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The SOMERSET 2014 AWARDS First Place Category Winners for Literary and Blended Genre Fiction
Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the SOMERSET AWARDS 2014 for Literary and Blended Genre Fiction, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

The SOMERSET Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Literary and Blended Genre Fiction. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala held in late September 2015.

Congratulations to The SOMERSET FIRST PLACE Category 2014 Award Winners:
- Social Issues: Thomas McNeely for Ghost Horse
- Satire: Steve Lundin for The Manipulator, a Private Life in Public Relations
- Literary: Tom Glenn for No-Accounts, Dare Mighty Things
- Contemporary: Judith Kirscht for Home Fires
- New Adult: Tanya Fife for Lost and Found in Missing Lake
- YA/Juvenile Fiction: E. F. Winters for Memeloose, The Island of the Dead
- Adventures/Suspense: Jim Hennigan for Recording a Kill
- International Intrigue: Rian Everest for The Tangerine Trio
- Mainstream: Nancy Adair for Soon Coming
- Women’s Fiction: Jessica H. Stone for The Last Outrageous Woman
- Blended Literary Fiction: Michael Olin-Hitt for The Homegoing
Honorary Mentions:
- Enid Harlow for Good to Her
- Thomas Whaley for Leaving Montana
- Kate McKenna for True Stories of Local Heroes
- Angela Brackeen for Lark, in Her Element
- Laurie Fitzpatrick for Niello
- Michael Hurley for The Vineyard
- Ken Swarmer for Family of the Year
CONGRATULATIONS!

To view the 2014 Somerset Finalists whose works made it to the short list, please click here.

Good Luck to the Somerset First Place Category Winners as they compete for the Somerset AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position!

The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the SOMERSET AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 SOMERSET category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.

The deadline for The SOMERSET Awards 2014 was November 30, 2014.
The deadline for The SOMERSET Awards 2015 is November 30, 2015.

GRAND PRIZE Overall SOMERSET Awards 2013 Winner was:

Jeremy Bullia for Individually Wrapped

The OVERALL CHANTICLEER GRAND PRIZE WINNER for 2013 came from the Somerset Awards: Michael Hurley for The Prodigal

To view the 2013 SOMERSET Award Winners, please click here.

To enter the 2015 SOMERSET Awards, please click here. The deadline is November 30, 2015.

To enter your work into a Chanticleer Writing Competition, please click here.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.
September 5, 2015
MASTER OF WESTFALL PLANTATION by Bonnie Stanard, a historical novel

Bonnie Stanard exposes some of the greatest plights of those who suffered from human bondage and slavery in her book Master of Westfall Plantation. Readers will be pulled into the novel’s eloquent prose that paints the tragic moments of the antebellum South. This captivating and well-researched story will resonate with you long after you read the final page.

Set in Charleston, South Carolina and a nearby island shortly before the Civil War, the book introduces the central character Tilmon Goodwyn. He is cold toward his beautiful wife Georgiana (who is secretly shamed by her humble background), manipulative and suspicious of his widowed mother Phoebe, (who may be flirting with a sophisticated con man), and extremely cruel to slaves (while believing himself benevolent).

Tilmon blunders through the business of running a large plantation, yet, underpinned by the pernicious institution of slavery, manages to prosper nonetheless. Given to gambling and pleasing himself, he has already impregnated one slave and developed a seething lust for another—young Kedzie, who has a mind towards freedom and a deep hatred of her master that only stirs his passion more.

Passing his days in questionable business dealings, watching as his foreman lashes his slaves for the smallest infractions, Tilmon gives us little to like. The only time this arrogant husband, indifferent father, maladroit manager, and cruel overlord shows a smidgen of tender feeling is when Billy, a favorite slave, dies, probably having ingested poison meant for Tilmon himself—but administered by whom?

Meanwhile Georgiana, meeting by chance with the abolitionist preacher who raised her, plots to have Kedzie sent north via the Underground Railroad, not in sympathy for the girl’s terrible circumstances, but as revenge for her husband’s flagrant infidelity.

In a telling moment, Georgiana hears the laughter of gypsies and wonders how “a person of such poor circumstance could find anything funny,” not grasping that it is freedom, not wealth, which brings happiness. Readers will no doubt want to cling to hope for Kedzie to find a way out of hardship. As the novel ends, there are muted mentions of events in Kansas and elsewhere that may influence Tilmon’s dark empire that he rules with an iron hand and a perverted morality.

Bonnie Stanard is a freelance writer and editor whose skills come to the fore in this work, with finely honed language that at times borders on the poetic. Master of Westfall Plantation is part of a series, for which Stanard has assiduously researched her subject matter, even attaching a lengthy bibliography. She focuses on the evil of slavery, expressing, in a brief introduction, her conviction that “a man of good will who conforms to a bad culture is more bad than good.”

The hopeless plight of those who suffered from human bondage and slavery is fervently depicted in the authentic voices of the “low country.” Stanard’s portrayal of Tilmon and other slave masters who believed themselves “righteous and good” chronicles the juxtapositions that permeated the antebellum South. This unrelenting pessimism and, at times, almost complete lack of even a ray of hope can make the read intense and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Master of Westfall Plantation is a brilliant work speaking honestly of an unspeakable wrong.

The Master of Westfall Plantation is a companion novel to Kedzie, Saint Helena Island Slave (2012), Sonny, Cold Slave Cradle (2013), and Westfall, Slave to King Cotton (2014). All four novels compose the well-researched and well-told Westfall series by Bonnie Stanard.

September 5, 2015
FIRE TRAP by Richard Mann, a mystery-thriller novel

The biotech start-up Genetrix has been begging for a fourth round of funding from the venture capitalists at Hillberg in order to keep pace with well-funded rival, Roark, in a race to see who can put a breakthrough drug delivery system into the marketplace first.

Just when the high-tech movers and shakers should have been positioning themselves for a taste of profit, the top research and development scientist at Genetrix dies in an absolutely epic explosion that shakes its headquarters in Silicon Valley.

And that is the white hot intense opening of this clever whodunit. Was it murder or suicide? And who gets the insurance money after a heavily covered “key man” has died? It is up to ace insurance investigator Randy Justice, who just opened his Justice Investigations office in Portland, Oregon to connect the dots and match wits with the hipster swells of the high-tech corporate elite.

Randy’s pretty good, knows his own flaws, and can enjoy a scotch. He can handle tough corporate venture capitalists, and he can wrangle with his two feisty teenagers. Randy knows when to play his hunches and his sidekick, Arnie, keeps him focused.

Randy moved to Portland because he just inherited his parents’ performance theater. He splits his time between a love of the theater and the thrill of chasing down bad guys. I found the author’s frequent glances into the world of the performing arts to be both charming and informative, and he seems to freely enjoy poking fun at the quirks of West Coast culture.

In Fire Trap, first-time novelist Richard Mann dives fearlessly into the shark-infested waters of venture capitalists and high tech in this mystery-thriller. Mann juggles the complexities required of the successful whodunit with the sure-handed skill of a veteran mystery writer.

Indeed, Mann seems to be completely at ease with the genre. He demonstrates a solid knowledge of his material, managing to massage potential deal breakers such as the mundane intricacies of policies and insurance investigation, along with forensic science, into Fire Trap’s tightly knitted plot without losing momentum or the white hot intensity of the narrative pace.

Fire Trap is a totally satisfying mystery/thriller that, in spite of a few nods to the stereotypical, it thrills, amuses, and entertains. Randy Justice faces the deadly dynamics of the biotech corporate world while managing to squeeze a little theater culture and some romance into his life. Mann’s packing so much entertainment into the confines of a mere 206 pages is no less than a marvel—it’s a mystery! First-time novelist Richard Mann has hit one out of the park with this fascinating and uniquely clever whodunit.

Reviewer’s Note: Fire Trap won First Place in the Clue Awards Private Eye Category for 2013.

September 3, 2015
Awards Banquet Information, Books By the Bay Book Fair, and the Chanticleer Authors Conference
In less than 3 weeks, the Chanticleer Authors Conference, with Awards Banquet, and the 3 Day Book Fair will begin (CAC15)! It is an exciting and busy time here at Chanticleer Reviews!

We’ve had requests for more information about the annual 4 day CAC15 event that will take place on September 26, 27, 28, & 29, (Saturday through Tuesday Evening) 2015 in Bellingham, Wash. Of course, there is more detailed information on the Chanticleer Reviews website.

Here is a quick synopsis of what to expect at CAC15.

First of all, attendees may register for the complete four days, three days, two days, one day, or just the Awards Banquet day. There are many options to choose from to accommodate most schedules.

Lodging is available at the Hotel Bellwether, rates starting at $189 per evening OR the Lakeway Best Western, rates starting at $118 per night including shuttle service to and from the Lakeway.

Saturday, Sept. 26th sessions and events will take place at the Bellingham Yacht Club, at Squalicum Harbor on beautiful Bellingham Bay.
- Registrations open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Coffee, tea, and soda will be available along with snacks (included with registration)
- Sessions begin at 9:30
- Casual Luncheon (included with registration)12:30
- Sessions restart at 1:30
- Last session ends at 4:45 p.m.
- “Appy Hours” sponsored by Books I Love will begin at 5 p.m.
- BYC opens doors to membership
  - Cash (no host) Bar available
  - Appetizers will be provided
- Casual dinner buffet begins at 6:15 (included with registration)
- The Penny Stinkers Band (live music and dancing) starts at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27th we move to the luxurious Hotel Bellwether located on beautiful Bellingham Bay and the BOOKS By the BAY BOOK FESTIVAL begins!
- Registration open from 8:30 until 5 p.m. at the Hotel Ballroom Foyer.
- Book Room Manager will be available for Book Drop-off beginning at 9 a.m. at the Hotel Ballroom Foyer.
- Coffee and Tea will be available adjacent to the Book Room and Exhibitor’s Hall
- Sessions begin at 9 a.m.
- Book Room open from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.
- Keynote Luncheon Presentation begins at 12:30
- Sessions begin at 1:30
- Author Panel Discussions (open to the public) 4 p.m.
- “Appy Hours” presented by Books I Love begins at 5 p.m.
- Cash No-host bar
  - Appetizers available at 6 p.m. (included)
- Book Room closes at ~6:30 p.m.
- Buffet Dinner with Announcements and Keynote Speakers 7:00 p.m.
- The party continues at the Lighthouse Bar at the Hotel Bellwether
Monday, Sept. 28th the conference continues at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether located on beautiful Bellingham Bay.
- Registration open from 8:30 until 5 p.m. at the Hotel Ballroom Foyer.
- Coffee and Tea will be available adjacent to the Book Room and Exhibitor’s Hall
- Be sure to sign up for reserved spaces at local restaurants. Sign-up sheets will be located at the registration table. Each restaurant group will have a Dinner Diva or Divo to lead the way. All are with walking distance.
- Sessions begin at 9 a.m.
- Book Room open from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.
- Keynote Luncheon Presentation begins at 12:30
- Sessions begin at 1:30
- Author Panel Discussions (open to the public)
- “Appy Hours” cocktail networking presented by Books I Love begins at 5 p.m.
  - Cash No-host bar
  - Appetizers available at 6 p.m. (included–adjacent to Book Room and Open Bar)
- Book Room closes at ~6:30 p.m.
- Dinner Time: Reservations with Chanticleer’s Dinner Divas and Divos at begin 7:15 – 7:30
  - The Hearthfire
  - Giuseppe’s Al Porto
  - Kiru Kiru Sushi
  - Anthony’s Seafood
  - The Lighthouse at the Hotel Bellwether
  - The Loft (casual dining)
  - Nicky’s Bella Marina (the best Fish and Chips in town/Burgers/fresh salmon ) located near the BYC — very casual.
- The party continues at the Lighthouse Bar at the Hotel Bellwether
Tuesday, Sept. 29th Tonight is the Awards Banquet at the Hotel Bellwether Ballroom
- Registration open from 8:30 until 6:30 p.m. at the Hotel Ballroom Foyer.
- Coffee and Tea will be available adjacent to the Book Room and Exhibitor’s Hall
- Sessions begin at 9 a.m.
- Book Room open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
- Keynote Luncheon Presentation begins at 12:30
- Sessions begin at 1:30
- “Appy Hours” cocktail networking time presented by Books I Love begins at 5 p.m.
- Author Panel Discussions (open to the public)
  - Cash No-host bar
  - Appetizers available at 6 p.m. (included)
- Book Room closes at ~7 p.m.
- The Annual Chanticleer Awards Dinner with Announcements followed by the Chanticleer Awards Ceremony 7:15 p.m.
- The celebration party continues at the Lighthouse Bar at the Hotel Bellwether
What May First Place Award Winners Expect at CAC15:
- First Place Awards Designation on Name-tag
- Gold Award Seals for books (seals will be placed on award winning books that will be for sale in the book room) and will be given to First Place Award Winners upon picking up registration packets.
- Priority for Book Signing Events at Books By the Bay
- Recognition at the Awards Banquet (on screen)
- Presentation of Chanticleer Blue Ribbons at Awards Ceremony – on stage
- Group photo with other 1st Place Award Winners of the related genre
- All First Place Category Winners will compete for the Overall Genre Grand Prize (i.e., CLUE, CYGNUS, Chatelaine, etc.)
- The Grand Prize GENRE Award Winners will be announced after all First Place Category Winners (in attendance) for all genres have been recognized.
- The Overall Genre Winners will compete for the CHANTICLEER BEST BOOK GRAND PRIZE of $1,000 will be the last award announced
Any Finalists attending will be asked to stand and be recognized at the Chanticleer Awards Banquet.

The Books By the Bay Book Fair will be held at the Hotel Bellwether on Sun., Mon., & Tues. from 11 a..m. until 6:30 p.m. The book room will be open to the general public for 3 days. Parking and admission is free.

Upon picking up your name badge and program, you will receive your gold stickers to put on your books in the book room. If your books were shipped ahead, we will adhere the stickers to the winning titles.

And then a few weeks later, you will receive your digital badges to use for websites, digital media, Internet and Social Media, and your winning title will be placed in the queue for receiving its Chanticleer Book Review package. And, of course, there will be more goodies to come!
- Each 2014 First in Category winner of each genre competition will receive a 6-month subscription to Bublish’s Authorpreneur Dashboard. Winners will be contacted by email after the Genre’s Official List of First in Category Winners has been posted on the Chanticleer Reviews website.
- Each of the Ten Genre Grand Prize winners will receive a 1-year subscription to Bublish’s Authorpreneur Dashboard and a one-hour social media intensive session with Bublish professional social media experts (a $370 value for each of the Ten Genre Grand Prize Winners). Prize to be awarded at the 2015 Chanticleer Authors Conference Awards Banquet for Best Books 2014.
- The Chanticleer Overall Grand prize winner will receive one-week of social promotions of their book through all Bublish social outlets (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest) AND an email blast to all Bublish readers. This is valued at $500 for the week of social promotions and $225 for the email blast. Prize to be awarded at the 2015 Chanticleer Authors Conference Awards Banquet for Best Books 2014.
Now that is something to CROW about!

Don’t Delay! Register Today!

If you decide to attend, please accept these discount codes to use for registration:
- $100 off from 3 or 4 day package: D4MQ9J2UD72M
- $50 off from the one or two day registration package: 50OFFCWCCAC15
https://www.chantireviews.com/save-the-date/

If you are planning to attend, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can send you information about the book room, etc.

Don’t delay! Register for CAC15 today!

There are also conference specials for two different hotels at two different rates. These can be found on the website.

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

THE SCHEDULE WILL BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY! Thank you for your patience!
September 3, 2015
KISMET OR KAMASUTRA by Martha Rather, Book 3 in the Romantic India Series

A tour guide in India and a practitioner of Healing Touch, Sonia has a country farmhouse in Nashville, loyal friends, a generous but unfaithful husband, a flame on the other side of the world who seems to have forgotten her, and … breast cancer.

This highly engaging story, Part 3 of the series Romantic India by author Martha Rather, begins with Sonia burning up her “chemo pajamas” with her best friend, Clara Mae, in a wild “Freedom Fire Ceremony.”

We learn in flashbacks the very real fear and agony Sonia experienced in her two-year struggle with breast cancer, losing her memory and almost losing her mind. Now she faces losing Carl, her antique dealer hubby, who prowls for old furniture by day and sweet young things by night.

Sonia pals around with a lawyer friend, Bob, though she dreams, frustrated, of handsome Raj, her fellow tour guide and Indian prince who, she is told, is about to get married on the other side of the world.

When Sonia and her friends are tapped to squire some struggling musicians across India, it’s a chance to re-establish trust with the still-single Raj, break with Carl forever, and watch the haunting dreams of previous lifetimes unfold in this one.

Following the old dictum that writers should write about what they know, the author, like her heroine Sonia, has roots in South Dakota, lives in Nashville, has traveled extensively in India, and is a practitioner/instructor for Healing Touch International. Martha Rather writes in a wonderful girlfriend manner as though she is a dear friend catching us up on the latest happenings. She also seems as much at home with Southern accents as with Hindi street talk.

Settings, too, are a highlight, from a plain old Tennessee farmhouse to the romantic majesty of the Taj Mahal. There is rarely a moment when the action lags. The first half of the book, with its vivid descriptions of Sonia’s battle with chemo and radiation treatments, projects a depth of self-exploration and insights. Readers are then taken on a rollicking jaunt through India, with a group of self-important musicians and tourists in tow, for the second half of the story.

Nonetheless, Martha Rather is careful to keep emotions and libidos always on the boil for her intended readers who enjoy stories filled with intrigue, romance, friendships, adventures, handsome princes, and, maybe, a flirtatious elephant thrown into the mix.

Kismet or Kamasutra is a journey of self-discovery and the possibility of changing one’s stars. Kismet means destiny; fate and Kamasutra mean desire, but which one will win out? In this uplifting and transporting novel of love and connection, Sonia and Raj must confront their worst fears and the fateful patterns that started a thousand years before.

September 2, 2015
THE DEVIL’S HOOK by Pearl R. Meaker, second book in cozy mystery series

Empty-nester Emory Crawford is more than just a dab hand at home-making and fiber art. As a newly-installed instructor for the Twombly College crocheting class, she’s also mother hen, mentor, and counselor to her eager students. So when a rash of mysterious gifts, all in the color red, start showing up in the girls’ dorm rooms, Emory’s intuitive radar system goes on alert. Then one of Emory’s students, a recipient of the unwanted gifts, turns up missing and Emory is tasked with piecing together the meager clues left behind.

In the spirit of calming frayed nerves, Emory consents to move the class from the college campus to the comfortable Twombly residence only to find that society maven Amy Twombly and her wealthy husband Jairus are locked in marital combat over Jairus’s new, and decidedly attractive, personal assistant. Between Amy’s erratic behavior and her shouting matches with Jairus’s assistant, Emory thinks things couldn’t get much worse – until she finds Amy’s custom-made, bloodwood crochet hook protruding from the eye of Jairus’s stone-cold dead assistant. With motive, means, and opportunity all pointing to Amy, Twombly’s antagonistic Police Captain Henry Schneider considers the case closed. But Emory’s gut tells her otherwise.

In the search for the truth, Amy’s daughter Madison plays Nancy Drew to Emory’s Miss Marple. Using the full powers of her “Gift of Knowing” and a little help from her forensic scientist hubby, Emory and her sleuthing partner Madison unlock the secrets of the past and learn that not everyone is who they claim to be.

In The Devil’s Hook, author Pearl R. Meaker delivers a fully-developed cast of rich, quirky characters that are sure to satisfy the discerning cozy mystery enthusiast. Her inquisitive and highly intuitive main character Emory Crawford, provides the perfect sounding board for all of the supporting characters and is a clever match to the brilliant young side-kick, Madison Twombly. The author also demonstrates a unique ability to illuminate the myriad facets of human relationships revealing, in the process, the similarities in all of us.

Twists and turns abound in this delightfully engaging second installment of Pearl R. Meaker’s Emory Crawford mystery series. With the down home small town feel of Murder She Wrote and the multi-layered complexity of an Agatha Christie mystery, The Devil’s Hook is a cleverly-crafted and enjoyable whodunit style cozy mystery.

September 1, 2015
The PARANORMAL 2014 AWARDS First Place Category Winners for Paranormal and Supernatural Fiction
Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the PARANORMAL AWARDS 2014 for Supernatural Powers and Paranormal Fiction, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

The PARANORMAL Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Supernatural Powers and Paranormal Fiction. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala held in late September 2015.

Congratulations to The PARANORMAL FIRST PLACE Category 2014 Award Winners:
- Blended Genre: Ann Charles for An Ex to Grind
- Urban/Edgy: Stephen Cost for The Fall
- Contemporary Gothic: Linda Watkins for Mateguas Island
- Time Travel/Shifts: Norman L. Johnson for Disappeared
- International Thriller: John Trudel for Raven’s Run
- YA: Alan Burke for Jesse
- New Adult: D.L. Koontz for Crossing into Mystic
- Angels and Demons: Lisa Voisin for The Angel Killer
- Legends and Lore: Nikki Broadwell for Just Another Sunset
- Adult Paranormal: Jennifer Kohout for Storm
- Supernatural/Mystery: Sara Stamey for Islands
CONGRATULATIONS!

To view the 2014 PARANORMAL Finalists whose works made it to the short list, please click here.

Good Luck to the PARANORMAL First Place Category Winners as they compete for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position!

The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the PARANORMAL AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 PARANORMAL category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.

The deadline for The PARANORMAL Awards 2014 was October 31, 2014.
The deadline for The PARANORMAL Awards 2015 is October 31, 2015.

GRAND PRIZE Overall PARANORMAL Awards 2013 Winner was:

Lisa Voisin for The Watcher

To view the 2013 PARANORMAL Award Winners, please click here.

To enter the 2015 PARANORMAL Awards, please click here. The deadline is October 31, 2015.

To enter your work into a Chanticleer Writing Competition, please click here.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.
August 30, 2015
The CLUE 2014 AWARDS FIRST PLACE Category Winners for Suspense and Thriller Novels
Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 for Suspense and Thriller Novels, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

The CLUE Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Suspense and Thriller Fiction. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala held in late September 2015.

Chanticleer Reviews is proud to be a literary affiliate of the Historical Novel Society.

Congratulations to The CLUE FIRST PLACE Category 2014 Award Winners:
- Historical: Rachel B. Ledge for The Red Ribbon
- Romantic Suspense: Mimi Barbour for Special Agent Francesca
- International Intrigue/World Events: Lawrence Verigin for The Dark Seed
- Contemporary Mystery/Suspense: Pamela Beason for The Only Clue
- Private Eye/Noir: Keith Dixon for The Bleak
- Police Procedural: Jode Susan Millman for The Midnight Call
- Spy/Espionage: Michelle Daniel for The Red Circle
- Psychological Thriller: Rebecca Nolen for Deadly Thyme
- Cozy/Amateur Sleuth: JoAnn Basset for I’m Kona Love You Forever
- True Crime: Gayle Nix Jackson for Orville Nix: The Missing JFK Assassination Film
Honorable Mention: Susan Holmes, Deadly Ties, A Waterside Kennels Mystery

CONGRATULATIONS!

To view the 2014 CLUE Finalists whose works made it to the short list, please click here.

Good Luck to the CLUE First Place Category Winners as they compete for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position!

The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 CLUE category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.

The deadline for The CLUE Awards 2014 was September 30, 2014.
The deadline for The CLUE Awards 2015 is September 30, 2015.

GRAND PRIZE Overall CLUE Awards 2013 Winner is:

Clyde Curley for Raggedy Man

To view the 2013 CLUE Award Winners, please click here.

To enter the 2015 CLUE Awards, please click here. The deadline is September 30, 2015.

To enter your work into a Chanticleer Writing Competition, please click here.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.
August 29, 2015
DEFENDER of JERUSALEM by Helena P. Schrader, second book in historical series

Defender of Jerusalem is the second novel in Helena P. Schrader’s historical series about Balian d’Ibelin, a twelfth century crusader who rose from his position as a landless second son to become one of the most powerful figures in the kingdom of Jerusalem. In Schrader’s previous novel about Balian d’Ibelin, readers watched his young adulthood and rise to power at the side of the young leper king, Baldwin.

Now the Baron of Ibelin, a nobleman in his own right, Balian is married to Maria Comnena, the dowager Queen of Jerusalem and King Baldwin’s stepmother. Balian proves to be a dichotic leader as he was a forged-in-battle warrior and a supremely capable diplomat.

Thus, Schrader’s story becomes one about Balian’s family life, focusing more on an ensemble cast of characters than just on Balian himself. As the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem struggles to maintain order and fend off the advances of Salah-ah-Din’s forces, the characters are scattered throughout the kingdom. This makes for a more fragmented plotline than in the previous installment, thereby reflecting the internal and external political conflicts of the time along with the clash of cultures. There are several time jumps and switches in perspective throughout the work that may make it feel less cohesive, but they add to the authenticity of the era’s fractured communications.

The story at the center of the novel is King Baldwin’s desire to find an appropriate heir before his inevitable demise due to leprosy. With no clear path of succession, there is much court intrigue around this decision. It often comes down to the women in his life to influence his decisions or make their own way, and it is here that Schrader’s work really shines.

The author presents her female characters, notably Maria, her daughter Isabella, and Balian’s niece, Eschiva, as powerful, independent women unwilling to let the constraints of the time keep them from helping the kingdom. Maria even commands troops and keeps her people safe during a siege. These vibrant women make what could be a strictly dry, historical narrative leap off the page.

Schrader clearly knows her history, so devotees of medieval history will enjoy her occasional indulgence in the details of her research, focusing on troop movements or treaties rather than the characters. Schrader effectively strikes a balance between the need for historical accuracy and readability in the dialogue. Nevertheless, her writing deftly portrays the gamut of emotions of this turbulent time.

Defender of Jerusalem is a well written biographical novel about a little known hero of the Crusades, Balian d’Ibelin, as he attempts to maintain power and order in the face of invading armies and the internal conflicts within Christendom.

Schrader brings interesting and vivid historical characters to life by adding emotion and valor to her storytelling. Overall, readers who enjoy learning about the intricacies of the Crusades and prefer serious and well-researched historical fiction will relish Schrader’s novels.

August 27, 2015
The CHATELAINE 2014 AWARDS FIRST PLACE Category Winners for Women’s Fiction and Romance Novels
Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the CHATELAINE AWARDS 2014 for Women’s Fiction and Romance Novels, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

The CHATELAINE Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Women’s Fiction and Romance Novels. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala held in late September 2015.

Chanticleer Reviews is proud to be a literary affiliate of the Historical Novel Society.

Congratulations to the CHATELAINE FIRST PLACE Category 2014 Award Winners:
- Historical: Catherine A. Wilson and Catherine T. Wilson for The Order of the Lily
- Romance Regency: Kerryn Reid for Learning to Waltz
- International Intrigue/World Events: Kristine Cayne for Deadly Betrayal
- Contemporary: Kim Sanders for The Ex Lottery
- Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Romance: Donna Barker for Mother Teresa’s Advice for Jilted Lovers
- Blended Genre: Janet Shawgo for Find Me Again
- Inspirational/Restorative: Peggy Patrick for Surrendered II: Pride
- Romance & Adventure: Martha Rather for Kismet or Kamasutra
- Fantasy/Mythological: Danica Winters for Montana Mustangs
- Jane Austen Inspired: Betty Codd for Eleanor Grace
- Debut Novel: Julie LeMense for Once Upon a Wager
- YA: M.A. Clarke Scott for The Dissimulation of Doves
- Women’s Fiction: Kate Vale for Destiny’s Second Chance
- Women’s Fiction/Humorous: Lisa Souza for Beauty and the Bridesmaid
- First Loves: Jennifer Snow for The Trouble with Mistletoe
CONGRATULATIONS!

To view the 2014 Chatelaine Finalists whose works made it to the short list, please click here.

Good Luck to the Chaucer First Place Category Winners as they compete for the CHATELAINE AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position!

The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the CHATELAINE AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 CHATELAINE category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.

The deadline for The Chatelaine Awards 2014 was August 31, 2014.
The deadline for The Chatelaine Awards 2015 is August 31, 2015.

GRAND PRIZE Overall Chatelaine Awards Winner from 2013:

Kate Vale for Choices

To view the 2013 Chatelaine Award Winners, please click here.

To enter the 2015 Chatelaine Awards, please click here. The deadline is August 31, 2015.

To enter your work into a Chanticleer Writing Competition, please click here.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.
August 21, 2015

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