Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

The 2023 Laramie Book Awards Semi-Finalists for Americana Fiction
The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana and Westerns fiction genre. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring Americana themes, First Nation stories, early North American History, cowboys & cowgirls in the Wild West, pioneering, and Civil War, and we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2023 Laramie Americana Short List to the 2023 Laramie Book Awards SEMI-FINALISTS. FINALISTS will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2023 Laramie Book Awards novel competition for Americana Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Leah Angstman – The Only Way to Cheat a Hangman
- Heidi M. Thomas – Rescue Ranch Rising
- Barbara Salvatore – The Trail to Niobrara
- George T. Arnold – The Heart Beneath the Badge
- Kimberly Burns – The Redemption of Mattie Silks
- Leslie K Simmons – Red Clay, Running Waters
- E. Alan Fleischauer – Chip Heller Man of Valor
- Martha Engber – The Falcon, the Wolf, and the Hummingbird
- James Holland – Vigilante Love Song: Alice Roosevelt and The White House Gunfighters
- Myra Hargrave McIlvain – The Knotted Ring
- K.S. Jones – Tastefully Texas
- Venetia Hobson Lewis – Changing Woman
- T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring
- Steven Mayfield – The Penny Mansions
- Joan Koster – That Dickinson Girl: A Novel of the Civil War
- Thomas Goodman – The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery
- J. Stanion – My Place Among Them
- Shanna Hatfield – Love on Target
- Michael L. Ross – Across the Great Divide: Book 3 The Founding
- Julia Brewer Daily – The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch
- David Calloway – If Someday Comes
- K. S. Jones – Change of Fortune
- Elizabeth Woolsey – The Travels of Dr. Rebecca Harper A Matter of Time
- T. M. Brown – The Last Laird of Sapelo
- Sophia Alexander – Homespun
- Daniel Greene – Northern Dawn (Northern Wolf Series Book 4)
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 FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click hereto go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

Good luck to all as your works move on the next rounds of judging.

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 LARAMIE Awards is:

Guarded Hearts

by T.K. Conklin

Click here to see the 2022 Laramie Book Award Winners for Americana Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

For our other Historical Fiction Awards, please see the following:
Winners will be announced at the 2023 CIBA Awards Ceremony, sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

The Chanticleer Authors Conference

Featuring authors like D.D. Black, Kim Hornsby, book doctor Christine Fairchild, and Mark Berridge, our twelfth annual conference is shaping up to be excellent! You won’t want to miss out on the best tips around the business of being an author!

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 12th annual conference and discover why!
January 14, 2024
Write More in 24! Start the Year Off with Our Tips for Writers Starting with Computer Hygiene
We want to share advice on how to care for arguably the most important tool in a writer’s toolbox.

Our computers!

It stores your intellectual property, aids in getting words from your brain into little alphabet letters that add up to a story. And for most of us, enables us to create what we love most—books and stories!

Your hardworking computer – whether it is a desktop, laptop, pad, or your own Mad Maxx creation of technologies (like Argus’s), deserves a little bit of attention.

We often forget how important it is to maintain a clean computer on the inside and outside, even if our desk and the surrounding area is spotless. Here are a few tips to get you started. And, yes, this is your annual reminder!

1. Clean your keyboard, mice, screens, smart phones, laptops, and electronic devices.

Cleaning Keyboards

Wipe it down with a slightly damp microfiber cloth, dry it with a different cloth, and then use a disinfectant wipe or a cloth just damp with rubbing alcohol to finish it out (do not use bleach!). Probably best to do this when your computer and keyboard are unplugged because keyboards are actually quite delicate inside.

Gross stuff under the keycaps. Maintenance will prevent your computer keyboard from getting to this state.

Also, you can turn your keyboard or laptop upside down and give it a gentle shake or two about once a week. Gentle being the operative word. You may be surprised to see what falls out of it.

If you want more detailed information, visit this wikiHow site page: How to Clean a Keyboard

The operative word is GENTLY and then just for a few seconds. Do this every week or so.

I received one of these OXO Good Grips Sweep and Swipe in my Christmas stocking last year. I adore it! And use it–especially when I am at my computer on a phone call. Gives me something to fidget with. The brush works well on the keyboard and small places on devices. The red “screen cleaner” not so much, but it does remove smudges from touch screens. Available at most hyper-markets and, of course, on Amazon.

We’ve even seen Argus vacuum his keyboards. But, that is up to you.

Really consider giving this a try. Your keyboard will feel cleaner. All the bits of dust and crumbs of food you’ve learned to ignore will be gone, and it will be such a pleasant experience for your hands.

A compressed air canister for electronics can also be really useful to blow dust and debris out from the keys. (wikiHow) Be sure to keep the nozzle about a half an inch above the keyboard.

Not convinced. Here are some statistics:
- Researchers found that the keyboards contained more 7,000 microorganisms, while headphones had more than 2,000.
- A British consumer group, conducted a study on workspace hygiene. They swabbed hundreds of their own keyboards and pieces of office equipment. They found that the average keyboard contains more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
- Don’t get QWERTY Tummy – named for the stomach bug caught from keyboards and cell phones.
Cleaning Screens

We’ve all had that experience of editing and suddenly an errant apostrophe or period appears where there ought not to be one. We click on it to edit it, but something about the way it appears doesn’t quite make sense, and then we can’t delete it from the page. That’s when it clicks. The screen is just dirty.

To clean it, a microfiber cloth is always the recommendation. Always dab any cleaning solution (Windex and/or a little bit of mild soap and water are recommended but check before trying anything else!) onto the cloth not directly on the screen itself.

I just spotted these electronic wipes (images below). Now I’m going to get some for the office. They are anti-static cleaning wipes for LCD screens, computers, tablets, smart phones, laptops, touchscreens, and TVs and gaming consoles. Available at most hyper-markets and, of course, on Amazon. Miracle Wipes for Electronics, Individual Pre-Moistened Lens Wipes ALIBEISS (great for coffee shop writing and while traveling), and Weiman Electronic Wipes, along with reusable personal electronics microfiber cleaning cloths.

And while you are in cleaning mode, clean your personal mobile phone device, your Kindle, your tablets, your gaming device, the remote controls for TV, and etc.

We will be back with some more “browser” and digital hygiene to keep your writing progressing!

Write More in 24!

Stay Healthy! Happy New Year! – Kiffer
January 12, 2024
REVENGE: A Bruce and Smith Thriller Book 2 by Randall Krzak – Global Thrillers, Suspense, International Crime

Randall Krzak raises the bar of the thriller genre with Revenge, the action-packed second book in the Bruce and Smith series.

Javier retires from the Army and his despised desk job at the Pentagon. He lived for the action of working in the field, so as a civilian, he tries to build an international investigative agency called The Brusch Agency. Thanks to his connections from the military, he can do exactly the work he wants, with the people he chooses.

Krzak sets up this book meticulously, building conflicts in the first several chapters. Javier needs to apply for his concealed-carry permit and private investigator’s license while finding office space for his agency, but his plans are staggered as his condo is broken into and trashed. Despite his investigation and that of law enforcement, the culprit remains a mystery.

Despite a rough night on his slashed mattress, he focuses on business, getting his permit and license. When he starts receiving a series of threatening emails, he realizes the B and E job on his condo wasn’t random, and he enlists his friends and fellow Brusch Agency investigators to uncover this threat.

Krzak masterfully uses AJ, Javier’s romantic interest, to ramp up the heat as their relationship grows, but also the tension when her life is put on the line.

AJ helps Javier as a partner, and Krzak’s smart and sexy female lead can more than hold her own. She helps Javier find the new office building, and within a day, it’s his. He begins to build his team, with AJ first on the list, but she hasn’t yet committed to giving up her gig at the CIA.

The target on Javier’s back only gets bigger as his agency grows.

The Brusch Agency gets its first overseas client and job from the DEA, while juggling the threat to Javier.

Javier’s team, including Snakes from book one in the series, The Columbia Betrayal, works to uncover the details of Islamic State terrorist trainers who worked out of Mexico. They discover that the person seeking revenge on Javier was a survivor of the Mexico attack.

As they begin work on their mission in Bermuda for the DEA, Krzak shifts his plot into high gear.

The team starts to unravel the case, putting together names in the local drug mafia and discovering where the drugs are delivered.

Krzak deftly weaves between Javier and his team’s work on two investigations. All the while, Javier is growing closer to AJ, but as much as he wants to take their relationship to the next level, he can’t until he finishes these missions and resolves the danger to his life.

This thriller draws on the precision of a retired military author to build a world of international intrigue, one well-versed in international diplomacy and foreign military aid.

Krzak uses these details to create a fascinating novel. His characters will draw readers in with their development, and commitment to keeping one another alive. Lovers of Lee Child and Tom Clancy will appreciate Krzak’s world-building, the detailed scenarios, and the daring rescues put forth by his heroic characters.

Revenge by Randall Krzak won First Place in the 2022 CIBA Global Thriller Awards for High Stakes Suspension.

January 12, 2024
The CHATELAINE Book Awards 2023 Semi-Finalists for Romantic Fiction
The Chatelaine Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Romantic Fiction. The Chatelaine Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (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 judging rounds from the 2023 Chatelaine Romantic Fiction Short List to the 2023 Chatelaine Book Awards SEMI-FINALISTS. Finalists will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2023 Chatelaine Book Awards novel competition for Romantic Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
- Susan Bagby – Christmas Wish Upon A Star
- Douglas Bachmann – Afterlife
- K.S. Jones – Once In a Bluebonnet Moon
- Jeanette Watts – My Dearest Miss Fairfax
- T.K. Conklin – Guarded Hearts
- Morgan Sloan – Stableshoes
- Edie Cay – A Viscount’s Vengeance
- Kathleen Stone – Hey Jude
- Gail Avery Halverson – A Sea of Glass
- Hope Gibbs – Where the Grass Grows Blue
- Alice McVeigh – Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
- Bonnie Rose Ward – Loving Beth
- Catherine Tinley – A Laird for the Highland Lady
- Carmela Dutra – Love Extra Credit
- KB Taylor – Hattie’s Family: Through the Eyes of a Dairymaid
- Suzanne Baginskie – Dangerous Revenge- Book 2 of The FBI Affairs Series
- S.G. Blaise – Proud Pada
- Lynn Yvonne Moon – Fish Scales
- Rose Prendeville – Mistress Mackintosh and the Shaw Wretch
- Wendy Rich Stetson – Heartsong Hills
- Yvonne Korshak – Pericles and Aspasia: A Story of Ancient Greece
- Marie Jones – Those We Seek
- Eve M. Riley – The Outcast
- Carol Van Den Hende – Always Orchid
- KD Sherrinford – Song for Someone
- Nancy Herkness – Royal Caleva: Gabriel
- Evie Alexander – Love ad Lib
- Kelly Miller – A Dutiful Son
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 FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

the Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 CHATELAINE Book Awards is:

Operation Mom:

My plan to get my Mom a life and a man

by Reenita Malhotra Hora

See the full list of Chatelaine 2022 Winners here

We are now accepting submissions into the 2024 Chatelaine Book Awards for Romance Fiction. The 2023 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2024.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2023 CIBA Awards Ceremony, sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

The Chanticleer Authors Conference

Featuring authors like D.D. Black, Kim Hornsby, book doctor Christine Fairchild, and Mark Berridge, our twelfth annual conference is shaping up to be excellent! You won’t want to miss out on the best tips around the business of being an author!

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 12th annual conference and discover why!
January 11, 2024
The 2023 Goethe Book Awards Semi-Finalists for Late Historical Fiction
The Goethe Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in post-1750s Historical Fiction. The Goethe Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

The Goethe Book Awards competition is named for Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who was born at the dawn of the new era of enlightenment on August 28, 1749.

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring Late Period Historical Fiction. Regency, Victorian, 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, World and other wars before the 20th century, history of non-western cultures, set after the 1750s, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

The other three Historical Fiction Genres are the Laramie Awards for Americana Fiction, the Chaucer Awards for Early Historical Fiction, and the Hemingway Awards for 20th c. Wartime Fiction.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2023 Goethe Late Historical Fiction Short List to the 2023 Goethe Book Awards SEMI-FINALISTS. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2023 Goethe Book Awards novel competition for Post-1750s Historical Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the Goethe 2023 CIBAs.
- Pat Wahler – The Rose of Washington Square: A Novel of Rose O’Neill, Creator of the Kewpie Doll
- J. Stanion – My Place Among Them: A Novel
- Sandra Wagner-Wright – Ambition, Arrogance & Pride: Families & Rivals in 18th Century Salem
- Janis Robinson Daly – The Unlocked Path, A Novel
- Lindsey S. Fera – Muskets and Masquerades
- Jerena Tobiasen – Tsarina’s Crown
- Mitzi Zilka – Water Fire Steam
- Jeff Schnader – The Serpent Papers
- Miriam Polli – Birds Of Passage
- Jodi Lea Stewart – The Gold Rose
- Chris Black – Chameleon
- Lisa Voelker – The Spoon
- Nichole Louise – Raven Rock
- Susanne Dunlap – The Courtesan’s Daughter
- Robert Brighton – The Unsealing
- Gary Born – The File
- Robert W Smith – A Long Way from Clare
- David Calloway – If Someday Comes
- Michael Miller – High Bridge – Matilda and Grover Battle Learned Ignorance
- Susanne Dunlap – The Portraitist: A Novel of Adelaide Labille-Guiard
- Susanne Dunlap – The Adored One
- Alexandru Czimbor – The Soul Machines
- Wendy Long Stanley – The Treason of Betsy Ross
- Linda Ulleseit – The River Remembers
- Ed Davis – Last Professional
- Loretta Miles Tollefson – There Will Be Consequences
- Don Jacobson – The Sailor’s Rest
- Dean Cycon – Finding Home (Hungary, 1945)
- William Maz – Bucharest Legacy: The Rise of the Oligarchs
- Linda Rosen – The Emerald Necklace
- T. M. Brown – The Last Laird of Sapelo
- Nicole Evelina – Catherine’s Mercy
- J.L Oakley – The Brisling Code
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

Good luck to all as your works move onto the next rounds of judging.

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 GOETHE Awards is:

Eleonora and Joseph:

Passion, Tragedy, and Revolution in the Age of Enlightenment

by Julieta Almeida Rodrigues

Click here to see the 2022 Goethe Book Award Winners for Late Historical Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2024 Goethe Book Awards for Post-1750s Historical Fiction. The 2024 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2025.

Please click here for more information.

For our other Historical Fiction Awards, please see the following:
Winners will be announced at the 2023 CIBA Awards Ceremony, sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

The Chanticleer Authors Conference

Featuring authors like D.D. Black, Kim Hornsby, book doctor Christine Fairchild, and Mark Berridge, our twelfth annual conference is shaping up to be excellent! You won’t want to miss out on the best tips around the business of being an author!

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 12th annual conference and discover why!
January 11, 2024
A GRAVE EVERY MILE: Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail Book 1 by David Fitz-Gerald – Historical Fiction, Oregon Trail Fiction, Family Saga

Each day’s trumpet blasts the predawn quiet of the sleeping wagon train, demanding that its migrating families face what’s ahead, whether incredible scenery or mortal danger, in David Fitz-Gerald’s A Grave Every Mile.

This beautifully told story mixes adventure, survival, community, and history, all shown through the eyes of Dorcas, a feisty mother of four. She’s dreamed of hitting the trail to the storied West for so long, but much about this trip and their destination remains unknown.

Another wagon travels alongside hers. Who are they? Will they remain strangers, or become friends? Now that Dorcas stands with her family at the trail’s starting point and on the brink of changing their lives forever, a tremor of doubt surfaces about what lies ahead. Is her family strong enough to face their future? Will it be everything she and her husband hoped for? That future is 720,000 turns of the wagon wheels away, and there may be A Grave Every Mile. It all starts with that first pull by the team of oxen.

The action starts on page one when an intense fistfight breaks out amid a crowd of people stocking up their wagons.

The crowd cheers on the two combatants in a frenzy. Dorcas, however, has seen enough. Leveraging her athletic and tall physique, she moves in to break up the fight. Her boldness will have to carry her forward on the trail, as she and her family face unfamiliar challenges every day. They struggle to keep their wits and sense of humor about them through the rigors of the daily chores and travel. Even something seemingly straightforward, like crossing a river, requires skill and careful planning in 1850.

Human nature remains unpredictable. A traveling caravan becomes a community of individuals with joys, but also concerns and burdens.

Can these strangers pull together in tough times and help each other, or do they tear each other apart? Each family’s story is deeply touching. Traveling this path, the tensions and frictions within a family grow until they can’t be ignored. Further down the trail, those wounds may not be able to heal.

Children are not immune to the effects of these wild, open spaces. As with adults, previously hidden aspects of their personalities take hold.

Dorcas sees her oldest daughter’s soulful reaction to tragedy as bordering on the paranormal. Her adventurous son becomes even more daring, while her other son enthusiastically begins a newsletter as he researches and documents incidents along the way. Underlying all the travails, there is love. Sometimes that love is found when and where it is not expected. Sometimes it sparks jealousy. And so often that love is cherished. Yet, there will come a time when Dorcas is going to have to make a very difficult choice.

Climb on board and get those wheels turning to experience a journey into the frontier of 1850, described in full sensory detail.

Award-winning author David Fitz-Gerald’s fascination with this era is skillfully displayed throughout this novel. Historical insights and facts are skillfully woven into the plot, with a hint of the paranormal sparking some intrigue. His memorable characters warm the heart, excite the conscience, and will often take readers by surprise. This novel’s unique writing style is incredibly engaging, as the pages and the days on the trail eagerly turn from one to another.

January 10, 2024
FENIX And The FIREWORK FLIERS by Once Upon a Dance – Picture Books, Dancing, Animal Stories

Join Fenix the firefly for the Solstice Celebration, where the animal who most captured the Spirit of the Season will be announced! Once Upon a Dance presents another delightful tale of movement and courage in Fenix and the Firework Fliers.

While Fenix is too small to be a member of the Firework Fliers, he’s excited to cheer on his best friend Bolt who is going to be the highest point in the firework finale! His cheering inspires Bolt to do his best as a new recruit. But trouble looms when the butterflies bring Bolt’s favorite drink, nectar, despite Fenix cautioning him that it may be possible to have too much of a good thing.

As in all Once Upon a Dance books, there are suggestions for movement activities that can be done while reading!

Ballerina Konora returns to help guide readers through the literal motion of the story. These steps include simple movements like stretching up to show the sunrise, and ways to embody the different animals like snakes, frogs, and rabbits that Fenix encounters as he tries to save the Firework Fliers Finale.

Fenix shows us that even the smallest among us can make a difference.

Filled with excellent guides that will get readers up and dancing, Fenix and the Firework Fliers takes us on a dangerous adventure, watching for predators as Fenix works to save the day. An inspiring book on movement and stepping up to help your friends!

Note: Fenix’s gender is never explicitly mentioned, so it would be totally reasonable to refer to the brave firefly as she as well! The book will be available March 1, 2024!

January 8, 2024
The 2023 Semi-Finalists JOURNEY Book Awards for Overcoming Adversity in Narrative Non-Fiction
The Journey Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Overcoming Adversity in Narrative Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Journey Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring a Journey of true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them. See our full list of Non-Fiction Divisions here.

These titles have moved forward from the Short List Journey Non-Fiction entries to the 2023 Journey Book Awards SEMIFINALISTS. Entries below are now in competition for the 2023 Journey Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2023 Journey Book Awards novel competition for Overcoming Adversity in Non-Fiction!

Join us in celebrating the Semi-Finalist authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
- Frederick Douglass Reynolds – Saint Bloodbath
- Rebecca Olmstead – Loved So Much It Hurts: Purpose in the Pain
- Hollie Stuart – I Can See for Miles
- Cathryn Vogeley – I Need To Tell You
- Lori Lee Peters – God, the Mafia, My Dad and Me
- Cort Casady – Not Your Father’s America
- Francesca Miracola – I Got It From Here
- Francesca Grossman – Not Weakness: Navigating the Culture of Chronic Pain
- Sara Alvarado – Dreaming In Spanish: An Unexpected Love Story in Puerto Vallarta
- Joel Harris – Searching for Steve
- Leslie Ferguson – When I Was Her Daughter
- Antonia Deignan – Underwater Daughter: A Memoir of Survival and Healing
- Phyllis Dyson – Among Silent Echoes: A Memoir of Trauma and Resilience
- Andrew Saltarelli – Leaving Home
- Nanette J. Davis Ph.D. – Raging Currents: Mental Illness and Family
- Aurita Maldonado – The Zen of Dancing in the Rain: Becoming One with the Storm
- Barbara Wolf Terao – Reconfigured: A Memoir
- Trisha T Pritiin – The Hanford Plaintiffs: Voices From the Fight for Atomic Justice
- Sarah Martin – Dear Psychosis
- Julie Morrison – Barbed: A Memoir
- Jarie Bolander – Ride or Die: Loving Through Tragedy, A Husband’s Memoir
- Mikky Eagle – Transcending to Power – the Freya Files : A Survivor’s Memoir Uncovering the Aftermath of Child Sexual-Abuse
- Erika Shepard – Trans-Formations From Field Boots to Sensible Heels
- Karen DeBonis – Growth: A Mother, Her Son, and the Brain Tumor They Survived
- Mike Nixon – Life Travel And The People In Between
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 FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 JOURNEY Awards is:

A Fraction Stronger

by Mark Berridge

See our full list of 2022 Journey Winners here.

The 2023 JOURNEY Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC24 on April 20, 2024. Save the date for CAC24, scheduled April 18-21, 2024, our 12 year Conference Anniversary!

April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

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 12th annual conference and discover why!
January 7, 2024
The 2023 Ozma Book Awards Semi-Finalists for Fantasy Fiction
The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books in the Ozma Awards featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out-of-this-world fiction. These books have advanced to the Long List in the 2023 CIBAs OZMA division.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2023 Ozma Fantasy Fiction Short List to the 2023 Ozma Book Awards SEMI-FINALISTS. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2023 Ozma Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
- Jenn Lees – The Quest: Arlan’s Pledge Book Two
- Nicholas Varner – Seasons of the Blue Pearl
- Tim Facciola – A Vengeful Realm: Book One: The Scales of Balance
- L.R. Braden – Of Mettle and Magic
- Lilla Glass – The Unseen
- Ross Hightower – Argren Blue
- John Diaz – Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade
- Amber Kirkpatrick – Unleashed
- Amber Kirkpatrick – Until the Rising
- Charles Allen – The Order of the Red God
- Jaime Castle & Andy Peloquin – Black Talon
- Crystal D. Grant – Shadowcast
- Ekta R. Garg – In the Heart of the Linden Wood
- L.L. Gray – Shadows and Relics
- Richard C. Brusca – The Time Travelers
- D. K. Willis – The Unexpected
- Celaine Charles – Seam Keepers
- David V. Mammina – The Angels of Resistance
- Dale Griffin – The Last Lion of Karkov
- Jonathan Uffelman – Book of Leprechauns: The Lore Gatherers
- PM Black – The Solar Realm – Silver Slayer
- Omayra Vélez – Ultima Skylar
- PJ Devlin – The Chamber
- Rae St. Clair Bridgman – The Kingdom of Trolls
- L. Ryan Storms – Temper the Dark
- Alex B. Harper – Of Light and Nightmares: The Ashes of Magic Trilogy, Volume I
- S.G. Blaise – Proud Pada
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

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The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 OZMA Awards is:

Soar a Burning Sky

By Steven Michael Beck

See the full list of 2022 Ozma Award Winners here.

The 2023 OZMA Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC24 on April 20, 2024. Save the date for CAC24, scheduled April 18-21, 2024, our 12-year Conference Anniversary!

Submissions for the 2024 OZMA Book Awards are open now. Enter here!

Don’t delay! Enter today!

Winners will be announced at the 2023 CIBA Awards Ceremony, sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

The Chanticleer Authors Conference

Featuring authors like D.D. Black, Kim Hornsby, book doctor Christine Fairchild, and Mark Berridge, our twelfth annual conference is shaping up to be excellent! You won’t want to miss out on the best tips around the business of being an author!

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 12th annual conference and discover why!
January 7, 2024
On the 12th Day, Chanticleer brings to me… | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

The 12th Day of Christmas

The 12th Day of Christmas, also the last day of Christmas, is known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. Traditionally, gift giving was centered around Epiphany but commercialization of Christmas and a cultural desire to shorten celebrations has changed this to center around Christmas Day. In many European and Slavic countries, children open their presents from ‘Santa Claus’ on Christmas Day, then families and friends open presents to each other on Three Kings’ Day. Three Kings’ Day, or the Epiphany, is a feast day observed by many Christians.

Below is a photo of an parade that takes place throughout Poland on Three Kings’ Day.

The Epiphany is often celebrated by the sharing of a King’s Cake, something also associated with Mardi Gras in the American south and in France. Baked into the cake was a coin, a bean, or a small toy and the person who found the trinket in their slice was named king for the day! Chew carefully!

A New Orleans’ style King Cake. Try the recipe here!

Elsewhere children are encouraged to place their shoes by the door and, if they are sleeping soundly through the night, the Three Wise Men might leave them three small gifts by the morning.

On the 12th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

12 Social Media Tips!

These days everyone is instantly reachable via the internet. This means, besides using Facebook or Instagram or Twitter to catch up on what your high school sweetheart is doing, social media has become a useful tool for anyone who has a product they want to market or a community they want to cultivate.

But where do I start? Not to worry! Check out our top tips for growing your audience and maintaining your community.

1. Make sure you & social media will be friends.

Not everyone needs to have social media. Not everyone is cut out for using social media as the tool it can be. Before you commit to making that profile, buying a website domain, or getting someone to help you make a trending TikTok, as yourself these questions.

Would spending time doing this bring me joy? Does it feel exciting to me?

Can I do this consistently or do I feel like I will burn myself out trying to keep up?

Are there examples of authors I respect and admire who use social media like this?

Is this something I think my readers would find inspiring, informative, entertaining, or valuable?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, then maybe social media is for you!

2. Pick the right platform for YOU!

Most social media platforms have a preferred content format. Twitter has a character limit, Instagram is designed for photos and short-form videos, Facebook has great group options as well as photo, video, and text options, and websites and blogs can be anything you can imagine these days.

Take a look at all your platform options and pick two you think you can manage. Don’t push yourself to make content that doesn’t feel like you.

Some of the most common combinations are: Blogging & Twitter, Facebook & Newsletters, Facebook & Instagram, or Instagram & Pinterest.

3. Post at the right frequency and time.

Each social media platform is going to have an optimal frequency and time to post to maximize traffic to your posts. When creating your social media, try and take these factors into account.

Post Daily: Instagram and Twitter

Post Weekly: Facebook and LinkedIn

Post Monthly: YouTube, Blog, and Newsletters

Post Seasonally: Pinterest

Now think about when you yourself spend time surfing the web or generally look at your devices. THOSE are the times you want your content to be findable by your audience.

A good rule of thumb is to maximize new content being available between 6am-7:30am, 1pm-3pm, and 5:30pm-8pm on weekdays, and between 9am-1pm and 5pm-8pm on weekends. Fridays are good for visual mediums such as Instagram and TikTok but bad for everything else.

4. Weigh your newsletter options.

Not all newsletter providers are created equal so be sure you find one that has all the features you desire. Some commonly used platforms are Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and Substack. All of these are free to start but require paid plans once you’ve reached a certain number of subscribers or sent a maximum number of email blasts.

If you don’t want to worry about managing an email list, having a blog that you can funnel interested parties to is another great way to build a faithful audience.

Now that we’ve covered the basics of starting your social media footprints off on the right foot, let’s look at some ways to give your content an extra kick!

5. Always use high quality images for your content!

It really does make a difference in how your audience will look at what you post. If you need to add some pzazz or polish some images there are plenty of free online options like Canva or Pixlr.

6. Don’t be afraid to recycle or double post content.

Not everything you put up everywhere needs to be unique. It’s perfectly acceptable to post the same thing on Facebook and your blog. Or even to repost a similar graphic several times if it’s applicable to everything.

7. Post things you are excited about! Share the new cover for you book, show off a new hobby you’ve picked up, or post a picture from the last time you met some fans.

Don’t worry about limiting yourself to writing related things! You want your fans to enjoy the entirety of you – odd interests, failed attempts, and cozy, lazy days included.

8. Push a preorder promotion.

Is your newest book coming out soon? Consider pushing a pre-order program or just a simple promotion of the work.

9. Invite your fans to events happening nearby! Maybe they’ll show up to say hello and the other writers and businesses will thank you.

Let’s face it, social media can be connective but it still pales in comparison with real human connection. Give folks the opportunity to run in to you at literary events or learn about writers you admire.

10. Show your workspace and favorite writing tools.

Everyone has their own “perfect” creative space. Show your audience what makes yours special!

11. Let fans know what you as an author like to read! There’s always new books to discover.

Top ten lists of your favorite reads of the year or books you wouldn’t be the same person without are a great way to offer some insight into your inspiration and growth as a writer.

12. Don’t just promote, participate.

Share other author’s work you enjoy. Comment on other related posts. Respond to your audience. Creating connection with your audience will provide longevity, community, and other avenues for people to hear about your work.

Here is a list of Chanticleer’s 12 Days Posts with Links

On the 1st Day, Chanticleer brought an invitation to join The Roost, Chanticleer’s Writers Community, with a special holiday offering!

On the 2nd Day, Chanticleer discusses two types of reviews needed by authors and publishers.

On the 3rd Day, Chanticleer honors Three Pillars of our Writing Community: Laurel Leigh and Joan Airoldi in memory, and honors Poet Laureate Rena Priest.

On the 4th Day, Chanticleer discusses ISBNs (and four calling birds).

On the 5th Day, Chanticleer shows off the CIBAs’ (Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards) coveted Blue Ribbons.

On the 6th Day, Chanticleer shares Six Rituals and Routines of Famous Authors.

On the 7th Day, Chanticleer brings the CIBAs Levels of Achievement for all works (manuscript and published) entered in this prestigious book awards program.

On the 8th Day, Chanticleer shares eight SEO Boosts and the AISEO boosting that accompanies each Chanticleer Review.

On the 9th Day, Chanticleer shares the Daily Routines of Nine Famous Authors.

On the 10th Day, Chanticleer shares Ten Publishing Trends for 2024.

On the 11th Day, Chanticleer shares Book Cover Design Tips.

On the 12th Day, Chanticleer shares 12 Social Media Tips and 12 Links to this series of blog posts.

We would like to invite you to join our curated online community The Roost!

We are so proud the community we have on The Roost! It is great perch to hang out on for writers and publishers to hang out in and connect.

We host weekly write-ins, discussions of writing craft books, and advice on the author’s journey. With authors in all stages of the writing process joining us, there is always something to learn on this independent PRIVATE social media site.

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community.

Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

Limited Time Only! Join The Roost during the 12 Days at a discounted holiday price.

Sign up now for $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.

Valid until January 7th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

We now have:
- Twelve Partridges and Twelve Pear Trees
- Twenty-two Turtle Doves
- Thirty French Hens
- Thirty-six Calling Birds
- Forty Golden Rings
- Forty-two Geese-a-Laying
- Forty-two Swans-a-Swimming
- Forty Maids a-Milking
- Thirty-six Ladies Dancing
- Thirty Lords a-Leaping
- Twenty-two Pipers Piping
- Twelve Drummers Drumming
It IS crowded in here! 364 Gifts!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Twelve Days of Christmas series of blogposts! While the Yuletide holidays might be over, we never stop celebrating the wonderful work you put out. We’re honored to be chosen by authors every day, without whom we couldn’t Discover Today’s Best Books! We’ll see you at the Chanticleer Authors Conference in April!

Wishing you a Happy New Year from Chanticleer from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
January 6, 2024