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Postponement of the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference

The COVID-19 virus is a unique event that is presenting new challenges on many fronts globally, nationally, and locally.

At Chanticleer, we come together from across the globe not only via the internet, but in person at the annual Chanticleer Authors Conference. Each year, attendees fly in from the Britain, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Canada — all three provinces, Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Philippines, Spain… the list goes on. And then there are those who attend from across the United States. We consider each of you our friends and colleagues. You are on in our hearts and on our minds especially now.

I am writing this post from Bellingham, Wash. As of this morning, Monday, March 16, 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee signed an executive order to extend mandatory social distancing measures at restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues including fitness studios and gyms statewide. Take-out and delivery services are still permitted—for now. All Washington state schools have been ordered to close for 6 weeks to help flatten the curve for the coronavirus contagion.

Closer to home in Bellingham, our city government advised last Tuesday, March 10th to cancel any gatherings of more than ten people. On Wednesday, Western Washington University and the Whatcom Community College have canceled all in-person classes and are shifting to online classes.

At Chanticleer, we began working remotely from our homes starting on Tuesday, March 10, 2020.

The COVID-19 Numbers – Washington state

Washington state is where (it seems) the COVID-19 made first landfall in the U.S.

The first confirmed death from COVID-19 in the U.S. was a Kirkland was 15 days ago —February 29, 2020.

As of March 15, at 3 p.m. PST, the Washington Department of Health reports that the number of confirmed cases has increased to 769. The number of deaths in Wash. from COVID-19 is 42.

WA DOH: “Public health experts agree that the true number of people who have been infected with COVID-19 in Washington greatly exceeds the number of COVID-19 infections that have been laboratory-confirmed. It is very difficult to know exactly how many people in Washington have been infected to date since most people with COVID-19 since the ability to get tested is still not widely available.”

U.S.A. COVID-19 Numbers as of March 13, 2020

In the U.S., the numbers for confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Friday, March 13, 2020 are (acknowledging the lack of testing available) are 1,649. Total deaths as of 3/13/20 are 41. The number of states confirming cases: 47.

The increase from 1 case to 1,649 cases happened in two weeks.

Learning from Italy COVID-19

In Italy, the first two COVID-19 cases were reported on January 30, 2020. Both cases were Chinese tourists. By mid-February, the confirmed cases increased to several hundred. The first of March more than 3,000 confirmed cases were reported. More than 10,000 confirmed cases were reported by March 10, 2020.

As of March 15, 2020, the confirmed number of cases in Italy reached 24,747 cases and rising. It has been 45 days since the first reported confirmed case.

On March 15, the COVID-19 death toll in Italy is 1,809 — 45 days from the first reported case.

Flattening the Curve of Contamination

The lesson that we must learn from Italy is to FLATTEN the CURVE of CONTAGION so that our hospitals, medical care systems, and health professionals will not be overwhelmed especially when testing is still in short supply along with protective gear and not enough medical equipment to treat bilateral interstitial pneumonia, the deadly side effect of COVID-19.

As we know and understand, the best way to flatten the curve is self-isolation. And that leads to why we decided last Tuesday to postpone the Chanticleer Authors Conference that was originally scheduled to take place April 16-19, 2020.

Postponing the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference

Last Wednesday, March 11th, I sent an individual email to each registrant of the Chanticleer Authors Conference alerting them that the conference has been postponed until September 3-6, 2020, due to the COVID-19 situation.

We, like many of you, are disappointed but believe that postponing is the most prudent action to take for all concerned. In hindsight, we now know that it was the best action to take.

The beautiful Hotel Bellwether has graciously offered our conference an alternate time and date to hold the event. CAC 20 is scheduled to be held September 3 -6, 2020, Labor Day Weekend.

CAC 20 Faculty and Presenters are all on-board and have confirmed for these new dates.

Scott Steindorff, A-list Film Director and Producer, Robert Dugoni–international best-selling author and now executive film producer, Paul Cutsinger — Amazon’s Alexa project lead, Chris Mottes, CEO of Hindenburg Systems, Amy Stapleton with Chatables, Simon-Pierre Marion with Bookchain, Diane Garland, Suzie Plakson, and others have confirmed that they will participate on these new dates! Everyone is being supportive and helpful with the rescheduling.

Meanwhile, we are busy here, working remotely of course, as we work out the details with this change of dates. We will be back in contact soon with more detailed information.

As you may correctly surmise, we are scrambling right now! Your patience and understanding is much appreciated and needed.

If you would like to read some of the many wonderful replies that we received from Chanticleerians upon receiving the postponement email notification, you can find them at the end of this post.

We are going to put together some podcasts and short videos so we all can keep working on our writing craft, increasing book sales, increase our online presence, and work on brand development while so many of us are in self-isolation so that we may protect others and aid medical personal by flattening the curve of contagion.

So stay tuned!

The Chanticleer Authors Conference is scheduled for September 4, 5, & 6, 2020. Master Writing Classes are scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2020. The venue for the conference is the wonderful family-owned Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.

We call Bellingham the “outpost” because it is surrounded by forests and woods, lakes and the sea, and mountains – Mount Baker, the Northern Cascades, and Canada’s Coastal Range. It is beautiful here, especially in early September. The Bellingham Yacht Club hosts its annual regatta – filling the Bellingham Bay with beautiful sailing boats. It is quite a sight to see!

Since 2010, Chanticleer has grown authentically and organically in this magical place with your support and patronage. Going into our second decade, we are excited about our Big Plans for sharing the latest in technology, tips, and tools for authors and publishers for this new era of content creation for storytelling in all its forms.

We are looking forward to bringing you the very best conference of 2020, right here in Bellingham, Washington.

Thank you, again, for your continued support.

Take care, be safe.

Keep writing and creating magic!

Kiffer and Sharon & Team Chanticleer

We LOVE Chanticleerians! #ChanticleerFamily

Thank you for the email, knowing how horribly hit your state has been. My prayers go out to your community and its peoples. You guys stay vigilant. I am currently booking and making arrangements for Labor Day! I hope to see everyone then. It gives me time to finish my rewrites and I hope to plunk it in someones hands for review while at conference. Maybe sooner! As a side note, if you need help getting ready for conference, I would be happy to fly out a few days early and give you guys a hand. Thank you for all that you do, Dee B.

I think now that you’ve absolutely made the prudent and best call, given the travel bans put in place… I know you and Sharon have worked so hard to pull this together – and I’m a firm believer in things working out for the best… Have a terrific (and safe) summer, and we’ll see you in September! xoxo, g

Thank you for the update, Kiffer! What a difficult situation. My family and I will hope to shift our plans to September when time together will be all the sweeter. All best to you and yours–E

ESP at work again! The past couple days I wondered if I should call and check in on the status of the conference. And once WHO declared the pandemic and President curtailed citizens from other countries coming in… I thought it might be a game changer. I will also call the hotel to update my reservations. Much appreciation for your time, effort, and dedication. K

Yes, I also feel postponing the conference until Labor Day weekend is a wise decision.This is sad but good news. I will plan to be there then. Fingers crossed. I really wanted to come. Until then, J

I will definitely be attending Chanticleer! When the time comes It looks so Freaking Awesome this Year!…We have some nice sunny weather coming up. Be healthy. B

This was really the only choice you had. And I applaud you for scheduling a “make-up date”. So many other things are just being cancelled with no expectation of happening later. Stay safe. And I definitely look forward to finally meeting you when the conference does occur. C

Thank you for re-scheduling the conference. The thought of having to cancel was heartbreaking and I kept putting it off. Now I can look forward to attending in September: I’ve already booked our hotel accommodations. Stay safe and thank you again for your concern and good judgment. N Dear Kiffer,

I’m so disappointed as I war really was looking forward to the conference and the banquet. I love meeting other authors! Please transfer my registration to Labor Day weekend. Love, M.J.

Love the new dates! Thanks so much for postponing instead of cancelling. I rebooked the Bellwether. Talk to you soon! A

And the wonderful and positive replies continue to come in!

Please stay safe and stay tuned. More info to come. Kiffer and Sharon

March 16, 2020
bada-BOOM! (A Hamlin Park Irregulars Novel: Book 3) by Wally Duff – Female Sleuths, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery

In this fast-paced, contemporary mystery thriller, Wally Duff takes readers on a wild, fictional ride with this third installment featuring the colorful and versatile Hamlin Park Irregulars. This group of playground moms and friends are at the ready to follow a fellow mom’s investigative lead in the interest of revisiting her former journalism career.

Tina Thomas, a former investigative reporter who lost her job when she ignored orders issued by the FBI, is now a stay-at-home mom. Unable to resist the lure of a good story, Tina soon finds herself involved in chasing down Dr. J. Randall Fertig, a Chicago surgeon who claims he can perform an operation that cures patients of breast cancer. Having never published his techniques or results, a hospital committee has been formed to verify Fertig’s work. But when a committee doctor suddenly dies in a violent one-car crash considered a probable suicide. But when a second doctor’s death is listed as a suicide, Tina’s instincts kick in, leading her to believe that Fertig is killing off committee members to keep them quiet. With the help of an eclectic and well-defined cast, including her playground cohorts, each with their own workable attributes and a duo of sharp and suave detectives, Tina is soon back in the thick of things. The adrenaline rush doesn’t let up until a surprising climactic reveal that includes an unexpected nod to the contemporary #MeToo movement.

Duff makes efficient use of short, rapid-fire chapters that move the plot along at a steady pace. Each new reveal serves as an enticing breadcrumb on the trail of heightened drama and suspense.

Engaging characters integrate easily into the activities of the investigation, whether a computer savvy mom with her hacking skills, or the model beauty of the group who uses her female charms as “the great distractor.” Two male hair stylists help liven up the mix and up the fun factor, particularly when they feel they must escort Tina out the back door of their establishment, fearing her bad hair vibe will reflect poorly on them. Another group of muscle “friends” adds assistance and intrigue with their uncanny ability to help Tina handle the details of some rather delicate situations.

Duff weaves wit and a bit of dark humor throughout, such as in the details of Tina’s ownership of an unregistered glitter-covered gun that she acquired from a neighbor who “accidentally” died on her kitchen floor. Tina’s calamitous antics also invite humorous Murphy’s law tension. When things keep going wrong – from a cell phone going dead in the dark, to a dropped fanny pack, and a sneeze that can’t be stifled – readers sense the tense, yet comical edge of this central character’s mishaps.

From secret revelations and bizarre disguises to break-ins, explosions, car chases, and drug-induced deaths, Duff draws us into this modern-day tale marked by suspicious activity, creative investigation, and a colossal denouement. While the initial cancer cure premise may get a bit waylaid amidst the story’s progression, the rousing action keeps readers thoroughly invested and hopeful for a resolution. A sneak peek at the next offering in this series concedes the return of a character from this medical debacle, intent on taking Tina out.

bada-Boom! ushers us into the medical world and the downfall of its profit-motivated physicians, complete with struggling stiletto-wearing female drug reps and overseeing hospital boards, all pitted against one another with sometimes dire consequences. This latest smart and compelling offering is exactly what the doctor ordered – absorbing entertainment!

March 16, 2020
WORDCRAFT – HOW to MAKE IT HAPPEN – from Jessica Morrell’s Editing Desk – a Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox post

How Does Wordcraft Happen? by Jessica Morrell

Focus on Language

There are so many mechanics of writing style I could write about columns on the topic for years. Come to think of it, I have.

Let’s focus on layering language into a story with care so that it adds to overall meaning and effect.

This means making careful choices so that you don’t distract the reader from your narrative. As a writer, search for precise words and comparisons to satisfy your reader. The problem of finding the perfect word or imagery, instead of the almost perfect word, is no small matter.

Denotation or Connotation – Know the Difference

While the literal or explicit meaning of a word or phrase is its denotation, the suggestive or associative implication of a word or phrase is its connotation. Thus you’re always making choices about meaning and language.

Merriam -Webster says: “What’s the difference between connotation and denotation?

While each of these two words has several possible meanings, they are notably distinct from each other in all senses. Denotation is concerned with explicit meaning, and connotation tends to be concerned with implicit meaning. The word home, for instance, has a denotation of “the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives,” but it may additionally have many connotations (such as “warmth,” “security,” or “childhood”) for some people.

Examples of denotation in a Sentence
The word has one literal denotation but several different connotations.
The definition provides the word’s denotation.

We all need a practical, sort of workday vocabulary that is consistent with our voice, and then we also need a vocabulary that’s the writer’s version of the Taj Mahal. Or, as another example, sometimes the style needs to be basic like bread pudding, sometime it needs to be more like a seven-layer wedding cake. Sometimes the best words are clear and simple, and sometimes they need to soar like a heron aloft on an air current. Sometimes stories work well in the style we’ve come to associate with Hemingway—terse, journalistic and economical. And sometimes a story needs all the embroidery and bombast of a stylist like John Updike.

Obviously there are writing styles that are too gorgeous, too painterly. The same for a style that is too ‘out there,’ too odd to grasp—as if wooly mammoths populate the page.

For example, boisterous and unexpected adjectives such as claxon or tessellated or the unforgivable boustrophedonic (all used by John Updike)—stop the flow of narrative. Instead of the reader remaining involved in the scene, he steps aside and engages his intellect. Choosing surprising yet apt modifiers is vital, but it’s not a task to be undertaken frivolously. Playwright David Hare says, “Style is the art of getting yourself out of the way, not putting yourself in it.”

Choosing surprising yet apt modifiers is vital. – Jessica Morrell

Anchoring the Story

When it comes to figurative language, you want to demonstrate an imaginative range, while remembering figurative language adds layers of meaning while also concentrating the flow of ideas. We use figurative language because it mates images and likenesses, connects with the reader’s associative right brain, and helps anchor the story. With figurative language, you want to demonstrate with freshness and verve. However, don’t range too far with your images or the story becomes tangled and obscure. Wordcraft that makes us shiver is delicious. Wordcraft that exists merely to show off is pointless.

Analogy and Metaphor

Analogy and metaphor are always subservient to the viewpoint, yet always take us deeper into the subject or moment as when Truman Capote described Elizabeth Taylor’s “eyes so liquid with life” and “the face, with those lilac eyes, is a prisoner’s dream, a secretary’s self-fantasy; unreal, non-obtainable…” Don’t you wish you’d woven together “a prisoner’s dream” to describe an indescribable beauty? Notice how it makes you feel the allure of Taylor?

Don’t Try to Do This in Your First Draft

In your editing process, it’s okay if your first draft is unpretentious, just as it is okay if your first draft is blowsy and lumbering. But then, as you refine later drafts, ask yourself if the writing needs to lift off the page a bit. If it is clean, or simply stark. If lush prose is necessary, or stripped down prose is needed.

Intensity of Language and the Potency of the Circumstance

Pay attention to the intensity of language which can range from mild to inflammatory. Match intensity of language to the potency of the circumstance, the sentence, the scene. Note the places in the story where the reader needs to linger and feel emotions and tension. In these passages it’s important to make precise choices, to examine your sentences, and listen hard to what you must say.

Clichés

The next thing to ask yourself as you’re revising is ‘have I heard this before?’

Clichés and trite expressions are often an editor’s first tip off that you’re a lazy or unimaginative writer. “Clichés are the old coins of language: phrases that once made a striking impression but have since been rubbed smooth by repeated handling.”

In Conclusion

If the writing seems thin, keep asking yourself a simple question: what does this remind me of?

Perhaps you’ve written about time running out (always a juicy element) and in the story your character is desperate because a deadline is looming as his kidnapped girlfriend is buried alive in a tunnel under the New York subways. It is mid-February, a blizzard is raging, temperatures are dropping to the lowest in a century, and travel is almost impossible. Your reader needs to be practically digging his nails into his palms; as if the harsh cold is seeping into his joints while turning the pages.

If the writing doesn’t illustrate those glacial temperatures, the reader won’t be feeling the danger. And will not harbor visions of frostbite or worse, of her frozen body like a soldier left behind on the Russian Front during World War II. You don’t need to conjure an analogy or metaphor for every passage, but you’ll need sensory details, until the reader is shivering and the cold has ripped through him.

You may be interested in reading the Glissando and Wordcraft post. Click here for the link: https://www.chantireviews.com/2020/02/21/glissando-and-wordcraft-from-jessica-morrells-editors-desk-a-chanticleer-writers-toolbox-blog-post/

Jessica Page Morrell

Jessica Page Morrell is a top-tier developmental editor for books and screenplays. Her articles have appeared in Writer’s Digest and The Writer magazines. She is known for explaining the hows and whys of what makes for excellent writing and for sharing very clear examples that examine the technical aspects of writing that emphases layering and subtext. Her books on writing craft are considered “a must have” for any serious writer’s toolkit.

Jessica will teach the Master Craft Writing Classes at the Chanticleer Authors Conference on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020 and will present sessions during the conference weekend.

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

And that 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, Macmillan, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, etc.). If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com.

Click here to read more about our Editorial services: https://www.chantireviews.com/services/Editorial-Services-p85337185

A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service. Here are some handy links about this tried and true service:

https://www.chantireviews.com/manuscript-reviews/

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!

Writer’s Toolbox

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

March 14, 2020
The ADVENTURES of RUG BUG – Volume I: The Revolution by Kay M. Bates – Children’s Bug & Spider Books, Children’s Mouse & Rodent Books, Children’s Action/Adventure Books

In this imaginative middle-grade reader from Kay Bates, a friendly nomadic beetle gets caught up in a conflict between a city of hospitable mice and the tyranny of rat overlords. Here the amiable insect puts his knowledge and training to good use by joining forces with his murine allies in an all-out effort to bring peace to their domain.

Rug Bug is a blue-bellied, green-shelled hexapod who is injured while trying to get away from the swatting wrath of humans and a feline he’s encountered while flying about The House. To escape, Rug Bug (or, Rug to his friends) slips into a baseboard hole and soon finds himself in the bustling world of Mousetopia. In this miniature anthropomorphized setting, Rug finds help and treatment at the City Health Center, then locates a safe haven at the “Cheeze Wheel,” a local eatery/catering establishment. Here he befriends a motley crew of employees and quickly learns of the long-standing feud between the greater rodent populace led by Fat Rat Bart and his army and how they terrorize Mousetopia and its inhabitants.

With no military forces or means of retaliation, Mousetopians are forced to live under the thumb (or rather a paw) of rat rule. While a monthly acorn & cheese tax holds the city in fear, additional threats from Bart lead the Cheeze Wheel owners and staff to contemplate the liberation of Mousetopia. Using Rug’s past technical training as a member of the fighting Beetle Brigade, plans for a revolution begin. Unfortunately, vermin spies are at large, and Mousetopia experiences a significant defeat. Notorious Bart is not above mouse-napping, which suddenly brings the younger generation into the conflict. Meanwhile, Rug and the adults look for additional reinforcement from outside sources to deal with their plight.

While Bates offers up this engaging rodent utopia by showcasing thematic contrasts of good vs. evil, at its heart, this proves a relatable story with a beautiful medley of furry, long-tailed characters exuding human qualities. Readers experience the likes of a tap-dancing young mouse who marches to his own drum; school bullies who strike within the halls of mouse academia; a pacifist rat soldier who longs for a gentler career; and a down-trodden mouse community choosing to rise above its oppressor.

Using witty footnotes sprinkled throughout the narrative, Bates’ humorous notations readily provide definitions for vocabulary words that may be new to some readers. From a quick-thinking Rug pulling on a cat’s whiskers to release a mouse from its grip to arthropods in training donning fighting-stick helmets that resemble toilet plungers, Bates detailed writing also conjures comical images Middle-Graders will giggle about.

Within this likable story highlighting unexpected friendships, Bates provides a heroic little character who not only finds solace in an unfamiliar kingdom but who also works diligently to bring about peace and harmony in a conflicted world. The lesson behind this rodent revolution reveals charming, authentic, and creative entertainment. An adventure destined to win young readers and those who love them!

The Adventures of Rug Bug: The Revolution won 1^st Place in the 2018 CIBAs, in the Gertrude Warner division for Middle-Grade Fiction.

March 13, 2020
BLOOD on the CHESAPEAKE by Randy Overbeck – Paranormal, Crime Thriller, Ghost Mystery/Suspense

Once upon a time, Darrell Henshaw saw dead people. Or rather, one specific dead person: his uncle. When Darrell was just 13, Dead Uncle Ed sat on the end of his bed and warned him not to go joyriding with his brother the next day – and not to let his brother go, either. Darrell only half-believed in ghosts in general or Ed in particular, so he only half-paid attention to that warning. Darrell didn’t go, his brother did, and his brother lost some toes to hypothermia and his chance to play varsity sports.

Darrell is an adult now and has been for a while. He’s also the new football coach and history teacher, at crumbling Williams High School in the very tiny town of Wilshire, Maryland. He believes it’s his job to bring a high school championship to the school in its final year in its old building. But the ghost that haunts the halls of Williams High School has other plans for the new coach. Ghost-sensitive Darrell is the spirit’s one last chance at revenge before the walls of the place where he was murdered come tumbling down.

Blood on the Chesapeake is, first and foremost, a ghost story. Darrell is haunted by the ghost of a young black man, just as the entire school has been for over 50 years. The ghost moves objects in Darrell’s office, operates the staff copy machine, and generally appears all over the school, but most frequently in Darrell’s office and the widow’s walk outside his window, the place where the young man supposedly hanged himself. But there are also plenty of people who hint that there is more to the story, and it’s that search for more that drives Darrell to uncover the truth, through a search of primary sources and historical records that is both fascinating and meticulous at the same time. In that search, readers will experience both the joy of discovery and the despair of what is revealed. It seems that some things are even worse than imagined.

The truth that Darrell unearths is one that the entire town has shrouded in a cloak of silence – and shame. After all, even in the early 1960s, lynchings were terrible things that happened in rural areas of the Deep South, not in suburban Maryland.

As Darrell dives deeply into history, the real history, he learns that it happened there and that the attitudes and beliefs that caused that young man’s death are alive and well – as are the men responsible for that death. Men who will do anything to protect themselves. After all, they’ve already committed one murder. Why not more?

While the hauntings of the high school and its coach are certainly the chilling stuff of which nightmares are made, it’s the truth that Darrell uncovers that is the real terror. Terrible things could happen there – and did happen there. And they were covered up there because history is written by the victors. In this case, the survivors and the victims have no voice.

Blood on the Chesapeake is a haunting story about the lengths and depths that one man will go to finish his unfinished business. If revenge is a dish best served cold, this time that revenge is served with the chill of the grave.

March 11, 2020
Continuity and Story Bibles – by Your WorldKeeper Diane Garland – A Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox post

Tools of the Authors’ and Screenwriters’ Trade: Continuity and Story Bibles

Building a story bible is much like building a house. I know as I am currently going through the very stressful and time-consuming process of having a house built. I’ve found myself agonizing over the rooms (do we really need a formal living room?), the hinges of the windows (9 choices of style, 7 choices of color), the light switches and outlets (how many and where do they go?), and many, many more things I had never even thought about (my favorite being how many caissons should be drilled for the foundation).

When I’m not overseeing the house, I’m creating story bibles for authors who write series. I’ve been doing this for a variety of authors in multiple genres. Both endeavors require a tight organization of details, an insight into what the finished product should look like and how it all started.

The major thread that runs through both of my projects is continuity.

The Importance of Continuity

Continuity is one of the most under-rated yet, far-reaching aspects of writing a series. It’s the one that is easily glossed over and forgotten in the mad dash to get words on the paper or the screen. It takes a backseat to the development of the world, the characters, the story arcs, and the action. And yet, it is one of the things readers remember most when reading a book. Continuity in a series includes everything from the attributes of the characters to the placement of buildings in the world. It covers the timeline and storylines from book to book, along with the rules of the world. Like building a house, an author needs to include the correct nuts and bolts as needed to plan the best possible design of the world she is creating. And, yes, even pantzers need to do this at some point before typing The End.

Nuts and Bolts to Include

Readers thrive on details. They crave information on the setting, the characters, buildings, outdoor spaces and more. These elements create a living, breathing world for the reader to experience. A few basic elements are standard when writing characters–a name, their age and physical characteristics for example. More details will appear over the course of the series i.e. family relationships and a love of animals. An author will also add details to enrich the storyline, a childhood anecdote for example.

The same goes with the development of the world. Tell the reader what the buildings or outdoor spaces look like, where they are located, and what they are used for. Description provides the reader with more color and more ways of imagining the setting. Remember to take your buildings beyond the four walls. Give them not only structure, but dress them up a bit. When building a house, more happens than naming the rooms. We create a home by filling the rooms with furniture, artwork, blinds on the windows, and paint on the walls. Do the same with the buildings and spaces in your story world. Bring your world to life.

Not having ambiance or a sense of place in a work is called “the white room syndrome.” White room syndrome is what our editors note that can be a major weakness found in manuscript evaluations. There is little or no immersion for readers in a “white room” and this will cause the dreaded lost of interest in a work. ~Kiffer Brown

Organizing the Nuts and Bolts

Organizing the myriad of details of a story world is a necessary evil. Continuity demands this. Writing a series is stressful enough without struggling to recall details from previous books or spending hours searching for that one fact that was mentioned in book 2 (or maybe book 3, or maybe only existed in your thoughts and wasn’t actually mentioned on the page.) Too many authors rely on memory or scraps of notes here and there to keep them on the straight and narrow. Finding a system that works is an important tool in an author’s box of tricks. A story bible is one such tool.

Creating a Story Bible -not just for Scifi writers

If you want to pitch your book for a TV series or film or gaming, you will need to create a story bible. Screenwriters depend on it and so should serious authors. The story bible holds all of the tiny pieces of information such as cultural phrases, potential plotting ideas, dialogue, emotions, memories, does the character like dry wines or takes her bourbon neat, coffee black or macchiatos only, and a myriad of other ideas or details. And then there or the locations, timelines, character details, …

Old school — perhaps

Creating a story bible requires attention to detail and a lot of patience. The minutiae of a story world can be quite tricky to record. Choosing a structure for the bible that will work best for the author is crucial. Many find various word and writing programs to work best. All information regarding the characters, spaces, timelines, rules of the world, and what makes your story world unique should be listed and arranged in a manner easy to access. Without a good system, continuity across books will suffer, the reader will flounder and the author will inevitably hear about it in letters and reviews.

It is important for each writer to find a system that works for her/him per project. One size definitely does not fit all.

Specifics on what to include in your story bible along with different systems will be discussed at the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference in Diane Garland’s session Your Story World: Beyond Eye Color and the Weather. And we will interview Diane for an OnWord Talks podcast soon!

Learn from the BEST!

Diane is always on the go! We invite you to visit the YOUR WORLDKEEPER website at https://yourworldkeeper.com/

Diane Garland will teach several sessions on planning book series, world building, and creating story-bibles at CAC20 in Bellingham, Wash.

Her clients include USA Today Bestselling Author Ann Charles, Winner of four Will Rogers Gold Medallions and the Laramie Award, Jacquie Rogers, NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Hamilton, USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry among others.

Diane will help you create and write your series efficiently by maintaining continuity and fluidity. Diane, with her crackerjack proficiency in tracking details, locations, timelines, characters, and more will allow you, the author, to spend your time being creative, and not on tracking details that give works their all-important story construct.” – Kiffer Brown, publishing consultant and CEO of Chanticleer Reviews

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

And that our professionals (like Diane) are top-notch and our editors are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillan, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, etc.). If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com.

Click here to learn more about Chanticleer Editorial Services.

https://www.chantireviews.com/services/Editorial-Services-p85337185

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Writer’s Toolbox

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March 9, 2020
ELEPHANTS IN MY ROOM by Christie Nicholls – Dark Humor, Love, Sex & Marriage Humor, Actor & Entertainer Biographies

A bitingly funny collection of life-stories from Christie Nicholls – stand-up comedian, actor, and writer – made all the more piquant by her repeated insistence that she has no short-term memory. Fortunately for us, her long-term reminiscences more than make up the deficit.

Nicholls has divided the book into four parts. In the first, “A Broad Abroad,” she recalls her experiences of traveling to far-flung places, beginning with a summer in Belém, Brazil as a child. She and her brother, for some reason nicknamed Beluga, slept in hammocks and played in a swimming pool, but much of her cherished time involved a German Shepherd named Ferdinand, from whom she learned dog talk. Raucous family bowling in Bologna, Italy, is contrasted with attendance at a staid English wedding. At a later period, Nicholls and her mother went to Sweden, where the budding comic tried her hand at stand-up in newly acquired Swedish, leading to an amusing mix-up of jargon.

“Odd Jobs” highlights employment, from babysitting to trying to sell magazines by phone and getting the ax for her admirable refusal to inveigle a woman who was going blind to buy a subscription. Nicholls’ recollections of those “Dearly Departed” includes lessons learned from a singularly inspiring music teacher, and time spent with her grandparents – with the pain of watching them slowly “disappear” from failing health and dementia.

In “Boys to Man,” she confesses a few of her more outstanding, and hilarious, meet-ups with the opposite sex, revealing her youthful whims and desires. The final episode, and the book’s closing, is a comedy of errors that gradually reveals itself as a well-crafted salute to her partner and their quirky manner of demonstrating mutual respect.

Nicholls is a charming yarn spinner, revealing much about herself in this lively aggregation, and not all of it merely for laughs. She expresses her self-doubts and her struggles with schooling and recalls the year she did not win a prize from her music teacher. The experience of not being acknowledged for her effort spurred her to try even harder next time. Nicholls admits her many flaws in a characteristic satirical manner, almost certainly dramatized for comic effect. But poignant moments arise frequently. After feeling frustrated in her early relationship with her grandfather Poppop, who could be, and often was, sarcastic and bombastic, she took up his cause. She protected him when he became wheelchair-bound, rewarded by his beaming smiles.

Anyone familiar with the author’s significant talents will be happy to learn that she can write as well. Indeed, those getting to know her through this debut writing romp will want to see her show, follow her on social media, stalk her at the grocery store… well, we discourage stalking. What you will come away with is a genuine respect and admiration for Nicholls, a smart modern comedian, who brings her audience joy and quite possibly makes the world a brighter place to reside.

March 9, 2020
MORE THAN JUST WEATHER and MUSIC: 200 Ways to Use Alexa by Bradley Metrock

So you think you know Alexa?

A new book on the ubiquitous Amazon-created voice assistant, Amazon Alexa: More than Just Music and Weather will convince you otherwise within its first few pages.

Start by looking at the table of contents. There are 226 different commands you can say to your voice-activated gadget. Some are certainly the basics: latest news, weather, access to your favorite music, and more. Those you would expect. But then there’s “baby sleep white noise,” “Yes, Sire (an Alexa game, not a 50 Shades of Gray manual), the ability to control your Rhoomba vacuum or Braava jet mop, and so much more.

It’s not only a great list of suggestions of the many things you can do with your Alexa device, it’s also an impressive education in the many ways in which voice-activated assistants are becoming a vital part of daily life.

We’re well accustomed to the way that our mobile phones have become essential to our daily lives. Alexa—more accurately, the Amazon Echo device with the Alexa voice assistant—debuted in late 2014. It was followed shortly by the Google Home system, making Google’s legendary information treasure trove available in the home, and Microsoft’s Cortana voice system for Windows. Alexa’s system, however, came out of the chute with a greater number of Alexa-centric services and a more comprehensive list of vendors whose products and services were already linked to Alexa. It’s these impressive listings that this book brings into focus for everyday readers.

Each service is listed on its own graphic page that explains the service and presents the voice command you say to Alexa that will get you there. It’s a fun experience and a helpful guide to get the most out of this useful technology.

March 6, 2020
Links to All 17 Divisions of the Chanticleer International Book Awards 2019 Semi-Finalists

Official Announcement of the Chanticleer International Book Awards 2019 Semi-Finalists (the 2019 #CIBAs)

We have just completed the final sweep of all seventeen divisions of the 2019 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards submissions. All of the divisions’ Semi-Finalists have been announced.

Each one of the Semi-Finalists has been notified by email from the president of Chanticleer Reviews, Kathryn “Kiffer” Brown at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com.

Additionally, all 17 divisions’ Semi-Finalists have been posted on the Chanticleer Reviews website (see links below), have been sent out in e-newsletters to our entire subscriber list, and have been announced on Chanticleer’s Facebook page and on Twitter social media platforms.

We always check for stragglers, the inevitable stray, and late ratings coming in from judges (they do this as a labor of love for books and authors), and other anomalies that are just the nature of tracking the thousands of entries that we receive despite our state of the art integrated software program for tracking, DRM, and interactions with the judges.

The works that made it to the 2019 SEMI-FINALIST are currently in the final rounds of judging to determine which ones will move forward to the limited First Place Categories and the coveted grand prize position for each division. The Overall Grand Prize for Best Book will be determined from the 17 divisions’ grand prize winners.

An Important Announcement from KIFFER – the Chanticleer Authors Conference has been postponed until September 3 -6, 2020 (from the original date of April 16-19, 2020) due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation. This postponement was decided on March 12, 2020. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we are scrambling with the rescheduling and the logistics. All registrants have been notified by individual emails. We will post updates as we know more.

We are currently working on the schedule of CAC events and CIBA announcements for the new dates. Thank you for our patience and understanding during this unique event that is presenting new challenges on many fronts for everyone.

All Semi-Finalists in attendance at the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference that is scheduled to take place April 16 -19, 2020 will be recognized. CAC 20 is the sponsor of the Chanticleer International Book Awards banquet and ceremony. The First Place Category Winners and Grand Prize winners for all seventeen divisions will be announced at the banquet and ceremony that will take place the evening of Saturday, April 18, 2020. The Overall Grand Prize Winner will be announced and presented with the cash prize of $1,000 USD on that exciting evening.

(We’ve added a division, so standby for the new graphic — thanks!).

Here are the links to the 2019 Chanticleer International Book Awards SEMI-FINALISTS for All 17 Divisions.

These are the OFFICIAL and FINAL LISTINGS for the 2019 CIBAs SEMI-FINALISTS.

The CYGNUS Book Award for Science Fiction Semi-Finalists

The JOURNEY Book Award for Narrative Non-Fiction Semi-Finalists

The M&M Book Awards for Mystery & Mayhem Semi-Finalists

The GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards for Middle-Grade Readers Semi-Finalists

The DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction Semi-Finalists

The CHAUCER Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction Semi-Finalists

The GOETHE Book Awards for Post-1750s Historical Fiction Semi-Finalist

The LARAMIE Book Awards for Americana Fiction Semi-Finalists

The CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic Fiction Semi-Finalists

The CLUE Book Awards for Suspense & Thriller Fiction Semi-Finalists

The LITTLE PEEPS Book Awards for Early Readers and Picture Books Semi-Finalists

The OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction Semi-Finalists

The PARANORMAL Book Awards for Supernatural Fiction Semi-Finalists

The GLOBAL THRILLERS Book Awards for High Stakes Suspense Novels Semi-Finalists

The SOMERSET Book Awards for Literary, Contemporary, and Satire Fiction Semi-Finalists

The I & I Book Awards for Instruction and Insight Semi-Finalists

The NELLIE BLY Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction Semi-Finalists

INFORMATION

Each of the Semi-Finalists has been notified by email from the president of Chanticleer Reviews, Kathryn “Kiffer” Brown at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com.

Additionally, all 17 divisions’ Semi-Finalists have been posted on the Chanticleer Reviews website (see above links), sent out in e-newsletters to our subscriber list, announced on Chanticleer’s Facebook page and on Twitter social media platforms.

We will send the second and final round of email notifications to the 2019 Semi-Finalists starting before Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

The email includes links to Semi-Finalists Digital Badges, Semi-Finalists Book Stickers, a discount code for CAC20, and other information along with a significant discount code for CAC20 registration packets.

The 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference is scheduled to take place on April 17, 18, & 19, 2020.

The Master Classes taught by Jessica Page Morrell and Robert Dugoni will take place on Thursday, April 16, 2020. Registration is required.

There are five different registration packages available for CAC20. Don’t delay. Register today!

The 2019 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony will take place on the evening of April 18th, 2020. For more information, please visit the latest web post for the latest information, status, and updates about timing, photo opportunities, etc.

Registration is required to attend the CAC20 and the CIBA Banquet and Awards Ceremony* and tickets are required for admittance.

Good luck to all of the 2019 CIBA Semi-Finalists as their works compete in the final rounds of judging.

Each of the authors whose works made it into the CIBA Semi-Finalists should be very proud! Congratulations! You definitely have something to crow about!

*And, finally, you do not have to be present at the conference or the awards ceremony to win, but it sure is a lot more fun!

Btw, the Submissions Deadline for the 2020 CYGNUS, JOURNEY, and M&M Book Awards is April 30, 2020! Don’t delay. Enter today!

March 4, 2020
CHASING CLEOPATRA by Tina Sloan – Espionage, Romantic Suspense Thriller, Mystery

Was there ever a woman as glamorous and complex as Cleopatra Gallier? She’s 44, drop-dead gorgeous, charmingly clever, fabulously wealthy, a martial arts expert, and she lives in a luxurious villa on a stretch of Hawaii’s coastline.

All would seem perfect in Cleo’s world and she puts on her “best game face,” but sadly we learn, she’s traumatized for life after a horrendous childhood assault. Since then, she has kept her distance from others, particularly, men. Well, except for one.

But as Chasing Cleopatra opens, the new novel by American actress Tina Sloan, Cleo’s undercurrents of pent up passion are going to vent. She literally crashes into a young man―a much younger man―with her car―a minor accident, actually. But Cleo finds herself inexplicably and uncontrollably sexually attracted to the young handsome rogue and he is more than willing to reciprocate. Raging hormones on both sides of the sexual divide take over making for some torrid romancing.

So, you think, this is going to be that kind of novel.

Clearly, from the first words, you suspect there is going to be a lot more than “that” in Chasing Cleopatra and you will not be disappointed.

Cleopatra’s lustful affair with young Jake Regan becomes more complex as she discovers his presence in Hawaii is due to a Christmas holiday vacation with his (Norman Rockwellesque) family. Mother and his two brothers have arrived. Jake’s dad is expected to arrive at any moment from yet another far-flung business trip. But the coup d’état is that Jake’s longtime girlfriend, who also is en route, is expecting wedding bells to be announced at the gathering. It becomes obvious that Cleo and Jake’s unrelenting passion will have an impact on the Regan family.

What neither of them can anticipate is how their relationship over the next few days will also force the other members of his family to reveal their own secrets, some of which will open old wounds and create some life-changing events.

One of those secrets will reveal a pending Al Qaeda attack on Pearl Harbor. The other will delve deeply into Cleo’s past and touch her most challenging moment: the death of the only man she ever truly loved. Who would think that one of the Regan family’s secrets would become an existential threat to the life and purpose of Cleopatra Gallier and the Regan family?

The writing is lush, with the perfect amount of details, and the storytelling had this reader turning the pages. The intriguing backstory seems to presage a series of books on the life and times of Cleopatra Gallier. If so, they would make a great addition (with a more contemporary slant) to the reading list for devotees of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Catriona McPherson’s Dandy Gilver series.

Combining a romance novel with a thriller is not easy, but Chasing Cleopatra delivers the goods with plotting as intricate as a silver spider’s web.

March 3, 2020

Chanticleer Book Reviews