Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: 12 Days of Christmas

On the 5th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer Brings to me 5 Blue Ribbons! The 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

On the 5th Day of Christmas…

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 28th of December! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

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

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

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

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

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Not one ring to bind them in this case.

Of course, there is another age-old interpretation of the Five Golden Rings is that they refer to five ring-necked birds such as Ring-necked Pheasants or the European Goldfinches in keeping with the bird theme of the song.

This Christmas Day in History

December 30th, the 5th day of Christmas, is usually a day of rest, recovery, and readying for New Years Eve. In the traditions of the 12 Days of Christmas however, December 30th is known as the Feast of Saint Egwin of Worcester, a feast in memorial of a sixth-century bishop called the protector of widows and orphans. Legend has it he was charged with being too severe with the priests in his diocese and underwent a repentant pilgrimage to Rome. During his penitence, he shackled his feet together and threw the key into the River Avon. Miraculously, the key was then found in the belly of a fish bought at a local market. Depictions of St. Egwin show him holding a key and a fish referencing this miracle.

Once this miracle redeemed him, St. Egwin returned to Worcester and fell enamored with a wooded land near the River Avon (later to be know as Evesham). He was granted the land and eventually founded the Monastery of Evesham after he and a local herdsman were sent a vision of the Mother of God reading peacefully on the site. Evesham, meaning Eof’s home, was thus named after the herdsman gifted this religious vision, the town in Worcestershire bears that name to this day.

St. Egwin became the first Abbot of Evesham and continued his service as the Bishop of Worcester. Eventually he was struck by a long, serious illness and passed on December 30th, 717. His relics remained in a richly decorated shrine along with those of two other saints: St. Credan and St. Odulf.

Unfortunately, the monastery at Evesham was dissolved and destroyed in the 1530s during the Reformation. Almost nothing remains of the once huge buildings and the relics have long since disappeared. However, the ruins of the Evesham Abbey and the former Abbey bell-town still remain.

The quaint town is known for having tranquil vibes, religious history, and agricultural ties. Other churches have been erected near the remains of the Abbey. Evesham attracts multitudes of annual visitors to this day.

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

Five First Place Blue Ribbons!

Every year Chanticleer International Book Awards become more and more competitive! Generally, we only offer 5 of our coveted First Place Blue Ribbons per CIBA division, with one person going on to win the Overall Grand Prize. Then the Division Grand Prize winners compete for the CIBA Overall Grand Prize Winner. You can see the latest updates on our Book Awards here.

The CIBAs are truly a labor of love, and it’s always such a pleasure to celebrate the incredible talent of our authors!

There are 25 Book Award Divisions offered at Chanticleer, with genre divisions for Fiction and Non-Fiction as well as Series Awards and Shorts Awards. While the 2023 CIBA submissions are closed, we are accepting submissions into the 2024 CIBAs. Don’t Delay. Submit today!

They’re so pretty! And they attract readers at events!

Stay tuned for the 6th Day of Christmas!

And just for fun:

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

Wishing you Happy Holidays from Chanticleer from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
December 30, 2023
On the 2nd Day of Christmas, Chanticleer Brings to Me Two Types of Reviews | 12 Days of Christmas 2023
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas!

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 27th of December! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent. So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 11 days!

Two Turtle Doves are also a representation of love, loyalty, and friendship.

The Two Turtle Doves are symbols of Love and Fidelity. The turtle dove is monogamous and pairs for life. The males are actively involved in nesting (he will actually sit on the eggs during the day) and taking care of the young after they hatch so his mate can leave the nest to eat, exercise, and take care of herself. In Ancient Grecian stories, they are believed to be a favorite of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

Good King Wenceslas

Day 2 is also the day that the Christmas Carol ‘Good King Wenceslas” takes place (c. 907 – 935). He was known as the Good Prince of Bohemia. The story tells the tale of his journey through harsh weather to bring a gift of food and firewood to a poor man he noticed while looking out of his castle’s tower during the Feast of Stephen. The song reminds us each and everyone: “Ye, who now bless the poor, Shall yourselves find blessing.”
“King Wenceslas”. Made by Hudson, Scott & Sons for Huntley & Palmers, 1913. Victoria and Albert Museum no. M.367-1983. Image: Gryffindor

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the 2nd day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Two Turtle Doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

First Day of Christmas, Chanticleer invites you to join the Roost at a Special Holiday Rate!

On the Second Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…
Two Essential Reviews

Professional reviews are a versatile marketing tool that gets readers attention. For our Second Day of Christmas we bring you Two Essential Reviews offered through Chanticleer Book Review services.

Manuscript Overviews

A manuscript overview is one of top traditional publishing tools that authors can use to accelerate their writing careers.

Your work should receive its manuscript overview before it begins the editing process. The MOV will save you time and money along with enabling you to publish more frequently. It comes before Line Editing and Copy Editing. It is an objective evaluation of your story idea that is fully formed with a beginning, middle, and end.

The Manuscript Overviews (MOV) provides a birds-eye view of your work. This service catches plot holes, character inconsistencies, and those big ideas that authors need feedback on once they feel confident in the story as a whole. The best part is the way a MOV can save authors time and money in the long run by helping them to create the most polished work they can before turning to the next round of editing services.

Fundamentally, the manuscript overview allow authors to WRITE and CREATE rather than rework and reword a story idea again and again while trying to get it “right.” The honest feedback gives the author an advantage of the traditional publishing houses where authors continuously get feedback and are under contract to produce. Manuscript overviews allow the author to spend creative time developing stories, characters, unique language, and new plot twists rather than trying to dissect their own works. They also allow for the author to gain a fresh perspective.

In 2024, you may want a Manuscript Overview for your work-in-progress to take advantage of this tried and proven publishing tool!

Editorial Reviews

Everyone knows about the Editorial Review. It’s best to start submitting for these once your book is at the Proofreading stage, and once you have a publication date in mind. These are powerful tools filled with blurbs that you can use to market your work. Chanticleer has experience with reviewing Advanced Reading Copies in preparation for book launches.

Additionally, a Chanticleer Editorial Review Package can put energy into the marketing flywheels of already published books.

Of course, the Editorial Review should go on your book’s Amazon page, and every blurb you can pull out can be put everywhere else your book should be marketed. Those different blurbs should appear here at a minimum:

Your Website

Goodreads

Barnes & Noble

Social Media Posts

Marketing Brochures

Book Cover

Beyond that, you can post to places like StoryGraph, and you can use each blurb as a new post on social media. The reason you rotate your blurbs is to make them always feel fresh and engaging to the audience who follows you. The Review can also be used in publishing packets, press releases, and any other way you can imagine!

We also professionally review Audio Books!

And, just for fun:

We now have:

Two Partridges in Two Pear Trees

Two Turtle Doves

Stay tuned for the 3rd Day of Christmas!

Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping our presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and setting ourselves up in the New Year for publishing success (with Chanticleer Professional Services and the Chanticleer Authors Conference).

Wishing you Happy Holidays from Chanticleer from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
December 27, 2023
On the 1st Day, Chanticleer brings to me The Roost | 12 Days of Christmas! 2023
Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas with Chanticleer!

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 26th of December! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

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

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 12 days!
- Some say the Twelve Days tradition is wishing good luck and cheer for each of the following months in the new year.
- Others say the first six of the days are to pay homage to the previous year and six of the days that are in the new year bringing hope and glad tidings for coming times.
- The Twelve Days of Christmas would be a welcome break for those who worked the land.
The twelve days of Christmas run from December 26th until January 6th (Three Kings Day).

If you are singing the song, and you miss or mess up a verse, you owe your opponent (the person singing the round before you a kiss or a sweet treat or grant a favor).

We at Chanticleer have our own way of celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas with our fellow Chanticleerians.

Get ready for 12 days of ideas for your new year of writing along with good cheer!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

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

a partridge in a pear tree

What are the 12 Days of Christmas?

The 12 Days of Christmas historically mark the time from the birth of Christ until the day the Three Magi (or the Three Wise Men) arrived in Bethlehem with their gifts for the Epiphany, (also known as Three Kings’ Day). According to the Western calendar, the 12 days start with Christmas on December 26th and end with the Epiphany on January 6th. However, there are numerous other ways of celebrating from around the world.

But what do rings, geese, and drummers have to do with Christmas?

“The 12 Days of Christmas” song uses Christian lore as guidelines but is considered to be a secular song. Instead, the song is historically thought to be a cumulative group memory game as the verses build on each other and the catchy tune make it easy to join in. Imagine a family-friendly version of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” and you’ve got the right idea.

The 12 Days of Christmas are traditionally associated with gifting and generosity starting with St. Stephen’s Day, or Boxing Day, where historically servants or help in households were gifted bonuses, trinkets, and modest feasts by their employers. Some people hold fast to the Twelve Nights celebrations gift something to friends and family each day of the holiday period rather than all on Christmas Day. This is where the pear tree comes in.

“The 12 Days of Christmas” harks the piles of gifts received from “a true love” daily during the long holiday. The lyrics and melody can differ with country and church but the well-known version of today is thought to be popularized in 1909 by English composer Frederic Austin.

On the 1st Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.

The meaning of the lyrics have long been debated with theories ranging from a betrothal tune illuminating courting gifts to being coded lessons on the tenants of Christianity.

The partridge represents the ultimate love, a true love. The pear tree is where the partridge perches to protect its loved one.

A modern examination however, has revealed the possibility that all the “gifts” are actually types of fowl commonly eaten and served during feasts in the High Middle Ages in Europe. Partridges, birds in the pigeon family like doves, and geese are more commonly known to be eaten both them and now but some of the other gift birds are harder to figure out.

More details about how the birds of the 12 Days of Christmas were possibly identified, cooked, and eaten can be found here.

On the 1st Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

An invitation to join our curated online community The Roost!

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

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

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

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

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

Valid until January 6th.

Follow this link to find out more information.

Stay tuned for the 2nd Day of Christmas!

Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping our presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and setting ourselves up for success with the Chanticleer Authors Conference.

Wishing you Happy Holidays from Team Chanticleer: Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!
December 26, 2023
The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Fifth Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…

Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 28th of December! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

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

Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas is about revelry!

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

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

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

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

Not one ring to bind them in this case.

Of course, there is another age-old interpretation of the Five Golden Rings is that they refer to five ring-necked birds such as Ring-necked Pheasants or the European Goldfinches in keeping with the bird theme of the song.

International Christmas Traditions – Portugal

A Portuguese Christmas tradition is that small groups of people will go door to door in their neighborhoods singing songs. Usually the singers are accompanied by instruments. Sometimes they are in traditional dress, sometimes not. They typically open with a song to ask the resident for food and/or drink, and then continue about the birth of Jesus, good wishes for a happy new year, and for drinks and treats. If a resident doesn’t treat the singers well or refuses to open his door, they may sing songs jokingly mocking them. If the singers are treated well, they will sing about how handsome and beautiful the hosts are and how generous and nice they are.

The troubadouring does not take place until after Christmas Day and continues on to Three Kings Day also known as Epiphany.

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

Five First Place Blue Ribbons!

Generally, we only offer 5 of our coveted First Place Blue Ribbons per division, with one person going on to win the Overall Grand Prize.

There are 25 Book Award Divisions offered at Chanticleer, with genre divisions for Fiction and Non-Fiction as well as Series Awards and Shorts Awards. All our Divisions are soon to be open for 2023! Submit today!

December 30, 2022
The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Fourth Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…

Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time – Day Four

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

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

Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas is about revelry!

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 8 days!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

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

Four Calling Birds

Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

Four Calling Birds — I couldn’t resist – Kiffer

Four Calling Birds were also known as Four Colly Birds aka Blackbirds, an English Thrush.

International Christmas Traditions – Germany

Ski-jumping tournaments start in Oberstdorf, Allgau, Germany on December 29th! Vierschanzen Tournee is where the 50 qualified ski jumpers compete against each other in one on one duels. The competition is held at four different times on four different hills culminating on Three Kings Day. Click here to learn more about this gravity defeating sport.

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

Four Days of Workshops

The Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC) is the marquee annual event we host featuring best-selling authors and top industry professionals and editors alike. The focus of CAC23 is always on the business of authorship, with Masterclasses on Thursday and panels and speakers on the following three days. Our dates for 2023 are April 27-30 at the beautiful Hotel Bellwether right on Bellingham Bay.

Early Bird Prices are in effect through the end of December. Register today and find out why 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.

December 29, 2022
The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Third Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…

Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 28th of December! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

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

Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas is about revelry!

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 10 days!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

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

Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

Three French Hens by Kate Chidley

The Three French Hens represent Faith, Hope, and Charity.

In France, it is tradition to have thirteen desserts (Les Treize) desserts at the Le Reveillon—Christmas Eve Dinner that begins about 8 p.m. and continues until well past midnight. Desserts may consist of Buche de Noel, cookie assortments (each different kind counts), nougats, candied fruits, nuts, and so on.

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

Three Editorial Services

Line Editing

If your story still has developmental issues (dialogue, plotting, character development, etc.), your work would benefit from a Line Edit. Line Editing is a line-by-line edit to make sure that each sentence pushes the story forward and creates just the right amount of pacing and tension. Each and every word should count! This is a collaborative edit that is done with the author in approximate chunks of seventy pages at a time.

Copy Editing

A Style Sheet Guide is created that is the basis of your story bible. A Style Sheet Guide will ensure that your characters’ names, place names, conventions (examples are: Happy Christmas instead of Merry Christmas or blond or blonde or using kilometers instead of miles), jargon, pet names, time frame, and more — the attention to detail that will set your work apart from the fray.

Proofreading

A proof read with a third set of fresh eyes is the final reading to catch the inevitable typos and glitches.

Why Take the Time for all these services?

No one knows a book like their author, and still, it’s crucial to have multiple sets of eyes on the work. Chanticleer’s Editorial Services are competitively priced, and can help take your book to the next level needed for publication or querying agents and publishers.

December 28, 2022
The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Second Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – A Day at a Time

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 27th of December! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

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

Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas is about revelry!

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 11 days!

The second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

Two Turtle Doves are a representation of love and loyalty and friendship.

Which brings us to why in Japan, Christmas is considered the holiday for lovers (rather than family time). Couples plan romantic dates, special dinners out, and engagement promises.

Click on the link below to enjoy PENTONIX’s version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Pentatonix is a fabulous international a cappello singing group.

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

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

Two Essential Reviews

Editorial Reviews

Everyone knows about the Editorial Review. It’s best to start submitting for these once your book is at the Proofreading stage, and once you have a publication date in mind. These are powerful tools filled with blurbs that you can use to market your work.

Of course, the Editorial Review should go on your book’s Amazon page, and every blurb you can pull out can be put everywhere else your book should be marketed. Those different blurbs should appear here at a minimum:
- Your website
- Goodreads
- Barnes & Noble
Beyond that, you can post to places like StoryGraph, and you can use each blurb as a new post on social media. The reason you rotate your blurbs is to make them always feel fresh and engaging to the audience who follows you. The Review can also be used in publishing packets, press releases, and any other way you can imagine!

Manuscript Overviews

Less well-known, the Manuscript Overview (MOV) provides a birds-eye view of your work. This service catches plotholes, character inconsistencies, and those big ideas that authors need feedback on once they feel confident in the story as a whole. The best part is the way a MOV can save authors time and money in the long run by helping them to create the most polished work they can before turning to the next round of editing services.

Stay Tuned for the Third Day of Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all!
December 27, 2022
The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the First Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas

Yes, just like the well-known Christmas Carol, we have our own version! For these twelve days, we’ll share a bit of our Chanticleer wisdom and cheer with you!

“But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 26th of December! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

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

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 12 days!
- Some say the Twelve Days tradition is wishing good luck and cheer for each of the following months in the new year.
- Others say the first six of the days are to pay homage to the previous year and six of the days that are in the new year bringing hope and glad tidings for coming times.
- The Twelve Days of Christmas would be a welcome break for those who worked the land.
The twelve days of Christmas run from December 26th until January 6th (Three Kings Day).

If you are singing the song, and you miss or mess up a verse, you owe your opponent (the person singing the round before you a kiss or a sweet treat or grant a favor).

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree.

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

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

One Curated Online Community!

We’re immensely proud of The Roost, a place where any Partridge in a Pear Tree would be happy to make its nest. In thinking about our authors, we have The Roost set up for weekly write-ins, discussions of Writing Craft Books, as well as advice on the Author’s Journey.

Couple this with access to authors at all stages of the writing journey, and you have a powerhouse community that isn’t dependent on an outside social media site that might suddenly take a downward turn.

Writing might seem like a solitary activity, but it is truly done in community. Whether you find that in The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy to share some space in your life!

Stay Tuned for the Second Day of Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all!

And for our weekly informative posts on writing craft, marketing, book promotion, and more.
December 26, 2022