Tag: CAC

  • The 2024 Harvey Chute First Place Roundup for Business and Finance

    Three Black stripes on a yellow badge CIBA BadgeThe Harvey Chute Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Business and Enterprising Non-Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Jacqui Clarke‘s book, Stop Worrying About Money, will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Harvey Chute contest page year ’round!

    The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!

    The 2024 Harvey Chute Winners were announced at the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

    Join us in celebrating the 2024 First Place Harvey Chute Winners!

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Roger Spitz – Disrupt With Impact

    Disrupt With Impact is the ultimate guide to thriving in today’s complex business landscapes. It offers strategies that will allow you to navigate uncertainty and change through strategic decision-making.

    Covering major challenges such as sustainability, AI, geopolitics and cybersecurity, this book is your compass for exploring the uncharted waters of the future. These paradigm shifts will redistribute trillions of dollars, presenting opportunities for immense value creation, while those clinging to business as usual face growing risks of value destruction. Through fascinating research and original frameworks, Disrupt With Impact offers the knowledge and confidence you need to lead your business through disruption.

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Jenny Li Fowler – Organic Social Media

    Organizations and institutions focused on community building have a built-in group of ambassadors who embrace their message and vision. Social media managers have a unique opportunity to lean into this loyalty by creating a social presence informed by this digital engagement.

    In Organic Social MediaJenny Li Fowler outlines the important steps that social media managers need to take to enhance an organization’s broader growth objectives. Fowler breaks down the important questions to help readers determine the best platforms to invest in, how they can streamline the approval process and other essential strategic steps to create an organic following on social platforms.

    Organic Social Media explains how to elevate the key growth objectives of a brand by creating or recreating its online presence. Early chapters walk readers through the planning phase, the process of strategic goal setting, platform selection, resource management and content discovery. Later chapters focus on executing these established plans and offer a strategic way to build a content calendar and track the success of social. With this book, social media managers will future-proof the online presence of any organization.

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Anastasia Karklina Gabriel – Cultural Intelligence for Marketers

    Brands not only reflect culture but actively shape societal norms and values. Move beyond performative inclusive marketing and drive the cultural conversation.

    A brand today can build a marketing strategy that not only effectively resonates with audiences but also meaningfully impacts society at large. Learn how to produce inclusive marketing using an approach grounded in critical perspectives on society and the impact brands wield in shaping it. In this book, cultural theorist and strategist Anastasia Karklina Gabriel draws on social analysis, media theory, and semiotics to help marketers improve cultural fluency and future-proof brand strategy by embedding equity and inclusion into every aspect of marketing. Cultural Intelligence for Marketers explains how to create an inclusive marketing strategy using an actionable approach that draws on advanced insights into culture, identity, representation, and the power of media in driving social change.

    The book offers an in-depth dive into the urgent need for cultural competence in marketing using a framework rooted in 4Cs: Culture, communication, critical consciousness, and community. It delves into practical aspects of conscious marketing, inclusive innovation, cultural insights, brand activism, social impact, and responsibility in business. It features insights from current and former marketing leaders at Wieden+Kennedy, Mindshare, Dentsu, and Saatchi & Saatchi, among others. Drawing on case studies from brands that are actively pursuing inclusive marketing strategies, including Microsoft, Pinterest, Billie, and REI, Gabriel outlines the process of deploying cultural intelligence to attain commercial advantage while transforming society for the better.

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Neal Schaffer – Digital Threads

    Are you a small business owner, entrepreneur, or content creator struggling to navigate the complex world of digital marketing?

    Do you want to learn how to build a powerful online presence, leverage social media, and harness the power of AI tools without breaking the bank?

    In Digital Threads, renowned digital marketing consultant and Fractional CMO Neal Schaffer offers actionable insights and practical strategies that have helped countless businesses and entrepreneurs achieve their marketing goals. Drawing on over a decade of experience, Neal provides a comprehensive playbook that demystifies digital marketing and empowers you.

    Digital Threads is your ultimate guide to mastering digital marketing in today’s fast-paced, digital-first economy.
    In today’s digital-first economy, having a strong online presence and effective marketing strategy is crucial for success. Digital Threads provides you with the knowledge and tools you need to thrive. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your existing strategies, this book is your go-to resource for achieving measurable results and sustained growth.

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Melina Palmer – The Truth About Pricing

    The ultimate guide to pricing mastery and value-based pricing, The Truth About Pricing helps you unlock the secrets of your buyers’ minds, understand their needs, and set prices that skyrocket your business’s success.

    Pricing mastery made easy. A must-read for entrepreneurs seeking to determine what their customers value and set prices they want by understanding the truth about pricing—it isn’t about the price. Everything that happens before the price matters much more than the price itself. Have happier clients, boost your profits, and confidently master the pricing game with this comprehensive guide.

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!


    Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2024 Harvey Chute First Place Winners!

    Three Black stripes on a yellow badge CIBA Badge

    Watch for our Spotlight and Hall of Fame Articles that will feature incredible books, including Jacqui Clarke’s amazing Stop Worrying About Money!

    Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Harvey Chute Awards!

    The tiers of achievement for the CIBAs

    Got a great Business and Enterprise Book?

    The 2025 Harvey Chute Book Awards are open through the end of September!

    Blue button that says Enter a Writing Contest
    Submit to the Harvey Chute Awards Today!
  • The 2025 SEA Shorts Awards Long List for Short Stories, Essays, and Novellas

    The CIBA Badge for the SEA Shorts Awards has a small pencil on a blue background

    The SEA Shorts Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Short Stories. The Shorts Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

    The Chanticleer International Book Awards program discovers today’s best works. The SEA Short Stories Awards discovers the Best New Short Form Fiction, Narrative Non-Fiction and Essays. These books have advanced to the next judging rounds. We will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

    These titles have moved forward from all of the 2025 SEA SHORTS entries to the 2025 SEA Shorts Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 SEA Shorts Award Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. FINALISTS will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.

    We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA at the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference

    These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 SEA Shorts Book Awards novel competition for Short Stories!

    Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!

    • AJ Skelly – Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor
    • Amichai Kolberg – A Sweet and Faithful Lullaby
    • C. V. Lee – Her Noble Groom
    • Catherine Brown – Purrfect Revenge
    • Cathryn Devries – Son of Osivirius
    • Charlie Robinson – Bow Tie Sex a Serious Scientific Study
    • Chell Linn Araya – Don’t Talk To Strangers
    • Christopher Macdonald – The Wobbly Man
    • Dan Baltrusis Jr. – My Wife Was Right the Zombie Apocalypse
    • David Fitz-Gerald – A Pioneer Christmas Beyond the Oregon Trail
    • Don Jacobson – The Last Gift: An Austenesque Short Story
    • Dr. Gregory Steinberg – No More To Lose Till Death Do Us Part
    • Elizabeth Klein – Kingdom of Longing
    • Gail Heath – Minuet
    • Gail Noble-Sanderson – All Is Fair
    • Grace Haygood – A Love To Call Home
    • J. L Oakley – Mr. Brown Reads
    • Jackson Kuhl – The Island of Small Misfortunes
    • Jalon J Jakab – Inside the Walls
    • Jamie Kirkpatrick – The Dreamcatcher
    • Joseph Kovler – At the Corner of Hitler and Goering
    • Julia Marie Davis – Catbird
    • K. E. Adamus – Last Episode
    • K. E. Adamus – Sanity Test
    • K. E. Adamus – To Outwit the Fate
    • Katherine Smith Dedrick – Tangled Verdict
    • Kathleen Kaska – The Diary of Simone Lablanc
    • Kregg P.J. Jorgenson – An Accidental Muse
    • Kregg P.J. Jorgenson – Emotional Loss Prevention
    • Lasse Toft – 70 Things You Can Do While Being Hospitalized
    • Linda Griffin – Morgan’s Landing
    • Linda Harris Sittig – B-52 Down the Night the Bombs Fell From the Sky
    • Maggie Enriquez – The Rebirth of a Phoenix
    • Marie Sutro – For the First Time
    • Marie Sutro – Not the North Pole
    • Marie Sutro – You Oughta Know
    • Mary Ann Bernal – Anarose and Medusa’s Curse
    • Morris Hoffman – Boy of Heaven
    • Murray Eiland – Mount Zephon Gateway To Mot
    • Murray Eiland – Philosopher of Fire
    • Natia Khaduri – Leading with Love a Journey of Resilience and Impact
    • Paisley Summer – The Movie Theatre
    • PJ Devlin – Original Sins
    • Richard Leslie Brock – Cephalonia
    • Richard Leslie Brock – The Atonements
    • Ruud Richardson – The Spy: A Short Story
    • Sandra Wagner-Wright – The Life & Times of Sarah Good Accused Witch
    • Sarena Straus – The Patchwork Man
    • T.O. Paine – The Abduction
    • TK Sheffield – Horse Thief: A Nomad Vet with a Score To Settle Takes on Horse Thieves in a Midwest Showdown
    • TK Sheffield – The Glitching Ghoul: AI Terror at a Writer’s Retreat

    Congratulations once more to the 2024 Shorts Grand Prize Winner for Short Prose

    Something About Lizzy

    By Robin Elizabeth Kobayashi

    Something About Lizzy cover by Robin Elizabeth Kobayashi

    Click here to see the full list of 2024 SEA Shorts Book Award Winners for Short Stories and Essays.

    We are now accepting submissions into the 2026 SEA Shorts Book Awards for Short Stories, Novellas, and Essays!

    Please click here for more information.

    Winners will be announced at the 2025 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

    April 17 – 19, 2026! Save the Date for Registration!

    Seating is Limited. 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.

    Join us for our annual conference as we enter our second decade and discover why!

  • The 2025 Harvey Chute Spotlight for Business & Finance

    Mastering Financial Success!

    Three Black stripes on a yellow badge CIBA Badge

    The Harvey Chute Awards for Business & Finance

    In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, financial literacy and strategic thinking have never been more crucial. From navigating investment complexities to building sustainable business models, professionals and entrepreneurs need reliable guidance to thrive. The Harvey Chute Awards for Business & Finance celebrate the exceptional works that provide this essential knowledge, recognizing authors who translate complex financial concepts into actionable insights that empower readers to take control of their economic futures.

    Celebrating Our Grand Prize Winner!

    Stop Worrying About Money Cover

    We’re proud to celebrate our 2024 Harvey Chute Division Grand Prize Winner, Jacqui Clarke for her transformative guide Stop Worrying about Money. This comprehensive work goes beyond traditional financial advice to address the psychological and practical aspects of money management. Clarke, described as “Australia’s best-kept money secret,” delivers a holistic approach that helps readers clarify their values, set realistic goals, and build genuine financial security. Her book tackles everything from combating expense creep and avoiding common money traps to overcoming setbacks and mastering long-term planning, all while maintaining an accessible and encouraging tone.

    What sets Stop Worrying about Money apart is its emphasis on financial literacy as a journey of self-awareness rather than merely a destination of wealth accumulation. As our review noted, Clarke “blends theoretical financial advice with pragmatic applications, incorporating real-life examples, case studies, and interactive exercises” that transform potentially dry subject matter into engaging and digestible content. The book addresses critical issues from building a trusted “finance village” of advisors to understanding the impact of financial decisions on personal relationships. Clarke will be invited to participate in a Chanticleer Author Interview, offering readers deeper insights into her expertise and approach to financial empowerment.

    The Harvey Chute Awards recognize the full spectrum of business and finance literature, encompassing categories from traditional Finance and Investing & Money to contemporary essentials like Social Media, Technology Guides, and Communications. This comprehensive approach reflects the reality that modern business success requires mastery across multiple disciplines, whether you’re developing a Motivational framework, crafting Business Strategy, understanding Economics, or building Marketing expertise.

    Explore All Business & Self-Help Divisions

    The Harvey Chute Awards are part of Chanticleer’s comprehensive celebration of transformative non-fiction:

    The Doctor’s Voice
    By Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli

    A Harvey Chute First Place Winner!

    Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli speaks out on serious professional issues faced by modern healthcare workers, in The Doctor’s Voice.

    Doctors deal with overwhelming stress, leading to burnout, illness, many of them leaving the profession, and even a higher-than-average rate of suicide. The Covid19 pandemic both heightened and helped illuminate some of the causes of this stress, prompting author Garbelli to write this book as a set of advice for his colleagues and as advocacy for broader changes in hospitals and other healthcare systems.

    Garbelli highlights a common disconnect in communication—administrators and higher-ups telling doctors what to do while those doctors don’t have much opportunity to bring up the problems they encounter day-to-day.

    Read More Here

    The Money Map
    By Kasey J. Claytor

    A Mind and Spirit First Place Winner!

    “There is something magical about money—the way it appears and disappears, grows and shrinks, and, in a similar way of taming a hesitant wild horse, with calm assuredness and confidence, not only will you learn to control it, but you will find you can joyfully master it.” -Author Kasey J. Claytor

    Claytor insists that every successful endeavor starts with an individual’s thinking and beliefs. She details this concept – and how to live with it in mind – in her new book, The Money Map: A Spiritual Guide for Financial Success.

    From the onset of her business-oriented career, Claytor has drawn from her beliefs as she upholds financial success as a spiritual goal. In this volume, she takes the mystery out of money to show it as an extension of the mind, body, and spirit. Claytor ensures the beginning of an endearing journey toward clearer financial decision-making, investments, and goals by asking readers to identify the worries of their own ego and to eliminate unproductive ideas and actions. 

    Read More Here

    Tax MythBusters
    By Lily Tran

    Tax MythBusters: Don’t Fall Prey to the Tax Misconceptions, compiled by tax professional Lily Tran with essays by other financial, tax, and accounting professionals, gives valuable insight into the myths of what can and cannot be claimed as a deduction for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

    This work provides tips and strategies to optimize tax planning and make the most of available deductions. As the foreword reminds the reader, “Knowledge is power when it comes to taxes,” adding that gaining a better understanding of the tax rules and regulations will allow you to “make smart financial decisions and protect yourself from unnecessary risks.”

    The essays that make up this work are short, succinct, and to the point about the pitfalls and challenges that face small business owners, framing these dangers as “myths.”

    Read More Here

    Reconfigurement Cover

    Reconfigurement
    By E. Alan Fleischauer

    Chanticleers 2022 Harvey Chute Grand Prize Winner!

    A guide to achieving financial freedom in retirement, E. Alan Fleischauer’s bestseller Reconfigurement™ reveals a roadmap guided by the Mantra, “Navigate, Customize, and Thrive.”

    Advances in medicine, nutrition, and longevity planning now offer unparalleled possibilities to live longer, higher-quality lives. However, looming over this rosy image is a genuine concern: the financial ramifications of a longer retirement term. More alarming is that a sizable portion of the American populace is not harnessing their 401(k) retirement plans.

    In light of this scenario, can traditional investment programs with fraying safety nets, such as pensions, remain viable? Reconfigurement combines the emotional fulfillment of making retirement dreams a reality with practical guidance that rejects the notion of a set retirement age of 65. This work’s personal tales and sound financial guidance entice readers away from the constraints of traditional retirement approaches.

    Read More Here

    These reviews represent just a glimpse of the strategic insights and practical wisdom waiting to be discovered in today’s business and finance literature.


    See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!

    We’re excited about all the exceptional business and finance works we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. Throughout this year’s Harvey Chute Book Awards, we had the pleasure of promoting numerous outstanding titles as they advanced through our competition tiers. In a market flooded with millions of books, professional recognition cuts through the noise. The CIBAs provide ongoing promotion that maximizes your digital footprint and expands your readership through:

    • High-traffic website features
    • Social media promotion across established platforms
    • Newsletter spotlights like this reaching thousands of industry professionals
    • Long-tail marketing that continues promoting winners throughout the year

    This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.

    You wouldn’t hide a business! Don’t hide your book!

    The business and finance market continues to demand fresh perspectives and proven strategies, with professionals, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking guidance they can trust and implement. Whether your work provides innovative investment strategies, practical business solutions, cutting-edge technology insights, or foundational financial education, the Harvey Chute Awards provide the recognition and promotional platform your expertise deserves.

    Three Black stripes on a yellow badge CIBA Badge

    Business and finance literature has the unique power to transform lives, build wealth, and create sustainable success. From comprehensive guides that help readers master complex financial concepts to targeted strategies that solve specific business challenges, every expertly crafted work has the potential to become an essential resource. Don’t let your knowledge remain untapped! Enter the Harvey Chute Awards today and join the distinguished authors who’ve found their professional audience through Chanticleer!

    Submit to the Harvey Chute Awards today! Deadline: September 30th

    You know you want it…
  • The 2025 Shelley Short List for Paranormal Fiction

    The Shelley Awards for Paranormal Fiction features an image of Mary Shelley at her writing deskThe Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

    The Shelley Awards were formerly known as the Paranormal Awards. We are delighted to be able to honor the mother of science fiction with this award!

    Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird other-worldly stories, super humans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Dresden Files), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2025 Paranormal Book Awards!

    Each of these authors is already winning with their books are now featured on our high-traffic website, shared across our social media, and promoted to our newsletter subscribers. But this is just the beginning of their CIBA journey.

    These titles have moved forward from the 2025 SHELLEY Paranormal Fiction Long List to the 2025 Shelley Awards Short List. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Shelley Semi-Finalists. Finalists will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.

    We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA. 

    These titles are in the running for the Semi-Finalists of the 2025 Shelley Book Awards novel competition for Paranormal Fiction!

    Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!

    • AJ Humphreys – Trip: A Psychological Horror Novel
    • Amy S Cutler – A Shadow of Love
    • Amy S Cutler – To Have and To Hold To Love and To Kill an Agreement of Souls
    • Antoinette Chalmers – Midnight Stone
    • Bryan Alaspa – The Given
    • Dan Morris-Young – The Music Building
    • Diane Corso – Broken Things
    • E.L. Deards – The Lavender Blade
    • Evette Davis – The Campaign
    • George Petersen – The Summer of Haight
    • Gina Detwiler – Forever
    • H.J. Ramsay – Love and Other Cures for the Recently Undead
    • Heather Murphy – Bring Out Your Dead
    • Isaac Thorne – Tab’s Terrible Third Eye
    • Jared TLC – Destiny Lane
    • Katy Nyquist – A Holy Maiden’s Guide To Getting Kidnapped
    • Keith Steinbaum – The Poe Consequence
    • Kevin S. Moul – Lander’s Gate
    • L. J. Aldon – Riddle of the Jeweled Cipher
    • Lloyd Jeffries – Embers of Shadow Ages of Malice Book III
    • Logan D. Irons – City of Wolves
    • Lou Pugliese – Blame It on the Moon
    • Louisa West – Kiss of Death
    • Mark Mustian – Boy with Wings
    • Matt Ozanich – Priestess: The Tears of Promises Book One
    • Matthew Minson – The Lupin Gene
    • Melanie Forde – Guardian of the Crossroads
    • Raquel Y. Levitt – The Seer
    • Rebekah L Webb – Burrows of Blood and Shadow
    • Sheila English – The Deadly Pieces
    • Sherri L Dodd – Moonset on Desert Sands
    • T.V. Holiday – Cataclysm Legend of the Iron Warrior Vol. 2
    • Tom Dolan – Boba Wars Zero
    • Tracy Shew – Book Group

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

    PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

    This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky pages. We try to tag all authors listed here on Facebook. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed @ChantiReviews on these platforms.

    Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE! We are @ChantiReviews everywhere!

    We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

    Congratulations once more to the 2024 Shelley Grand Prize Winner

    Time-Marked Warlock

    By Shami Stovall

    Time-Marked Warlock Cover

    Click here to see the full list of 2024 SHELLEY Book Award Winners for Paranormal Fiction.

    Ready to Submit?

    Submissions for the 2026 Shelley Awards and other Speculative Fiction Divisions are open now! For other genres, we still have 25 divisions open for the 2025 CIBAs! Whether you write mystery, romance, historical fiction, or something entirely different, there’s likely a perfect fit for your work.

    Blue button that says Enter a Writing Contest

    Winners will be announced at the 2025 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

    April 17-19, 2026! Save the Date for Registration!

    Seating is Limited. 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.

    Join us for our 14th annual conference and discover why!

    Chanticleer Authors Conference, people, CAC2025

  • Five Days Remain! August Historical Fiction to Close!

    Our 4 Historical Fiction divisions close soon!

    From left to right we have badges for Chaucer, Goethe, Laramie, and Hemingway

    Don’t let your book miss out!

    Only 5 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and begin your journey to discovery. The deadline is 8/31/25. Now is the time to make your mark!

    The Chaucer, Goethe, Laramie and Hemingway Awards are still open!

    Best Book Grand Prize for the Chanticleer Int'l Book Awards

    Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Chaucer Award for Early Historical Fiction!

    • Dean Cycon – A Quest for God and Spices
    • Liz Sevchuk Armstrong – To Remain Vigilant
    • Rozsa Gaston – Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s Court
    • C.V. Lee – Betrayal of Trust
    • Logan D. Irons – Sands of Bone
    • Jean Gill – Among Sea Wolves
    • Laura C. Rader – Hatfield 1677

    And a round of applause for the 2024 Chaucer Grand Prize Winner!

    Maid Of Honour

    Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s Court

    By Rozsa Gaston

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Goethe Award for Late Historical Fiction!

    • Janis Robinson Daly – The Path Beneath Her Feet
    • Sandra Wagner-Wright – Sea Tigers & Merchants: A New American Generation
    • James Conroyd Martin – Napoleon’s Shadow Wife: A Novel of Countess Marie Walewska
    • Florence Reiss Kraut – Street Corner Dreams, A Novel
    • Leo Daughtry – Talmadge Farm
    • Jeza Belle – Blood Rouge
    • R.W. Meek – The Dream Collector, Book II “Sabrine & Vincent van Gogh”
    • Sherry V. Ostroff – The Wall at the Sugar Factory

    And a round of applause for our 2024 Goethe Grand Prize Winner!

    Abigail’s Song

    By Alina Rubin

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Laramie Award for Americana Fiction!

    • David Fitz-Gerald – First Drive
    • Georgina Hogue – Cloud Cap
    • Heather Miller – Yellow Bird’s Song
    • C.M. Huddleston – Esther
    • Karen Lynne Klink – At What Cost, Silence? Book 1 of The Texian Trilogy
    • Charlie Steel – Tom Sharp: The Man and the Legend
    • Daniel Greene – Northern Shadows (Northern Wolf Series Book 5)

    And a round of applause for our 2024 Laramie Grand Prize Winner!

    Sarita

    By Natalie Musgrave Dossett

    Sarita cover by Natalie Musgrave Dossett with a majestic horse galloping

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Hemingway Award for 20th and 21st Century Wartime Fiction!

    • R L Pace – Rising Son
    • Katherine Koch – The Sower of Black Field: Inspired by the True Story of an American in Nazi Germany
    • Tim Turner and Moisey Gorbaty – The Reluctant Conductor
    • Kay Smith-Blum – Tangles
    • Kathryn Gauci – Midnight in Istanbul
    • Travis Davis – One of Four: World War One Through the Eyes of an Unknown Soldier
    • Bharati Sen – My War, My Child
    • H. W. “Buzz” Bernard – When Heroes Flew

    And a round of applause for our 2024 Hemingway Grand Prize Winner!

    Of White Ashes

    By Constance Hays Matsumoto and Kent Matsumoto

    Of White Ashes cover by Constance Hays Matsumoto and Kent Matsumoto

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The CIBAs offer a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.

     

    We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.

    Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 17-19, 2026) where Winners from all 28 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

    Your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

    Let’s celebrate exceptional storytelling together!

    Blue button that says Enter a Writing Contest

    Your book deserves to be discovered

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today!

  • The 2025 Ozma Short List for Fantasy Fiction

    The 2025 Ozma Short List for Fantasy Fiction

    The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Magic, Steampunk and Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

    Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books in the Ozma Awards featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out-of-this-world fiction. Our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

    Each of these authors is already winning with their books are now featured on our high-traffic website, shared across our social media, and promoted to our newsletter subscribers. But this is just the beginning of their CIBA journey.

    These titles have moved forward from the 2025 OZMA Fantasy Fiction Long List to the 2025 Ozma Book Awards Short List. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Ozma Semi-Finalists. Finalists will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.

    We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA. 

    These titles are in the running for the Semi-Finalists of the 2025 Ozma Book Awards novel competition for Fantasy Fiction!

    Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!

    • A.T. Balsara – The Great and the Small
    • Abigail O’bryan – Iron Rose
    • Anton Anderson – The Seekers Perrin Peters
    • Anya Rousselle – The King’s Blade
    • B.L. Mostyn – Heroes of Another Age
    • David Nos – The Final War of Wizards and Dragons
    • C.R. Ware – All We Have to Remember: Volume One of the Seventh Layer Saga
    • C.V. Vobh – Somnus Palace
    • Catharina Steel – Vanishings
    • Clifton Wilcox – The Immortal Witness
    • Crystal D. Grant – Lightshed
    • D. Dalton – Heartstealer
    • David Waugh – The Will of the Wayfarer the Forgotten Legacy Part One
    • Evette Davis – The Campaign
    • Evette Davis – The Gift
    • Helen Garraway – Sentinals Origins Part One
    • J Prakash – Sedna of Hanaway
    • J.A. Nielsen – The Winter Heir (Fractured Kingdoms, Book 2)
    • J.C. Wade – Summer’s Reaping
    • Jason P. Crawford – The Trials of Poseidon
    • Jeffrey L. Kohanek – The First Wizard
    • Kristin Wahlne – When the Tree Calls
    • Michael a Wexler – Jatora
    • Michele L. Sayre – Darke Realms: One Tough Temporary She Alpha (Arcana 2)
    • Molly M. Hammond – Daughter of Starlight
    • Nicholas Varner – Warriors of the Red Wolf
    • Nikhil Prabala – The Duchess of Kokora
    • Nikki Mccormack – Child of Vanris (The Warden’s Son Book 1)
    • Oleg Veretskiy – Tales of the Wandering Mists a Ukrainian Fairy Tale
    • Palmer Pickering – Dark Town
    • Philip Carlisle – Surviving Eros
    • R. M. Krogman – Sundering
    • Richard M Wagner – The Chronicles of Amerista: Griefold
    • S.E. Reed – The Darkness of Dying in the Light
    • S.G. Blaise – Eldryan Elders
    • Samantha Schinder – The Drowners
    • Sean M. Tirman – Dreamweavers LLC
    • Simran Sadana – Itehas
    • T.A. Styles – Shift: An Urban Supernatural Fantasy (The Shift Series Book 1)
    • Tamar Anolic – The Keepers
    • Ted Neill – Lost Elawn
    • William H. Johnston – Shards of Unbroken Will

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

    PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

    This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky pages. We try to tag all authors listed here on Facebook and LinkedIn. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed @ChantiReviews on these platforms.

    Please LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on these platforms!

    We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

    Congratulations once more to the 2024 Ozma Grand Prize Winner

    A Circle of Stars

    By Erin Lark Maples

    Ozma Grand Prize Badge for A Circle of Stars by Erin Lark Maples

    Circle of Stars

    Click here to see the full list of 2024 Ozma Book Award Winners for Fantasy Fiction.

    Got your own Fantasy?

    Submissions for the 2026 Ozma Awards and other Speculative Fiction Divisions are open now! For other genres, we still have 25 divisions open for the 2025 CIBAs! Whether you write mystery, romance, historical fiction, or something entirely different, there’s likely a perfect fit for your work.

    Blue button that says Enter a Writing Contest

    Winners will be announced at the 2025 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

    April 17-19, 2026! Save the Date for Registration!

    Seating is Limited. 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.

    Join us for our 14th annual conference and discover why!

    Chanticleer Authors Conference, people, CAC2025

  • The 2025 Gertrude Warner Spotlight for Middle Grade Fiction

    Adventures Await Between Childhood and Adolescence

    The Boxcar Children from the famed series by Gertrude Warner

    The Gertrude Warner Awards Celebrate Middle Grade Excellence

    The submissions for the 2025 Awards are underway, and Gertrude Warner closes on September 30, 2025!

    Middle grade readers occupy a unique space in the literary world where they are no longer content with picture books, but not quite ready for the intense emotional landscapes of young adult fiction. Typically ages 8-12, these readers are navigating friendships, family dynamics, school challenges, and the growing awareness that the world is both more complex and more wonderful than they previously understood. The Gertrude Warner Awards celebrate the authors who craft stories for this special audience with the perfect blend of adventure, authenticity, and age-appropriate depth.

    Named for the creator of the beloved Boxcar Children series, these awards honor books that capture the curiosity, resilience, and growing independence that define the middle grade experience. The best middle grade fiction respects young readers’ intelligence while acknowledging their developmental needs, creating stories that entertain, educate, and empower without overwhelming or talking down to their audience.

    The Art of Speaking to Growing Minds

    Writing exceptional middle grade fiction requires a delicate balance that addresses real-world challenges that resonate with young readers while maintaining the hope and possibility that characterize the best children’s literature. Middle Grade Readers are sophisticated enough to handle complex emotions and situations, but they still need stories that ultimately affirm their ability to navigate challenges and find their place in the world.

    The most successful middle grade books feature protagonists who face genuine problems such as friendship conflicts, family struggles, identity questions, or external adventures, all while demonstrating the problem-solving skills, courage, and resilience that young readers can admire and emulate. These stories often explore themes of belonging, self-discovery, friendship loyalty, and family relationships in ways that feel authentic to the middle grade experience.

    Whether set in contemporary schools, fantastical realms, historical periods, or mystery-filled neighborhoods, the best middle grade fiction helps young readers see themselves as capable protagonists in their own life stories while providing the escapism and entertainment that makes reading a joy rather than a chore.

    Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!

    Back to Bainbridge cover by Norah Lally

    We’re thrilled to honor Norah Lally, whose emotionally rich novel Back to Bainbridge claimed the 2024 Gertrude Warner Grand Prize with a story that Publishers Weekly’s BookLife called “a moving, empathetic must-read about growing up and discovering what matters.” The novel follows fourteen-year-old Vicki as she navigates life in a cramped apartment shared with siblings, worries about her struggling mother, and dreams about an absent father while searching for her place in the world.

    What makes Back to Bainbridge exemplary middle grade fiction is its authentic portrayal of real challenges many young readers face – housing insecurity, family stress, and the universal desire to belong – while maintaining hope and discovering that sometimes the treasures we seek are already within reach. When Vicki meets Rosa from Apartment 1A and discovers the building’s basement full of forgotten stories and secrets, the novel beautifully demonstrates how friendship and imagination can transform difficult circumstances into opportunities for growth and connection. In addition to ongoing promotional features, Back to Bainbridge will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame posts. Norah Lally will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and Back to Bainbridge will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.

    Categories That Capture Every Middle Grade Adventure

    The Gertrude Warner Awards welcome middle grade fiction across every genre and format:

    • Contemporary Middle Grade – Stories set in today’s world that explore the real challenges and joys of growing up
    • Sci-Fi, Fantasy, & Paranormal Middle Grade – Imaginative tales that transport readers to other worlds while exploring universal themes
    • Mystery Middle Grade – Puzzle-solving adventures that engage young readers’ problem-solving skills and curiosity
    • Historical Middle Grade – Stories from the past that help young readers understand different times and cultures
    • Adventure Middle Grade – Action-packed tales that showcase courage, friendship, and personal growth
    • Graphic Novels for Middle Grade – Visual storytelling that combines compelling narratives with engaging artwork
    • First-Third Grade Readers (10,000-20,000 words) – Longer works for beginning independent readers making the transition to chapter books

    Each category serves the diverse interests and reading levels within the middle grade spectrum, ensuring that every young reader can find stories that speak to their experiences and interests.

    Complete Youth Literature Recognition

    The Gertrude Warner Awards bridge the gap in Chanticleer’s comprehensive youth literature celebration:

    Little Peeps Awards – Picture books and early readers that introduce children to the joy of reading

    Dante Rossetti Awards – Young adult fiction for teen readers navigating the transition to adulthood

    Together, these three divisions ensure that exceptional youth literature receives recognition at every developmental stage, supporting readers from their first picture books through their teenage years.

    Looking at Middle Grade Excellence

    Check out some of these outstanding middle grade books we’ve celebrated recently!

    The Ghost in the Garden Cover

    The Ghost in the Garden
    By Alisse Lee Goldenberg

    In Alisse Goldberg’s engaging young adult mystery, The Ghost in the Garden, a curious 11-year-old must face the challenges of moving to a new city, losing old friends, making new ones, and encountering historic specters in her new home.

    Sophie Madison seems none too happy about her recent move from the bustling city of Calgary, Ablerta to the smaller, quieter landscape of Stratford, Ontario. But upon arrival with her parents, she begins noticing the charm of the place, appearing like a step back in time. Their new house in particular catches her interest, with its tall turret topped by stained glass window panes where Sophie’s bedroom will be. In addition, the wild beauty of the backyard garden draws her in.

    Soon, a mysterious blonde-headed girl named Tabitha appears in the garden.

    Read More Here

    Book of Leprechauns Cover

    Book of Leprechauns: The Lore Gatherers
    By Jonathan Uffelman

    An Ozma First Place Winner!

    Three leprechauns, Molly, Shaun, and Dorker, have their lives turned upside down when a sinister figure returns to their peaceful village with greed and revenge on his mind. In Jonathan Uffelman’s middle-grade fantasy, Book of Leprechauns: The Lore Gatherers, they embark on a treacherous journey to recover their lost home.

    Shaun McClanahan struggles to support his daughter Molly as she fails a crucial test for young Lore Gatherers—a subculture of Leprechauns who respect the power of stories. Though he’s weighed down by his responsibilities as the protector of his village’s communal gold stash, Shaun tries to overcome his worrying nature by trusting Molly to check on the gold by herself, hopeful that she can prove her worth to the village.

    But when Molly follows her father’s magical instructions to the letter, she discovers with horror that the treasure is missing, save one ancient Roman coin.

    The theft means exile for both Molly and Shaun, as gold is the catalyst for Leprechaun magic. A dangerous and unwelcoming world awaits them beyond the village’s protection.

    Read More Here

    The Greatest Matchmaker in Space Cover

    The Greatest Matchmaker in Space: Eudora Space Kid Book 4
    By David Horn

    David Horn’s Eudora Space Kid series continues with another fabulous middle-grade Sci-fi novel, The Greatest Matchmaker in Space.

    Horn takes us back to the decks of the Athena, an AstroLiner and the flagship for the Astrofleet of the planetary Republic. The intrepid Eudora is ready to fly into another adventure, this time as a matchmaker for Captain Jax.

    Eudora loves math and science, and even though she’s only in third grade, she dreams of becoming a chief engineer on an AstroLiner. But, she would settle for Captain if that’s what they offered her. When she visits Cafeteria 1 for dessert, she finds Captain Jax, who, per usual, yells, “Get off my bridge.” He’s used to kicking Eudora off the bridge while he’s working, but he must be deeply distracted to confuse it with the cafeteria.

    She notices his sad eyes and dejected manner and asks what’s wrong. To her surprise, he invites her to sit with him, and she excitedly realizes the Captain of the Athena is going to confide in her.

    Read More Here

    Mystery Force - Volume One Cover

    Mystery Force: Volume One
    By Ted Neill; Illustrated by Suzi Spooner

    2022 Gertrude Warner Grand Prize Winner!

    Set in a world where magical talking creatures are a normal part of society, the Mystery Force series by Ted Neill is a must-read for any animal-loving kid.

    Book One, Mystery Force, Assemble!, begins with warehouses of previously unheard-of magical creatures being discovered and freed. Out of fear, these new creatures continue to hide, and a group of curious kids – Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo – decide to get to the bottom of the mystery!

    In book two, The Case of the Stolen Horn, Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo are on the case after their unicorn drama teacher, Mr. Twinkles, is attacked, with their pegasus geometry teacher Ms. Weymont being arrested for the crime. The Mystery Force kids are determined to clear Ms. Weymont’s name by finding the real culprit.

    Book three, Blazing Blizzards, confronts the Mystery Force gang with an unusual May blizzard. They waste no time in investigating the cause, trying to save their town and a newly discovered magical creature from the forces behind the terrible weather.

    Read More Here

    These works demonstrate how the best middle grade fiction combines age-appropriate storytelling with genuine respect for young readers’ intelligence and emotional capacity.


    See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!

    We’re excited about all the exceptional middle grade books we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!

    The Gertrude Warner Awards recognize the special skill required to write for middle grade readers, the ability to create stories that acknowledge young people’s growing sophistication while providing the adventure and engagement that make reading a treasured activity. Whether you’re exploring contemporary challenges, historical adventures, or fantastical quests, these awards celebrate books that respect and nurture growing minds.

    Your Middle Grade Adventure Awaits

    Middle grade readers are some of the most enthusiastic and loyal book lovers, and, when they discover a story that speaks to them, they become passionate advocates, sharing their favorites with friends and rereading beloved books until the covers fall off. Your middle grade novel could be the book that transforms a reluctant reader into a book lover or provides comfort and understanding to a young person navigating their own challenges.

    The Boxcar Children from the famed series by Gertrude Warner

    Help us celebrate the bridge between childhood and adolescence—the deadline is September 30, 2025!

    You know you want it…

    Submit to the Gertrude Warner Awards today and join the tradition of exceptional middle grade literature!

  • The 2025 Little Peeps Hall of Fame for Early Readers and Children’s Books

    Need a book for your Little Peep?

    a baby chick sitting in the grass with purple flowers.

    ***The CIBAs wants your Children’s Literature Today!***

    You have until September 30th to share your children’s story and enter the 2o25 CIBAs

    Two little chicks, fresh from their egg
    Enter Here

    The Little Peeps Book Awards features the best of the books that we read to our children and the young people who matter so much in our lives! Love of literature starts right away, and we’re proud to support these books for kids!

    Cheering on the past Grand Prize Winners for the Little Peep Awards!

    Island Moon
    Written and Illustrated by Ruth Amanda

    Ruth Amanda’s Island Moon is a magical moment captured in a poem.

    The narrator lives on an island where the moon sings of fairies and the magic of the night. While out on a nighttime walk, the narrator breathes in the island scents and hears the waves kissing the shore. In the froth of the waves, and in the moon’s magical light reflecting on the water, the narrator sees the fairies dancing.

    While describing all the animals active during nighttime, the narrator sees a tired sea turtle coming ashore to lay eggs. The moon blesses the creature, calling in the tide to aid the exhausted turtle back home to the sea. The songs of the night birds and the rays of the moon’s light follow the narrator back to bed and into their dreams.

    The rhyming of the poem and illustrations are truly beautiful. In a few short lines and pages, you are transported to a tranquil night on the island of Barbados.

    Read More Here

    The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans
    By Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover and Jessica Alexanderson
    Illustrated by Adam Trask

    The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, & Jessica Alexanderson, is perfectly written for children between three and eight years old.

    Eye-catching colorful graphics by Adam Trask, fun characters, and a wonderfully lighthearted storyline uphold this book’s message of protecting the environment. Both children and adults will feel empowered to help our planet one can at a time.

    An adventurous young girl named Ellie wants to buy a Unicorn. To earn the money she needs, Ellie plans to collect and recycle one million cans. But she soon realizes that her plans may need to take a different track. Together with her community of friends, who show great teamwork and perseverance, environmental lessons continue on with fantastic results.

    Read More Here

    Raven's Roost Cover

    Ravens Roost
    Written & Illustrated by Maggie Bates

    Maggie Bates’s Ravens Roost is a Children’s book that explores the illustrated nighttime adventures of a woman with her friend, a small frog.

    This story teaches children how to be curious about forest animals, even in the middle of a wind storm. Bates is new to writing Children’s books, and cares deeply for the natural world. Her rapport with animals likely inspired her debut tale.

    Ravens Roost begins with a frog sitting on a roof, wondering where ravens go at night. The woman who lives in the house decides to help the frog follow his curiosity on an adventure. First, she climbs up a tree to watch ravens soar overhead. She admires the moon and notices the birds perching in her favorite tree. She climbs down and starts her trek along a forest path as night falls and the wind picks up. The woman tucks her frog friend into her pocket for safety. Along their journey, the frog and the woman share a special friendship.

    Read More Here

    Victoria and the Big Brave Breath

    Victoria and The Big, Brave Breath
    By Andrea Vaughan
    Illustrated by Ryan Feltman

    Andrea Vaughan’s Victoria and the Big Brave Breath is a beautifully illustrated children’s book, written to ease conversations about anxiety and worry with a child.

    This story teaches children how to calm their nerves by focusing on their breath, using a clever onomatopoeia to help. Vaughn’s book is a timely must-read!

    Victoria and the Big, Brave Breath starts with a little girl named Victoria recognizing that she is often worried. She lists examples (trying new foods, going to the doctor, playing in the park) of her anxieties. Physically-speaking, Victoria’s hands sweat, her knees shake and her tummy hurts when her feelings appear. Her teddy bear best friend Baxter has a suggestion for her to ease these unfamiliar (and uncomfortable) feelings.

    Read More Here

    Great as a Button Cover

    Great as a Button
    By Masoud Malekyari
    Illustrated by Sebastiao Peixoto

    Masoud Malekyari’s Great As a Button is a delightful children’s book that places a soulful little plastic adornment at center stage in a thought-provoking story that offers up a positive lesson about self-worth.

    This tale unfolds from a first person POV as a lonely, black plastic button falls off a shirt. The button ruminates over its plight of feeling too plain to be noticed, and wishes perhaps to be a sock, a key, or a pair of glasses, i.e., a more important item that the button surmises someone would go out of their way to look for.

    Read More Here


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

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

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

  • 10 Days Left: Nellie Bly, Hearten, Journey, and Military & Front Line Book Awards close soon!

    The First set of Non-Fiction Divisions closes soon!

    Nellie Bly, Hearten, Journey, and Military & Front Line Awards

    Don’t let your book miss out!

    Only 10 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!

    The Journey, Hearten, Military and Front Line and The Nellie Bly Awards are still open!

    Best Book Grand Prize for the Chanticleer Int'l Book Awards

    Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Journey Awards for Overcoming Adversity!

    • Kirsten Throneberry – Guided: Lost Love, Hidden Realms, and the Open Road

    • Jennifer Gasner – My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis

    • Anne Gately – Sunburnt: A Memoir of Sun, Surf and Skin Cancer

    • Rachael Siddoway and Sonja Wasden – An Impossible Life: A True Story of Hope and Mental Illness

    • Lindsey Henke – When Skies Are Gray

    • Claudia Marseille – But You Look So Normal: Lost and Found in a Hearing World

    And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Journey Grand Prize Winner:

    Unfollow Me

    By Kathryn Caraway

    Red, Black, White, book, cover

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Hearten Award for Uplifting Non-Fiction!

    • Genét Simone – Teaching in the Dark

    • David Hutton – Drums of a Distant Tribe

    • Etsuko Diamond Miyagi – Diamond: The Memoir of a Lost Daughter of Japan

    • Rachael Siddoway and Sonja Wasden – An Impossible Life: A True Story of Hope and Mental Illness
    • Susan Cole – Holding Fast: A Memoir of Sailing, Love, and Loss

    • Tony Jeton Selimi – The Unfakeable Code®

    And a huge round of applause for our 2024 Hearten Grand Prize Winner:

    Elk Love: A Montana Memoir

    By Lynne Spriggs O’Connor

    Elk Love cover by Lynne Spriggs O'Connor

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Nellie Bly Award for Long Form Journalism!

    • Carla Conti – Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir

    • Kori Reed – Men-in-the-Middle Conversations to Gain Momentum with Gender Equity’s Silent Majority

    • Bonnie Bley – Stolen Voices: Missing and Murdered in Big Horn County

    • Sarah Towle – Crossing the Line: Finding America in the Borderlands

    And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Nellie Bly Grand Prize Winner:

    The Sing Sing Files:

    One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice

    By Dan Slepian

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Congratulations to our 2024 Winners of the Military and Front Line Award for Service to Others!

    • Roderick S. Haynes – Unauthorized Disclosures a Navy Memoir of the 1980s

    • David Huntley – The B-17 Tomahawk Warrior: a WWII Final Honor

    • Patrick Hogan – Coincidence, You Say?

    • Shari Biery – It’s Your Turn How To Rediscover Yourself Prioritize Your Well-Being Thrive with Purpose

    • Max Lauker & Antonio Garcia – Number 788: My Experiences in Swedish Special Operations – Preparing for NATO and the War on Terror

    • Bibi LeBlanc – Wings of Freedom – The Story of the Berlin Airlift | Flugel der Freiheit – Die Geschichte der Berliner Luftbrucke

    And a huge round of applause to the 2024 Military and Front Line Grand Prize Winner!

    Memoirs From The Front Lines:

    Four states, Two years, One pandemic

    By Kim Sloan

    Memoirs from the Frontlines cover by Kim Sloan

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    The CIBAs offer more than just recognition — they provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.

     

    We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.

    Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 3-6, 2025) where Winners from all 25 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

    In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

    Let’s celebrate exceptional storytelling together!

    Blue button that says Enter a Writing Contest

    Your book deserves to be discovered

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today!

  • The 2024 Little Peeps First Place Round Up for Early Readers!

    Two little chicks, fresh from their eggThe Little Peeps Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Children’s Books and Early Readers. The Grand Prize Winner, Ruth Amanda’s book, Island Moon will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Little Peeps contest page year ’round!

    The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!

    The 2024 Little Peeps Winners were announced at the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

    Join us in celebrating the 2024 First Place Little Peeps Winners!

    A Gold Ribbon dividing this section from the next

    Kristen J Anderson – Lorelei the Lorelei: The First of Many Firsts

    Illustrated by Audrey Suau

    Lorelei the Lorelei Cover

    Seven-year-old Lorelei doesn’t know what she is more excited about for her upcoming first day of first grade, making a new best friend or finding her “uniquely special thing” that Mee-maw says every child has that makes them stand out. It’s hard to leave her parents, three-year-old brother, and their sasquatch-hunting behind, but after donning the perfect outfit (brightly colored leggings, a tie-dyed tutu, sparkly gold Mary Janes and the perfect headband), she is all bubbly inside with anticipation.

    Things at school start off great when Lorelei enters Miss Grim’s room which is as bright and cheery as the teacher herself, and Lorelei is asked by a girl named Adeline to play at recess. Could this be her new best friend? But her optimism is soon darkened by a confrontation with the braggy “superstar” of the classroom, Emily, a.k.a. “Hands,” who always needs to be the center of attention. As the day closes, Lorelei isn’t sure that she’s found this “uniquely special thing,” but she is buoyed by her budding new friendships and all she’s learned about herself.


    Lovable, mischievous, and imaginative, Lorelei brings a refreshing twist of kindness and emotional intelligence to the page. Her witty humor, hilarious honesty, and upbeat mindset of life are sure to engage even the most reluctant of young readers.

    From Chanticleer:

    Lorelei the Lorelei seeks a best friend and to figure out what makes her truly special, all on her first day of public school. In Lorelei the Lorelei: The First of Many Firsts by Kristen J. Anderson, young Lorelei finds that not everything is as she expected.

    After anxiously waiting for her dad and baby brother J.J. to get ready, and armed with the wisdom of her Mee-maw, Lorelei strides into Hillside Elementary School. She shows off her eclectic fashion and discovers that even a teacher named ‘Miss Grim’ can be welcoming. At first, Lorelei’s plans are coming together. She’s certain that Adeline, a girl who shares her exuberant nature, will be her best friend.

    But Lorelei butts heads with Emily, aka “Hands” given her impatience to be called on. As a student of ballet and future sugary-cereal-advertisement star, Emily has little patience for Lorelei taking the spotlight.

    As a newcomer to public school, Lorelei has to navigate this conflict while learning new schedules, rules, and terms. But she keeps her heart and mind open, even when she doesn’t quite understand all of her new classmates.

    Read More Here

    Find it on Amazon!

    Raven Howell – Keep Trucking

    Illustrated by Carina Povarchik

    Share the joy of the truck community as children awaken their curiosity about how transportation works. Learn where things belong, various modes of truck use, and the concept of distance as playful animals demonstrate cooperation in our cities and countries.

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Julie Lomax (JuJu) – Melissa Moo Moo’s Special Lesson

    Melissa Moo Moo is a little cow with big brown eyes and a bigger heart. One day when she overhears the other cows gossiping about why she doesn’t have a lot of milk, Moo Moo feels sad. While crying herself to sleep, Moo Moo worries about what the other cows think of her.

    The next morning, Moo Moo hides behind a berry bush and watches the other cows. She thinks that if she is special, then Farmer Jack will love her and the other cows will not talk mean about her. But when Moo Moo eats a few of the berries that have fallen onto the ground, she has no idea that everything is about to change as she learns to love herself and be confident.

    Melissa Moo Moo’s Special Lesson is the charming tale of a little cow who learns the importance of just being herself.

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Dr. Gerry Haller – Will’s Adventure to Candy Mountain

    Illustrated by YM Cho

     

    Will’s Grandmother has told Will about the Candy Mountain since he was a small child. One night Will is awakened by the Conductor of a train. He is told to hurry to catch the train. “What train?” “The train to the Candy Mountain, of course.” On the train, he meets a boy named Quinn and they decide to go on the adventure together. He can hardly believe he is going to the Candy Mountain. Together there are many decisions they have to make, each more mysterious than the other. What will they find?

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Shaziya M. Jaffer, Jessica Alexanderson and Brad W. Rudover – A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard!

    Illustrated by Adam Trask

    In this new adventure, Ellie and her friends have already accomplished the incredible feat of recycling 1 million cans. But their quest for a cleaner environment doesn’t end there! Now, they have set their sights on tackling the problem of other metal items being needlessly thrown in the trash.

    Determined to make a difference, they embark on a journey to collect everyone’s wires, Christmas lights, pots and pans, unicorn shoes and other metal items. They then take these treasures to their local scrapyard, turning them into valuable resources through recycling as metal can be recycled forever!

    They also learn about the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metals. With the help of Mr. Ferrous Magglio and Gallium the Unicorn, they set off on an unforgettable journey to the scrapyard. Get ready for a thrilling and educational experience!

    We believe that your kids will not only enjoy this book but also discover that they can earn some extra cash for their piggy bank by participating in neighborhood clean-up efforts. It’s a fun and rewarding way to make a positive impact!

    From Chanticleer:

    See our review for Book 1 of this series, The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, the 2023 Little Peeps Grand Prize Winner, here!

    The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, & Jessica Alexanderson, is perfectly written for children between three and eight years old.

    Eye-catching colorful graphics by Adam Trask, fun characters, and a wonderfully lighthearted storyline uphold this book’s message of protecting the environment. Both children and adults will feel empowered to help our planet one can at a time.

    An adventurous young girl named Ellie wants to buy a Unicorn. To earn the money she needs, Ellie plans to collect and recycle one million cans. But she soon realizes that her plans may need to take a different track. Together with her community of friends, who show great teamwork and perseverance, environmental lessons continue on with fantastic results.

    Few books do such a fine job of combining so many life lessons while still keeping the learning lighthearted and fun.

    Read More Here

    Find it Locally and on Amazon!

    Mike Mirabella and Lenny Lipton – I Used to Be Shy

    Illustrated by Amy O’Hanlon

    Meet Carla, our self-appointed social committee of one, who makes everyone at summer camp feel welcome. Carla spots a shy new boy who hides from others in his cabin, closing his curtain. Carla follows her heart and gathers a small group of fellow campers to coax him out to play games. With Carla’s encouragement, our new camper builds up his self-confidence, loses his fear, and learns to enjoy his new friends.

    About the authors: Mike Mirabella, an established musician and publisher of children’s books—and Lenny Lipton, who wrote the folk song “Puff the Magic Dragon”—sat in their living rooms writing songs as they babysat their disabled daughters. The bonus song “Little Brown Pony” includes the lyrics and music notations as does “I Used to Be Shy.”

    The outstanding illustrations were done by Amy O’Hanlon, an inspired artist in a family of musicians who does stage projection design for several San Francisco musicals, one of which was the Bay Area Children’s Theatre’s She Persisted, based on the book by Chelsea Clinton.

    From Chanticleer:

    In I Used to Be Shy, from the Carla Stories by Mike Mirabella and Lenny Lipton, Carla meets a nervous boy with physical disabilities at Camp Allbelong. Through their friendship, Carla helps him become confident enough to join in the camp games in this compassionate illustrated story about inclusion told through song.

    We begin with Carla’s bright yellow light contrasting with the boy’s deep, lonely blue representation. As their friendship grows, those two colors begin to mix, becoming a vibrant green that paints the heartwarming, pastoral scenes of Camp Allbelong. When the boy joins his peers in the center of these illustrations, his blue color takes on a new tone that reflects the expansive sky in the background.

    Amy O’Hanlon’s delightful illustrations show how one friendship can bloom to become a garden full of many relationships.

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