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The LARAMIE Book Awards for Western Fiction – 2016 Official Finalist Listing
The LARAMIE Awards Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genres of Western Fiction. The Laramie Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

More than $30,000.00 dollars worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to Chanticleer Book Reviews 2016 writing competition winners at the Chanticleer Authors Conference April 1, 2017!

The Laramie Awards FIRST IN CATEGORY sub-genres are:
- Western Romance
- Adventure/Caper
- Classic
- Civil War/Prairie/Pioneer
- Contemporary Western
- Western Young Adult
This is the OFFICIAL LIST of Finalists Authors and Titles of Works that have made it through the first cut of the Laramie 2016 Novel Writing Contest.

The following titles will compete for the 2016 Laramie SHORT LIST:
- Miantae Metcalf McConnell – Deliverance, Mary Fields, First African American Woman Star Route Mail Carrier in the United State
- Barbara Salvatore – Magghie
- Deborah Hufford – Blood to Rubies
- Jacquie Rogers – Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch (Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter #1)
- JD Harper – Glint
- T.M. Hinton – The Judas Steer
- Bruce Graham – Green Mountain Gunfighter
- Jared McVay – Stranger On A Black Stallion
- Alethea Williams – Naapiikoan Winter
- Lynda J Cox – Seize the Flame
- David Selcer – Lincoln’s Hat
- Teresa Healy Janssen – The Ways of Water
- Jacqui Nelson – Between Love and Lies
- David G. Rasmussen – The Man Who Moiled for Gold
- Juliette Douglas – Perfume, Powder, and Lead: Holy Sisters
- Sara Dahmen – Becoming Doctor Kinney
- Jacquie Rogers – Much Ado About Mustangs (Hearts of Owyhee #5)
- Anne Sweazy-Kulju – Grog Wars
- Ashley E Sweeney – Eliza Waite
- Dorothy Wiley – Frontier Gift of Love
- Jim Stempel – Windmill Point
- John R. Green, Jr. – Vladimir Petrov, an American Life
- Bert Entwistle – The Taylor Legacy
- Jeffrey Price – Improbable Fortunes
- Jerry Bustin – Marshal Banner
- Ken Farmer & Buck Stienke – Bass and the Lady
- Barbara Salvatore – Big Horse Woman
- Scott Eldon Swapp – Clevenger Gold: The True Story of Murder and Unfound Treasure
- Joe Corso – Shootout in Cheyenne
- Ronald E. Yates – Finding Billy Battles
- Julia Robb – The Captive Boy
- Harlan Hague – A Place for Mei Lin
The Laramie Finalists will compete for the SHORT LIST and then these author and titles will compete for the Laramie Awards First In Category Positions, which consists of Four Judging Rounds. First Place Category Book Award winners will automatically be entered into the Laramie GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition, which has a cash prize of $200 dollars. The CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com.

Congratulations to the Finalists in this fiercely competitive contest!

Good Luck to all of the Laramie Finalists as they compete for the coveted Short List.

The Laramie Grand Prize Winner and the First Place Category winners will be announced and recognized at the April 1, 2017 Chanticleer Writing Contests Annual Awards Gala, which takes place on the last evening of the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2017 Laramie Awards writing competitions for Western Fiction. Please click here for more information or to enter the contests.
November 21, 2016
Get More Bang for Less Bucks During the Chanticleer THANK YOU Promotion

Dear Chanticleer Family,

Our team is going to be too busy enjoying a bit of time off on Black Friday to post a promotion on that day. But, we didn’t want to miss an opportunity to give back to our wonderful supporters.

Now through midnight on November 30, 2016, we are offering you $75 off the cost of our Chanticleer Book Review for a limited time.

Book isn’t quite ready? You can take advantage of this Thanksgiving special and we will issue you a voucher that is valid until December 2017. That’s a whole extra year to get your final polish done!

Purchase your book review with the code Thankyou75 before November 30th.

We appreciate the support you have show us in 2016 and look forward to another successful year, thanks to all of you!

Your devoted book promoting allies,
The Chanticleer Book Reviews Team

November 19, 2016
ONCE in a BLUE YEAR by Michael D. Durkota

Four friends fight for their country and combat their own hidden specters in this novel about underwater battles on a nuclear submarine and the struggle to live life on land.

Dan is disaffected with the Navy and his life aboard a submarine carrying nuclear weapons where “there is nowhere to hide” – even from his friend, Trevor, who thrives on bullying him. When a freak accident releases him from duty, he becomes trapped in a different, more emotionally perilous way.

Trevor, who often flies into inexplicable rages, wants to stay on board the sub when the Gulf War suddenly heats up as a way avoid facing Tara, a beautiful woman who loves him unreservedly.

But Trevor doesn’t get his way when Nathan bumps him from the crew heading for the Persian Gulf. Nathan missed the birth of his first child. He has just begun to get to know him and renew his relationship with his wife Heather when he goes back to war, leaving everyone in a state of shock and surprise.

And there’s Jags, the clown/philosopher of the quartet, who accidentally (or not) shoots himself in the foot to avoid going to the Gulf.

Heather welcomes Dan, who had planned to live with Nathan. Dan becomes an awkward but kindly baby-sitter who watches as the abandoned wife of his good friend falls apart emotionally and needs more comfort than he is prepared to give. Trevor, forced to spend time with Tara, can no longer escape his childhood demons. Meanwhile, Jags has decided to marry a stripper. The three buddies on land are drawn even closer together as the subtleties of this multi-layered plot weave together. Nathan’s sudden return provides an unexpected opportunity for each to show his true mettle, not as warriors but as rehabilitated, redeemable people.

The author, Michael D. Durkota, is a former submariner. In this hard-to-put-down debut novel he has crafted vivid descriptions of life inside a tin box carrying extremely dangerous cargo under the sea–from the bland meals, the surprisingly good coffee, and the sense of claustrophobia that for some is neatly balanced by a comforting sense of undeviating routine. Durkota has made each of his characters believable, each one coming to his private accommodation to the rigidly scheduled life in the Navy and the spontaneity and unpredictability of life on dry land. Too, Durkota depicts Heather and Tara as real, robust women with nearly broken hearts, trying to salvage the loves they thought were lost forever.

Once in a Blue Year is a mesmerizing story of four friends who sometimes act like enemies and sometimes beat seemingly impossible odds to rescue their pals in a crunch.

November 19, 2016
Spotlight on: Eileen Cook, Special Guest at the 2017 Chanticleer Authors Conference
Two-year-olds begin to learn to resolve and reduce conflict when their mothers teach them that biting isn’t nice. But it’s an authors job to create and escalate conflict to uncomfortable degrees. Not quite biting level–maybe a notch below. Or there could be biting. The story will out.

So how do authors overcome a lifetime of social training to avoid conflict?

Eileen Cook to the rescue! Eileen is an author with a background as a therapist–specifically in conflict resolution. One of the sessions she will teach at the upcoming Chanticleer Author Conference—CAC17 is March 31st to April 2nd–will be her class The Perfect Storm: Character, Conflict and Motivation, which is a unique experience falling somewhere between marriage counseling and writing class. If you have a slightly rocky relationship you’d like to improve, or some characters whose relationships need to be smashed on the rocks to get your plot moving, either way, you will benefit from attending this class with Eileen Cook.

Also, not to be missed, is her class: Why Would You Say That? How to Improve Your Dialogue.

We asked our CAC17 special guest speakers a few questions to break the ice and introduce them to all of you who’ve already registered or are planning to register for CAC17. And Eileen was the first to jump in with her answers, below.

1. When did you know what you really wanted to be?

I always wanted to be a writer. My parents kept a homework assignment I did in second grade where instead of practicing sentences, I strung mine all together and the teacher wrote on the bottom: “Someday you’ll be an author.” It took me a while to get there— but now that homework sheet hangs in my office as proof of the power of those who believe in you and the idea of never giving up.

2. What was the biggest challenge you faced?

It’s often not the big challenges, but the small (seemingly endless) setbacks that I found wore me down. It’s hard to keep going in the face of rejection. It’s far easier to give up than to keep trying.

3. How do you define success?

My definition for success in writing is to continue to learn and grow as a writer and to never forget how truly fortunate I am to do this work. My goalposts for what I want to achieve keep changing- but I hope I always remember to find the joy in the process of creating and sharing stories.

4. How long did it take to achieve your success?

It depends on when you want to start the clock! I wanted to be a writer since I was young, but if we start the clock when I started to take the craft seriously, taking classes, writing on a regular basis, completing projects and submitting manuscripts it took about six years before I sold my first book.

5. What is the best advice you have ever received?

I took a class and the instructor pulled me aside and told me that I should be submitting my work- that I had talent. I stated that I didn’t know I would do if I was rejected. The instructor told me: “I hate to break this to you- but you’re already not published. The worst thing that will happen to you if you submit your work is that you STILL won’t be published.” That was a lightbulb moment for me- I realized that the worst thing that would happen is that someone would tell me no- but if I was unwilling to survive some no’s I would never get to a yes.

If you have not registered for CAC17 yet, what are you waiting for? Eileen Cook and more fantastic speakers (including yourself possibly, if you register before the schedule is full) will be sharing their experience and knowledge about writing books, selling books, and everything to do with being a successful author.

About Eileen

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in eight different languages. Her books have been optioned for film and TV. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Her newest book, WITH MALICE, came out in June 2016. She’s an instructor/mentor with the Simon Fraser University Writer’s Studio Program.

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two very naughty dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

WITH MALICE by Eileen Cook

For fans of We Were Liars and The Girl on the Train comes a chilling, addictive psychological thriller about a teenage girl who cannot remember the last six weeks of her life.

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron’s senior trip to Italy was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime. And then the accident happened. Waking up in a hospital room, her leg in a cast, stitches in her face, and a big blank canvas where the last 6 weeks should be, Jill comes to discover she was involved in a fatal accident in her travels abroad. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…wasn’t an accident. Wondering not just what happened but what she did, Jill tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life.

Eileen’s Classes:
- Why Would You Say That? How to Improve Your Dialogue –Dialogue serves many purposes in a manuscript- it moves the plot forward, shows character, and can be used to increase conflict. This workshop will provide practical examples and prompts to help writers create dialogue that pulls in readers. It will also explore how what is not said can be as important (or more) than what characters say.
  The Perfect Storm: Character, Conflict and Motivation –The challenge of keeping readers turning pages requires the perfect storm of characters, their conflicts and their motivations coming together. This workshop will explore how these different aspects worth together and how the writer can use each of them to amplify the others. Practical prompts and examples will help participants with their current manuscript as well as providing areas to consider when planning new works.
Check out all the classes and sessions we have scheduled!

Register for CAC17 NOW!
November 17, 2016
The WARSAW CONSPIRACY by James Conroyd Martin – a political tale of gripping suspense

This gem could be read as a stand-alone novel even though it is James Conroyd Martin’s conclusion to his gripping historical saga on Poland. The Warsaw Conspiracy is preceded by Push Not the River and Against a Crimson Sky; you do not need to read the first two books in the trilogy to appreciate and enjoy it, but why would you cheat yourself out the total immersion?

The book covers the Polish revolt of the 1830’s, known as the November Rising or the Cadet Revolt. Martin uses this tumultuous time in Polish history as the backdrop for his sweeping novel. It starts with an armed rebellion of young Polish officers in Warsaw and soon grows as the cadets are joined by other Polish sympathizers in a grandiose stand against the Russian Empire. The uprising is ultimately crushed by the Russian Army and Poland is placed firmly under Russian control. Martin expertly weaves historical figures and events with a cast of fictional characters that carry the story through to its emotional end.

Martin centers his tale on one extended family giving the story the feel of a family saga set within the greater true-to-life struggle of a nation. This method lends well to the overall scope of the work and the overarching story contained within the pages of this lengthy 510-page novel. Yes, like the other novels in this saga, this book is huge, and will not disappoint readers who love to curl up with a thick juicy novel.

The family dynamic is a key to the success of this novel. In particular, the relationships centered on Anna, one of the main characters, were fleshed out well, and in effect made her one of the book’s more endearing characters. To drive the story, Martin gives us an excellent Villain we love to hate: Viktor, the head of the Russian secret police, who is as complex and intriguing as he is dastardly. A family man who lovingly kisses his family goodbye in one scene, and in the next, we see him torturing Poles under the guise of extracting confessions. Add to the drama, brothers Mical and Jozef who find themselves caught up in a plot to capture the Grand Duke of Russia. Here you have a story filled with gripping tension that builds throughout the book.

Author James Martin makes this well-known revolt in Polish history come alive, jump from the pages and captivate the reader. This book is nothing short of a true testimonial to the Polish people and their drive to remain an independent nation. Filled with unstoppable action, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and unforgettable characters, this breathtaking page-turner will remain with readers long after they close their books.

November 17, 2016
Paul Hanson, Co-Owner of Village Books, Top Indie Bookseller

“Kiffer, your Bookseller Confidential article is SPOT ON. Thank you for spreading good and accurate information!”

Best,

Paul Hanson

November 16, 2016
THREE GROUND BREAKING RESOURCES that HONOR and SUPPORT VETERANS and THEIR FAMILIES
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Veterans Day Post

Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s military veterans and active military members for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good of the United States of America.

Honoring those who are serving, have served, and those who have fallen while in military service is a tradition here at Chanticleer Reviews.

Some statistics regarding U. S. Veterans*:
- 22 veterans, on average, commit suicide every day.
- The suicide rate for younger veterans (18 -29) is 7 times higher than their civilian peers.
- The rate of suicide among veterans is 21 percent higher than the rest of the country.
- The suicide rate of among female veterans is a 140 percent higher than their civilian peers.
- No one knows how many military spouses and families members commit suicide.
- There are 18.8 million veterans living in the United States.
- 3.8 million of these veterans are disabled (2014).
- U.S. military is the world’s second largest (China’s army is the largest) and troops are deployed across the globe.
- It is believed that 45 percent of all veterans who served in the Middle East are disabled.
Three Ground-breaking Books

Here are three ground breaking books that we have reviewed that may be a valuable resource to those who have served or who have loved ones who have served in the US military or are family members of military veterans.

Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Christopher Oelerich, author & Vietnam Veteran

“A very personal, no-holds-barred yet ultimately empowering discussion of PTSD and its effects on those who suffer from it.” – CBR

The book has been written in a ‘How To’ format for combat soldiers which is reflected in examples and language.

“I went away to war one person and came back another, and in my wildest dreams would never have chosen to be the one who came back…I was a twenty year old Warrant Officer Helicopter Pilot fresh out of flight school when I arrived in South Vietnam in May of 1969 and was assigned to B Troop 7/17 Air Cav in Pleiku. I joined the Scout Platoon and spent my entire tour as a Scout Pilot in the Central Highlands, and in that time saw my friends killed, captured, wounded and lose their minds. “

Life on Base: Quantico Cave by Tom and Nancy Wise

Life On Base is a is a riveting portrayal of the lives of children (who call themselves “military brats”) whose parents serve in the armed forces.

“As the child of a United States Marine, I grew up in ways most American’s will never have the opportunity to experience.

The difference is in the details. We looked both ways before crossing a tank path in the woods and collected spent bullet casings in the long abandoned trenches.We waved to the MP’s, not the police, and our parents shopped at the commissary and PX, not the grocery store and department store. When playing sports, we stopped mid-stride at the sound of the evening trumpet call and stood at attention while the flag was retired. Then there was the rare time out as a helicopter landed in the middle of the ball field.”

A fun post for Military Brats: 25 Signs that you grew up as a military brat.

Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife by Barbara McNally

A ground-breaking initiative, Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife, by Barbara McNally, offers advice and hope to those who are trying to understand and cope with war’s many aftershocks.

“The critical issues surrounding post-traumatic stress among America’s wounded warriors is expanded here to include the challenges and concerns of military wives and families.

Barbara McNally was working as a physical therapist when she watched helplessly as a man jumped off a bridge to his death. Feeling involved in his tragedy, she learned he was a wounded veteran. The experience spurred her to find out more about PTS and its effects on those who have participated in war. Gradually her attention focused on the plight of the wives of these wounded military survivors.”

If you have a moment, take time to watch this video that offers an intimate look into the chaotic and demanding lives of military spouses as they adjust to living with mentally and physically injured combat veterans. Please feel free to share.

2015’s Veterans Day post features Three Top-Rated Thrillers by Authors Who Have Served Their Country These page-turning thriller novels with unlikely heroes that make for great reads –all authored by Veterans!

With Appreciation and Gratitude to Veterans and those men and women who are Actively Serving. THANK YOU!

*Sources: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, American Community Survey 2015, United States Census Bureau, Just a Note from the blog post author, Kiffer Brown:

I have too many memories from my childhood (Vietnam War era) dreading the sight of the roving green car that delivers death notifications. These official cars seem to be always circling the base housing neighborhoods. All of us kids would be secretly praying that it wouldn’t stop at our place. Yes, military brats have a very different childhood from the “civvies” – for sure.

Thank you for taking the time to read my annual Veterans Day blog post. Semper Fi!

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My big brother Tony and his eldest daughter, Tammy.

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My dad, big brother and me.

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Lt Billy Wayne Flynn

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November 10, 2016
November Spotlight: The Somerset Awards Bring a Satisfying Conclusion to the Submissions Deadlines for the 2016 Contest Year
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November is bringing a conclusion to the calendar year and to our contest year. It’s time to submit your work to the Somerset Awards for Contemporary, Mainstream and Literary Fiction. Get your manuscripts ready! The deadline is November 30.

The Somerset Awards – A Satisfactory Conclusion to the Chanticleer Conference Year

The Somerset Awards are the traditional end to the Chanticleer contest year. These awards are an interesting mix of genres coming together under one roof for a literary Thanksgiving dinner. Literary Fiction, Mainstream Fiction and Contemporary Fiction are all related but distinct in their own ways. Literary works are non-genre, elegantly written and often focus on deep characterization. Mainstream works are stories that don’t easily fit into a specific genre but also tend toward artful prose, sometimes called literary light. Contemporary stories are primarily defined by being stories set in modern times, with settings and events that could realistically occur, but that do not fit within any particular genre. Some of the categories in the Somerset Awards are: Adventure/Suspense, Women’s Fiction (for those that don’t fit within the romance genre), Satire, and Magic Realism. The Somerset Awards are a cornucopia of these stories and we are looking forward to feasting our eyes on them.

We are honored to name the Literary, Mainstream, and Contemporary Novel Writing Competition division of the Chanticleer International Novel Writing Awards the SOMERSET AWARDS.

William Somerset Maugham (pronounced MAWm), born January 25 1875 and died December 16, 1965, was one of the most popular and highly paid authors of the 1930s. During the WWI he served in the ambulance corps and then was recruited into the British Secret Service. He traveled widely, most notably to India, Southeast Asia, and Russia before the 1917 revolution, which influenced his writing. He was a contemporary of Hemingway, E. E. Cummings, William Faulkner, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Evelyn Waugh.

Maugham is known for his writing’s diversity that consists of plays, short stories, and distinctive novel genres that have been adapted to film. He is well known for The Razor’s Edge, Of Human Bondage, The Moon and Sixpence, Cakes and Ale, The Magician, Rain, The Painted Veil, and his first work: Liza of Lambeth. He has twenty novels to his credit, twenty-five plays, and sixteen collections of short stories.
Here are a few of tidbits of Somerset Maugham’s wisdom:
- There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
- The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for wit.
- Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.
- I always find it more difficult to say the things I mean than the things I don’t.
- The fact that a great many people believe something is no guarantee of its truth.
- When I read a book I seem to read it with my eyes only, but now and then I come across a passage, perhaps only a phrase, which has a meaning for me, and it becomes part of me.
- We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.
- I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.
- If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.
The Somerset Awards History of Winners:

2015

The Alexandrite by Rick Lenz won the Somerset Award category for Magic Realism and then went on to take home the 2015 Somerset Grand Prize.

“Time-travel Noir becomes High Art with a wicked sense of humor in this fast-paced novel that offers up alternate views of Hollywood’s past and present….The Alexandrite by Rick Lenz playfully challenges the reader to ask questions about a world that exists outside of the four dimensions in which we live. A must-read for anyone and everyone who has been touched by the magic of Hollywood.“

Rick Lenz is a jack-of-all-trades in show business: actor, artist, and author. He has acted alongside many of the biggest names on stage and screen, and his prismatic role playing parlayed over to the pen with a successful string of plays from Off-Broadway to PBS. When Lenz is not riding away on his next kaleidoscopic quest, he can be found painting, playing the piano, or reading at home with his beloved wife, Linda.

2014

The Manipulator by Steve London won the Somerset Award category for Satire and then went on to take home the 2014 Somerset Grand Prize.

“With a fast-paced story line and a rich cast of characters, this award-winning winning novel offers a uniquely hilarious, but scary, perspective on the how the businesses of public relations and marketing can take technology to its precipice to take advantage of a media addicted public. Lundin’s clever blending of fact and fiction alternately tempts and taunts the reader with Vlad’s prophetic question, “Are you comfortable with the edge?” Highly recommended.“

Steve Lundin is the humor column for MediaPost’s Marketing Daily and has written for the Chicago Tribune, International Watch and a variety of aviation publications. He is a writer, cartoonist, photographer, videographer, designer, amateur sociologist, pop culture expert/collector, scuba diver, motorcyclist and aviator in the making. And he knows a few things about marketing, having consulted for nearly 100 companies from Fortune 50 to a couple of guys in a garage with a business plan.

2013

Individually Wrapped by Jeremy Bullian won the Somerset Award category for Speculative Fiction and then went on to win the 2013 Somerset Awards Grand Prize.

“Individually Wrapped tells us the bizarre tale of Sam Gregory’s descent over the condensed course of a couple of days. Set in a 21st century futuristic city, technology has permeated every aspect of the city dwellers’ lives. In some ways things are more efficient: cars drive themselves, doors open on voice command, money is exchanged via thumbprints. None of the technologies presented are far-fetched; many exist today.“

Jeremy Bullian is an Assistant Professor Librarian at Hillsborough Community College. He has a strong interest in emerging technologies in librarianship but also more broadly in terms of how these new technologies affect us as individuals and as a society. He lives in Tampa, Florida with his family where he is a librarian, writer, and musician. He is currently working on a follow-up to Individually Wrapped.

2012

Rain Shine Secrets by Alice T. Robb, manuscript won a Chanticleer Review award for best manuscript, women’s fiction category, in 2012. This book should be ready for publication within the next year or two. It is about an old woman with Alzheimer’s who gets lost in Seattle for several days. She is befriended by a homeless woman. Meanwhile her grandson and his wife, who live with her, are caught up in their search for her, while also coping with their own complex relationship.

SEE YOUR NOVEL in the SPOTLIGHT!

All you have to do is to enter your manuscript or published novel into one of the genre divisions of the Chanticleer International Novel Writing Awards.

The November 30th deadline for the SOMERSET submissions is going to be here before you know it.

Don’t miss this opportunity to earn distinction for your novel. Enter our contests today!

All category winners have the opportunity to attend our spring Award Gala ceremony that takes place during the 2017 Chanticleer Authors Conference where they will be whisked up on stage to receive their ribbon in a magical evening including dinner, networking opportunities, and celebrations–not to mention free reviews, and the chance to win the grand prizes and cash![/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20px” padding_bottom=”20px” padding_left=”0px” padding_right=”0px” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single solid” sep_color=”transparent” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]What are the Somerset Awards?[/fusion_title][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”3_5″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Our Somerset Awards are the Chanticleer Reviews search for the best Literary, Mainstream or Contemporary books of 2016!

Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring contemporary stories, literary themes, adventure, satire, humor, magic realism or women and family themes, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_5″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”1px” border_color=”#606060″ border_style=”solid” padding=”10px” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]

Our Chanticleer Review Writing Contests feature more than $30,000.00 worth of cash and prizes each year!

~$1,000 Overall Grand Prize Winner Purse
~$2,800 in Genre Grand Prizes Purses
~$28,980 in reviews, prizes, and promotional opportunities awarded to Category Winners

[/fusion_text][fusion_button link=”https://www.chantireviews.com/services#!/Contemporary-&-Mainstream-Novel-Writing-Contest/p/21521214/category=5193080″ color=”darkgray” size=”” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_blank” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””]Enter Somerset Awards[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]

Don’t delay. Enter today!

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November 10, 2016
CROSSING into the MYSTIC by D.L. Koontz – a paranormal mystery that crosses genres

Grace MacKenna has a problem – actually, she has two. At sixteen, she loses her family and is sent to live in Boston with her greedy aunt. Then she discovers she has something called “subtle vision” that allows her to see spirits. But not the spirits of her family, who have crossed fully to the other side. Grace sees the spirits trapped in limbo on Earth, who must complete their business before they can escape.

Her first spirit confrontation occurs when she inherits Crossings, her stepfather’s house in Maryland. It is haunted by William Kavanaugh, a young man murdered during the Civil War who needs her help in solving the mystery of his death so he can move on.

It takes her a while to figure everything out, being distracted by the maneuvers needed to occupy her new home without her guardians and understand the “subtle vision.” When she trips over Clay Baxter, a recovering young veteran just home from Afghanistan, upon moving in, more conflict comes into play. He’s “a ruffian and a gentleman all in one package”; “night to my day, truck to my Volvo, grease to my silk, bedroll to my egg-roll.” He’s also twenty and can’t approach Grace as he desires because she’s a minor (and he happens to be engaged). To make matters even more complicated, Grace thinks she’s in love with William, who becomes progressively more solid as she masters her perceptive powers.Clay worries that Grace is being pulled, dangerously, more and more into the world of the dead.

Grace’s physical and emotional reactions to the paranormal are convincingly portrayed by the author. Koontz grounds the story in the area’s history, teaching readers about the Civil War era while riveting us with suspense—all in a Gothic undertone of ghosts and graves, shadows and groaning doors. Grace is believably mature for her age while intermittently reverting to the normal insecurities of being at the crossroads of teenager and young adult. This makes her character even more to root for. The plot-line twists and turns adding suspense, the setting is, well,vividly haunting, and the author adds a dash of wit and humor to the mix while the characters are rich and complex.

“Crossing Into the Mystic” is the launch volume of this paranormal mystery trilogy that crosses genres (YA+) told in a bright, new-adult voice. Also, while the central story is resolved nicely enough, there is plenty to entice the reader to look forward to the next two books.

November 9, 2016
GOETHE Book Awards for post-1750 Historical Fiction – the 2016 FINALISTS
The Goethe Novel Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of post-1750s Historical Fiction. The Goethe Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

More than $30,000.00 dollars worth of cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer Book Reviews 2016 writing competition winners at the Chanticleer Authors Conference April 1, 2017!

Because we received an unprecedented amount of entries for the 2015 Chaucer Awards we divided the writing competition into two separate awards for 2016: The Chaucer Awards for pre-1750’s historical fiction and the Goethe Awards for post-1750 historical fiction. We have moved entries that are post 1750 to the 2016 Goethe Awards tracking and judging rounds.

This is the Official Finalists List of the Authors and Titles of the Goethe 2016 Novel Writing Contest.

The Goethe Awards FIRST IN CATEGORY sub-genres are: Regency, Victorian, 1700s/1800s, Turn of the Century, 20th Century, World Wars and Other Wars, World/International History post-1750, and U.S. History.

The following titles will compete for the SHORT LIST (Semi-Finalists):
- Rich DiSilvio – My Nazi Nemesis
- Lars D. H. Hedbor – The Darkness: Tales From a Revolution – Maine
- Anthony Cunningham – Skyesong
- Sandra Perez Gluschankoff – Franzisca’s Box
- S. Thomas Bailey – Blind Faith-The Gauntlet Runner
- Emma Rose Millar & Miriam Drori – The Women Friends: Selina
- Michael Sheahan – The Sean
- J.P. Kenna – Lost Utopia
- Brigitte Goldstein – Death of a Diva–From Berlin to Broadway
- C.T. Wells – The Kingdom of the Air
- Joe Vitovec – Full Circle – A Refugee’s Tale
- Connie Hertzberg Mayo – The Island of Worthy Boys
- Paula Butterfield – Forever Free: A Novel of Edmonia Lewis
- Linda Cardillo – The Boat House Cafe
- Amy Wolf – The Misses Bronte’s Establishment
- Lucinda Brant – Deadly Affair: A Georgian Historical Mystery
- Carrie Kwiatkowski – Running Before the Wind
- Elizabeth Crowens – Silent Meridian
- J.L. Oakley – The Jossing Affair
- Duncan Stewart – In Their Finest Hour
- Meredith Pechta – Dividing Prejudice
- David Selcer – Lincoln’s Hat
- Tom Glenn – The Last of the Annamese
- Ivan Light – Deadly Secret of the Lusitania
- Eleanor Webster – No Conventional Miss
- Darryl Wimberley – Paul Bunyan
- Carol M. Cram – A Woman of Note
- Jude Berman – Angel
- Joe Corso – Lafitte’s Treasure
- Sherman Smith – Golden City on Fire
- Nancy Foshee – Ephemeral Palaces
- Jeremiah Clark – American Slave
- M.C. Nelson – Chrysalis: A Novel
- Alethea Williams – Naapiikoan Winter
- Neal Katz – Outrageous, The Victoria Woodhull Saga, Volume 1: Rise to Riches
- Teresa Healy Janssen – The Ways of Water
- Suzette Hollingsworth – Sherlock Holmes and the Dance of the Tiger
- Darryl Wimberley – A Seeping Wound
- A.B. Michaels – The Depth of Beauty
- Vanda – Juliana
The Goethe Finalists will compete for the Goethe Awards First In Category Positions, which consists of Four Judging Rounds. First Place Category Book Award winners will automatically be entered into the Goethe GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition, which has a cash prize of $200. The CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse.
- All First In Category Book Award Winners will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.
- First In Category winners will compete for the Chaucer Awards Grand Prize Award for the $200 purse and the Chaucer Grand Prize Ribbon and badges.
- TEN genre Grand Prize winning titles will compete for the $1,000 purse for CBR Best Book and Overall Grand Prize.
- A coveted Chanticleer Book Review valued at $345 dollars U.S. will be awarded to the winning title.
- CBR reviews are published in the Chanticleer Reviews magazine.
- A CBR Blue Ribbon to use in promotion at book signings and book festivals
- Digital book award stickers for on-line promotion
- Adhesive book stickers
- Shelf-talkers and other promotional items
- Promotion in print and on-line media
- Review of book distributed to on-line sites and printed media publications
- Review, cover art, and author synopsis listed in CBR’s newsletter
- Contests are based on merit and writing craft in all the Chanticleer Writing Competitions.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us at Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Congratulations to the Finalists in this fiercely competitive contest!
Good Luck to all the Goethe Finalists as they compete for the coveted First Place Category positions.

First In Category announcements will be listed in our social media postings as the results come in.

The 2016 Goethe Grand Prize Winner and First Place Category Winners will be announced at the April 1st, 2017 Chanticleer Writing Contests Annual Awards Gala, which takes place on the last evening of the Chanticleer Authors Conference to be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions for the 2017 Chaucer Awards and the Goethe Awards writing competitions for Historical Fiction. Please click here for more information or to enter the contests.
November 3, 2016

Chanticleer Book Reviews