Many a child has gotten ready for bed with a fear of monsters lurking in dark closets or hiding under the bed. J.W. Zarek’s delightful children’s book The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed, illustrated by Anastasiia at GetYourBookIllustrations, uses a creative twist of perspective to show that “monsters aren’t always monsters after all”.
The tale opens with a pair of eyes in the dark, those of Fred, a purple Gumby-like character sporting a fuzzy mane. Together with three dust bunnies—big and brave Brutus Bunfluff, Dust Puff Ted the germaphobe, and bespectacled scaredy cat Gunnar Puffbutz—the group have created a comfortable little world for themselves beneath the bed.
They’ve organized an array of lost items from the world above like puzzle pieces, buttons, socks, and crayons. But a giant pair of red shoes suddenly come clomping into the room. The dust bunnies huddle together, wondering about the loud noise.
Upon investigating, Fred notes a messy room and a boy, Billy, asleep on top of their bed. Fred and his dust bunny cohorts declare war against this intruder. But facing an environment filled with what they consider booby traps of plastic building blocks, broken cookies, pencils, and some sticky, slippery cherry stuff, they retreat.
The fuzzy creatures decide to return a missing crayon that Billy is searching for, introduce themselves, and propose sharing the space.
The dust bunnies are bombarded by a menagerie of flying puzzle pieces, blue sticky stuff, and stabbing squares, as Billy’s continued search wrecks their home. Great loud sounds fill the backdrop, SKREETCH, SLAM, THUD, THUD, THUMP, THUMP, and BOING. Billy himself is startled when he finally hears the dust bunnies demanding he stop the ruckus.
Having disrupted the dust bunnies’ peaceful existence, Billy apologizes with an offer of cookies. The dusty creatures accept, so long as Billy agrees to clean his room and apologize for accusing his sister of taking his things.
Anastasia’s Illustrations throughout are warm and adorable.
Shades of blue with star-studded bed linens capture the nighttime scenes, with a planetary mobile that casts a glow above. In one moment, as the dust bunnies march across the bedding, the perspective of their size and the folds of the blankets give the appearance of a lunar landscape.
Pip the Domovoi once again adds a hint of mystery to Zarek’s picture book, a spritely little creature appears in the background of several pages.
The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed by J.W. Zarek and illustrated by Anastasiia at GetYourBookIllustrations, focuses on themes of friendship, sharing, and accountability. Fun for youngsters anytime, but when read at bedtime it soothes imaginary fears of lurking monsters and helps children realize that sometimes friendships can form in the most unlikely of places.
Bees frighten Bella, but a learning adventure turns her fear to fascination in J.W. Zarek’s delightful children’s book Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm.
Bella’s bespectacled Grandma Yetta asks for help in her wildflower garden. Bella hops along with her bucket of gardening tools, surrounded by beautiful hovering butterflies. But a sudden encounter with a large striped flying insect sends Bella running.
Grandma Yetta explains that the buzzing bee is merely curious or trying to protect her home or babies. She advises Bella to stand very still, and the bee will fly away. Bella gives it a try and sees her own fears fly away as the bee continues its journey through the garden.
Grandma suggests taking a visit to Farmer Joe’s Sunny Meadows Bee Farm to learn about the importance of these amazing flying creatures.
Farmer Joe coaxes the hesitant Bella to learn about our “buzzing friends,” taking her first to a glass observation hive full of bees at work. Farmer Joe explains the different jobs bees perform, from collecting nectar to caring for young bees—and even fanning their wings just to keep the hive cool!
With protective face netting and elbow-length gloves, Bella next visits the boxed beehives and learns how the placement of the hives can influence the taste of their honey. Farmer Joe describes how the bees make honey in the first place.
Sweet illustrations by Anastasia with GetYourBookIllustrations show the roles of the bees with childlike whimsy.
The queen bee wears her royal crown. Worker bees carry miniature tools and nursery attendants hold newly hatched baby bees, all doing their part to support the hive.
Wide-eyed Bella asks what else bees do.
Grandma Yetta explains how bees pollinate fruits and vegetables. Their communication “wiggle dance” is complimented by amusing images of a dance floor complete with big speakers and a sparkling disco ball. Zarek includes even more facts about bees, from their sleep patterns to flight speeds.
The fascinating little creatures ultimately awe Bella, and all she’s learned about them dispels her fears and leaves her instead with a desire to help the bees. She even pays tribute to them by donning an adorable bee costume.
Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm makes learning about bees approachable for young readers.
The book concludes with a page of affirmations for children like “Bee Joyful,” “Bee Happy,” “Bee Honest,” and “Beelieve in Yourself.” Zarek also provides a glossary of words related to Bella’s visit to the bee farm, as well as some friendly tips for readers to help bees in their area.
A furry little friend known as “Pip the Domovoi” appears in the background visuals several times throughout the book, prompting children to discover fun new details within Anastasia’s beautiful illustrations.
Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm by J.W. Zarek both entertains and educates at once. Young readers will appreciate the easily followed narrative and fun, colorful illustrations, and children of all ages will learn something new about these productive little insects and their importance to our ecosystem.
There’s something magical that happens when a single great book becomes part of something larger—when characters you’ve grown to love continue their journeys, when worlds you’ve fallen into keep expanding, and when the story you thought was over reveals it was just the beginning. The Series Awards celebrate this unique literary achievement: the ability to sustain excellence across multiple volumes while building reader loyalty that lasts for years.
In today’s competitive market, a successful series doesn’t just sell books—it creates communities. From fantasy epics that span generations to mystery series featuring beloved detectives, from young adult adventures that grow with their audience to non-fiction works that build comprehensive expertise, series offer something no standalone work can: the promise that the story never truly ends.
The Power of Sustained Storytelling
Creating a successful series requires more than just writing multiple books—it demands the vision to build worlds that can support extended exploration, characters complex enough to evolve across volumes, and the skill to maintain consistent quality while keeping readers surprised. It’s the difference between telling a story and creating a literary universe.
Series also offer unparalleled marketing advantages. When readers discover a series they love, they don’t just buy one book—they buy the entire collection and eagerly await the next installment. Publishers understand this power: a successful series can anchor an entire catalog, creating reliable revenue streams and devoted readerships that traditional standalone novels rarely achieve.
But perhaps most importantly, series allow authors to explore themes and develop characters in ways that single volumes simply cannot accommodate. The greatest series become more than entertainment—they become ongoing relationships between authors and readers.
Multi-Genre Excellence
The Series Awards welcome submissions across every genre and format, recognizing that great serial storytelling knows no boundaries. Whether your series spans science fiction galaxies, historical periods, contemporary mysteries, or non-fiction expertise, we celebrate the unique challenges and rewards of multi-volume excellence.
Our categories align with all Chanticleer divisions, encompassing both fiction and non-fiction works. From epic fantasy trilogies to business guide series, from young adult adventures to literary explorations, every genre offers opportunities for the kind of sustained storytelling that creates lasting reader relationships.
Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!
We’re thrilled to honor Tim Facciola, whose epic fantasy series A Vengeful Realm claimed the 2024 Series Grand Prize with a completed trilogy that masterfully demonstrates everything we look for in award-winning series fiction. This sweeping saga—described as “Spartacus meets Game of Thrones”—follows Zephyrus from his awakening as an amnesiac gladiator through his ultimate confrontation with gods and destiny.
What makes A Vengeful Realm exemplary is Facciola’s ability to sustain complex world-building across three volumes while developing characters who evolve authentically with each installment. From The Scales of Balance through The Age of the End, readers witness not just epic battles and political intrigue, but profound character growth and an ever-expanding fictional universe that rewards investment.
The series showcases the marketing power of cohesive serial storytelling—Book 1 won the 2023 Overall Grand Prize for Best Book, proving that exceptional series often begin with exceptional individual volumes. Facciola’s achievement demonstrates how the best series create worlds readers never want to leave and characters they never want to say goodbye to. In addition to ongoing promotional features, A Vengeful Realm will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame posts. Tim Facciola will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview and receive continued recognition across our promotional platforms.
Looking at Series Excellence
Check out some of these outstanding series we’ve celebrated recently that showcase the power of sustained storytelling!
The Nightingale and Sparrow Chronicles
By Jerena Tobiasen
Jerena Tobiasen’s The Nightingale and Sparrow Chronicles weaves together the personal costs of duty with the sweeping political upheavals of early 20th century Europe. Through Viscount Simon Nightingale-Temple’s journey from naval officer to reluctant spy, Tobiasen creates a panoramic view of revolution, family loyalty, and survival.
Love and loss define the stakes in revolutionary Russia.
Beginning with Simon’s covert mission in Petrograd during the 1915 Russian Revolution, the series establishes its emotional core through Simon’s romance with Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna—the sole surviving Romanov daughter. As Mary hides among British aristocracy in the second book, her trauma from witnessing her family’s execution adds psychological depth to the espionage framework.
Family betrayal elevates traditional spy fiction.
What distinguishes Tobiasen’s work is her willingness to complicate spy narratives with intimate family conflicts. Simon’s forced recruitment into MI6 becomes doubly painful when he must investigate his own brother Richard’s treason. The series succeeds because Tobiasen balances meticulous historical research with emotionally resonant character development, grounding the series in lived historical reality while exploring timeless themes of loyalty and sacrifice.
Read the review for book 1 Tsarina’s Crownhere and book 2 Tsarina’s Jewelshere.
These works demonstrate how the best series create something greater than the sum of their individual volumes—building reader loyalty and literary worlds that endure.
Bella Brown Series
By J.W. Zarek
J.W. Zarek’s Bella Brown series captures the joy of childhood curiosity and the special bond between grandmother and granddaughter. Through Bella’s adventures with butterflies and everyday challenges, Zarek creates stories that blend whimsical exploration with gentle life lessons, all brought to vibrant life by illustrator Anastasia’s playful artwork.
Grandma Yetta’s wisdom guides Bella through wonder and worries.
Whether Bella is searching for Grandma Yetta’s missing butterfly locket across imagined global destinations or tackling her overwhelmingly messy room, their phone conversations form the emotional heart of each story. Yetta’s calm blue dialogue contrasts beautifully with Bella’s energetic pink text, making it easy for young readers to follow their conversations while emphasizing their different approaches to problem-solving. The series celebrates how patient guidance can transform daunting tasks—from cleaning chaos to processing memories—into manageable, even enjoyable experiences.
The books excel at teaching through discovery rather than preaching. Bella learns butterfly facts during her imaginative travels and cleaning strategies through Yetta’s step-by-step encouragement. Anastasia’s illustrations enhance this educational element with hidden details like Pip the Domovoi tucked throughout the pages, rewarding careful observation. The vibrant pastel artwork makes each location and emotion feel immediate, whether capturing the wonder of butterfly gardens or the satisfying transformation of a clean room.
Read the review for Bella Brown—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Lockethere and Bella Brown’s Messier Than Messy Roomhere.
Helena P. Schrader WWII Aviation Series
By Helena P. Schrader
Helena P. Schrader delivers two of the most authentic and compelling WWII aviation novels in recent memory, exploring the psychological toll of aerial warfare on RAF pilots and crews. Through meticulous research and deeply human storytelling, Schrader captures both the technical precision of military aviation and the emotional cost of sustained combat operations during Britain’s darkest hours.
From the dogfights of the Battle of Britain in Where Eagles Never Flew to the bomber campaigns of 1943-44 in Moral Fibre, Schrader demonstrates masterful command of aviation history and human psychology. Her aircraft practically come alive with technical detail—Hurricanes, Spitfires, and Messerschmitts engage in breathtaking aerial battles that feel immediate and visceral. Yet what elevates these novels beyond military fiction is Schrader’s unflinching examination of combat stress, survivor’s guilt, and the crushing weight of repeated missions under impossible conditions.
Character depth transcends genre expectations.
Kit Moran’s journey from decorated veteran to accused coward and back to redemption in Moral Fibre exemplifies Schrader’s nuanced approach to heroism. Rather than creating invincible warriors, she crafts vulnerable, authentic characters who struggle with fear, exhaustion, and moral complexity. The novels explore Britain’s class-conscious culture while celebrating the resilience and camaraderie that sustained the RAF through its most desperate period. Schrader’s authentic dialogue and multiple perspectives—including German airmen—create a comprehensive portrait of aerial warfare that honors both the sacrifice and the humanity of all involved.
Read the review for Where Eagles Never Flewhere and Moral Fibre: A Bomber Pilot’s Storyhere.
Salem Stories Series
By Sandra Wagner-Wright
Sandra Wagner-Wright’s Salem Stories series brings 18th-century Massachusetts to vivid life through the interconnected sagas of the Derby and Crowninshield families. These meticulously researched novels explore how personal ambition and family loyalty shape the founding of American maritime commerce, told through the perspectives of both powerful patriarchs and the strong women who guide them behind the scenes.
Family rivalry drives early American enterprise.
The series chronicles the fierce competition between merchant dynasties as they build privateering empires through dangerous overseas trade. From Mary Derby’s marriage to George Crowninshield in the first novel to the next generation’s struggles in Sea Tigers & Merchants, Wagner-Wright demonstrates how family bonds and business rivalries intertwine across decades. The Derby and Crowninshield families are simultaneously connected through marriage and divided by commercial ambition, creating complex dynamics where brothers-in-law compete for dominance while their wives navigate the social and emotional costs of such rivalry.
Authentic historical detail anchors personal drama.
Wagner-Wright’s extensive research shines through rich period vernacular, detailed descriptions of maritime commerce, and unflinching portrayals of 18th-century hardships. The novels capture everything from the perils of childbirth without modern medicine to the treacherous realities of international trade in an era of pirates and hostile foreign governments. Rather than romanticizing the past, Wagner-Wright shows how families built fortunes through calculated risks while facing genuine dangers—both on the high seas and in Salem’s ruthless social hierarchies.
Read the review for Ambition, Arrogance and Pridehere and Sea Tigers & Merchantshere.
See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!
We’re excited about all the exceptional series we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!
The Series Awards provide recognition that extends far beyond individual book promotion. When we celebrate your series, we’re promoting an entire literary universe—creating marketing momentum that benefits every volume and builds anticipation for future installments.
Your Literary Universe Awaits Recognition
Whether you’ve completed a trilogy that ties together all loose ends or launched an ongoing series that promises years of reader engagement, the Series Awards recognize the unique achievement of sustained excellence across multiple volumes. For publishers, series recognition provides powerful marketing tools that highlight your investment in long-term storytelling. For authors, it validates the vision and commitment required to build worlds worth revisiting.
In Bella Brown—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Locket by J.W. Zarek, Bella and Grandma Yetta recall the various beautiful places they’ve visited to see the variety of butterflies around the world—and those same places where Yetta may have lost her locket.
Over the phone, Bella imagines botanical gardens, temples, and natural places from China and Japan to Colombia and the Ozarks. Bella thinks about the butterfly locket in each location but can’t quite remember where it could be before she and her mom head to the local butterfly garden. Bella promises to draw a butterfly for Yetta, even if she can’t help her find out what happened to her locket.
Grandma Yetta surprises Bella at the garden, and the two share a sweet moment as grandmother and granddaughter among their beloved butterflies.
Zarek’s writing balances evocative description and ease of reading for young kids.
Through an emphasis on motion and popping, colorful key words, the writing style embodies a childlike energy. Vivid sensory descriptions give a strong sense of place to each new location, working well with the illustrations to guide readers along Bella’s memorable journey.
Different colors code the dialogue of Bella and Yetta, making it easy for young readers to follow along with their over-the-phone conversation.
Illustrator Anastasia’s pastel coloring flows from page to page, matching Bella’s fantastical wandering through her memories.
The myriad locations blend in and out of Bella’s room as if the reader’s stepping into them alongside her. A familiar blue and pink color scheme gives way to unique palettes for each new scene, with plants and butterflies alike shown in their beautiful variety. Those butterflies—illustrations of various real-world species—flock across entire page spreads to conjure the wonder of seeing them in person.
The characters’ designs are as vibrant and playful as the butterflies they visit. They’re accompanied on their travels by Pip the Domovoi, an adorable little creature tucked away in the details of the illustrations.
Across these destinations, Bella and Grandma Yetta bring up fun facts about the butterflies they see.
Kids learn the cultural connotations of a visiting a white butterfly in Japan, and strange bits of biology about the migrating Monarchs. This book emphasizes the joy in sharing curiosity and appreciation of the natural world with your loved ones.
Any young readers with an interest in butterflies will adore Bella Brown—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Locket.
Bella can’t wait to visit a new butterfly garden, but in Bella Brown’s Messier Than Messy Room by J.W. Zarek, she has to tidy up some overwhelming clutter first.
Initially, Bella’s excitement for painting at the butterfly garden makes her too impatient to clean her chaotic room. But with encouragement from Grandma Yetta over the phone, Bella finds the task isn’t nearly as daunting as she worried.
Well suited to young readers, the writing will engage children in both structure and style.
Short, rhythmic sentences create an exciting, tumbling pace throughout Bella’s room. Although the prose can be a bit repetitive, certain words—especially the great variety of motion verbs—pop onto the page in bubbly magenta letters, making for a fun vocabulary teaching opportunity.
Grandma Yetta speaks in calm blue, which contrasts well against Bella’s lively pink. New readers will have an easy time telling dialogue apart.
Illustrator Anastasiia at GetYourBookIllustrations perfectly complements the book’s eager tone with vivacious use of color.
She makes Bella’s messy room into a delight of scattered visual details. Those who look closely will notice the appearances of Pip the Domovoi, an adorable fluffy companion in the wilds of laundry and toys. Pip adds a little game to nearly every page spread, rewarding curious young readers.
Anastasiia captures childlike whimsy and creativity, making a towering clothes monster from Bella’s pile of laundry. Bella’s toys and games become a crashing wave, and her stuffed animals pillow fight on her unmade bed. Bella’s long hair, adorned with flowers and tiny hearts, flows wildly behind her as she leaps around her room, adding to the energetic feeling of the book even as the backgrounds become clean and organized.
With a color scheme focused on pinks and blues, these illustrations match the two main characters—Bella and Grandma Yetta respectively. Giant pink butterflies cover Bella’s walls, and when she finally goes to the vibrant butterfly garden, she draws a special blue one on a thank-you card for Grandma Yetta’s help.
Bella Brown’s Messier Than Messy Room teaches valuable lessons about taking care of chores rather than putting them off for later.
Grandma Yetta guides Bella to clean her room one step at a time, organizing both her thoughts and her space alike. For children who struggle with cleaning, or focusing on other important tasks, this story shows that getting help from someone can make all the difference in handling things that seem hard.
This colorful, comforting book will help young readers keep their spaces clean and take on other challenges. With pages full of energy and fanciful illustrations, Bella Brown’s Messier Than Messy Room provides both useful examples to follow and an engaging little tale.
The Shelley Awards (Formerly Known as the Paranormal Awards) are open until October 31st!
Let’s celebrate the past winners and visit the Hall of Fame for the Shelley Awards!
Becoming Crone
By Lydia M. Hawke
She wanted purpose. She got dark magic and war.
Claire Emerson is adrift. After a lifetime as a wife, mother, and grandma, she never saw divorce or loneliness coming and is desperate for some sense of purpose. But when her sixtieth birthday brings a snarky gargoyle, an annoyingly sexy wolf shifter, and an unknown magical calling, she thinks she’s losing the only thing she has left: her sanity.
Refusing to believe she’s the powerful defender of humankind her so-called protectors claim, Claire attempts a return to her safe life… only to have her powers ignite when she’s attacked by dark supernatural creatures. And without the training she was supposed to have received, she has no idea how she’ll defeat sinister mages plotting her demise.
Can Claire overcome creaky joints and major hot flashes in time to save the world —and her own life?
James Crowley isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill cowboy. Nor is Cold as Hell, by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle, your typical gunslinging western.
Although he’s got all the right characteristics – tough exterior, snarky personality, and commitment issues – Crowley is much more than he appears. Resurrected to immortality straight from death’s “sickly sweet aroma,” Crowley is duty-bound as a Hand of God to serve the White Throne in its shadow war against demonic presences called the nephilim unleashed by freezing hell.
But it’s not all ‘good guys versus bad guys’. As Crowley learns, “good choices don’t always mean doing right or wrong things. Especially when it comes to serving a Master like [the White Throne].” Forced to be the middle man between God and the Devil, Crowley has to decide for himself how to care for the people around him and bring true justice to fruition. Forced to be the middleman between God and the Devil, Crowley has to make his own choices about how to care for the people around him and bring justice to fruition.
Jam-packed with simmering romance, evil yetis, reckless bar fights, and other outlaw shenanigans, Cold as Hell will warm readers’ hearts as it freezes them to their seats with anticipation.
The protagonist and all-around decent guy, Boone Daniels, is in a heap of hurt in JW Zarek’s new Young Adult novel, The Devil Pulls the Strings.
One would think being plagued by an evil spirit wendigo since age six would be enough inconvenience to last a lifetime, but when Boone jousts with his best bud at a Ren Faire and accidentally deals a mortal blow, the hurt he experiences suddenly lands on a sliding scale of 1 to 1 million. And Boone Daniels becomes a millionaire, so to speak.
The realms of demons and angels clash, as the possibility of romance, plunges the beings of Hell into chaos. Kaylin McFarren’s Soul Seeker follows the otherworldly set as they flee for their lives, uncover millennia-old secrets about one another, and face the possibility of love in a very dangerous world.
But first, the demon, Crighton, wreaks havoc on his human target, a man named Poe, devastating the man and his family. You could say, Crighton’s at home collecting wicked souls for his boss, Lucifer. His villain persona is put into question when he meets the angel, Ariel. At first, Crighton believes the angelic Ariel would make an excellent prize for the prince of darkness, as the demon is well aware that his master adores ruining pretty things. However, when an undeniable attraction emerges between them, they wrestle with each other, pitting strength against strength. Beware any who would do anything to tear these two apart—that would spell certain death.
Katy Novacs is haunted, both by her past and the laughing specter that reminds her of it. When her friends bring her to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the hopes of lifting her spirits, she finds that their inn has a ghost of its own who has a tale that might save her.
Katy comes to the Niagara Inn in a mire of sorrow, fear, and trauma. Though her friends try to help her move forward with her life, to fall in love and open herself up to other people again, Katy’s stay at the inn only seems to drain her further. Both she and her friends question her sanity as she becomes certain that she’s sharing a room with the spirit of a dead woman, but when Abigail eventually reveals herself, it is to tell Katy a story that she needs to hear—that of Abigail’s life.
Award-winning author, Joy Ross Davis’ latest work, The Madwoman of Preacher’s Cove, ventures beyond the paranormal into the surreal. Like Medusa on a bad hair day, the lives of characters are intertwined and twisted in a snaky snarl of conflicting human desires, terrifying inexplicable events, and the lingering afterlives of ancient, supernatural beings.
Davis gifts us with a 21st-century legend, replete with mythological themes and creatures, and snippets of folklore and superstition melded with documented vagaries of weather, obscure herpetology, and creates a mystical potion worthy of Circe. In other words, Davis gives us a thrilling read!
Rumors about suspicious deaths have put Preacher’s Cove, Alabama, a small, historic town notorious for powerful, killer storms, on the map. Hap Murray, Huntsville’s Channel 12 field reporter, with family ties to the Cove, arrives in town on assignment, armed with only limited knowledge of the town’s history of inexplicable deaths. The rumors speculate that the local pastor may be involved.
Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Shelley Winners is to submit today!
Note: The Awards don’t officially close until the deadline changes on the website! Don’t miss out!
Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!
Are you a Chanticleer Author who has some good news to share? Let us know! We’re always looking for a reason to crow about Chanticleerians! Reach out with your news to info@ChantiReviews.com
Anne Rice, a name synonymous with the gothic and supernatural, has left an indelible mark on the literary landscape. Her unique storytellinginvites readers to sink their teeth into the richly textured worlds of vampires, witches, and the occult. Best known for her groundbreaking series The Vampire Chronicles, Rice transformed the public’s perfection of vampires from the tuxedoed count Bela Lugosi’s Dracula into creatures that were not only glamourous, but deeply emotional and philosophical. Lestat and Louis are not just beings of the night, but the are immortals grappling with the human condition.
Bela Lugosi’s Dracula from 1931
Growing Up in Gothic New Orleans
Born on Ocotber 4, 1941 in New Orleans, a city famed for its gothic architecture and rich spiritual history, Rice found her most powerful inspiration in its haunted corners. Her early years were shaped by loss with both her mother and grandmother passing away by the time she was sixteen. She sought refuge in literature, immersing herself in the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley. Under their influence, Rice’s imagination bloomed, combining dark imagery and complex emotional landscapes that would define her career.
While pursuing her master’s degree in English at San Fransisco State University, she married Stan Rice with whom she had two children, Michele and Christopher. Tragically, Michele was diagnosed with leukemia at age six. To cope with the grief, Anne Rice turned to writing, creating her first novel, Interview with a Vampire.
Years later, Rice recalled a prophetic dream she had months before the death of her daughter. In it, she was told that “somethings wrong with her blood.”
The Beginning of the Vampire Chronicles
Interview with the Vampire introduced readers to Louis de Pointe du Lac, an immortal vampire recounting his centuries-long tale of suffering, love, and loss to an intrigued reporter. The lush prose called on classic fin de siècle literature descriptions as seen in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, while infusing it with modern depth. Readers were captivated by the exploration of immortality, isolation, and Louis’ inner turmoil, creating a new kind of vampire – one who yearned, not just for blood, but for meaning. The Vampire Chronicles became a beloved series focused mostly on Louis’ maker Lestat de Lioncourt – the iconic golden haired rebel with the face of an angel.
This created more than a vampire series: It created a cultural movement. Vampires wrestling with questions of morality, religion, and humanity left behind the mold of good versus evil. Lestat came forward as a symbol of charisma, power, and vulnerability. Through him, Rice turned the idea of vampires from monsters of fear into beings of empathy that are capable of love and introspection, drawing readers into their eternal struggle.
The success of The Vampire Chronicles catapulted Rice into the literary spotlight and paved the way for a resurgence of interest in gothic fiction for future horror authors to create their own interpretations of vampire mythology.
Then and now. On the left is Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, and Tom Cruise as Louis, Lestat, and Claudia in the original 1994 screen adaptation. The 2022 AMC series on the right is still running as of this posting and features Delainey Hayles, Jacob Anderson, and Sam Reid as Claudia, Louis and Lestat.
While Rice is primarily known for her vampire novels, she has written witches, werewolves, and even had a period of writing exclusively Christian fiction. Her supernatural writings explored spirituality, sexuality, and mortality, blending philosophical questions most often found in literary fiction into the paranormal and horror genre.
An Everlasting Legacy
Anne Rice’s impact on literature and popular culture is undeniable. Her works have inspired countless adaptations, including films, television series, and even musicals.
You can hear the musical score for Lestat, the Musical by none other than Sir Elton John here.
Through these mediums, Rice has introduced a new generation to her haunting vision of vampirism, and inspired the works of contemporary authors like Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight and Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse series which was adapted to True Blood.
On the left we have Sookie and Bill from True Blood and on the right is Bella and Edward from Twilight. Both are classic modern vampire stories that wouldn’t be very different without Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles
Rice’s characters often represent a rich interior life coupled with vibrant descriptions of the world and setting that reflects an older style of writing with lyrical prose that explores the human psyche.
Bryce Lankard/Getty Images
Anne Rice passed away on December 11, 2021, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate with readers and writers alike. Her lyrical prose, atmospheric settings, and unforgettable characters remind us that the supernatural is not only a realm of monsters, but a reflection of the human condition. As we celebrate Rice’s birthday, we honor her ability to blend horror with heart and her profound influence on modern supernatural fiction. Like Lestat and Louis, her stories live on – endlessly captivating, forever haunting.
If you are a fan of things that go bump in the night, we encourage to take a bite into these Chanticleer authors’ tales of supernatural.
Merging Paths By Vince Bailey CIBA Grand Prize award for a Series
Having escaped unjust imprisonment at the Fort Grant facility for juveniles, Curtis Jefferson is on the run, in Merging Paths,the third installment of Vince Bailey’s gripping, paranormal, Curtis Jefferson Series.
With only a small jug of water and the clothes on his back, Curtis has to cross the Sonoran Desert and find a way back to his mother and grandmother in Jacobs Well. But his trip is plagued by more than thirst, hunger, and fear of animals. A racist sheriff’s deputy, Myron Aycock, is hellbent on finding Curtis not only for the acclaim such an arrest will give him but also for vengeance against the beating he received at the hands of the aspiring boxer.
Trapped and desperate, Curtis is rescued by a mysterious figure and taken to Isabel and Ray Cienfuegos. After hearing Curtis’s unsettling stories about Fort Grant, the two understand that they have all been fighting the same evil forces – under the control of the sadistic Ezra. In a final confrontation, Isabel faces off against the wicked spirit, but just as they believe their problems are over, a new threat arises under the guise of friendship, and Isabel makes a life-changing decision that will mark her forever.
The Devil Pulls The Strings By J. W. Zarek
CIBA Grand Prize award in the Shelley Division
The protagonist and all-around decent guy, Boone Daniels, is in a heap of hurt in JW Zarek’s new Young Adult novel, The Devil Pulls the Strings.
One would think being plagued by an evil spirit wendigo since age six would be enough inconvenience to last a lifetime, but when Boone jousts with his best bud at a Ren Faire and accidentally deals a mortal blow, the hurt he experiences suddenly lands on a sliding scale of 1 to 1 million. And Boone Daniels becomes a millionaire, so to speak.
No ordinary guy, Boone makes a living as a handyman and swashbuckling knight at Renaissance Faires around Missouri. He’s also uniquely gifted with a form of eidetic memory coupled with synesthesia. What’s that? Simply put, synesthesia allows people to see colors and taste things when they hear music – and an eidetic memory allows folks to memorize whatever they’ve seen or heard one time. But that’s not all. Boone can time-travel, make friends with almost any feline or shapeshifter, and convince a certain immortal he’s worth more as an ally than a snack. No kidding, Baba Yaya loves human meat.
Something strange and terrible stirs in Frank Cavanaugh’s basement, in J.J. Alo’s psychological-thriller,The Street Between the Pines.
The giant hole at the bottom of Frank’s house wasn’t there before. Something so very ugly and dangerous is down there. Something with bright, glowing eyes. Adrenalin pumps through Frank’s aging body as he scrambles for the exit. Behind him, a low gurgling growl.
In suburban Connecticut, Iraqi war veteran Curtis is still fighting to surviving on multiple fronts. Curtis struggles with severe PTSD, visions of the war that continually overwhelm him. Now, after being released from jail after a manslaughter conviction, having caused a fatal auto accident, he struggles to put his life together. All the while, he navigates a shaky relationship with his wife Amy, and a complex connection to his autistic son Wes.
To what lengths will a person go when ultimate power is within reach? Requiem For A Queen by Kaylin McFarren explores the depths of greed that propel a daughter to defy her father, the Devil himself.
Lucinda uses evil means to pursue an equally dark end, the crown of Hell. How can this woman be stopped, and an innocent child she’s stolen away be saved? Is there anyone willing to step forward, and muster the strength to stand up against the destructive battle between the Devil and his daughter?
Samara, a hybrid between angel and demon, can only save her abducted son by stepping into that battle.
Thank you for joining us in celebrating the supernatural horror Anne Rice!
The Shelley Awards are open now!
Do you have your own Supernatural or Paranormal novel that’s ready to be discovered? Formerly the Paranormal Awards, the Shelley Awards are open now and ready for the best Supernatural read of 2024!
You have until September 30th to share your Tale of the Unknown with us and enter the 2023 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.
Let’s celebrate the past winners and visit the Hall of Fame for the Paranormal Awards!
The Devil Pulls The Strings By J.W. Zarek
The protagonist and all-around decent guy, Boone Daniels, is in a heap of hurt in JW Zarek’s new Young Adult novel, The Devil Pulls the Strings.
One would think being plagued by an evil spirit wendigo since age six would be enough inconvenience to last a lifetime, but when Boone jousts with his best bud at a Ren Faire and accidentally deals a mortal blow, the hurt he experiences suddenly lands on a sliding scale of 1 to 1 million. And Boone Daniels becomes a millionaire, so to speak.
The realms of demons and angels clash, as the possibility of romance, plunges the beings of Hell into chaos. Kaylin McFarren’s Soul Seeker follows the otherworldly set as they flee for their lives, uncover millennia-old secrets about one another, and face the possibility of love in a very dangerous world.
But first, the demon, Crighton, wreaks havoc on his human target, a man named Poe, devastating the man and his family. You could say, Crighton’s at home collecting wicked souls for his boss, Lucifer. His villain persona is put into question when he meets the angel, Ariel. At first, Crighton believes the angelic Ariel would make an excellent prize for the prince of darkness, as the demon is well aware that his master adores ruining pretty things. However, when an undeniable attraction emerges between them, they wrestle with each other, pitting strength against strength. Beware any who would do anything to tear these two apart—that would spell certain death.
Katy Novacs is haunted, both by her past and the laughing specter that reminds her of it. When her friends bring her to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the hopes of lifting her spirits, she finds that their inn has a ghost of its own who has a tale that might save her.
Katy comes to the Niagara Inn in a mire of sorrow, fear, and trauma. Though her friends try to help her move forward with her life, to fall in love and open herself up to other people again, Katy’s stay at the inn only seems to drain her further. Both she and her friends question her sanity as she becomes certain that she’s sharing a room with the spirit of a dead woman, but when Abigail eventually reveals herself, it is to tell Katy a story that she needs to hear—that of Abigail’s life.
Award-winning author, Joy Ross Davis’ latest work, The Madwoman of Preacher’s Cove, ventures beyond the paranormal into the surreal. Like Medusa on a bad hair day, the lives of characters are intertwined and twisted in a snaky snarl of conflicting human desires, terrifying inexplicable events, and the lingering afterlives of ancient, supernatural beings.
Davis gifts us with a 21st-century legend, replete with mythological themes and creatures, and snippets of folklore and superstition melded with documented vagaries of weather, obscure herpetology, and creates a mystical potion worthy of Circe. In other words, Davis gives us a thrilling read!
Rumors about suspicious deaths have put Preacher’s Cove, Alabama, a small, historic town notorious for powerful, killer storms, on the map. Hap Murray, Huntsville’s Channel 12 field reporter, with family ties to the Cove, arrives in town on assignment, armed with only limited knowledge of the town’s history of inexplicable deaths. The rumors speculate that the local pastor may be involved.
A fascinating story with well-written characters that will keep the pages turning!
Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Paranormal Winners is to submit today!
Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!
Are you a Chanticleer Author who has some good news to share? Let us know! We’re always looking for a reason to crow about Chanticleerians! Reach out with your news to info@ChantiReviews.com
A Huge Congratulations to all of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) Finalists!
Every tier of the CIBAs is an important one, though few manage to rise this far in the ranks.
For our Shorts and Series Authors, this post has links to all of the Finalist Awards for the 3 CIBA Division Lists we have for Longform work like collections, anthologies, and novellas; Short Prose like Short Stories and Essays; and Series. We will have a separate post for Fiction and Non-Fiction.
All Finalists in attendance will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, and we will announce the Winners at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 29th at the Chanticleer Banquet. We can’t express how excited we are to be able to do this in person with our fully vaccinated and boosted staff in a healthy metro area.
Now let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.
The remaining tiers are the First Place Winner, the Grand Prize Winners, and finally, the coveted Overall Grand Prize Winners. The Overall Grand Prize Winner takes home the $1000 and more! See the Book Award details here.
Now, presenting the links to the Non-Fiction Awards Finalists
The Official 2022 CIBA Lists of the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for all Divisions of the CIBAs will start to be posted April 29th, 2023.
We have badges available starting with the Short List. If you need a digital badge reflecting your tier level, please email info@ChantiReviews.com with your division and rank, and we will send you one as soon as possible.
The 11th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference is April 27-30, 2023
Make sure your Award gets the attention it deserves on Goodreads.com
In the Librarian Manual on Goodreads, you can go to your Book Edit Page — Literary Awards.
You want to list the Award for Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Winners, and be sure to include the year and what place you received. For example:
The year Long List, Short List, Semi-Finalist, or Finalist.
Note from Goodreads: “To add a new award or edit an existing award, you’ll need help from one of our volunteer librarians or a staff member.” For assistance, post in the Goodreads Librarians Group.
Always double check that you’ve written everything correctly before posting it. The search function for Awards on Goodreads is both case and punctuation sensitive.
Remember, you don’t have to be present to win, but it sure is a lot more fun!
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.
A Huge Congratulations to all of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs)
2022 Non-Fiction Book Awards Finalists!
Every tier of the CIBAs is an important one, though few manage to rise this far in the ranks.
For our Non-Fiction Authors, this post has links to all of the Finalist Awards for the 7 CIBA Divisions we have for Non-Fiction. We will have a separate post for Fiction and one more post for the Shorts Awards for both Individual Works and Collected Works, as well as the Series Book Awards.
All Finalists in attendance will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, and we will announce the Winners at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at the Chanticleer Banquet.
Now let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.
The remaining tiers are the First Place Winner, the Grand Prize Winners, and finally, the coveted Overall Grand Prize Winners. The Overall Grand Prize Winner takes home the $1000 and more! See the Book Award details here.
Now, presenting the links to the Non-Fiction Awards Finalists
The Official 2022 CIBA Lists of the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for all Divisions of the CIBAs will start to be posted April 29th, 2023.
We have badges available starting with the Short List. If you need a digital badge reflecting your tier level, please email info@ChantiReviews.com with your division and rank, and we will send you one as soon as possible.
The 11th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference is April 27-30, 2023
Make sure your Award gets the attention it deserves on Goodreads.com
In the Librarian Manual on Goodreads, you can go to your Book Edit Page — Literary Awards.
You want to list the Award for Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Winners, and be sure to include the year and what place you received. For example:
The year Long List, Short List, Semi-Finalist, or Finalist.
Note from Goodreads: “To add a new award or edit an existing award, you’ll need help from one of our volunteer librarians or a staff member.” For assistance, post in the Goodreads Librarians Group.
Always double check that you’ve written everything correctly before posting it. The search function for Awards on Goodreads is both case and punctuation sensitive.
Remember, you don’t have to be present to win, but it sure is a lot more fun!
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.
Anne Rice, a name synonymous with the gothic and supernatural, has left an indelible mark on the literary landscape. Her unique storytellinginvites readers to sink their teeth into the richly textured worlds of vampires, witches, and the occult. Best known for her groundbreaking series The Vampire Chronicles, Rice transformed the public’s perfection of vampires from the tuxedoed count Bela Lugosi’s Dracula into creatures that were not only glamourous, but deeply emotional and philosophical. Lestat and Louis are not just beings of the night, but the are immortals grappling with the human condition.
