Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: tina-sloan

CHASING OTHELLO: Book 2 of the Cleopatra Chronicles by Tina Sloan – International Mystery, Action & Adventure, Global Thriller

Chasing Othello by Tina Sloan has lies and spies, betrayal and espionage, love and hate, all wrapped up in a story that grabs the reader on the very first page and doesn’t let go until the last.

Forty-something Cleopatra is shattered after discovering that one of her best friends was a terrorist who had planned to blow up Pearl Harbor. When she discovered his intentions, she was forced to kill or be killed. Her Krav Maga training allows her to win that battle.

Shattered by the betrayal, Cleo retreats to her father’s estate in Dubai, only to find out she is pregnant at age forty-four.

Life on her father’s vast estate is a respite, but when her ex-lover is shot in the process of bringing down yet another terrorist, Cleopatra returns home to Honolulu with her now two-year-old daughter, only to discover that she is the target this time.

There are deceptions and red herrings aplenty in this compelling thriller.

The CIA focuses on the terrorist while the mastermind of the plot hides in plain sight. He has his sights firmly fixed on Cleopatra long before anyone knows that she is in danger. The tension ramps up high as the clues are painstakingly pulled together by a movie director who thinks that Cleopatra’s secrets might be a great hook for his next movie.

The story is told through multiple first-person points of view. The narrative focuses in turn on each of the main characters, from Cleopatra to her former lover’s wife, to his newly-fledged CIA son, to the film director, to the mastermind. Each voice is distinct, and the flip from perspective to perspective keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace, while providing a plethora of clues to fascinate along the way.

Chasing Othello is a thrill ride from beginning to blistering, bittersweet end.

Readers will laugh, cry and cheer as Cleopatra Gallier manages to save her own day – with a bit of help from the CIA – and find her own way to happiness after much danger and death.

She should enjoy her peace while she can, because there are plenty of hints at the end that storm clouds still gather on her horizon. Readers who have fallen in love with her and her world will be left eagerly anticipating what those storms might bring in her future.

This story begins where the first book in the Cleopatra Chronicles ends and is more than friendly to newbies who want to jump right into this second volume – although once someone has visited Cleopatra Gallier’s world they will be itching to return – if only to see what details they missed.

February 10, 2023
Happy JOLABOKAFLOD! Wishing you a Merry & Bright Holiday Season!

There is a beautiful Icelander holiday tradition that we are growing quite fond of here at Chanticleer.

The small Nordic island, with a population of only 329,000 people, is extraordinarily literary. They love to read and write. According to Rosie Goldsmith of the BBC, “The country has more writers, more books published and more books read, per head, than anywhere else in the world.”

Many Icelanders give books as Christmas gifts as part of Jolabokaflod, and from Christmas Eve until New Years there is an unspoken reading frenzy.

Iceland’s National Treasures And High Literacy Rate

Icelanders are obsessed with preserving their language. You will find that the bestselling teen novels –Twilight, Harry Potter, Hunger Games, etc. – have all been translated to Icelandic.

Books and literacy are huge in Icelandic culture. To properly understand it, you have to realize that our national treasures are not really beautiful buildings or famous art pieces or collections like so many other countries have. They are manuscripts, preserved on sheepskin, for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Reading is very important for us, both in schools and in society in general. The literacy rate is somewhere around 99%. I don’t believe there is anyone in Iceland that doesn’t know how to read unless there are some specific challenges or disabilities involved. – The Uncorked Librarian .com

And, of course, knitting also goes along with this beloved tradition and so does hot chocolate!

Jolabokaflod or Yule Book Flood happens once a year on Christmas Eve in Iceland. The flood begins with the release of a catalog of new publications from the Icelandic Publishers Association. And it is distributed FREE to each and every Icelandic home. The majority of books sold in Iceland are sold from September to early November. Of course, these books are in print. E-pubs are not given. This tradition started in 1944.

The Icelanders even have a popular TV show, Kiljan, that is entirely devoted to books. Authors appear on prime TV shows. Book readings and author events are treated like rock star events.

“In Iceland book lives matter in every sense of that phrase: The shelf-life of the book, the lives in the book, the life of the writer and the life of the reader. God bless the Jolabokaflod.” ~Hallgrimur Helgason

To an Icelander, the very best Christmas present is a book! This tradition hails from WWII when many items and food were rationed. These sentiments may always have existed, in one way or another, since Icelanders have been saga-nerds for thousand of years.

Loved ones gather – perhaps virtually this year – and gift one another books. What happens next? They spend the night reading together. What a delightful holiday tradition!

Jolabokaflod – Christmas is the time where you snuggle up and read your presents.

We thought you might like to see some of our top holiday-themed books – just in case you would like to have your own Jolabokaflod…

So, snuggle in and preview some of our favorite books for the season. Let’s share some book love!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips

From the riveting opening that takes place in NYC’s Lower East Side’s sweatshops until its gripping conclusion, this enthralling novel vividly portrays the desperate times of German immigrants landing at Ellis Island in 1905 in search of a better life. Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips is one of Kiffer Brown’s favorites for the holidays. She cites the novel’s heartwarming WWI Christmas Eve scene that takes place in the trenches in the heat of battle as unforgettable.

Oscar’s Christmas Wish by Veronica Fischer

Since it’s Christmas time, clever Oscar decides to write a letter to Santa and ask for the spots he so desperately wants. Fearing his request won’t reach the North Pole in time, Oscar decides to take it there himself. He meets many a character en route and learns some new lessons. A beautifully illustrated and wonderfully told children’s Christmas story of the importance of being yourself. Highly recommended.

Nicola Slade’s Christmas at Ladywell

With the loveliest prose and sharp humor, Slade offers the best Christmas gift for her readers with this gem of a book. Whether it’s 1390, 1543, 1825, or the present day, there’s a mystical sisterhood at Ladywell that bridges time, a linking of strong women who tend home and hearth and pass on the secrets of the land. The past re-emerges into the blissful bustle of Freya’s current life as she learns of a family connection with King Richard III. Is this connection tied to a future event? Will the secrets of the past travel to the future?

An exquisitely written English tale set for Yuletide cheer. A book to curl up with during the holidays. Highly recommended.

My Christmas Attic by Dennis Clausen

For anyone who’s ever fought a battle and held onto the promise of hope, here is a heartfelt story of a boy whose endless desire for Christmas changes not only him but his entire world. This story has the makings to be a seasonal classic! Plausible fantasy with a clear connection to our national past composed by a practiced wordsmith, My Christmas Attic can be appreciated as a classic seasonal saga with a cinematic quality that speaks of broader possibilities.

Chasing Cleopatra: A Novel of Love, Betrayal, and Suspense by Tina Sloan

Cleopatra’s lustful affair with young Jake Regan becomes more complex as she discovers his presence in Hawaii is due to a Christmas holiday vacation with his (Norman Rockwellesque) family. Mother and his two brothers have arrived. Jake’s dad is expected to arrive at any moment from yet another far-flung business trip. But the coup d’état is that Jake’s longtime girlfriend, who also is en route, is expecting wedding bells to be announced at the gathering. It becomes obvious that Cleo and Jake’s unrelenting passion will have an impact on the Regan family.

A steamy, fast-paced suspense novel that will take you on a get-away armchair vacation to Hawai’i!

Combining a romance novel with a thriller is not easy, but Chasing Cleopatradelivers the goods with plotting as intricate as a silver spider’s web.

Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Christopher Oelerich

Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Chris Oelerich is highly recommended for those who suffer from PTSD, for the family members and friends of those who suffer, and for those who are simply interested in having a greater understanding beyond what is reported in the popular press about this debilitating disorder. Oelerich’s methods to overcome PTSD are plain-spoken and practical, with an overall message of optimism for those with PTSD.

This is a very personal, no-holds-barred, yet ultimately, empowering discussion of PTSD and its effects on those who suffer from it. The author hopes thatMerry Christmas and a Happy PTSDwill be used as a tool to reduce PTSD symptoms in others who suffer from it so that they, too, can live healthier and happier lives.

We wish you a very merry and warm Holiday Season!

If you would like to read more book reviews to discern the perfect selections for your own Jolabokaflod click here to read more Chanticleer Book Reviews!

If you think we should include your book (must have been reviewed by Chanticleer Reviews) in this article, please email us with the title, your pen name, and the pages that have the holiday scenes and email us at AuthorOutreach@ChantiReviews.com

December 24, 2021
The 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards (#CIBAs) Overall Grand Prize and Division Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners | Part One
We are deeply honored and excited to announce the 2020 Winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs). The Finalists were recognized at the Virtual Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Ceremonies, and the First Place Category and Grand Prize Winners were announced June 5th, 2021 by ZOOM webinars based at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.

The 2021 Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2020 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Banquet and Ceremony was originally scheduled for April 21 – 25, 2021. Each year, Chanticleerians from around the globe come together to celebrate and cheer each other on at the annual CIBA banquet and awards evening at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether that is situated on beautiful Bellingham Bay, Washington State.

However, in order to celebrate being able to meet in person in even a limited capacity (due to the fact that we all able to be vacinated in time), we postponed the First Place Winner and Grand Prize Ceremonies to June 5th, 2021 at the Hotel Bellwether with local Chanticleerians attending cheering each other on along with cheering on the virtual attendees. Champagne was poured and shared as the 2020 CIBA Grand Prize Division Award Winners were announced. After the event the small gathering of Chanticleerians were able to dine together immediately after in the Admiral Room of the Hotel Bellwether.

CIBA Grand Prize Winners in Before Covid Times

We’ve now hosted two virtual events and are pivoting to yet another new normal where events will now be expected to be in person and virtual! We were glad to still host VCAC21 on schedule with inimitable presenters like Cathy Ace, J.D. Barker, Bradley Metrock, Dr. Janice Ellis, Jessica Morrell, Paul Hanson, and more! Many of our presenters have already contacted us about the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference currently scheduled for April 7-10, 2022, and we are optimistic that we will be able to host that one in person as vaccinations continue to sweep the US.

At the June 5th, 2021 Ceremonies, we are excited to recognize the 18 Fiction and 6 Non-Fiction CIBA Divisions for the First Place Category and Grand Prize Winners!

First of all, we want to thank all of the CIBA judges who read each and every entry and then comment, rate, and rank within each of the 23 CIBA Divisions. Without your labors of love for books, the Chanticleer International Book Awards would not exist. THANK YOU!

We want to thank all of the authors and publishers who participated in the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs). Each year, we find the quality of the entries and the competitiveness of the division competitions increases exponentially. We added a new level to the judging rounds in 2019—the premier Level of FINALIST per each CIBA Division.

The CIBA judges wanted to add the Finalist Level of Achievement as a way to recognize and validate the entries that had outstanding merit but were not selected for the very few First Place Award positions within each genre division. You can order promotional stickers and such here.

A Recap of the CIBA Selection Process
- The 2020 CIBAs have 18 Fiction Divisions and 6 Non-fiction Divisions.
- First Place Category award winners were selected for each one of the 24 divisions from an overall field of titles that progressed to the Premier FINALIST Division Level from the Division Semi-Finalists positions from the Shortlists, the Long List, and the infamous beginning slush pile rounds.
- One Grand Prize award winner was selected from the First Place Category Award Winners for the 23 CIBA divisions.
- One Overall Grand Prize award winner was selected from the 24 divisions of Grand Prize Award Winners
All 2020 CIBA FINALISTS were recognized with their respective division at the CIBA awards ceremony that was held each evening of VCAC21.

This post will recognize the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for Cygnus, Ozma, Paranormal, Global Thrillers, M&M, Clue, Little Peeps, Gertrude Warner, and Dante Rossetti Book Awards.

THANK YOU to VCAC21 SPONSORS and FRIENDS

CIBA Grand Prize Ribbons!

We are honored to present the

2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards

Grand Prize Winners

The 2020 CIBA Winners!

The CYGNUS Book Awards

for Science Fiction Novels

Grand Prize Winner is

THE LUNA MISSILE CRISIS by Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle
- Mark T. Sneed – Bully Nation
- JL Morin – Loveoid
- Timothy S. Johnston – The Savage Deeps
- PA Vasey – Trinity’s Fall
- Russ Colson – The Arasmith Certainty Principle
- Zach Fortier – Volk: Book one of The Overseer series
The OZMA Book Awards

for Fantasy Fiction

Grand Prize Winner is

DIVINITY’S TWILIGHT: REBIRTH BY Christopher Russell
- T. Cook – Shin
- Michelle Rene – The Canyon Cathedral: The Witches of Tanglewood, Book Two ( YA)
- Gordon Preston – Zendragon
- H.J. Ramsay – Ever Alice
- Alison Levy – Gatekeeper: Book One in the Daemon Collecting Series
- Jeny Heckman –The Warrior’s Progeny
- Glenn Searfoss – Cycles of Norse Mythology: Tales of the AEsir Gods
- KC Cowan & Sara Cole – Everfire
The Paranormal Book Awards

for Supernatural Fiction

Grand Prize Winner is

SOUL SEEKER by Kaylin McFarren
- T. K. Thorne – House of Rose
- R.B. Woodstone – Chains of Time
- Ryan Young – The Shepherd’s Burden
- Lydia Staggs – Azrael
- Franklin Posner – Boston Betty
- Meg Evans – Enthrallment
- Neil Chase – Iron Dogs
- E. Alan Fleischauer – Just Die
The GLOBAL THRILLER Book Awards

for High Stakes Thrillers, Lab Lit, and Suspense Novels

Grand Prize Winner is

THE BUCHAREST DOSSIER by William Maz

Pub Date: March 15, 2022
- Randall Krzak –Colombian Betrayal
- Matt Andrus – UFO
- Lynn Yvonne Moon – The Agency – Tablet of Destinies
- Avanti Centrae – Kiss of the Cobra – An M2 Action Thriller
- Rafael Amadeus Hines –Bishop’s Law
- Erik Foge – One Way Roads
The CLUE Book Awards

for Thrillers, Suspense, Legal, Detective, and Procedural Crime Novels

Grand Prize Winner is

A VENOMOUS LOVE by Chris Karlsen
- Toni Bird Jones –The Measure of Ella
- Kari Bovee – Folly at the Fair
- Ken Farmer – Three Creeks
- Shanessa Gluhm – Enemies of Doves
- Martin Roy Hill –The Fourth Rising
- J.J. Clarke – Dared to Run
- Corey Lynn Fayman – Ballast Point Breakdown
- Chuck Morgan – Crime Denied, A Buck Taylor Novel
- Theo Czuk – The Black Bottom
The M & M Book Awards for Mystery & Mayhem

for Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries

Grand Prize Winner is

THE DISCOVERY by Patrick M. Garry
- Lori Roberts Herbst – Suitable for Framing
- Michelle Cox – A Child Lost
- Ana T. Drew – The Murderous Macaron
- Lina Hansen –In My Attic – A Magical Misfits Mystery
- Perry Miller – Lethal Injection
- Tina Sloan – Chasing Cleopatra
LITTLE PEEPS Book Awards for

Early Readers and Picture Books

Grand Prize Winner is

GREAT AS A BUTTON by Masoud Malekyari and Illustrated by Sebastião Peixoto
- Ellie Smith – Tex the Explorer Journey Through the Alphabet
- D.K. Brantley – Every Mummy Has a Mommy
- Dr. Justine Green – Completely Me
- Courtney Shannon Strand – Ella’s Umbrella
- Lindy Ryan – Trick or Treat, Alistair Gray
- Johnny Ray Moore –ANTHILL FOR SALE
- Raven Howell – So You Want a Puppy?
- PJ McIlvaine – Little Lena and The Big Table
GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards

for Middle-Grade Books

Grand Prize is

KASSY O’ROARKE, CUB REPORTER by Kelly Oliver
- Robert C. Feol – A Journey to Mouseling Hollow
- Catherine Grangaard –A Fairy’s Tails
- Poem Schway – The Infinity Pendant
- Ruthy Ballard – Frankie and the Gift of Fantasy
- Ben Gartner – The Eye of Ra
- Jay Spenser – The Barn Owl Mystery
- Carmela Dutra – Little Katie Goes to the Moon
The DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards

for Young Adult Fiction

Grand Prize Winner is

THE BEST WEEK THAT NEVER HAPPENED by Dallas Woodburn
- Michelle Rene – The Canyon Cathedral: The Witches of Tanglewood,Book Two
- Sara Hosey –Iphigenia Murphy
- Felicia Farber – Ice Queen
- Susanne Dunlap – The Paris Affair
- Chynna Laird – Just Shut Up and Drive
- L.L. Eadie – Yearning for the Unattainable
- Jodi Lea Stewart – Blackberry Road
- Strider S. R. Klusman – Within Reach
- Ivy Cayden – Everything All At Once (Book 1, Chorduroys and Too Many Boys™)
Congratulations to ALL!

We will email each winner with more information about their prize packages and more information.

Be sure to FOLLOW and LIKE us Facebook and on Twitter @ChantiReviews

Please standby for our next posts that will honor:

Click here to visit the Second Posting out of Three Official Announcements of the 2020 CIBA Winners.

Click here to visit the Third Posting out of Three Official Announcements of the 2020 CIBA Winners.
- Laramie Book Award Winners
- Chaucer Book Award Winners
- Goethe Book Award Winners
- Hemingway Book Award Winners
- Chatelaine Book Award Winners
- Mark Twain Book Award Winners
- Somerset Book Award Winners
- Journey Book Award Winners
- Hearten Book Award Winners
- Harvey Chute Book Award Winners
- Mind and Spirit Book Award Winners
- Nellie Bly Book Award Winners
- Instructional and Insight Book Award Winners
- Short Story Book Award Winners
- Book Series Book Award Winners
And the OVERALL GRAND PRIZE for the 2020 CIBAs!

We are now accepting entries into the 2021Chanticleer International Book Awards.

Click here for more information and submission deadlines: https://www.chantireviews.com/contests/

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please email us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com We will try to respond within 3 business days.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating the 2020 CIBA Winners! – The Chanticleer Team
June 26, 2021
M & M Book Awards for Cozy and Not-So-Cozy MYSTERY & MAYHEM fiction 2020 CIBA Award Winners
The M & M Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mystery & Mayhem fiction genre. The M & M Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring “mystery and mayhem,” amateur sleuthing, light suspense, travel mystery, classic mystery, British cozy, not-so-cozy, hobby sleuths, senior sleuths, or historical mystery, perhaps with a touch of romance or humor, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them. These books have advanced to the Premier Level of Achievement in the 2020 CIBAs.

(For suspense, thriller, detective, crime fiction see our Clue Awards, and for international intrigue see our Global Thriller Awards)

The 2020 M & M Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the MYSTERY & MAYHEM Grand Prize Winner were announced by Jessica Stone on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at the Hotel Bellwether and broadcast via ZOOM webinar and Facebook Live.

It is our privilege and profound honor to announce the 1st in Category winners of the 2020 M & M Awards, a division of the 2020 CIBAs.

This is the OFFICIAL 2020 LIST of the MYSTERY & MAYHEM BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the M & M Grand Prize Winner.

Congratulations to all!
- Patrick M. Garry – The Discovery
- Lori Roberts Herbst – Suitable for Framing
- Michelle Cox – A Child Lost
- Ana T. Drew – The Murderous Macaron
- Lina Hansen – In My Attic – A Magical Misfits Mystery
- Perry Miller – Lethal Injection
- Tina Sloan – Chasing Cleopatra
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2020 M & M Awards is:

Patrick M. Garry for

The Discovery

The 2021 M & M Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC22 on April 10, 2022. Save the date for CAC22, scheduled April 7-10, 2022, our 10 year Conference Anniversary!

Click here to enter the M & M Book Awards!

Don’t delay! Enter today!

A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in July. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for your patience and understanding.
June 10, 2021
The 2021 Chanticleer Authors Conference, the 2020 CIBA Announcements, and an Update – by Kiffer Brown
Happy Spring to our Northern Hemisphere Chanticleerians!

Happy Autumn to our Southern Hemisphere Chanticleerians!

What a crazy and challenging past year it has been! We are certainly looking forward to warmer and longer days here in the Pacific Northwest!

Spring here brings tidings of the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC)!

But, alas, this spring CAC will be VCAC once again due to Covid.

However, we have an exciting line-up of ACE Presenters for VCAC 21.

The VCAC 21 Sessions will be LIVE and INTERACTIVE!

Learn from the Best at VCAC 21!

The Virtual Chanticleer Authors Conference will take place April 21 – 24, 2021 via ZOOM webinar.

VCAC will feature bestselling international crime and mystery author Cathy Ace.

VCAC 21 and the 2020 CIBA Finalists Announcements will be broadcasted over ZOOM live from the Hotel Bellwether’s Admiral’s Room. Please scroll down for more information.

WEDNESDAY, April 21, 2021 (you may register for these separately from VCAC or combine) Registration is Required for the Master Class and the Workshop.
- 9:10 a.m. until noon — Book Distribution/Production WORKSHOP by Paul Hanson, Village Books
  - How to get Your Books on Independent Booksellers Shelves across North America – The WHY, WHAT, and HOW with Paul Hanson, Village Books
- 1 – 4:30 p.m. — Master Writing Class with Jessica Morrell
  - Story People: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly as taught by Jessica P. Morrell
We’ll discuss the many roles for your story people from protagonist to minor characters, and delineate their impact on the plots and protagonist. However, we’ll also cover the outliers in fiction and the chaos, conflict, zest, and realism they add to your story world. To further expand our discussion we’ll also cover immersive, intimate viewpoint and narrative distance. Please bring your favorite imaginary folks to the workshop.

Click here to Register for Jessica’s always in demand Master Writing Class.

Click here to learn how to navigate getting your books on the shelves of Indie Bookstores with Paul Hanson, Village Books.

You may register for one or both of these without registering for VCAC21.

Click here to Register for VCAC 21 and check out Jessica’s always in demand Master Class and Paul’s workshop on how to get into national distribution to Indie Bookshops.

April 22, 23, & 24 Sessions – 9:10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. PST.

VCAC21 Registration is Required for Attendance

The next three days, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday, will offer the VCAC Sessions. These sessions will be held one at a time through out the day. These one hour-long sessions will be LIVE and Interactive with Q & A periods and discussion.

The day sessions will include Cathy Ace, crime and mystery author sharing her writing craft and marketing tips along with other stellar presenters.

Learn from the Best at VCAC21!

Click here for more information about VCAC 21 Faculty.

Click here for the VCAC 21 Schedule.

Click here to register for VCAC 21

The 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards Announcements

The 2020 CIBAs FINALISTS

We will announce the titles and authors whose works advanced from the 2020 CIBA Semi-Finalists position to the Premier Finalists Level starting at 6 p.m. on April 22, 23, & 24 according to the following schedule:

Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 6 p.m. PST
- CYGNUS – Science Fiction
- Paranormal – Supernatural Fiction
- OZMA – Fantasy Fiction
- Mystery & Mayhem – Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries
- CLUE – Suspense & Thriller
- Global Thrillers – High Stakes and Lab Lit
- Dante Rossetti – Young Adult Fiction
Click here to Register to Attend this 2020 CIBA Finalists Announcement Event. A confirmation will be sent you from ZOOM for this Chanticleer CIBA Event held on Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 6 p.m.

Friday, April 23, 2021 at 6 p.m. PST
- Laramie – Americana & Western Fiction
- Goethe – Post 1750s Historical Fiction
- Chaucer – Pre 1750s Historical Fiction
- Chatelaine – Romantic Fiction
- Mark Twain – Satire, Allegory, and Humor Fiction
- Somerset – Literary and Contemporary Fiction
- Gertrude Warner – Middle-Grade Readers
Click here to Register to Attend this 2020 CIBA Finalists Announcement Event. A confirmation will be sent you from ZOOM for this Chanticleer CIBA Event held on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 6 p.m. PST – Non-Fiction Divisions
- Hearten Book Awards – Uplifting, Humorous, Inspirational
- Harvey Chute – Business, Enterprise, and Finance
- Mind and Spirit Book Awards
- Nellie Bly – Investigative and Long Form Journalism
- Instruction & Insight Book Awards – How – To and Guides, Cookbooks
- Journey Book Awards – Memoir, Survival and Trauma accounts
- Little Peeps – Early Readers and Picture Books
Click here to Register to Attend this held on Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 6 p.m.2020. A confirmation will be sent you from ZOOM for this Chanticleer CIBA Event.

The 2020 CIBA Finalists announcements will be on FACEBOOK LIVE and on ZOOM webinars. Attendance is Free but Registration is Required for Each Day that you want to attend.

2020 CIBA 1st Place and Grand Prize Winners

and the

2020 Winners of the SHORTS and FICTION SERIES

The 2020 CIBA First Place and Grand Prize Winners along with the SHORTS and FICTION Series Winners will be announced on June 5, 2021 at the HYBRID CIBA Ceremony and Dinner.

The CIBA Ceremonies will be ZOOMED LIVE and on FaceBook LIVE Events.

Attendance is FREE, but Registration is Required. All VCAC registered attendees will automatically be registered and will be sent the ZOOM Link.

We will broadcast via ZOOM and FaceBook LIVE the 2020 CIBA WINNERS Announcements from the Hotel Bellwether on JUNE 5, 2021 starting at 3 p.m. PST

After VCAC 21 and the FINALISTS announcements, we post the link on how to register for this FREE Event. The link and registration from will be posted by May 1, 2021.

After the announcements, we will host a HYBRID VIRTUAL/LIVE Happy Hour for the virtual and in-person attendees at the Hotel Bellwether.

Because our Chanticleer Team and Local Chanticleer Authors will be vaccinated, we are having small dinner event to celebrate VCAC21 and the 2020 CIBA Winners.

It will be our first gathering since the initial Shelter-In-Place orders of early March 2020. And we are EXCITED. If you have been fully vaccinated and live within driving distance or want to fly in, we invite you to join us for an evening of camaraderie and celebration. If you would like more information about attending and participating, please email KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

SAVE the DATE for CAC 22

We have

2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference

and the

2021 CIBA Book Awards Gala & Banquet

Scheduled for April 7 – 10, 2022

at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.
April 17, 2021
JOLABOKAFLOD – an Icelandic Tradition -CHANTICLEER’S HOLIDAY BOOKs PICK – See Our Top of the List Holiday Themed Books! –

There is a beautiful Icelander holiday tradition that we are growing quite fond of here at Chanticleer.

Jolabokaflod or Yule Book Flood happens once a year on Christmas Eve in Iceland. The flood begins with the release of a catalog of new publications from the Icelandic Publishers Association. And it is distributed FREE to each and every Icelandic home. The majority of books sold in Iceland are sold from September to early November. Of course, these books are in print. E-pubs are not given.

The Icelanders even have a popular TV show, Kiljan, that is entirely devoted to books. Authors appear on prime TV shows. Book readings and author events are treated like rock star events.

“In Iceland book lives matter in every sense of that phrase: The shelf-life of the book, the lives in the book, the life of the writer and the life of the reader. God bless the Jolabokaflod.” ~Hallgrimur Helgason

To an Icelander, the very best Christmas present is a book! This tradition hails from WWII when many items and food were rationed. These sentiments may always have existed, in one way or another, since Icelanders have been saga-nerds for thousand of years.

Loved ones gather – perhaps virtually this year – and gift one another books. What happens next? They spend the night reading together. What a delightful holiday tradition!

Jolabokaflod – Christmas is the time where you snuggle up and read your presents.

We thought you might like to see some of our top holiday-themed books – just in case you would like to have your own Jolabokaflod…

So, snuggle in and preview some of our favorite books for the season. Let’s share some book love!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips

From the riveting opening that takes place in NYC’s Lower East Side’s sweatshops until its gripping conclusion, this enthralling novel vividly portrays the desperate times of German immigrants landing at Ellis Island in 1905 in search of a better life. Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips is one of Kiffer Brown’s favorites for the holidays. She cites the novel’s heartwarming WWI Christmas Eve scene that takes place in the trenches in the heat of battle as unforgettable.

Oscar’s Christmas Wish by Veronica Fischer

Since it’s Christmas time, clever Oscar decides to write a letter to Santa and ask for the spots he so desperately wants. Fearing his request won’t reach the North Pole in time, Oscar decides to take it there himself. He meets many a character en route and learns some new lessons. A beautifully illustrated and wonderfully told children’s Christmas story of the importance of being yourself. Highly recommended.

Nicola Slade’s Christmas at Ladywell

With the loveliest prose and sharp humor, Slade offers the best Christmas gift for her readers with this gem of a book. Whether it’s 1390, 1543, 1825, or the present day, there’s a mystical sisterhood at Ladywell that bridges time, a linking of strong women who tend home and hearth and pass on the secrets of the land. The past re-emerges into the blissful bustle of Freya’s current life as she learns of a family connection with King Richard III. Is this connection tied to a future event? Will the secrets of the past travel to the future?

An exquisitely written English tale set for Yuletide cheer. A book to curl up with during the holidays. Highly recommended.

My Christmas Attic by Dennis Clausen

For anyone who’s ever fought a battle and held onto the promise of hope, here is a heartfelt story of a boy whose endless desire for Christmas changes not only him but his entire world. This story has the makings to be a seasonal classic! Plausible fantasy with a clear connection to our national past composed by a practiced wordsmith, My Christmas Attic can be appreciated as a classic seasonal saga with a cinematic quality that speaks of broader possibilities.

Chasing Cleopatra: A Novel of Love, Betrayal, and Suspense by Tina Sloan

Cleopatra’s lustful affair with young Jake Regan becomes more complex as she discovers his presence in Hawaii is due to a Christmas holiday vacation with his (Norman Rockwellesque) family. Mother and his two brothers have arrived. Jake’s dad is expected to arrive at any moment from yet another far-flung business trip. But the coup d’état is that Jake’s longtime girlfriend, who also is en route, is expecting wedding bells to be announced at the gathering. It becomes obvious that Cleo and Jake’s unrelenting passion will have an impact on the Regan family.

A steamy, fast-paced suspense novel that will take you on a get-away armchair vacation to Hawai’i!

Combining a romance novel with a thriller is not easy, but Chasing Cleopatra delivers the goods with plotting as intricate as a silver spider’s web.

Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Christopher Oelerich

Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Chris Oelerich is highly recommended for those who suffer from PTSD, for the family members and friends of those who suffer, and for those who are simply interested in having a greater understanding beyond what is reported in the popular press about this debilitating disorder. Oelerich’s methods to overcome PTSD are plain-spoken and practical, with an overall message of optimism for those with PTSD.

This is a very personal, no-holds-barred, yet ultimately, empowering discussion of PTSD and its effects on those who suffer from it. The author hopes that Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD will be used as a tool to reduce PTSD symptoms in others who suffer from it so that they, too, can live healthier and happier lives.

We wish you a very merry and warm Holiday Season!

If you would like to read more book reviews to discern the perfect selections for your own Jolabokaflod click here to read more Chanticleer Book Reviews!

If you think we should include your book (must have been reviewed by Chanticleer Reviews) in this article, please email us with the title, your pen name, and the pages that have the holiday scenes.

December 20, 2020
LEARN FROM THE BEST at VCAC 20 – J.D.Barker, Bob Dugoni, Chris Humphreys, Don Maass, Jessica Morrell
Learn from the Best at VCAC 20

Join us at the Virtual Chanticleer Authors Conference

Tuesday – Sunday, Sept 8 – 13, 2020

9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST

VIRTUAL LIVE SESSIONS via ZOOM

The New ERA of Content Creation in All Its Forms

J.D. Barker, Robert Dugoni, Chris Humphreys,

Donald Maass, Jessica Morrell,

Scott Steindorff

Read more about the VCAC faculty, by clicking here.

Sessions will be recorded and available later viewing through VIMEO exclusively to all registered participants.

Only one session will be presented at a time so YOU select which ones you want to see LIVE and which ones you will want to view later via VIMEO or revisit the session. Master Classes and Workshops will be held the following week starting on Wednesday, Sept 16, 2020.

Tuesday – Sunday, Sept 8 – 13, 2020 – VCAC Sessions

9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST

Click here for the VCAC Schedule

Headliners Include:

JD Barker

Robert Dugoni

Chris (C.C.) Humphreys

Scott Steindorff

Technical Workshops with Hindenburg Systems Experts

Wed. Sept 16, 2020

Audiobook Creation with Jonathan Hurley

Podcast Nuts and Bolts with Anita Michalski

Click here to learn more about the Hindenburg Workshops

Master Writing Classes to Take Your Works to the Next Level

with Donald Maass

Sunday, Sept 20, 2020 (9:30 – 4:30 PST with breaks, lunch breaks and Q & A)

and Jessica Morrell

Thursday and Friday mornings, Sept 17 & 18, 2020 (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PST with breaks)

Click here to learn more about the Master Writing Classes

Don’t Delay! Register Today! You may register for Workshops and Master Classes separately

Click here for the VCAC Schedule of Sessions

Topics at VCAC 20
- Virtual Author Events: How To Pivot from LIVE to VIRTUAL for Book Launches, Book Clubs, and Book Events with Janet Oakley, Sean Dwyer, & Gail Noble Sanderson
- Book to Film Panel Discussion with Scott Steindorff, Robert Dugoni, and J.D. Barker. Moderator is Chris Leibig
- It Takes a Village to Make a Film – Authors, Actors, Screenwriters, Producers, & Directors a Discussion with Tina Sloan, Scott Steindorff, & Kaylin McFarren, and Talk to Crows Production Company
- The Critical Role Authors Play in Fostering a Better Society – Janice S. Ellis, Ph.D.
- Exploration of New and Revolutionary Ways of Storytelling including Delving into Immersive, Mixed Reality, and Digital Art – Scott Steindorff
- How to Have 1,048 Readers Requesting Your Book in the 1st Day of a 100 Book Giveaway – Kaylin McFarren shares her Goodreads and Amazon Secrets to increasing book sales.
- Writing and Selling Children’s Books – Children’s Book Authors Share Their Tips & Tools – Denise Ditto Satterfield, Barbara Jean Hicks, M.J. Evans,
- Voice Driven Technology and the Future of Publishing – Paul Cutsinger
- Why Amazon Alexa Should Be Telling Your Story – 3 Sessions– Amy Stapleton and Wayne Richard
- How to Create a Sustainable and Compelling Series – Panel : Diane Garland, Wendy Delaney, Pamela Beason, J.D. Barker
- 5 Reasons Why You Should Publish Your Epubs on Bookchain – Simon-Pierre Marion
- Your Story World: Beyond Eye Color and the Weather – Diane Garland
- Don’t be Left OUT and OFF the Airwaves – Intro to Podcasting with Hindenburg Systems’ expert Anita Michalski
- Historical Fiction–Chris Humphreys will examine how to both fictionalize real characters and realize fictional ones.
- Just Call Out My Name – Collaborating with Other Authors – Janet Shawgo & Sean Dwyer
- Writers: Improve Your Productivity and Your Health by Correcting Posture with Tana Hope
- 5 Reasons Why You Should Publish Your Epubs on Bookchain – Simon-Pierre Marion
And more …

Click here to read more about the VCAC presenters and panelists!

Don’t Delay. Register Today for these LIVE ZOOM SESSIONS!

Sessions Start in just 7 Days! Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020!

The 2019 CIBA Awards First Place Awards Winners will be announced every day (Tuesday – Saturday, Sept 8 -12, 2020) starting at 5 p.m. PST at the CIBA Virtual Ceremonies. All 2019 CIBA Finalists will be recognized during VCAC!

The 2019 CIBA Grand Prize Division Winners and the Overall Grand Prize for Best Book will be announced and recognized on Sunday, Sept 13, 2020 starting at 5: 30 p.m. PST ceremony.

All announcements are LIVE and we will have a Virtual Celebration Party after each day!

Have your favorite bubbly ready to cheer on your favorite authors! LIVE and INTERACTIVE!

See YOU at VCAC 20!
August 31, 2020
CHASING CLEOPATRA by Tina Sloan – Espionage, Romantic Suspense Thriller, Mystery

Was there ever a woman as glamorous and complex as Cleopatra Gallier? She’s 44, drop-dead gorgeous, charmingly clever, fabulously wealthy, a martial arts expert, and she lives in a luxurious villa on a stretch of Hawaii’s coastline.

All would seem perfect in Cleo’s world and she puts on her “best game face,” but sadly we learn, she’s traumatized for life after a horrendous childhood assault. Since then, she has kept her distance from others, particularly, men. Well, except for one.

But as Chasing Cleopatra opens, the new novel by American actress Tina Sloan, Cleo’s undercurrents of pent up passion are going to vent. She literally crashes into a young man―a much younger man―with her car―a minor accident, actually. But Cleo finds herself inexplicably and uncontrollably sexually attracted to the young handsome rogue and he is more than willing to reciprocate. Raging hormones on both sides of the sexual divide take over making for some torrid romancing.

So, you think, this is going to be that kind of novel.

Clearly, from the first words, you suspect there is going to be a lot more than “that” in Chasing Cleopatra and you will not be disappointed.

Cleopatra’s lustful affair with young Jake Regan becomes more complex as she discovers his presence in Hawaii is due to a Christmas holiday vacation with his (Norman Rockwellesque) family. Mother and his two brothers have arrived. Jake’s dad is expected to arrive at any moment from yet another far-flung business trip. But the coup d’état is that Jake’s longtime girlfriend, who also is en route, is expecting wedding bells to be announced at the gathering. It becomes obvious that Cleo and Jake’s unrelenting passion will have an impact on the Regan family.

What neither of them can anticipate is how their relationship over the next few days will also force the other members of his family to reveal their own secrets, some of which will open old wounds and create some life-changing events.

One of those secrets will reveal a pending Al Qaeda attack on Pearl Harbor. The other will delve deeply into Cleo’s past and touch her most challenging moment: the death of the only man she ever truly loved. Who would think that one of the Regan family’s secrets would become an existential threat to the life and purpose of Cleopatra Gallier and the Regan family?

The writing is lush, with the perfect amount of details, and the storytelling had this reader turning the pages. The intriguing backstory seems to presage a series of books on the life and times of Cleopatra Gallier. If so, they would make a great addition (with a more contemporary slant) to the reading list for devotees of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Catriona McPherson’s Dandy Gilver series.

Combining a romance novel with a thriller is not easy, but Chasing Cleopatra delivers the goods with plotting as intricate as a silver spider’s web.

March 3, 2020