The Hearten Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Inspiring and Uplifting Non-Fiction and Memoirs. The Hearten Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them. See our full list of Non-Fiction Divisions here.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2025 Hearten Non-Fiction Long List to the 2025 Hearten Book Awards SHORT LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2025 Hearten Semi-Finalists. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC26).
The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 28 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.
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 sponsored by the 2026Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALISTS of the 2025 Hearten Book Awards novel competition for Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction!
Join us in celebrating the Short List authors and their works in the 2025 CIBAs.
Alia Luria – Geri O Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin
Andy Becker – Grandy Let’s Play: Reflections on the Joy Blessings and Wonder of Grandparenting
Barb Drummond – I Finally Have the Smoking Hot Body I Have Always Wanted Having Been Cremated
Brent Larsen – You Make My Heart Giggle Dad-isms the Wisdom and Wit of Dad
Candace Macphie – Finding Color
Cerridwen Fallingstar – Rocket in My Pocket: Defying Gravity with Levity, From the Frontiers of Space… To the Frontiers of Consciousness
Charlene Pell – In This Altered Body: A Survivor’s Story of Resilience and Love
Christine Amoroso – Bare Naked in Public: A Memoir
Cynthia Waine Brandt – Song of the Cardinal: A True Story of Miracles and Magic After Heartbreaking Loss
Doug Cameron – My Tarzan Tree and Other Farm Boy Memories
Dr. Deb Miller – Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness
Jeff Richards – Nothing Left To Lose: Or How Not To Start a Commune
Jennifer Celeste Briggs – Watching Sarah Rise: a Journey of Thriving with Autism
Julie Ryan Mcgue – Twice the Family: a Memoir of Love Loss and Sisterhood
Kate Grant – No Woman Left Behind: a Journey of Hope To Heal Every Woman Injured in Childbirth
Kathy Sechrist – Sara’s Redemption: a Journey of Courage Resilience and Hope
Kay Brooks – Behind the White Beard Dale Ballew’s Story
Kee Kee Buckley – Seeking Shama: Me, My Dog, and the Road To Inner Peace
Maggie Enriquez – The Rebirth of a Phoenix
Margie Crowe Wildblood – Because He Loved Me
Marti Tote – Up Grief Creek Without a Paddle
Patricia Eagle – Dog Love Stories the Canines Who Changed Me
Rabei A. Wazzeh – The Masterpiece of Nature
Rhona Morrison – From Crime Scenes to Cruise Ships: Navigating life’s troubled waters with resilience and hope
Ricardo Jose Gonzalez-Rothi – The Mango Chronicle
Robert Macauley – Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor’s Soul
Stacey Hettes – Dispatches From the Couch
Sue Vana – Shaken by God’s Love From Fear To Favor in Grief’s Upside-Down World
Tammy Dietz – Falling From Disgrace
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 Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us.
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.
The CIBA SERIES Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in any of our Fiction Divisions and Non-Fiction Divisions where the author has written a series. The Series Book Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs) is seeking for the best book series in all of the CIBA Divisions. 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 in the first look rounds from all 2025 Series Award entries to the 2025 Series Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Series 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 sponsored by the 2026Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Series Book Awards competition!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
Alexandra Pugachevsky – Lilou the Shadyside Chronicles
Baer Charlton – Nash Running Bear Mysteries
Bruce J. Berger – The Covo Family Saga
Charlotte Stuart – John Smith Mysteries
D. J. Adamson – Lillian Dove Mystery Series
Daniel Greene – The Northern Wolf Series
Daniel V. Meier Jr. – Frank Adams Detective Series
Donald Firesmith – Hell Holes: The Complete Trilogy
Elizabeth Klein – Elizion Series
Emeryl Williams – The Chosen of Bryndir Trilogy
Eve M. Riley – The Techboys Series
Gay Yellen – Samantha Newman Mystery Series
Helena P. Schrader – Bridge To Tomorrow
J. M. Shaw – Callum Walker Series
J. W. Zarek – Bella Brown Picture Book Series
Jeff Nania – Northern Lakes Mystery Series
JJ Winston – The Anniversary
Katherine Smith Dedrick – The V-Files
Kathleen Troy – Dylan’s Dog Squad
L. P. Hoffman – The Third Peril Trilogy
Lawrence Brown – Vaka Sevah
Lucinda Brant – Falling Series Enchanting Georgian Fairytale Romances of Sorts
Matt Ozanich – The Tears of Promises
Michael J Cooper – Seasons of Empire
Michael J. Bowler – The Lance Chronicles
Michaela Riley – The Witch’s Rebirth
Michele L. Sayre – Darke Realms
Mim Eichmann – A Sparrow Alone Series
Ralph R. Rick Steinke – Jake Fortina Series
Rene Fomby – A Moose Mcgillicutty Mystery
Robert C Littlewood – The Balance Wars
Ruth Amanda – Caribbean Coral Carols
Ryan J. Southworth – The Treeborn Trilogy
Sarah V. Barnes – She Who Rides Horses
Sherry Roberts – The Galaxy According To Cece
Vito Dibarone – Botheration Matty Weber
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 Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us on Facebook.
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.
Only 5 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success.
The Chanticleer International Book Awards provide ongoing recognition that amplifies authors’ digital footprints through high-traffic website features, social media promotion, newsletter spotlights, and long-tail marketing that continues promoting winners throughout the year and beyond!
SEA Shorts now covers Short Stories, Essays and Novellas together, and Collections and Anthologies is for exactly that, Multi-Story Collections and Multi-Author Anthologies!
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 our 2024 Military and Front Line Grand Prize Winner:
Memoirs From The Front Lines
Four States, Two Years, One Pandemic
By Kim Sloan
The CIBAs 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 17-19, 2025) where Winners from all 28 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.
The Instruction & Insight Awards are here to help!
The Insight & Instruction Awards celebrate exceptional books that provide valuable knowledge, guidance, and enlightenment across a wide range of subjects. From alternative remedies to self-help, these awards acknowledge authors who have made significant contributions to the fields of education, self-improvement, and understanding the world around us. This diverse collection of books foster learning, personal development, and a deeper understanding of the world around us. Enrich lives and contribute to the non-fiction landscape by submitting today!
You have until September 30th to Share your Book and Submit to the 2025 CIBAs!
Looking for something to learn? The I&I Awards have what your looking for! We’ve got categories for Travel, Crafts, Cooking, Motivation, Self-Help and More!
Honoring the Grand Prize Winners of the Instruction & Insight Awards!
Success with Hydrangeas- A Gardener’s Guide
By Lorraine Ballato
Our review for the newest Grand Prize Winner is forthcoming. Here’s an excerpt from Amazon:
Finally, a Book with All the Secrets to Growing Great Hydrangeas!
This book reveals all the ins and outs to growing hydrangeas. If you’re at all confused about pruning this shrub – and who isn’t? – this book will clear things up. If you’re worried about how much water to give it especially when it droops in the sun, this book explains it all. And what about transplanting: when is the best time to do that? Chapter four has the answers to that one and covers it all.
How to get your plant to bloom
Let’s not forget the most common issue people have with this plant: how can I get it to flower reliably? You’ll get the scientific insight needed to better site your plant, and how to care for it. Then you can just sit back and watch it flower for you.
Eating Together, Being Together
By Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers and Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers
Eating Together, Being Togetheris a rare, enlightening book that teaches the importance of family dining, both on the culinary side and in its benefits for childhood and young adult development beyond the kitchen walls.
Co-authored by master Chef and Dad, Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers, and Ph.D. Psychologist and Mom, Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers,Eating Together, Being Togetheroffers up their parental wisdom and expertise from the heart of the home—the kitchen.
With informative but relaxed conversations about food choices, preparation, and related activities, the two provide great insight into how family mealtime promotes well-being in a child’s life. As involved adults, they incorporate thoughtful discussions about spending quality time with their children, sharing and mitigating bad feelings, and making wonderful memories. Ultimately, they showcase family meals as nourishment for both the body and soul.
Within the pages of the book readers will find ways food can serve as a message of care and support, as well as a way to model kindness in the face of questions and concerns.
Emotional Magnetism: How to Communicate to Ignite Connection in Your Relationships is a self-help and marketing book in one—in fact, it’s a self-marketing book.
A seasoned marketing professional, author Sandy Gerber uses common elements in marketing theory to aid those who wish to enhance their communication skills and ability to get along with people around them. It’s easy to be misunderstood or unheard, and it’s even easier to be at cross-purposes, leading to frustration and animosity. But using Gerber’s SAVE technique, understanding what we mean and what we need becomes clear.
In this work, we learn what emotional magnetism is, and how well we can communicate when we learn how to harness it. We also learn about how emotional magnetism can be repelled when it’s not done right. But in order to use emotional magnetism, we must first learn what the emotional magnets are, using the acronym SAVE—short for safety (S), achievement (A), value (V), and experience (E)—and how they are reflected in our personalities.
The Black Foster Youth Handbook By Ángela Quijada-Banks
The Black Foster Youth Handbook: 50+ Lessons I Learned to successfully Age-Out of Foster Care and Holistically Heal is a distinguished compilation of award-winning author Ángela Quijada-Banks’ insights, seeking to assist those in foster care to stay optimistic and triumph over traumatic experiences.
The text features the author’s candid revelations regarding the disarray she encountered in foster care and the overwhelming emotional roller coaster she underwent through family upheavals and a heart-breaking rift between her siblings.
Foster care had seen her forget her goals and aspirations, as traumas and emotional misfortunes spread their venom in her soul. Banks had found herself misplaced, perplexed, wounded, irate, and unloved. Her background, past wounds, and pessimistic beliefs ruled over her. In a painful recap, she reveals how she became accustomed to constant alarming incidents, creating in her a perpetual state of survival.
Independent Living with Autism By Wendela Whitcomb Marsh
Author and autism counselor Wendela Whitcomb Marsh has created a specialized guide for those with autism, seen through the eyes of five characters of different ages, with differing needs and aspirations in her book, Independent Living with Autism: Your Roadmap to Success.
Boldly launching her work with the ambitious chapter, “Solutions,” Marsh depicts some of the possible departure points for her readers: those just out of school, those who were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who self-diagnosed, and all who face the challenges of ASD, whether alone or with family or social supports.
Marsh relays her story, focusing on the lives of five individuals with ASD.
Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of I&I Winners is to submit today!
Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!
Submit to the CIBAs Today!
Now is your chance to touch the hearts of readers everywhere. Your Non-fiction story deserves to be discovered, and you can submit to the 2025 Instruction and Insight Awards by the end of the September. Don’t miss this chance to give your book the recognition it deserves.
The Hearten Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Inspiring and Uplifting Non-Fiction and Memoirs. The Hearten Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them. See our full list of Non-Fiction Divisions here.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2025 Hearten Non-Fiction entries to the 2025 Hearten Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2025 Hearten Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC26).
The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 28 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.
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 sponsored by the 2026Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Hearten Book Awards novel competition for Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction!
Join us in celebrating the Long List authors and their works in the 2025 CIBAs.
Alia Luria – Geri O Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin
Andy Becker – Grandy Let’s Play: Reflections on the Joy Blessings and Wonder of Grandparenting
Barb Drummond – I Finally Have the Smoking Hot Body I Have Always Wanted Having Been Cremated
Brent Larsen – You Make My Heart Giggle Dad-isms the Wisdom and Wit of Dad
Candace Macphie – Finding Color
Cerridwen Fallingstar – Rocket in My Pocket: Defying Gravity with Levity, From the Frontiers of Space… To the Frontiers of Consciousness
Charlene Pell – In This Altered Body: A Survivor’s Story of Resilience and Love
Cheryl Lynn – Washing the Inside of the Cup: My Journey of Walking in the Spirit
Christine Amoroso – Bare Naked in Public: A Memoir
Cynthia Waine Brandt – Song of the Cardinal: A True Story of Miracles and Magic After Heartbreaking Loss
Dianne Ebertt Beeaff – Infinite Paradise Witnessing the Wild
Doug Cameron – My Tarzan Tree and Other Farm Boy Memories
Dr. Deb Miller – Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness
Dr. Michael James – America’s Nightmare Surviving the Black Holocaust the Message Continues
Jeff Richards – Nothing Left To Lose: Or How Not To Start a Commune
Jennifer Celeste Briggs – Watching Sarah Rise: a Journey of Thriving with Autism
Jerome Puryear – The Art of Thinking Critically with Clarity for Optimal Health
Julie Ryan Mcgue – Twice the Family: a Memoir of Love Loss and Sisterhood
Kate Grant – No Woman Left Behind: a Journey of Hope To Heal Every Woman Injured in Childbirth
Kathy Sechrist – Sara’s Redemption: a Journey of Courage Resilience and Hope
Kay Brooks – Behind the White Beard Dale Ballew’s Story
Kee Kee Buckley – Seeking Shama: Me, My Dog, and the Road To Inner Peace
Laurie Benson – Resilient Activism Igniting Wild Hope in Uncertain Times
Lucie Frost – How the Hell Did I Not Know That: My Midlife Year From Couch To Curiosity
Maggie Enriquez – The Rebirth of a Phoenix
Margie Crowe Wildblood – Because He Loved Me
Marti Tote – Up Grief Creek Without a Paddle
Mary Olson-Menzel – What Lights You Up Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career
Patricia Eagle – Dog Love Stories the Canines Who Changed Me
Rabei A. Wazzeh – The Masterpiece of Nature
Rhona Morrison – From Crime Scenes to Cruise Ships: Navigating life’s troubled waters with resilience and hope
Ricardo Jose Gonzalez-Rothi – The Mango Chronicle
Robert Macauley – Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor’s Soul
Stacey Hettes – Dispatches From the Couch
Sue Vana – Shaken by God’s Love From Fear To Favor in Grief’s Upside-Down World
Tammy Dietz – Falling From Disgrace
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 Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us.
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.
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!
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
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
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
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
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.
You have until August 31st to share your Story with us and enter the 2025 Laramie Division of the CIBAs!
Charles M. Russell painted the cowboy seen on Chanticleer’s very own Laramie contest badge. It is one of many such paintings he did that encompassed the Old American Wild West. An advocate for the Native Americans, Charles M. Russell also helped establish a reservation in Montana for the Chippewa people.
Our Laramie Hall of Fame Celebrates the Grand Prize Winners of now and past years!
Sarita
By Natalie Musgrave Dossett
Our review for the newest Laramie Grand Prize Winner is forthcoming. In the meantime, here is what some GoodReads readers have been saying!
“Sarita has one of the best female protagonists I have read in a novel in years. There is so much action, it is fast paced and easy to read, so you won’t want to put it down. The setting is fabulous, it is well described and I could easily imagine myself there. I had never heard of this author before, but wow, this book should get her noticed!” -Natalie
“Sarita is a riveting page-turner that captivated me from start to finish with its suspense and unexpected twists. The protagonist, Sarita, is a compelling champion for women’s voices, set thoughtfully against the backdrop of the 1920s. Her struggle and determination resonate deeply, bridging the gap between historical and contemporary experiences. Dossett’s fearless approach to storytelling, where even richly developed characters meet untimely ends, adds a layer of authenticity that truly reflects the harsh realities of the wild horse desert life in that era. This commitment to realism enhances the novel’s depth and impact, making it an unforgettable read.” -Alicia
“I was absolutely hooked on this book straight from the start, the brutal death of her brother sent Sarita on a journey to find her brother’s killer.
I felt every emotion reading this book the writing really brought the story to life.
Sarita found so many people affected by Javier, her strength to carry on when still struggling with the loss of JJ and worries of her father really was captivating.” -Lisa
The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery By Thomas Goodman
InThe Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robberyby Thomas Goodman, four men in a small, depression-era Texas town lay in wait to carry out their unique plan for a holiday heist.
It’s December 23 and a man in a Santa Claus suit walks into a bank. But rather than his bag full of Christmas surprises, he’s brought a gun. With the element of surprise on their side, the robber and his two partners would collect the cash, while another partner waited in the getaway car. It all seemed so simple.
At the time, Texas bankers—in order to deter crimes such as this—promised a $5,000 reward for any dead bandits, “and not one cent” for the capture of a live one. Should anything go wrong, the possibilities for disaster were clear as a Greek tragedy, but what could go wrong?
Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.
Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.
LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.
Tom Sawyer Returns is the second book in The New Adventures series by author E.E. Burke.
Readers join a now grown up and far more independent Becky Thatcher as she maneuvers her complicated life in Civil War era Mississippi. Tom has long since left, and Becky is engaged to Union Captain Alfred Temple, who offers her all the safety and security she needs in such uncertain times. But does she love him? Actually love him?
Becky soon discovers that her heart may have other plans.
Trouble The Water By Rebecca Dwight Bruff
Overall Grand Prize Winner
Robert Smalls’ life should have been one for the history books.
Smalls was born a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1839. When the first shots of the Civil War were fired upon Fort Sumter, Smalls was an experienced helmsman aboard a small cargo ship plying the coastal waters of South Carolina and the neighboring states. Once the war broke out, he found himself working to support a cause that kept him, his wife, and their children locked in chattel slavery.
But in a daring escapade that fell somewhere between a raid and a rescue, Smalls planned, with the help of his fellow crew members (also slaves) aboard the CSS Planter, to abscond with the ship, its cargo of munitions taken from Fort Sumter, and bring their families. The plan was to sail the ship as though its white officers were still on board, pretending to be carrying out their orders—at least until the ship was out of the reach of Fort Sumter’s guns.
Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Laramie Winners is to enter today!
Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!
Are you a Chanticleer Author who has some good news to share? Let us know! We’re always looking for a reason to crow about Chanticleerians! Reach out with your news to info@ChantiReviews.com
You have until August 31st to submit your story and enter the 2025 CIBAs!
Named for Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales (and Name giver of a certain rooster named Chanticleer), This Division was our first Historical Fiction category. Due to us receiving so many amazing Historical Fiction submissions, we had to split it into a few more Divisions. For Post 1750 History, see The Goethe Awards. For 20th and 21st Century Wartime History, see The Hemingway Awards. For Western and Americana History, see The Laramie Awards.
Let’s Take a look back in more recent history at the Grand Prize Winners of the Chaucer Award!
Maid of Honour: Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s Court Book 1 of the Anne Boleyn Chronicles
By Rozsa Gaston
Our newest Grand Prize Winner has a release date for Early August, and we are very excited to see it come out!
Anne Boleyn’s path to Henry VIII’s heart—and the throne—begins not in France, but at the court of Europe’s most powerful woman, Margaret of Austria.
Anne enters the world of the Burgundian-Habsburg Netherlands as one of Margaret’s eighteen maids of honour, who thrive under the guidance of their highly intelligent ruler.
Anne struggles with cliques and jealousies at court, and when Erasmus of Rotterdam arrives with ideas of reform, Anne starts to question tradition and sets her sights high, determined to leave her mark on the world.
But political machinations intervene, cutting short Anne’s time at Margaret’s court, and launching her to France.
Armed with the skills learned under the Netherlands’ brilliant ruler, Anne inches closer to her destiny…
Can she achieve her ambitious desires? Will Margaret’s formidable example influence Anne’s future?
Or will this young maid struggle to blossom in a man’s world…?
Joshua Ibn Elazar, the eager son of a Jewish merchant, travels to al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule) to prove himself in his father’s business. But he finds an unwelcoming, degrading society waiting for him, and begins a journey of misfortune and anger in James Hutson-Wiley’s historical fiction novel, The Merchant from Sepharad.
Shortly after arriving in the city of Lishbunah, al-Andalus, Joshua is tricked out of the gold for his living expenses. Worse yet, he learns that Jews in Lishbunah suffer under oppressive laws, holding far less status than Muslim citizens. He can only find help in Lishbuna’s Jewish community, meeting Rabbi Hiyya al-Daudi and his son Yaish, who house and feed him.
They tell him that his father’s colleague, Essua, who was to help Joshua manage a shipment of flax and sugar, has been arrested. Though Essua is eventually released, Joshua fails to secure storage for his goods, as the makhzan (warehouse) he rented is given to a Muslim merchant instead. In his fury at the city’s prejudice, he sets fire to the makhzan, and is forced to flee.
Mack Little’s historical fiction novel Daughter of Hades explores the lives of slaves during the age of pirates.
Little’s research shines in her thoughtful presentation of the Caribbean islands, the escaped slaves who found freedom amongst them, the lives of buccaneers and maroons, and their daring and dangerous exploits.
On the first page, Little introduces us to Geraldine, or “Dinny”, running for her life from her owner, Owen Craig, who has just raped her.
Dinny’s father had arranged for her to be removed from the plantation before Craig molested her, but he’d miscalculated Craig’s lust. Dinny is rescued by her twin brother, Jimmie, and Leixiang, and taken to the Hades, a pirate ship captained by the buccaneer Duff.
Too Soon the Night by James Conroyd Martin shows the thrilling heights to which Empress Theodora rose and the crushing depths to which she fell, in the latter half of her life. This story picks up from Fortune’s Child, the first volume of this epic duology.
This half of Theodora’s incredible journey opens at its close – as she succumbs to the cancer that drove her to dictate the record of her life. She left the task of recording her meteoric rise from actress to empress in the hands of the scribe and historian Stephen, even though she imprisoned him for several years out of fear that he would reveal her greatest secrets.
Politics is a deadly game in the days of Kings and their competing 14th-century B.C. Egyptian factions. Official diplomat, Lord Hani, is on a royal assignment when he discovers even the king’s motives are suspect. Hani begins to fear for the welfare of his family and himself, as he gets a sinking feeling that the hunter has become the hunted. He’s the live bait, the Bird In A Snare.
Can Lord Hani find out who is responsible for the mysterious assassinations and the shifting armies’ alliances before becoming the one they target next?
The Chaucer Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Early Historical Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Rozsa Gaston’s book, Maid of Honour will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Chaucer 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!
A Quest for God and Spices begins an epic journey across the ancient world. In the year AD 1200, a new pope agitates for a renewed crusade to reconquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem. European monarchs largely ignore his call, too involved with squabbles among themselves. The pope chooses two men-Brother Mauro, an older monk, and Nicolo, a young, striving merchant-to traverse the treacherous political, religious, and mercantile terrain of medieval Europe and the Byzantine Empire to seek out the powerful Presbyter John, a mysterious king in the Far East who has promised to put his wealth and vast armies to the service of the pope’s crusade. Nicolo’s task is to guide Mauro, but a corrupt cardinal has secretly charged the young man with finding the source of the precious spices that ensure the Venetian and Arab trade monopoly. Nicolo’s youthful exuberance, carelessness, and desire to be important jeopardize their mission, while Mauro’s knowledge of scripture and pagan works has not prepared him for the schemes of doges and emirs, clergymen and kings.
As Sir Harry Percy patrols England’s rugged North, even the Scots, his frequent adversaries, admire his audacity and courage. Claiming his ceaseless vigilance means his spurs never cool, they call him Hotspur.Yet when Harry questions royal corruption, Richard II bestows another name: traitor.
Escaping death, Harry joins Duke Henry Bolingbroke, whose fortune Richard stole and who leads a campaign to improve Richard’s governance. Soon, though, Henry, too, acts despotic, ordering executions without fair trials and plotting to seize power directly. Alarmed, Harry exacts a vow from him to notoust Richard. But Henry violates his oath, inciting a mob to force Parliament to make him King Henry IV. Harry boycotts Henry’s coronation but, realizing he serves the nation regardless of who wears the crown, later returns to duty, with Henry’s backing.
Will their reconciliation last? And can Harry’s newfound love with an ex-abbess protect him not only from threats on the borders but those in dark palace corners? Never has his motto, Esperance—Hope—mattered more!
With his ancestral manor in ruins, Philippe strives to forge a new family legacy. But a relentless knave is determined to cause his downfall.
1470, Isle of Jersey. Heart-broken by his father’s death, Philippe returns home to shoulder the hereditary mantle of seigneur. Coming of age during an oppressive occupation, he aspires to reconstruct the fiefdom based on values of prosperity and compassion.
Despite his misgivings, he acquiesces to the arranged marriage with the new governor’s daughter, Margaret. She brings with her a substantial dowry that will help him achieve his objectives. As love blossoms between them, life seems perfect.
However, a longtime rival lurks, determined to thwart Philippe at every turn. As Philippe’s power and influence on the island grows, their quarrel escalates to new levels of treachery. When the feud turns deadly, can Philippe survive the ordeals that await and safeguard the future for his family?
Betrayal of Trust is the riveting second novel in The de Carteret Chronicles: Legacy of Rebels historical fiction series and tells the story of Margaret Harleston, one of the island’s heroines. If you like political intrigue, treachery, and formidable adversaries, prepare to be captivated by this true tale of bravery.
Ninety years have passed since the Christians wrested control of Jerusalem from their foes, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem’s army is a pile of corpses strewn about the Horns of Hattin. The few survivors stumble back for the only place of refuge spared of Saladin’s wrath, Jerusalem.
Robert Cutnose reluctantly joins with the Lord Balian de Ibelin in an attempt to defend a city of refugees from Saladin’s army. Both men have drawn the ire of old enemies within the Order who secretly wish to bring them down. And hidden within Saladin’s ranks, assassins lurk, cultivating their own end to the conflict. Even while the city teeters on the brink of annihilation, a princess seeks to assert her birthright over the crown. The fate of Cutnose and the Kingdom of Jerusalem hangs by a thread, and there is no guarantee of survival of anyone involved.
Continue the gritty war-torn journey through the crusades and the Noctis Bellum, a shadow war spanning centuries between the Order and the Hunted.
1150: The Whale Road. An epic medieval adventure, set in the Viking world of 12th century Orkney. To change their doom, Skarfr and Hlif must pay the price.
Warrior-poet Skarfr embarks on a death-defying pilgrimage with his ruler, Jarl Rognvald, from the wind-whipped shores of Orkney to the Holy Land. He is one of the few men trusted by the Jarl, whether facing sea-monsters or murder.
Fifteen ships sail on the ‘whale road’ in the pilgrims’ fleet. The only woman among the ‘sea wolves’, Hlif is respected as much for her practical skills as for her mystical gifts. Yet beneath her indomitable façade lies a secret – she is handfasted to Skarfr, their love forbidden by the Jarl’s decree.
As tensions rise, Skarfr is torn between fealty to his Jarl and devotion to Hlif. One oath must be broken but which one? How can he steer a course between loyalty and love without losing his honour?
Also a 2024 Chanticleer Cover Design Award First Place Winner!
Colonist Benjamin Waite, a devoted husband, father, and skilled military scout in King Philip’s War, reluctantly obeys orders to guide a brutal attack against a camp of Algonquian Natives.
After the catastrophic event, Benjamin is burdened with guilt and longs for peace. But the Algonquians, led by the revered sachem Ashpelon, retaliate with vengeance upon Ben’s Massachusetts town of Hatfield, capturing over a dozen colonists, including his pregnant wife Martha and their three young daughters.
Hatfield 1677 is a tale of three interwoven yet diverging journeys of strength and survival. Benjamin is driven by love and remorse to rescue his family; Martha is forced into captivity and desperately striving to protect her children; and Ashpelon is willing to risk everything to ensure the safety and freedom of his people.
Based on the lives of the author’s ancestors, this riveting and unforgettable novel gives voice to three vastly different experiences in North America during a time before the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Then, the land was but a wilderness and a battleground; equality was not yet perceived as self-evident; and liberty and happiness were nothing more than dangerous pursuits.
From the vast landscapes of the American West to the intimate stories of families building new lives on the frontier, from First Nation narratives that honor indigenous wisdom to contemporary tales that prove the western spirit lives on, the Laramie Awards celebrate the full spectrum of Americana fiction from Mexico through Canada. These are tales of courage, independence, survival, and the eternal quest for home and belonging.
Americana fiction captures the willingness to venture into unknown territory, the determination to build something lasting from nothing, and the complex relationships between different cultures that have shaped this continent for generations. Whether set in the dusty streets of frontier towns or the modern ranches of today’s West, these stories explore themes that remain fundamentally American: freedom, justice, family, and the land that shapes us all.
The Enduring Appeal of Americana Stories
The best Americana fiction explores the complex realities of life across different eras and cultures. These stories explore how the American mythos shapes lives across the continent, sometimes inspiring, sometimes haunting, always powerful.
From the epic scope of pioneer journeys to intimate family dramas played out against vast landscapes, Americana fiction offers readers the chance to explore their roots and understand how the character was forged. These stories resonate because they deal with universal themes: survival, family loyalty, moral courage, and the search for justice, all while remaining distinctly grounded in American soil and values.
Contemporary westerns prove that these themes remain relevant today, showing how the frontier spirit adapts to modern challenges while maintaining its essential character of independence, resilience, and connection to the land.
Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!
We’re thrilled to honor Natalie Musgrave Dossett, whose powerful novel Sarita claimed the 2024 Laramie Grand Prize with a story that Kirkus Reviews called “a powerful tale of revenge and perseverance in the face of danger.” Set in 1920 along the Texas-Mexico border, the novel follows nineteen-year-old Sarita after her younger brother JJ is killed by tequila smuggler Javier Salsito de Ortega, and the Texas Rangers refuse to help due to Prohibition and border issues.
Determined to seek justice and prove herself worthy of inheriting the family ranch, Sarita crosses the Rio Grande into a world of deadly threats that proves far more dangerous and complex than she imagined. Dossett masterfully weaves together elements of thriller and historical fiction, creating what reviewers have compared to True Grit for its “plucky young girl on a mission to set her turbulent, dusty world right.” In addition to ongoing promotional features, Sarita will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame posts. Natalie Musgrave Dossett will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and Sarita will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.
Categories That Span the American Experience
The Laramie Awards welcome Americana fiction across every tradition and time period:
Western Romance – Love stories set against the backdrop of the American West, where hearts are as wild as the landscape
Adventure/Caper – Action-packed tales of outlaws, lawmen, and those caught between justice and survival
Classic – Traditional westerns that honor the genre’s golden age while bringing fresh perspectives
Civil War/Prairie/Pioneer – Stories of the conflicts and journeys that shaped the American frontier
Contemporary Western – Modern stories that prove the western spirit lives on in today’s America
Americana – Broader American stories that capture the national character and experience
First Nation – Indigenous narratives that honor the voices and perspectives of those who have lived in North America since time immemorial
Each category represents a different facet of Americana fiction, from traditional frontier tales to contemporary explorations of what it means to live here today.
Explore All Historical Fiction Divisions
The Laramie Awards are part of Chanticleer’s comprehensive celebration of historical fiction across all time periods:
Whether your historical fiction explores ancient civilizations, recent decades, or the distinctly American experience, Chanticleer offers recognition for every period and perspective.
Looking at Americana Excellence
Check out some of these outstanding Americana fiction works we’ve celebrated recently!
Cold As Hell
By Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle
The 2022 Paranormal (Now Shelley) Grand Prize Winner!
James Crowley isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill cowboy. Nor isCold as Hell,by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle, your typical gunslinging western.
Although he’s got all the right characteristics – tough exterior, snarky personality, and commitment issues – Crowley is much more than he appears. Resurrected to immortality straight from death’s “sickly sweet aroma,” Crowley is duty-bound as a Hand of God to serve the White Throne in its shadow war against demonic presences called the nephilim unleashed by freezing hell.
But it’s not all ‘good guys versus bad guys’. As Crowley learns, “good choices don’t always mean doing right or wrong things. Especially when it comes to serving a Master like [the White Throne].” Forced to be the middle man between God and the Devil, Crowley has to decide for himself how to care for the people around him and bring true justice to fruition.Forced to be themiddlemanbetween God and the Devil, Crowley has to make his own choices about how to care for the people around him and bring justice to fruition.
Jam-packed with simmering romance, evil yetis, reckless bar fights, and other outlaw shenanigans,Cold as Hellwill warm readers’ hearts as it freezes them to their seats with anticipation.
Guarded Heartsby T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.
Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.
LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.
But when Strykes arrives at her isolated cabin, riddled with bullets, LaRisa knows she must use her healing touch to save him.
David Fitz-Gerald concludes theGhosts Along the Oregon Trailseries with a grand finale for an eclectic cast of characters, as the long wagon train is finallyRolling Hometo their new lives in the wild west of Oregon.
With the end of the trail just out of reach, however, their hopes dwindle and their hunger rages. The rigor of the western environment continues to test their determination and threaten vows of heartfelt romance. These weary people ache and mourn losses, while seeking new ways to survive and pull each other forward in the face of impending winter.
This wagon train of travelers will also face venomous villains who have been lurking in the shadows, outlaws waiting for their best opportunity to pounce.
Now they feel the traveling train is at its weakest, and strike without mercy. Dorcas and her family are in a desperate situation, clinging to the hope of a better life ahead. But even if they can hang on to reach that final destination, they doubt whether the life they’d planned in Oregon is still the future they want.
InLoving Beth, a Christian historical romance by Bonnie Rose Ward, a young woman finds herself in dire straits when her widowed mother dies unexpectedly.
Beth’s father had taken out loans to improve their property, but he was killed in the Civil War, leaving his wife and daughter to struggle to keep up with the payments. Now, Beth is alone without any means to keep her home—finding and taking in two young, abandoned children certainly doesn’t help. But even amidst her troubles, Beth’s thoughts keep going back to the mysterious and handsome stranger who found and brought home the body of her mother.
Life is not easy in her tiny settlement in West Virginia, and young, pretty Beth finds that it is not about to get any easier. The new banker holds a grudge toward her for having rejected his advances, and the man’s snobbish wife is determined to make Beth’s life even more miserable. The loans that Beth and her mother worked to pay each month are suddenly due in full— but the banker’s unwanted and ugly advances are foiled with the appearance of the mysterious stranger.
These works demonstrate how the best Americana fiction combines authentic historical detail with compelling characters and universal themes that resonate across generations.
See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!
We’re excited about all the exceptional Americana fiction 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 Laramie Awards recognize stories that capture the Americana spirit in all its complexity—the courage of pioneers, the wisdom of First Nations, the romance of the frontier, and the ongoing evolution of the American dream. Whether your story spans vast landscapes or focuses on intimate family dramas, these awards celebrate the distinctly Americana experience.
Your Americana Story Awaits
Great Americana fiction doesn’t just tell stories about the past—it explores what it means to be here now, what values we’ve inherited, and how those values continue to shape us today. Whether your tale unfolds in a frontier town, a contemporary ranch, or the complex borderlands where cultures meet, the Laramie Awards celebrate the authors who understand that the story of North America is still being written.
The Hearten Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Inspiring and Uplifting Non-Fiction and Memoirs. The Hearten Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).
The CIBA SERIES Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in any of our Fiction Divisions and Non-Fiction Divisions where the author has written a series. The Series Book Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).
The Chaucer Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Early Historical Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Rozsa Gaston’s book, Maid of Honour will be promoted for years to come in our 
