The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards division. Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate-Fiction, and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.
The 2021 CYGNUS Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the CYGNUS Grand Prize Winner were announced by Wendy Kendall on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at the Hotel Bellwether and broadcast via ZOOM webinar.
This is the OFFICIAL 2021 LIST of the CYGNUS BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the CYGNUS Grand Prize Winner.
J.W. Zarek – The Devil Pulls the Strings
Sarah Lahey – Nostalgia Is Heartless, Book Two
Akosua Sankofa – Monmouth Deep
Rhett C. Bruno – Vicarious
Elizabeth Crowens – A War in Too Many Worlds
Steven Seril – The Destroyer of Worlds: ‘An Answer to Every Question’
Charlene Newcomb – Echoes of the Storm
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2021 CYGNUS Awards is:
A War in Too Many Worlds
By Elizabeth Crowens
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
Attn CIBA Winners! More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners.
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The 2022 CYGNUS Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC23 on April 29, 2023. Save the date for CAC23, scheduled April 27-30, 2023, our 10 year Conference Anniversary!
Submissions for the 2022 CYGNUS Book Awards are open until the end of June. Enter here!
A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in August. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for your patience and understanding.
Deborah Serani’s Sometimes When I’m Bored is a colorful children’s book that highlights the challenges of being bored as a child in an inquisitive and reflective way. It also teaches children how to navigate this complex emotion. Dr. Serani is also an award-winning psychologist in practice for over thirty years.
The story starts with a little boy explaining how when he feels bored, that “nothing feels fun.” He gives examples (staring out the window, not preferring his toys, completing multiple readings of all his books) of his complex feelings in the story opening, which are relatable as both a child and an adult. He decides to ask his mother for suggestions on how to cure his reluctance to do all his usual and familiar hobbies. The two share a relationship that is bridged by easy-to-understand language.
Momma reminds him that he could see his feelings of boredom as meaning that “something special is waiting” for him. His well-meaning and good-natured mother provides numerous suggestions to her son. The boy starts spending time resting with his father, or writing a letter to a loved one and following his curiosity. These tender moments are beautiful, the bond the two share is sweet and loving. Kyra Teis’ illustrations are full of vibrant color, with double page spreads showing texture and closeness in the characters.
Sometimes When I’m Bored flows naturally and effortlessly while touching on the challenges of feeling bored as a child and as an adult.
Boredom, although at times can feel inconvenient or inappropriate, teaches us all to use our curiosity and openness. We must, like the little boy in Sometimes When I’m Bored, learn and take the advice from those around us to help nurture these new habits in wonder.
Moreover, if we do not honor our disinterested feelings, we are unable to grow as individuals. Serani teaches children about this lesson in her lovely book and this book, like the others in the Sometimes When series, give a safe space for all to articulate their thoughts without judgement and only in awe.
Being a Rooster, Chanticleer is pretty keen on the idea of Earth Day.
It may surprise you to hear that Earth Day is the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated for the past 50 years! You can read our last article that focused on the origins of Earth Day, as well as the powerful impact literature can have on the environment, as happened with Silent Spring by Rachel Carson.
This year, we want to take time to recognize and cheer on some of the Chanticleer authors who have made their own contributions to environmental literature. While nature focused writing can fit into almost any genre, the genres we most often see with environmental stories are: Global Thriller Awards, Journey Awards, Little Peeps Awards, Hearten Awards, and, of course, our Cygnus Awards with the rise of the Cli-Fi genre!
Books show where we put our focus and attention, and we’re glad that these authors did such a great job highlighting the world in their work!
A smart, science fiction thriller that will have readers looking twice at dolphins – and scanning the waters for something far more menacing. Highly recommended.
Kristie Clark is a pediatrician with the heart of a writer. She always knew that she wanted to write and began writing poetry in middle school. Her mother read to her at night, instilling a love of books. As a child, C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series impacted her greatly, and as a teenager, she began reading science fiction for fun, enjoying books by Arthur C. Clarke.
Big congratulations are in order for Kristie Clark as this book recently made the Finalists list for our Global Thriller Awards. Her newest book, Dragon Gold, is on the Finalist list for the Cygnus Awards, and her short story “Dragon of the Sea” is a Finalist for the Shorts Awards. Way to go Kristie!
An intelligent techno-thriller that won’t leave you even after the final page is read. Highly recommended!
Norman M. Jacobs MD, MS is an award-winning writer and former bookstore owner. He’s a scientist and physician and has published many newspaper and scientific articles. He has a master’s degree in physics, passed a PhD exam in physics at the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a residency program in radiology at Duke University Medical Center with specialty training in neuroradiology. Congratulations Norman on being a Finalist in the Global Thriller Awards!
Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and the Great Blue Hole Hazard is a fantastic journey showcasing fun, friendship, and the necessity of keeping our oceans clean.
You can find all 4 of the Kobee Manatee® books here!
Robert Scott Thayer always had a passion for manatees, oceans, weather, and sea life. He is also an award-winning recording artist who writes and sings in the pop, jazz, and children’s genres. Robert’s newest children’s tune, Kobee’s Song, is available on iTunes.
Lauren Gallegos earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration from Cal State Fullerton in 2009 and has been illustrating ever since. When it comes to stories, Lauren has always loved books that warm the heart and touch the soul; timeless narratives that speak to your inner child. As a young girl she loved to pour over illustrations that were rich and full. Lauren still loves books that take you to mysterious places and let your imagination run wild with possibilities. Her biggest illustration influences are Chris Van Allsburg, Loren Long, Chris Sheban, Arthur Rackham, and Scott Gustafson to name only a few.
In a world where the rich obtain immortality, a forbidden love can either bridge the gap of unimaginable inequity or drive the disparaging classes even farther apart. A science-fiction novel with an earthly conscious.
Sean Curley’s new book, Anika’s Gift is making good progress through the cover design process, and ARCs are being sent out now. Sean is a renaissance man who loves new experiences, diversity, and challenges (though more intellectual than physical). He is also the author of the the 2014 Chaucer Grand Prize for Early Historical Fiction with his book Propositum. Sean will also be at the Chanticleer Authors Conference June 23-26, 2022!
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! Here are some recent updates from our authors:
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
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 Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards division. Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate -Fiction, and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2021 CYGNUS Science Fiction Semi-Finalists to the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards FINALISTS. All FINALISTS will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference. First Place and Grand Prize Winners will be chosen from the 24 Division Categories.
Congratulations to the 2021 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction Semi-Finalists!
J.W. Zarek –The Devil Pulls the Strings
Sarah Lahey –Nostalgia Is Heartless, Book Two
Spaulding Taylor –Last Star Standing
Akosua Sankofa –Monmouth Deep
Rhett C. Bruno –Vicarious
Peter Greene –Light of Ganymede
Kristie Clark –Dragon Gold
Charlene Newcomb – Echoes of the Storm
D.H. Ford – Cosmic Swap
William M. Hayes –Save Him
William X. Adams –Alien Dream Machine
PA Vasey –Trinity Evolution
Daniel C. McWhorter –Revival: The Gaia Origin, Book Two
Jenn Lees –Restoring Time: Community Chronicles Book 4
William X. Adams –Alien Panic
Elizabeth Crowens –A War in Too Many Worlds
Sandra J. Jackson –Catching Butterflies
Dana Claire –The Connection
Gina Detwiler –Forgiven
Sam Stea –The Edge of Elsewhere
Steven Seril –The Destroyer of Worlds: ‘An Answer to Every Question’
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles arein the runningfor the FIRST PLACE WINNERS positions of the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards novel competition for Science Fiction!
Good luck to all as your works compete on the next rounds of judging.
The next round of judging will decide which books move on to the Finalist positions for the 2021 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction novels.
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
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.
A Chatelaine Finalist and current Laramie Short Lister (good luck in the following CIBA tiers!), E.E. Burke describes herself as a history geek and a sucker for a good love story. She has recently released a new edition of her bestselling series, Steam! Romance and Rails, which combines Western action and adventure with romance and suspense. Another five-star series, The New Adventures, features a re-imagining of two beloved American characters in Tom Sawyer Returns and Taming Huck Finn.
The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, CT, sponsors spotlight programs with authors, many of whom are Pulitzer Prize winners, NYT bestsellers, and today’s leading literary voices. Burke credits the discovery of her work to reviews, which inspired the musem director to read her books and ask her too appear in their Valentine’s program, “Romancing Mark Twain.” Tune in to hear about what isnpired her to write these Mark Twain spinoffs and learn a little bit more about how Twain’s life influences writers today. You can sign up for this free event (Tuesday, February 15, 7pm EST) here!
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
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 Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (the CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction.
Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi), and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.
These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2021 CYGNUS Science Fiction Long List to the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards SHORT LIST. These entries are now in competition for 2021 Cygnus Semi-Finalists. FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22).
The 2021 CYGNUS FINALISTS will be selected from the CYGNUS Semi-Finalists.
The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 24 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALS of the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards novel competition for Science Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
J.W. Zarek –The Devil Pulls the Strings
Sarah Lahey –Nostalgia Is Heartless, Book Two
Joe Butler –Of All Possibilities
Michael Hicks Thompson –Clouds Above
Spaulding Taylor –Last Star Standing
Dale Renton –DART
S. W. Lawrence, MD –Earth Dragon
Max Mason –Novastrom: Adventures from the Zrax Wars
Mark D. Owen –Impact
Steven Seril –The Destroyer of Worlds: ‘An Answer to Every Question’
Akosua Sankofa –Monmouth Deep
John Teton –The Book of Geezer
Gary Clark –The Given
Rhett C. Bruno –Vicarious
Timothy S. Johnston –Fatal Depth
Peter Greene –Light of Ganymede
Kristie Clark – Dragon Gold
Dimple Patel Desai –The Lambda Factor
John J Spearman –Pike’s Potential
Charlene Newcomb –Echoes of the Storm
D.H. Ford –Cosmic Swap
William M. Hayes –Save Him
William X. Adams –Alien Dream Machine
Michael J Metroke –The Masada Affair
PA Vasey –Trinity Evolution
Daniel C. McWhorter –Revival: The Gaia Origin, Book Two
Robert C Littlewood –Deviance
Jenn Lees –Restoring Time: Community Chronicles Book 4
Bernie Koenig –B.R.A.I.N.
Daniele Kasper –Cut Her Out In Little Stars
William X. Adams –Alien Panic
Elizabeth Crowens –A War in Too Many Worlds
Sandra J. Jackson –Catching Butterflies
Dana Claire –The Connection
Gina Detwiler –Forgiven
Sam Stea –The Edge of Elsewhere
Good luck to all as your works move on 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 FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.
FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.
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.
Beware! Beware! Tis the season of the great All Hallow’s Read!
What if, instead of giving sugary sweets and candy to each other for Halloween, we gave each other a scary book? That’s what All Hallow’s Read is all about!
A Blank Page! The Writer’s Greatest Fear!
That was an idea Neil Gaiman came up with in 2010 to try and change the focus of Halloween a little bit more scary and a little less cavity-inducing.
Good Omens
Neil Gaiman is a wonderfully prolific author of the weird, spooky, and plain fun. Probably best known for his works, Stardust, Good Omens, and American Gods, all of which have been converted to the screen, Gaiman’s most frightening work is perhaps in his short story collections like Fragile Things and Trigger Warning. He also is the author of the Sandman Series, which was the inspiration for the TV show Lucifer.
For the first All Hallow’s Read, Gamain released an audio short story called “Click Clack the Rattle Bag” which you can listen to in the video below. IF YOU DARE…
Of course, when we heard of this, we couldn’t help but think of Jolabokaflod, the Icelandic tradition of the Yule Flood where books are given for Christmas that we celebrate every winter.
On the theme of spookiness, why do we like to be scared?
The Toys are inside the house!
There are many reasons for this, but it seems to come down to a few key things:
A quick fright can release dopamine, which feels good
Being scared with a group can be a bonding experience
Frightening media can be a way to critique the status quo
Now, one of the key elements to all the fear-inducing possibilities out there – books, movies, haunted corn mazes, and more – is that we know, on some level, that we are actually safe in these situations. That safety net is key in being able to enjoy fear.
That Feel Good Feeling
Honestly, we don’t know much about the exact science behind fear feeling good, so we’ll simply refer to this excerpt from a Psychology Today article:
When we get scared, we experience a rush of adrenaline and a release of endorphins and dopamine. The biochemical rush can result in a pleasure-filled, opioid-like sense of euphoria. Coupled with this, when we are reminded of our safety (i.e., the safety net), the experience of fear subsides, and we are left with a gratifying sense of relief and subsequent well-being.
Group Fright
Eek!
This one may seem counterintuitive but think about it: When you go to a haunted corn maze with a group, part of the joy is getting to overcome the challenges and hardships together.
There’s also the habit of taking a date to the movies. While it’s true your sweetie might clasp your arm for support and protection, that feeling of heightened intensity, coupled with safety and relief, can definitely help both people feel close.
Critiquing the Status Quo
“We need to talk about your behavior”
Thinking of ghosts and haunting, so often brings up the ideas of someone who has been wronged. Eve Tuck and C. Ree going into this beautifully in their piece “A Glossary of Haunting,” but for those who aren’t looking to get into intense academic discourse today, there’s a quicker version of this from USC News:
Stories of ghosts are prevalent in most societies and often carry cultural implications. In the United States, they feature prominently in connection with slavery and the mistreatment of native tribes, like the trope of the American Indian burial ground as an explanation for supernatural events.
Samhain – The History of Halloween
Origins of Halloween date back to the ancient (for about 2,000 years) Celts’ festival of Samhain (pronounced SAH-win). The Samhain pagan religious festival was observed on October 31st until for about 3 days to six days—mid-point between Fall equinox and Winter Solstice. Anyone committing a crime or used their weapons during the festival faced a death sentence. Mischief and mayhem that did occur (tricks) were blamed on fairies, imps, and other worldly beings.
It was believed that during this time that the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead blurred. The festival marked the beginning of the coming winter and the end of the harvest season. In the 7th century A.D., the Catholic Church tried to blend the ancient Celtic rites with All Saints Day. Again, in 1000 A.D., the church tried again to supplant the ancient festival with All Souls Day on November 2nd. But, ancient rites are hard to extinguish. Sources: History.com
Ancient Samhain — Keep those fires lit!
Now that we have a little primer on why we like being scared, let’s get into some book recommendations!
PLAGUE
By C.C. Humphreys
Captain William Coke lives as a thief with a conscience, in C.C. Humphrey’s historical thriller,Plague. Never loading his pistol with anything more than powder, he carefully selects his victims from the wealthy and the pompous. But he soon walks into crimes far more horrific than robbery.
Captain Coke and Dickon, a rescued street urchin, never expected to find their marks slaughtered on the road to London. Coke has never seen a killing like this, not even on the battlefield fighting to restore his king to the throne in the English Civil War. Pitman, a thief-taker, is likewise shocked by the brutality of the murders supposedly committed by the highwayman he has come to see as a gentleman bandit. Now, Pitman will stop at nothing to find Coke, who has become known as the Monstrous Cock after the notorious murder.
PULSE and PREJUDICE: The Confessions of Mr. Darcy, Vampire
By Colette L. Saucier
First Place Winner in Chatelaine Awards
As a wealthy member of the landed gentry, Fitzwilliam Darcy has obligations in Colette Saucier’s mashup,Pulse and Prejudice: The Confessions of Mr. Darcy, Vampire.
Darcy must secure a suitable match for his younger sister, maintain his cool facade of indifference, and live as quietly as possible. He refuses to consider marriage for himself due to his unusual “affliction.” Forced to live a shell of his former existence for the past six years, Darcy relies on his valet, Rivens, for his every need. He shuns most company because Darcy is a vampire. So, when his close friend, Charles Bingley, insists that Darcy accompany him to a country ball, Darcy is loath to accept. When Bingley meets and is immediately captivated with Jane Bennet, Darcy suspects the Bennets are fortune seekers, interested only in finding wealthy matches for the five Bennet daughters, including the fiery Elizabeth, Jane’s sister.
A frantic, distraught father pounds on a bolted chapel door in a small country hospital…. A tiny, two-day-old infant cries in peril…. A deranged grandfather sees demons in every shadowy corner.
The opening scene read like something out of a young parent’s nightmare. Will their child be healthy? Will they grow up to be successful? Will the child be safe in their grandparents’ arms? Questions that any new mother and father ask themselves. In Garvin’sOphelia’s Room, the answers are terrifying.
JUST DIE
By E. Alan Fleischauer
First Place in Paranormal Awards
E. Alan Fleischauer’s lead character holds the power of life and death in his fingertips in the new crime thriller, Just Die.
How would you react to holding the fate of the living in your bare hand? Recovering from his own near-death experience, retired financial advisor Jake Silver attempts to understand his new powers after a stint in the hospital. When he points his bare finger and utters well-worn words, the object of his attention instantly dies.
The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife
By Liese Sherwood-Fabre
First Place Winner in M&M Awards
The game is afoot! It’s years before Sherlock Holmes’ ponderings from 221B Baker Street. Sherlock is a teenager when challenged to solve his first case,The Adventure of the Murdered Midwifeby Liese Sherwood-Fabre.
The stakes are among the highest. Sherlock’s beloved mother is the accused killer when he and his infamous brother Mycroft are summoned home from their boarding schools. The family reunites to a single purpose. They must prove Violette Holmes’s innocence. They soon discover that proving her innocence will not be enough to restore her standing in the court of public opinion. They can only clear her name by also finding the actual killer. That investigation involves a dangerous pursuit that requires detailed observation, logic, and action. Young Sherlock Holmes will also need to watch his back.
The protagonist and all-around decent guy, Boone Daniels, is in a heap of hurt in JW Zarek’s new Young Adult novel,The Devil Pulls the Strings.
One would think being plagued by an evil spirit wendigo since age six would be enough inconvenience to last a lifetime, but when Boone jousts with his best bud at a Ren Faire and accidentally deals a mortal blow, the hurt he experiences suddenly lands on a sliding scale of 1 to 1 million. And Boone Daniels becomes a millionaire, so to speak.
WRITING IS MURDER: An Emlyn Goode Mystery
By Susan Lynn Solomon
First Place in M&M Awards
A perfect seasonal read, Susan L. Solomon’s mystery,Writing is Murder: An Emlyn Goode Mysterydelivers a witty, intuitive red-headed writer who has many connections in her community, a handsome police detective-maybe-lover, a mouthy cat who keeps her grounded, and a Wiccan BFF whom she can trust with her most profound concerns. And, of course, magical abilities inherited from her ancestor, Salem’s legendary accused witch Sarah Goode, adds layers of mystique.
When Roger Frey interrupts Emlyn Goode battling her recalcitrant muse, she can’t be upset. Roger, aka Police Detective Roger Frey, her next-door neighbor and sometimes sleep-over boyfriend, stumbles on the hunt for coffee, a good-morning kiss, and a sympathetic ear, in that order. He’s bored at work and wants to complain.
When you’re ready,did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011.
Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).
If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.
We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis.Contact us today!
Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.
A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service, with more information availablehere.
And we do editorial consultations for $75. Learn more here.
If you’re confident in your book, consider submitting it for a Editorial Book Reviewhereor to one of our Chanticleer International Awardshere.
And remember! Our 10th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22) will be April 7-10, 2022, where our 2021 CIBA winners will be announced. Space is limited and seats are already filling up, so sign up today! CAC22 and the CIBA Ceremonies will be hosted at the Hotel Bellwether in Beautiful Bellingham, Wash. Sign up and see the latest updates here!
Writer’s Toolbox
Thank you for reading this Chanticleer Writer’s article.
If you haven’t heard the news, Kiffer was interviewed on DIY MFA where she and Gabriela Pereira discuss
Why now is the best time to be an author
The difference between a write-up and a review
The Four Types of Reviews
How advance reviews help to promote your book
When you should start sending your book out for reviews
Plus, Kiffer’s #1 Tip for Writers
You can listen to the full interview on Chanticleer’s under the hood technology that gets increases the digital footprint of each book review published on Chanticleer’s website here or wherever you get your podcasts. Kiffer also gives quick and easy tips about how to get more “Amazon Love” to your book’s Amazon selling page. Below is a quick synopsis of the interview, but tune in to get the full scoop!
So what does all this mean? We have the inside scoop!
The Best Time to be an Author
With millions of books being published every year, it’s harder for an author to be noticed than ever! So why is now the best time to be an author?
Simply put, the number of resources available to authors now are greater than ever before. Not only can Chanticleer help you navigate this vast ocean of publishing, but we provide many of the tools directly. A brief list of our formidable resources are:
Overwhelmed? You can always email us at info@ChantiReviews.com for assistance, or message us directly on Facebook. Of course, one of our primary services is the Editorial Review.
A Write-Up vs A Review
The proof is in the pudding for write-ups vs reviews. A write-up, as said on Merriam-Webster is a review that is intended to be “flattering.” While there’s nothing wrong with one of these, readers will wisely be wary of them as they have a biased tone. By contrast, Editorial Reviews are unbiased and objective, referring to what a text specifically does or does not do – it focuses on the quality of the work. Editorial Reviews are an excellent way for readers to gauge their actual interest in a book, instead of having to read between the lines to see if it’s actually something they’ll enjoy. Both happen and can help with book sales, but an Editorial Review will be more versatile. Let’s dig into that!
The Four Types of Review
Editorial Reviews
These reviews are unbiased and objective, the standard by which readers measure if they’ll want to read a book or not. Chanticleer Editorial Reviews are a professional avenue for your book to be fairly assessed and get people talking about it! We keep up with the latest in Search Engine Optimization technology to maximize the digital footprint of our clients, including cross-posting across social media.
Chanticleer’s Marketing Kits are given to authors whose books receive a 4 or 5-star CBR review.Our kits include personalized Shelf Talkers you can use wherever your print book is sold, as well as samples of our silver-foil Book Review stickers designed to catch readers’ attention.
Typically, the best time to begin submitting your work for an Editorial Review is when you reach the proofing stage. Your reviewer will understand that the book is approaching its final form, and that minor changes will still be made. Your book will be evaluated, not on minor typographical errors, but on how well you’ve realized your story.
Reader Reviews
Close kin of the write-up, these are the kinds of reviews you’ll find everyone on Amazon and Goodreads letting you know how someone who read the book liked it. While some are helpful and provide real insight on the book, many are just a rating from 1-5, and the information relating to your book varies. You can’t be sure this reader is in your audience, even if they read your book! There’s no denying that reader reviews help your book do well, and it’s more of a question of quantity over quality, but they’re tricky to maneuver and guarantee.
Peer Review
One of the most difficult reviews to obtain is that of the peer review, or, as it’s commonly known, the book blurb. This describes an author or someone else in your circle of influence who readers will listen to. J.D. Barker, a regular presenter at The Chanticleer Authors Conference, has networked to have Stephen King blurb his thriller novels, and you can believe that King’s readers sit up an pay attention to that!
Circle of Influence is how Kiffer describes those who surround you that can directly contribute to your success as an author. If you aren’t sure who your circle includes, try writing down ten people who you know you can turn to for advice or support. Each year, you’ll want to grow this circle by another ten people. Kiffer and Sharon Anderson wrote an excellent article about this that you can read here.
JD Barker presented at CAC19 and VCAC21!
While you will, of course, reach out to authors on your level, it’s always good to have a few authors who are doing better than you blurb your book. Obviously, writers at the top of their game will be inundated with blurb requests, so be gentle and patient when asking, even if you never hear back.
The Manuscript Overview
This one is always unexpected, because a review of your manuscript doesn’t come after your book is done (or close to it). However, Kiffer recommends that you do a Manuscript overview around the second of third draft of your book. It’s before you’ve paid someone to painstakingly line edit and proofread your book, but after you feel comfortable with knowing the core of the story, and you know the ideas you want to convey are on the paper. That’s when you’re ready for your overview.
A manuscript overview (MOV) is a broad overview of your manuscript – what’s working and what isn’t from all aspects of your story: structure, plot, pacing, character development, dialogue, etc. Chanticleer can offer guidance on what you need next. Using a manuscript overview before you begin the editorial process will not only save you money in terms of editorial services down the road, but it also will save you time by clarifying where you are in writing your story right now.
Now that we’ve covered the four types of reviews, let’s continue to dig deeper into how you can use your Editorial Reviews
How Advance Reviews Can Support Your Book
So often when authors receive their Editorial Review, instead of inspiration lighting up the night sky telling them what to do next, there’s a strange buzzing sound that surely isn’t dread and uncertainty.
It’s okay! Of course, you’ll want to test bits of your Editorial Review as blurb material for you book. Feel free to be selective and grab multiple sound bites that you like to describe your book. Workshop them with friends and fellow writers in your circle of influence. For the other potential blurbs, you can use those on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes Noble, and Kobo. Each one of those places has a special location for Editorial Reviews that the author can upload. The reason you use different quotes from you review for these is so that readers who come across your book on multiple platforms have something new to read in each spot. Editorial Reviews used in this way can really help drive presales.
If your book hasn’t been published yet, but is a manuscript that you are sending to agents and publishers, then the Editorial Review can still be used in the same way to market it to those you query regarding your book.
The other big thing is link to your review! Adding links on blog posts and websites increase your SEO rating, and having your digital footprints over a wide path with help readers come across your book online.
When Should you Solicit Reviews?
At least six months in advance. In times where shipping is not being impacted by a global pandemic, it takes about two weeks to receive a shipment of books. And that’s in the best case scenario. Remember, even if all you have left to do is proofreading, your book will still have the following to go through before it can go to print:
Interior Formatting
Cover Design
Proof Copies
The interior formatting and cover design time varies greatly, and the time it takes to receive a galley or proof of your book will be another two weeks for shipping. Six moths will be the minimum amount of time you’ll want to make sure the blurb can appear somewhere on your book and then will be sent out in marketing packages. Bestselling books are often sent out a year or more in advance to receive reviews.
The book is a wonderful tool for someone interested in an MFA, but sitting on the fence. It walks you through the essentials of what an MFA program provides, and the dives into how to create a similar situation, while providing craft tips on par with the latest advice from top-tier editors. Highly Recommended!
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 10th annual conference and discover why!
Young readers with a penchant for math, science, and engineering are sure to fall in love with David Horn’s new Eudora Space Kid series. With the premiere story of The Great Engine Room Takeover, readers meet a precocious third-grader and her mad-cap adventures in outer space.
Eudora Jenkins lives aboard a multi-level Astroliner called the Athena and hopes to be its chief engineer someday. The Athena is the flagship of the Astrofleet, a science and defense force for the Planetary Republic, which comprises twenty planets working together to make the galaxy a better place for all living things. Early on, we learn that aliens adopted both Eudora and her older sister Molly. Their new Mom resembles a beautiful gray wolf from the dog-like species of the planet Pox, and their father, Max, looks like an octopus and hails from planet Pow.
Through an imaginative first-person narrative, this “most awesome girl” draws us into her space domain.
Looking for more than a typical childhood existence aboard this flying craft, Eudora’s latest desire is to figure out how to increase the speed of the Athena. After hacking into the spaceship’s PA system, Eudora’s enticing birthday party announcement works as a ploy to empty the engine room. Here she applies her formulas and makes adjustments at the computer terminal in an attempt to break the Astroliner’s speed record.
In Eudora’s funtastic, futuristic world, we meet all types of innovative technology and fabulous new friends.
For example, her pet drago named Bologna appears as a cross between a bunny and a dragon. Young readers will discover electropad devices that hold all the students’ books, notes, and work – and hear tales of exploding pumpkins that wreak havoc on a fuel storage chamber. Not only is this a book that fits in well with the STEM programs now in many educational curriculums, but the story quickly touches on an array of themes, from sibling rivalry and family variations to lessons about learning from our mistakes.
Laced with humor, Eudora comments to her audience, “And you thought your parents were weird!”
An opening illustration by Talitha Shipman sets the stage with a spaceship flying amidst a star-studded galaxy.
Readers will see lion and octopus-headed creatures and a being with Spock-like pointed ears. Details in the artwork throughout the book capture the extreme facial expressions of these spacecraft residents. Eudora’s gleeful look while destroying an asteroid at the push of a button changes to a disgruntled frown when the captain reprimands her. The final pages offer a creative word search puzzle, and the audience also learns that more cosmic adventures with Eudora are on the way.
Eudora Space Kid: The Great Engine Room Takeover will indeed win an audience among inquisitive, inventive-minded youngsters who like to push boundaries and reach for the stars.
Celebrating the 4th of July – Independence Day in the U.S.A.
In July 1776 the United States declared Independence from England. As more than politics heat up, it can be difficult to talk about our Independence Day in a complex and nuanced way.
John Dunlap printed copies of the Declaration of Independence in his Philadelphia shop on the night of July 4, 1776. (National Archives Identifier 301682)
Click here for the National Archives Link that will give you a closer look at this historic event.
Since US Independence was declared, the path to voting rights for all has been a long one getting from there to here, and there’s still more work to be done. You can read an abridged history of the journey of voting rights for women and people of color here, with special attention paid to the 19th Amendment.
Of course, we also have Juneteenth, which was celebrated as a federal holiday for the first time this year. The holiday celebrates a June 19, 1865 proclamation that freed enslaved peoples in Texas. Texas then, in 1979, became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday. You can learn more about Juneteenth here.
Clearly, the US Independence Day has a deep, rich history that still lives on and evolves today. The traditions to celebrate the Fourth of July also continue to change and grow with the world. Here in the Pacific Northwest, as we recover from a heatwave that saw record temperatures in areas without infrastructure like air conditioning to manage it, people are reconsidering fireworks that might contribute to an early fire season—a fifth season that no one is happy about. This doesn’t mean that vaccinated people can’t gather safely now, just that we rethink the best ways to maximize our celebration while being mindful of our community responsibilities.
Here in Bellingham, Wash., there will be a free fireworks display that will be launched from a barge in the middle of our beautiful Bellingham Bay in honor of Independence Day. The fireworks should be visible from multiple viewpoints. Because Bellingham’s sunset is 9:15 p.m. and our twilight continues to 9:57 p.m., the fireworks will start at 10:15 p.m. PST.
It is also a time to remember those who serve and have served to preserve our nation’s independence and democracy.
To that end, we want to recognize some of the wonderful titles that have come up that made us think differently about climate and the environment. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
Author Gene Helfman, noted academic expert on aquatic biodiversity, delivers a fictional tale about an orphaned orca (killer whale) named Sam and the humans who seek to change his life in Beyond the Human Realm.
The book opens from Sam’s viewpoint. On display for humans, whom he calls “split-tails” or “logriders,” Sam relies on the humans now for food in his too-small habitat. In exchange, he must perform tricks such as carrying balls and leaping about, actions he performs reluctantly if at all. There’s one split-tail that he likes, though, a female who speaks to him gently. Sam allows her to ride on his back as one of his tricks. When a female companion arrives in his habitat Sam falls in love and the pair produces a baby. All seems blissful until the split-tails take his baby, and his partner dies of grief. Continue Reading here…
A search for the truth behind Lusca, the legendary sea dragon, leads to areas far more menacing than a mere myth in Kristie Clark’s Killing Dragons: Order of the Dolphin.
Eva Paz is a doctorate-level marine biologist at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS), performing research on whistle-signature spectrograms. Even though Eva believes she’s close to a breakthrough in dolphin-human communication, her statistics may not be enough to keep the grant she needs to continue her work and support her employment at RIMS. Her connection with a petite Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Taffy, an animal trained by the Navy, and Taffy’s mate, Finn, go back thirteen years during a horrific time in Eva’s life. Continue Reading here…
KOBEE MANATEE® – Climate Change and the Great Blue Hole Hazard
By Robert Scott Thayer
Author Robert Scott Thayer and illustrator Lauren Gallegos bring to life another beautifully told tale in the fourth book in the series, Kobee Manatee® – Climate Change and the Great Blue Hole Hazard.
In the engaging and increasingly popular Kobee Manatee® children’s book series, the lovable sea cow and friends are off to help Cousin Quinn clean up the plastic that’s littering the ocean area around her new underwater eating establishment. The 500-mile journey across the water turns into an enlightening adventure, as these characters face unexpected challenges and dilemmas, many brought on by the harmful effects of climate change and ocean pollution. Continue Reading here…
Climate Fiction and Thrillers
NATURE’S CONFESSION
By JL Morin
Dante Rossetti First Place Winner
In a dystopian near-future where nobody is safe, the world is ruled by a ruthless capitalist. Humankind’s last hope may be a fourteen-year-old named Boy. Part sci-fi, part diverse love story, Nature’s Confession by J.L. Morin is an ecological coming of age novel that spans the universe.
The story opens with Boy, so-called because he hasn’t reached an age where he will be named yet for security reasons, managing to survive in the dystopian world he calls home. On next year’s earth, humanity is essentially enslaved by a worldwide corporate government, not for the people or by the people; but, one that operates to ensure its citizens are brainwashed, downtrodden, and too exhausted to be able to offer any sort of resistance. When Boy stays after school one day, he meets a man who turns out to be his long-time idol—Tyree. Tyree is a member of the resistance and recruits Boy to help him and their cause, believing that Boy may be their last hope. Continue Reading here…
A DIVINE WIND
By Norman M. Jacobs MD, MS
A Divine Wind by Norman M. Jacobs MD, MS is a technothriller that will keep readers glued in their seats until the last page is read.
Working in secret, one government experiments with technology that allows them complete control over the weather. If the user guides the technology with a heavy hand, the weather will strike like a weapon; likewise, if those at the control wield compassion, calm weather that nourishes the land will result. Calculated strategies could deploy storms against one’s foes. Of course, any intentions to channel the weather for good may produce scattered, unintended, and deadly consequences. There’s an old saying, “An ill wind may blow nobody any good.” However, a divine wind may unite people if they don’t kill one another first. Continue Reading here…
OVER
By Sean P. Curley
Over is a sci-fi novel of big ideas: the scourge on the future by today’s environmental negligence, the effects of biological warfare, even the development of a faster-than-light warp drive that opens the door to a future among the stars.
In this dystopian future, humankind must grapple with the repercussions from a technological advancement that essentially imparts immortality: immortality to a very few. Less than 30,000 of the world’s inhabitants, the privileged class, Overs, and the resentment of the billions of people who don’t fit into that category, aptly named, Unders. Continue Reading here…
This Independence Day, we wish you the following:
May your family and loved ones be close and happy. May we share in the benefits of a community that cares for and loves each other.
Happy Fourth of July from Sharon & Kiffer & David and the whole Chanticleer Team!
And Remember! You can join the Chanticleer Family Anytime!
Sign up for our Newsletter here! Join our online community, The Roost, here for discounts and special offers!
Keep an eye out for new information about our 10th Anniversary Conference, CAC2022! More information will be posted here, and until then you’ll be able to see what we did in the past.
VCAC 21 featured Bestselling Crime Author Cathy Ace, J.D. Barker – Master of Suspense, C.C. Humphreys – Historical Fiction with a twist, Jessica Morrell – Top-tiered Developmental Editor, and more!
Check out our Editorial Services here and our Manuscript Overviews here, OR, if your work is already polished to a fine shine, it’s time to submit to our Editorial Reviews here and our Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) here!
