Ronald E. Yates continues the robust adventures of a lawman, gunslinger, and journalist in The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles, the second volume in his trilogy about the title character.
As in the first volume of the trilogy, William “Billy” Battles addresses the reader, but Ted Sayles, Billy’s great-grandson, is the one who compiled Billy’s life story through studying his great-grandfather’s journals, letters, newspaper articles, tapes, and other materials. And what an adventurous life it is! Living a full one hundred years, William Fitzroy Raglan Battles was born in Kansas in 1860 but eventually travels the world. Readers familiar with the first volume will no doubt want to continue William’s journey with the second book which begins in 1894. The Improbable Journeys, however, can function as a stand-alone volume because Yates takes great care to bring the reader up to speed with what has already taken place.
The opening chapters of Book 2 find William aboard the SS China, bound for French Indochina although the ship will make stops along the way. He is grieving the loss of his beloved wife and seeks to assuage that grief with travel, leaving behind his mother and young daughter, Anna Marie. However, the Pinkerton Detective Agency is hot on his trail, investigating William’s part in the deaths of members of the Bledsoe family back in Kansas.
His future is also set in play when he meets Baroness Katharina von Schreiber, a brilliant intellectual who, despite her aristocratic German title and surname, was born and raised in Chicago. Like William, her spouse is dead but the circumstances involving Rupert’s death are suspicious, and she takes great pains to avoid questioning by the authorities. William learns that some officials believe she’s in possession of top-secret German documents that she confiscated from her husband. There’s much political intrigue, but Katharina and William delight in each other’s company, and he feels the first stirrings of romance since his wife’s death.
William’s journeys bring him face to face with the realities of late 19th-century colonialism. As an American traveler and journalist, native peoples expect that he will sympathize with their struggles against colonial powers. After all, America set the example for the rest of the world by throwing off the chains of England more than one hundred years earlier. In the Philippines, Katharina’s brother, Manfred, supports a secret organization that seeks to overthrow colonial rule and establish independence for the nation. And while William has great admiration for the Philippine revolutionary leader, Aguinaldo, William is coaxed into military service. He fights alongside American soldiers from Colorado and Kansas – even though he knows all too well that McKinley’s “Proclamation of Benevolent Assimilation” is not truthful; the U.S. ultimately annexes the Philippines not as “friends” but as invaders and conquerors.
These fascinating chapters are narrated with an experienced journalist’s objective and encompassing eye. Yates, also a journalist, does an exemplary job of having William note every angle of the despotic nature of colonialism and the vast and complex difficulties involved in native peoples achieving independence.
The book is not without humor. William is witty and candid, occasionally sliding into cowboy-speak, and he knows a cast of characters, real and fictional, who provide surprising hilarity throughout the book. Bat Masterson is on hand, as is Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith. We leave William anticipating more dangerous exploits, one involving Francisco Villa, better known as “Pancho Villa.” Thank heavens this is a trilogy because it’s clear Billy Battles adventures are far from over.
Ronald E. Yates won first place in the 2016 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Somerset, Literary category.
Meet Denise Ditto Satterfield, 2016 Grand Prize Winner of the Chanticleer Little Peeps Awards
I first met Denise at CAC17 and was impressed by her passion for writing and her ability to encourage those around her in their craft. Much like her Children’s books, she seemed to be spreading her charm and charisma (#fairy_dust) everywhere she went!
Recently, we had a chance to chat and here’s what she said about her writing life and life in general. I hope you enjoy getting to know Denise Ditto Satterfield a little more through this interview.
Chanticleer:Tell us your story, Denise, how did you start writing?
Denise Ditto Satterfield: At the ripe old age of 44, I decided to go to college. My friends teased me, jokingly asking, “Why didn’t you go to college when you were supposed to?” You see, I started life the old-fashioned way … the way my dad said it had to be done. Graduate high school, get married and have kids. No college in the picture … especially not for girls. So, that is what I did. You ask, “How did that work out for you?” Not very well. Fast forward – I got divorced, my kids grew up, I got remarried and then I went to college. In my first English class, my love for writing was reignited. At the encouragement of one of my teachers, I submitted a story to the school’s literary magazine. I won first place in the competition and the rest is history. From that day forward I knew that one day I would quit my job and write full-time.
Chanticleer: What a journey! It takes a lot of strength to break out of the mold and do something else. Follow your heart. Good for you! Let’s talk a little aboutyour chosen genre.
Ditto Satterfield: My genre, for the moment, is children’s chapter books. I am also working on a Tooth Collector Fairy handbook which will be a companion book to the chapter books. When I take a break from fairies, I’m working on a middle-grade book. I love writing for children because I think like a child. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.
Chanticleer: That’s perfect. I find your work marvelously relateable. Maybe I think like a child as well… Do you find yourself following the rules or do you like to make up your own rules?
Ditto Satterfield: Well, it’s funny you ask this question. The handbook I’m working on consists of the rules and guidelines that the tooth fairies must follow. The main character, Batina, is a hardcore rule follower. As for me … I would say that I am a rule follower when it comes to most things. My husband says more specifically that I don’t follow the rules because they are rules. I follow the rules because they make sense. If I find that the rules don’t make sense, I will tweak … or bend … or ignore rules – whichever makes the most sense.
Chanticleer: I agree – things have to make sense. Easier to remember that way! What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.
Ditto Satterfield: Up until May 2017, my hobby was motorcycling. I rode a Harley for 27 years. My road name was Wonder Woman which was later shortened to WW. I got this name when my husband and I rode to Raleigh, NC for a Marine Corp reunion about 18 years ago. I was meeting a group of old Marines whom I had never met before. When the word got around that Skipper (my husband, Frank) had arrived at the hotel where the event was being held, all the guys filed outside to greet him. When they saw me they couldn’t believe I, a girl, rode all the way from Texas with him on my own bike. What made it even better is that, at the time, I rode a Softail painted like the American flag. That was the day I got my name.
When I quit my job to write full time, I became a joiner. I joined writing clubs, attended conferences, workshops, etc. I thought maybe I should learn how to blog so I went to a Leisure Learning class called, “Blogging for Dollars.” At that workshop, I heard something very interesting. The teacher said it was important for writers to build a platform. She suggested that for those in the class that didn’t have a website or blog should start one. She went on to say, “All you have to do is write about something you know.” I decided to take her advice – I started writing a motorcycle blog focusing on women riders. I gave tips in the form of videos. Honestly, they are a hoot. If you want a good laugh, visit www.motorcyclemommablog.com. Here are a few of my favorite videos – Blue Jean Shirts – Oct 2013; Bad Coffee – Apr 2013; Listening to music on the Motorcycle – March 2014.
Chanticleer: You are hysterical! Great blogs – I hope this is something you can continue. Maybe add a Children’s Book Blog to your impressive platform? So now, how do you come up with your ideas for a story?
Ditto Satterfield: When I was working everyone knew that I was going to quit my job one day and write full-time. When people know that they all have an idea of what you need to write about. I had one girl come to work one day and tell me that her daughter lost her tooth. The daughter wanted to know if all tooth fairies were girls. She told her no. Her request was that I write a story about tooth fairies that included boy tooth fairies. I thought that sounded like a pretty good idea. I wrote Batina’s Best First Day but didn’t have any tooth collector fairies that were boys, so in book two, Home from Decay Valley, I incorporated a boy tooth collector fairy. (He’s real cute … and very inquisitive … and I love him. He makes me laugh.)
Chanticleer: I love it when your characters are so deeply developed you can’t help but fall in love with them! How structured are you in your writing work?
Ditto Satterfield: I am not structured at all with my writing. I go in spurts and sometimes I work best under pressure. For example, when I was working on, Home from Decay Valley, I set a date for completion. The rough draft spilled out pretty fast. It was the revision stage that bogged me down. I would talk about how I had to finish the manuscript and then find something else to work on. I think this is what some might call procrastination. But I’m the farthest thing from being a procrastinator. I’m the one that has to have all my ducks in a row and the sooner the better. When it comes to creativity, it’s just hard to turn it off and on.
Chanticleer: It is hard! And it’s also important to let others know that the process isn’t easy. Thank you for sharing that. It’s important to work on your craft. What do you do to grow your author chops?
Ditto Satterfield: I find that the best way to grow my author chops is to attend workshops and social events with other writers and conferences. I always get fired up after a great conference. I also conduct a critique group at my house twice a month.
Chanticleer: Good answers. What do you do in your community to improve/promote literacy?
Ditto Satterfield: I have presented my book at schools and libraries. In addition, I visit the Ronald MacDonald House in House annually and read to the kids and sign and give away books.
Chanticleer: You are truly amazing! Okay, before I start to cry because you’re too awesome, please give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.
Ditto Satterfield: I love the marketing part of being an author. I believe an author must find his/her target audience first. Once the audience is identified, hit the road running. In my case, my target audience is 1. Children in the tooth losing age and their parents/grandparents, and, 2. People in the dental field i.e. dentist and dental hygienists. What I’ve done to sell my books is a little bit different than most. Besides the usual avenues (libraries, schools, bookstores) I sell my books at different types of festivals. People love to shop at all the different vendor tables because they can get unique gifts not usually found in stores.
Denise onstage!
I gained a tiny, wee bit of notoriety when a children’s theatre group picked up my story and made it into a musical. This is how I did that. I pitched the idea to a children’s theatre group. They liked the idea and made it into a musical. This performance gave me a lot of mileage on sales prior to the Premier Performance date. I was able to hit events all over town promoting the musical and selling my book. Since the first performance, I have packaged the musical and am now taking it on the road. It was performed again this month, May 2018, in Conroe, TX by the C.KIDZ Theatre School. Lucky for me I was able to get the C.KIDZ Theatre School into the Children’s Museum of Houston to perform the musical again on May 27th. I will also be launching my second book at the museum on May 27th directly after the musical so that should increase sells.
Chanticleer: You are blowing me off the page right now! What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?
Ditto Satterfield: Right now I’m working on the Tooth Collector Handbook. It will outline the rules and guidelines for the Tooth Collector fairies.
Chanticleer: That makes perfect sense – and smart, too. I can imagine kids will love this. Who’s the perfect reader for your book?
Ditto Satterfield: Children between the ages of 5-10 and their parents and grandparents.
Chanticleer: What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?
Ditto Satterfield: I know that reviews are very important to most authors. I think that should be number as the most important thing a reader can do but … for me, the most important, rewarding thing a reader can do for me is tell me what they think about the story. I had a school visit a couple of months ago and there was a little girl in the class that had my book. She jumped up and told the class all about it. It was crazy fun. She was so excited to meet me and she told me she love, love, loved the book. That made my day.
Chanticleer: I’ll bet it did! Denise, thank you for taking the time to share a little bit about yourself and your writing life with our community. You are a treasure!
For those of you in the Houston, TX area, Denise will be launching Home from Decay Valley that will include an onstage performance of Batina’s First Day on May 27, 2018, at the Children’s Museum of Houston. A not-to-miss event! Denise will donate $1 for every book sold on May 27 to the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation.
I would love to invite our readers to visit Denise’s website for her children’s books. It’s an education in marketing. https://toothcollectorfairies.com/
For her books, you can purchase them from her website, or your favorite retailer.
We’ve asked 10 questions, now it’s your turn! What question would you like to ask Denise Ditto Satterfield?
Denise won Grand Prize in the Little Peeps Awards for Children’s Books by entering the contest. Do you have a Children’s Book? The deadline for entering Little Peeps is September 30, 2018. Enter here today!
You can read The Tooth Collector Fairies: Batina’s Best First Day Chanticleer Review here.
1. The writing style is flowery, cluttered with modifiers, or sloppy. Overuse of modifiers is one of the most obvious indicators of an unsophisticated or sloppy writer at work. The simple solution is to limit your use of modifiers and use them only when they contain information that a noun or verb cannot.
2. Mechanical errors such as spelling mistakes, grammar slip-ups, poorly constructed sentences, or punctuation problems. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, these errors will knock you out of the running. Editors and agents are only interested in professional, polished and error-free writing.
3. The conflict is weak or boring.Conflict ignites and powers a story. Your protagonist must be up against powerful opposition at every turn and must fight these forces with an all-out offensive.
4. The opening does not contain a hook.The opening of a story is a gathering of forces to be unleashed. Stories always open with a change in the protagonist’s circumstances and this change is usually threatening. Openings also introduce a question that needs answering.
5.The story and the individual scenes do not have a sense of tension building and suspense. Readers need a reason to keep turning the page and all stories need growing intensity until the climax or resolution. A story where the tension does not rise, without unanswered questions and a series of surprises and reversals, won’t captivate readers.
6. The manuscript is plagued with dialogue disasters:overly long exchanges; characters giving speeches; or, the dialogue contains no tension or conflict. Other problems: each character does not sound distinct, characters talk about mundane topics not relevant to the story, or speech tags are distracting and filled with adverbs. Properly utilized dialogue defines characters, provides information and pushes the plot forward.
7. There is too much telling, not enough dramatization. Whenever appropriate bring the story to your readers in scenes, where they can witness it unfold in real time. “Show, don’t tell” is a useful guideline for writers, but fiction is actually ‘told’ and ‘shown.’ A combination of both techniques creates the most effective fiction. Scenes are most effective when you’re revealing characters or complicated interactions between characters. Exposition is most effective when you’re filling in background information or moving quickly between two scenes. Too much showing or too many scenes makes the story too drawn out just as too much exposition makes it static. The best stories usually move back and forth between scene and description.
8. Characters are underdeveloped.In the best fiction the reader has a sense that the characters have existed before the story began and will carry on after it ends. Memorable fictional characters are richly drawn, consistent, with dominant traits throughout.
9. The ending doesn’t deliver or satisfy.The best endings are not contrived or convenient. They are the logical and highly dramatic culmination of the proceeding events. The climax is the highest emotional pitch of your story, a decision, a collision of forces, and settling of scores.
10. The point of view is muddled or inconsistent.The point of view is the filter or lens which we see the story through. It is crucial that you understand who is telling the story and why. Viewpoint characters are generally those who will be most affected by the events of the story. If you’re using a multiple point of view, strive for a logical and consistent pattern.
Another note from Kiffer Brown,
One way to make sure that your work is the best that it can be before LINE EDITING and COPY EDITING, is to have a professional manuscript evaluation or manuscript overview assessment of your work-in-progress. This assessment will alert you to any of the above issues before you have your work edited.
and finally, Number 11 – FORMATTING ERRORS and Erroneous Submissions
11. The manuscript format is inappropriate or contains errors.There are no exceptions to the guidelines for manuscript submission. Margins, line spacing, fonts, and formats must be adhered to or your manuscript will be ignored.
11a. The manuscript has been sent to the wrong person or house.For example, you send a category romance to a publisher that only publishes mainstream. Submissions require meticulous research and care. Whenever possible, make contacts in the industry and in general, send brief inquiries before sending any manuscript pages.
Jessica Page Morrell
Jessica Page Morrell is a top-tier developmental editor and a contributor to Writer’s Digest magazine, and she teaches Master Writing Craft Classes at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that is held annually.
Jessica understands both sides of the editorial desk–as a highly-sought after content development editor and an author. Her work also appears in multiple anthologies and The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazines. She is known for explaining the hows and whys of what makes for excellent writing and for sharing very clear examples that examines 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.
Chanticleer Reviews and OnWord Talkswill interview Jessica for more of her writing tips and advice. Stay tuned! ~ Chanticleer
We are planning a writing craft workshop soon that will be taught by Jessica.
Why are all these GDPR emails landing in your email inbox?
And why all of a sudden are these Privacy Policy Updates appearing all over the Internet?
Why have the regular websites that you routinely visit (like Chanticleer Reviews) appearing with requests such as ours:
“We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyze site traffic, … Read about how we use cookies and how… If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.”
Why? Because of the European Union General Data Protection Act goes into effect on May 25, 2018.
“The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the most important change in data privacy regulation in 20 years.” – www.eugdpr.org
The EU GDPR is a law covering any organization of anywhere in the world that handles the personal data of EU residents (emails, credit card info, addresses, phone numbers, comments, etc.).
And we at Chanticleer Reviews believe it is a good thing–protecting your data privacy. It is a duty that we take most seriously. We respect your privacy. Chanticleer Reviews has embraced and complied with the GDPR.
What about YOUR websites, dear Chanticleerians?
Even though, you may not live in the European Union (Oh! to have a second house in the Algarve! Or a cozy hut in the Alps!), but if you interact on your website with people who do live in the EU and the U.K., you may want to make sure that your website is compliant with the GDPR.
And what about your United Kingdom website subscribers?
Well, now that you have asked, this is what the Queen has to say:
The Queen’s Speech has confirmed that the General Data Protection Regulation will form part of UK law following the country’s withdrawal from the European Union. … Once the UK has left the European Union, the legislature will be able to make changes to the GDPR framework as it sees fit. June 22, 2017
Here are a few links if you wish to learn more about the EU GDPR and what it means to you, your website, and your digital information:
SPECTRUM IEEE (the professional electrical and electronics engineer’s organization and magazine) article titled: “What Developers Need to Know About Europe’s Data Privacy Rules”
A Summary of the EU General Data Protection Regulation
Updated to consider the ePrivacy Directive review and how this will align with the General Data Protection Regulation, refresh your understanding of GDPR and what it means for your business with our handy summary – the most-read item on the site.
And finally, a recommended site for small business owners (and, ahem, authors) about information security is the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
So without further ado,
Dear Chanticleerians,
As you are probably aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into effect on the 25th of May, will soon have a major impact on European privacy law.
We have now updated our online Terms & Conditions and Cookies & Privacy policies that align with our commitment to the GDPR.
You can find our updated documents in the links below, which may also be found on the homepage of the Chanticleer Reviews website:
These updates will come into effect immediately for all existing and new customers. For those of you who have not heard of GDPR, please do not worry, the key message you can take from this email is that the changes we have made are all positive as they offer increased protection to your personal data. The changes will not prevent you from entering the book awards, obtaining manuscript overviews and editorial services, or purchasing shiny new stickers from us!
If you are a subscriber to the Chanticleer Reviews e-Newsletters and you would like to opt out of emails you can do this by clicking UnSubscribe or Change your preferences. Just remember that if we can’t email you we won’t be able to send you our informative tips to help you achieve your publishing goals or the latest book reviews or OnWord videoblogs or discounts…
We also want to take this opportunity to remind you that your data is kept securely and that you can unsubscribe from our emails at any time.
Many thanks,
Chanticleer Book Reviews
Team Chanticleer
We do hope that this blog post, with its handy links, has been helpful and informative. Afterall, protection of data is a good thing to have!*
*As usual, we are not attorneys nor do we pretend to be attorneys or specialists in this area. Please seek professional counsel and advice.
Bartholomew Leeds interrupts the young men’s studies at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University in 1587 when he is found hanging from a roof beam. Is it suicide or murder? He sent warnings to His Lordship about the rising Puritan rebel underground. Were his communications intercepted somehow? Thomas Clarady, a spy in their midst assigned to investigate the Puritans, must now ponder and debate this Death by Disputation by author Anna Castle. Fascinating suspects abound at the college, and beyond its borders.
Philosopher, statesman, orator, and spymaster Francis Bacon is anxious to determine and jail the instigator, the suspected head of the Puritan rebels, as well as track any connection to “Barty” Leeds untimely demise. He’s impatient for resolution and demands daily, written updates from Tom Clarady, his recruited spy. Posing as a student, Tom methodically follows clues while chased by three enamored women, dogged by well-meaning friends, diligently turning in his homework, and risking his own life more than once. Tom is enthusiastically determined to catch a killer, and to solve the mystery, as he plunges into this grand adventure. But this mystery has ominous layers, uncovering one leads to a more dangerous set of clues.
As Tom follows leads, he finds that the victim had interesting curricular and extracurricular activities, any of which could make him a target. Tom takes his undercover duties to heart as he masks himself as a student who is swayed by Puritan ways and infiltrates the local group. He decides “in order to stop them he has to become one of them.” But will they discover his de facto assignment? He becomes such an ardent follower that the apparent changes in his personality and lifestyle concern his friends and even his spymaster. Tom treads carefully, but has he gotten in over his head? As he examines clues and analyzes suspects, the reader participates in working out theories and ultimately guessing a villain.
The delightful dimension to this mystery is the fascinating characters the author showcases. Along with the smart spy who sleuths along a tightrope between warring factions, the highlight is the fictionalized historical figure of Christopher Marlowe, a treasured rogue. Marlowe’s loyalties are continuously in question, but his wry humor and dramatic actions hit their marks. The three romantic women also particularly surprise with their hidden skills, knowledge and vibrant personalities. References to the historical period setting naturally weave into the plot and dialog, and enhance rather than detract from the pacing of this thrilling spy tale.
For author Anna Castle, writing fiction combines her lifelong love of stories and learning. She chose the Elizabethan period for her Francis Bacon series, seeing it as one of the most colorful periods of all times and places. Retired from one of the world’s great research libraries, the University of Texas at Austin, the author enjoys the extensive research she does for the series and the details of the historical period that she shares with her readers.
There’s no debate – Anna Castle brings to life a page-turning thrill of a mystery where “there are hazards other than jail or bodily harm” in Death by Disputation.
Death by Disputation is the 1st Place Winner in the 2015 Chanticleer International Book Awards in Chaucer, the Early Historical Fiction category.
Welcome to Chicago, 1935 in the midst of the Great Depression where the beautiful and vivacious Henrietta Von Harmon, the oldest of eight children, fights to save her family and solve a crime. Her father has recently committed suicide, and her mother is bitter and fretful about making ends meet. Henrietta does all she can to help, working at a local tavern and then in a dance hall as a “taxi girl,” dancing with any man who has the price of a ticket. She’s earning a modest salary when the job ends abruptly because her boss, the formidable and acerbic Mama Leone, is murdered.
Opportunity knocks when the detective working the case, Inspector Howard, suggests that Henrietta apply for work as an usherette at a burlesque theater, The Marlowe. He needs someone on the inside to report back to him on shady activities. The pay is twice that of a taxi girl, but the job is far more dangerous. Some of the dancers and an usherette have gone missing—and all the employees are afraid of Neptune, the theater’s owner.
Because one of the missing girls is a friend’s sister, and because Henrietta wants to prove her worth to the detective, she agrees to the job. Detective Howard, a handsome but inscrutable man, is secretive about his personal life. In his mid-thirties, Henrietta fears he couldn’t possibly be interested in her the way she is interested in him, unless, of course, she could dazzle him with her amateur detective skills.
It’s a challenge given Henrietta’s naivety. She sees things at The Marlowe that make her jaw drop. The dancers perform a seductive choreography in scanty costumes, and some of the usherettes are sexually intimate with one another, though none of these scenes are graphic in nature. She learns fast, however, and presents herself as more assured than she feels. There’s a marvelous camaraderie amongst the usherettes, sweet women who look out for one another and are also trying to put two and two together about the missing girls. They caution Henrietta about “the green door,” each believing there are goings-on behind it that point a link to the disappearances. Determined to crack the mystery and impress Inspector Howard, Henrietta is willing to put herself in the most dangerous of situations.
There is so much to admire about Cox’s romantic mystery novel and even more to enjoy. Readers will feel that they’re walking the streets of Chicago in the 1930s, the author conveys the neighborhoods, the people, the sights and sounds so convincingly. She’s equally adept with her portrayal of a large family living in cramped conditions, Henrietta, a substitute mother to her youngest siblings because her own mother is often emotionally absent. Even if a mystery didn’t enfold, this would be a thoroughly satisfying novel because of the historical details and the excellent characterization of the very sympathetic main character. The embedded mystery, however, takes this book to another level, a feat of successful merging of genres.
A Girl Like You will appeal to those who relish romances, mysteries, historical fiction, and especially to those for whom all three hit the jackpot! Great news for fans of Henrietta and Inspector Howard, two more titles in the series, A Ring of Truth and A Promise Given, already grace the booksellers’ shelves.
Meet Guinevere: a sage military adviser, a priestess of Avalon, and the mother of a dynasty. In Nicole Evelina’s Camelot’s Queen: Guinevere’s Tale (book two), Guinevere must learn to reconcile her past with her future; what she was with what she must become.
No longer a young lover with dreams of a home with her former betrothed, Guinevere must quickly learn how to be a queen and to navigate the rocky waters of marriage to the high king, Arthur Pendragon. Over time, Guinevere proves a great success until she cannot give Arthur the heir he needs.
Kidnapped by a ruthless man bent on revenge, Guinevere must find the strength to hold tight to her sanity while regaining her rightful place. Upon returning from her horrific ordeal, she finds her position as queen in jeopardy and her once-strong relationship crumbling as she struggles to hold her growing restlessness and loneliness at bay.
Book two of this series, which includes a map for easy reference, explores the nature of Guinevere’s struggle with duty: to self and her country. Once a girl with fanciful dreams of a quiet life, Guinevere must learn to put aside what she wants for what her country needs. After swearing to protect her people as Arthur’s queen, she knows that she must always sacrifice desire for obligation, even when the choice breaks her heart.
As a powerful Avalonian priestess capable of manipulating the elements with a literal flick of her finger, she must subjugate herself to a man who seeks her wisdom. And while Arthur respects her as the stronger of the two, Guinevere still suffers for her gender, legally equal as a ruler but never quite enough to command without her husband.
Hemmed in by the historical perimeters of this mythical queen, the author creates a surprisingly unique character. Fans of the original stories will enjoy this reimagined Guinevere with her priestess markings and battle-tested body. She is no damsel in distress. Familiar characters like Tristan, Gawain, and Bors, come to life, but this time, the Combrogi (aka Knights of the Round Table) take a backseat to the fairer sex who dominate the storyline. Lancelot will have readers swooning. And though the reader knows Guinevere seals her fate from the moment she chooses Lancelot as her champion, they will be cheering her on for taking charge of her happiness.
Camelot’s Queen, the second book in Nicole Evelina’s Guinevere’s Tale series, casts Guinevere as a jealous wife, a grieving mother, a capable priestess, and an exemplary military strategist, all as she juggles the ever-changing world she finds herself in.
Lovers of historical fiction, as well as those who enjoy fantasy, will delight in this gem.
Riley Ozaki is eighteen and trying desperately to find a way out of her reality as a recent social pariah. With her reputation at rock bottom, she decides that only a huge gesture can repair her social standing, win back her father’s approval, and gain her some new friends. She decides to participate in a reality tv show. What could go wrong?
Reality Gold by Tiffany Brooks features the behind the scenes reality of reality tv—everything from love triangles and mind games to real life buried treasure and murder. This novel is a fast-paced romp through tropical jungles and into deep, dark caverns where allies may not be who they say they are and legends abound.
Riley arrives at Black Rock Island off the coast of Brazil, her home for the next few weeks, ready to put in the work needed to repair her reputation. But there is a darker side to the reality show that Riley wasn’t expecting. When cameras turn up destroyed and fellow castmates suffer injuries, Riley quickly realizes the mind games began the minute the cast landed on the beach.
Not only will the group of contestants be competing for a cash prize, but the producers of the show have added an extra challenge—whoever can find the hidden treasure rumored to be on the island will receive an additional cash prize—and it soon becomes clear that the games may turn deadly. Legend has it that seven must die before the island reveals the treasure. Six have died in the past, including Riley’s close family friend, Miles Kroger.
Tiffany Brooks has crafted an incredibly readable, fast-paced, YA coming of age adventure novel where everyone has a secret, and no one is who they seem. The first-person narration and short chapters make this a compelling read, one where readers will find themselves thinking ‘just one more chapter.’ The setting is lush and captivating, the characters are intriguing, and Riley Ozaki is a protagonist for today’s readers—she’s smart and resourceful, and smack in the middle of a journey to self-discovery. She must embrace life’s realities, including loss and deceit, to discover for herself what she truly wants in life and who she is.
An immigrant’s journey, a forbidden love, a war to end all wars collide on the pages of a beautifully written historical fiction, Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips.
At twelve years of age, Elsa Schuller carries no expectations when she reaches Ellis Island in 1905. In fact, she has no idea why her father insists on leaving Germany for this supposed Land of Opportunity. Riddled with nothing less than challenges and hardship working in the sweatshops in lower Manhattan, Elsa’s only ray of hope is learning how to read and write English.
Her studying pays off when she’s hired seven years later to work as a maid and translator for an upper-middle-class family, the Grahams, on Long Island. For the first time, Elsa begins to dream of something more than the ragged gray life she and her family have lived thus far.
Elsa is not quite sure what to make of Dafne, the Grahams’ ebullient yet impulsive seventeen-year-old daughter, who disregards class distinction and is fascinated by Elsa. After a time, the maid and her mistress become good friends. A few years later, Dafne becomes engaged to a close friend to both Dafne and Elsa, Glenn Streppy.
Unfortunately, their engagement is overshadowed by the war that is brewing. And to Dafne’s disappointment, Glenn enlists in the army. It doesn’t help that he unexpectedly catches her with his best friend when he tries to visit her while on leave from his military responsibilities.
Glenn cuts off all contact with Dafne, which saddens Elsa as she misses his friendship. In a daring move, Elsa visits him at his stationing post just before his transfer to Europe. It is during this short visit she realizes that she is in love with him. Moreover, Glenn reciprocates her adoration. While Dafne successfully snubbed the social mores of the day, Elsa cannot. She is still just an immigrant from a poor family—a poor German family—and has no right to fall in love with a man of standing.
While guarding her emotions, Elsa has something even worse to consider: the reality that this encounter may very well mark the last time she’ll ever see her dear friend, Glenn, alive.
Award-winning author Gregory Erich Phillips produces a poignant early 20th-century plot. So much more than your typical love story, Love of Finished Years raises readers’ consciences and invites them to consider the realities of a time not too long ago (and in some ways, still relevant in today’s discourses on immigration) when people were divided not only by language but by the social mores and their class in American society, but also between rich and poor, “citizen” and “immigrant,” male and female.
Incorporating various themes into his absorbing plot, Phillips highlights the importance of workers’ rights (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory) the Women’s Suffrage movement; and the plight of immigrants, especially during The Great War. Some examples include the use of propaganda against the American Germans (via Liberty Bonds); again, the use of propaganda to boost American support, and the immorality of war.
Laced with a well-defined cast, Love of Finished Years opens at a critical moment in Elsa’s life before taking readers back in time to her arrival to America followed by a chronological lead up to her relationship with Glenn and Dafne. Key to Phillips four-part story line is his use of genteel dialogue—typical of that era—to build emotional tension not only between his primary characters but secondary characters as well.
From the riveting opening that takes place in NYC’s Lower East Side’s sweatshops until its gripping conclusion, this enthralling novel vividly portrays the desperate times of German immigrants landing at Ellis Island in 1905 in search of a better life. A timely read, illuminating the issues we are still experiencing a century later, Phillips reminds us that love, light, and perseverance can help us find a way to overcome almost any obstacle.
Love of Finished Years is destined to claim a spot alongside our favorite reads. Love of Finished Years was awarded the Chanticleer Grand Prize while still in manuscript form. It has since been published and is highly recommended!
Destiny Allison writes narrative non-fiction/memoir, and she writes it in a no-holds-barred fashion that captures audiences across the globe. The Romance Diet: Body Image and the Wars We Wage On Ourselves was our pick for Grand Prize in the 2016 Journey Awards.
Join us in discovering what drives Destiny Allison.
Chanticleer: Tell us a little about yourself: How did you start writing?
Allison: I started writing at a very young age. My father was an aspiring writer and I wanted to be like him. I published my first poems when I was nine.
Chanticleer: Nine-years old? Wow! That is so exciting – Congratulations! When did you realize you that you were an author?
Allison: The day I released my first book, Shaping Destiny. There’s a big difference between being a writer and being an author. When you become an author, you can change people’s lives.
Chanti: Well said, Destiny. Thank you for that. What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.
Allison: I love to hike with my dog and I love to kayak, which is difficult because I live in the desert. Finding water is a constant adventure and a joy. I also own and operate several businesses. I think I was a social entrepreneur before the term was coined.
Chanti: You’re ahead of your time! How do you come up with your ideas for a story?
Allison: Most often, they come to me, as long as I’m writing regularly. When I try to force an idea, the writing typically isn’t good.
Chanti: Speaking of writing regularly, how do you approach your writing day?
Allison: With anticipation. I’m very disciplined when working on a project and I like to start early in the morning. I have to write at least 500 words every day, but usually, by the time I do, I have the inspiration for a couple of thousand.
Chanti: What areasof your writing are you most confident in? What advice would you give someone who is struggling in that area?
Allison: Memoir is my greatest strength. My advice to other memoir authors is simple. Be brutally honest, but don’t feel like you have to provide every detail. Lay bare the bones of your story – know why you’re telling it and what message you hope your readers will take from it – then concentrate on the details that craft that message. Be lush with your imagery, authentic with your dialogue, and borrow from fiction. Your aunt may have been wearing a green hat that day but giving her a red one might flesh out her character and add pop to your story. It’s important to work on your craft. What do you do to grow your author chops? Read, write, repeat.
Chanti: What do you do in your community to improve/promote literacy?
Allison: I sponsor readings, support my local library, and help local authors sell their books.
Chanti: That is so important – Thank you! Give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.
Allison: While we all love to see our work in bookstores, I’ve found that marketing outside the mainstream is more effective. I sell The Romance Diet in a local boutique and it does really well there because the subject matter is so close the hearts of that store’s customers. Knowing you market matters most when promoting your book.
Chanti: Very smart! What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?
Allison: The most important thing a reader can do for an author is to leave a review. The next best thing is telling friends about the books they love and giving those books as gifts. Loaning a book is great, but gifting a book is better. Authors need to eat, too.
Chanti: Destiny Allison is also a sculptor and works in steel. Here is a quote from her blog:
Steel is exciting to me as a medium because it can have an exceptional softness in the final finish. I achieve a combination of organic forms and geometric shapes through the use of my MIG welder and plasma cutter. I create my colors by applying acid patina and heat to the raw metal, after the form has been completed. The combination of techniques allows me the freedom to explore relationships between emotional and intellectual responses to experience.
Reminds me of the editing process…Chanticleer
Thank you, Destiny Allison, for being a part of the Chanticleer Author Interview series!
Ronald E. Yates continues the robust adventures of a lawman, gunslinger, and journalist in The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles, the second volume in his trilogy about the title character.
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Meet Guinevere: a sage military adviser, a priestess of Avalon, and the mother of a dynasty. In Nicole Evelina’s Camelot’s Queen: Guinevere’s Tale (book two), Guinevere must learn to reconcile her past with her future; what she was with what she must become.
Riley Ozaki is eighteen and trying desperately to find a way out of her reality as a recent social pariah. With her reputation at rock bottom, she decides that only a huge gesture can repair her social standing, win back her father’s approval, and gain her some new friends. She decides to participate in a reality tv show. What could go wrong?
An immigrant’s journey, a forbidden love, a war to end all wars collide on the pages of a beautifully written historical fiction, Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips.
author. When you become an author, you can change people’s lives.
Allison: With anticipation. I’m very disciplined when working on a project and I like to start early in the morning. I have to write at least 500 words every day, but usually, by the time I do, I have the inspiration for a couple of thousand.
