Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

THE TRUE ADVENTURES Of MILTON GINSBERG by Carolyn Russo Kinne, Illustrated by Libi Holder – Picture Books, Children’s Adventure Books, Animal Stories

Carolyn Russo Kinne’s children’s story, The True Adventures of Milton Ginsberg, follows the journey of a delightful little kitten from Washington to British Columbia, Canada and back.

Milton is the bright star of this story, even with his harrowing beginning as a stray with his mother and brother. While the humans’ storyline feels beyond Milton’s understanding, both the tense and tender moments make this beautifully illustrated story memorable!

The upbeat tone Milton narrates in is one of this story’s treasures.

This cat truly has nine lives as he faces each step of his adventure with luck. Pair that with his humble beginnings, and children will fall in love with Milton as he describes how his mother finds him and his brother a forever home with two humans, Dave and Nancy.

The tension builds when Dave and Nancy decide to move to British Columbia. They try and find homes for all three cats, but the people who take them on are only able to accept two. Milton’s family decide he is the adventurous one, and take him north. It’s a touching moment as Milton says goodbye to his mother and brother.

Milton’s indomitable spirit captures Dave and Nancy’s heart just as much as the reader’s.

Excited at first to be a traveling cat, Milton quickly discovers drives are long, bumpy, and boring. He can’t wait to get out of the car when they stop for supplies. Out gallivanting, he’s shocked to find the car has left while he was away. But he is one lucky cat, and when his people return calling his name, Milton runs to them and the story proceeds north.

After a disastrous time in British Columbia, the family winds their way back to the continental US to create a home. This is where Milton can grow into the wonderful, mischievous cat he was always meant to be.

Libi Holder’s beautiful illustrations will delight children and adults alike as they meld with Kinne’s story to paint the highs and lows of Milton’s adventures.

Holder’s soft representations of nature, our hero Milton, and his own hero will hold the interest of young readers and provide a sense of satisfaction to the story. A second set of illustrations spread throughout the book, drawn by Carolyn Russo Kinne’s own daughter, Rose, adds an engaging generational feature to this children’s tale.

Readers will love following Milton on his adventures as he and his family navigate growing up and finding their place in the world. This enchanting story will warm your heart and endear Milton to you as another admirable animal character in the canon of children’s literature. As fun companions to the story itself, Kinne includes activity pages at the end of the book, complete with discussion questions, a maze, and more!

Carolyn Russo Kinne’s The True Adventures of Milton Ginsberg will have readers ready to write their own adventures about always landing on your feet and being surrounded by those who love and care about you.

September 6, 2024
The 2024 Laramie Awards Spotlight for Americana Fiction
Don’t Spare the Horses!

The Laramie Awards are only open through the end of September!

Tales of frontier life steeped in historic places and dates have long captivated readers of all ages. From Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series to The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, these stories give readers a glimpse into what was or what may have been. This Americana genre focuses mostly on Western/Pioneer/Civil War stories but can easily contain sub-genres including mystery, romance, and adventure as long as they are dressed with the American West or South as a backdrop. This division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) is meant to celebrate stories that evoke the rough-and-tumble nature of the Wild West, the heartbreaking croon of a lonesome cowboy by his fire, and the overly perfumed air of a small town saloon.

The Categories for the Laramie Award are:
- Western Romance
- Adventure/Caper
- Classic
- Civil War/Prairie/Pioneer
- Contemporary Western
- Americana
- First Nations
If you’re looking to shine a lantern on your work, submit to the Laramie Awards today! If you’re just a fan of some good ol’ fashioned themes coloring your experience, take a look at some of the previous Laramie Award winners.

We are delighted to celebrate the 2023 Winners of the Laramie Awards!
- Barbara Salvatore – The Trail to Niobrara
- T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring
- Elizabeth Woolsey – The Travels of Dr. Rebecca Harper A Matter of Time
- Daniel Greene – Northern Dawn (Northern Wolf Series Book 4)
- K.S. Jones – Tastefully Texas
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LARAMIE Awards is:

The Last Man

A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery

by Thomas Goodman

More articles will come out celebrating those Laramie Awards Winners this month! For now, we’d like you to join us in celebrating these amazing books in the genre we’ve recently received!

BED of CONSPIRACY
By Juliette Douglas
Laramie First Place Winner

Growing up alone on the streets of Saint Louis in the mid-1870s, nineteen-year-old Samantha Davis has had to fight for everything.

When she rescues Colonel Brady from armed attackers, she isn’t trying to be a hero or land a dangerous new job, but the moment Brady sees her deadly aim and unparalleled courage, he knows he’s found his new undercover agent. Brady has been tasked with infiltrating the KGC, the Knights of the Golden Circle, a group of Southern sympathizers hellbent on bringing down the government in a Confederate uprising.

Brady believes Sam will be the perfect partner for Ross Cooper, a veteran agent who spends his off-time as a trail boss in Kansas. However, Ross is less than thrilled with Brady’s choice of the untrained, bad-tempered girl. Despite his misgivings, Ross agrees to team-up with Sam, and the two go undercover as Jim and Virginia Van Meter, a newlywed couple from South Carolina visiting Washington. After being introduced to Adam Mundy, the leader of this cell of the KGC, Ross (aka Jim) agrees to use his shipping business to help the Confederate cause.

Read more here!

TOM SAWYER RETURNS
By E.E. Burke
Laramie Grand Prize Winner

Tom Sawyer Returns is the second book in The New Adventures series by author E.E. Burke.

Readers join a now grown up and far more independent Becky Thatcher as she maneuvers her complicated life in Civil War era Mississippi. Tom has long since left, and Becky is engaged to Union Captain Alfred Temple, who offers her all the safety and security she needs in such uncertain times. But does she love him? Actually love him?

Becky soon discovers that her heart may have other plans.

Read more here!

MATAMOROS
By James Kahn
Laramie First Place Winner

With the American Civil War as a grisly backdrop, James Kahn shines a light onto the real old West in his latest novel, Matamoros: Civil War Adventure, Romance and Espionage in an Old West Border Town.

The tiny Mexican town of Matamoros becomes a haven for traders, traitors, ex-slaves, and card sharks. Bring the war into the mix with Northern and Southern agents, both self-appointed and official, and the result is perfect for plenty to go wrong.

Clayton Wilkes owns the Brave River Gambling Emporium and can smile and shoot almost in the same breath.

Read more here!

ROLLING HOME
By David Fitz-Gerald
Series Grand Prize Winner

David Fitz-Gerald concludes the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series with a grand finale for an eclectic cast of characters, as the long wagon train is finally Rolling Home to their new lives in the wild west of Oregon.

With the end of the trail just out of reach, however, their hopes dwindle and their hunger rages. The rigor of the western environment continues to test their determination and threaten vows of heartfelt romance. These weary people ache and mourn losses, while seeking new ways to survive and pull each other forward in the face of impending winter.

This wagon train of travelers will also face venomous villains who have been lurking in the shadows, outlaws waiting for their best opportunity to pounce.

Read more here!

Note: David Fitz-Gerald’s entire series of Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail is excellent. You can read all our reviews for it here.

GUARDED HEARTS
By T.K. Conklin
Laramie Grand Prize Winner

Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

Read more here!

Give another three cheers for the amazing Westerns and Americana Fiction here!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!

Your book deserves to be discovered.

Submit to the Laramie Awards today!
September 5, 2024
Zooming Your Way to a Great Book Launch: A Step-by-Step Guide to Virtual Book Launch Events
We are Deep in the Digital Age

Is your virtual book launch ready?

In the digital age, a virtual book launch can be a highly effective way to celebrate and promote your new book. It offers an opportunity to reach a global audience, engage with readers in real-time, and create a buzz around your work–all from your own desk.

Planning to host a virtual book launch but not sure where to start?

So much to learn, so little time!

Let us walk you through the first steps to ensure a successful and memorable event.

1. Define Your Goals and Objectives

Before diving into the details, clarify what you want to achieve with your virtual book launch. Your goals might include:
- Increasing Book Sales: Drive pre-orders and sales through special promotions.
- Building Your Author Brand: Enhance your visibility and establish your presence as an author.
- Engaging with Your Audience: Connect with readers, fans, and influencers in your genre.
- Generating Media Coverage: Attract attention from bloggers, journalists, and book reviewers.
Authors should try to zero in on what their potential readers could look like and which outlets are the best for reaching those targets. Sometimes (more often than not), going in deep (some say guerilla marketing) towards a specific target audience for podcasts, blogging, and events (publicity) and then expanding the spheres if a strategy that works (marketing). Read more on this from Kiffer Brown here!

2. Choose the Right Platform

Selecting the appropriate platform is crucial for hosting your virtual book launch. Consider the following options:
- Zoom: Ideal for interactive events with features like breakout rooms and live Q&A sessions.
- Facebook Live: Great for reaching your social media audience and facilitating real-time engagement.
- YouTube Live: Offers high video quality and can be integrated with your book’s promotional content.
- Twitch: Suitable for a more informal, interactive experience, particularly with younger audiences.
Choose a platform that aligns with your goals and technical comfort level.

3. Plan Your Event Format

Decide on the format and structure of your virtual launch. Some popular formats include:
- Live Reading and Q&A: Read excerpts from your book and answer questions from attendees.
- Author Interview: Conduct an interview with another author, a moderator, or a celebrity guest.
- Panel Discussion: Gather experts or fellow authors to discuss themes related to your book.
- Virtual Book Tour: Share behind-the-scenes content or host virtual visits to locations featured in your book.
4. Set a Date and Time

Choose a date and time that will maximize attendance. Consider the time zones of your target audience and avoid scheduling conflicts with major events or holidays. Weekdays or weekends can work depending on your audience’s availability.

The experts who can market your book make up what we call Slant in the book industry. Our own Chanticleerian author Carol Cram wrote an article all about the best ways to connect and work with experts, which you can read here.

5. Promote Your Event

Effective promotion is key to a successful virtual book launch. Use a combination of strategies:
- Social Media: Create event pages and share regular updates on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Email Newsletters: Send invitations and reminders to your mailing list.
- Book Communities: Engage with book clubs, forums, and online reading groups.
- Collaborations: Partner with influencers, bloggers, and other authors to broaden your reach.
Design eye-catching promotional materials such as graphics, videos, and teaser content to generate excitement.

6. Prepare Your Content and Rehearse

Prepare and rehearse the content of your event to ensure smooth execution:
- Script: Outline key points, introductions, and transitions.
- Visuals: Create slides, book trailers, or other visual aids.
- Tech Check: Test your internet connection, microphone, camera, and platform features ahead of time.
- Rehearsal: Practice your presentation and timing to avoid any hiccups during the live event.
7. Engage with Your Readers

During the event, foster engagement and interaction:
- Welcome Attendees: Greet participants and provide an overview of the event.
- Interactive Elements: Use polls, chat features, and live Q&A to involve your audience.
- Personal Touch: Share personal anecdotes or behind-the-scenes stories related to your book.
- Encourage Sharing: Ask attendees to share their thoughts on social media using a specific hashtag.
8. Follow Up After the Event

Post-event follow-up is essential for maintaining momentum and maximizing the impact of your launch:
- Thank You Notes: Send gratitude messages to attendees, guests, and collaborators.
- Event Recap: Share highlights, recordings, or photos from the event on your website and social media.
- Feedback: Collect feedback from attendees to learn what worked well and what could be improved for future events.
- Continued Engagement: Keep the conversation going by engaging with your audience and providing updates on book sales or upcoming events.
9. Analyze and Reflect

Evaluate the success of your virtual book launch by analyzing key metrics:
- Attendance Numbers: Assess how many people attended and engaged with the event.
- Sales Data: Review book sales figures before, during, and after the launch.
- Audience Feedback: Analyze comments, questions, and feedback to gauge audience reaction and satisfaction.
Reflect on what went well and areas for improvement to enhance your future virtual events.

A well-executed virtual book launch can create a powerful platform for celebrating your book and connecting with readers. By following these steps, you can craft an fun, engaging event that not only promotes your book but also builds lasting relationships with your new fans!

Happy launching!
Thank you for joining us for this Writer Toolbox Article
There is so much to learn and do with Chanticleer!

From our Book Award Program that has Discovered the Best Books since the early 2010s to our Editorial Book Reviews recognizing and promoting indie and traditional authors, Chanticleer knows your books are worth the effort to market professionally!

Helpful Toolbox Articles:

How to Market Your Works Like a Book Publicist

TAPPING the EXPERTS – Researching for Your Works in Progress

When you’re ready,did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011.

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 us at info@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, with more information available here.

And we do editorial consultations for $75. Learn more here.
September 4, 2024
JAKE FORTINA And The ROMAN CONSPIRACY by Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke – Global Thriller, Terrorism, International Mystery & Crime,

Talk about a ripped-from-the headlines thriller in Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy!

In this multinational geopolitical thriller by Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke, a power-crazed Russian oligarch wants to usurp the current Russian dictator to take his place as the head of the government. He forms his own paramilitary force to steal priceless paintings from a Vatican church with plans to resell them for billions to fund his campaign. But why stop there? He also explodes illicit small-scale atomic weapons to further destabilize the Russian leader and cast himself as the country’s new czar.

Meanwhile, a crazed U.S. right wing military adjutant buys loads of AK-47s from the Italian mafia to arm U.S. paramilitary groups intent on enforcing their own far-right views in America.

Jake Fortina, an Army foreign area officer with special training to handle international and political-military duties at embassies and in international duties, is on vacation in Italy with his new bride when he runs into an old military chum who pretends he doesn’t recognize Jake and speaks with a Russian accent. That sets off alarm bells for Jake who manages to photograph the man along with his car’s license plate. That information is turned over to his superiors which opens the door to the rogue oligarch’s nefarious plans. He overhears the right-wing U.S. officer launch a drunken tirade against the American “left wing” government while in the company of an Italian military officer with suspicious ties to the Mafia. That leads to investigations of the weapons transfers to the U.S. paramilitary movement and a reported assassination attempt on a U.S. politician.

Steinke breaks the mold by pairing a thriller with nuclear stakes to a careful and scholarly level of detail.

From the price of AK-47s on the black market, the history of a fine wine, to a detailed examination of an officer’s dedication to this country, this novel delivers a healthy dose of information, history, and the fabric of being a member of this elite corps of public servants. More of a clear cut story without the murkiness of a John LeCarre. Fortina is part of a world fashioned and lived in the military. Highly educated, loyal to country, with a military life forged in the hills of Afghanistan and at the tables of the world’s finest restaurants in his role as attaché in Rome. Steinke presents a different kind of thriller hero. There is little ambiguity regarding who the good guys are, nor of the clarity of decision-making and the chain of command to which Jake and others ascribe to.

For readers intrigued by how the real world handles existential threats, including but not limited to roiling Kremlin politics, rogue nuclear weapons in evil hands, and the U.S. paramilitary threat, Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy is an important and intriguing novel.

September 4, 2024
The 2024 CYGNUS Awards Semi-Finalists for Science Fiction
The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards division. Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate-Fiction, and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward from the 2024 Cygnus Short List to the SEMI-FINALISTS. 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 Four Points by Sheraton sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2024 Cygnus Book Awards novel competition for Science Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Timothy S. Johnston – A Blanket of Steel
- Daniel Lawrence Abrams – Immortality Bytes: Digital Minds Don’t Get Hungry
- Janet Post – Vee: Shooting Star
- Joseph Anderson – Eden 2b
- Neil V. Young – Children of the Stars
- Jeremy Clift – Born in Space: Unlocking Destiny
- Derek Wachter – The Dark Side of the Moon
- Mark Sabbas – The Monarchs
- Sean M. Tirman – Hounds of Gaia (The Marrower Saga, Book One)
- Don Stuart – Darwin’s Dilemma
- Sheri T. Joseph – Edge of the Known World
- Alexandru Czimbor – Sentience Hazard
- Peter Dingus – Deep Time
- Jaime Castle – Purgatory
- Alexander Boldizar – The Man Who Saw Seconds
- Jayson Adams – Ares
- A. R. Black – No Man’s Land
- Jude Berman – The Die
- John Be Lane – The Future Lies
- Aaron Arsenault – The Climate Diaries: Book One: The Academy
- Russell Klyford – Emergent Mars
- S.G. Blaise – Meddling Mages
- PJ Caldas – The Girl from Wudang
- Thomas Weaver – Artificial Wisdom
- Ellen Ricciutti – One Time or Another
- Shami Stovall – The Half-Life Empire
- Lynn Yvonne Moon – Journey’s Travels – Mirrors
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us on Facebook.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

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

Congratulations once more to the 2023 Cygnus Grand Prize Winner

The Shadow of War

By Timothy S. Johnston

Click here to see the full list of 2023 CYGNUS Book Award Winners for Science Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2025 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science 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!
September 3, 2024
The 2024 Little Peeps Award Spotlight for Children’s literature!
Books for Kids make Lifelong Readers!

Submissions for the Little Peeps Awards close at the end of September!

The Little Peeps Awards is our Division for the Children and Early Readers in your life. Introducing books from a young age creates lifelong Readers!

Finding the best books for a child is hard. While these books may be small, writing for children provides it’s own challenges. Needing to provide a moral to the story, something that teaches the reader without being obvious. Plus, adorable, bright and colorful art to go along with the story. For this age range, books need to stimulate imagination, creativity, and learning.

We also have some other Divisions aimed at younger age ranges. For Middle Grade (ages 6-13) see Gertrude Warner. For Young Adult (ages 14-18) see Dante Rossetti.

Our categories for the Little Peeps Awards are:
- Chapter books for grades K & 1
- Story Books
- Picture Books
- Self-Esteem
- Educational Books
- Experiences
- Holidays/ Traditions
- Exploring
- Interactive and Board Books
- Bedtime Stories
We are happy to celebrate the 2023 Winners of the Little Peeps Awards!
- Beth Davis – Lacinda the Lion is a Super Youneek Beast
- Adalgisa and David Nico – Fish in the Desert: The Untold Story of the Death Valley Pupfish
- Ruth Amanda – Geckos in the Garden
- Jonna Laster – Nutshell Regatta
- T.K. Sheffield – The Night Icelandic Horses Saved Christmas Eve
- Raven Howell – Friends Come in all Sizes
The Grand Prize Winner of The 2023 Little Peeps Award is:

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, and Jessica Alexanderson

Submit today to join this list of winners!

We’re excited to celebrate all the wonderful children’s books that are submitted to us!

Check out these great Early Reads!

ISLAND MOON
By Ruth Amanda

Ruth Amanda’s Island Moon is a magical moment captured in a poem.

The narrator lives on an island where the moon sings of fairies and the magic of the night. While out on a nighttime walk, the narrator breathes in the island scents and hears the waves kissing the shore. In the froth of the waves, and in the moon’s magical light reflecting on the water, the narrator sees the fairies dancing.

Read more here!

LET’S WORK SMARTER: Harmony Lane Adventures Book 2
By Katharine Mitropoulos

Katharine Mitropoulos’s Let’s Work Smarter, the second book of the Harmony Lane Adventures series, begins on a beautiful day at the Harmony Lane Farmer’s Market. There the residents are hoping to reach their fundraising goal to fix up the local playground.

The next day, after having met their fundraising goal, Mouse takes charge dividing everyone into groups, each with their own job to do. Kangaroo, Frog, and Kitten are tasked with planting a flower garden, which turns out to be hard work! They decide they just need to work harder to get the job done but end up making a mess. Cheetah and Mole work hard while cleaning up the sandbox, causing sticks and leaves to get all over the place. Painting the fence are Giraffe, Bear, and Bunny, who all have their own plan for the design.

Read more here!

YIMBY: Yes! In My Back Yard!
By Sheryl Recinos, illustrated by Amanda Ravensdale

In YIMBY! Yes In My Back Yard!, Sheryl Recinos presents a simple yet powerful story that speaks to the heart of human kindness and the need to help our fellow man.

Most people are familiar with the term NIMBY, the acronym for “Not In My Back Yard”, referencing opposition to the construction of something perceived as undesirable in one’s neighborhood. But this passionate and heart-warming children’s book offers a positive transformation to the word.

Read more here!

ESS-CAR-GO
By Ruth Amanda

With their park damp from the rain, seven snails line up for their next thrilling race in Ruth Amanda’s Ess-Car-Go!

Frogs, bugs, birds, and even a curious cat come to cheer on the famous snail racers, from the stylish Sterling to the easily-distracted Sherlock. And as each one runs into their own kind of trouble; this trophy could go to anybody!

Read more here!

NUTSHELL REGATTA
By Jonna Laster

In Nutshell Regatta by Jonna Laster, the narrator’s grandmother reveals adventures in nature that could easily be missed without her watchful eye.

With her wise guidance, clouds turn into campers, dandelions hold moon yokes, leaves sing, and a broken branch takes on the form of a fox. Most importantly, twigs and pebbles become sailors who embark on a grand regatta in their nutshell sloops and sailboats.

Read more here!

Thank you for joining us to celebrate these wonderful works for children!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!

Your book deserves to be discovered.

Submit to the Little Peeps Awards today!
September 3, 2024
Chanticleer’s Back to School Bundle! Don’t Miss Out on the Chance to Become a Member of The Roost!
Back to School Sales?

They’re not just for kids!

We have an ever bigger one you can Roost with!

As summer comes to a close, we’re excited to offer a bundle that includes a year’s worth of access to our online platform filled with goodies and discounts for authors: The Roost!

The Roost is our exclusive membership platform where we perch together to share knowledge and connect with our community of expert authors.

Every year after Labor Day the publishing industry comes back to life, and we’re happy to crow with the dawn and welcome it back!

The Roost is our Favorite Spot to Perch!

Don’t Miss Out on These Upcoming Events:
- Weekly Tuesday Morning Write-Ins with David Beaumier
- Weekly Wednesday Evening Write-Ins with Phoebe Walker and Janet Oakley
- Monthly Thriller Craft Discussions with Dena Weigel
- Monthly Writing Craft Discussions with David Beaumier
- Monthly Recorded Workshops
  - Upcoming is Kickstarting Your Book with Kiffer Brown and David Beaumier, 9/13 at 1pm PST
- Virtual Happy Hour (9/16 at 5pm PST) with Kiffer Brown
- We’re available for virtual Office Hours on the Roost!
- Plus Perpetual Discounts and Early Bird Deals on our Annual Authors Conference, Editorial Reviews, and the CIBAs!
The Roost is a space driven by community! We build and add to it based on what our members ask for and want. Join us, and help transform the space into whatever you want it to be!

Roost sign-ups are typically available only in-person at Conferences or for our First Place Winners. We’ve worked hard to cultivate this community of professionals. And it’s open now to you, but only through September 15th!

Sign up now for

A Chanticleer Editorial Review ($495)

Two entries to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards ($198)

And a Full Year as Chanticleer Members on the Roost (priceless)

All for $645

What does that include?

The Objective Editorial Review

Every book that receives a Chanticleer Editorial Review written by one of our professional reviewers receives the following:
- Published online on the Chanticleer Reviews website for easy linking
- Each online published review comes with a built-in All IN One Search Engine Optimization package (AIOSEO) to maximize the review and the book title/author’s digital footprint.
  - AIOSEO interfaces with Google, Bing, Firefox, and Explorer search engines.
  - We carefully apply AIOSEO techniques to increase higher search rankings for each review.
  - AIOSEO allows for easier integration into Google Analytics.
- Each posted review comes with SEO metadata to optimize Google searches and Amazon crawlers.
- Digital links to Amazon, Independent Bookstores, and the Author or Publisher’s website.
- Each review is posted to our social media for easy sharing and commenting by the author/publisher.
- All our reviews are promoted and highlighted in our Newsletter.
- We continue to periodically post the review to social media and in blogposts with links to the review on our website for long-term marketing and to refresh digital footprints.
You do not have to use the Chanticleer Book Review package now. You can use it in the future when you are ready!

The Coveted Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs)

You know you want it.

The CIBAs run year round with promotions always popping up on our website to celebrate the incredible authors who advance. Starting at the Long List, we begin promoting work on our high-traffic website, on social media, and in our newsletter.

From that point we add in digital badges, promotional stickers. By the time we reach the $1000 cash prize for the Overall Grand Prize Winner, we’ve given away over $30,000 worth of prizes!

With all that plus our under the hood marketing technology, it’s no surprise that the CIBAs are the most popular of all our offerings at Chanticleer.

When You’re Ready, We’re Here

Signing up for this bundle doesn’t mean you have to immediately submit your work to the CIBAs or for Review. We’re happy to hold your spot and check in with you on your terms, when your work is at its best. The same with the two CIBA entries!

You might write your book alone, but authors live in community.

Join The Roost today. We’re here, and we can’t wait to support you in your author’s journey and help your book be discovered!

Can’t do the bundle but still want to join?

Reach out to AuthorOutreach@ChantiReviews.com for a discount code and sign up today!
August 30, 2024
Celebrating Mary Shelley’s Birthday: A Look at Her Literary Legacy and Impact on the SciFi and Paranormal Genre

A Chanticleer Happy BirthdayTo the Mother of Science Fiction and all things Paranormal

Mary Shelley!

The Update

We long have wanted a person to name the Paranormal Awards after, but it’s difficult to make the decision. However, two years ago, we floated the idea of Mary Shelley, and since then we’ve been waiting for the stars to align. And now they are!

What to know

If you have received a Paranormal Award in the past, that is still good! You can reach out to us for new graphics that say “Shelley Awards” instead for Finalists, First Place, and Grand Prize Winners. You are also welcome to keep using the “Paranormal Awards” branded promotions you have won! Those are still good, and we will continue including information about the change in name for years to come to help alleviate confusion.

On to Mary Shelley!

Mary Shelley, one of literature’s most revolutionary figures, was born on August 30, 1797. It was a time of extreme weather in her birth city of London. Today’s meteorologists have determined the city was experiencing a “very thundery” year, with strong rain and hail storms that caused flooding throughout England.

Dark clouds casting shadows over dark streets. Is it any surprise Shelley would grow up to write nightmare-inducing, Gothic novels like her groundbreaking story Frankenstein?

As we honor her birth, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on Shelley’s extraordinary literary contributions and the enduring legacy that continues to inspire writers.

A Literary Trailblazer

Mary Shelley’s entry into the literary world was as unconventional as her most famous creation. The daughter of renowned intellectuals William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, Shelley’s upbringing was steeped in new, radical ideas during a time of science and paranormal romanticism. She married author Percy Shelley in 1816 and traveled to Lake Geneva that summer for a honeymoon at the home of another writer, Lord Byron. It was there that a writing challenge among friends led to the creation of Shelly’s most famous work, Frankenstein.

The Birth of a New Genre

Published in 1818, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was revolutionary for its time. Inspired by her own miscarriage and the death of her mother eleven days after Shelley’s birth, Frankenstein is not just a tale of a scientist who creates life but a profound exploration of ambition, responsibility, and the moral implications of scientific advancement.

Shelley went onto write “The Last Man” and “Valperga,” exploring the themes of dystopia, history, and social critique, as well as numerous short stories, essays, and travelogues. Her style, characterized by rich, evocative prose and a deep psychological insight, earned her a respected place among the Romantic literary elite during a time when women authors were not typically recognized.

Celebrating Her Life and Works

As we commemorate Mary Shelley’s birthday, we acknowledge not only her literary achievements but also her courage and vision. Her life was marked by personal trials and societal challenges, many brought about by the scientific advancements that fueled her imagination. Yet she channeled these experiences into profound contributions to literature.

In celebrating Mary Shelley’s birthday, we honor a trailblazer who, though born into a dark and foreboding world, was inspired to write stories that changed the landscape of fiction and brought about the new horror genre, leaving an enduring imprint on our collective imagination.

Happy birthday, Mary Shelley!

Interested in stories that keep you awake at night? Here are a few horror, paranormal, and supernatural stories from Chanticleer authors.

Merging Paths
By Vince Bailey
Series Awards Grand Prize WInner

Having escaped unjust imprisonment at the Fort Grant facility for juveniles, Curtis Jefferson is on the run, inMerging Paths, the third installment of Vince Bailey’s gripping, paranormal, Curtis Jefferson Series.

With only a small jug of water and the clothes on his back, Curtis has to cross the Sonoran Desert and find a way back to his mother and grandmother in Jacobs Well. But his trip is plagued by more than thirst, hunger, and fear of animals. A racist sheriff’s deputy, Myron Aycock, is hellbent on finding Curtis not only for the acclaim such an arrest will give him but also for vengeance against the beating he received at the hands of the aspiring boxer.

Continue reading here…

The Street Between the Pines
By J.J. Alo
Paranormal [Shelley] Awards Finalist

Something strange and terrible stirs in Frank Cavanaugh’s basement, in J.J. Alo’s psychological-thriller,The Street Between the Pines.

The giant hole at the bottom of Frank’s house wasn’t there before. Something so very ugly and dangerous is down there. Something with bright, glowing eyes. Adrenalin pumps through Frank’s aging body as he scrambles for the exit. Behind him, a low gurgling growl.

Continue reading here…

The Insane God
By Jay Hartlove
Cygnus Awards Finalist

Sarah, a transgender schizophrenic teenager, has spent the past seven years in a psychiatric ward. When all her symptoms of schizophrenia disappear after receiving a special necklace from a nurse, she must learn to live in a world that moved on without her, in The Insane God by Jay Hartlove.

She receives strange visions of two opposing gods in battle with each other, which Sarah and her brother Nate work together to understand. The reality of these visions threatens to endanger the lives of everyone on Earth unless they change the course of an eternal battle.

Continue reading here…

Annihilation: Book 2, Gehenna Series
By Kaylin McFarren
Paranormal [Shelley] Awards First Place Winner

Samara Daemonium tries to break free from her father’s control as the realms of Heaven and Hell prepare for war, in Kaylin McFarren’s erotic supernatural novel,Annihilation.

Lucinda, the daughter of Satan, rules Hell with an iron fist. She sits on the throne thanks in part to the angel/demon hybrid Crighton and his angel soulmate Ariel. However, power changed Lucinda. She no longer stands as a brighter future in Hell, but rather as a demagogue driving her demons to rise up in battle against the hosts of Heaven. Crighton struggles between his loyalty to Lucinda, and his responsibility for his family—especially his pregnant soulmate. He doesn’t yet know the depths of Lucinda’s deception.

Continue reading here…

Tomorrow’s End (Book One)
By G.R. Morris

A cosmic force of evil is rising, come to consume whole worlds and plunge them into darkness. Earth is next, and the only chance for humanity to survive is a pair of young, destined heroes who have no idea what dangers lurk in their future.

Kevin Knight is a sixteen-year-old savior, the warrior foretold in an alien prophecy who will combat the Dragon. He’s also afraid of the dark and suffers the routine abuse of his stepdad. Though his mother Sara insists her son will have a bright future, Kevin refuses to believe it until the day his life is shattered. Kevin comes face to face with aliens, monsters, and a staggering truth about humanity. He must follow Robert’s teachings, an alien Changeling who reveals just as much as he keeps hidden. Oh, Kevin must also face down the very forces of Hell.

Continue reading here…

Thank you for joining us in celebrating a literary icon, Mary Shelley!

Do you have a book that deserves to be discovered? You can always submit your book for an Editorial Review with Chanticleer!Chanticleer Editorial Review Packages are optimized to maximize your digital footprint. Reviews are one of the most powerful tools available to authors to help sell and market their books. Find out what all the buzz is about here.

Is your book an Award Winner?

Submitting to Book Awards is a great way to get your book discovered! Anytime you advance in the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards, your name and book are promoted right here on our website, through our newsletter, and across social media. One of the best ways to engage in long tail marketing!

The Shelley Awards for Paranormal & Supernatural Fiction are open through Oct 31st!

Don’t miss out!

Thank you again to the authors who wrote these wonderful books, and to Mary Shelley, whose imagination and literary skill created a new genre that continues to make us think, question, and be scared of those bumps in the night!

August 30, 2024
AFTER ME by J. Shep – Historical Fiction, Family Saga, Post World War II France

The arrival of a mysterious package makes for an enticing beginning in J. Shep’s After Me. Inside we find a manuscript with the same text as the book we’re about to read. This inventive start lends a sense of realism and truth to what follows and creates a vivid yet hazy quality, like memory itself.

After Me travels back in time to rural France just after World War II. The setting appears idyllic at first—almost unbelievably so. Still, there’s a disturbing undercurrent felt from the start. Not from an unwanted presence, but rather from an absence.

Told from the perspective of Ellande, a young boy, he recounts the summer his parents die in an accident and he and his nine-year-old little sister, Madeleine-Grace, are sent to their extended family’s summer home in France. Their care seems competent at first—but cracks in the façade gradually emerge as Ellande begins his tale.

Aside from their mourning, life seems lovely in the beginning. Lavender-hued skies at sunset, and the scent of peony soap permeate the background of this tale. Ellande recalls the light-filled home’s orderly kitchen where meals are made with fresh herbs from the garden and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins create a large roster of characters. Readers may feel a bit disoriented encountering so many new names, as well as the French words and traditions sprinkled throughout the text. But that disorientation offers the reader insight into the mental state of the children as they navigate this strange summer of loss and learning.

The home’s idyllic nature springs almost entirely from a single character: Aunt Adèle. A tireless worker, she keeps the house beautiful and functional, doing the cooking, cleaning, gardening, and taking care of the childcare with grace and joy. As the novel progresses, her surviving siblings emerge as toxic counterpoints who are bitter, unhappy, and unwilling to pitch in around the house.

While some of their issues and instability can be traced back to the war and its aftereffects, the family strife isn’t just a product of wartime tragedies. Instead, issues that emerge are largely ones of character. Aside from Adèle, the adults in the house share little interest in the traditions, values, and work performed for the betterment of the family. They prioritize idleness and petty feuds, and their children largely take after them.

As the summer unfolds, the peaceful narrative slowly takes on a sinister quality.

But Ellande and Madeleine-Grace are different. Their mother Juliette was the sibling most aligned with Adèle, and the children have inherited her sense of tradition and good values. They take pride in helping the childless Adèle around the summer house. Still, with Juliette gone, the burden on Adèle grow heavier. Adèle’s siblings are resentful of her homemaking abilities and unbreakable spirit and continually punish her for a lifetime of perceived slights.

Though this is a modern novel, it’s written in a traditional style and slow pace, evoking novels of long ago. It has a dream-like quality, with beautifully specific descriptions that exist alongside the uncertainty of memory.

And readers will be well-rewarded for their patience with the slow early sections. Not only do fantastic details of real traditions emerge as the story progresses—such as the harvesting of fleur de sel—but so does an intense narrative of family and intangible inheritance. As Ellande and Madeleine-Grace come of age, they’re confronted with questions of who will keep those traditions alive, why, and at what cost?

Ultimately, After Me is a tale of breaking generational curses. A shocking turn near the end seems to suggest that even the most well-intentioned will never escape the burdens of family trauma and destruction. But this is a story within a story, and most of the main characters will find some sort of closure, though the finishing touches may take decades to emerge.

After Me starts out as gentle and luxurious as a rolling meadow. Yet it ends up confronting some of life’s greatest questions and most haunting mysteries. This combination makes for an evocative novel whose message will linger long after the last page has been turned.

August 30, 2024
Awards Divisions for Romance, Middle Grade, and Shorts close soon! Discover the Secret to your Book’s Success!
These Three Awards Close this weekend!

You have time, but only until Saturday August 30, 2024!

Don’t let your book miss out!

The Chatelaine Award for Romance Fiction

“What’s a Chatelaine?” A Chatelaine is a small belted chain used to hold on to useful objects. The image we used for the Awards is a painting of Jane Morris, drawn by Dante Rossetti with whom she had a passionate love affair. Her life was the inspiration of Pygmalion which became My Fair Lady.

The categories for the Chatelaine Awards are
- Contemporary Romance
- Historical Romance
- Adventure & Suspense
- Romantic Steamy/Sensual (Not Erotic)
- Inspirational/Restorative/Clean
The Shorts Award for Short Stories, Collections and Novellas

The Shorts Awards accepts Fiction and Non-Fiction!

The Shorts Awards are fairly self-explanatory. Individual works are $45 and collections are $99. We do accept collections and anthologies, and you can even sneak poetry into the mix! Some incredible creative work has come through the Shorts Awards, and we’re delighted to have it as the fastest growing new Book Award Division!

The Gertrude Warner Award for Middle Grade Fiction

Named for the Author of The Boxcar Children Series. While Gertrude Warner wrote the original 19 books, books in the series are still being written, 100 years after the first (the first book was published in 1924), with over 200 Boxcar children books now published by other writers. Warner (1890-1979) was a Sunday School teacher until 1918, when the male teachers in her community of Putnam, Connecticut were being called to serve in WW1. She continued to be a grade school teacher until 1950. She started writing the Boxcar Children while home sick, and many of the aspects of her books have inspiration in her life.

The Categories of The Gertrude Warner Awards are:
- Contemporary Middle Grade
- Sci-Fi, Fantasy, & Paranormal Middle Grade
- Mystery Middle Grade
- Historical Middle Grade
- Adventure Middle Grade
- Graphic Novels for Middle Grade
- First-Third Grade Readers
Long time submitters to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards know that there’s the official date, and then the date where the change over happens. Until the year has been updated to 2025, your work will still be considered for the 2024 Awards. Reach out to info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions!

Only days remain to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!

The Chatelaine Awards for Romantic Fiction, the Shorts Awards, and the Gertrude Warner Awards for Middle Grade Fiction are still open! Will your book make the cut?

The CIBAs offer more than just recognition — they provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.

Let’s dive into the Tiers of Achievement!

The Long List

At the Long List looks to celebrate work that has some sort of gem that pulled it forward and speaks to our first readers. There is no limit for us on how many people can make a Long List, though that’s no guarantee of making it through!

The Short List

The Short List offers all the benefits of the Long List: Promotion on our high traffic website, featured social media posts, and in our wide-reaching newsletter. Additionally, authors are now eligible for the first of our digital badges!

The Semi-Finalists

The Semi-finals repeats all the benefits of before, bringing the number of times your book has been promoted up to three times in three different places across the web! We do this to maximize your digital footprint and honor our commitment to long-tail digital marketing for our incredible authors!

The Finalists

There’s a definite change in tone when we reach the Finalist stage. At this point, the competition boils down to who will be the First Place Category Winner! Finalists receive discounts for the Chanticleer Authors Conference and even on our Editorial Book Reviews. And, of course, their badge and stickers are updated for their new status, as well as receiving a fourth round of promotion.

The First Place Winners

One of the most coveted positions. The First Place Winners receive an even better discount on reviews, a huge discount on our membership program, and our Blue Ribbon Winners package! They’re promoted again in our annual Round Up articles celebrating winners for each division as they close, and are linked to in each list the following year.

The Grand Prize Winner

There can only be one (per division)! The Grand Prize Winners receive everything above as well as being featured on the Book Award page for the entire year, an Awarded Editorial Review, and an Author Interview to help promote their work! Then they’re featured in our annual Hall of Fame posts for the next five years. We also ask Grand Prize Winners to share any of their success stories with us for us to promote and share on our website!

You know you want it…

The Overall Grand Prize Winner

Truly, only one. The Overall Grand Prize Winner receives all the promotion above as well as a $1000 cash prize and invitation to present at the following Chanticleer Authors Conference.

After all is said and done, we give away over $30,000 in prizes to the incredible authors who submit to the CIBAs! We can’t wait to have you join them!

Congratulations again to the 2023 Overall Grand Prize Winner

Tim Facciola for A Vengeful Realm

We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.

Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 3-6, 2025) where Winners from all Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

Let’s celebrate exceptional storytelling together!

Don’t Delay! Enter Today!

The Chatelaine Awards, The Shorts Awards, and The Gertrude Warner Awards

Your book deserves to be discovered
August 29, 2024