Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Best Books

  • Happy Fourth of July from Chanticleer | A Closer Look & Recommended Reads

    Happy Fourth of July from Chanticleer | A Closer Look & Recommended Reads

    Celebrating the 4th of July – Independence Day in the U.S.A.

    In July 1776 the United States declared Independence from England. As more than politics heat up, it can be difficult to talk about our Independence Day in a complex and nuanced way.

    John Dunlap printed copies of the Declaration of Independence in his Philadelphia shop on the night of July 4, 1776. (National Archives Identifier 301682)

    Click here for the National Archives Link that will give you a closer look at this historic event.

    Since US Independence was declared, the path to voting rights for all has been a long one getting from there to here, and there’s still more work to be done. You can read an abridged history of the journey of voting rights for women and people of color here, with special attention paid to the 19th Amendment.

    Of course, we also have Juneteenth, which was celebrated as a federal holiday for the first time this year. The holiday celebrates a June 19, 1865 proclamation that freed enslaved peoples in Texas. Texas then, in 1979, became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday. You can learn more about Juneteenth here.

    You can also read Ralph Ellison’s posthumously released novel by the same name.

    Clearly, the US Independence Day has a deep, rich history that still lives on and evolves today. The traditions to celebrate the Fourth of July also continue to change and grow with the world. Here in the Pacific Northwest, as we recover from a heatwave that saw record temperatures in areas without infrastructure like air conditioning to manage it, people are reconsidering fireworks that might contribute to an early fire season—a fifth season that no one is happy about. This doesn’t mean that vaccinated people can’t gather safely now, just that we rethink the best ways to maximize our celebration while being mindful of our community responsibilities.

    Here in Bellingham, Wash., there will be a free fireworks display that will be launched from a barge in the middle of our beautiful Bellingham Bay in honor of Independence Day. The fireworks should be visible from multiple viewpoints. Because Bellingham’s sunset is 9:15 p.m. and our twilight continues to 9:57 p.m., the fireworks will start at 10:15 p.m. PST.

    It is also a time to remember those who serve and have served to preserve our nation’s independence and democracy.

    We invite you to  visit Chanticleer’s most recent Memorial Day post and Veteran’s Day post. 

     

    To that end, we want to recognize some of the wonderful titles that have come up that made us think differently about climate and the environment. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

    Great Reads from Chanticleer Reviews

    Fishy Mysteries and More

    BEYOND the HUMAN REALM
    By Gene Helfman

    Author Gene Helfman, noted academic expert on aquatic biodiversity, delivers a fictional tale about an orphaned orca (killer whale) named Sam and the humans who seek to change his life in Beyond the Human Realm.

    The book opens from Sam’s viewpoint. On display for humans, whom he calls “split-tails” or “logriders,” Sam relies on the humans now for food in his too-small habitat. In exchange, he must perform tricks such as carrying balls and leaping about, actions he performs reluctantly if at all. There’s one split-tail that he likes, though, a female who speaks to him gently. Sam allows her to ride on his back as one of his tricks. When a female companion arrives in his habitat Sam falls in love and the pair produces a baby. All seems blissful until the split-tails take his baby, and his partner dies of grief. Continue Reading here…

    KILLING DRAGONS: Order of the Dolphin, Book One
    By Kristie Clark

    Killing Dragons Order of the Dolphin Book 1 cover

    A search for the truth behind Lusca, the legendary sea dragon, leads to areas far more menacing than a mere myth in Kristie Clark’s Killing Dragons: Order of the Dolphin.

    Eva Paz is a doctorate-level marine biologist at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS), performing research on whistle-signature spectrograms. Even though Eva believes she’s close to a breakthrough in dolphin-human communication, her statistics may not be enough to keep the grant she needs to continue her work and support her employment at RIMS. Her connection with a petite Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Taffy, an animal trained by the Navy, and Taffy’s mate, Finn, go back thirteen years during a horrific time in Eva’s life. Continue Reading here…

    KOBEE MANATEE® – Climate Change and the Great Blue Hole Hazard
    By Robert Scott Thayer

    Kobee Manatee Climate Change and the Great Blue Hole Hazard book cover image

    Author Robert Scott Thayer and illustrator Lauren Gallegos bring to life another beautifully told tale in the fourth book in the series, Kobee Manatee® – Climate Change and the Great Blue Hole Hazard.

    In the engaging and increasingly popular Kobee Manatee® children’s book series, the lovable sea cow and friends are off to help Cousin Quinn clean up the plastic that’s littering the ocean area around her new underwater eating establishment. The 500-mile journey across the water turns into an enlightening adventure, as these characters face unexpected challenges and dilemmas, many brought on by the harmful effects of climate change and ocean pollution. Continue Reading here…

    Climate Fiction and Thrillers

    NATURE’S CONFESSION
    By JL Morin
    Dante Rossetti First Place Winner

    In a dystopian near-future where nobody is safe, the world is ruled by a ruthless capitalist. Humankind’s last hope may be a fourteen-year-old named Boy. Part sci-fi, part diverse love story, Nature’s Confession by J.L. Morin is an ecological coming of age novel that spans the universe.

    The story opens with Boy, so-called because he hasn’t reached an age where he will be named yet for security reasons, managing to survive in the dystopian world he calls home. On next year’s earth, humanity is essentially enslaved by a worldwide corporate government, not for the people or by the people; but, one that operates to ensure its citizens are brainwashed, downtrodden, and too exhausted to be able to offer any sort of resistance. When Boy stays after school one day, he meets a man who turns out to be his long-time idol—Tyree. Tyree is a member of the resistance and recruits Boy to help him and their cause, believing that Boy may be their last hope. Continue Reading here…

    A DIVINE WIND
    By Norman M. Jacobs MD, MS

    A Divine Wind Book Cover

    A Divine Wind by Norman M. Jacobs MD, MS is a technothriller that will keep readers glued in their seats until the last page is read.

    Working in secret, one government experiments with technology that allows them complete control over the weather. If the user guides the technology with a heavy hand, the weather will strike like a weapon; likewise, if those at the control wield compassion, calm weather that nourishes the land will result. Calculated strategies could deploy storms against one’s foes. Of course, any intentions to channel the weather for good may produce scattered, unintended, and deadly consequences. There’s an old saying, “An ill wind may blow nobody any good.” However, a divine wind may unite people if they don’t kill one another first. Continue Reading here…

    OVER
    By Sean P. Curley

    Over is a sci-fi novel of big ideas: the scourge on the future by today’s environmental negligence, the effects of biological warfare, even the development of a faster-than-light warp drive that opens the door to a future among the stars.

    In this dystopian future, humankind must grapple with the repercussions from a technological advancement that essentially imparts immortality: immortality to a very few. Less than 30,000 of the world’s inhabitants, the privileged class, Overs, and the resentment of the billions of people who don’t fit into that category, aptly named, Unders. Continue Reading here…

    This Independence Day, we wish you the following:

    May your family and loved ones be close and happy. May we share in the benefits of a community that cares for and loves each other.

    Happy Fourth of July from Sharon & Kiffer & David and the whole Chanticleer Team!

    And Remember! You can join the Chanticleer Family Anytime!

    Sign up for our Newsletter here! Join our online community, The Roost, here for discounts and special offers!

    Keep an eye out for new information about our 10th Anniversary Conference, CAC2022! More information will be posted here, and until then you’ll be able to see what we did in the past.

    VCAC 21  featured Bestselling Crime Author Cathy Ace, J.D. Barker – Master of Suspense, C.C. Humphreys – Historical Fiction with a twist,  Jessica Morrell – Top-tiered Developmental Editor,  and more!

    Check out our Editorial Services here and our Manuscript Overviews here, OR, if your work is already polished to a fine shine, it’s time to submit to our Editorial Reviews here and our Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) here!

  • JANICE ELLIS, Ph.D. 10 Question Interview – Author Interviews, Social Justice, Book Discovery

    JANICE ELLIS, Ph.D. 10 Question Interview – Author Interviews, Social Justice, Book Discovery

    CHANTICLEER 10 Question Author Interview Series with

    Dr. Janice Ellis

    Dr. Ellis has written  columns for newspapers, magazines, radio commentary, presented internationally across the U.S., and now online. For the past 30 years she analyzes educational, political, social and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status. She continues her important work in these challenging times. 

    Dr. Janice Ellis, columnist, author, journalist, radio commentator, and advocate of social justice and Women’s Rights.

    Dr. Janice Ellis entered her book From Liberty to Magnolia In Search of the American Dream into the  2018 Journey Book Awards for Narrative Non-fiction, a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs). Her stellar memoir was awarded the 2018 Journey Book Awards Grand Prize. The award winning memoir is a truly remarkable book telling what it is like to be Black in America.

    We are honored that Dr. Ellis presented The Critical Role Authors Play in Fostering a Better Society  at Chanticleer’s first virtual conference, VCAC20.  Her presentation was inspirational and thought provoking. Janice S. Ellis has been an author for over 30 years and has written a column for newspapers and radio throughout her career about education, politics, race and socioeconomics. Janice Ellis holds a Ph.D. in Communication Arts, and two Master of Arts degrees, one in Communications Arts and a second in Political Science, all from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.

    Dr. Ellis is one of our favorite authors—and truly a joy to get to know. She reminds us that the pen is mightier than the sword!

    Now, let’s get better acquainted with  Dr. Janice Ellis.

    Chanticleer: Tell us a little about yourself: How did you start writing?

    Dr. Ellis: A native daughter of Mississippi, I grew up and came of age during the height of the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Liberation Movement. Born and reared on a small cotton farm, I was influenced by two converging forces that would set the course of my life. The first was the fear and terror felt by blacks because of their seeking to exercise the right to vote along with other rights and privileges afforded whites. The second was my love of books, the power of words.

    I began writing as a radio commentator for a large radio station right out of graduate school and continued to write commentary for newspapers and radio throughout my career. I also published articles professionally in trade journals. I began writing because I thought the need was great for a good political columnist to help the public better understand those issues that affected their daily lives. A good columnist can impact policy and help shape public opinion to support what Aristotle calls the “greater good.”

    Chanticleer: When did you realize that you were an author?

    Dr. Ellis: I gave it a fleeting thought when I was exempted from an English composition course as a freshman in College after writing some essays during a summer program. But the desire to become an author became more compelling in graduate school in my preparations to become a columnist/commentator. Personal and professional experiences inspired me to become an author of books. From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream is my first book.

     

    Chanticleer: That book has won quite a few awards! In fact, it took home the CIBA 2018 Grand Prize in the Journey Awards for Memoir and Narrative Non-Fiction, From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream. I hear it is collecting other awards, as well. Congratulations!

    Dr. Ellis: I wrote my book because there are lessons from my life journey through poverty, racism, sexism, and sexual harassment that I believe can directly benefit girls and women, blacks, and other minorities. It addresses many of the issues around racial and gender inequality that America continues to grapple with.

    Chanticleer: Thank you for being a graceful and astute voice of authenticity in our world today. We need you! Do you find yourself following the rules or do you like to make up your own rules?

    Dr. Ellis: I basically follow the rules. I have a strong sense of wanting to do the right thing. When that becomes difficult, I still figure out, follow my own path to achieve goals and desired results.

    Chanticleer: What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.

    Dr. Ellis: I love reading the Bible and religious commentary, and political and historical nonfiction.  When not reading I like to play scrabble and other word games. I also enjoy watching cable news, dramas, thrillers, espionage and action films, some romance and comedy shows. Walking, gardening and fishing are rejuvenating hobbies that I find very fulfilling and satisfying.

    Helpful Sources from Dr. Ellis:
    *     Dr. Ellis writes about her life experiences and enjoys sharing about how she navigated common challenges.
    * The writing craft books that have helped her the most are William Zinsser, On Writing Well and Writing About Yourself
    * The books about the business of writing that have been most beneficial are Writer’s Digest, Literary Agents, How to Write a Book Proposal, and How to Market Your Book

    Chanticleer: What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?

    Dr. Ellis: I am working on two shorter books, Realizing Your Dream: A Handbook Based on Experience, and Overcoming Racism and Sexism During Your Lifetime. Hopefully, one of the above books to be released later this year.

    Chanticleer Aside: Dr. Ellis won the Nellie Bly Grand Prize for her upcoming journalistic  book, Shaping How Public Opinion: How Real Advocacy Journalism Should be Practiced.

    Cover of Shaping Public Opinion by Janice S. Ellis, PhD. A burning typewriter sits in a series of concentric circles

    Chanticleer: How structured are you in your writing work?

    Dr. Ellis: I have always wanted to be able to write something every day but have yet to achieve that goal. The need to write fresh content on my website has helped the frequency of writing short pieces. In working on books, I usually write until I cannot write anymore, sometimes for 10-14 hours segments. What I have learned that if I stop in mid-sentence, it is easy for me to resume when I begin again.

    Chanticleer: J.D. Barker does that, too. It’s good advice. How do you approach your writing day?

    Dr. Ellis: For a long time, I would begin writing as soon as I awaken and get a cup of coffee. Happily, now, I write anytime during the day. I sit at my computer and open to a blank page, if I am beginning a new article or chapter, it motivates me to begin putting my thoughts down. If I am in the middle of a piece, I pick up where the incomplete sentence stops.

    Chanticleer: Name five of your favorite authors and describe how they influence your work.

    Dr. Ellis: Former President, Jimmy Carter. The simplicity, yet elegant way he writes about his life, his work, and his values in making things better for humanity. Former President, Barack Obama. His vivid way of writing about his life and the American experience and his vision, hope, and optimism for a better America. Maya Angelou. Her cinematic description and compelling call of attention to the not-so-flattering aspects of humanity and highlighting the need for us to change and move toward our higher selves. Robert Ludlum. His command of the intrigue and complexity of characters and storyline. Kings Solomon and David. For the power, poetry, and wisdom in their books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Psalms.

    Chanticleer: Great choices! What areas in your writing are you most confident in? What advice would you give someone who is struggling in that area?

    Dr. Ellis: I think I am most confident in my ability to analyze and assess a situation and put forth a thoughtful perspective; and the ability to help the reader see, feel, and experience what I am writing about as if they are there with me.

    “You must love the craft of writing. It is a craft. You must be dedicated and believe that what you have to say will make a difference. Be willing to write, re-write, and re-write again and again until your words convey the meaning that is intended.” – Dr. Ellis 

    Chanticleer: Do you ever experience writer’s block? What do you do to overcome it?

    Dr. Ellis: Yes, usually a few days after I have completed a writing project. If I must begin a new article or chapter, I pull up a blank page. Sooner or later, I feel compelled to fill the page with words that make sense, that are impactful. Sometimes, I do some activity totally unrelated to writing and find that something occurs to make me begin writing.

    Chanticleer: What excites you most about writing?

    Dr. Ellis: Sharing thoughts, ideas, experiences, and hopefully solutions that will enlighten, inspire, enable, and encourage someone.

    Chanticleer: I admire how your motives are outward – helping others understand their world and how to navigate it. Well done! What do you do in your community to improve/promote literacy?

    Dr. Ellis: I donate copies of my book to libraries, and give signed copies to individuals. I speak about the power of reading and try to encourage children and young people within my sphere of influence to read, encouraging them to read to others at every opportunity.

    Chanticleer: I love that answer. Give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.

    Dr. Ellis: I think each author should do a book tour, with TV and radio appearances, if possible. Even if you cannot physically travel from city to city, technology today can allow you to do a lot from our home our local studios.

    Also, make use of social media. Posting frequently on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and blog posts are a must. Speaking engagements are great to keep your book relevant.

    Chanticleer: Especially true today in the face of a global pandemic. What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?

    Dr. Ellis: I am working on two shorter books, Realizing Your Dream: A Handbook Based on Experience, and Overcoming Racism and Sexism During Your Lifetime. Hopefully, one of the above books to be released later this year.

    Chanticleer: We will be looking for those! Who’s the perfect reader for your book?

    Dr. Ellis: Teenage girls, women, minorities who are trying to navigate racism and sexism in reaching and fulfilling their purpose, goals, and dreams in life. And, for all who are concerned about America’s future and who want America’s children of all colors to realize their full potential. It will inform the racists and non-racists, the sexists and non-sexists. It will inspire and empower men and women who are in positions that can make a difference and have the will to do so—parents, teachers, policymakers, social and human rights activists, journalists, business leaders, faith leaders, and many others. Caring Americans, working together, can break the chains of racism and sexism that keep America bound.

    Chanticleer: I believe it! What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?

    Dr. Ellis: Write a review and express what the book means to them. Recommend the book to family, friends, and colleagues.

    Chanticleer: As always, it is a pleasure spending some time with you today. Be well and keep the good work coming!

    If you would like to know more about Dr. Janice Ellis – make sure you pick up her memoir, From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream and  her soon to be published ground- breaking work Shaping Public Opinion: How Real Advocacy Journalism Should Be Practiced at your local book store – or other retailers

    Also, be sure to like and follow Dr. Ellis on her social media sites:

    Twitter      Facebook     LinkedIn

    And be sure to subscribe to her newsletter here:  Janice’s website

  • JOLABOKAFLOD – an Icelandic Tradition -CHANTICLEER’S HOLIDAY BOOKs PICK – See Our Top of the List Holiday Themed Books! –

    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.

  • SPOTLIGHT on PARANORMAL: Paranormal Book Awards 2020 CIBA for All Things Spooky, Haunted, Unreal, Superstitious and Strange

    SPOTLIGHT on PARANORMAL: Paranormal Book Awards 2020 CIBA for All Things Spooky, Haunted, Unreal, Superstitious and Strange

    For Stories that are Out of this World!

    Just in time for Halloween, Eve of All Saints Day, Samhain, and Guy Fawkes Day 

    Kiffer’s Note:  Did you know that in Sweden Halloween is celebrated from October 31 until November 6th? That is a great idea! Det är en bra idé.

    OCTOBER isn’t just for OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction or GLOBAL THRILLERS for Pulse-Racing Suspense novels, or even our newest division, SHORT Stories…

    October helps us understand why campfires are a good idea, why it’s never safe to go down into the cellar alone on certain nights of the year, and, among other things, why it’s prudent to know the history of a house before you buy it.

    In October, strange things happen when these bits of wisdom are ignored. 

    Paranormal Fiction Awards

     

    I’ve said it before, and I am going to reaffirm it now, October is my favorite time of year. I love the goblins, ghosts, monsters of the dark as much as the next person (okay, maybe more) and so it’s no surprise that I love October because October means Halloween! I can even put it into a mathematical formula:

    And this year’s a little different. In a very real sense, we all are living in a global nightmare because of a horrible virus that supposedly came from (wait for it!) BATS.

    We know what it’s like to be afraid, to be brave, to yearn for companionship, and not be able to hug our loved ones. We know what it’s like to run out of hand sanitizer and toilet paper. And we wonder when things will get better.

    Still, I am a BIG fan of horror. Why? Because fiction helps us here. Especially horror. Between the pages of the scariest novel, we see our own humanity, our own hopes, and our own fears. Our defeats – and also our victories.  It is cathartic to dip into an imaginary world where things are falling apart and monsters are real. It gives us a sense of control. A sense that even though things are bad, they will get better (and then worse…). Yes, we’re in a major pandemic here. People are sick and things are confusing, but the vampires haven’t risen from the grave yet, and Frankenstein’s Monster is not coming to dinner. Ghost stories are simply that. Stories.

    Ghostbusters

    So gather around (while you’re social distancing) the campfire and tell us your favorite spooky stories. Because, I don’t know about you, but I could sure use some fictional horror in my life… Are you ready?

    Welcome to the PARANORMAL Book Awards!

    Send us your stories of dark places, alien abductions, magic and magical beings, the supernatural, vampires & werewolves, angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, weird otherworldly tales… and gothic horror stories. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2018 Paranormal Book Awards, a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards – the CIBAs.

    But don’t wait too long. The deadline for the Paranormal Awards is October 31, 2020. Enter here, and don’t say we didn’t warn you.

     

     

    Travel with me through the Paranormal Awards Hall of Fame…

    The 2019 PARANORMAL Book Awards Grand Prize for Supernatural Fiction is:

     

    Susan Lynn Solomon took home the GRAND PRIZE for Abagail’s Window 

    “Wow! … she is original and develops her characters into an intense plot of life and love. Great job!” – Chanticleer Reviews

     

     

     

     

     

     

    2019 Paranormal Book Awards First Place Winners for Supernatural Fiction Novels:

     

    • Ryan J. Lyons Drums and Dragons
    • Linda Watkins The Tao of the Viper
    • Kaylin McFarren High Flying
    • Palmer Pickering Moon Deeds
    • Jack Cullen Runes of Steel
    • Joy Ross Davis The Witch of Blacklion
    • D. J. Adamson At The Edge of No Return

     

     

     

    The 2018 PARANORMAL Book Awards Grand Prize for Supernatural Fiction is:

    Joy Ross Davis, Paranormal Grand Prize Book Award Winner

     

    The Madwoman of Preacher’s Cove “One man searches for the truth in the quiet hamlet of his childhood, only to uncover the terrifying reality. Thrilling and spinetingling! Joy Ross Davis knows how to keep you up at night! Highly recommended.” 

     

     

     

    2018 Paranormal Book Awards First Place Winners for Supernatural Fiction Novels:

     

     

     

     

    The 2017 PARANORMAL Book Awards Grand Prize for Supernatural Fiction is:

    Van Ops – The Lost Power is a story in which “Alexander the Great’s obscure Egyptian weapon has been lost for eons. Can Maddy Marshall and covert agent Bear Thorenson find the ancient weapon in time to stop fragile post-Cold War peace from being forever shattered?”

    Avanti Centrae is the author of the international award-winning VanOps thriller series. Her work has been compared to that of James Rollins, Steve Berry, Dan Brown, and Preston/Child’s Pendergast series.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    2017 Paranormal Book Awards First Place Winners for Supernatural Fiction Novels:

    • Willow’s Discovery by Joanne Jaytanie
    • Virtuous Souls by Pamela LePage
    • Rea by Lydia Staggs
    • A Pocketful of Lodestones, Time Traveler Professor Book 2 by Elizabeth Crowens
    • Dark Water by Chynna Laird

     

     

     

    The 2016 PARANORMAL Book Awards Grand Prize:

    Almost Mortal “Blending the high-octane thrust of a contemporary legal thriller with the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “Almost Mortal” cleaves a new, inventive niche in the legal thriller genre. This fast-paced legal thriller will leave the reader hungering for more. A terrific read!”

    Christopher Leibig is a novelist and a criminal defense attorney. He thinks about Fiction like this…”Fiction, while by its definition invented, need not tell that lie. In fiction, the devil is everywhere. And everyone has their story.”

     

     

     

    2016 Paranormal Book Awards First Place Winners for Supernatural Fiction Novels :

     

     

     

     

    The 2015 PARANORMAL Book Awards Grand Prize:

    The Aurora Affair (retitled as Mobius) “… is a story about a skeptical heroine who discovers that her love affairs are the key to harnessing her own power to influence the world—for better if she does it right, or for worse if she fails.”

    Carolyn Haley “… is a freelance writer and editor who lives in rural Vermont. I write a mix of commercial copy, articles for regional and national publications.” She writes award-winning novels in her spare time.

     

     

     

    2015 Paranormal Book Awards First Place Winners for Supernatural Fiction Novels :

    The 2014 PARANORMAL Book Awards Grand Prize:

     An Ex to Grind in Deadwood is a wickedly funny paranormal mystery romance series that takes place in its namesake city in South Dakota.

     

    Ann Charles, USA Bestselling Author

    Ann Charles “…lives in the beautiful Northern Arizona mountains with her clever husband, charming kids, and an incredibly sassy cat. After many years and several colleges, she managed to obtain her Bachelor’s Degree in English with an emphasis on creative writing from the University of Washington.”

     

     

    2014 Paranormal Book Awards First Place Winners for Supernatural Fiction Novels:

    The 2013 PARANORMAL Book Awards Grand Prize:

    The Watcher is a story where “…ancient history is only the beginning.”

     

     

    Lisa Voisin “… spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was my love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.” 

     

     

     

     

    2013 Paranormal Book Awards First Place Winners for Supernatural Fiction Novels:

    • Spirit Legacy by E.E. Holmes
    • Poe, Nevermore by Rachel M. Martens
    • The Immortal American by L. B. Joramo
    • The Dream Jumper’s Promise by Kim Hornsby
    • Montana Mustangs by Danica Winters
    • The Third Option by Ben A. Sharpton
    • Witch’s Malice by David Hutchison
    • Dancing on the Dark Side by Mairin Fisher-Fleming

     

    2012 1st Place Winner in the Paranormal Awards:

    Sacred Fires is a well written and crafted romantic paranormal novel with elements of intrigue and suspense along with a story set in a lush locale with mystic Aztec undercurrents. Greenfeder has succeeded in writing a fast-paced romantic suspense novel that is refreshingly different.

     

    Catherine Greenfeder “… continues to pursue her dream of getting her work published. To date, she has had five novels including a western historical, two adult paranormal novels, and two young adult paranormal novels published. She anticipates a few short stories and another young adult novel published in the near future.”

    Our 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) feature more than $30,000.00 worth of cash and prizes each year! 

    • The 2020 PARANORMAL Grand Prize Winner is named Chanticleer Reviews Best Supernatural Fiction Book of the Year and goes on to compete for the Chanticleer Overall Grand Prize Best Book of the Year
    • The Overall Grand Prize Winner is named Chanticleer Reviews Best Book of the Year and awarded the $1000 prize
    • All winners receive a Chanticleer Prize Package which includes a digital badge, a ribbon, and a whole assortment of goodies detailed below (winners outside the US pay a shipping & handling fee)

    That’s more than $30,000.00 worth of cash and prizes! The Fine Print.

    ~$1000 for one lucky Overall Grand Prize Winner
    ~$30,000+ in reviews, prizes, and promotional opportunities awarded to Category Winners

    Currently accepting entries. Deadline: Oct. 31st, 2020.

    What are you waiting for? Enter today!Who will win the PARANORMAL Book Awards Blue Ribbons for 2020?

    Submit your works today!

    The last day for submissions into the 2020 Paranormal Book Awards is October 31, 2020.

    Click here for more information and submission form! 

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

  • BOOK MARKETING: TIPS and TRICKS from a PRO! – Book Marketing, Author Interview, Writing Craft, CIBAs

    BOOK MARKETING: TIPS and TRICKS from a PRO! – Book Marketing, Author Interview, Writing Craft, CIBAs

    We’ve long said that we are leaders in digital and technology. This is who we are! Now, because of our new living situation, i.e. COVID19, digital platforms and marketing tips are even more important to creating and sustaining our author platforms and building our readership.

    What we need is strategy – and a bit of know-how to make our efforts pay off. We all want to sell books. We all want to be writing and connecting with our audiences. While thinking about this today, Kiffer and I thought we would revisit one of our most helpful posts about Book Marketing. Michelle Cox’s, Hot Marketing Tips are Shared in the 10 Question Author Interview with MICHELLE COX – Author Interviews, Marketing, Craft of Writing. Here’s an author who knows what she’s talking about.

    Michelle Cox is one of the panelists on A Multi-prong Approach to Book Marketing with Paul Hanson of Village Books, Michelle Cox – Historical Fiction, J.I. Rogers – Science Fiction, and Tina Sloan, contemporary thriller author and actress that is scheduled for Sunday, Sept 13, 2020 at  VCAC.

    After reading this post, you feel you would like some new information, I would like to invite you to our VCAC starting next week, September 8 – 13, 2020, where experts, like bestselling authors Robert Dugoni, J.D. Barker, top film producer Scott Steindorff, author /actor Chris Humphreys, Amy Stapleton and Wayne Richard from CHATABLES, and Paul Cutsinger from ALEXA, Anita Michalski and Jonathan Hurley from Hindenburg Systems – and so many, many more experts (click here to see a complete list of our Headliners, Presenters, and Faculty) who will go into depth about book marketing in today’s new world. We even have Tana Hope to show us how to take care of yourself. We all need that, right?

    Here’s your official invitation to VCAC20: click here.

    And now, back to Michelle Cox… 

    Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards Grand Prize winner Michelle Cox graciously shares her writing life and knowledge with us along with some hot marketing tips and tools! Read on!

     “When I finally decided to try writing, the creativity within me, that divine essence, finally found its true home.  I’m happiest when I’m creating, and I hope I can keep writing for a long time.” – Michelle Cox

    Michelle Cox, award-winning author, at work in her writing lair

    Chanticleer: Thanks for coming by, Michelle. Tell us what genre best describes your work? And, what led you to write in this genre?

    Cox: Well, that’s a great question!  I usually at least place as a semi-finalist in three different categories at the Chanticleer awards, for example, so that should be a pretty good indication.

    Romance Fiction Award Post 1750s Historical Fiction Award Cozy Mystery Fiction Award

    My series is set during the 1930s in Chicago, so that qualifies it to be historical fiction, but it’s also mystery and romance.  I guess “romantic-suspense” would be the best way to describe the series, but without the bare-chested guys on the cover.

    They always say to write what you would want to read, and this is it!  I set the series set in my favorite era; added a little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance; flavored it with the haves- and the have-nots of the era, as well as a touch of the English aristocracy; and then stocked it with lots of characters and subplots weaving in and out . . . sheer heaven!

    Chanticleer: And that’s why we love you and your books! What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.

    Cox: I no longer have any! I used to have hobbies before writing took over my life. If I do have a few minutes here and there, I still love to garden and bake, but my real love, however, is board games.  I’m a fanatic and have become a sort of a collector now.

    Playing games with Michelle Cox! Did the butler do it?

    Chanti: That sounds like a lot of fun! So, how do you approach your writing day?

    Cox: As soon as my kids get on the bus at 6:50 am, I make my second cup of coffee and sit down at my desk.  I’m not allowed to do any social media, though I do always do a quick email check to see, you know, if I won the Pulitzer or something (it’s always no), and then I start working on whatever manuscript I’m currently on.  My brain is its crispest early in the morning, so I have to use that time for the work that takes the most concentration.  There’s something to be said about productivity when you know you only have a limited time to write.  There’s no room for writer’s block or procrastination.  When you know you only have so much time, you have a way of just sitting down and doing it.

     

    When I reach whatever my writing goal is for that day, I spend the next five to seven hours (until the kids come home) doing marketing and PR—anything from writing the blog or the newsletter or articles or interviews, taping podcasts, setting up events, answering email, attending to social media, etc.  It’s really a full-time job, though, sadly, the actual writing, the part I love, is the part I get to spend the least on.

     

    Chanti: Marketing pays off, right? Name five of your favorite authors and describe how they influence your work.

    Cox: My series is known for the plethora of rich characters scattered throughout and the big saga-like plots.  I was definitely influenced in this by my early favorites: Louisa May Alcott, Catherine Cookson, and Charles Dickens.  My other two favorites would be Anthony Trollope and Jane Austin for their subtlety in character and their overall ability to use language so beautifully.

    Chanti: I cannot argue with your choices. These are delicious authors – and novels!

    I know you gave us a snapshot of your work-day earlier, but could you give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.

    Cox: Wow!  That’s a great question, but so hard to answer.  All marketing is pretty elusive, isn’t it?  It’s a constant process of throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks.  It’s also important to remember that what works for one person, might not work for everyone.  It’s not an exact science.  If it were, we’d all be rich!

    But, in general, here are some good marketing tips that I have found to work:

    • Try to figure out where your readers are. Most of my readers, for example, are on Facebook, so that’s where I spend most of my social media time.
    • Think of yourself as a brand and try to match your posts accordingly. I post things about myself or the book or writing, but mostly old recipes, period drama news, or old stories from the past (which constitute my blog). Also, I’m very careful never to post anything religious or political.  This is a business, and the more you see yourself that way and follow basic business protocols, the more successful you’ll be.

    • Try to build your newsletter list by offering a freebie (such as free story, writing tips, a webinar, a prequel). Personally, I do it by running contests with really big prize packages. I make sure to state that the contest winner will be picked only from my newsletter subscribers.  I pay a designer to create a beautiful graphic of the prizes, post it on FB, and then boost the post.  Not only does this get me a lot of new subscribers (sometimes thousands), but it exposes the series to new readers as well!
    • Build your network. Join online author groups (I am part of a fabulous private FB group organized by my publisher, She Writes Press. We all share ideas, marketing tips, and offer support and advice, especially to the newer authors just coming on board.  It’s a collective wealth of information.) or real-world groups in your area.  Don’t be jealous of the success of others, but help each other as much as possible. As my publisher, Brooke Warner has said, “There’s room for everyone at the table.”
    • Show up at other authors events, write reviews, help promote whenever possible.  Go to conferences to meet not just readers, but other authors who can potentially help you.  Remember that you are a business, and you need to do work within your community to begin standing out.

    • For example, my publisher and I overprinted Book 2 of my series, so, as per my contract, when the first year of publication had passed, I was faced with having to pay a storage fee for these extra books (a couple of thousand), have them shipped to my garage, or have them destroyed.  I decided, instead, to send them to libraries and conference organizers.  It was a lot of work and expense, but it got my book into the hands of hundreds, if not thousands, of potential readers, and hopefully, they’ll come back for more and buy the rest of the series.  You have to be willing to take risks.

     

    • Also in this category would be to try to get a Bookbub deal, which, as we all know is really tough.  Again, for Book 2 of the series, we submitted four times, trying to get a deal with the book being priced at .99 cents.  I finally decided to offer it for free, and we cleverly put a buy link to book 3 at the end of Book 2.  Bookbub then offered me a deal, and I had over 55,000 downloads in one day!  Hopefully, a lot of those people will go on to buy Book 3 at full price.

    • Lastly, if the first book of your series is free, either permanently or occasionally, you can join Book Funnel, in which you “bundle” your book with others of a similar genre with each author promoting the bundle to their social network, which exposes your series to a whole new crop of readers.  Readers are able to download your free book in exchange for their email address.  So not only are you getting readers hooked on your series (hopefully!), but you’re building your subscriber/newsletter list.

     

    Chanti: You could teach a Master Class on this at CAC20! Let’s chat about this later.

    Chanti: What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?

    Cox: Book 5 of the series is currently in production and scheduled to be released in Spring 2020.  I said I was going to take a break from the series after that, but I admit, I’ve already started sketching out Book 6 –  I can’t help it!

    But what’s really exciting is a new stand-alone novel, The Love You Take, that I wrote, also based partially on a true story and set in Chicago in the 1930s.  It’s a really fabulous book if I do say so, about a “backward” girl who has to go and live at a home for “bad girls” after she unwittingly becomes pregnant. I’m currently querying agents for it.

    Chanti: Sounds intriguing. Please keep us updated. Who’s the perfect reader for your book?

    Cox: Though some men enjoy my books, the primary audience is women. Anyone who loves Downton Abbey; Upstairs, Downstairs; Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, the old black and white films, like The Thin Man . . . basically any period drama or old movie . . . will love my series.  I can’t tell you how many people have written to me to tell me that the series is so visual, that reading it was like watching a movie.  It’s delightful escapism; people tell me all the time they feel like they’ve been transported back in time after reading them.

    Chanti: I know that’s why we read your books #delightful! What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?

    Cox: Tell a friend!  Research shows that the number one thing that influences people to buy books is word-of-mouth.  If you like a book, recommend it to friends or your book club.  The second best thing is to write a review!  People seem wary of doing this, telling me that they’re nervous about what to write.

    “Nonsense!” I say.

    A review can be one sentence: “This was a great book; I enjoyed it!”

    There.  Done.

    You don’t have to go into a lengthy reworking of the synopsis (why do people do this?) or delve into symbolism or themes or whatever.  Just give your one-sentence opinion!

    Chanti: I’ve been telling my non-writing friends this for years… Do you ever experience writer’s block? What do you do to overcome it?

    Cox: Not really!  I have a lot of story ideas in my head, and thus I usually have the opposite problem.  This is where outlining can really help.  If you have a pretty weighty outline sketched out, then when you sit down to write each day, you pretty much already know what you’re supposed to write that day.  Likewise, I enjoy taking an evening walk (or I try to, anyway!), during which I think about tomorrow’s chapter and what needs to go into it.  Sometimes I even voice record if I have a really good idea or some strands of dialog.  There’s something about walking—moving the legs back and forth, back and forth—that seems to stimulate something in the brain. They say that Dickens used to walk the streets of London for hours in the wee hours of the night.  Now I know why!

    Chanti: Time to reflect and let your mind wander. Movement really does help with this. What excites you most about writing?

    Cox: Creating something out of nothing.  I’ve always been a really creative person.  Looking back, I see now that I’ve always been striving to create, and for a long time it took on many different forms.  As a kid, I was always trying to illustrate Louisa May Alcott’s books or write little fan fiction stories based on Jo March.  As I got older, it took the form of gardening and decorating the house, and then baking and then creating elaborate kids’ birthday party invitations!  When I finally decided to try writing (long story), the creativity within me, that divine essence, finally found its true home.  I’m happiest when I’m creating, and I hope I can keep writing for a long time.

    Chanti: We hope you do, too, Michelle. What a fabulous interview! Thank you for sharing your story with us. 

    Speaking of sharing, if you like what you’ve read, please “like, comment, and share!” Sharing is caring, baby!

    The CIBA Grand Prize Winners

     

    Michelle Cox is a multi-award-winning author who recently spent some time with us at CAC19. This year was particularly special because Michelle won the CIBA 2018 Grand Prize for Mystery & Mayhem Awards!

     

    and took 1st Place in the Chatelaine Awards for Romantic Fiction – both awards are in honor of her book, A Promise Given. We will probably never stop celebrating this – it’s just too much fun!

    To find out what Michelle’s up to next, Find and Follow her here:

     Facebook 

    Twitter

    Instagram 

    Michelle’s Website: http://michellecoxauthor.com/

  • SPOTLIGHT on CHATELAINE and Its Hall of Fame Authors – Romance Novels & Romantic Fiction in all its Forms!

    SPOTLIGHT on CHATELAINE and Its Hall of Fame Authors – Romance Novels & Romantic Fiction in all its Forms!

    Chanticleer Book Reviews is seeking today’s best books featuring romantic themes and adventures of the heart, historical love affairs, perhaps a little steamy romance, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

    Find out more about the stunning beauty that Dante Rossetti painted, Jane Morris, at the end of this blog post.

     

    Do you have a romance novel or manuscript ready for readers?

    Do you want to see how it stands up to others in its category?

    Then don’t delay! The CHATELAINE Book Awards division is accepting submissions from both recently published and complete manuscripts in romance and romantic fiction. But this year we’ve moved our deadline – to keep you on your toes!

    The new deadline for the Chatelaine Awards is AUGUST 31, 2020! 

    That’s right, the last day for submissions into the 2020 Chatelaine Book Awards is August 31, 2020. So, if you love Piña Coladas – and getting caught in the rain… I mean, if you like writing about those things, and other things having to do with matters of the heart, including these:

    The Chatelaine Awards Categories are:|
    Contemporary Romance
    Historical Romance
    Adventure & Suspense
    Romantic Steamy/Sensual (Not Erotic)
    Inspirational/Restorative

    Send them in today! What are you waiting for?

    Click here for more information and submission form! 

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

    Insiders’ Tip: Other genre divisions of the Chanticleer International Book Awards have romance categories as well. Multiple submissions of the same work to a variety of  CIBA writing competitions divisions are accepted. Check out our divisions here. 

     

     

     

     

    Please join us in congratulating and reading these top works in this diverse range of all reads Chatelaine: Romance, Chick-Lit,  Women’s Fiction, Inspirational, Suspenseful, and, of course, Steamy and Sensual in the
    CHATELAINE HALL of FAME!

    Nicola Slade took home the Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon in 2018 for The House at Ladywell.

    Congratulations to the 2018 CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic Fiction  First in Category Winners!

     

    Leigh Grant’s MASK OF DREAMS  took home the Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon for 2017.

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2017 CHATELAINE Awards:

     

     

     

     

     

      M.A. Clarke Scott’s The ART of ENCHANTMENT took home the 2016 Chatelaine Grand Prize.

     

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2016 CHATELAINE Awards:

     

    Nicole Evelina’s DAUGHTER of DESTINY took both the Chatelaine Grand Prize and the OVERALL Grand Prize winner for 2015.


     

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2015 CHATELAINE Awards:

     

    Janet Shawgo’s FIND ME AGAIN won the 2014 Chatelaine Grand Prize.

    Find Me Again Janet Shawgo

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2014 CHATELAINE Awards:

    Kate Vale’s CHOICES was awarded the 2013 Chatelaine Grand Prize and took home the OVERALL Grand Prize for best book of the year!

     

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2013 CHATELAINE Awards:

    • Historical Romance: The Lily and the Lion by Catherine T. Wilson & Catherine A. Wilson
    • Southern Romance: Swamp Secret by Eleanor Tatum
    • Mystery: The Hourglass by Sharon Struth
    • Jane Austen Inspired: Pulse and Prejudice by Colette Saucier
    • Paranormal: Crimson Flames by Ashley Robertson
    • Christian Inspirational Romance: Chasing Charlie by C. M. Newman
    • Restorative: A Path through the Garden by Nancy LaPonzina
    • Classic Bodice Ripper: To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield by Bronwen Evans

     Who will win the CHATELAINE Book Awards Blue Ribbons for 2020?

    The judging rounds will commence in August! Submit your works today!

    The last day for submissions into the 2020 Chatelaine Book Awards is August 31, 2020. Winners will be announced at our CAC21 conference – scheduled for April

    Click here for more information and submission form! 

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

    And remember our Insiders’ Tip: Other genre divisions of the Chanticleer International Book Awards have romance categories as well. Multiple submissions of the same work to a variety of  CIBA writing competitions divisions are accepted. Check it out here!

    A little information about the Chatelaine Book Awards icon:

    Romance Fiction Award

     

    We feel that Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Pre-Raphaelite painting of Jane Morris (muse and wife of William Morris) in a Blue Silk Dress captures the many moods of the Chatelaine division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.  Jane Morris (nee Jane Burden—little is known about her childhood but that it was poor and deprived) was known for her keen intelligence. William Morris fell in love with her when she sat for him as a model. She was privately tutored to become a gentleman’s wife upon their engagement. It is said that she was the inspiration for George Bernard Shaw’s character Eliza Dolittle of My Fair Lady fame. The Blue Silk Dress was painted in 1868 by Rossetti and it currently resides in the Society for Antiquaries of London.  She was 29 when Rossetti painted it. Rossetti and Jane Morris became closely attached until his death in 1882. To read more about the fascinating Jane Morris, click on this Wikipedia page.

  • LARAMIE Book Awards – SPOTLIGHT Focus on ALL Works of Western Fiction and Uniquely American Tales

    LARAMIE Book Awards – SPOTLIGHT Focus on ALL Works of Western Fiction and Uniquely American Tales

    Welcome to our SPOTLIGHT on LARAMIE Book Awards, the stories that stick!

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction Award

    The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana / Western, Pioneer, Civil War, Frontier, and First Nations Novels. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

    Charles M. Russell painted the cowboy scene on Chanticleer’s very own Laramie Book Awards badge. It is one of many such paintings he did that encompassed the Old American Wild West. He was an advocate for the Northern Plains Indians. Charles M. Russell also helped establish a reservation in Montana for the Chippewa people.

    *More interesting facts about Laramie, Wyoming, and its historical icons are immediately after the Laramie Hall of Fame listing below. A fun read! 

    The Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction Hall of Fame First Place and Grand Prize winners!

    The 2018 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

    Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale by Ruth Hull Chatlien

    Laramie Book Awards

     2018 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

     

     

    The 2017 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize Winning Book also won the OVERALL Prize! Best book of 2017:

    HOUR GLASS by Michelle Rene

    2017 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

    The 2016 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

    Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch: Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter #1
    by Jacquie Rogers

    2016 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

     

    The 2015 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

    Widow (formerly known as Doctor Kinney’s Housekeeper) by Sara Dahmen

    2015 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

     

    The 2014 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

    Not on My Mountain Jared McVay

    Not On My Mountain by Jared McVay

    2014 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

    The 2013 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

    Unbroken Horses by Dale B. Jackson

    Unbroke Horses clean

    Congratulations to the Laramie Awards 2013 1st Place Category Winners:

    • Mystery:  Double or Nothing by Meg Mims
    • Action/Adventure:  Haunted Falls by Ken Farmer & Buck Stienke
    • Historical Fiction: Because of the Camels by Brenda Blair
    • Civil War:  Ford at Valverde by Anita Melillo
    • Prairie Pioneer:  They Rode Good Horses by Dale B. Jackson
    • Literary Western:  Unbroke Horses by Dale B. Jackson
    • First Novel:  Confessions of  a Gunfighter by Tell Cotten
    • Best Manuscript: Lick Creek by Deborah Lincoln

    HOW DO YOU HAVE YOUR BOOKS COMPETE? Submit them to the Chanticleer International Book Awards –Click here for more information about The CIBAs! 

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction Award

    Want to be a winner next year? The deadline to submit your book for the 2020 Laramie awards is July 31, 2020. Enter here!

    Grand Prize and First Place Winners for 2019 will be announced during our Virtual Conference in early September 2020.

    Any entries received on or after July 31, 2020, will be entered into the 2021 Laramie Book Awards. The Grand Prize and First Place for 2020 CIBA winners will be held on April 17, 2021.

     As our deadline draws near, don’t miss this opportunity to earn the distinction your American Western readers deserve!  Enter today!

    The LARAMIE Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards – the CIBAs.

    The 2020 winners will be announced at the CIBA  Awards Ceremony, which will take place during the 2020 Live/Online Chanticleer Authors Conference. All Semi-Finalists and First Place category winners will be recognized, the first place winners will be virtually whisked up on “stage” to receive their custom ribbon and wait to see who among them will take home the Grand Prize. Covid19 has made our celebrations a bit different this year, but we still will celebrate!

    Don’t delay! Enter today!  

    As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions, concerns, or suggestions at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com

    [20] McDougall, Walt, “Pictures in the Papers,” American Mercury, 6:21 (September 1925), 72.

    What’s a Laramie?

    We thought you’d never ask!

    We titled the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) division for Western American Fiction and all things that gather around the campfire singing a lonesome tune, the Laramie Awards, after the county and city in Wyoming. You know the one, tucked into the lower right-hand corner of the state between the Snowy Mountain Range and the Laramie Mountain Range.

    Yes, but why Laramie? 

    The small outpost was changed almost overnight when the Union Pacific Railroad moved their “Hell on Wheels” tent town from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Laramie after building the rails over the Sherman Summit at an elevation of 8,200 feet all the way to Laramie on May 4, 1868. Lawlessness and the Wild West ruled in Laramie. Luckily, “Hell on Wheels” moved on West as more track was laid down.

    But where did that name Laramie come from? 

    Laramie was named after Jacque LaRamie, a French or French-Canadian trapper who disappeared in the mountain range that was later named for him in the early 1810s. LaRamie was one of the first Europeans to visit the area. Laramie is a French name much like DuBois, Wyoming. And, yes, it is pronounced Doo – Boys (and NOT Du Bwai).

    There are several reasons we chose Laramie for our iconic Americana Book Awards. For us, and those in the know, Laramie, Wyoming immediately calls to mind the image of a Wild West town filled with rough-and-tumble cowboys. At one point, the only law in Laramie was “lawlessness. Wild Bill Hickok was even known to visit from time to time.

    Here’s a picture of the man, himself, on the left with his friends, Texas Jack Omohundro (center), and Buffalo Bill Cody on the right.

    Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch robbed trains and passengers with the first recorded train robbery taking place on June 2, 1899 in Wyoming. Butch was known to be very polite and dislike violence.

    But that’s not the only reason we chose Laramie.

    And, yes, there is yet one more reason we love Laramie! 

    The WOMEN!

    Calamity Jane hails from Laramie, Wyoming – a skilled sharpshooter who was born to a gambler and a prostitute. She cared for her five younger siblings in Utah before traveling on to Wyoming in search of a better life. There she found work as a dance hall girl and then as a prostitute at Fort Laramie. It was there that she reinvented herself by wearing buckskins and dressing like a man. She was also known for her swearing and hard-drinking ways, but Calamity Jane was also known even more for her kind heart and helping folks out of calamities–thus her nickname.

    Calamity Jane — She was the inspiration for Michelle Rene’s HOURGLASS novel.

    While the men were wrestling in the streets and shooting up the place, it was really the women who brought civilization to Laramie and Wyoming Territory. They established the first school in 1869, served on a formal jury in the Spring of 1870,  and were the first to gain the vote; which is exactly what Louisa Swain and 92 of her friends did on September 6, 1870 –150 years ago!

    Louisa Swain, the first woman to cast a ballot and she did it in Laramie, Wyoming!

    Louisa Swain – she was made of stern stuff!

    Early in the morning on September 6, 1870 in Laramie, Wyoming Louisa Swain became the first woman in the world to cast a ballot under democratically enacted laws granting women equal political rights with men. In the fall of 2008, 138 years later, the U.S. Congress passes a resolution proclaiming September 6th as “Louisa Swain Day” in recognition of this historic event.The Louisa Swain Foundation

    In 1870, Esther Hobart Morris (59 years old) became the first female Justice of the Peace. She served in South Pass City, Wyoming, which is to the northwest of Laramie.

    Esther Morris "to pettifoggers she showed no mercy." Wyoming Tribune
    Esther Morris, first female Justice of the Peace — Wyoming

    Esther Morris “to pettifoggers she showed no mercy.” Wyoming Tribune

    The Union’s first all-female jury was assembled in Wyoming in 1870.

    Later, in 1894, Estelle Reel Meyer became Superintendent of Public Instruction, the country’s first female statewide elected official.

    And the grand coup d’etat was when in 1889 when Wyoming vied for statehood—and refused to join the Union if the laws giving equality to women were not upheld, telling Congress (which wanted the suffrage law rescinded) via telegram,

    “We will remain out of the Union 100 years rather than come in without the women.”

    Wyoming is also the first state in the USA to allow women to own property and sign legal documents.

    In 1910, Mary Godat Bellamy became the first woman to be elected to the Wyoming Legislature. Two other western states, Colorado and Idaho, elected women legislators in 1895 and 1899, respectively. Wyoming was third in the nation.

    Quotes are from the Smithsonian Magazine
    Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/women-voting-wyoming-150-years-here-how-state-celebrating-180971263/#6UKzMfMeCQsmbIIQ.99
    Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv
    Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter

    {https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/brief-history-laramie-wyoming}

     

  • DANTE ROSSETTI SPOTLIGHT – Young Adult Novel Book Awards, #CIBAs

    DANTE ROSSETTI SPOTLIGHT – Young Adult Novel Book Awards, #CIBAs

     

    Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction

     

    Do you have a Y/A Fiction manuscript or recently published novel?

    Enter it today in the CIBA 2020 DANTE ROSSETTI Awards! Let us decipher the best of the best. 

    If you know anything about Chanticleer International Book Awards, you know that we never stop sharing the good news and accomplishments of our authors! Never!

    What that means is we believe in book promotion, highlighting our winners, standing on our platforms, and telling the known world all about YOUR BOOK! 

    Sound good to you? 

    Enter your Y/A Fiction Novel TODAY into the CIBA 2020 DANTE ROSSETTI Awards. 

     

    The Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction are named for the British painter and poet,
    Dante Gabriel Rossetti

     

    Chanticleer has chosen Dante Rossetti as the namesake of our young adult fiction awards, because of Rossetti’s strong connection to works of beauty and emotions as swift as the changing seasons. Both aspects embody what it means to be young. We feel that the sentiment expressed by the Pre-Raphaelite movement exemplifies what inspires many authors to pick up their proverbial pens to express their emotions and their observations of the visceral dynamics of living.

    Besides, he was a rock star. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, an exclusive group in the mid-nineteenth century which garnered as much fame and attention as equatable to the Game of Thrones cast today.

    The Love Song by Sir Burne-Jones who was mentored and influenced by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

     

     

    Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction

     

    You won’t regret it – Just ask the following authors who did enter, and won!

    The 2018 DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards GRAND PRIZE:

    Whispers by Yvonne Moon

    WHISPERS by Lynn Yvonne Moon

     

    2018 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction
    First in Category Winners

    • Climb, Run, Drown by Cheryl G. Bostrom
    • Tookan Attack by Alex Paul
    • Reality Gold by Tiffany Brooks
    • 2nd Gen by Andrea and William Vaughan
    • Change of Chaos by Jacinta Jade
    • Sneaking Out by Chuck Vance
    • Soul Sacrifice by Susan Faw   

    Here’s a little more about our Dante Rossetti … (can we claim him as our own?)

    Rossetti’s paintings, in particular, were characterized by the long and wavy hair of young women. It is this youthful beauty that has been immortalized in his work and captures the immovable spirit of adolescence which is so fraught with changing emotions. These women he painted are often quite romantic. His wife would often model for the paintings or the wives of his friends in the Brotherhood. It was rumored that Rossetti had several lovers…

    Visitors today can view Rossetti’s work at the Louvre or the Met. In addition to painting, he was also a writer. Several of his poems address emotions and feelings in all of their complexity, similar to his painted works.

    La Viuda Romana, 1874 by our fav guy, Dante Gabriel Rossetti

     

     

     

     

     

    The 2017 Dante Rossetti Book Awards Grand Prize:

    SLAVE to FORTUNE  by D. J. Munro

     

    2017 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction First in Category Winners

     

     

    The 2016 Dante Rossetti Book Awards Grand Prize:

    SEER of SOULS by Susan Faw

     

    2016 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction First in Category Winners

     

    The 2015 Dante Rossetti Book Awards Grand Prize:

    The GIRL and the CLOCKWORK CAT by Nikki McCormack

     

     

    2015 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction First in Category Winners

     

    The 2014 Dante Rossetti Book Awards Grand Prize:

    LEGACY: Biodome Chronicles Book One by Jesikah Sundin

    2014 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction First in Category Winners

     

    The 2013 Dante Rossetti Book Awards Grand Prize:

    The BOREALIS GENOME by Thomas & Nancy Wise

     

     

    2013 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction First in Category Winners

     

    Want to be a winner next year? The deadline to submit your book for the Dante Rossetti Awards is June 30, 2020. Enter here!

     

    Do your works have what it takes to make it through the CIBA judging rounds?  Submit manuscripts and published works into the Chanticleer International Book Awards – Click here for more information about The CIBAs! 

    Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction

    The last day to submit your work is June 30, 2020. We invite you to join us, to tell us your stories, and to find out who will take home the 2019 CIBA prizes at CAC20  in September.

    The deadline for  2020 YA submissions is June 30, 2020. Grand Prize and First Place Winners for 2020 will be announced on April 18, 2021.

    Any entries received after June 30, 2020, will be entered into the 2021 Dante Rossetti Book Awards Young Adult Fiction. The Grand Prize and First Place for 2021 CIBA winners will be held on April 2022.

     As our deadline draws near, don’t miss this opportunity to earn the distinction your work deserves!  Enter today!

    The DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards – the CIBAs.

    The winners will be announced at the 2019 CIBA  Awards Ceremony in September 2020, which will take place during the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference. All Semi-Finalists and First Place category winners will be recognized, the first-place winners will be whisked up on stage to receive their custom ribbon and wait to see who among them will take home the Grand Prize. It’s an exciting evening of celebrations! 

    Don’t delay! Enter today! 

  • June SPOTLIGHT on CHAUCER AWARDS – Early Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romantic Fiction, Crusades, Medieval

    June SPOTLIGHT on CHAUCER AWARDS – Early Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romantic Fiction, Crusades, Medieval

    Pre 1750 Historical Fiction Award

    Do you have an early historical fiction manuscript or recently released novel? Submit your work to the CIBA 2019 CHAUCER Awards by
    June 30, 2020, and see how your work stacks up against others. 

     

    We know you want to – because we never tire of promoting our authors’ achievements!

    As in Chaucer’s words in the Nun’s Priest Tale of the Canterbury Tales,

    “For crowing there was not his equal in all the land.”

     

    Click here to find out more. 

    We titled the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) division for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction the Chaucer Awards, after the English poet and author of the Canterbury Tales, because #CHAUCER.

    But seriously, did you know that The Canterbury Tales is considered one of the greatest works in the English language? In fact, it was among the first non-secular books written in Middle English to be printed. So, yeah, #Chaucer

    A woodcut from William Caxton’s second edition 0f the Canterbury Tales printed in 1483

    Some interesting tidbits about Geoffrey Chaucer

            • born c. 1342/43 probably in London. He died on October 25, 1400
            • his father was an important London vintner
            • His family’s finances were derived from wine and leather
            • Chaucer spoke Middle English and was fluent in French, Latin, and Italian
            • He guided diplomatic missions across the continent of Europe for ten years where he discovered the works of Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio whose The Decameron had a profound influence on Chaucer’s later works
            • He married well as his wife received an annuity from the queen consort of Edward III
            • His remains are interred in the Westminster Abbey

     

     As our deadline draws near, don’t miss this opportunity to earn the distinction your historical fiction deserves!  Enter today!

    Welcome to the CHAUCER BOOK AWARDS HALL OF FAME

    Click on the links below to read the Chanticleer Review of the award-winning work!

    Pre 1750 Historical Fiction Award

     

    The 2018 Chaucer Book Awards Grand Prize Winner:

    The SERPENT and The EAGLE  by Edward Rickford 

     

     

    2018 Chaucer Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction First in Category Winners:

     

     

     

     

     

    The 2017 Chaucer Book Awards Grand Prize:

    The Traitor’s Noose: Lions and Lilies Book 4 by Catherine A. Wilson and Catherine T. Wilson

    2017 Chaucer Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction First in Category Winners:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The 2016 Chaucer Book Awards Grand Prize Winner:

    (Chaucer Book Awards was the Historical Fiction division until we divided it for the 2016 CIBAs into two divisions because of the number of entries:

    Goethe Book Awards for post-1750s Historical Fiction and Chaucer Book Awards for pre-1750s Historical Fiction).

    The Towers of Tuscany by Carol M. Cram

     

    2016 Chaucer Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction First in Category Winners:

             

             

             

             

             

             

            The 2015 Chaucer Book Awards Grand Prize Winner:

            (Chaucer Book Awards was the Historical Fiction division until we divided it into two divisions for the 2016 CIBAs because of the number of entries:

            Goethe Book Awards for post-1750s Historical Fiction and Chaucer Book Awards for pre-1750s Historical Fiction).

            Valhalla Revealed by Robert A. Wright

            Valhalla Revealed by Robert A Wright

             

            2015 Chaucer Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction First in Category Winners:

             

             

             

             

             

            The 2014 Chaucer Book Awards Grand Prize:

            (Chaucer Book Awards was the Historical Fiction division until we divided it into two divisions because of the number of entries:

            Goethe Book Awards for post-1750s Historical Fiction and Chaucer Book Awards for pre-1750s Historical Fiction).

            The Love of Finished Years  by Gregory Erich Phillips

            2014 Chaucer Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction First in Category Winners

             

            The 2013 Chaucer Book Awards Grand Prize Winner:

            Propositum - Front Cover 2

            Propositum by Sean Curley

            2013 Chaucer Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction First in Category Winners:

            • Adventure/Young Adult:  I, Walter by Mike Hartner
            • N.A. Western:  Crossing Purgatory by Gary Schanbacher
            • World War II (European):  Deal with the Devil by J. Gunner Grey
            • Adventure/Romance/YA: “Lady Blade” by C.J. Thrush
            • Nordic History:  The Jøssing Affair by J.L.Oakley
            • Regency:  Traitor’s Gate by David Chacko & Alexander Kulcsar
            • Women’s Fiction/WWII: Wait for Me  by Janet K. Shawgo
            • Medieval/Dark Ages: Divine Vengeance by David Koons
            • Women’s Fiction/World History: Daughters of India by Kavita Jade

            What are you waiting for? Before long the CHAUCER Book Award deadline will be history.

            Submit your manuscript or recently released Historical Fiction (pre-1750s) to the Chanticleer International Book Awards!

            Want to be a winner next year? The deadline to submit your book for the Chaucer awards is June 30, 2020. Enter here!

            Grand Prize and First Place Winners for 2019 will be announced on September 5, 2020.

            Any entries received on or after June 30, 2020, will be entered into the 2021 Chaucer Book Awards. The Grand Prize and First Place for 2020 CIBA winners will be held on April 17, 2021.

             As our deadline draws near, don’t miss this opportunity to earn the distinction your historical fiction deserves!  Enter today!

            The CHAUCER Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards – the CIBAs.

            The 2020 winners will be announced at the CIBA  Awards Ceremony on September 5, 2020, which will take place during the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference. All Semi-Finalists and First Place category winners will be recognized, the first-place winners will be whisked up on stage to receive their custom ribbon and wait to see who among them will take home the Grand Prize. It’s an exciting evening of dinner, networking, and celebrations! 

            Don’t delay! Enter today! 

          • The FINALISTS Announcement for the GOETHE Book Awards for post-1750s Historical Fiction, a division of the 2019 CIBAs

            The FINALISTS Announcement for the GOETHE Book Awards for post-1750s Historical Fiction, a division of the 2019 CIBAs

            Post 1750s Historical Fiction AwardThe Goethe Book Awards recognize emerging new talent in post-1750s Historical Fiction. The Goethe Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

            The Goethe Book Awards competition is named for Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who was born at the dawn of the new era of enlightenment on August 28, 1749.

            Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring Late Period Historical Fiction. Regency, Victorian,18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, World and other wars, history of non-western cultures, set after the 1750s, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

            The 2019 CIBAs received an unprecedented number of entries making this book awards program even more competitive. More entries along with more competitive works make the final rounds of judging even more demanding. The judges have requested a new level of achievement to be added to the rounds to acknowledge the entries that they deemed should receive a high level of recognition.

            We decided that this was the time to incorporate the new level – The FINALISTS – as requested by the CIBA judges. This new level will be incorporated into the 2019 CIBAs Levels of Achievement.  The FINALISTS were selected from the entries that advanced to the 2019 GOETHE Book Awards Semi-Finalists. 

             

            Congratulations to the 2019 GOETHE Book Awards FINALISTS

            • Vanda Writer – Paris, Adrift
            • Kari Bovee – Peccadillo at the Palace
            • Kari Bovee – Girl with a Gun
            • PJ Devlin – Wissahickon Souls
            • John Hansen – Hard Times
            • Mary Adler – Shadowed by Death: An Oliver Wright WWII Mystery
            • Lee Hutch – So Others May Live
            • Mike Jordan – The Runner 
            • Sandra Wagner-Wright – Two Coins: A Biographical Novel
            • J.G. Schwartz – The Pearl Harbor Conspiracy
            • Marina Osipova – How Dare The Birds Sing 
            • Lisa Braver Moss – SHRUG: A Novel

            These titles are in the running for the First Place positions of the 2019 GOETHE Book Awards for post-1750s Historical Fiction

            Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

            The Finalists and the Semi-Finalists will be recognized at the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference and  at the 2019 CIBA banquet and ceremony.

            Goethe Book Awards Semi-Finalist Badge

            Congratulations to the authors whose works have advanced to the FINALISTS Level of Achievement!

             

            The 16 divisions of the 2019 CIBAs’ Grand Prize Winners, the First Place Category Position Award Winners, and all Semi-Finalists will be announced at the postponed 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards Annual Gala, now re-scheduled for Saturday, September 5th, 2020.

            Join us at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. Use our link above to register now for this exciting event!

            We are now accepting submissions into the 2020 GOETHE Awards Book Awards. The deadline for submissions is June 30th, 2020. The winners will be announced in April 2021.

            Please click here for more information.

            Don’t Delay! Enter Today!

            As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com.