When your mission is to Discover Today’s Best Books, you come across good news regarding authors!
Five Chanticleer International Book Award winners are headed to the LA Kids Book Festival, showcasing the caliber of children’s literature our awards recognize.
LA Children’s Book Fest is coming up!
Find Chanticleer Award winning authors Norah Lally, Ruth Amanda, M.C. Dingman, Julie Lomax, and our 2024 Overall Grand Prize Winner Reenita Malhotra Hora!
LA’s first and largest event celebrating early education, bilingualism, and multiculturalism will feature an impressive lineup of Chanticleer talent.
Norah Lally, Gertrude Warner Grand Prize Winner for middle grade fiction, will be representing #1 Amazon bestselling novel Back to Bainbridge about fourteen-year-old Vicki navigating life on Bainbridge Avenue as she searches for her place in the world while discovering that her imperfect family and friends might just be the treasures she’s been looking for all along.
M.C. Dingman, First Place Gertrude Warner Winner, Samantha Smee: A Pirate’s Life, tells the story of Mr. Smee’s daughter who grows up disguised on Captain Hook’s pirate ship, embarking on hilarious adventures that celebrate inclusivity and girl power as she discovers her true self in Neverland.
Julie Lomax, First Place Little Peeps Winner, will showcase Melissa Moo Moo’s Special Lesson from The JuJu Series. When little cow Melissa Moo Moo overhears other cows gossiping about her lack of milk, she learns an important lesson about self-confidence and being herself after a magical encounter with some fallen berries.
Reenita Malhotra Hora, our 2024 Overall Grand Prize Winner for the incredible literary romance Vermilion Harvest, will be there with the much different tale of Sundri and Mundri’s Lohri Adventure. When Badi Ma wraps the sisters in her magical Lohri shawl, they’re whisked away to a bustling village from the past where they invent gadgets, dodge a grumpy king, and call on the famous bandit hero Dulla Bhatti for help—all while celebrating the joyous festival of Lohri.
While Ruth Amanda won’t be attending the festival herself, her award-winning books Geckos in the Garden and Little Peeps Grand Prize Winner Island Moon will be represented. Geckos in the Garden takes young readers on a delightful counting adventure through hidden geckos in a garden, while Island Moon captures the magical tranquility of nighttime on the island of Barbados, following a narrator who witnesses fairies dancing in the moonlight and a sea turtle coming ashore to lay eggs.
We are honored to have so many Award-Winning Authors and Books that we have had the chance to promote and recognize at the LA Children’s Book Fest! If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by and say hello to them!
Our Little Peeps Awards celebrate the artistry and educational value of picture books
The Gertrude Warner Awards honor outstanding middle grade fiction that engages young readers during crucial developmental years
Ready to join the ranks of these celebrated authors?
Whether you’re crafting picture books for our Little Peeps Awards or middle grade fiction for the Gertrude Warner Awards, Chanticleer recognition opens doors to major festivals, bookstore partnerships, and reader communities nationwide. We are proud to be a part of the extraordinary literary careers of these five wonderful authors!
This post has links to each of the 16 individual CIBA FICTION Divisions’ Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners. We will have a separate post for Non-Fiction Award Winners which will include the Shorts Awards, and the Series Awards’ winners.
All First Place and Grand Prize winners were announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 5that the Chanticleer Banquet. It is a huge honor for us to have the opportunity to recognize all Finalists, First Place Winners, and Grand Prize Winners with you live and in-person!
Let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.
Now, presenting the links to the 2024 CIBA Fiction Division Awards Grand Prize Winners!
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 CYGNUS Awards for Science Fiction is:
Ares
By Jayson Adams
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 OZMAAwards is:
A Circle of Stars
By Erin Lark Maples
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 SHELLEYAwards is:
The Time-Marked Warlock
By Shami Stovall
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 GLOBAL THRILLER Awards is:
A Blanket of Steel: The Rise of Oceania
By Timothy S. Johnston
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 CLUE Awards is:
Enemies Domestic
By John DeDakis
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 Mystery & Mayhem Awards is:
If Two Are Dead
by Jeanne Matthews
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 DANTE ROSSETTI Awards is:
The Realm of Gods
by Glen Dahlgren
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 GERTRUDE WARNER Awards is:
Back to Bainbridge
by Norah Lally
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 LITTLE PEEPS Awards is:
Island Moon
by Ruth Amanda
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 LARAMIEAwards is:
Sarita
by Natalie Musgrave Dossett
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 CHAUCER Awards is:
Maid of Honour
Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s Court
by Rozsa Gaston
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 GOETHE Awards is:
Abigail’s Song
by Alina Rubin
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 Hemingway BookAwards is:
Of White Ashes
by Constance Hays Matsumoto and Kent Matsumoto
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 CHATELAINE Book Awards is:
The Key
by Jo Morgan Sloan
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 HUMOR & SATIRE Awards is:
The Man Who Saw Seconds
by Alexander Boldizar
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 SOMERSET Awards is:
Vermilion Harvest: Playtime at the Bagh
by Reenita Malhotra Hora
We have badges available starting with the Short List. If you need a digital badge reflecting your tier level, please email info@ChantiReviews.com with your division and rank, and we will send you one as soon as possible.
Make sure your Award gets the attention it deserves on Goodreads.com
In the Librarian Manual on Goodreads, you can go to your Book Edit Page — Literary Awards.
You want to list the Award for Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Winners, and be sure to include the year and what place you received. For example:
The year Long List, Short List, Semi-Finalist, Finalist, First Place, Division Grand Prize, or Overall Grand Prize Winner
Note from Goodreads: “To add a new award or edit an existing award, you’ll need help from one of our volunteer librarians or a staff member.” For assistance, post in the Goodreads Librarians Group.
Always double check that you’ve written everything correctly before posting it. The search function for Awards on Goodreads is both case and punctuation sensitive.
The Overall Grand Prize Winner for the 2024 CIBAs was Reenita Malhotra Hora‘s Book Vermilion Harvest: Playtime at the Bagh
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.
See Non-Fiction, Series, and Shorts Grand Prize Winners here!
See the Official Overall Grand Prize winner Post here!
Well done climbing the CIBA Levels of Achievement!
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!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.
A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting inMay. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.
Thank you for participating in the 2024 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.
This post has links to each of the 16 individual CIBA FICTION Divisions’ Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners. We will have a separate post for Non-Fiction Award Winners which will include the Shorts Awards, and the Series Awards’ winners.
All First Place and Grand Prize winners were announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 20th at the Chanticleer Banquet. It is a huge honor for us to have the opportunity to recognize all Finalists, First Place Winners, and Grand Prize Winners with you live and in-person!
One of the most memorable moments was Awarding Burl Harmon, a 100-year-old veteran, his First Place Ribbon for Military & Front Lines Non-Fiction
Let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.
Now, presenting the links to the 2023 CIBA Fiction Division Awards Grand Prize Winners!
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CYGNUS Awards for Science Fiction is:
The Shadow of War
By Timothy S. Johnston
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 OZMAAwards is:
A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance, Book 1
By Tim Facciola
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 PARANORMALAwards is:
Becoming Crone
By Lydia M. Hawke
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GLOBAL THRILLER Awards is:
Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy
By Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CLUE Awards is:
The Other Murder
By Kevin G. Chapman
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Mystery & Mayhem Awards is:
A Haunting at Linley
by Michelle Cox
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 DANTE ROSSETTI Awards is:
Sour Flower
by Maryanne Melloan Woods
Manuscript
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GERTRUDE WARNER Awards is:
EXOSTAR
The Lost Space Treasure Series, Book 1
by Rae Knightly
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LITTLE PEEPS Awards is:
The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans
by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, and Jessica Alexanderson with Scrap University
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LARAMIEAwards is:
The Last Man
by Thomas Goodman
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHAUCER Awards is:
The Merchant from Sepharad
by James Hutson-Wiley
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GOETHE Awards is:
If Someday Comes
by David Calloway
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Hemingway Book Awards is:
The Silver Waterfall:
A Novel of the battle of Midway
by Kevin Miller
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHATELAINE Book Awards is:
A Sea of Glass
by Gail Avery Halverson
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 MARK TWAIN Awards is:
Quantum Consequence:
Physics, Lust and Greed, Book 5
by Mike Murphey
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 SOMERSET Awards is:
You Can’t Fool a Mermaid
by Judy Keesler Santamaria
We have badges available starting with the Short List. If you need a digital badge reflecting your tier level, please email info@ChantiReviews.com with your division and rank, and we will send you one as soon as possible.
The 2023 CIBA Grand Prize Winners!
Make sure your Award gets the attention it deserves on Goodreads.com
In the Librarian Manual on Goodreads, you can go to your Book Edit Page — Literary Awards.
You want to list the Award for Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Winners, and be sure to include the year and what place you received. For example:
The year Long List, Short List, Semi-Finalist, Finalist, First Place, Division Grand Prize, or Overall Grand Prize Winner
Note from Goodreads: “To add a new award or edit an existing award, you’ll need help from one of our volunteer librarians or a staff member.” For assistance, post in the Goodreads Librarians Group.
Always double check that you’ve written everything correctly before posting it. The search function for Awards on Goodreads is both case and punctuation sensitive.
The Overall Grand Prize Winner for the 2023 CIBAs was Tim Facciola’s Book A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance Book 1
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.
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!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.
A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting inJune. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.
Thank you for participating in the 2023 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.
This post has links to each of the 16 individual CIBA FICTION Divisions’ Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners. We will have a separate post for Non-Fiction Award Winners which will include the Shorts Awards, and the Series Awards’ winners.
All First Place and Grand Prize winners were announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 20th at the Chanticleer Banquet. It is a huge honor for us to have the opportunity to recognize all Finalists, First Place Winners, and Grand Prize Winners with you live and in-person!
One of the most memorable moments was Awarding Burl Harmon, a 100-year-old veteran, his First Place Ribbon for Military & Front Lines Non-Fiction
Let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.
Now, presenting the links to the 2023 CIBA Fiction Division Awards Grand Prize Winners!
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CYGNUS Awards for Science Fiction is:
The Shadow of War
By Timothy S. Johnston
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 OZMAAwards is:
A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance, Book 1
By Tim Facciola
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 PARANORMALAwards is:
Becoming Crone
By Lydia M. Hawke
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GLOBAL THRILLER Awards is:
Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy
By Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CLUE Awards is:
The Other Murder
By Kevin G. Chapman
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Mystery & Mayhem Awards is:
A Haunting at Linley
by Michelle Cox
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 DANTE ROSSETTI Awards is:
Sour Flower
by Maryanne Melloan Woods
Manuscript
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GERTRUDE WARNER Awards is:
EXOSTAR
The Lost Space Treasure Series, Book 1
by Rae Knightly
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LITTLE PEEPS Awards is:
The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans
by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, and Jessica Alexanderson with Scrap University
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LARAMIEAwards is:
The Last Man
by Thomas Goodman
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHAUCER Awards is:
The Merchant from Sepharad
by James Hutson-Wiley
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GOETHE Awards is:
If Someday Comes
by David Calloway
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 Hemingway Book Awards is:
The Silver Waterfall:
A Novel of the battle of Midway
by Kevin Miller
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHATELAINE Book Awards is:
A Sea of Glass
by Gail Avery Halverson
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 MARK TWAIN Awards is:
Quantum Consequence:
Physics, Lust and Greed, Book 5
by Mike Murphey
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 SOMERSET Awards is:
You Can’t Fool a Mermaid
by Judy Keesler Santamaria
We have badges available starting with the Short List. If you need a digital badge reflecting your tier level, please email info@ChantiReviews.com with your division and rank, and we will send you one as soon as possible.
The 2023 CIBA Grand Prize Winners!
Make sure your Award gets the attention it deserves on Goodreads.com
In the Librarian Manual on Goodreads, you can go to your Book Edit Page — Literary Awards.
You want to list the Award for Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Winners, and be sure to include the year and what place you received. For example:
The year Long List, Short List, Semi-Finalist, Finalist, First Place, Division Grand Prize, or Overall Grand Prize Winner
Note from Goodreads: “To add a new award or edit an existing award, you’ll need help from one of our volunteer librarians or a staff member.” For assistance, post in the Goodreads Librarians Group.
Always double check that you’ve written everything correctly before posting it. The search function for Awards on Goodreads is both case and punctuation sensitive.
The Overall Grand Prize Winner for the 2023 CIBAs was Tim Facciola’s Book A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance Book 1
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.
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!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.
A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting inJune. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.
Thank you for participating in the 2023 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.
We are deeply honored and excited to continue to announce the 2021 Winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs) with our third and final of three official postings.
CIBA Grand Prize Ribbons!
The winners were recognized at the CIBA ceremonies held on June 25th, 2022 in-person and by ZOOM webinars at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.
The CIBA announcements were made LIVE with Chanticleerians participating and interacting from around the globe and North America.
Raising our glasses to cheer the CIBA Winners!
We want to thank all of the CIBA judges who read each and every entry and then comment, rate, and rank within each of the 25 CIBA Divisions. Without your labors of love for books, the Chanticleer International Book Awards would not exist. THANK YOU!
We want to thank all of the authors and publishers who participated in the 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs). Each year, we find the quality of the entries and the competitiveness of the division competitions increasing exponentially. We added a new level to the judging rounds in 2019—the premier Level of FINALIST per each CIBA Division. The CIBA judges wanted to add the Finalist Level of Achievement as a way to recognize and validate the entries that had outstanding merit but were not selected for the very few First Place Award positions within each genre division.
This post will recognize the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for the
Seven Non-Fiction Divisions:
Journey, Hearten, Harvey Chute, Mind and Spirit, I & I, Military & Frontline and Nellie Bly
along with the FIRST Winners for the
Short Story, and Book Series Awards,
and concluding with the
OVERALL 2021 GRAND PRIZE WINNER
for the 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards
J.W. Zarek will also be awarded $1,000 USD in recognition of her 2021 BEST BOOK of the YEAR – Chanticleer International Book Awards – Sponsored by Chanticleer Reviews & Media.
A Chanticleer Review ofThe Devil Pulls the Stringswill be featured in the in the Chanticleer Reviews OnWord Magazine (print and epub) along with other promotional and marketing opportunities along with an interview with the author, J.W. Zarek.
Thank you J.W. Zarek for participating in the 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards. We look forward to receiving future work in our CIBAs.
CONGRATULATIONS J.W. Zarek!
Six Grand Prize Winners with J.W. Zarek, the 2021 Overall Grand Prize Winner!
From all of us at Chanticleer International Book Awards and Chanticleer Reviews.
Looking for your Division? Check out our previous posts:
Be sure to register early for the 11th Chanticleer Authors Conference that will start on April 23rd, 2023 with the 2022 CIBA banquet and ceremony scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 25th, 2023 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.
Be well. Stay Healthy. Take Care!
An email will go out to all 2021 CIBA award winners prior to October 30, 2022, with instructions, links, and more information about the awards packages. We appreciate your patience. As stated many times before “One does not need to be present at the CIBA ceremony and banquet to win. But it sure is a lot more fun!”
As always, please contact us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!
We are deeply honored and excited to announce the 2021 Winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs). The Finalists were recognized at the Virtual Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Ceremonies, and the First Place Category and Grand Prize Winners were announced June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.
The 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2021 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Banquet and Ceremony took place over June 23-26, 2022, with the CIBA Banquet happening on June 25th. Each year, Chanticleerians from around the globe come together to celebrate and cheer each other on at the annual CIBA banquet and awards evening at the luxuriousHotel Bellwetherthat is situated on beautiful Bellingham Bay, Washington State.
Meeting in-person for the first time since lockdown began brought such joy into our lives. The ability to celebrate, hug, and learn together with the extra space provided by the Hotel Bellwether made this a truly unforgettable experience. Champagne was poured and shared as the 2021 CIBA Grand Prize Division Award Winners were announced. Thank you to all who joined us in-person and virtually to make the CIBA Ceremonies a success!
The 2021 Grand Prize Winners in attendance!
After two virtual conferences, it was a joy and pleasure to feel the energy of an in-person crowd! It was amazing to have such a marvelous event with presenters like Cathy Ace, Judy Gaman, Betsy Graziani Fasbinder, Jessica Morrell, Nicole Evelina, Jodé Millman, Oriana Leckhert, Diane Garland, and more!
We are already excited and gearing up for our next conference in nine short months! Save the date for CAC23 April 27-30, 2023.
At the June 25th, 2021 Ceremonies, we were overjoyed to recognize the 18 Fiction and 7 Non-Fiction CIBA Divisions for the First Place Category and Grand Prize Winners!
First of all, we want to thank all of the CIBA judges who read each and every entry and then comment, rate, and rank within each of the 25 CIBA Divisions. Without your labors of love for books, the Chanticleer International Book Awards would not exist. THANK YOU!
We want to thank all of the authors and publishers who participated in the 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs). Each year, we find the quality of the entries and the competitiveness of the division competitions increases exponentially. We added a new level to the judging rounds in 2019—the premier Level of FINALIST per each CIBA Division.
The CIBA judges wanted to add the Finalist Level of Achievement as a way to recognize and validate the entries that had outstanding merit but were not selected for the very few First Place Award positions within each genre division. Promotional Stickers are available to those who have advanced in the CIBA Tiers of Achievement here.
A Recap of the CIBA Selection Process
The 2021 CIBAs have 18 Fiction Divisions and 7 Non-fiction Divisions.
First Place Category award winners were selected for each one of the 25 divisions from an overall field of titles that progressed to the Premier FINALIST Division Level from the Division Semi-Finalists positions from the Shortlists, the Long List, and the infamous beginning slush pile rounds.
One Grand Prize award winner was selected from the First Place Category Award Winners for the 25 CIBA divisions.
One Overall Grand Prize award winner was selected from the 25 divisions of Grand Prize Award Winners
This post will recognize the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for Cygnus, Ozma, Paranormal, Global Thrillers, M&M, Clue, Little Peeps, Gertrude Warner, and Dante Rossetti Book Awards.
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please email us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com — We will try to respond within 3 business days.
Thank you for joining us in celebrating the 2021 CIBA Winners! –The Chanticleer Team
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…
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Happy Fourth of July from Sharon & Kiffer & David and the whole Chanticleer Team!
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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!
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Sometimes When I’m Mad, “… it’s because everything goes wrong,” is the enticing opening phrase of psychologist Deborah Serani’s informative children’s book. It explores the emotion of anger and helps youngsters identify and cope with this often uncomfortable feeling.
Here we meet a dark-haired girl with spiky pigtails who is easily frustrated by the day’s happenings. Whether a spilled glass of milk, a frantic search for a toy, or discontent when a friend doesn’t come over to play, sharp images of a furrowed brow, snarling face, or pouting lips tell the story. Concerned parents, grandparents, and a teacher soon help this youngster realize that simple actions can help remedy and manage her anger. Ultimately a talk or fun activity, a nap or hug, or sometimes even an apology can calm the inner turmoil and make an individual feel better.
Kyra Teis’s artful illustrations beautifully complement the straightforward narrative.
The opening background of a lined and spattered wall seems intentionally reflective of the tumultuous subject matter. Details like a crossed arm stance, ears covered to avoid listening, or the rising blush in cheeks when attempting to put on a pair of socks all prove indicative of the child’s building frustration. The color palette is natural yet toned down. For appropriate contrast, the central character’s bright red shirt and shorts and an orange sweatshirt draw the reader’s attention and accentuate the young girl’s intense upset. A final smiling image, where she dons cool-green attire and pets her ever-present, inquisitive feline, helps bring an element of soothing comfort to the storyline.
The book’s final pages guide concerned adults looking to help a child deal with their emotions of anger. Learning to understand it can prove a transformative, healing, and empowering force. Serani smartly explains how the negativity of anger may appear as many physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches, appetite, and sleeping problems. Anger unmanaged can also contribute to academic difficulties, as well as social and emotional concerns. Ideally, learning to express anger in adaptive ways will help build confidence and allow children to experience greater physical and emotional well-being.
Serani also points out that anger can manifest itself differently within each child, but there are specific patterns to look for within the developmental stages of specific age groups.
Treating children with respect, helping a child understand that anger is natural, encouraging open and honest communication, and providing age-appropriate consequences for aggressive behavior are also noted as methods to help promote healthy emotional expression. Special needs challenges such as ADHD, Autism, or learning disabilities may also influence a child’s anger. Likewise, if a child’s anger becomes more frequent and intense, consultation with a mental health professional or specialist may be in order. Also included is a list of various organizations offering information and support.
An easy read intended for the 4-8 age group, Sometimes When I’m Mad proves an intelligent choice that delivers positive reinforcement and direct ways to handle complicated feelings that can stir within us at any age. Highly recommended.
During these uncertain times, recent news reports have indicated that children as young as three years old can experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Clearly, emotional upheaval is at an all-time high. Luckily, child psychologist, Lauren Mosback is here with her new book, My Sister’s Super Skills. A tale that provides a fun and entertaining kid-friendly book that offers up healthy coping tools to help manage stress and promote positive emotional development for even the youngest of sufferers.
Here, fearless big sister Lily featured in her raspberry pink cape, serves as the motivational guide for her young brother David as he struggles to understand and deal with his mixed emotions. This smart, adoring, be-spectacled heroine offers simple little tricks to help her sibling feel better. Her advice of “Name your feeling to begin the healing,” sets in motion an offering of interactive remedies that help David navigate his worrisome thoughts and gain a more positive outlook.
Mosback creatively chooses various animal actions to connect with each newly taught coping skill. Whether doing deep breathing like a horse, repeating self-affirmations with the strength of a lion, playing like a dolphin, or relaxing and cozying up like a Koala, the imaginative suggestions are entertaining and relatable for youngsters. Further sage advice: smiling, singing, painting, and even self-hugs, all positive affirmations that encourage kids to look beyond their uncertainty and incorporate these unique strategies when they are feeling overwhelmed.
Eye-catching illustrations by Chiara Savarese are a major component of the story and provide the perfect complement to the casual rhyming style of the narrative. Amidst the portrait of a horse with his flapping lips, and images of a bubble-headed Lily in a relaxing bath, riotous laughing chimp faces, and a P.J.-clad monkey/child dancing on a bed, the visuals bring whimsy and humor to the story and enhance a playful tone. Bright, crisp, and bold coloring lends a vibrant air to the pages.
Initial details of a troubled David evidenced in the sad eyes and the weight of a backpack heavy on his small shoulders showcase the toll of negative emotions. As the tale unfolds, suggested behaviors put into practice ultimately reveal a happier, wide-eyed youngster learning to deal with his problems.
As a licensed children’s counselor, Mosback has smartly tapped into relevant subject matter reflecting the tumultuous state of our daily lives. In this well-crafted, engaging story, the highlight of a caring sibling relationship, and the clever offering of ways to manage feelings like sadness, frustration, anger, or fear proves an appropriate and timely gesture. While the work is primarily intended to promote emotional health and well-being for children, the core message is clearly relevant for readers of all ages. A charming worthwhile read reminding young and old alike to “think positive thoughts” and that “tomorrow will be a fresh start.”
My Sister’s Super Skills won First Place in the CIBA 2019 Little Peeps Awards for Children’s literature.
A dynamic mother-daughter team offers children a readable, richly illustrated story of the composition of the Universe, combining artwork, facts, games, and encouragement.
Line Newermann provides the text, recalling her magician father who gave her a lifelong fascination with the objects in the heavens. Her artist mother, Eva, supplies the beautifully painted illustrations – delicate, soft, and dreamy, as well as educational. And both author and illustrator encourage children to paint their own skyscapes.
A picture of a space probe introduces ideas of human exploration of the planets, moons, and stars. Planets in our solar system are shown by size, compared to each other and to the sun, “1000 times more massive than all the planets together.” Each planet is described in terms of its composition, position, and name derivation. Planet names provide “brain teaser” opportunities: readers can create their own mnemonic sentences using the names in their correct order, and rearrange jumbled letters for each name.
With vibrant, deeply emotive paintings matching each page of information and the inclusion of poems and photos to further pique the reader’s imagination, the authors have constructed a multi-dimensional learning tool, suitable for children in the K-12 age group. The Newermanns’ book would also make a pleasant “read-to” for parents and teachers, who might learn a few new things in the process.
The Universe: A Work of Art won CIBA 2018 First in Category Little Peeps Award for Children’s Literature.
Let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.
During these uncertain times, recent news reports have indicated that children as young as three years old can experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Clearly, emotional upheaval is at an all-time high. Luckily, child psychologist, Lauren Mosback is here with her new book, My Sister’s Super Skills. A tale that provides a fun and entertaining kid-friendly book that offers up healthy coping tools to help manage stress and promote positive emotional development for even the youngest of sufferers.
