Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: contemporary women’s fiction

  • Ghostly Paws (Mystic Notch #1) by Leighann Dobbs – Cozy Mystery

    Ghostly Paws (Mystic Notch #1) by Leighann Dobbs – Cozy Mystery

    When murder comes to the sleepy hamlet of Mystic Notch, recently relocated crime journalist Wilhelmina Chance and her grandma’s crime-solving cat jump into the case with two feet and four paws.

    Mainly, Willa wants to start over. After her car accident left her with a temperamental leg and a strange ability to see ghosts, she hopes taking over her grandmother’s bookstore in Mystic Notch will offer her needed peace. That is, until, with the help of her grandmother’s cat, Pandora, Willa discovers Lavinia Babbage’s body in the library basement.

    When Lavinia’s ghost appears to her, Willa not only finds out that Lavinia’s death was no accident, but that someone in Mystic Notch is to blame. And Lavinia only leaves her with a few clues to determine who might have a motive to kill the local librarian.

    What Willa doesn’t know is that her cat, Pandora, is part of an elite species sworn to help humans—and that Pandora is just as intent on finding Lavinia’s killer as she is. With Pandora’s help, Willa starts putting the pieces of the puzzle together. She just has to hope that her investigations don’t get in the way of those actually getting paid to solve the crime—namely, her sheriff sister, Augusta, and the handsome but slightly intimidating sheriff, Eddie Striker (and his steely gray glances).

    This is the first in Leighann Dobbs’ “Mystic Notch: series, and the atmosphere Dobbs creates is exquisitely cozy. While there are a few hiccups in this debut novel, they can be forgiven as the series promises to deliver more enjoyable and affably cozy hours of reading–especially with a few of Dobbs’ few magical flourishes thrown in. Mystic Notch is a town that any cozy mystery fan can look forward to hanging out in. The story is enjoyable overall, especially in the last third. The reveals are delightfully unpredictable, and the ending offers a satisfying conclusion.

    The role of the cats also adds an intriguing element to the overall story and reveals important parts of the mystery in a way that not only fits with the plot but provides some surprises along the way. The cats also offer a significant source of humor, which is a winning element throughout the story.

    This debut novel of the Mystic Notch mystery series is perfect for cozy mystery lovers and looking for a humorous and feel-good escape.

  • CROSSING into the MYSTIC by D.L. Koontz – a paranormal mystery that crosses genres

    CROSSING into the MYSTIC by D.L. Koontz – a paranormal mystery that crosses genres

    Grace MacKenna has a problem – actually, she has two. At sixteen, she loses her family and is sent to live in Boston with her greedy aunt. Then she discovers she has something called “subtle vision” that allows her to see spirits. But not the spirits of her family, who have crossed fully to the other side. Grace sees the spirits trapped in limbo on Earth, who must complete their business before they can escape.

    Her first spirit confrontation occurs when she inherits Crossings, her stepfather’s house in Maryland. It is haunted by William Kavanaugh, a young man murdered during the Civil War who needs her help in solving the mystery of his death so he can move on.

    It takes her a while to figure everything out, being distracted by the maneuvers needed to occupy her new home without her guardians and understand the “subtle vision.” When she trips over Clay Baxter, a recovering young veteran just home from Afghanistan, upon moving in, more conflict comes into play. He’s “a ruffian and a gentleman all in one package”; “night to my day, truck to my Volvo, grease to my silk, bedroll to my egg-roll.” He’s also twenty and can’t approach Grace as he desires because she’s a minor (and he happens to be engaged). To make matters even more complicated, Grace thinks she’s in love with William, who becomes progressively more solid as she masters her perceptive powers.Clay worries that Grace is being pulled, dangerously, more and more into the world of the dead.

    Grace’s physical and emotional reactions to the paranormal are convincingly portrayed by the author. Koontz grounds the story in the area’s history, teaching readers about the Civil War era while riveting us with suspense—all in a Gothic undertone of ghosts and graves, shadows and groaning doors. Grace is believably mature for her age while intermittently reverting to the normal insecurities of being at the crossroads of teenager and young adult. This makes her character even more to root for. The plot-line twists and turns adding suspense, the setting is, well,vividly haunting, and the author adds a dash of wit and humor to the mix while the characters are rich and complex.

    “Crossing Into the Mystic” is the launch volume of this paranormal mystery trilogy that crosses genres (YA+) told in a bright, new-adult voice. Also, while the central story is resolved nicely enough, there is plenty to entice the reader to look forward to the next two books.

  • BELIEVE by Annaliese Darr — Magical Realism & Mysteries

    BELIEVE by Annaliese Darr — Magical Realism & Mysteries

    Spring O’Flaherty has an unusual problem. From childhood she’s been not only clairvoyant, but also able to see auras. These are not just faint, she can see them if she squints auras, but vibrant auras, dark auras, life force fading auras –a virtual kaleidoscope of energies always swirling.

    Fortunately, she comes from a loving and religious family that understands her special talents and helps her deal with them the best that they can. Her father is a preacher in the Blue Ridge mountain country of western Virginia, and often takes the family on revival trips and her mother doesn’t discount her daughter’s unique “gift.”

    Even with her family’s support, Spring has some terrifying experiences in her youth that made her suppress her powers and reject God. (“Holding the person you love as he bleeds out is enough to turn anyone into a cynic,” she tells her mom.) She walks away from the painful past and works hard to build a normal life, becoming an attorney in Atlanta where she tries to block her “gift.” Her new world disdains and disavows the mysterious, intangible forces, which suits Spring just fine.

    That is, until she meets Jed Collinsworth, a charming, handsome, and well-bred Southern gentleman who is also a top-level district attorney from a wealthy family. When her dream comes true and he asks her to marry him, she then begins to balk from fear that learning of her powers will not only repel Jed personally, but that worries that her “gift” becomes public knowledge that it might ruin his career.

    So, she seeks help from a psychologist, who takes her back to the beginning. Through revisiting her memories, she starts to integrate who she was with whom she is, while hoping to find a way to live with her gift, and trying to be honest with the man she loves without scaring him off or ruining his career.

    Annaliese Darr, the author, writes of the Appalachian culture of tent revivals, blue grass & gospel music, and beliefs in “psychic gifts” and the old ways with a deftness and clarity that juxtaposes Spring’s new life chapter in the big city. Darr’s dialogue and characters are refreshing and captivating while her heartwarming story encompasses mystery and murder.

    The novel is split between her backstory, brought out through the counseling sessions, and the front story of how she deals with Jed and her powers (“I could feel the noose of destiny tightening around my neck”). The narrative is straightforward with no ruffles and flourishes, but is written sometimes with witty and loving banter and sometimes it is written with palpable sadness that steps the reader through a complex tale and time switches without confusion. Darr balances the mystery of “what happened?” with “what happens next?” as she capably builds the suspense and tension on several fronts.

    Spring’s refusal to tell Jed her secret is frustrating to him and to her—especially because Jed is someone whom we, the readers, can believe can deal with it. However, at the point her hesitation turns implausible, we recognize the true battle Spring is fighting. Readers will find themselves rooting for Spring (and for Jed) and for the bad guys to get what they so justly deserve in this very special story that will touch your heart and pull you in.

  • The GOLDEN DICE (A Tale of Ancient Rome) by Elisabeth Storrs — passion, betrayal, & victories

    The GOLDEN DICE (A Tale of Ancient Rome) by Elisabeth Storrs — passion, betrayal, & victories

    Set in the 4th century BCE, this gorgeously-written, masterful blend of fact and fiction exposes the raw passions, betrayals and victories of three strong women as they navigate politics and corruption in an ancient world at war.

    With famine weighing heavily in the Roman territories and its war coffers depleted, Rome is once again on the move. Political as well as blood alliances forged in previous battles are shattered under the Roman Consular General’s Northern military drive – a tactical move to extend Rome’s borders and claim dominion over the 12 adjacent city-states. Veii, the closest and most powerful of the twelve is the first to feel Rome’s metal. Caught in the crosshairs of this ancient war are three women, one Roman, one Veientane and one walking the razor’s edge of conflicted loyalties, all with secrets that link their lives in ways they could never imagine.

    Caecilia, daughter of Rome, keeps her secret locked away in her heart. Decreed to wed Vel Mastarna of her rival city, Veii, Caecilia becomes a pawn in the politics of power. Having been previously recalled to Rome in a violent emotional tug-of-war, Caecilia’s love for her Veientane betrothed has only deepened, and from what Vel believes to have been a prophetic roll of his golden dice, Caecilia is back at his side. But Caecilia is a half-cast, straddling the wall between Rome and Veii, seen as a traitor to Rome and just another “Helen of Troy” to the people of Veii. And as the home and family she’s built in Veii is threatened she is forced to make choices that have the power to make history.

    Pinna, once the proud daughter of a Roman soldier, has lost everything except her will to survive. Reduced to the status of “night moth,” an unregistered prostitute, plying her trade among the gravestones, Pinna gathers knowledge and secrets that she uses to her advantage. And when a twist of fate opens up an unexpected opportunity Pinna calls upon her sly wit to breach the established Roman social hierarchy. But Pinna’s scheming does not go unnoticed and the secret of her “tomb whore” past threatens to be her undoing.

    Semni, a gifted Veientane craftswoman, craves the world of sensory experience. But her hunger for a fully sensual life leaves her with an illegitimate pregnancy and her cuckolded husband throws her into the street, penniless. Fate again intervenes, this time bringing Semni into Caecilia’s house as a servant. Although Semni’s circumstances are significantly reduced she has the opportunity for a new life and possibly for the first time, love. As Semni adjusts to the rhythms of her new home she turns a blind eye to what she thinks are minor indiscretions of another servant girl. But she soon learns that her silence endangers Caecilia’s household and may cost her the man she loves.

    “The Golden Dice” is the second installment of Elisabeth Storrs’s award-winning “Tales of Ancient Rome” series. In it the author delivers engaging, believable characters infused with compassion, intelligence and unrelenting strength with a level of historical detail, both fact and fictional, that transport the reader to all of the glory and turmoil of ancient Rome.

    Readers who’ve enjoyed the passion and extraordinary historical detail of Renault’s “Alexander Trilogy” and Thornton’s “The Conqueror’s Wife” will love “The Golden Dice.” A great read!

     

  • The OYS & JOYS by Marcia Feldt – Meet the Oys & Joys Sisterhood

    The OYS & JOYS by Marcia Feldt – Meet the Oys & Joys Sisterhood

    True friendship, like the one these four women share, is one of the greatest gifts one can experience in life. Sure, the honesty can hurt, and situations can get messy, but the unconditional love, so obvious in the telling, make for a binding sisterhood that transcends DNA and cannot be broken apart.

    The author uses a first person point of view for each of the women, alternating chapter titles with the name of the friend doing the sharing. While using this format can be a risk, the author executes it exceptionally. Readers will feel they are right there with each one, hearing what they have to say, and feeling the emotions they are experiencing.

    Before the story begins, the author lists three definitions to prepare readers with references to oy, the word for woe from the Yiddish; bubble bath basket list, so much more feminine than bucket list; and wedgie generation, the part of middle age caught between the past and the future, now closer to the end than the beginning.

    In chapter one, readers meet Lizzie:
    “On my sixty-third birthday, my husband packed his bags, golf clubs, leather recliner and fifty-inch man-cave TV into our pontoon boat. And used it as a moving van.”

    As Sassy, Grace, and Ruby arrive at her house to celebrate her birthday, Lizzie gives readers her view of the three others in their cozy group that has been going strong for six years. Their conversations go in many directions, with readers there to begin picking up clues as to their pasts as well as their futures.

    Chapter two presents Sassie:
    “Before the ink dried on our college diplomas, Louie and I packed his old Chevy with our belongings. …I made the decision to return to Texas decades later with Louie in an urn.”

    Sassie shares her move from New York back to Woodhaven, Texas with us, and she then lets us in about her closeness to Lizzie. To both honor her late husband, as well as to fulfill her own dream, Sassie has opened a modeling and dance studio called Loop de Lou.

    In chapter three, Grace shares:
    “Ever since my lumpectomy and radiation treatments eight years ago for breast cancer, I’ve smiled at my oncologist. Because clean mammograms rock…until this year. …And the weekend did not improve….Joy started acting weird….She moseyed in with the rear end of her expanded dachshund back wobbling to and fro … Ohmygosh. Did Joy get into some of Rusty’s stash? … I dreamed of shooting Enron’s Ken Lay for stealing Rusty’s career, his self-confidence, and our retirement savings.”

    A job offer from Sassie causes conflict for Grace as she worries if her cancer has returned. Reduced to tears on the phone, Grace is unable to explain to Sassie, who promptly comes over to her house, to talk to her in person.

    Chapter 4 introduces readers to Ruby:
    “When I listened to the receptionist at Weinstein, Porter, and Spencer beg me to cover for her while she ran to Walgreens for an Oh-my-God-I-might-be-pregnant test, I almost refused. I had closing arguments to outline for a senior partner, with a deadline zooming around the corner faster than the last lap of the Indy 500.”

    Ruby relented, which is why she was at the reception desk when Sassie entered the law firm with her outdated will, and the connection began.

    By the end of chapter four, readers will feel completely initiated into the group, ready to learn more of the secrets, sorrows, and joys this novel delivers until its satisfying conclusion. The four women are in different situations. Secrets are revealed, hopes and dreams are shared, close calls are divulged, and fears braved.

    This foursome: one is divorced, another widowed, one is in an abusive marriage, and the fourth single have been long-time friends through thick and thin. Their personalities differ greatly, too, but the mix of all of them together is electrifying as they all find shelter under a common umbrella of their friendship that helps them be there for each other though bad and good times – “the oys & the joys.”

    The story of the four friends is vibrantly told with authenticity and poignancy that will resonate with many. Feldt’s sense of humor makes the adventure of The Oys & Joys entertaining, while her heartfelt anecdotes are captivating and will remain memorable long after the last page has been read. If you liked The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, you will enjoy reading The Oys & Joys, by Marcia Feldt.

  • TIMBER ROSE by J. L. Oakley – 1900s historical fiction in the PNW

    TIMBER ROSE by J. L. Oakley – 1900s historical fiction in the PNW

    In the early 1900s, an independent young woman is forced to choose between family ties and romantic love, and face the consequences of her decision.

    Caroline Symington could live out the privileged life that her birth in a well-to-do family entitles her to, but her nascent notions of feminism take her on adventurous hikes and climbs in the northwestern mountains, where she meets a man whose grit matches her own. He gradually lures her to a far different destiny—one that she willing embraces over the path her parents have planned for her.

    Bob Alford, son of Scandinavian immigrants, is a tough logger sympathetic to the  union struggles with Caroline’s wealthy relatives. He loves hiking just like Caroline. She disguises her surname when they first meet, with near-disastrous consequences to their growing and mutual affection. ​Once the two acknowledge their feelings with total honesty, marriage is the next logical step, even though it will alienate Caroline’s family.

    Life for Caroline with her chosen mate (rather than a husband preferred by her father) will involve unexpected sacrifices. His new job as a forest -ranger will take him away from home for days at a time. Pregnancy looms as a hoped for event, while childbirth, alone in the wilderness, is a terrifying prospect.

    Luckily, there is a female soul-mate in the wings for Caroline, a fellow feminist named Cathy, and, for Bob, a mysterious and canny mountain man, Micah, who will provide rescue more than once. But before the young couple can really be free to live as they choose, they must face down the hypocritical, haughty Symington clan and prove that love can conquer both snobbery and scurrilous terror tactics.

    ​Spanning the years from 1907 to the rumors of the world war in 1916, this historical romance by award-winning author J. L. Oakley assuredly creates and sustains a magical love affair between Caroline and Bob, while successfully tackling a multitude of overarching themes: the determination of American working men to act collectively against self-seeking business titans; the will of American women to demand their autonomy despite the many subtle societal forces holding them back; and the formation of American national parks to preserve and protect nature’s beauty.

    Set at a time when the old ways were yielding to the industrial age on a number of significant fronts, Timber Rose is a timeless love story on a human scale, but one with a heart as big as the mountains of the great Pacific Northwest.

     

  • The SOMERSET Awards for Contemporary & Literary Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winners

    The SOMERSET Awards for Contemporary & Literary Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winners

    The SMainstream Contemporary Fiction Awardsomerset Awards Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of  Contemporary/Literary Fiction. The SOMERSET Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

    We are honored to announce the 2015 SOMERSET Awards Official First Place Category Winners. Good Luck to them as they compete for the 2015 SOMERSET Grand Prize Award.

    Congratulations to the 2015 SOMERSET Awards First In Category Award Winning Contemporary/Literary Fiction Novels:

    • Contemporary: Tom And Nancy Wise – Life On Base: Quantico Cave
    • Women’s Fiction: Kayce Stevens Hughlett – Blue: a novel
    • Speculative Fiction/Magical Realism: Rick Lenz – The Alexandrite
    • Literary: Caitlin Hicks – A Theory of Expanded Love
    • Mystery/Suspense: Judith Kirscht – Hawkins Lane
    • Adventure/Action: Jen Michalski – The Tide King
    • Blended Genres:  Gary Grossman – Old Earth

    Honorable Mentions:

    • J.P. Kenna – Toward a Terrible Freedom
    • James Gregory Kingston – The City Island Messenger
    • Cat Lynn Boyle – Shadow Dance
    • Tom Glenn – The Trion Syndrome

    More than $30,000 dollars in cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer International Blue Ribbon Awards Winners annually.

    The SOMERSET First Place  Category award winners will compete for the SOMERSET Grand Prize Award for the 2015 Contemporary/Literary Fiction Novel. Grand Prize winners, blue ribbons, and prizes will be announced and awarded on April 30, 2016 at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala, Bellingham, Wash.

    The First In Category award winning titles will receive an award package including a complimentary Chanticleer Book Review of the winning title, digital award badges, shelf talkers, book stickers, and more.

    We are now accepting entries into the 2016 SOMERSET Awards. The deadline is November 30, 2016.  Click here for more information or to enter.

    Congratulations to those who made the SOMERSET Awards 2015 FIRST PLACE official listing.

    More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2015 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Ten genres to enter your novels and compete on an international level.

    Who will take home the $1,000 purse this coming April at the Chanticleer Awards Gala and Banquet?

  • The CHATELAINE Awards for Romantic Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winners

    The CHATELAINE Awards for Romantic Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winners

    Romance Fiction AwardThe CHATELAINE Awards Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of  Romantic Fiction and Women’s Fiction. The CHATELAINE Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

    We are pleased to announce the 2015 CHATELAINE Awards Official First Place Category Winners. Good Luck to them as they compete for the 2015 CHATELAINE Grand Prize Award.

    Congratulations to the 2015 CHATELAINE Awards First In Category Award Winning Romantic Fiction Novels:

    • Legacy/Legend: Nicole Evelina – Daughter of Destiny
    • Historical Romance: Susan Örnbrattt – The Particular Appeal of Gilliane Pugsley
    • Regency: Julie LeMens – Once Upon a Scandal
    • Women’s Fiction-Short Story Collection:  Mary Ann Henry – Ladies in Low Places
    • Women’s Fiction: Miriam Polli – In a Vertigo of Silence
    • Adventure/Suspense: Kaylin McFarren – Banished Threads
    • Mystery/Suspense: Joanne Guidoccio – A Season for Killing Blondes
    • Inspirational/Restorative: Andrea Weir – A Foolish Consistency
    • Young Adult/New Adult: Natasha Boyd – Deep Blue Eternity

    Honorable Mentions:

    • Danica Winters – Smoke and Ashes
    • Belangela G. Tarazona – Hiatus
    • J.L Oakley – Mist-shi-mus: A Novel of Captivity
    • John Herman – The Counting of the Coup

    More than $30,000 dollars in cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer International Blue Ribbon Awards Winners annually.

    The CHATELAINE First Place  Category award winners will compete for the CHATELAINE Grand Prize Award for the 2015 Romantic Fiction Novel. Grand Prize winners, blue ribbons, and prizes will be announced and awarded on April 30, 2016 at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala, Bellingham, Wash.

    The First In Category award winning titles will receive an award package including a complimentary Chanticleer Book Review of the winning title, digital award badges, shelf talkers, book stickers, and more.

    We are now accepting entries into the 2016 CHATELAINE Awards. The deadline is November 30, 2016.  Click here for more information or to enter.

    Congratulations to those who made the CHATELAINE Awards 2015 FIRST PLACE official listing.

    More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2015 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Ten genres to enter your novels and compete on an international level.

    Who will take home the $1,000 purse this coming April at the Chanticleer Awards Gala and Banquet?

  • The SOMERSET Awards for Literary and Contemporary Novels 2015 – Official Finalist Listing

    The SOMERSET Awards for Literary and Contemporary Novels 2015 – Official Finalist Listing

    The SomersetMainstream Contemporary Fiction Awards Awards Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genres of  Literary and Contemporary Novels. The Somerset Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

    More than $30,000.00 dollars worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to Chanticleer Book Reviews 2015 writing competition winners at the Chanticleer Authors Conference April 30, 2016!

    The Somerset Awards FIRST IN CATEGORY sub-genres  are:

    • Literary
    • Contemporary
    • Adventure/Suspense
    • Humor/Satire
    • Women’s Fiction
    • Magic Realism

    The following titles will compete for the FIRST IN CATEGORY Positions and Awards Packages.

    This is the OFFICIAL FINALIST POSTING of Authors and Titles that have made it to the Short-list of the Somerset 2015 Novel Writing Contest.

    • Gail Cleare – Secrets We Keep
    • ~CRK – Beyond the Further Sea
    • Victoria Hughes – The Cloister Door
    • Stanley Levers – Kuiperbelt Scrapyard
    • Tom And Nancy Wise – Life On Base: Quantico Cave
    • J.P. Kenna – Toward a Terrible Freedom
    • Geoff Sokol – Will the Axe Hurt
    • Patricia A. Williams – The Two Weddings of Zhao Ping
    • Laurence Klinger – Billy
    • Mary Avery Kabrich – Once Upon a Time a Sparrow
    • Karen Fitzpatrick – After the Rain
    • Kayce Stevens Hughlett – Blue: a novel
    • Patrick M. Garry – Blind Spots
    • Tom Glenn – The Trion Syndrome
    • Rick Lenz – The Alexandrite
    • Cat Lynn Boyle – Shadow Dance
    • Kenneth Stokes – Return to Villa Serena
    • R Schick – Little Light
    • Gail Cleare – Secrets We Keep
    • C.G. Fewston – A Time to Love in Tehran
    • Jen Michalski – The Tide King
    • James Gregory Kingston – The City Island Messenger
    • Rian Everest – Tangerine Tigress
    • Andreas Morgner – Kinyamaswa
    • Beth Burgmeyer – The Gathering
    • Judith Kirscht – Hawkins Lane
    • Gary Grossman – Old Earth
    • Caitlin Hicks – A Theory of Expanded Love
    • N J Cooper – Beat The Rain
    • Stephen Glines for Poplar Hill or Kitty Stevenson’s Two Wakes
    • James Zerndt – Brailling For Wile
    • Miriam Polli – In A Vertigo of Silence
    • Steve Bruno – Blinded by the Light
    • Jacinda DeRoy – Finding Hopewood Lane

     

    The Somerset Finalists will compete for the Somerset Awards First In Category Positions, which consists of Four Judging Rounds.  First Place Category Award winners will automatically be entered into the Somerset GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition, which has a cash prize of $200 or $500 dollars in editorial services. The CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse.   

    • All First In Category Award Winners will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.
    • First In Category winners will compete for the Somerset Awards Grand Prize Award for the $200 purse and the Somerset Grand Prize Ribbon and badges.
    • TEN genre Grand Prize winning titles will compete for the $1,000 purse for CBR Best Book and Overall Grand Prize.
    • A coveted Chanticleer Book Review of the winning title valued at $345 dollars U.S. CBR reviews will be published in the Chanticleer Reviews magazine in chronological order as to posting.
    • A CBR Blue Ribbon to use in promotion at book signings and book festivals
    • Digital award stickers for on-line promotion
    • Adhesive book stickers
    • Shelf-talkers and other promotional items
    • Promotion in print and on-line media
    • Review of book distributed to on-line sites and printed media publications
    • Review, cover art, and author synopsis listed in CBR’s newsletter
    • Default First in Category winners will not be declared. Contests are based on merit and writing craft in all of the Chanticleer Writing Competitions.

    As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com. 

    Congratulations to the Finalists in this fiercely competitive contest! 

    Good Luck to all of the Somerset Finalists as they compete for the coveted First Place Category  positions.

    First In Category announcements will be made in our social media postings as the results come in.

    The Somerset Grand Prize Winner and the First Place Category winners will be announced and recognized at the April 30th, 2016 Chanticleer Writing Contests Annual Awards Gala, which takes place on the last evening of the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash. 

    We are now accepting submissions into the 2016 CLUE Awards writing competitions for Western Fiction. Please click here for more information or to enter the contests.

  • CHEATING THE HOG: A Sawmill. A Tragedy. A Few Gutsy Women by Rae Ellen Lee

    CHEATING THE HOG: A Sawmill. A Tragedy. A Few Gutsy Women by Rae Ellen Lee

    When her bell-ringing employment for the Christmas season ends, Echo Spangler tackles a higher paying job demanding heavy physical labor—one at the local saw mill that is known for paying above minimum wage, but is perilous to one’s limbs.

    Male bosses and a few male co-workers conspire to force her to quit, adding to the daily “business as usual” danger. But she needs this job to pay her bills, and she’s determined not to let the jerks get the best of her. Rae Ellen Lee’s novel Cheating the Hog  is full of snappy writing that conveys the groaning of Echo’s muscles, while also showing her bravado and joy of simple pleasures against her taunting male co-workers.

    Echo presents a gutsy hard crust to her bosses and the men lording over her in the sawmill, but reveals her big heart to three female co-workers, her mother, and old friends. Danger ramps up beyond the job when she tries to help the women escape domestic violence.

    Readers will be engrossed in Lee’s lively narrative style; learning along the way about the workings of the sawmill machinery the fatal chaos it may bring if things go wrong. Lee also brings us to life outside the mill. Echo’s homelife includes her gun-toting mother, but Echo still carries the hopeful sparks of romance in her heart; even if she has to deal with prissy women and thick-skulled men.

    This engaging story shows the life of gutsy women on the sharp edge of poverty–with no extra education­­ and none of the advantages of a relatively carefree upbringing. The author immerses the reader into Echo’s daily life and demonstrate how such women experience the hardships relentlessly tumbling their way, enduring a male-dominated work culture, and living through its dangers. The book’s overarching theme encompasses underprivileged women who work hard, laugh hard, love hard, fight hard, and never give up. They forgive when they can, all the while struggling to show courage against odds most readers hope they will never face.

    People busy with their own lives don’t often give much thought to the hard and dirty jobs millions of men and women do every day. The author shows how (and why) many working folks muster the ability to face danger, fear, and death daily on the job. When readers turn the last page, they’ll be glad that they read the entertaining and enlightening Cheating the Hog engagingly written by the talented Rae Ellen Lee.