Author: kevin-miller

  • The 2025 Hemingway Hall of Fame for 20th and 21st c. Wartime Fiction

    The 2025 Hemingway Hall of Fame for 20th and 21st c. Wartime Fiction

    The Past Always Impacts the Present

    Ernest Hemingway looking off to the right

    Enter by August 31st to be considered for the 2025 Hemingway Book Awards for Wartime Fiction!

    Wartime Fiction set in the twentieth century asks us to reflect most keenly on the most difficult times in our recent history. At Chanticleer, we are here to face war time history with the Hemingway Awards in Historical Fiction; Romance and Romantic Fiction; Mysteries, Thrillers, and Suspense Fiction of the time; Literary works and Satire and anything else that author imaginations can dream up.

    To read more about Ernest Hemingway, please click here. 

    Please note that fictional accounts of the United States Civil War should be submitted to the Laramie Book Awards for Americana Fiction. It is sobering to note that more human life was lost in the Civil War than in ALL of the wars, battles, and skirmishes that the U.S. has participated in added together. Civil wars are considered to be the deadliest of all wars.

    Historical Book Awards here at Chanticleer Reviews and the CIBAS.

    The CIBAs started with one historical fiction division, The Chaucer Book Awards, which split off the Goethe Book Awards for post-1750s historical fiction. Then the Goethe Book Awards split off a new division, the Hemingway Book Awards for Wartime Fiction.

    The Hemingway Awards might be young, but we already have Five Amazing Grand Prize Winners to share with you!

    Of White Ashes cover by Constance Hays Matsumoto and Kent Matsumoto

    Of White Ashes
    By Constance Hays Matsumoto and Kent Matsumoto

    Our review for the newest Grand Prize Winner is forthcoming. In the meantime, here is what GoodReads readers have been saying:

    In “Of White Ashes,” Constance Hays Matsumoto and Kent Matsumoto tell the tales of two individuals and how their lives intertwine during one of the most horrific times in history: World War II. Based on the true stories of Mr. Matsumoto’s parents, this utterly captivating novel represents historical fiction at its finest, and most heartbreaking.” -Amy

    Constance and Kent have written an insightful story about the experience of Japanese Americans during WWII. The weaving of a love story with history is so well done and it draws the reader into the story and inspires you to turn page after page. Ultimately, it is about the human story to survive, grow and find love amidst the circumstances life brings to us. Artfully done, many lessons from the past but lessons we can use for the future.” -Michael

    I found my favorite novel of the year, in this tragic but beautiful story of two families, each experiencing WWII in different countries and in different ways, who meet and are able to blend their experiences and suffering into rich and satisfying lives.”

    -Leanna

    Find the book here! 

    The Silver Waterfall Cover

    The Silver Waterfall: A Novel of the Battle of Midway
    By Kevin Miller

    In The Silver Waterfall, author retired U.S. Navy Captain Kevin Miller reveals the intricate and deadly turns of the Battle of Midway, a combat shaped by transforming warfare, and one that would in turn shape the rest of WWII’s Pacific Theater.

    After their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Navy seeks to draw American aircraft carriers into an ambush, to secure Japanese power over the Pacific. In a time of great upheaval for warfare technology, aircraft carriers dominated both sea and sky. So, to destroy the USS Enterprise, Yorktown, and Hornet, Chūichi Nagumo— commander of the Japanese First Air Fleet— brings to bear his own four carriers, HIJMS Akagi, Hiryū, Kaga, and Soryu.

    But the Americans had cracked the Japanese communication codes, so as the First Air Fleet launches their provoking attack against the Midway Islands, the American carriers are already steaming into position. From June 4th to June 6th of 1942, planes filled the skies above the remote Pacific waters, both American and Japanese pilots dashing back and forth, knowing that either they sink the enemy’s carriers, or they’ll have none of their own to return to.

    Read More Here

    Running with Cannibals Cover

    RUNNING WITH CANNIBALS
    By Robert W. Smith

    Robert W. Smith tells the story of a forgotten war and the fractured peace that follows in his powerful historical fiction novel, Running with Cannibals.

    It has been said that “War is hell.” It has also been opined that “It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.” Running with Cannibals is a no-holds-barred, candid portrayal of a war that is glossed over in U.S. history, the Philippine-American War of 1899-1902. It was the first war fought overseas by the U.S.

    Running with Cannibals begins with an unnamed man on the run from an unjust accusation bought with blood and money.

    Read more here!

    EO-N Cover

    EO-N
    By Dave Mason

    A young boy in Norway makes a discovery while playing with his dog, opening the mystery of EO-N by Dave Mason, a detective story spanning multiple decades and both sides of the Atlantic, a deep dive into the horrors of Nazi Germany, and a heartfelt love story.

    A small metal fragment leads to the discovery of a downed WWII twin-engine Mosquito fighter-bomber hidden in snow and glacial ice for nearly 75 years. The crash site yields an initial set of clues, one of which finds its way across the world to Alison Wiley, a biotech CEO in Seattle. Having recently lost her mother, and, a few years earlier, her brother in Afghanistan, she finds her days full of despair, but the discovery makes a distant connection to her long-lost grandfather, and she flies to Norway. There, she meets Scott Wilcox, a Canadian researcher assigned to investigate the discovery after his government learned that the crashed aircraft belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force. Their attraction is both intellectual and emotional, but the quest to uncover the plane’s mysteries and the fate of Alison’s grandfather place any romance to the side.

    At first, the crash doesn’t appear exceptional, until certain contradictory and confusing clues emerge that make it clear that the circumstances that led to the plane’s fate were anything but simple.

    Read more here!

    THE QUISLING FACTOR
    By J. L. Oakley

    During World War II “quisling” became a byword for a particular type of traitor, one who not only betrays their own country but also actively collaborates with the invaders. The origin of the term was taken from an actual person, a Norwegian named Vidkun Quisling, who didn’t merely cooperate with the Nazis but actually headed a collaborationist regime in his own country.

    The Quisling Factor takes place in the immediate post-war period, as the Nuremberg Trials are gearing up in Germany. Norway is conducting its own post-war legal purge of collaborators at all levels of government.

    The story is a direct follow-up to the author’s award-winning World War II novel, The Jøssing Affair. This second novel focuses on the physical and emotional toll of war, and its precarious weight of peace on the survivors.

    Read more here!


    Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Hemingway Winners is to submit today!

    The Chanticleer Int'l Book Awards Overall Grand Prize sticker for the CIBAs

    Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!

    The Blue and Gold Best Book Awards for the CIBAs
    You know you want it…

    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

  • Kevin Miller 10 Question Interview with Chanticleer – Military History, Historical Fiction, and WWII Air Combat

    Kevin Miller 10 Question Interview with Chanticleer – Military History, Historical Fiction, and WWII Air Combat

    blue and gold badge recognizing The Silver Waterfall by Kevin Miller for winning the 2023 Hemingway Grand Prize

    CIBA 2023 Grand Prize award-winning Author Kevin Miller sat down for a 10-Question Interview with Chanticleer!

    Recently, Chanticleer had the pleasure of speaking with Kevin Miller, former US Navy fighter pilot and author of  The Silver Waterfall. Miller takes readers into the cockpit of the world’s most powerful military aircraft in his four book series, Raven One. Miller’s award-winning fictional account of the Battle of Midway, The Silver Waterfall, took home the 2023 Hemingway Grand Prize for Military Fiction. Miller is an expert in combat air battles and literacy advocate and I know you’ll enjoy learning more about him and his thrilling novels!

    Here’s what we talked about:

    Fighter pilot, flight jacket, dockers, jet, 362

    Chanticleer: Your specialized military knowledge is the subject of your writing. Tell us a little about yourself. What led you to write about the Battle of Midway?

    Miller: In a previous life I was a career Navy fighter pilot, with most of my time in the F/A-18 Hornet. To viewers of TOP GUN and TOP GUN II… yep, I did that. My career took me to command a carrier-based fighter squadron that I led in combat. Wrapping it up at the Pentagon, I retired with the rank of captain after serving 24 years, logging over 3,600 hours and 1,000 carrier landings on numerous extended deployments.

    At my retirement ceremony a fellow aviator suggested that I write a book, a suggestion I immediately waved off. Undeterred, he pressed me – hard – and told me that I have stories. Later I gave it some thought. Yes, I do have sea stories, and a passion to answer the question I was asked so often when people found out what I did for a living; Wow! What is that like? Having no idea where to start or what writing entailed, I figured why not? At least my manuscript could be something for the kids. So, months later in the summer of 2005 I began writing what would become Raven One.

    Kevin Miller, navy, pilot, medals, american flag

    Before I wrote the first sentence, I had never considered writing a novel, considering it something that mere mortals could never attain. The discipline! As I wrote – seat of the pants – a story formed, and after fits and starts (setting it aside in frustration for months then picking it back up and writing in a flurry of activity) I finished Raven One in late 2009… and knew that I had something.

    Querying literary agents to represent me, despite the encouragement of many to keep writing, proved a failure. However, Kindle Direct Publishing was coming into its own, and publishing as an independent author became more attractive with each rejection from “New York.” Networking led me to fellow aviation thriller author George Galdorisi, who led me to his micro-publisher and military thriller author Jeff Edwards of Stealth Books which is now Braveship Books. Under their guidance, Raven One was published in the summer of 2014. The novel peaked at #29 in all of Amazon by the spring of 2015.

    Kevin Miller, The Silver Waterfall, painting

    Chanticleer: That’s a huge journey and a familiar one for many. Was there a point where you realized you had become an author?

    Miller: Yes, holding that first copy of Raven One in my hands was a special moment. I wrote – and published! – a novel! But it was weeks later as the novel gained a following that I noticed the comments in the review section. The glowing reviews were from strangers who loved the book – comparing the writing to Clancy and Coonts – and encouraged me to write more. Soon I heard from my friends, many of them former squadron mates who know how to give and receive honest feedback. They were blown away by the story and how I told it, and they met me at gatherings with copies for me to sign. Gratifying! And that’s when I knew Raven One was not a one-off, and that I had to keep writing

    Chanticleer: That’s wonderful! Likewise, your Chanticleer award winner, The Silver Waterfall, is a great story full of action, suspense, history, and so much more. Can you talk more about your relationship with your genre?

    Miller: Writers typically write what they know about, so for me the military action-adventure genre is a natural. My Raven One series novels are military technothrillers, a genre first made popular by Tom Clancy. They are found in War Fiction, War and Military Action, Sea Stories, Sea Adventures, and the like. Amazon allows authors great specificity in genre selection, and I could probably keep my latest novel High End as a perennial #1 in an Authentic and Contemporary Carrier Aviation Fiction Above the Arctic Circle genre but playing games like that is not for me as I want my books to compete and earn their accolades honestly. That said, I often see romance books in War Fiction when the only “war” part is that the love story is set in a wartime setting. We know why authors do this; all’s fair in love and war.

    The Silver Waterfall: A Novel of the Battle of Midway, for which I was honored to receive the 2023 Chanticleer Hemingway Award, is pure historical fiction. To me, historical fiction provides the human emotion to a true event without changing any of the facts of that event, such as Shaara’s Pulitzer-winning masterpiece The Killer Angels. Our novels put the reader there, amid the real men who fought these battles, giving these historical figures voice as to what they experienced. Some historical fiction authors are too loose with facts and invent facts, even going so far as to impugn the reputations of the real men who were there. I could not live with myself if I did that, especially for an event like Midway, already full of drama and amazing chance.

    Kevin Miller, author, CIBA Grand Prize, Ribbon, man, tie, suit
    Just won the CIBA Grand Prize in the Hemingway/Military Fiction division!

    Chanticleer: We’re always astounded at the commitment to veracity of our historical fiction authors. The amount of research that goes into that is incredible. For your own writing day, how do you stay on track to finish your books?

    Miller: Stephen King says that 1,000 words of writing is a good day of writing. If I get to a break in the story and stop for the day at 950 or 875 words I don’t beat myself up, but 1K per day works, especially if you have other activities (I do business consulting and teach middle school history) to fill your day. Promotion is part of my writing workday, as of course is research for my type of technical and historical writing.

    Outlining? Yes and no. I have one in my head and follow it, but because it’s not written down, I can ride along on those magical moments when my writing takes me someplace I had never expected. The Silver Waterfall involved a historic event that has been written about extensively and that I knew well, but even in that novel I could “ride” when the muse took me to a new place when describing the human experience of a known historic event.

    As Stephen King suggests, I’m one of those who writes and sets it aside for a few weeks to germinate, then prints it out to go over it with a pen to fix/improve. Several cycles: read it “fresh” after several months and you’ll unearth little gems to spice it up and rough patches you missed to sand and polish.

    Kevin Miller, books, painting, dockers, black shirt, man

    Chanticleer: You’ve talked a bit about Tom Clancy and Stephen Coonts as comp titles for your work earlier on, but which authors do you for inspiration, advice, or just because you like their work?

    Miller:

    Herman Wouk

    Wouk is an absolute badass of a writer, from his unflinching views of human nature to his superb research of his subject. As a Midway historian with a carrier aviation background, Wouk – who was an officer but not an aviator in WWII – wrote passages in War and Remembrance about the carrier pilots at Midway that impress me not only by their accuracy in flying the airplane but their human emotions in the middle of deadly aerial combat. His fictional German historical commentator von Roon – a brilliant character – gives context to the history the characters are living inside. The Caine Mutiny is a masterpiece in human conflict and the unfairness of life. Wouk puts you inside the mind of a three-dimensional character like no one else.

    Michael Shaara

    Many are not familiar with this name from 50 years ago, who at the time received a Pulitzer for The Killer Angels, the classic historical fiction novel of the Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara – who was an Army veteran but not a noted Gettysburg historian – brought Lee, Longstreet, Chamberlain and Pickett to life without changing any facts of the battle, giving the reader the honest insights and impassioned pleas of the real men who fought at Gettysburg as to how they should deal with the enemy across the field. Shaara was 100% my inspiration for The Silver Waterfall. As the country was recovering from its Vietnam War trauma, The Killer Angels was not successful when published in the mid 1970’s. Shaara did not live to see it adapted into the movie Gettysburg and the commercial success Angels has subsequently received. Another of his works was published posthumously and adapted into a movie: For the Love of The Game.

    The Cain Mutiny, The Killer Angels, Run Silent Run Deep, The Prince of Tides, The Kite Runner

    Captain Edward L. Beach

    Ned Beach was a WWII submariner who after the war and while still on active duty wrote the novel Run Silent, Run Deep, an immediate hit with post-war audiences that was adapted into a movie starring Clark Gable. The story is of conflict inside the control room of the submarine between two officers who each want the same woman back home but must cooperate to lead the crew against the enemy above them. This human tension centered in pride is a feature of all my novels. Beach wrote more novels including Dust on the Sea and Cold is the Sea, both to critical acclaim. During this time, he was given command of the nuclear submarine Triton that circumnavigated the world while submerged, an incredible feat in the day. Sadly – and not surprisingly to this naval officer – Beach was not selected for promotion to admiral as the higher ups were jealous of his fame and considered his creative pursuits unseemly.

    I write in his third-person style, calling my protagonist by his last name while placing the reader on the bridge of a ship or in the cockpit of an airplane as it really is, and expecting the reader to keep up.

    Pat Conroy

    Pat Conroy grabs you and does not let you go with the raw human power of his writing. Just wow. Like all the greats, he is honest – and fearless. Known best for The Prince of Tides and Beach Music, for me as an aviator, The Great Santini will always be my favorite. However, it is far from a military technothriller. It is a human story as all of his are about the reality of the most sinful of the deadly sins, pride. The Lords of Discipline is another unforgettable work which, like Santini, is more memoir than fiction. Pat Conroy had a rough upbringing, and as they say in sports, left it all on the field in his writing, holding nothing back. Just wow.

    Khalid Hosseini

    I’ve never visited or even flown over Afghanistan – my time in the fleet was before that – but I have been there thanks to the writing of Khalid Hosseini. Like millions of readers, I too was enthralled by The Kite Runner and his sequel A Thousand Splendid Suns. Hosseini’s vivid descriptions of place, the detail, and of course his insights of human nature and the fascinating culture of Afghanistan – both lovely and horrifying – are unforgettable. He explained Afghanistan to foreign readers in a no-nonsense style, unapologetic and fresh. We recoil at the cruelty and betrayal – I cannot believe they treat their fellow human beings like this! – but turn the page anyway as Hosseini assures us, yes, they do. I seek to describe and explain my former world with verbal images like Hosseini did his.

    Flight gear, jet, pilot, helmet

    Chanticleer: That is an amazing personal canon to draw from. Do you also enjoy craft books, and do you have any you would recommend?

    Miller: The classic Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott was enjoyable, but Stephen King’s On Writing, Pat Conroy’s My Writing Life, and especially Steven Pressfield’s Do the Work and Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t were each helpful to me and I would recommend them to anyone who writes creatively. People often ask me for my insights as they prepare to write a book. I explain that writing, at the bestselling and award-winning level, is hard, hard work and there’s no escaping it. While I cannot explain how I write – I just let it rip! – these giants have written helpful guides. Enjoy.

    Speaker, Kevin Miller, bald head, conference room

    Chanticleer: While most people think of writing as a solitary activity, we often find it has far reaching impacts. How has being an author affected your involvement in the community?

    Miller: Author implies authority, and I am an authority on the Battle of Midway, now recognized by all in my circle because of the success of my historical fiction novel. Two years ago, I spoke at a gathering of all the U.S. Navy admirals in naval aviation about the lessons of the battle, lessons they can use today, and next year I’ll speak at a large event to commemorate the battle. Because I am also connected to today’s fleet, my Raven One series novels are prescient for today, especially my last two that involve China and Russia, and I’m often invited to give talks at Rotary Clubs and veterans groups to educate the public about the need for strong sea services. Publicity earned from the CIBA recognition of The Silver Waterfall cemented my position as an authority on Midway.

    Chanticleer: That’s incredible! Becoming an expert of such an important historical event is really quite an accomplishment! And we at Chanticleer are very happy to know your CIBA award has helped to bring more attention to the Battle of Midway and your wonderful novel. Are there any activities you are involved in that improve or promote literacy?

    Miller: I teach middle school history at the honors level, one day per week. My honors students are above average readers, and during the semester I assign reading. The novels Around the World in 80 Days for 6th grade geography, and The Red Badge of Courage in 8th grade U.S. history are examples, and after they complete the reading, I have them write essays about them in class. They grumble of course, but where else will they read these classics of literature?

    Jet, The Silver Waterfall, author, Kevin Miller, dockers
    Chanticleer: Being a teacher is such a gift to the future. Thank you for doing that work. Your students sound lucky to have you. If we can bend your ear for us for a teachable moment, what are some marketing tips that you would recommend to our authors?

    Miller: My publisher says there is nothing like writing a new book to sell your current one, however paid FB and Amazon ads work, as do email lists. Promo stacking with services such as Amazon, BookBub, Robin Reads, ENT and others is an effective strategy. While I’ve snagged three BookBub featured deals (all for Raven One) I’m still struggling with breaking the code on what works (regarding Canva creatives) for BookBub advertising. Posting on social media almost daily about my flying days and sometimes me with my book is effective; Chanticleer author D.D. Black does this very well on Instagram. So does Tony Selimi, who says authors must get famous to get a larger audience. Get a Facebook business page with others on social media to gain follows. LinkedIn is good, Pinterest during the Christmas gift giving season, and, of course, email. Recommend investing in KDP Rocket, and David Gaughran is a superb follow for indie writers on all aspects of publishing and promoting.

    Chanticleer: That is a wealth of excellent information for authors. What about for readers, what help can readers be to authors?

    Miller: Receiving a kind email from a reader is gratifying, and I always write back thanking them, and then ask them to leave a review. WE all know and crave the social proof of reviews, but my sense is that only 1-2% of readers leave one. Wish that Amazon allowed us to thank them when they do. Passing the word of course is nice of readers. Word-of-mouth advertising can’t be beat. Then there’s good old-fashioned encouragement. Writing as we know is hard drudgery, and for me the end-product is what drives me, not any joy or “rush” in the act of writing. Doing the work as Pressfield says and producing something that people can appreciate today and decades from now is my “why.” Thank you to the readers, known and unknown to me personally, who have encouraged that.


    Kevin Miller, bookshelves, helmet, pictures, CIBA Grand Prize ribbon, Model jet

    Retired U.S. Navy Captain Kevin Miller graduated from the University of Mississippi and was designated a Naval Aviator in August 1983. He flew the A-7E Corsair II and FA-18C Hornet operationally and commanded a deployed strike-fighter squadron. He finished his career in the Pentagon serving on the staff of the Secretary of the Navy, retiring in 2005.

    After leaving the service Kevin was employed as an associate at two Washington DC defense consulting firms, then as a not-for-profit executive, and today is the Owner/Principal of MPK Defense Consulting. He is also the Best-Selling and Award-Winning author of the Raven One military action-adventure series and the historical fiction novel The Silver Waterfall: A Novel of the Battle of Midway that was awarded the 2023 CIBA Hemingway Award for excellence in 20th Century Wartime Fiction.

    Kevin lives in Pensacola, Florida and is working on his next novel. Find out more about Kevin and his novels on his website.

  • The 2024 Hemingway Hall of Fame for 20th and 21st Century Wartime Fiction

    The 2024 Hemingway Hall of Fame for 20th and 21st Century Wartime Fiction

    The Past Always Impacts the Present

    Ernest Hemingway looking off to the right

    Enter by October 31 to be considered for the 2024 Hemingway Book Awards for Wartime Fiction!

    Wartime Fiction set in the twentieth century asks us to reflect most keenly on the most difficult times in our recent history. At Chanticleer, we are here to face war time history with the Hemingway Awards in Historical Fiction; Romance and Romantic Fiction; Mysteries, Thrillers, and Suspense Fiction of the time; Literary works and Satire and anything else that author imaginations can dream up.

    To read more about Ernest Hemingway, please click here. 

    Please note that fictional accounts of the United States Civil War should be submitted to the Laramie Book Awards for Americana Fiction. It is sobering to note that more human life was lost in the Civil War than in ALL of the wars, battles, and skirmishes that the U.S. has participated in added together. Civil wars are considered to be the most deadly of all wars.

    Historical Book Awards here at Chanticleer Reviews and the CIBAS.

    The CIBAs started with one historical fiction division, The Chaucer Book Awards, which split off the Goethe Book Awards for post-1750s historical fiction. Then the Goethe Book Awards split off a new division, the Hemingway Book Awards for Wartime Fiction.

    The Hemingway Awards might be young, but we already have Four Amazing Grand Prize Winners to share with you!

    The Silver Waterfall Cover

    The Silver Waterfall: A Novel of the Battle of Midway
    By Kevin Miller

    In The Silver Waterfall, author retired U.S. Navy Captain Kevin Miller reveals the intricate and deadly turns of the Battle of Midway, a combat shaped by transforming warfare, and one that would in turn shape the rest of WWII’s Pacific Theater.

    After their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Navy seeks to draw American aircraft carriers into an ambush, to secure Japanese power over the Pacific. In a time of great upheaval for warfare technology, aircraft carriers dominated both sea and sky. So, to destroy the USS Enterprise, Yorktown, and Hornet, Chūichi Nagumo— commander of the Japanese First Air Fleet— brings to bear his own four carriers, HIJMS Akagi, Hiryū, Kaga, and Soryu.

    But the Americans had cracked the Japanese communication codes, so as the First Air Fleet launches their provoking attack against the Midway Islands, the American carriers are already steaming into position. From June 4th to June 6th of 1942, planes filled the skies above the remote Pacific waters, both American and Japanese pilots dashing back and forth, knowing that either they sink the enemy’s carriers, or they’ll have none of their own to return to.

    Read More Here

    Running with Cannibals Cover

    RUNNING WITH CANNIBALS
    By Robert W. Smith

    Robert W. Smith tells the story of a forgotten war and the fractured peace that follows in his powerful historical fiction novel, Running with Cannibals.

    It has been said that “War is hell.” It has also been opined that “It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.” Running with Cannibals is a no-holds-barred, candid portrayal of a war that is glossed over in U.S. history, the Philippine-American War of 1899-1902. It was the first war fought overseas by the U.S.

    Running with Cannibals begins with an unnamed man on the run from an unjust accusation bought with blood and money.

    Read more here!

    EO-N Cover

    EO-N
    By Dave Mason

    A young boy in Norway makes a discovery while playing with his dog, opening the mystery of EO-N by Dave Mason, a detective story spanning multiple decades and both sides of the Atlantic, a deep dive into the horrors of Nazi Germany, and a heartfelt love story.

    A small metal fragment leads to the discovery of a downed WWII twin-engine Mosquito fighter-bomber hidden in snow and glacial ice for nearly 75 years. The crash site yields an initial set of clues, one of which finds its way across the world to Alison Wiley, a biotech CEO in Seattle. Having recently lost her mother, and, a few years earlier, her brother in Afghanistan, she finds her days full of despair, but the discovery makes a distant connection to her long-lost grandfather, and she flies to Norway. There, she meets Scott Wilcox, a Canadian researcher assigned to investigate the discovery after his government learned that the crashed aircraft belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force. Their attraction is both intellectual and emotional, but the quest to uncover the plane’s mysteries and the fate of Alison’s grandfather place any romance to the side.

    At first, the crash doesn’t appear exceptional, until certain contradictory and confusing clues emerge that make it clear that the circumstances that led to the plane’s fate were anything but simple.

    Read more here!

    THE QUISLING FACTOR
    By J. L. Oakley

    During World War II “quisling” became a byword for a particular type of traitor, one who not only betrays their own country but also actively collaborates with the invaders. The origin of the term was taken from an actual person, a Norwegian named Vidkun Quisling, who didn’t merely cooperate with the Nazis but actually headed a collaborationist regime in his own country.

    The Quisling Factor takes place in the immediate post-war period, as the Nuremberg Trials are gearing up in Germany. Norway is conducting its own post-war legal purge of collaborators at all levels of government.

    The story is a direct follow-up to the author’s award-winning World War II novel, The Jøssing Affair. This second novel focuses on the physical and emotional toll of war, and its precarious weight of peace on the survivors.

    Read more here!


    Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Hemingway Winners is to submit today!

    The Chanticleer Int'l Book Awards Overall Grand Prize sticker for the CIBAs

    Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!

    The Blue and Gold Best Book Awards for the CIBAs
    You know you want it…

     

    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

  • The 80th Anniversary of D-Day, Remembering WWII and the Importance of the Past

    The 80th Anniversary of D-Day, Remembering WWII and the Importance of the Past

    D-Day took place June 6, 1944

    The fight against tyranny grips readers and obsesses authors to this day.

    “Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

    You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destrruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.” — Order of the Day from Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force given before the Invasion of Normandy

    Chanticleer’s Personal Connection to WWII

    At Chanticleer we often take particular care to honor veterans and those who serve.

    Kiffer’s father retired after 36 years of service in the Unites States Merchant Marines & Marine Corps where he served in the WWII, Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He died in 1981 from one hundred percent service related injuries.

    From left to right we have Kiffer’s brother Tony, her father, and Kiffer herself in Hawaii during the territory days. Her mother, Antha May, is taking the photo

    David’s grandfather also served during WWII, stationed in France as a first generation Quebecois transplant in the United States

    A Green sketch of Robert Gerard Beaumier Sr.
    Robert Gerard Beaumier Sr. who served in WWII

    My father would often tell the story of how his grandfather, Robert, was in France during World War II. At one point a dog came and wouldn’t stop barking at his unit, no matter how much they told it to go away. Finally, Robert said “Va t’en!” and immediately the dog ran off. Everyone was suitably impressed that the dog spoke French! — David

    The National World War II Museum in New Orleans has an excellent summary of the lead up and importance of D-Day which we recommend you read here.

    Most chilling perhaps is the closing of their thoughts that emphasize how important the landing on Normandy was:

    The Normandy invasion was one of great turning points of twentieth-century history. An immense army was placed in Nazi-occupied Europe, never to be dislodged. Germany was threatened that same month by a tremendous Soviet invasion from the east that would reach the gates of Berlin by the following April. The way to appreciate D-Day’s importance is to contemplate what would have happened if it had failed. Another landing would not have been possible for at least a year. This would have given Hitler time to strengthen the Atlantic Wall, harass England with the newly developed V-1 flying bombs and V-2 rockets, continue to develop jet aircraft and other so-called “miracle weapons,” and finish off his killing campaign against ethnic and sexual undesirables.

    We are honored to have two divisions dedicated to stories of those who serve. The Military & Front Line Awards for Non-Fiction and the Hemingway Awards for Fiction.

    The Military Front Line Awards and Hemingway Awards badges
    You can see either of these on our Awards Page

    It is our pleasure to share these wonderful WWII books with you from authors who have written about this time.

    The JøSSING AFFAIR
    By J. L. Oakley

    At a time when true identities are carefully protected and information can get you killed, heroes emerge to fight the evils of Nazi-occupied Norway in J.L. Oakley’s highly suspenseful and beautifully penned historical fiction novel, The Jøssing Affair.

    In a quiet Norwegian fishing village during the Nazi occupation, risk lurks everywhere. Most residents are patriotic members of the resistance, “jøssings,” but there are “quislings,” too. Those who collaborate with the Germans and tout the Nazi propaganda of Nordic brotherhood between the nations. Mistaking the two is a matter of life and death.

    Read the full review of this first book in the series here!

    THE SILVER WATERFALL: A Novel of the Battle of Midway
    By Kevin Miller

    The Silver Waterfall Cover

    In The Silver Waterfall, author retired U.S. Navy Captain Kevin Miller reveals the intricate and deadly turns of the Battle of Midway, a combat shaped by transforming warfare, and one that would in turn shape the rest of WWII’s Pacific Theater.

    After their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Navy seeks to draw American aircraft carriers into an ambush, to secure Japanese power over the Pacific. In a time of great upheaval for warfare technology, aircraft carriers dominated both sea and sky. So, to destroy the USS Enterprise, Yorktown, and Hornet, Chūichi Nagumo— commander of the Japanese First Air Fleet— brings to bear his own four carriers, HIJMS Akagi, Hiryū, Kaga, and Soryu.

    Read the full review here!

    GENERAL in COMMAND – The Life of Major General John B. Anderson
    By Michael M. Van Ness

    Michael M. Van Ness, the grandson of “the general in command,” has created a remarkable biography chronicling the adventures of a farm boy who rose high rank in the US military and served with distinction in two world wars as a combatant, officer, and sage observer.

    Born in 1891, John Benjamin Anderson must have had considerable intelligence as well as patriotism and grit, since he was accepted at West Point Military Academy at age 19, an honor conferred on only 130 applicants per year—and finished in the top third of his class. He would soon serve under General Pershing in the Mexican War, giving him the experience of combat and coincidentally, his first ride in an automobile. That deployment earned him inclusion in Pershing’s ranks in World War I. It was then his diaries began, and though he protested humorously that “I hate to write,” these personal recollections give readers an up-close picture of the devastation of warfare.

    Read the full review here!

    COLD PEACE: A Novel of the Berlin Airlift, Part 1
    By Helena P. Schrader

    Cold Peace Cover

    Amidst the ruins of Post-WWII, Berlin struggles to rebuild from the ashes, torn apart and facing down the promise of another bloody dictator. A myriad cast, all shaped by that same war, become entwined with the broken city as its hour of need approaches.

    Just as Germany is divided between the Americans, British, French, and Soviets, Berlin has been cut into pieces. But the balance of the occupation powers tips eastward as the Soviet Zone surrounds the city, giving them control of all ways into and out of Berlin – save for the air. The occupation currency is worthless thanks to Soviet over-printing, leaving Berlin on a barter system of cigarettes and black-market trading. In order for Germany to recover, the Western Allies plan to introduce a new currency, even if it angers the Soviet bear.

    Read the full review of the first book in the series here!

    EO-N
    By Dave Mason

    EO-N Cover

    A young boy in Norway makes a discovery while playing with his dog, opening the mystery of EO-N by Dave Mason, a detective story spanning multiple decades and both sides of the Atlantic, a deep dive into the horrors of Nazi Germany, and a heartfelt love story.

    A small metal fragment leads to the discovery of a downed WWII twin-engine Mosquito fighter-bomber hidden in snow and glacial ice for nearly 75 years. The crash site yields an initial set of clues, one of which finds its way across the world to Alison Wiley, a biotech CEO in Seattle. Having recently lost her mother, and, a few years earlier, her brother in Afghanistan, she finds her days full of despair, but the discovery makes a distant connection to her long-lost grandfather, and she flies to Norway. There, she meets Scott Wilcox, a Canadian researcher assigned to investigate the discovery after his government learned that the crashed aircraft belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force. Their attraction is both intellectual and emotional, but the quest to uncover the plane’s mysteries and the fate of Alison’s grandfather place any romance to the side.

    Read the full review here!

    THE SOWER Of BLACK FIELD
    By Katherine Koch

    The Sower of Black Field Cover

    In The Sower of Black Field, Katherine Koch’s historical fiction novel, Father Viktor Koch— a 67-year-old Catholic priest— presides over a monastery in a small German village, as the Nazi regime sweeps through the country.

    The time is April, 1941. Fr. Viktor’s order, the U.S.-based Passionists, built the monastery eight years prior, providing employment for most of the villagers and remaining a symbol of their faith.

    Read the full review here!

    DEAR BOB: Bob Hope’s Wartime Correspondence with the G.I.s of World War II
    By Martha Bolton with Linda Hope

    Dear Bob Cover

    During World War II, Bob Hope traveled almost ceaselessly to outposts large and small, entertaining US troops – and inspiring them; Martha Bolton brings the extent of this work to light in Dear Bob.

    Writer Martha Bolton worked with and for comedian Bob Hope. Now, with Hope’s daughter Linda, she has gathered and organized the letters written to Bob by the soldiers he helped.

    Hope, English born, and born to entertain, once said he could not retire and go fishing because “Fish don’t applaud.” Among his sizzling lines – and there are hundreds recorded here – he told one audience that he’d gotten a wonderful welcome when he arrived at their camp: “I received a 10-gun salute… They told me on the operating table.”

    Read the full review here!


    Thank you for remembering D-Day with us

    Eighty Years later, and the sacrifices made in WWII still matter and the fight for a more just world continues. Thank you to everyone who has submitted books to us and been a part of our own journey and learning.

    Have a story about WWII?

    Blue button that says Enter a Writing Contest
    Submit Today!

    You can see our full list of Fiction Book Awards here and our Non-Fiction Divisions here! Both the Military & Front Line Awards for Non-Fiction Service to Others and the Hemingway Awards for 20th c. Wartime Fiction close October 31, 2024! We can’t wait to read your work!

    Helpful Links for WWII History and D-Day

    Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library

    The National WWII Museum

  • THE SILVER WATERFALL: A Novel of the Battle of Midway by Kevin Miller – WWII Historical Fiction, Battle of Midway, Military History

    THE SILVER WATERFALL: A Novel of the Battle of Midway by Kevin Miller – WWII Historical Fiction, Battle of Midway, Military History

     

    In The Silver Waterfall, author retired U.S. Navy Captain Kevin Miller reveals the intricate and deadly turns of the Battle of Midway, a combat shaped by transforming warfare, and one that would in turn shape the rest of WWII’s Pacific Theater.

    After their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Navy seeks to draw American aircraft carriers into an ambush, to secure Japanese power over the Pacific. In a time of great upheaval for warfare technology, aircraft carriers dominated both sea and sky. So, to destroy the USS Enterprise, Yorktown, and Hornet, Chūichi Nagumo— commander of the Japanese First Air Fleet— brings to bear his own four carriers, HIJMS Akagi, Hiryū, Kaga, and Soryu.

    But the Americans had cracked the Japanese communication codes, so as the First Air Fleet launches their provoking attack against the Midway Islands, the American carriers are already steaming into position. From June 4th to June 6th of 1942, planes filled the skies above the remote Pacific waters, both American and Japanese pilots dashing back and forth, knowing that either they sink the enemy’s carriers, or they’ll have none of their own to return to.

    Author Miller, author of the highly-rated Raven One trilogy of contemporary carrier aviation, draws on his experience as a former carrier-based fighter pilot to place the readers into the shoes of commanders, strategists, pilots, and gunners alike.

    Readers get a glimpse into the intricate planning and communication involved with this sort of naval warfare, as each character struggles to glean the information vital to their own success— and survival. This is a warfare of radio, fuel tank ranges, hand-drawn plotting boards, and cloud cover. Characters clash over the right move, knowing that any mistake could cost their lives and more.

    Amidst all this detailed information, however, The Silver Waterfall takes time to shown the humanity of its characters. Though specific moments and personal dynamics are fictional, each character was a real person in the Battle of Midway. Their little conflicts with each other, their moments of bonding, and the lives that they hope against the odds to return to, become palpable. And every bit of personal charm lives under the shadow of their next flight.

    From the bunks of the aircraft carriers to the cockpit of a Devastator torpedo plane, neither characters nor readers can escape an imposing sense of danger, the ever-present possibility that someone’s unique, full life will be snuffed out in a cloud of black smoke.

    The Silver Waterfall takes on a massive amount of information, given the complex nature of real naval warfare.

    Readers will have to pay close attention to understand the events of the battle, as planes take flight time and time again. Thankfully, Miller provides a list of commanders and naval jargon/acronyms, so those unfamiliar with this specific setting will be able to grasp the details. As well, a few helpful diagrams throughout the book keep locations clear— a luxury not afforded to those in the battle itself.

    Though each side pores over their plans, information is precious and incomplete. The Japanese strategist Genda argues with his superiors as they wait for confirmation on the presence of enemy carriers, just as John Waldron— Commanding Officer of Torpedo Eight— pleads for a fighter escort, knowing that death awaits his pilots without one. But even solid plans have fractures and crack apart amidst tracer rounds and enemy pursuit.

    The dynamics between different groups of pilots stand out amongst the chaos, with torpedo planes (“torpeckers”) and bombing squadrons relying on scouts and fighters to bring them into— and more importantly out of— enemy fire. Tensions rise with every miscommunication and bad decision, as everyone must grapple with the fact that they hold someone else’s life in their hands.

    The Battle of Midway is filled with personal weight. Characters on both sides become easy to empathize with.

    The Japanese pilots are much like the American ones— sent to kill and die for the sake of their country. They share the fear of death, the thirst for vengeance as their comrades fall out of the sky or into the flames of a dying carrier, and heartbreaking moments of grief— all the more horrible for the fact that they can’t take but a moment away from the fight.

    Knowing these characters at a personal level makes each flight gripping. Will Taisuke Maruyama somehow escape the storm of anti-aircraft fire from the American ships? Is Bill Evans really going to follow his CO Waldron to his death? Will Lloyd Childers ever get to pay Darce the money he owes him? Or, will these young men be lost? Readers will feel the importance of each answer they receive.

    More than anything, The Silver Waterfall confronts the horrific impact this battle has on the people who wage it.

    Grief turns to rage, the flames fanned by racism, national supremacy, and the unrelenting, unpredictable chance of death. Miller shows that for every kill made in the name of a fallen warrior, a soldier on the other side etches another name into their memory. But to speak of rage and revenge alone wouldn’t do these pilots and gunners justice.

    It takes monumental feats of bravery for these soldiers to get in their planes and fly into danger. Readers sit with them in those terrible seconds of watching a compatriot go down, and the true comradery of the pilots looking out for one another. They yearn for the glory of a hit on an enemy carrier. They act for their cause despite death all around them. And in an ocean of violence and terror, their humanity, their compassion reminds the reader that these are not just soldiers— they’re boys, some no older than nineteen.

    But this story saves its deepest sorrows until the quiet after the battle, as the characters themselves must do the same.

    With pathos and intricate detail, The Silver Waterfall makes for a fulfilling read.

    Fans of historical fiction will appreciate the clear amount of research that went into this novel, which illuminates the back and forth aircraft carrier warfare in one of its earliest and most impactful forms. Readers of all sorts will end the book with a greater understanding of one of WWII’s most pivotal battles— an understanding both factual and emotional.

    The Silver Waterfall by Kevin Miller won Grand Prize in the 2023 CIBA Hemingway Awards for 20th Century Wartime Fiction.

     

  • Announcing the 2023 CIBAs Grand Prize Winners for Fiction!

    Announcing the 2023 CIBAs Grand Prize Winners for Fiction!

    A Huge Congratulations to all of the 2023 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) FICTION Division Grand Prize Winners!

    Every tier of the CIBAs is an important one, though few rise to be one of the coveted Division Grand Prize Winners.

    This post has links to each of the 16 individual CIBA FICTION Divisions’  Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners. We will have a separate post for Non-Fiction Award Winners which will include the Shorts Awards, and the Series Awards’ winners.

    All First Place and Grand Prize winners were announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 20th at the Chanticleer Banquet. It is a huge honor for us to have the opportunity to recognize all Finalists, First Place Winners, and Grand Prize Winners with you live and in-person!

    100 year-old Burl Harmon sits at a table with his wife while receiving a Award Winning Blue Ribbon for his book
    One of the most memorable moments was Awarding Burl Harmon, a 100-year-old veteran, his First Place Ribbon for Military & Front Lines Non-Fiction

    Let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.

    A pyramid showing the different levels of CIBA Achievement

    Want to join in the fun? Submit to the 2024 CIBAs today!

    Now, presenting the links to the 2023 CIBA Fiction Division Awards Grand Prize Winners!

    Cygnus Award for Science Fiction

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CYGNUS Awards for Science Fiction is:

    The Shadow of War

    By Timothy S. Johnston

    The 2023 Cygnus Grand Prize for The Shadow of War by Timothy S. Johnston

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 OZMA Awards is:

    A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance, Book 1

    By Tim Facciola

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

     

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 PARANORMAL Awards is:

    Becoming Crone

    By Lydia M. Hawke

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Global Thriller

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GLOBAL THRILLER Awards is:

    Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy

    By Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Thriller Suspense Fiction Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CLUE Awards is:

    The Other Murder

    By Kevin G. Chapman

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Cozy Mystery Fiction Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Mystery & Mayhem Awards is:

    A Haunting at Linley

    by Michelle Cox 

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 DANTE ROSSETTI Awards is:

    Sour Flower

    by Maryanne Melloan Woods

    Manuscript

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Boxcar Children from the famed series by Gertrude Warner

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GERTRUDE WARNER Awards is:

    EXOSTAR

    The Lost Space Treasure Series, Book 1

    by Rae Knightly

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Two little chicks, fresh from their egg

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LITTLE PEEPS Awards is:

    The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

    by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, and Jessica Alexanderson with Scrap University

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LARAMIE Awards is:

    The Last Man

    by Thomas Goodman

    Laramie 2023 Grand Prize for The Last Man by Thomas Goodman

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    A picture of Geoffery Chaucer as a white man with a gray goatee with the words "Chaucer Awards" across the bottom

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHAUCER Awards is:

    The Merchant from Sepharad

    by James Hutson-Wiley

    Chaucer 2023 Grand Prize

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Post 1750s Historical Fiction Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GOETHE Awards is:

    If Someday Comes

    by David Calloway

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Ernest Hemingway looking off to the right

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Hemingway Book  Awards is:

    The Silver Waterfall:

    A Novel of the battle of Midway

    by Kevin Miller

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Romance Fiction Chatelaine Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHATELAINE Book Awards is:

    A Sea of Glass

    by Gail Avery Halverson

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 MARK TWAIN Awards is:

    Quantum Consequence:

    Physics, Lust and Greed, Book 5

    by Mike Murphey

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 SOMERSET Awards is:

    You Can’t Fool a Mermaid

    by Judy Keesler Santamaria


    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 2023 CIBA Grand Prize Winners!
    The 2023 CIBA Grand Prize Winners!

    A Brown lower case g -- the goodreads logo

    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, Finalist, First Place, Division Grand Prize, or Overall Grand Prize Winner

    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.


    The Overall Grand Prize Winner for the 2023 CIBAs was Tim Facciola’s Book A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance Book 1

    A Blue Button that invites you to enter the CIBAs saying "Enter Here to Win Book Awards Learn More"

    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.

    Well done climbing the CIBA Levels of Achievement!

    PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS! 

    Attn CIBA Winners: More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners!

    This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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

    A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in June. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

    Thank you for participating in the 2023 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.

    The Chanticleer Team

  • The 2023 CIBAs Grand Prize Winners for Fiction!

    The 2023 CIBAs Grand Prize Winners for Fiction!

    A Huge Congratulations to all of the 2023 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) FICTION Division Grand Prize Winners!

    Every tier of the CIBAs is an important one, though few rise to be one of the coveted Division Grand Prize Winners.

    This post has links to each of the 16 individual CIBA FICTION Divisions’  Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners. We will have a separate post for Non-Fiction Award Winners which will include the Shorts Awards, and the Series Awards’ winners.

    All First Place and Grand Prize winners were announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 20th at the Chanticleer Banquet. It is a huge honor for us to have the opportunity to recognize all Finalists, First Place Winners, and Grand Prize Winners with you live and in-person!

    100 year-old Burl Harmon sits at a table with his wife while receiving a Award Winning Blue Ribbon for his book
    One of the most memorable moments was Awarding Burl Harmon, a 100-year-old veteran, his First Place Ribbon for Military & Front Lines Non-Fiction

    Let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.

    A pyramid showing the different levels of CIBA Achievement

    Want to join in the fun? Submit to the 2024 CIBAs today!

    Now, presenting the links to the 2023 CIBA Fiction Division Awards Grand Prize Winners!

    Cygnus Award for Science Fiction

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CYGNUS Awards for Science Fiction is:

    The Shadow of War

    By Timothy S. Johnston

    The 2023 Cygnus Grand Prize for The Shadow of War by Timothy S. Johnston

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 OZMA Awards is:

    A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance, Book 1

    By Tim Facciola

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Paranormal Fiction Awards

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 PARANORMAL Awards is:

    Becoming Crone

    By Lydia M. Hawke

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Global Thriller

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GLOBAL THRILLER Awards is:

    Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy

    By Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Thriller Suspense Fiction Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CLUE Awards is:

    The Other Murder

    By Kevin G. Chapman

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Cozy Mystery Fiction Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Mystery & Mayhem Awards is:

    A Haunting at Linley

    by Michelle Cox 

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 DANTE ROSSETTI Awards is:

    Sour Flower

    by Maryanne Melloan Woods

    Manuscript

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Boxcar Children from the famed series by Gertrude Warner

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GERTRUDE WARNER Awards is:

    EXOSTAR

    The Lost Space Treasure Series, Book 1

    by Rae Knightly

     

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Two little chicks, fresh from their egg

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LITTLE PEEPS Awards is:

    The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

    by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, and Jessica Alexanderson with Scrap University

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LARAMIE Awards is:

    The Last Man

    by Thomas Goodman

    Laramie 2023 Grand Prize for The Last Man by Thomas Goodman

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    A picture of Geoffery Chaucer as a white man with a gray goatee with the words "Chaucer Awards" across the bottom

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHAUCER Awards is:

    The Merchant from Sepharad

    by James Hutson-Wiley

    Chaucer 2023 Grand Prize

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Post 1750s Historical Fiction Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GOETHE Awards is:

    If Someday Comes

    by David Calloway

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Ernest Hemingway looking off to the right

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Hemingway Book  Awards is:

    The Silver Waterfall:

    A Novel of the battle of Midway

    by Kevin Miller

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Romance Fiction Chatelaine Award

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHATELAINE Book Awards is:

    A Sea of Glass

    by Gail Avery Halverson

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 MARK TWAIN Awards is:

    Quantum Consequence:

    Physics, Lust and Greed, Book 5

    by Mike Murphey

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 SOMERSET Awards is:

    You Can’t Fool a Mermaid

    by Judy Keesler Santamaria


    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 2023 CIBA Grand Prize Winners!
    The 2023 CIBA Grand Prize Winners!

    A Brown lower case g -- the goodreads logo

    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, Finalist, First Place, Division Grand Prize, or Overall Grand Prize Winner

    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.


    The Overall Grand Prize Winner for the 2023 CIBAs was Tim Facciola’s Book A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance Book 1

     

    A Blue Button that invites you to enter the CIBAs saying "Enter Here to Win Book Awards Learn More"

    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.

    Well done climbing the CIBA Levels of Achievement!

    PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS! 

    Attn CIBA Winners: More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners!

    This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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

    A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in June. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

    Thank you for participating in the 2023 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.

    The Chanticleer Team

  • The 2023 HEMINGWAY Book Awards WINNERS for 20th Century Wartime Fiction

    The 2023 HEMINGWAY Book Awards WINNERS for 20th Century Wartime Fiction

    Ernest Hemingway looking off to the rightThe Hemingway Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works for 20th Century Wartime Fiction. The Hemingway Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

    The Hemingway Book Awards competition is named for Ernest Hemingway who was born July 21, 1899

    Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring 20th Century Wartime Fiction in Historical Fiction; Romance and Romantic Fiction; Mysteries, Thrillers, and Suspense Fiction of the time; Literary works and Satire and anything else that author imaginations can dream up for the HEMINGWAY Book Awards division. For Post-1750s Historical Fiction, see our Goethe Awards here.

    1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners were announced at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony by Robert W. Smith on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the Four Seasons By Sheraton in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference

    This is the OFFICIAL 2023 LIST of the HEMINGWAY BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the HEMINGWAY Grand Prize Winner.

    Join us in celebrating the following award-winning authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.

    • J.L. Oakley – The Brisling Code

    • Kathryn Gauci – In the Shadow of the Pyrenees

    • Michael J Cooper – Crossroads of Empire

    • Ivan Luiz Hernandez – Isla Vulnerable

    • Linda Stewart Henley – Kate’s War

    • Kevin Miller – The Silver Waterfall: A Novel of the Battle of Midway

    • Jerena Tobiasen – Tsarina’s Crown

    • William McClain – Alice’s War

    The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Hemingway Book  Awards is:

    The Silver Waterfall:
    A Novel of the Battle of Midway

    by Kevin Miller

     

    You can see all of our amazing 2023 Hemingway Finalists! Congratulations to all and thank you for submitting!

    Well done climbing the CIBA Levels of Achievement!

    PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS! 

    Attn CIBA Winners: More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners!

    This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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    A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in June. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

    NOTE: We will post at least two 2023 CIBA Divisions’ OFFICIAL Winners per business day starting April 24, 2024. We do a final sweep and reconciliation prior to making the Official CIBA Posts for the 2023 First Place and Grand Prize Winners. We thank  you in advance for your patience and understanding. There are many moving parts involved with the Chanticleer International Book Awards Program.

    Thank you for participating in the 2023 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.

    The Chanticleer Team