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On the 12th Day, Chanticleer brings to me… | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

The 12th Day of Christmas

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 Social Media Tips!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Pick the right platform for YOU!

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

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

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

3. Post at the right frequency and time.

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

Post Daily: Instagram and Twitter

Post Weekly: Facebook and LinkedIn

Post Monthly: YouTube, Blog, and Newsletters

Post Seasonally: Pinterest

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

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

4. Weigh your newsletter options.

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

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

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

5. Always use high quality images for your content!

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

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

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

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

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

8. Push a preorder promotion.

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

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

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

10. Show your workspace and favorite writing tools.

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

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

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

12. Don’t just promote, participate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Valid until January 7th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

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

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

Wishing you a Happy New Year from Chanticleer from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
January 6, 2024
On the 11th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer Gave to me Cover Design Tips! | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

The 11th Day of Christmas

The Eleven Pipers Piping in the Christmas Carol has been said to represent the eleven disciples (since Judas was out) who went on after the Resurrection of Christ. Thinking about the birds though, could it have originally have been a reference to sand pipers? Also, the eleven pipers piping is symbolic of having a great team!

These guys are pretty cute, but probably shouldn’t be given as a gift.

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent.

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you still have time!

And only two days left to sign up for the Roost at the Special Holiday Rate.

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Eleven Pipers Piping

Ten Lord’s a’Leaping

Nine Ladies Dancing

Eight Maids a-Milking

Seven Swans a-Swimming

Six Geese a-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

Eleven Cover Design Tips

One of our key articles about this is here depicting the Essential Book Cover Elements by our own Kiffer Brown. We’ll talk about those, but first we want to start with the bigger picture on cover.

Viewing Online

Let’s start with the beautiful cover of A Spying Eye by Michelle Cox, our most recent Overall Grand Prize Winner. For seeing on online, this size used to be the number one display on places like Amazon, and Goodreads. Michelle Cox has a great team for designing her cover, the title is clearly legible, you can see her name, it fits well with the other books in her series, and the flash of light across the eye on the woman’s face really draws the reader in. You can even see, without squinting too much, that it’s a Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel. All the key information that’s needed online at a glance is there!

Of course, it’ll be a lot bigger on the shelf. How much time do you think your book will have a chance to make an impression?

Go ahead and give a guess, we’ll give you the answer after the image below.

Village Books and Paper Dreams in Bellingham, WA

Your book has 3-5 seconds to attract a potential reader

Most people think about readers being bookstore shoppers (or shoppers at places like Walmart or even the airport). However, it also includes booksellers at trade-shows, librarians at the ALA meetings, and browsers on Amazon.

What Does Your Book Need to Accomplish in Those Seconds?

It needs to communicate these key elements:
1. The Genre (Historic? Thriller? SciFi? Romance? Cozy Mystery? Literary? etc.)
2. The Primary Targeted Group (Age/Gender/Etc) (Adult for the Trade? Guys? (think Tom Clancy) or Gals? (think Rebecca Wells), General Audience? Young Adult? Middle-Grade? Clean reads market? (think Jan Karon) etc.)
3. Mood (Humorous? Suspenseful? Adventurous? Dark? Light-hearted? Romantic? Horror? Spiritual? etc.)
4. Timeframe (Current? Futuristic? Regency? WWI? Western? Classic Roman? etc.)
5. Place or Cultural Reference (India? New York? Africa? Outer Space? California? Paris? Russia? Japan? etc.)
If your book doesn’t stand out, it is considered invisible, and invisible books rarely sell.

Daniel Radcliffe in the first Harry Potter Movie

While an invisibility cloak might be a great personal gift, it doesn’t work out out great for books.

Let’s pause for a moment and take a look at a wide variety of colors and answer the questions above.

Jane Austen covers through the years

First off let’s consider the Genre

While there are definitely some plain and simple covers that don’t say much, but the ones with art show the Regency Era, the focus on Elizabeth Bennet, and one clearly shows that a brilliant movie was made about it. The frequent inclusion of Mr. Darcy hints at the romance and long-distance longing. Even the most recent cover in the bottom right with the peacock feathers speaks to the questions of wealth and class that we encounter in the book (as well as the literal peacocks that are there).

Onward to the Primary Age Group

While Pride and Prejudice is one of the great classics, you can tell that the primary audience is going to be women, probably ages young adults and up. Preschoolers don’t tend to rate the book very well, and it’s obvious why from the cover.

How’s the Mood?

Regency. Romantic. All the things we know and associate with Jane Austen. The very first cover tells so much – the two of them are at a dance, but Elizabeth isn’t even looking at Mr. Darcy! In other covers you can see that Elizabeth is often looking forward – a forward thinking woman, while other people look on at her, showing that she’s the focus of the story.

Timeframe

Easy, the mood is Regency and so is the time. This overlaps with the Victorian era in many ways, which you can also feel in the cover design. Only the very stark covers don’t fully portray this, and instead rely on how well known Pride and Prejudice is. Once your book is being taught as part of regularly curriculum in high schools and universities around the world, the cover can do things like that.

Place or Cultural Reference

Again, this has been so well-integrated into the mood that we know it’s England.

What’s Next for Cover Design?

Magazines are often great examples of specific target audiences

Before we move on, remember that we have this original article by Kiffer Brown that has a lot of excellent compare and contrast of covers before and after being revitalized to different degrees.

The final piece of advice we have is for the text that goes on your book. As mentioned above, the title especially needs to be big enough to view online. The spine, likewise, should be easy to read as that’s often all readers at a bookstore will be able to see.

The Back Cover

For the back cover regarding text, we really recommend summary text and blurbs. That’s it. Author photos and author bios are fine to go on the inside of your book, but most people won’t be looking at the back of the book to learn more about who wrote it, but to find out why they should read it. This is valuable real estate, and it’s the perfect place to spark imagination and make the sale. The most powerful tool for selling your book will always be the book itself!

You can see above that everything for this To Kill a Mockingbird cover is doing work. While something as famous as that doesn’t necessarily need blurbs, but you can see the accolade on the front that it won a Pulitzer Prize.

Remember, it’s your book!

At the end of the day, one of the biggest benefits to being an indie author is that you get to do what you want to do. These are best practices, but in the end it’s you who makes the decision.

Take Your Time and Celebrate!
We would like to invite you to join our curated online community The Roost!

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

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

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community. Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

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

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

Valid until January 6th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

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

Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare for the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

Wishing you Happy New Year from Chanticleer! from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
January 5, 2024
WOMAN STRONG by Anna Casamento Arrigo – Poetry, Family & Relationships, Political Strife
Anna Casamento Arrigo’s Woman Strong showcases themes of love, heartbreak, death, disease, and political strife.

In the newly-released audio version, Casamento, with the help of her narrator Valentina Latyna, captures the essence of life and living. Latyna brings these poems to warm, sensuous life. Her accent, at once elegant and romantic, lifts the poems off the page and gives them voice.

The pearls strung into Woman Strong’s beautiful strand of poetry will stun and amaze readers. Many of them speak to the strength of women, as can be expected from the title, but many others talk about the fragile nature of life, of love, and of time.

Each poem explores a theme, some overlapping, and all of them provide the hope that we are strong enough to survive anything.

Casamento’s reminiscences of childhood show a creative mind already at work bending metaphors and figures of speech as she scrapes a knee or witnesses a transgression.

One poem stands out in particular, the three-part “Just Ice.” In part I, it discusses an old woman who is the butt of the neighborhood jokes because she doesn’t like dogs pooping in her yard. Casamento gives this invisible woman a voice and reveals her as human. As a young woman, she brought conversation and blueberry muffins.

The muffins appear again in Part II, where she talks to a veteran in the hospital, who is “between knowing and accepting.” Vincent had fought in a war seeking justice but failed to find it. Instead, he lost his limbs, and now questions justice as he calls it “Just Ice.”

In part III, she enters a church, hoping to find justice when a woman who wears a smile “between knowing and accepting” joins her. “Just Ice” kept repeating in the silence.

Casamento laments that humanity cannot exist in a world filled with just ice.

In “Exorcizing the Monster,” she tells of a day she becomes faceless, and as she writes, she exorcizes the monster, Cancer.

“Woman Strong,” explores hell and heaven separated by a fissure, where Casamento finds herself with an inescapable truth. She grows through the pain of her uncertainty, remembering her art and her passions, which become her solace.

“Clothing Drive” is about mining for memories, and “Wanted Desire” takes us to the edge of sensuality through her masterfully descriptive language.

Her title poem “Woman Strong,” as most of the poems in the collection are, is lyrical and powerful with images of strength as a mother, and the power as a lover to reveal the source of every woman’s strength: perseverance, patience, and love.

Casamento’s thoughtful words come clearly through Latyna’s heart-felt and skilled readings.

Take this collection of poems with you on your next long walk. You won’t be sorry.
January 5, 2024
On the 10th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer Brings to me… | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas! – One Day at a Time

On the 10th Day of Christmas…

The Tenth Day of Christmas gift of Ten Lords a’Leaping represents the 10 Commandments of the Old Testament that guide the faithful. We could use a lot of rules of ten for different writing practices!

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent.

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you still have time! Well, a couple more days.

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Ten Lord’s a’Leaping

Nine Ladies Dancing

Eight Maids A-Milking

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Six Geese A-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

We’re not sure why the lords are a’leaping over the 10 Commandments, but they sure do look happy.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

Ten Publishing Trends for 2024
1. Immersive experiences with Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are becoming popular.
2. Niche publications are growing.
3. Diversifying revenue streams, such as sponsored content, affiliate marketing, hosting events, or even launching online courses is becoming more important.
4. E-book publications are set to explode due to their convenience, accessibility, portability, and customization.
5. The growth of audiobooks continues.
6. Cozy mysteries, escapist books, and romance sub genres are on the rise, particularly “romantasy,” or the fusion of romance and fantasy genres.
7. Cross-promotional strategies are more important than ever as a way to reach a wider audience. This helps to level the playing field between Indie and traditional publishers.
8. Book summary platforms continue to emerge. (This is a new development – it seems aimed at non-fiction books).
9. Tech knowledge becomes a competitive advantage for authors (Indie and traditionally published)
10. Publishing giants consolidate, with the “big five” (well, big four now) publishers claiming a large share of publishing rights.
We would like to invite you to join our curated online community The Roost!

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

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

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community. Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

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

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

Valid until January 6th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

We now have:

Ten Partridges and Ten Pear Trees

Eighteen Turtle Doves

Twenty-four French Hens

Twenty-eight Calling Birds

Thirty Golden Rings

Thirty Geese-a-Laying

Twenty-eight Swans-a-Swimming

Thirty-two Maids a-Milking

Twenty-seven Ladies Dancing

Ten Lords a-Leaping

It is starting to get crowded in here!

Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare for the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

Wishing you Happy New Year from Chanticleer! from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
January 4, 2024
The 2023 CIBAs Paranormal Book Awards Short List for Supernatural Fiction
The Paranormal Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Supernatural Fiction. The Paranormal Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs) is looking for the best books Paranormal books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird otherworldly stories, superhumans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Harry Potter), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, and magical systems.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2023 Paranormal Supernatural Fiction Long List to the 2023 Paranormal Book Awards SHORT LIST. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

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

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

These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALISTS of the 2023 Paranormal Book Awards novel competition for Supernatural Fiction!

Join us in cheering on these Short List authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
- T.E. MacArthur – The Skin Thief
- Gregory Haley – Stranger in the Valley
- Daniela Valenti – Take my Heart, Burn my Soul
- Yun Johnson – The Book of Lost Spirits
- Lydia M. Hawke – Becoming Crone
- Derek Wachter – The Cabin at the End of Herrick Road
- Jennifer Anne Gordon – Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent
- Maria Mercurio – Survival
- Jack E. Mohr – I Can’t Believe My Girlfriend’s a Zombie
- Arjay Lewis – Digger
- K.R. Gastreich – Soul Masters
- Sue C Dugan – Walk-Ins Welcome
- Fionn Mac Meldrum – The Shadow of Banshee Hill
- J.J. Alo – The Street Between the Pines
- Michele L. Sayre – Darke Realms: Enraged (Gorgon 1)
- Joanne Jaytanie – Retrieving Remy, The Winters Sisters Book 5
- James McKenna – An October’s Journey: Poe’s Final Gift
- Jo Deniau – Hologram
- Douglas Bachmann – Afterlife
- L. R. Braden – Personal Demons
- T.E. Lane – The Cornbread Letters
- Diane Corso – Broken Things
- Joe Lyon – The Molossus of Old Man Moyer
- JC Compton – The Strange Story of Stanley Suspect
- Christopher C. Tyler – Something of a Tall Tale
- Maryanne Melloan Woods – Lazarus
- Alex Paul – The Amarrat Invasion
- Lloyd Jeffries – A Measure of Rhyme, Ages of Malice, Book II
- Jenny Allen – Rose of Jericho (book 2 in the Lilith Adams Series)
- Nola Nash – House of Mirrors
- E. Alan Fleischauer – The Doctor is Invisible
- Jennifer Ivy Walker – The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven
- K.M.Messina – Gemja – The Message
- E. Alan Fleischauer – Invisible Death
- Claire Fraise – They Stay
- T.K. Sheffield – The Valentine Lines
- Kaylin McFarren – Black Wing Sky
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging!

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

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The Grand Prize Winner for the 2022 PARANORMAL Awards is:

COLD AS HELL

By Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

The 2022 PARANORMAL Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC24 on April 20, 2024. Save the date for CAC24, scheduled April 18-21, 2024, our 12-year Conference Anniversary!

Submissions for the 2024 PARANORMAL Book Awards are open until the end of September. Enter here!

Don’t delay! Enter today!

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

The Chanticleer Authors Conference

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

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 12th annual conference and discover why!
January 3, 2024
On the 9th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer Brings to me… | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

On the 9th Day of Christmas…

The Ninth Day of Christmas gift of Nine Ladies Dancing are symbolic of the nine life principles: Love, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Goodness, Loyalty, Gentleness, Self-Control, and Patience.

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent.

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you still have time! Well, four days that is.

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the Ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Nine Ladies Dancing

Eight Maids A-Milking

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Six Geese A-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

Some say the Nine Ladies Dancing represent the Nine-Day Novenas. A novena is made up of nine days of prayer and meditation for some thing or some guidance from God. Can you see “dance” in that word “guidance?”

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

The Daily Routines of Nine Famous Authors and the link with three more by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits.

The Daily Routines of 12 Famous Writers by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits (sold more than 15 million copies and has been translated into more than 50 languages) is a fascinating blogpost and probably one of the more important blogposts for writers to read. He goes into great detail on how to apply daily routines to your writing life. I have purchased three copies of Atomic Habits myself. -Kiffer
1. E.B. White “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”
2. Haruki Murakami “The repetition itself becomes the important thing.”
3. Ernest Hemingway “I write every morning.”
4. Henry Miller “When you can’t create you can work.”
5. Jodi Picoult “You can’t edit a blank page.”
6. Maya Angelou “Easy reading is damn hard writing.”
7. Barbara Kingsolver “I have to write hundreds of pages before I get to page one.”
8. Nathan Englander “Turn off your cell phone.”
9. Karen Russell “Enjoy writing badly.”
Nine Self-Care Tips for Writers from Dena Weigel

Nurturing your mind, body, and spirit ensures you’re working at your highest level. So get moving, relax, and reinvigorate your creative spirit!

For the Mind

1. Decide today when and what you’ll write tomorrow.

2. Rest your mind by getting a good night’s sleep.

3. Silence your inner critic.

For the Body

4. Assess your workspace and make it ergonomic and workable for you.

5. Write for 20 minutes, then get up and stretch your arms, back, and shoulders.

6. Good nutrition keeps your body well-fed so it can perform the job well.

For the Spirit

7. Be a rebel! Break a writing rule.

8. Meet another writer for coffee or a walk through a park.

9. Congratulate yourself for what you’ve already achieved!

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

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

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

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community. Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

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

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

Valid until January 6th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

We now have:
- Nine Partridges and Nine Pear Trees
- Sixteen Turtle Doves
- Twenty-one French Hens
- Twenty-four Calling Birds
- Twenty-Five Golden Rings
- Twenty-four Geese-a-Laying
- Twenty-one Swans-a-Swimming
- Sixteen Maids a-Milking
- Nine Ladies Dancing
It is starting to get crowded in here!

Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare for the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

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

Stay tuned for the 10th Day of Christmas!
January 3, 2024
The 2023 SEMI-FINALIST CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction
The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards division. Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate-Fiction, and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2023 CYGNUS Science Fiction Semi-Finalists to the 2023 Cygnus Book Awards Finalists. These entries are now in competition for the 2023 Cygnus Finalists. FINALISTS will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC24.

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

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

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Andrew P. Blaber – Fallow
- Lou Dischler – The Rising
- E.T. Gunnarsson – Abandon Us
- E.T. Gunnarsson – Remember Us
- Arnie Benn – The Intrepid: Dawn Of The Interstellar Age
- J.L. Birchwood – The Southron Deception
- Alexandra Almeida – Unanimity
- S.G. Blaise – Proud Pada
- Tamar Anolic – The Fledgling’s Inferno
- Diane Lilli – The Last Invention
- N. John Williams – In the Shadow of Humanity: A Novel
- Julia Tvardovskaya – Identifiable
- Gareth Worthington – Dark Dweller
- J.D. Clason – Salvation
- Michael Simon – Extinction
- Timothy S. Johnston – The Shadow of War
- Howard Berk and Peter Berk – TimeLock
- Jeanne Hull Godfroy – Midgard
- Jamie Eubanks – Hall of Skulls
- Rob Brownell – Invention Is a Mother
- Dylan McFadyen – Oblivion’s Cloak
- Donald Firesmith – Hell Holes: A Slave’s Revenge
- Stu Jones – The Zone: A Cyberpunk Thriller
- John Blossom – The Last Football Player
- Nikki Kallio – Finding the Bones: Stories & A Novella
- Sarena Straus – ReInception
- Tyler Drinkard – Isolated Domain
- Melissa Gowdy Baldwin – The Marriage Wars: Book One
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

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

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

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

Congratulations once more to the 2022 Cygnus Grand Prize Winner

The Last Lumenian

By S. G. Blaise

Click here to see the full list of 2022 CYGNUS Book Award Winners for Science Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2024 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

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

The Chanticleer Authors Conference

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

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 12th annual conference and discover why!
January 3, 2024
On the 8th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer Brings to me… | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

On the 8th Day of Christmas…

The Eighth day of Christmas is the celebration of Mary as the Mother of Jesus, which can be traced back to as early as 431 AD.

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 2nd of January! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent.

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you still have time! You have FIVE Days!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

             On the Eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

             Eight Maids A-Milking

             Seven Swans A-Swimming

             Six Geese A-Laying

            Five Golden Rings

            Four Calling Birds

            Three French Hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

            Two Turtle Doves

            And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

This lyric represents the common worker. We are so grateful to all those who make the wheels of the world turn who can be so easy to forget! An extra special Happy New Year to all workers!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

Eight SEO Boosts (at least!) with each Chanticleer Book Review Package

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. When you purchase an Editorial Review from Chanticleer, we do our best to keep up with all the latest trends and under-the-hood data technologies that ensure your book is picked up by search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others.
1. Key Phrase Optimization: We choose a word or phrase that is most likely to lead to your book, usually your title.
2. Title Optimization for the length of our review title as it appears in search engines.
3. Heading Optimization: We use our blurbs to stand out in describing your book while also showing search engines what’s most important to pick up.
4. Sentence Optimization: We make sure all reviews use the appropriate number of words to best improve their Flesch reading score.
5. Optimization that utilizes your keywords.
6. Tagging and Categorizing for web crawlers.
7. Links! Links to the Author’s website, links to the Publisher’s website, links to the book’s Amazon Sales Page, links to other Chanticleer Reviews in the series (if applicable), and Links to our Local Village Books’ sale page for your book if it’s available through Ingram. We are currently working on linking to Barnes & Noble. The more links the better in the Internet of Things!
8. AISEO PRO SEO Booster app with Meta Descriptions, Cornerstone Content, Focused Key Phrases
In addition, all Chanticleer Reviews are promoted in our e-newsletter, website, Social Media platforms, and the Chanticleer magazine.

Chanticleer’s AISEO Boosts continuously work for your books long-tail marketing strategy and to make your works more discoverable.

Editorial Reviews are powerful tools that are only limited by imagination! Don’t let your book go undiscovered!

For more detailed information about how a Chanticleer Review with its exclusive AISEO PRO booster app, click here>> You can learn more about SEO here.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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

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

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

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community. Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

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

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

Valid until January 6th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

We now have:
- Eight Partridges and Eight Pear Trees
- Fourteen Turtle Doves
- Eighteen French Hens
- Twenty-four Calling Birds
- Twenty Golden Rings
- Eighteen Geese-a-Laying
- Fourteen Swans-a-Swimming
- Eight Maids a-Milking
Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

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

Stay tuned for the 9th Day of Christmas!
January 2, 2024
On the 7th Day, Chanticleer brings to me the CIBAs Tiers of Achievement | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

And the Seventh Day of Christmas brings us a New Year!

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent.

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra six days!

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Seven Swans-a-Swimming

Six Geese-a-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

The 7th Day of Christmas is January 1st! A new year means new beginnings, new habits, new routines, and new hopes and dreams for the future.

The Seven Swans symbolize Seven Graces: Service, Teaching, Encouraging, Giving and Sharing, Planning, Leadership, and Reaching Out to Others

What are your favorite ways to mark the new year? Resolutions? Thorough cleaning? A polar plunge?

On the 7th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me….

The 7 Tiers of Achievement!

The Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) has 25 Divisions, including, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Short Stories, Collections, and Series! You can learn more about these here and submit your work for 2024! While winning a Chanticleer International Book Award (or CIBA) feels great! The best part for authors is the digital marketing that comes with it.

But what is this digital marketing we’re talking about?

Every time a book you enter advances in our Awards, we post about it on our website, social media, and in our newsletter. This makes sure that your name and book are in front of the eyes of thousands of people and it tells search engines that you are doing something right. Being discoverable and searchable is more critical than ever as more and more books are published each year. If you want the benefits of being an award winner and touted on the internet, be sure to submit to the CIBAs today!

Nevertheless, though, are all the bells and whistles. OR should we say RIBBONS and BADGES? And cash prizes! And awards from sponsors!

And even more promotion opportunities!

And book stickers!

Grand Prize Ribbons!

CIBA Grand Prize Division Winners

Don’t Delay! Enter your manuscript or book today!

An invitation to join our curated online community The Roost!

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

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

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community. Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

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

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

Valid until January 6th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

We now have:
- Seven Partridges and Seven Pear Trees
- Twelve Turtle Doves
- Fifteen French Hens
- Sixteen Calling Birds
- Fifteen Golden Rings
- Twelve Geese-a-Laying
- Seven Swans-a-Swimming
Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

Wishing you Happy New Year from Chanticleer! from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
January 1, 2024
On the 6th Day, Chanticleer brings to me… | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

On the 6th Day of Christmas, we wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent.

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra seven days!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Six Geese a-laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

The 6th Day of Christmas, December 31st, is New Years Eve! Despite not all cultures celebrating in accordance with the Georgian calendar, everyone culture has their own ways to mark the end of one year and arrival of the next. Here are some traditions from around the world!

United States

The Times Square ball drop is a nationally televised event that millions of Americans tune into on December 31st, with thousands more waiting on the freezing streets of New York City to watch in person. The inaugural drop was to mark the start of 1908 but the countdown until the midnight has become a wide-spread tradition enjoyed by folks of all ages.

Denmark

Danes take the expression “leaping into the new year” literally! It’s traditional to jump off a chair, couch, counter, or wherever you can find yourself several centimeters off the ground right as the clock strikes midnight. It is seen as a way to bring good luck into the new year.

Brazil

Since the new year arrives on the same day as the summer celebration of the sea god, these annual traditions overlap. Wearing white, meant to signify purity for the sea goddess Iemanjá, the culminating event of the night, everyone runs into the ocean fully dressed and jumps over seven waves. These jumps and waves are meant to hold wishes and hopes for the coming year.

Ireland

The Irish have many traditions surrounding the new year, including banging the outside of their homes with bread to keep away bad luck and evil spirits. The most heartfelt of these is the setting of an extra place at the table for the evening meal, said to be for any loved ones who have been lost in the past year.

Philippines

While many cultures eat “lucky” foods, such as Hoppin’ John in the southern USA or 12 raisins in Spain, or twelve grapes in Italy, in the Philippines it’s considered lucky to eat numerous round fruits. And not only do they eat round things, they also dress in polka dots! The more round objects the better.

What are your favorite ways to mark the new year? Resolutions?
Thorough house cleaning? A polar plunge?

On the 6th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

6 Rituals and Routines of Famous Authors!

We at Chanticleer know that while writing is a creative process, it is also a discipline. It can be hard to finish writing your book while balancing work, family, friends, relaxation time, self-care, and numerous other demands on your time. So here’s how some famous authors managed to make it work.

E.B. White

Most famously known as the author of Charlotte’s Web, White has been interviewed several times about his writing routine.

A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.

Reportedly, White never listened to music while writing. Instead, to keep his mind on the task, he would write in his living room, a main thoroughfare in his home, and allow himself to have the distractions of his family’s daily activity force himself to keep focused.

If you want to try this approach, go for it! Just warn others in your home first of they may wonder why you’re sitting in the hallway with your writing tools. If that doesn’t seem advisable in your home, maybe sit in a busy coffee shop without headphones or earplugs. Let the lull of mundane activity be the background for your masterpiece.

Henry Miller

The late Henry Miller had a very different approach to his craft, creating a work schedule with writing “Commandments” that he followed in his daily routine.
1. Work on one thing at a time until finished.
2. Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.
3. Work according to the Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointment time!
4. When you can’t create, you can work.
5. Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
6. Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.
7. Don’t be a draught horse! Work with pleasure only.
8. Discard the Program when you feel like it – but go back to it the next day. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.
9. Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
10. Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all of those things come afterwards.
If you want to adopt some of these commandments, more power too you! Just remember number 6 and keep human. Balance is important.

Karen Russell

Her novel Swamplandia! was a Pulitzer Prize winner and since she has written several other books. Her personal metric is to set aside a daily word count or pushing herself to produce volume every day. Instead, she gauges her productivity on “time spent in a fictional world.”

“…the trick is to just keep at it for several hours regardless of your own vacillating assessment of how the writing is going. Showing up and staying present is a good writing day.”

If you want this kind of mentality, maybe start by setting a timer for 15-25 minutes and try and meditate yourself into your writing. Try not to let your mind wander away from your work until you hear the timer go off. Keep this up and gradually increase the time increments as you find it possible to stay in the zone.

Joan Didion

The late Joan Didion implemented an incubation period for her ideas. A solitary hour of time before dinner solely dedicated to going over what she had written that day.

I need an hour alone before dinner, with a drink to go over what I’ve done that day. I can’t do it in the late afternoon because I’m too close to it. Also the drink helps. It removes me from the pages.

After ending with this kind of review, the next day would start with implementing any changes or edits deemed necessary. And then, the day would end again with that drink and review process.

If you want to try this sort of review then implement routine but aren’t a fan of alcohol, try a cup of calming tea, strong coffee, or experiment with some non-alcoholic spirits and wines that are becoming popular. A personal favorite are the Wilderton spirits!

Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, pen name Colette

Known in the English speaking world from penning the novella Gigi, the basis for both the 1958 film and 1973 stage production, Colette was a talented author, mime, actress, and journalist. A renegade in turn of the century Paris, Colette was an outspoken feminist and turned heads by writing about everything from warfare, domestic abuse, faking orgasms, to fashion of the day.

To get herself in the mode for writing, Colette would spend time methodically picking fleas from her beloved bulldog’s back until inspiration struck.

If you have pets, and aren’t squeamish, this might work for you! And if grooming your furry friends doesn’t sound inspiring, maybe a brisk walk with your pup or a long play session with your kitty will get your mind nice and relaxed before you start on your current writing project.

Charles Dickens

The famous English novelist most know of A Tale of Two Cities and A Christmas Carol was another author that kept to a rigid schedule during his years of writing.

Breakfasting early, writing undisturbed until lunch, remaining rather aloof and quiet during the family meal, and a vigorous 3-hour walk at 2 o’clock daily before returning to his study and writing until dinner at 6pm. Afterwards he returned to his familial life, joining in socialization with friends or visitors.

Maybe a strict break time would work to reinvigorate your brain in the middle of the day? An excuse to walk away from the minutiae of writing and re-immerse yourself in the wider reality of our world.

We would love to hear about your writing rituals and what inspires you!

Stay tuned for the 7th Day of Christmas! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And don’t forget about considering joining the Roost with the 12 Days of Christmas Special! Just click here!

An invitation to join our curated online community The Roost!

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

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

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community. Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

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

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

Valid until January 6th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

And just for fun:

We now have:
- Six Partridges and Six Pear Trees
- Ten Turtle Doves
- Fifteen French Hens
- Eight Calling Birds
- Ten Golden Rings
- Six Geese-a-laying
Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

Wishing you Happy Holidays from Chanticleer! from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
December 31, 2023

Chanticleer Book Reviews