
- Jenn Bouchard – Considering Us
- John W. Feist – Edged in Purple
- Kim Gottlieb-Walker – Lenswoman in Love
- Gail Noble-Sanderson – A Cup of Revenge
- Davalynn Spencer – Covering Grace
- Leigh Grant – Artimon (Book II The Montenegrin)
- Margaret Porter – A Change of Location
- Catori Sarmiento – When We Were Flowers
- Susan Rogers and John Roosen – Tree Pose
- Bethany Rosa – Pursuit of Innocence
- J. Drew – On the Surface of the Sun
- Nancy Herkness – Royal Caleva: Luis
- CK Van Dam – Medicine Creek Claim: On the Dakota Frontier
- Phillip Vega – Fury in her Eyes
- Jo Morgan Sloan – The Key
- Laurel Osterkamp – The Side Project
- Omayra Velez – The General’s Gift
- Susan Bagby – Home for Love
- John David Graham – Running As Fast As I Can
- David A. Stone – Spruce Harbor Possibilities
- George T. Arnold – The Heart Beneath the Badge
- Sonja N. Griffing – Chasing Noelle
- Linda Broday – Winning Maura’s Heart
- Melissa Collings – The False Flat
- Eve M. Riley – The Secret
- Deborah Swenson – Till My Last Day, Book Two in the Desert Hills Trilogy
- Karen Janowsky – Her Name Was Lola
- S.G. Blaise – Meddling Mages
- Karen Janowsky – Dear Prudence
- CK Van Dam – Lone Tree Claim: On the Dakota Frontier
- Amanda Sue Creasey – An Expected End
- Jerry Madden – Steel Valley: Coming of Age in the Ohio Valley in the 1960s: A Love Story
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

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We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

Congratulations once more to the 2023 Chatelaine Grand Prize Winner

A Sea of Glass

By Gail Avery Halverson

Click here to see the full list of 2023 Chatelaine Book Award Winners for Romantic Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2025 Chatelaine Book Awards for Romantic Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2024 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 3 – 6, 2025! Save the Date for Registration!

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our annual conference as we enter our second decade and discover why!
October 2, 2024
MAYDAY: Land, Sea, and Air Series Book 2 by Sue C. Dugan – Middle Grade, Adventure, Time Travel

In Sue C. Dugan’s middle grade adventure, Mayday: Land, Sea, and Air Series Book 2, thirteen-year-old Jessie and her father, Adam, take an unexpected detour when their plane crashes on a secluded island.

On their final vacation before Adam begins chemotherapy for thyroid cancer, Jessie and her father take off in their Cessna aircraft over the boundless, azure Atlantic Ocean. Jessie’s anxiety about her father’s health is on high-alert during the trip, especially when she remembers her mother’s cancerous death.

Twenty minutes into their flight, the sky grows gloomy, and the wind picks up speed from all sides.

The storm rocks their plane, and her father hits his head, giving him a concussion and vision problems. With her father incapacitated, Jessie quickly realizes she needs to find a makeshift landing strip and get the plane safely to the ground.

The closest area she can find without working equipment is a jungle with a thick layer of dampness and an earthy smell from disturbed soil. There are no boats, umbrellas, or people around, save for one old plane. Jessie and Adam hike a short distance to a village and, curious, explore it. More than twenty people, dressed in primitive and colorful clothing, suddenly surround them.

As they look for help with gasoline, they realize they might have to spend some time on the island while they deal with mysteries that unexpectedly threaten to upend their journey back home.

Jessie meets a memorable cast of characters on her adventure, and encounters the possibility of traveling through time.

She learns that the old plane they found in the jungle—which might be the subject of years of investigation by time-travel experts—belonged to the mother of a woman named Bird. This time-travel concept is further brilliantly explored via the lens of a man whose disappearance from the real world spans six decades, despite his calculations suggesting otherwise.

The most enjoyable aspect of Mayday is experiencing the adventure from a young girl’s perspective as she becomes lost in an unfamiliar, possibly hostile place with a sick father. This story’s rough and wild plotlines will introduce children to some risk, chaos, and challenges that inspire critical thought, reasoning, and sleuthing.

Mayday: Land, Sea, and Air Series Book 2 is a pioneer in the middle grade mystery and fantasy genre.

Mayday increases in tension from start to finish, using an enthralling narrative to tug at the reader’s emotions. Get a copy and let the lovely words of Sue C. Dugan mesmerize you!

October 2, 2024
The Dante Rossetti 2023 First Place Round Up for YA Fiction!

The Dante Rossetti Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Young Adult Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Maryanne Melloan Wood’s book, Sour Flower will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Dante Rossetti 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!

The 2023 Dante Rossetti Winners were announced at the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2023 First Place Dante Rossetti Winners!

Kerry Chaput – Chasing Eleanor

Newly orphaned Magnolia Parker must protect her sick little brothers, but when the authorities send the boys to an unknown orphan asylum, Magnolia calls on her unwavering grit to bring them home. She’s lost everything but still has a secret weapon-a promise from Eleanor Roosevelt, the most famous woman in America. Setting out on a cross country quest, she befriends two unlikely travelers: Hop, a migrant worker with a big heart, and Red, a young girl traumatized into silence. Hunger and dust storms aren’t the only dangers this found family faces on the rails. After an assault, they’re forced to outrun the police, all while trying to track down the First Lady. But time is running out and Magnolia’s chance to reunite her siblings depends on one thing-finding Eleanor.

Award-winning historical author Kerry Chaput is back with a touching story of loss and survival set in America’s Great Depression. With vivid details and unforgettable characters, Chasing Eleanor takes readers on an adventure of the heart, where a young woman finds hope in the most unlikely places. A touching tribute to the great Eleanor Roosevelt, this adventure-filled story will entertain and inspire all ages.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Lynn Yvonne Moon – Fish Scales

How do we face life when everything we knew to be the truth was in fact a lie? If there was a God, why did he allow her to die? Jarrod must travel to Hawaii to bury his love in an exotic world only to return to solve the mystery behind her sudden death.

Fighting off the grief, denial, and anger, Jarrod must bargain with God to help him fight off his depression while accepting Dru’s death. If he loved her enough when she was alive, could he love her enough to let her go?

Walk with Jarrod and Dru as they explore the wonders and excitement of young love. Experience the newness and freshness that we’ve all but forgotten.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Sophia Krich-Brinton – A Song Like The Wind

Manuscript

J.A. Nielsen – The Claiming

Spense is the unfortunate younger son of Lord Ferrous, with a growing talent for the magical arts and a larger talent for finding trouble, most often in the form of botched spells. Dewy is a Fae princess who tends to disappoint her aunt, the Summer Queen, through her-ahem-carefree life choices. A chance encounter-and another botched spell-leaves Spense bonded to Dewy and able to control her will. But it’s a violation of magic. Not to mention devastating to Human-Fae relations. To free Dewy and save Spense’s kingdom, they must journey through faerie territories-facing feral magic, treacherous wilderness, and their own distractible hearts. Unless that’s just the effect of The Claiming…

From Chanticleer:

The illegitimate son of a human king accidentally binds himself to a Fae princess in J.A. Nielsen’s YA adventure, The Claiming. As war bears down on the kingdom of Telridge, can the two of them break the spell in time?

Lord Ferrous, ruler of Telridge, smells conflict coming for his people. Even so, he denies a mysterious request from the king of the Winter Fae, and sets his sons to prepare their land for war. His eldest, Prince Dirk, gathers his knights and begins to evacuate the common people to the protection of Telridge castle. His younger son Spense, born out of wedlock to the castle’s head cook, uses his finicky magic to Claim a bridge over a powerful river. If he succeeds, the passing will be barred to their enemies. But he fails to realize that the powerful living force he encounters isn’t the bridge at all.

Dewy, crown princess of the Summer Fae, is Claimed instead of the bridge. Her aunt, Lady Radiant, must exile her from their lands. While Dewy’s careless spirit chafed under Radiant’s authority, she grieves for her lost home.

Read More Here

Find it on Amazon

Trish MacEnulty – Cinnamon Girl

When her step-grandmother, a retired opera singer, dies of cancer in 1970, 15-year-old Eli Burnes runs away with a draft-dodger, thinking she’s on the road to adventure and romance. Instead she’s embroiled in a world of underground Weathermen, Black Power revolutionaries, snitches and shoot-first police. Eventually Eli is rescued by her father, who turns out both more responsible and more revolutionary than she’d imagined. But when he gets in trouble with the law, she finds herself on the road again, searching for the allies who will help her learn how to save herself.

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Strider SR Klusman – Luna (Rhone and Stone Book 2)

When Rhone leaves his home in the desert badlands, he finds himself in the Capital Stronghold, a big city where the styles take a bit of getting used to. With Aundrea’s help, he’s enrolled in the OPR’s academy, learning what it takes to be an effective agent. Far too soon it’s graduation, and time for his first assignment.

The little harbor town of Corgy isn’t much to look at, but Rhone finds his cover story as one of the gentry is useful, even if the mayor develops an instant dislike to him.

As an agent, it’s his job to fix problems, but nobody said anything about pirates. When Captain Black, of The Backwater Mistress mentioned, “If you could see the action, as from the eye of a bird flying over, you would be one step ahead of the game,” Rhone took it to heart, and with the help of Stone, his unique friend, and Bella, the erstwhile waitress at The Common House, develops an unexpected and rather up-lifting method to do just that. Whether he survives it, is another matter.

From Chanticleer:

Luna, the second book in Strider S.R. Klusman’s YA Rhone and Stone Series, follows Rhone and his alien partner Stone as they develop a ship that can sail through the air.

The two train to become agents for the Office of Public Recrimination, urged to join by their friend – and now boss – Aundrea. Rhone struggles through training with the help of his trusty partner, but a much more difficult test remains before them – their first assignment.

Aundrea sends them to Corgy, a port town, without explaining their mission. But it doesn’t take long for Rhone to encounter troubles from shore and sea alike.

He and Stone meet Mayor Dugan, who takes an instant dislike for Rhone, posing as a wealthy merchant’s son. But it’s his front, designed so by the ladies of the OPR, and commands a great deal of respect and authority from the locals, if not Bella. Sometimes it’s difficult not to forget his actual purpose for being at Corgy. As an agent of the OPR, he must solve the town’s greatest problem, a rash of pirate attacks on Corgy’s vital ocean-borne trade; if they continue, Corgy won’t survive.

Read More Here

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2023 Dante Rossetti First Place Winners!

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards!

Got a great Fiction Book? The 2024 Dante Rossetti Book Awards are open through the end of September !

Submissions don’t officially close until the date on the website changes!

Submit to the Dante Rossetti Awards Today!

October 1, 2024
Finding Your Writing Voice: A Journey to Authenticity from the desk of Dena Weigel

Finding your writing voice can feel like a quest for the Holy Grail of self-expression.

And hopefully no one will smell of elderberries by the time you find your writing voice!

Your writing voice is the unique blend of style, tone, and personality that makes your writing distinct and yours. Whether penning a novel, crafting an essay, or composing a blog post, discovering and honing your voice is crucial for resonating with your audience and truly connecting through your words.

Here’s a guide to help you on your journey to finding your authentic writing voice:

Write Regularly and Freely

The first step in uncovering your writing voice is to write regularly. Set aside time each day or week to write without worrying about perfection. Free writing, journaling, or even experimenting with different genres can help you explore various styles and tones. The more you write, the more you’ll start to notice patterns and preferences that signal your natural voice, and this will define your voice.

Even committing to five minutes a day can work wonders. Many find setting either a time or a word count goal to keep themselves accountable leads to the best results.

Experiment and Iterate

Finding your voice is an iterative process. Experiment with different styles, tones, and formats. Don’t be afraid to take risks and push boundaries. Through trial and error, you’ll refine your voice and discover what works best for you. And, remember, your voice may evolve over time, and that’s a natural part of growth as a writer. Just go with it and trust your instincts.

Prompt books like Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones can help you delve even deeper into different styles until you find the one that fits you best.

With insight, humor, and practicality, Natalie Goldberg inspires writers and would-be writers to take the leap into writing skillfully and creatively. She offers suggestions, encouragement, and solid advice on many aspects of the writer’s craft: on writing from “first thoughts” (keep your hand moving, don’t cross out, just get it on paper), on listening (writing is ninety percent listening; the deeper you listen, the better you write), on using verbs (verbs provide the energy of the sentence), on overcoming doubts (doubt is torture; don’t listen to it)—even on choosing a restaurant in which to write. Find it here.

Read Widely and Deeply

Expose yourself to a range of voices by reading diverse authors and genres. Try different methods, from reading one author and analyzing their language, structure, and tone, to reading a selection of books in different genres from a variety of authors to see what standards exist in each different genre, and how that might impact your own writing. Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel can be a great starting point to understanding genre, while George Saunders A Swim in a Pond in the Rain offers a masterclass in a book for how to analyze literature (at least Russian literature).

Pay attention to what resonates with you and why. Analyze how different writers use language, structure, and tone to convey their message. This not only broadens your understanding of different styles but also helps you identify elements you want to incorporate into your own writing.

Reflect on Your Influences

You know about the canon of literature you had to study in school. What is your own personal canon? Daniel Handler, AKA Lemony Snicket of the Series of Unfortunate Events fame details his own personal literary canon in his memoir And then? And then? What else? Consider what would be put into your own canon of reading to build up to your style of writing and inspiration. How does your relationship with those books change when you think of htem as your own personal canon. Understanding these influences can help you pinpoint the qualities you wish to integrate into your own voice while still making it uniquely yours.

Write for Yourself

Ultimately, writing for yourself is the most crucial step. Write what you’re passionate about and in a way that feels natural to you. When you focus on expressing your own ideas and emotions honestly, your voice will emerge naturally. Remember, writing is a personal journey, and your voice is a reflection of your unique perspective.

Embrace Your Authentic Self

Your writing voice is a reflection of who you are. Embrace your quirks, perspectives, and experiences. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through your writing. Authenticity resonates with readers more than a polished, but impersonal, style. Write from your heart and trust that your genuine voice will come through.

Seek Feedback

While we are often told writing is a solitary activity, you being here reading these words just shows how much community is needed for writing and writers to succeed! Writing groups can often be found at your local bookstore or through your local library. You can also join online communities like The Roost, which feature regular write-ins, online workshops, and so much more!

Email AuthorOutreach@Chantireviews.com to learn more about The Roost, where Authors like to Perch!

You can learn about all sorts of writing groups here.

Once you get feedback from those in community, the next step is to hire a professional to look at your work. In the Big Five Traditional Publishing Houses over 40 pairs of eyes will look at your work. If indie publishing or publishing through a small press, hiring a professional for a Manuscript Overview, or other Editorial Services like Developmental Editing, Line Editing, Copy Editing, or Proofreading is crucial to standing out from the millions of books that are published every year!

Trust in Yourself and Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Finding your writing voice is a rewarding journey of self-discovery and creative expression. By writing regularly, exploring various influences, and staying true to your authentic self, you’ll gradually uncover a voice that’s uniquely yours. Embrace the process with patience and curiosity, and remember that your voice is an evolving aspect of your writing. Happy writing!

Chanticleer Editorial Services – when you are ready

Did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services? We do and have been doing so since 2011.

Tools of the Editing Trade

Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).

If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or David at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or DBeaumier@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.

We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis. Contact us today!

Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.

A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service. Here are some handy links about this tried and true service: https://test.chantireviews.com/manuscript-reviews/

And we do editorial consultations. for $75. https://test.chantireviews.com/services/Editorial-Services-p85337185

Writer’s Toolbox

Thank you for reading this Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox article.

Writers Toolbox a few more Helpful Links:

The INCITING INCIDENT: STORY, SETBACKS and SURPRISES for the PROTAGONIST – A Writer’s Toolbox Series from Jessica Morrell’s Editor’s Desk

ESSENCE of CHARACTERS – Part One – From the Jessica Morrell’s Editor’s Desk – Writer’s Toolbox Series

September 30, 2024
The Laramie First Place Roundup for Americana Fiction!

The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Western and American Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Thomas Goodman’s book, The Last Man will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Laramie 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!

The 2023 Laramie Winners were announced at the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2023 First Place Laramie Winners!

Barbara Salvatore – The Trail to Niobrara

1847- Magghie is forced to flee her home after a cholera outbreak ravishes her village. She travels west with her teams of draft horses, and in the company of a Mormon family, but they soon disagree on the best way forward. When her fellow travelers turn on her, tragedy strikes during a flash flood. She must forge ahead on her own to find the place that has been haunting her dreams.

T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring

When Eastern aristocrat True Tucker left her lush way of life in Charlotte to travel to the untamed western town of Rimrock to spend the winter with her sisters, she never imagined where the trip would lead. Events beyond her control force her to find refuge in a small mountain cabin with a devilishly handsome man and his young daughter. She knows her life is about to change forever when her feelings for him make her forget she is promised to another man. After a few nights in his strong arms, True suddenly questions where she belongs.

Sam Barkley had long ago given up on finding love after the death of his wife and he certainly didn’t expect to find the beautiful blond woman lost in the mountains. After she saves his daughter’s life at the risk of her own, he can no longer fight the growing love he has for her. Just one taste of her untamed passion leaves him craving more and he can’t let her go. Sam has until spring to convince True to stay in Rimrock with him, because he knows that’s exactly where she belongs.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Elizabeth Woolsey – The Travels of Dr. Rebecca Harper: A Matter of Time

It’s 1981, and Rebecca’s life is going exactly according to plan: a veterinary degree, a husband and daughter, and her first veterinary clinical position. She is set for life. But then the unexpected happens …

Disoriented and desperate after a freak riding accident, she stumbles into the nearby town, which strongly resembles the set of a beloved Western television show from her childhood … and it’s 1857!

Injured and alone, she’s afraid to share where and when she’s from. How will she survive in a world where women are second-rate? Now trapped in another world, she embarks on a desperate quest to return to her husband, daughter, and career.

Rebecca uses her 20th century veterinary skills, knowledge, and modern values to make a new life for herself—and to survive. Her travels across the United States lead to encounters with historical people and events, including the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. and Jr., Mark Twain, and Clara Barton.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Daniel Greene – Northern Dawn (Northern Wolf Series Book 4)

War takes guts and luck to survive…but will it be enough?Wolf’s been promoted. He’s helped bring down one of the South’s greatest generals. Yet his country still has more to ask of him and the costliest war in America’s history rages on. Sheridan’s cavalry raids west to destroy Confederate infrastructure and divert attention from Grant’s movement south of the killing fields of Cold Harbor. Yet Wade Hampton and his rebel forces have something else in store for the Union Cavalry Corps. Wolf quickly finds himself in the hot seat of the largest all-cavalry battle of the war near Trevilian Station. Isolated and surrounded can they survive the coming Southern storm? Or will they be overrun and annihilated, a mere footnote in history?

Find it Locally and on Amazon

K.S. Jones – Tastefully Texas

No matter where one travels in Texas, at practically any time of the year in cities large and small, some things remain constant: livestock shows, rodeos, and football—and Chef Mia Ellis rejected them all. With a culinary arts degree as proof that a cosmopolitan lifestyle awaited her, Mia left everything behind in favor of New York City.

But when an emergency brings her back home, Mia finds herself completely unprepared for the town and the people she’s outgrown. Even with cooking—the only thing that has ever separated her from her hometown roots—and her on-hold job in N.Y.C. anchoring her to salvation, Mia has to find a way to earn money while she’s in town. Unfortunately, a dishwashing gig at an out-of-the-way bar and grill is all that’s available.

It isn’t until Mia reconnects with Jace, her old high school sweetheart and heir to Texas Century Ranch, that she realizes she may still have a taste for Texas after all.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2023 Laramie First Place Winners!

Enter Today!

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards!

Got a great Fiction Book? The 2024 Laramie Book Awards are open through the end of September until the date changes online!

Submit to the Laramie Awards Today!

September 30, 2024
DREAMS And ILLUSIONS: Gabrielle Dorian Mysteries Book 1 by Rebecca Olmstead – Paranormal Mystery, Women Sleuths, Murder Mystery

Dreams and Illusions by Rebecca Olmstead is a delicate interplay of mysteries balanced on an emotional undercurrent, exploring the immutable ebb and flow of life to find resilience in the shadow of misfortunes.

In the bustling town of Whitman, Gabrielle co-owns the boutique Belle Femme with her best friend, Kate. Radiating the tranquil aura of an empowered business owner, Gabrielle is a caring woman burdened with a secret she hides from everyone. Gabrielle is blessed—or perhaps cursed—with prophetic dreams.

Almost as if they are a glimpse into the future, Gabrielle wrestles with dreams that foretell an ominous fate. Soon she is confronted with a series of distressing events that thrust her into a mystery.

Suddenly, terrible news of her husband’s untimely death destroys Gabrielle’s world of normalcy.

The grief of losing a loving partner soon intersects with fear, as another disturbing dream plagues Gabrielle. Her sister, Tina, is being held in custody, charged with theft and the murder of Mrs. Winnifred Everette, a wealthy elderly lady.

Gabrielle’s absolute trust in the innocence of her sister falters when Tina emerges as the sole beneficiary of Mrs. Everette’s eighteen-million-dollar fortune.

Gabrielle sets out to investigate the truth behind the murder. In a twist of fate, the buried secrets of the victim herself are revealed through the unravelling mystery—secrets that hold the key to a deep connection between the murder and Gabrielle’s fragile bond with her sister.

Gabrielle emerges as a woman of many layers, presenting the human experience as a complicated experience of duality. She becomes the epitome of strength in the throes of painful upheaval, yet falls into inevitable vulnerability that comes with the unforeseen demise of a loved one and the accusations entangling her sister. Similarly, the forces of hope and despair, love and loss juxtapose in Gabrielle’s personal life, inviting readers to empathize deeply with her efforts to hold herself up long enough to solve this mystery.

Rebecca Olmstead crafts a rich interplay between foreshadowing and psychological symbolism.

She achieves this through Gabrielle’s premonitions, which illuminate much more than just subconscious fears and spooky occurrences. Each unsettling experience, such as the dream of eerie laughter, indicates a troubling revelation while symbolizing Gabrielle’s anxieties and inner turmoil. Olmstead’s vivid descriptions of emotion and action pull readers into these troubling visions.

The story maintains a balanced rhythm of nail-biting action and calm character development.

As the reader accompanies Gabrielle along her investigations into the murder mystery, they also connect with her emotional journey through personal reflections and conversations.

Dreams and Illusions speaks of a woman who transcends the transient nature of suffering and builds on the quote by Aristotle, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

Dreams and Illusions by Rebecca Olmstead won First Place in the 2023 CIBA M&M Awards for Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries.

September 30, 2024
The 2024 Little Peeps Book Awards Hall of Fame for Children’s Books and Early Readers!

Need a book for your Little Peep?

***The CIBAs wants your Children’s Literature Today!***

You have until September 30th to share your children’s story and enter the 2o24 CIBAs

Enter Here

The Little Peeps Book Awards features the best of the books that we read to our children and the young people who matter so much in our lives! Love of literature starts right away, and we’re proud to support these books for kids!

Let’s Take a look at the Grand Prize Winners for the Little Peep Awards!

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans
By Shaziya M Jaffer, Brad Rudover and Jessica Alexanderson (Scrap University)
Illustrated by Adam Trask

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, & Jessica Alexanderson, is perfectly written for children between three and eight years old.

Eye-catching colorful graphics by Adam Trask, fun characters, and a wonderfully lighthearted storyline uphold this book’s message of protecting the environment. Both children and adults will feel empowered to help our planet one can at a time.

An adventurous young girl named Ellie wants to buy a Unicorn. To earn the money she needs, Ellie plans to collect and recycle one million cans. But she soon realizes that her plans may need to take a different track. Together with her community of friends, who show great teamwork and perseverance, environmental lessons continue on with fantastic results.

Read More Here

Ravens Roost
Written & Illustrated by Maggie Bates

Maggie Bates’s Ravens Roost is a Children’s book that explores the illustrated nighttime adventures of a woman with her friend, a small frog.

This story teaches children how to be curious about forest animals, even in the middle of a wind storm. Bates is new to writing Children’s books, and cares deeply for the natural world. Her rapport with animals likely inspired her debut tale.

Ravens Roost begins with a frog sitting on a roof, wondering where ravens go at night. The woman who lives in the house decides to help the frog follow his curiosity on an adventure. First, she climbs up a tree to watch ravens soar overhead. She admires the moon and notices the birds perching in her favorite tree. She climbs down and starts her trek along a forest path as night falls and the wind picks up. The woman tucks her frog friend into her pocket for safety. Along their journey, the frog and the woman share a special friendship.

Read More Here

Victoria and The Big, Brave Breath
By Andrea Vaughan
Illustrated by Ryan Feltman

Andrea Vaughan’s Victoria and the Big Brave Breath is a beautifully illustrated children’s book, written to ease conversations about anxiety and worry with a child.

This story teaches children how to calm their nerves by focusing on their breath, using a clever onomatopoeia to help. Vaughn’s book is a timely must-read!

Victoria and the Big, Brave Breath starts with a little girl named Victoria recognizing that she is often worried. She lists examples (trying new foods, going to the doctor, playing in the park) of her anxieties. Physically-speaking, Victoria’s hands sweat, her knees shake and her tummy hurts when her feelings appear. Her teddy bear best friend Baxter has a suggestion for her to ease these unfamiliar (and uncomfortable) feelings.

Read More Here

Great as a Button
By Masoud Malekyari
Illustrated by Sebastiao Peixoto

Masoud Malekyari’s Great As a Button is a delightful children’s book that places a soulful little plastic adornment at center stage in a thought-provoking story that offers up a positive lesson about self-worth.

This tale unfolds from a first person POV as a lonely, black plastic button falls off a shirt. The button ruminates over its plight of feeling too plain to be noticed, and wishes perhaps to be a sock, a key, or a pair of glasses, i.e., a more important item that the button surmises someone would go out of their way to look for.

Read More Here

Galdo’s Gift: The Boovie
By Trevor Young and Eleanor Long

In Galdo’s Gift: The Boovie, Eleanor Long & Trevor Young create an interactive animated story that helps children learn about their unique gifts through an imaginative tale and diverse vocabulary.

The first page opens with a poem sharing a personalized gift with the reader. Then, we meet the frog King, and his kingdom Galdovia. His land is “where the wild wind whistles while the songbird sings” and he narrates the story, voiced by Brian Murphy.

The townsfolk of Galdovia move on the page in textured illustrations. They need a hero to undertake an important adventure, with the promise of a gift from the King to whoever completes this quest. Enter four great heroes who start their journeys in the hope of earning the King’s reward.

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The Tooth Collector Fairies: Home From Decay Valley Book 2
By Denise Ditto
Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo

The need for good dental care and its effect on the tooth fairies working behind the scenes is colorfully highlighted in this action-packed book for children of all ages.

Author Denise Ditto has created a delightful fantasy realm where fairies — like the prankster Jolene, the dedicated Batina, and proud, fast-flying Lucas — learn to collect and process teeth left for them by children everywhere. Jolene has finally gotten her Tooth Collector credentials and can join friends in their assignments. The story follows Batina into the messy room of a boy named Scooter, whose tooth shows signs of deplorable brushing habits. When she brings the tooth back to Brushelot for inspection, she fears the worst.

Read More Here

Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Hearten Winners is to submit today!

Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!

Are you a Chanticleer Author who has some good news to share? Let us know! We’re always looking for a reason to crow about Chanticleerians! Reach out with your news to info@ChantiReviews.com

September 29, 2024