Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Community

  • Taking an Adventure in Writing, Travel Writing Basics from the desk of Dena Weigel

    Interested in travel writing? Here are just a few great authors writing about their adventures!

    Explore Europe on Foot

    travel writing

    In Cassandra Overby’s encyclopedic guide Explore Europe On Foot, readers are taken through a step-by-step process of dreaming, planning, and hopefully soon experiencing memorable, slow travel ventures of a lifetime. Whether it’s choosing a route and destination, deciding what to pack, finding appropriate accommodations and food options, or dealing with inevitable challenges, Overby supplies a world of information in this colossal foot travelers’ bible.

    Read more here!

    Square Up: 50,000 Miles in Search of a Way Home
    By Lisa Dailey

    Square Up Lisa Dailey

    Although she and her husband had planned to take their family on a ’round-the-world adventure, she didn’t expect their plans to come together on the heels of grief, after losing seven family members in five years. Square Up shows us that travel not only helps us understand and appreciate other cultures, but invites us to find compassion and wisdom, heal from our losses, and discover our capacity for forgiveness, as well as joy.

    Find a copy today!

    Thank you for joining us for this Writer Toolbox Article

    A red toolbox with the words "What's in your toolbox

    There is so much to learn and do with Chanticleer!

    From our Book Award Program that has Discovered the Best Books since the early 2010s to our Editorial Book Reviews recognizing and promoting indie and traditional authors, Chanticleer knows your books are worth the effort to market professionally!

    Writer Toolbox Helpful Links: 

    12 MUST-DO’s for AUTHORS by Kiffer Brown and Sharon Anderson

    The Ropes Around Research for the Accurate Writer by David Beaumier

    The traditional publishing tool that indie authors can use to propel their writing careers to new levels?  Check it out here!

     

    Do you have a book about travel that deserves to be discovered? You can always submit your book for an Editorial Review with Chanticleer!

    Chanticleer Editorial Review Packages are optimized to maximize your digital footprint. Reviews are one of the most powerful tools available to authors to help sell and market their books. Find out what all the buzz is about here.

    Have an Award Winner?

    I&I or Instruction & Insight Awards CIBA Badge

    The I&I Book Awards has a Category just for Travel Writing!

    The tiers of achievement for the CIBAs

    You can see our full list of Non-Fiction Book Awards is a great way to get your book discovered!

    Anytime you advance in the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards, your name and book are promoted right here on our website, through our newsletter, and across social media. One of the best ways to engage in long tail marketing!

    Now pack your bags, grab your laptop, and get exploring, writing, and creating great stories!

  • On the 8th Day of Christmas, Chanticleer Brings to me… | 12 Days of Christmas 2023

    Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

    On the 8th Day of Christmas…

    The Eighth day of Christmas is the celebration of Mary as the Mother of Jesus, which can be traced back to as early as 431 AD.

    “But Jiminy Crickets, it is the 2nd of January! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

    Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as the Advent.

    So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you still have time! You have FIVE Days! 

    Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team! 

                 On the Eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

                 Eight Maids A-Milking

                 Seven Swans A-Swimming

                 Six Geese A-Laying

                Five Golden Rings

                Four Calling Birds

                Three French Hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

                Two Turtle Doves

                And a Partridge in a Pear Tree 

    This lyric represents the common worker. We are so grateful to all those who make the wheels of the world turn who can be so easy to forget! An extra special Happy New Year to all workers!

    Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team! 

    On the Eighth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

    Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

    Eight SEO Boosts  (at least!) with each Chanticleer Book Review Package

    SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. When you purchase an Editorial Review from Chanticleer, we do our best to keep up with all the latest trends and under-the-hood data technologies that ensure your book is picked up by search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others.

    1. Key Phrase Optimization: We choose a word or phrase that is most likely to lead to your book, usually your title.
    2. Title Optimization for the length of our review title as it appears in search engines.
    3. Heading Optimization: We use our blurbs to stand out in describing your book while also showing search engines what’s most important to pick up.
    4. Sentence Optimization: We make sure all reviews use the appropriate number of words to best improve their Flesch reading score.
    5. Optimization that utilizes your keywords.
    6. Tagging and Categorizing for web crawlers.
    7. Links! Links to the Author’s website, links to the Publisher’s website, links to the book’s Amazon Sales Page, links to other Chanticleer Reviews in the series (if applicable), and Links to our Local Village Books’ sale page for your book if it’s available through Ingram. We are currently working on linking to Barnes & Noble. The more links the better in the Internet of Things!
    8. AISEO PRO SEO Booster app with Meta Descriptions, Cornerstone Content, Focused Key Phrases

    In addition, all Chanticleer Reviews are promoted in our e-newsletter, website, Social Media platforms, and the Chanticleer magazine.

     Chanticleer’s AISEO Boosts continuously work for your books long-tail marketing strategy and to make your works more discoverable.

    Editorial Reviews are powerful tools that are only limited by imagination! Don’t let your book go undiscovered!

    For more detailed  information about how a Chanticleer Review with its exclusive AISEO PRO booster app, click here>>   You can learn more about SEO here.

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

     

    We would like to invite you to join our curated online community The Roost!

    We are so proud the community we have on The Roost!  It is great perch to hang out on for writers and publishers to hang out in and connect.

    We host weekly write-ins, discussions of writing craft books, and advice on the author’s journey. With authors in all stages of the writing process joining us, there is always something to learn on this independent PRIVATE social media site.

    Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but stories are told in community. Whether you find that on The Roost or elsewhere, we’re happy that you are a part of our community here at Chanticleer.

    Limited Time Only! Join The Roost during the 12 Days at a discounted holiday price.

    Sign up now for $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.

    Valid until January 6th.

    Follow this link to find out more information. 

    And just for fun: 

    We now have: 

    • Eight Partridges and Eight Pear Trees
    • Fourteen Turtle Doves
    • Eighteen French Hens
    • Twenty-four Calling Birds
    • Twenty Golden Rings 
    • Eighteen Geese-a-Laying 
    • Fourteen Swans-a-Swimming 
    • Eight Maids a-Milking

    The Chaicleer Rooster logo wearing a santa hat

    Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

    Wishing you Happy New Year from Chanticleer! from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!

    Stay tuned for the 9th Day of Christmas!

     

     

  • On the 4th Day of Christmas Chanticleer gave to me four ISBNs! | The 12 Days of Christmas 2023

    Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

    The 4th Day of Christmas

    The Four Calling Birds are meant to represent the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

    Also, the Fourth Day of Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and it is considered a day for children. The feast honors the male children who were killed by King Herod in his quest to find the potential usurper (Baby Jesus) to his throne. Today, the youngest member of the family is in charge for what to do, where to go, what to eat for the entire day. The day is also known as Childermas.

    Some say Four Calling Birds (song birds). Some say Four Colly Birds (black birds). And then, there is this person’s interpretation of Four Calling Birds on Reddit:

    Is this a conference call?

    “But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

    Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent.

    So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry. Just get it done. Eight Days left until Three Kings Day! 

    Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team! 

    On the 4th day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

    Four Calling Birds

    Three French Hens

    Two Turtle Doves

    And a Partridge in a Pear Tree 

    On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

    Four ISBNs! (not ASINs)

    An ISBN is the identification number that is unique to your book.

    ISBN is the International Standard Book Number

    Authors in the US need to pay for their ISBNs from Bowker, but in Canada they are provided to authors directly.

    Why Self-Published Authors Need to Own Their Own ISBNs

    1. Owning your own ISBNs gives you complete control over what is entered into your book’s metadata.
      1. Metadata is the descriptions and categories that help libraries, bookstores, wholesalers, distributors, global supply chains, and, most importantly, readers worldwide discover your book.
    2. ISBNs are non-transferable from the owner. ISBNs establish your book’s identity and authorship.
    3. ISBNs never expire and there are no renewal fees. However, you cannot reuse an ISBN once it has been assigned.
    4. ISBNs come with unique barcodes.
    5. In the U.S., Bowker is the only official source of ISBNs.
    6. Bibliographic immortality

    As you may surmise, there are many details to learn about ISBNs about when and why they are necessary along with the few cases where they are not.

    Here are a few handy links:

    Your Book’s Many Forms

    One thing to keep in mind is that each version of your book’s publication should its own ISBN. This means that each of the following needs a separate ISBN to be easily distributed:

    • Hardcover Edition
    • Paperback Edition
    • eBook Edition
    • Audiobook Edition

    You can see on Bowker, where ISBNs are sold, that there are huge savings to be had by buying ISBNs in bulk. Of course, this ISBN information is most applicable to the United States. Other countries have different rules and costs associated with an ISBN, so if you live outside of the US, you should do your research on ISBN rules and expectations. The discounts can be pretty sudden!

    • 1 ISBN is $125
    • 10 ISBNs are $295
    • 100 ISBNs are $575
    • 1,000 ISBNs are $1,500

    ISBNs are non-transferable, and if they’re bought in someone else’s name, they can’t be transferred to another name. That’s why it’s always good to be cautious when buying an ISBN from a third party from anything under the standard price.

    There is one type that doesn’t require an ISBN is your book on Block Chain / Bit Coin because each block chain book has its own unique code. If you decide to have your book available on Block Chain, our advice is to check out BookChain, out of Montreal, Canada.

    There are three basic ways to sell your book, print, ebook, and audiobook. For print, we’ve already discussed several ways you can go through that formatting, which also applies to ebooks. 

    We’d also like to pause and take a moment to mention Bookchain. Bookchain is one of our close affiliates who uses a unique blockchain (the NFT technology associated with Bitcoin) to track books and book sales. You can learn more and sign up for Bookchain here.

    bookchain logo

    For Audiobooks, you’ll also want to consider professional help. This isn’t just for voice actors, but also for audio software. Many people may be familiar with Audacity, a free audio recording software that was designed with music and mixing in mind. It takes a little bit to learn how to use it, but once you have a few basics dialed in, it becomes much easier to use. In a pinch, like Microsoft Word, Audacity can work to create an audiobook recording for your story, but it’s not what the program was specifically designed for. 

    What we recommend is Hindenburg

    Hindenburg is audio recording software designed to create excellent, professionally mastered audio for your stories. There’s plenty of support to learn how to use it, and longtime Chanticleerians like CC Humphries are experts with it, creating Audi-worthy creations regularly. And Hindenburg will format your audio book for the myriad of audio book platforms that are out there. Hindenburg is known for their incredible customer service and support team. 

    Stay tuned for the 5th Day of Christmas!

    And just for fun: 

    We now have: 

    • Four Partridges and Four Pear Trees
    • Six  Turtle Doves
    • Nine French Hens
    • Four Calling Birds  

    The Chaicleer Rooster logo wearing a santa hat

    Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and continuing to prepare the Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2023 CIBA Banquet and Ceremony.

    Wishing you Happy Holidays from Chanticleer from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!

  • On the 3rd Day of Christmas Chanticleer gave to me 3 Pillars of Community! The 12 Days of Christmas 2023

    Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

    The Third Day of Christmas

    The Third Day of Christmas celebrates the Feast of St. John who drank a glass of poisoned wine and didn’t get sick! Also, many EU countries celebrate the Feast of St. John during the longest days of Summer (June 24th) with dancing around a fire. The best way to celebrate? Drink a lot of wine! Of course, if you have a different preferred beverage, that’s totally alright. We’ve been enjoying TÖST, a non-alcoholic wine recently.

    The Feast of Saint John c. 1875 by Jules Breton

     

    The Three French Hens gifted on this day represent Faith, Hope, and Love.

    “But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

    Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The 24 days leading up to Christmas are known as Advent.

    Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas are all about revelry!

    So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry. Just get it done—you’ve got nine days!

    Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team! 

    On the 3rd day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

    Three French Hens

    Two Turtle Doves

    And a Partridge in a Pear Tree 

    On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

    Three Pillars of the Writing Community

    The Village Books Literary Citizenship Award with pictures of Rena Priest, Laurel Leigh, and Joan Airoldi

    On October 18, 2023, our wonderful local bookstore, Village Books, offered their first ever Literary Citizenship Award to Rena Priest, Laurel Leigh, and Joan Airoldi, pictured above from left to right. Here’s a little about them:

    Joan Airoldi, recipient of the Literary Citizenship Award
    Joan Airoldi (1946 – 2022)

     Joan served as Executive Director of the Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) from 2002-2013.

    In 2004, she took on the FBI by refusing to provide information to an agent regarding a Deming Library patron’s use of a book on Osama bin Laden. A grand jury subpoena was issued to get the records, but when it became clear Airoldi and the WCLS board were prepared to challenge the subpoena in court, it was withdrawn. She will be remembered as a Library Champion on a multitude of counts: establishing the Whatcom READS program in collaboration with partners at Whatcom Community College, advocating for new libraries in Ferndale, North Fork, South Whatcom, Island and Point Roberts and encouraging all of us to “Be Curious” and to “Listen, Learn & Lead.” Joan’s courage in defending patrons’ rights to privacy earned her national recognition with a PEN/Newman Award. She generously donated the prize money to start the Whatcom County Library Foundation.

    “Be Curious”  “Listen, Learn & Lead”

    “Libraries are a haven where people should be able to seek whatever information they want to pursue without any threat of government intervention.”  ~ Joan Airoldi

    Laurel Leigh, recipient of the Literary Citizenship Award
    Laurel Leigh Erdoiza (1963-2023)

    Professionally, Laurel was known as a writer, teacher, and editor whose 20 years of freelancing extends internationally. She was a script doctor, structural editor, and managed many publishing projects for Chronicle Books.

    She taught creative writing and memoir classes through the Chuckanut Writers Program, helped found the Chuckanut Writers Conference in 2004, and received the Bellingham Mayors Arts Award, and was published widely including the Pushcart-nominated essay “Nursey” (published in Clover, A Literary Rag in 2015). Those who knew Laurel personally have experienced firsthand both her talent and generosity of spirit. She walked hand-in-hand with collaboration and mentorship, helping countless writers hone their skills, find their voice, and bring their works out into the world. This included her hosting Village Books’ Open Mic for more than a decade, establishing and fostering the spirit of welcoming support that continues to this day. “It’s a good day to write.” ~ Laurel Leigh Erdoiza

    “It’s a good day to write.” ~ Laurel Leigh Erdoiza

    Rena Priest, recipient of the Literary Citizenship Award
    Rena Priest  – Washington State Poet Laureate

    Rena is an enrolled member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation. She served as the 6th Washington State Poet Laureate (2021-2023) and was named the 2022 Maxine Cushing Gray Distinguished Writing Fellow.

    Priest is also the recipient of an Allied Arts Foundation Professional Poets Award and fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, Indigenous Nations Poets, Nia Tero, and the Vadon Foundation, and has taught at the Chuckanut Writers Conference. The thread that runs through all of Rena’s accomplishments and accolades is how she builds and connects community. “I think that there’s a way that poetry connects people. It’s very special– it’s like a soul connection, but it’s not invasive in any way,” she says. “The way that it works is subtle. It’s gentle, but it’s deep and profound.” For the book, I Sing the Salmon Home, Rena gathered poems from over 150 Washington poets ranging from first graders to tribal elders, all inspired by the Northwest’s beloved, iconic salmon. A diverse chorus of voices, they join together in poems that praise salmon’s heroic journey, beauty, courage, and generosity and witness the threats salmon face from pollution, dams and warming oceans.

    We are ever grateful to the irreplaceable contributions these women have made to our community.

    In particular, Laurel and Rena were writing mentors to Chanticleer’s David Beaumier, and both have helped keep him on a writing path.

    Thank you is never enough, but we will keep saying it to all the writers who lift us up in our community!

    Stay tuned for the 4th Day of Christmas!

    And just for fun: 

    We now have: 

    • Three Partridges and Three Pear Trees
    • Four Turtle Doves
    • Three French Hens 

    The Chaicleer Rooster logo wearing a santa hat

    Our favorite part about having the 12 Days of Christmas is that we can have the time we need to celebrate with our loved ones. We have time for wrapping presents, meeting with friends for hot cocoa, and setting ourselves up for success with the Chanticleer Authors Conference.

    Wishing you Happy Holidays from Chanticleer from Kiffer, Sharon, David, Dena, Vilina, Scott, Anya, and Argus!

  • THE PENNY MANSIONS by Steven Mayfield – Historical Fiction, Mystery, Small Town Fiction

    The Penny Mansions by Steven Mayfield, a historical novel of Paradise and Boise Idaho at the end of WWI, offers a concert of drama, comedy, and noir-tinged crime thriller.

    The town of Paradise, Idaho, grew as a prospecting town, but the gold and people alike have dwindled. They no longer have a high enough population to keep the state government from taking the land through eminent domain. So, the town counsel puts an ad in papers across the country for families to purchase one of four mansions in town for only a penny. There’s a catch, of course – they must move in, fix the place up, and remain there for the next census count in 1920.

    Readers will love the colorful characters who fill Paradise, from Bountiful Dollarhyde, an African American woman raised by the madam of what used to be the local bordello, to Lariot, a genius orphan skilled with rope tricks, and Goldstrike, an old prospector who gladly shares his strong opinions. These lively folk face a powerful threat. Gerald Dredd, a greedy land baron with a high office in the state government, uses his clout to bludgeon others into his schemes to ensure that Paradise doesn’t hit their all-important population count.

    Through the people of Paradise, Mayfield explores themes of communities and found families – and what people will do to save them. He shows the dangers of government corruption gone unchecked until it creates malefic control.

    Many of the characters are willing to sacrifice so much of themselves to save this small town in the Pacific Northwest frontier. And as the story pushes forward, even the newcomers to the town – not necessarily there in good faith at first – fall in love with the community and stand up against weaponized bureaucracy to save their newfound friends and home.

    Mayfield’s writing style is extremely personable and fun.

    The dialogue is playful and, at times, terrifying. Readers will connect with and worry for their favorite characters, and rightfully despise the antagonist and his willing compatriots. The Penny Mansions is also among the best depictions of a community banding together for a single cause.

    There is a bit of a stylistic shift part way through the novel. After a major event, the story abruptly moves from a historic drama to a noir crime thriller. While this change might be jarring to some readers, the charm and humor of the book remains throughout.

    The Penny Mansions will make readers chuckle and smile, and grimace with anger. Mayfield juggles emotion with ease, all while chugging the plot forward to intense confrontations.

  • The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Twelfth Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…

    Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

    Did you know that the Twelfth Day of Christmas is also known as Women’s Christmas in Ireland? Nollaig na mBan in the Gaelic).

    On this day in Ireland, men were to take over the household duties or take down the tree and other Christmas decorations, while mothers, sisters, daughters and friends would meet up and share a drink over the last of the Christmas cake.

    “But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

    Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent.

    Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas are all about revelry!

    So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry. Just get it done.

    (Note from Kiffer: I still have presents to wrap and cookies to bake, so I will extend the Christmas holidays like the Swedes do until St. Knut’s Day on January 13th. This is the day when the children can eat all the gingerbread decorations on the Christmas tree. Then, they take the tree down and outside and dance around it. We burn our Christmas tree on Summer Solstice.)

    Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team! 

    On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

    Twelve Drummers Drumming

    Eleven Pipers Piping

    Ten Lords A-Leaping

    Nine Ladies Dancing

    Eight Maids A-Milking

    Seven Swans A-Swimming

    Six Geese A-Laying

    Five Golden Rings

    Four Calling Birds

    Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

    Two turtle doves

    And a partridge in a pear tree 

    Twelve Drummers Drumming by Caroline Búzio

    Interesting Notes about the Twelve Days of Christmas

    • King Richard II of England (1367-1400) organized a tournament that drew knights from across Europe to compete in during the twelve days of Christmas. Each evening after the jousting and sword matches, there would be dancing and feasting. The peasants could watch the matches because they didn’t have to work the fields during the Twelve Days of Christmas.
    • It was also custom that the lord provides a feast for all who are working his lands. Of course, the workers were expected to bring gifts of farm produce to the lord’s manor.
    • In colonial America, many parties took place during this time where finding romance (or a potential spouse) could happen. Also, many weddings took place during the Twelve Days.

    Interesting Notes about the Twelfth Day 

    • It is considered not the best for good luck in the new year, taking your tree down before January 7th, Epiphany.
    • Twelfth Day of Christmas is also the beginning of Mardi Gras. The Mardi Gras season is celebrated between Epiphany and Fat Tuesday (the Tuesday before Lent begins).
    • Shakespeare wrote the Twelfth Night (first performance Feb. 2, 1602), a comedy mistaken identities that tegins  on the twelfth night’s celebration – “If music be the food of love, play on.” Twelfth Night, Act 1 Scene 1

    Religious Significance of the Twelfth Day – Epiphany

    • The Three Wise Men visit the baby Jesus by following a guiding star aka as Three Kings Day: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar according to the Gospel of Matthew. Adoration of the Magi
    • In many cultures, it is on Three Kings Day that presents are exchanged and opened and feasts are held.
    • The Twelfth Day of Christmas is also when Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding at Cana (the first miracle of Christ).
    • Jesus was baptized by John on the Twelfth Day of Christmas

    Dom Prosper Gueranger in his Liturgical Year states that it was the Church’s tradition for many centuries that these three events occurred on the same day, January 6.

    On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

    Twelve Months of Community

    That’s a wrap for us on the Twelve Days of Christmas, but we’re still committed to bringing you excellence in as many forms as we can. Whether that’s our regular blog, with writing tips, our marketing tools like Editorial Book Reviews and the CIBAs, or our competitively priced Editorial Services that keep satisfied writers coming back, we’re here to help you on your Author’s Journey. Whatever it is you need, you can reach out to us at info@ChantiReviews.com and we’ll be there to help!

    Our goal is to discover today’s best book, and your book deserves to be discovered! Thanks for sticking with us on this 12 Days of Christmas, and we look forward to keeping up regular writing tips and content in the New Year.

    Warmly,

    Kiffer, Sharon, David, Scott, Argus, Rochelle, and the whole Chanticleer Team!

     

     

     

  • The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Eighth Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…

    Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

    “But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

    Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent.

    Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas is about revelry!

    So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 12 days!

    Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team! 

    On the Eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

    Eight Maids A-Milking

    Seven Swans A-Swimming

    Six Geese A-Laying

    Five Golden Rings

    Four Calling Birds

    Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

    Two turtle doves

    And a partridge in a pear tree 

    On the Eighth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

    Eight Writing Craft Books

    On The Roost we’ve started a Writing Craft Book Group that reads and discusses books specifically on writing craft. While the information from book to book can repeat a little bit, the conversation is always excellent.

    A rough estimate of the number of writing craft books available

    Let us know if you have a book group that helps inform your writing life!

     

  • Hot Air: An Arnold Falls Novel, Book 2 by Charlie Suisman – Humorous Contemporary Fiction, Small Town Humor, Cultural Humor

    Hot Air: An Arnold Falls Novel, Book 2 by Charlie Suisman – Humorous Contemporary Fiction, Small Town Humor, Cultural Humor

    Charlie Suisman returns to the unique fictional town of Arnold Falls in his humorous novel, Hot Air.

    Arnold Falls bristles with zany events, quirky locals, and colorful newbies. Above all, this memorable enclave buoys its people through heart, soul, wit, and a true sense of collective spirit.

    Jeebie Walker returns as the story’s central narrator.

    The successful voice-over artist stands as a solid fixture in the town, now in a loving relationship with his partner Will. A volunteer fireman, illustrator, and candidate for an MA in Conservation Biology, Will jokingly claims that Jeebie makes “bossing others around” a superpower.

    In the midst of a mid-life crisis, Jeebie takes on a project of implementing little library cabinets throughout the town. Due to some unscrupulous financial administrators, he also worries about the sudden lack of funding for arts programs at the local hospital.

    Meanwhile, the friend he helped elect as the town’s first female mayor has her own hands full.

    She bonds with her adoptive Haitian son while reluctantly considering a temporary Arnold Falls name change to bring in money and tourists. Her newfound attraction to the local record store/weed emporium aficionado complicates her life further. A sudden string of thefts involving odd but meaningful town memorabilia certainly also needs the mayor’s attention.

    Coincidentally, a new TV series – based on several New Yorker stories about a hapless, Hudson Valley hamlet resembling Arnold Falls – starts using the town for filming. Here an indie film actress heads up the cast and brings about a whole other set of calamities.

    Hot Air calls back to characters and incidents from the original, award-winning novel, Arnold Falls, bringing unfamiliar readers up to speed.

    Comical references like the amorous adventures of a town turkey saved from the chopping block and the former mayor accidentally sending bomb-making supplies to a sister city in Romania will draw new readers to Suisman’s previous novel.

    Suisman continues to shine in his ability to drive a well-crafted narrative through creative characters, action, and detail.

    Many small storylines intertwine. An old-time resident nearing his final days receives a toast of Clagger – the local hooch. The recordings from a former Arnold Falls Chamber Ensemble reappear. A jazzy chanteuse uses her talents to draw wandering cows home. A high-tech museum installation honors the life of a flatulent nonagenarian’s mother, a popular black madam.

    In this unforgettable world, Suisman conjures unique and lively scenes.

    A Martha Washington mannequin sits on a porch, complete with a “may have belonged to MW” mobcap. Drag queens teach hot yoga. A “Witness Protection” face cream hawked at the farmer’s market will leave users speechless. And a mayoral assistant/fashionista dresses to honor “National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day.” Once again, this hideaway proves itself as a charmingly lyrical landscape, where the spark of levity is never far behind.

    Like the first Arnold Falls novel, here the final fun-filled, open-air wind-up exudes the caring and commitment of these multi-faceted characters woven into the richly textured fabric of their community. Wrapped in its inspiring and imaginative literary warmth, fans will be happy to learn the epilogue suggestively hints at more ventures to come.

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  • TEVYE The MAGICAL THEATER CAT (Introduction to Community Theater) by Peggy Sullivan, M.Ed., Counseling – Children’s Performing Arts Fiction, Children’s Drama Books, Children’s Community Theater Books

    TEVYE The MAGICAL THEATER CAT (Introduction to Community Theater) by Peggy Sullivan, M.Ed., Counseling – Children’s Performing Arts Fiction, Children’s Drama Books, Children’s Community Theater Books

     

    Little Peeps 1st Place Best in Category Blue and Gold Badge ImageAn ordinary gray tabby discovers the behind-the-scenes magic of community theater in Peggy Sullivan’s, Tevye the Magical Theater Cat: Introduction to Community Theater.

    Sullivan builds a straightforward, simple narrative on the foundation of a true story. ‘Cat’ the furry neighborhood wanderer happens upon a work-in-progress stage production at the local theater. She follows her curiosity, touring through the box office, the heavily curtained stage, a sound and lighting booth, and a group of gathering musicians.

    Amidst the extraordinary wonders of a welcoming environment, the intrigued feline also finds a family of her own.

    Cat takes special interest in the neighborhood cast who don wardrobes and makeup to undergo magical transformations. Any readers familiar with classic stage and screen productions will quickly recognize this community presentation as a rendition of the ever-popular “Fiddler on the Roof.” As the play unfolds, Cat decides to adopt the name of the central character who sings about his life and family. These local thespians – and the play itself – ignite Cat’s own longing for a sense of connection.

    Sullivan’s inviting illustrations feature clean lines and bright and colorful imagery.

    The sweet and longing expressions of the inquisitive Cat compliment the star-studded backdrops that highlight the harmony of cast and crew. A stellar ensemble performance grows from the bonding community effort. This kind of magic proves available for everyone, including our four-footed, furry friends.

    As a licensed mental health counselor and cat lover herself, Sullivan has written and illustrated a series of books with life lessons from a cat’s point of view. She draws on her experience and expertise to charm and teach her audience. This entertaining story features the emotional relatability and connection to humankind that those feline creatures offer.

    In a heartfelt effort of community spirit, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to local community theaters. Tevye the Magical Theater Cat introduces local theater to young children, emphasizing the joy and magic of community and family.

    A sweet, imaginative tale, with an earnestly shared message. Highly recommended!

    Tevye the Magical Theater Cat by Peggy Sullivan, M.Ed. won 1st Place in the CIBA 2018 Little Peeps Book Awards for Early Readers.

     

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