Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: d-d-black

There are a few seats available for D.D. Black’s (A.C. Fuller) Fabulous Master Class on Incorporating Mystery & Suspense Elements into any Genre
CAC 24 Master Writing Classes

Thursday morning, April 18th. Registration Required. Seating is Limited.

Morning Master Class will address Advance Writing Craft with D.D. Black, Amazon Best-selling Author

“D.D. Black evokes comparisons to John Grisham’s finest —The Firm and The Pelican Brief— with a touch of Woodward and Bernstein’s All the President’s Men.” ROBERT DUGONI – #1 Amazon and New York Times Bestselling Author of My Sister’s Grave“

Incorporating Mystery and Suspense Techniques Into Any Genre—Fiction OR Memoir

Learn How to Create Tension, Pacing, and Interest in your works no matter the genre by incorporating Mystery and Suspense Elements along with elevating Scene Level Craft Elements in your writing.
- Using examples from best-selling literary fiction, mysteries, fantasy, and even memoirs, you’ll learn professional techniques for weaving compelling mystery and suspense into your book, regardless of genre. In the class we will:
  - Discuss how to incorporate the mystery novel structure into non-mystery genres, such as literary fiction, memoir, sci-fi, and fantasy
  - Study the use of the elements of mystery in wildly different award-winning and best-selling books, such as: “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling, and “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama
  - Learn to ask questions both big and small to keep readers intrigued
  - Talk about how to craft clues, red herrings, plot twists, and cliffhangers for maximum intrigue
“Mystery is a whisper, not a shout.” – Kate Atkinson, best-selling literary crime novelist whose works have been adapted to a BBC One Series

Adam is a full-time author with more than 30 published books under two different names — A.C. Fuller and D.D. Black. Previously, he was an adjunct professor of journalism at New York University and has taught writing and book marketing at conferences and libraries all over the country and internationally. He lives with his wife, son, and three dogs in Kitsap County.

To find his Pacific Northwest mystery series: ddblackauthor.com

Click here to register for D.D. Black’s Master Writing Craft Class, CAC24, Thursday morning at 9:15 – 1 p.m., Coffee, tea, and drinks will be provided in class.

Seating is limited. Register today.

We are excited to have such an incredible line up at CAC24 this year!
April 6, 2024
Spotlight on Kianne Burgess- Social Media Manager for D.D. Black

KIANNE BURGESS – Social Media Manager for D.D. Black, TikTokker, Social Media Manager

Kianne works as the full-time social media manager for the Bestselling Thriller author D.D. Black, handling his presence across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. She focuses specifically on boosting sales and cementing his digital footprint through long tail digital marketing. As social media always changes, Kianne constantly is learning the newest and best ways to continue to build upon an already successful platform.

A writer herself, Kianne is currently working on the first book in a fantasy series. She plans on publishing her debut novel near the end of 2024. Her dream of being a writer has found a solid ground in her work with D.D. Black and allowed her to make even better inroads into the indie publishing community. She will be presenting a session on TikTok 101 for writers who are just getting started and are curious about BookTok and Reels.

Still thinking about Registering for the Chanticleer Authors Conference?

Register Today!

We have a stellar line up of speakers for CAC24, with multiple options to attend.

Find out why The 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.

March 28, 2024
Working with Ingram, Selling on Amazon, Pitching, the Art of Subtext, Podcasting, and more! Learn from the Best at CAC24!
🌷 Happy Spring to our Northern Hemisphere Chanticleerians! 🌷

🍂Happy Fall to our Southern Hemisphere Chanticleerians! 🍁

This time of year is the time for the

Annual Chanticleer Authors Conference

CAC24!

and the highly anticipated

Chanticleer International Book Awards Banquet and Ceremony!

When we start seeing tulips and daffodils coming up with snow geese and Trumpeter swans flying across the sky, we know that it is time for the annual Chanticleer Authors Conference here in Bellingham, Wash. Did I tell you how much I love this time of year in the Pacific Northwest? These photos were taken about a 15 minute drive south from here.

But I digress.

We are here to discuss Working with Ingram, Selling on Amazon, Pitching, the Art of Subtext, Podcasting, and more for #seriousAuthors!

These are just a few of the sessions that CAC 24 is offering in just a few short weeks!

Be sure to check out CAC’s Master Classes!
- Incorporating Mystery and Suspense Techniques Into Any Genre–Fiction OR Memoir with D.D. Black
- Writing the Hollywood Adaptation Master Class Workshop with Kim Hornsby
Story Telling / Writing Craft
- Dynamic Dialogue: The Art of Subtext
- Grabbing the Reader’s Interest and Not Letting Go – Techniques and Strategies
- Writing the Short Story
- Look Out! He’s Behind You!
- Power Moves to Make Your Story UNDENIABLE
- Women’s Fiction Writing
- Get to Know Your Characters – A new perspective
- Incorporating the Mystery Genre Into Any Genre – Master Class
- Pacing and Plotting
- Series Planning
AI, ChatGPT, Alphabet Soup, and the Future of Publishing
- CHAT GPT
- AI intro Visuals – Creating Cover Ideations & Story Telling Collateral
- Alphabet Soup – SEO, Metadata, Tagging, ISBNs, and more
Marketing
- Working with Ingram
- Marketing for Indie Authors
- Multi-Author Anthologies – the Why and How You Should Do Them
- How to market your work, yourself, be seen by producers, execs, studios. How to get a Lit Manager or Agent and if you need one.
- Pitching
- How to Promote Your Works like a Book Publicist
- Series: Creating and Developing a Series. Why You Should and How Panel
- Going Wide—Selling Your Books Internationally
- Selling On Amazon – How to Up Your Game
- Getting Your Books into Libraries – Panel
- Multi-Author Anthologies – the WHY and HOW for your Book Marketing Strategy
Book to Film Sessions
- Writing the Hollywood Adaption – Masterclass – Thursday
- Learn the Power of Pitch Decks, Log Lines, and Quick Pitches
- From Novel to Production – The Story of Dream Jumper’s Promise
- How to Write the “TV Movie”
- Marketing for Screen Writers
- How to Read a Film (so you can write a Book to Film work)
- How to Design a Smashing Screenplay: The Importance of Planning and Outlining a Story Before Your Write
Writing Life
- The Five Best Pieces of Advice I Ignored – D.D. Black
- Healthy Habits for the Writing Life – Tana Hope
- Do’s and Don’ts for Book Events – Paul Hanson & Chloe Hovind
Social Media Platforms and Expanding Your Readership and Building Your Author Brand
- Intro to TikTok
- Intro to REELS
- Podcasting
- Audiobooks
- Crowdsourcing as a Marketing Tool
- LIVE Podcast Interview with Kim Hornsby on the True Fiction Podcast hosted by Reenita Malhotra Hora
- LIVE Podcast Interview with D.D. Black on Author in the Headlights hosted by Strider Klusman
- Increasing Your Email List and Expanding Your Readership – Tips and Tools that Work!
With more sessions added weekly.

Learn from the Best

Below are just a few members of CAC24’s faculty. For the most up-to-date list with more information on each faculty member, please visit this page: https://test.chantireviews.com/chanticleer-conference/chanticleer-authors-conference-presenters-and-faculty/

Please check back often as we continuously update the CAC pages.

Susan V. Meyers – Creative Writing Program Director at Seattle University and Pushcart Prize and Best American Series Nominee. Her novel Failing the Trapeze won the Nilsen Award.

Nicole J. Persun is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author with a master’s degree in Creative Writing & Instruction. Nicole has written and published in multiple genres, most recently book club fiction under the pen name Jennifer Gold.

Kim Hornsby is a USA Today and Amazon Bestselling Author along with being a sold, multi-optioned, and produced screenwriter. Her Chanticleer Paranormal Book Awards winning novel, The Dream Jumper’s Promise, is in development with plans to film in late 2024. We are excited for her Romcom Christmas movie, Christmas in Crystal Creek, that is slated for filming in 24/25.

D.D. Black’s Thomas Austin Crime Thrillers series has garnered more than 30,000 Amazon reviews and have earned the #1 Best Seller in Mystery Series. Ranked #1 in Traditional Detective Mysteries in Books and Kindle Store. Previously, he wrote thrillers under the name A.C. Fuller, including The Alex Vane Media Thrillers, The Ameritocracy Series, and The Crime Beat. Altogether, he’s written and published over thirty books.

Reenita Malhotra Hora is the CEO of Chapter by Episode Productions. She has years of experience growing organizations from startups to medium-sized businesses through storytelling, creative marketing and business strategy. Hora has also written seven books.

She has contributed to Reuters, the South China Morning Post family section, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN, Asian Investor, Times of India, Business Line, Bloomberg on-air news reporter, writer, and producer, Rolling Stone, and the Economic Times.

Please visit our CAC page for more information!

Don’t delay! Register TODAY for the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference!

Multiple Registration Options are Available!
March 22, 2024
THE BONES At POINT NO POINT: A Thomas Austin Crime Thriller Book 1 by D.D. Black – Mystery, Serial Killer Thriller, Pacific Northwest Fiction

The Bones at Point no Point, by D.D. Black, begins with a crime so distinctive that it could only have been committed by one person.

A festive Christmas bag, decorated with cheerful season’s trinkets, brings much darker tidings within. Bones. Small gleaming bones, tiny like those of a baby, including a skull. And they’re engraved with the words of a loving poem.

But that one possible suspect is safely locked up in prison 3,000 miles away. A copycat murder seems likely, but one with details only the convict herself could know.

Thomas Austin is a retired New York City cop who now lives in Washington State’s Puget Sound, running a combination general store, café, and bait shop. But even with the great distance, he’s haunted by one particular case.

The Holiday Baby Butcher, serial murderer Lorraine D’Antonia, remains in his mind. It wasn’t enough that Austin had to face the horror of her crimes. He also had to deal with the media circus that surrounded them.

He believes he can put the case behind him until a local police officer calls him about the new case, a duplicate down to the smallest details, that has just been committed locally.

At first, he tries to stay as far away from the crime as possible. But a nosy reporter bringing unwanted publicity to the case and Austin personally, and reports of a second infant abducted from a local hospital, force him to join the investigation.

As the local community shuts down for the Christmas season, Austin and a crew of local police officers begin a frantic search to find the second infant in time, and struggle to understand how this new killer committed such a perfect recreation of the old Butcher murders.

Throughout the story, Austin shows himself to be an engaging, complex character.

Austin’s reluctance and pained memories of New York– including his own wife’s murder– contrast his smart, intuitive skills as a cop. He quickly parses out new situations, whether he is conducting a suspect’s interview or figuring out how a specific crime was committed, with only the barest clues.

The Bones at Point No Point is the first in a series of Thomas Austin books, making a strong first impression for the series.

February 9, 2024
D.D. Black, Amazon Bestselling Mystery Author to Keynote and Present at CAC 24
We are thrilled to announce that D.D. Black, Amazon international bestselling mystery and crime author, to keynote and present at the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference. He also writes media thrillers under the name A.C. Fuller.

D.D. Black / A.C. Fuller – Amazon International Bestselling Author

Adam is a full-time author with more than 30 published books under two different names — A.C. Fuller and D.D. Black. Previously, he was an adjunct professor of journalism at New York University and has taught writing and book marketing at conferences and libraries all over the country and internationally. He lives with his wife, son, and three dogs in Kitsap County.

Fans of Robert Dugoni, Michael Connelly, Lisa Regan, and David Balducci are going to love this series and writers will appreciate what D.D. Black will bring to their Writer’s Toolbox!

“D.D. Black evokes comparisons to John Grisham’s finest — The Firm and The Pelican Brief — with a touch of Woodward and Bernstein’s All the President’s Men.” ROBERT DUGONI – #1 Amazon and New York Times Bestselling Author of My Sister’s Grave

D.D. Black will present a Master Writing Craft Workshop at CAC 24 titled:

Incorporating Mystery and Suspense Techniques Into Any Genre—Fiction or Memoir

D.D. Black will cover both structure and scene-level craft elements.

Topics in this Master Writing Craft Class will include:
- - Using examples from best-selling literary fiction, mysteries, fantasy, and even memoirs, you’ll learn professional techniques for weaving compelling mystery and suspense into your book, regardless of genre.In the class we will:
    
    Discuss how to incorporate the mystery novel structure into non-mystery genres, such as literary fiction, memoir, sci-fi, and fantasy
    
    Study the use of the elements of mystery in wildly different award-winning and best-selling books, such as: “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling, and “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama
    
    Learn to ask questions both big and small to keep readers intrigued
    
    Talk about how to craft clues, red herrings, plot twists, and cliffhangers for maximum intrigue
    
    “Mystery is a whisper, not a shout.” – Kate Atkinson
The Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24) Master Writing Craft Workshop will be held on Thursday, April 18th, 2024.

Time: 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. with breaks. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be available. Advance registration required.

Click here to register.

CAC24 will be held at the Sheraton Four Points Lakeway, Bellingham, Wash. Discounted room rates for conference attendees are available.

Free Parking is available.

Additional Sessions by D.D. Black

Additionally, D.D. Black (aka Adam (A.C.) Fuller) will present sessions, participate on panels, and hold a kaffeeklatsch during the CAC24 (Friday, April 19th and Saturday, April 20th). Topics will include: Marketing for Indie Authors, Creating and Sustaining a Series Tik Tok for Authors, Going Wide – Selling Books Internationally, Selling on Amazon.

D.D. Black will also present a CAC24 Keynote Address along with participating in the 2023 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday evening, April 20th.

The Thomas Austin Crime Thrillers Series

AND that is not all, he and his books will be at the Village Books Chanticleer Book Fair held at Village Books on Sunday, April 21st.

Can you tell how excited we are to have D.D. Black at CAC24?

Register for D.D. Black’s Master Writing Craft Workshop, click here.

Thursday, April 18, 2024, 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. with two breaks. (Coffee and tea provided).

Register for CAC24 today! Seating is limited! For more information, please click here.
January 17, 2024