Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Journey Awards

  • UNFOLLOW ME by Kathryn Caraway – Memoirs, Stalking, Contemporary Social Issues

    When you’re a target of stalking, “Each day is a fight to stay alive. Even while sleeping, you must be ready.” So reveals Kathryn Caraway in Unfollow Me, a spine-tingling true crime novel tracing a life shattered by severe stalking.

    Although the author uses the pseudonym “Kathryn Caraway” throughout this novel to protect her identity, her harrowing tales of being the target of a stalker and fighting for her rights to freedom and safety are a testament to the real danger she was exposed to. Caraway’s experience creates a compelling story of one woman’s brave quest for justice against her torturer.

    Kathryn emotionally, mentally, and physically falls apart at the hands of a violent, ubiquitous presence. Despite the severity of the crimes committed against her, Kathryn’s concerns are routinely dismissed as irrational and hysterical by law enforcement officials, lawyers, and even long-time friends.

    Before a malicious intruder targets her, Kathryn is a beloved mother, a wonderful friend, and a confident employee. But after she is introduced to Todd, he begins to slowly strip her life from her control.

    Todd absorbs Kathryn’s routines and destroys any sense of safety. He starts hurtful rumors that damage her reputation and cause her to doubt herself and others around her. He invades an office space in her home, installs secret security cameras and listening devices, tracks her car, kidnaps her dog, clones her phone, and befriends her abusive ex-husbands, making her life a living nightmare.

    His aggressive actions only increase in extremity and frequency.

    Overtime, Kathryn’s circle of trusted people becomes smaller. Her sleep and mental health degrade as she spends every second aware of her vulnerability and Todd’s proximity. Any sense of normalcy is turned upside down as Kathryn is forced to become a ghost observing the shambles of her previous life.

    An inspiring story of survival, Unfollow Me brings awareness to the horrors of stalking and its devastating effects on the mental health of those targeted.

    Despite the seemingly endless suffering and anxiety, Kathryn remains steadfast in her commitment to defend her safety and punish Todd for his crimes against her and his other targets. Juggling hundreds of pages of documented incidents in a black binder, Kathryn assembles a case against Todd. Her sacrifices and bravery serve as an eye-opening lesson to readers on the lack of resources for those subjected to stalking and how to support those who are in danger.

    Caraway’s true-to-life novel focuses much-needed attention on stalking as a crime, its consistent dismissal by law enforcement, and the suffering of those who have been targeted

    Caraway not only shares her first-hand experience as a person who’s been the target of a sadistic stalker, but also the lack of compassion by those who are supposed to protect her. Left to fend for herself, Kathryn spends three years advocating for her own survival as any semblance of trust for others is demolished, which leads her to distrust her own mind. “My sole focus was on survival,” she writes. “Life, as I knew it, had become unbearable.”

    Caraway’s diligent attention to detail, a practice learned from years of scrupulous incident documentation, allows her to craft a truly captivating story. Readers will find themselves clenching every muscle in anticipation as Unfollow Me unfolds, horrified and enraged, but ultimately inspired.

    Unfollow Me by Kathryn Caraway won Grand Prize in the 2024 CIBA Journey Awards for Overcoming Adversity in Narrative Non-Fiction.

     

  • FISHING With HYENAS by Theresa Mathews – Life at Sea, Surviving Loss, Women’s Memoirs

     

    Theresa Mathews’ memoir, Fishing with Hyenas, is filled with adventure, love, and the spirit of an explorer, all on the high seas. In the audio version, the author herself tells this gripping story of love and death, grief and recovery.

    Mathews begins the book in a place most difficult for her. She takes us through her emotional devastation at the news of her husband’s death. We see all the stages of her grief from the initial call: denial, disbelief, bargaining, and finally acceptance. Readers will be hooked in the first chapter.

    She then deftly fills in the gaps with the backstory of how she met her husband Bart, their first date, their decision to commit to one another, and her first time she went for a ride on his Harley. These are often hilarious recaps of her anger and frustration, and her examination of what this relationship with a man who loved the sea would mean for her city-girl life.

    Mathews alternates between the present and past with perfect pacing, giving readers a balance between the immersion in and relief from the intense emotion of her husband’s unexpected death.

    She perfectly captures the experience of grief, revealing her weaknesses and her strengths. The support she received—and the support she gives in return when tragedy hits the families of her friends—is truly inspiring.

    Mathews paints the colorful world of what living and working on the ocean meant for Bart and herself.

    She explores the limits of surviving on the Pacific in a tuna boat with a dead engine. She masterfully builds tension, then releases it, just as the ocean swells take hold of their boat, then release them. Mathews takes us through storms both emotional and meteorological, and by the time she wraps up this heartfelt memoir, we are on the other side of grief and loss and perhaps have a new idea of how to survive ourselves.

    This memoir embraces reality head-on. It reveals the best and the worst about fishing: being at sea for months at a time, weathering monster storms with only a small crew to manage the onslaught of waves and high winds, and sometimes, dealing with the raw guilt of surviving that crashes down upon a person.

    Old timers will appreciate reminiscing about fishing large schools with colorful jigs, when fish were still sold at market value.

    Mathews captures the love of the sea held by her late husband and the members of the Hyenas—a name that has a fabulous story to tell on its own. She develops salty characters that we grow to love, only for us to grieve when they are gone. We relate to Mathews’ own grief and her struggles after Bart’s death. Even if we’re not fishermen, we easily understand the depths of her loss.

    Readers of women’s fiction, memoir, fishing, boat stories, or survival stories will all draw something from this excellent audiobook of Mathews’ memoir Fishing with Hyenas. They’ll find much to laugh, cry, and get goosebumps about as they come to understand the many perils of loving a man who loves the sea.

    This is a five-star listen!

    Fishing with Hyenas won First Place in the 2017 CIBA Journey Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction.

     

  • Voices of Valor: A Reflection on Veterans Day and the Importance of Recording Their Experiences

    Thank you to all our Veterans

    America, flag, veterans, thank you

    Remembering the men and women of the military on Veterans Day is an important tradition that allows us to express our gratitude for their sacrifice. It also brings into focus the importance of documenting soldiers’ experiences as they deal with the realities of war.

    Today, as we honor our veterans, let’s also consider the soldiers who wrote their stories down. Those soldiers whose unique, first-hand accounts of war as filled with courage and resilience to provide us with an unfiltered view of what war is and what it means to preserve our freedom and keep us safe.

    Writing also provides a profound outlet for the returning soldier to process the unimaginable events they experienced, and often helps them to reintegrate themselves into civilian life after their service has ended.

    Let’s explore some of the ways writing about war helps veterans and the public they serve.

    orange, black, flag, soldiers

    The Healing Power of Words: Veterans Who Write About War

    For many veterans, writing serves as a vital outlet for processing the emotional and psychological complexities of their service. Through memoirs, poetry, and fiction, these “veterans as authors” offer unique perspectives on the realities of combat, the challenges of reintegration, and the emotional toll of military life. Imagine going through something as horrific as battle without an outlet for the emotional toll it takes on a human. Through their writing, veterans can navigate their experiences and express emotions that may be difficult to articulate otherwise.

    Writing therapies are often encouraged for those veterans who feel the lasting mental impact of war. Coping with anxiety, trauma, and grief are sometime insurmountable on their own, and creating a space to reflect on their service can significantly impact a veteran in their healing journey.

    Woman, Soldier, computer, writing, camo

    Shaping the Public Narrative

    Veterans who write also provide a true-to-life, insider’s account of the military, the battlefield, and the emotional toll of being a soldier. Offering their personal experience engages readers unlike other nonfiction accounts can. Even with no experience in battle, the average reader is able to tap into the emotionally charged experience and understand at a deeper level what it is like to be in mortal danger. This, in turn, shapes the general public’s view of war and encourages questioning and a deeper understanding of the conflict.

    As these writers preserve their personal histories they also provide a crucial service to the public, helping them understand the broader context of military conflicts. Their stories provide firsthand accounts that enrich our collective understanding of war and its consequences.

    Soldier, book, snow

    A Community of Writing Veterans

    Organizations like the Veterans Writing Project and Warrior Writers provide platforms for veterans to share their writing with the only community who can fully relate to their stories of war. Workshops, mentorship, and community support programs help veterans hone skills their writing while providing them a space to connect with others who share similar experiences.

    It also opens the door for active listening. Because they share the same frame of reference, the veterans involved in these programs hear these stories with an understanding that goes far beyond what the general public can offer. They can offer advice, both in writing and for emotional healing, and create a culture of empathy and respect that is specifically suited for war veterans.

    Veterans Day, November 11, American flag

    Celebrating the Powerful Impact of a Veteran’s Story

    As we celebrate Veterans Day, we encourage readers to seek out and engage with the work of veteran authors. By doing so, we not only honor their service, but we also gain valuable insights into the human experience of war. From poetry to memoirs to novels, veterans are writing in various genres to explore themes of loss, identity, courage, and recovery. These works provide diverse perspectives on the nature of war and its impact on the human spirit.

    This veterans day experience stepping into the boots of a soldier by reading a work by a military veteran, and show your support by garnering a deeper understanding of their experience at war.

    The stories veterans tell us carry the weight of history with on their backs. This Veterans Day, we suggest these titles to explore the soldiers experience.

    Chasing the Daylight Cover

    Chasing the Daylight

    Chasing The Daylight by Joanna Rakowski is a revealing memoir that captures the rigor, intensity, and ferocity of military training in a salient style.

    Ever wondered what it takes to become a soldier in one of the most powerful armies in the world?

    Joanna Rakowski was born in Poland and grew up practicing dance from a young age, eventually becoming a professional classical ballet dancer and teacher. Upon her migration to the US in 1995 and the painful fallout with her friend and mentor, Chris, Joanna knew she needed to make a drastic change in her life. Her great awakening came when she decided to transform from a fragile and sensitive ballerina into a steadfast U.S. Army soldier, a goal that many close to her doubted she could accomplish.

    Continue reading here…

    Combat Missions Cover

    Combat Missions
    First Place Winner of the Military and Front Line CIBA Award

    Sometimes, a close and personal story can reveal the true weight of major historical events. Combat Missions, a memoir from WWII veteran Burl D. Harmon, achieves this by detailing how Europe’s vicious aerial battles shape a young boy’s entry to manhood.

    On December 7, 1941, Harmon is summoned to his high school’s auditorium to hear President Roosevelt proclaim it as, “a day which will live in infamy…” Soon after, his draft notice arrives. Harmon’s junior college studies and work at the local Rexall drug store are put on hold as he joins the vast flood of young American men and women conscripted into military service. Leaving his small Iowa town and a family mostly sheltered from the grim realities of the outside world, he travels to New York City with people from every imaginable background.

    Continue reading here…

    Chop That Sh*t Up!
    First Place Winner of the Military and Front Line CIBA Award

    In Chop That Sh*t Up: Leadership and Life Lessons Learned While in the Military, Daniel L. Pinion reminisces about his experiences in the US Army, both good and bad, before he retired as a Command Sergeant Major.Some of the stories and lessons he offers are heartbreaking, some are horrifying, and some are insightful. As it turns out, some are even heartwarming.

    The author explains his origins: a quiet and uneventful childhood that did not give him much idea of what he should do with his life. Some counseling and a few incidents led Pinion, after high school, to the National Guard and eventually the US Army, where he found his life’s calling.

    Continue reading here…

    Fly Safe: Letters from the Gulf War by Vicky Cody Cover Image

    Fly Safe: Letters from the Gulf War and Reflections from Back Home

    Not many people can capture the emotions that coincide with war, but Vicki Cody joins the ranks of those who do in her wartime memoir, Fly Safe: Letters from the Gulf War and Reflections from Back Home.

    This powerful memoir shows us the behind-the-scenes lives of the women, children, and families left at home while their soldiers set off for war, bringing us close to their raw vulnerability.Fly Safe fascinates as it informs readers of what one wife experiences as her commander husband leads his battalion to the middle east.

    Cody takes us back in time to the early 1990s when the first President Bush called up troops in an operation called “Desert Shield,” which turned into Desert Storm. She captures the events that led up to our first conflict in the middle east, but far from being strictly pedantic and historical, centers on the warmth, love, and fears that most of the wives were experiencing. Her letters from her husband – and her journal entries read like daily affirmations and blend well in telling this story.

    Continue reading here…

    soldier, reading

     

    Thank you to veterans everywhere!

    But before we recognize these outstanding works, let us take a minute to review these statistics about those who have served our country.

    • There are 13.9 million Veterans as of this year (Pew Research Center)
    • There was an average of 17.2 Veteran suicides a day in 2019 (VA Mental Health)
    • Firearms were used in 70% of veteran suicide in 2019 (Stars and Stripes)
    • Suicide Risk of veterans is almost double what it is for the general population (VA Public Health)
    • The greatest difference in suicide rates between veterans and nonveterans is among those ages 18–34 (Rand Corporation)
    • The largest number of veterans who die by suicide are between 55 and 74 years old.
    • (Rand Corporation)
    • 25% of all veterans have a service connected disability (Military.com)
    • 41% of all post 9/11 veterans have a service connected disability (Military.com)

    HELPFUL LINKS for ASSISTANCE  

    Writing is known to be a “transformative therapy’ for veterans haunted by their experiences. “The Red Badge Project encourages Wounded Warriors to rediscover their personal voice and realize the value of their experiences and emotions.”

    “RBP partners with Vet Centers and allows Veterans of all ages to take advantage of the Red Badge Project’s program while providing a link between veterans of multiple generations.” Here is a link to a Seattle Times article by Nicole Brodeur that was published on November 11, 2019, that is about the Red Badge Project.

    Using the creative process of storytelling, Wounded Warriors begin to rebuild their individual sense of purpose and unique individuality.

    For Wounded Warriors struggling to heal the invisible wounds of PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression, believing in the value of their story and finding the means to communicate it to family, friends, and community is a struggle of heroic proportions. Tom Skerritt is a founder and is part of the Red Badge Project faculty.

    We here at Chanticleer Reviews have had the honor of reviewing top novels and narrative non-fiction written by outstanding authors whose stories enlighten, remind,  empathize, and creates a better understanding with those who have served in the armed forces.

    All of us at Chanticleer have family who have served, and that makes holidays like Veterans Day important to us. We ask you to take time out of your day to remember the veterans in your life on this day of reflection.

    Do you have a book with a military theme 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?

    Your Story of Service Matters

    The tiers of achievement for the CIBAs

    Submitting to 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!

    soldier, writing, books

    Thank you again to the veterans who share their experiences with us in these wonderful books, and to all those service members who continue to inspire us!

  • Spotlight on Mark Berridge, Award Winning Author of A Fraction Stronger and Motivational Speaker

    MARK BERRIDGE – Author, Leader, and Motivational Speaker

    Mark Berridge in a superman style pose for TEDx Brisbane

    By melding his professional background with the lived experience of his personal recovery journey, Mark brings his unique insights, perspective and practical tips and strategies to every custom-curated presentation he delivers.

    Mark’s authenticity, openness, expertise and practicality profoundly impact the individuals, teams and organisations he presents to, helping them build the resilience they need to succeed in today’s challenging business environment.

    His book, A Fraction Stronger was the Grand Prize Winner for the 2022 Journey Award.

    Most recently, Mark presented at TedEx Brisbane.

    We’re excited to have him back for CAC24! Mark will be presenting two sessions for us that will focus on:

    1. Success comes in many shapes and sizes. Explore his 3 tips for amplifying it.
      • Notice how / when your goals creep.
      • Reward yourself for achieving your original goals and for re-calibrating new goals
      • Embrace and celebrate all the other gains / outcomes from your action that seem ancillary to your goals.
    2. Plan well, adapt better. Why he is firm on purpose but flexible on pathway.
      • Good preparation is a valuable foundation, but we can never see all the possibilities.
      • Action (especially when embracing uncertainty) liberates possibilities.
      • Things work, things fail. Own where you are at and make plans, take action to keep going.

    Still thinking about Registering for the Chanticleer Authors Conference?

    Register Today!

    We have a stellar line up of speakers for CAC24, with multiple options to attend.

    Find out why The 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.

  • CATCHING RAIN: A Woman Rediscovers Herself in Stories Her Lover has Forgotten by Sandi Paris – Memoirs, Surviving Loss, Dementia

     

    Sandi Paris’s Catching Rain is a remarkable tribute to life and all that it brings.

    The opening sentence of the first chapter, “My lover has left me” introduces the anguished voice of the author who feels abandoned when her beloved husband forgets her secrets.  This powerful memoir weaves provocative and inspiring memories of the past through stages of her husband’s rare dementia. Paris uses humor and occasional rage to fuel her journey through the catastrophe of his illness, while readers are invited to laugh through tears.

    A diagnosis of FTD (Frontotemporal Deterioration) shatters the beautiful life Sandi Paris and her husband Randy Brown created. Having an explanation of why his brilliant mind and athletic, 6’3” body are faltering at such a young age does not prepare them for the devastation to come. Careers end and dreams of the future crumble while bank accounts are drained. The spectacular wildlife garden they developed together is still young when it becomes clear that their community cannot meet the growing challenges of FTD.  As Randy’s bizarre behaviors increase, Paris desperately seeks the care her devoted life partner is denied. Once that care is secured, she must fight to maintain it.

     The vivid memories that weave through Catching Rain are told in the style of epistolary writings to the author’s spouse when he no longer remembers how she became the woman he loved. Readers are immersed in both past and present when vignettes rise during poignant or outrageous present-day experiences with dementia. Retelling her stories infuses the author with love and determination.

    This consciously focused literary composition exposes gaps in the safety net of dementia care and end-of-life choices. It also reflects on broader societal issues that continue to be relevant today. By revisiting the values shared with her husband, Paris resurrects the deep intimacy and trust their relationship took root in. The heart wrenching story of her disabled son’s birth reminds her to stand and speak for Randy when he loses his voice. Revisiting experiences of religious intolerance prepares her to protect him from people who attempt to override his personal values and wishes.

    By retelling horrifying generational experiences of misogyny and patriarchy, Paris is reminded how Randy himself made changes that gave her hope.  Describing his anguish over the brutal murder of their gay friends, brings focus to the ongoing need to ensure  social and racial justice for everyone, including our LBGTQ communities. Catching Rain promotes change by infusing personal experiences with broader social advocacy.

    Sandi Paris and others like her are relentless in their pursuit of respectfully compassionate care for those facing devastating conditions like FTD. Catching Rain will resonate and impart wisdom and grit to readers who feel alone with their own struggles through end-of-life care and decision making. It also serves as a resource for caregivers and loved ones by providing detailed descriptions of Randy’s disease progression along with suggestions for financial survival and creative management of dementia behaviors or administrative mishaps.

    What begins as a head-on confrontation with FTD dementia eventually surrenders to the inevitable. Acceptance brings a measure of peace at the end of Randy’s life. These intensely intimate stories are intended to honor both tragic and joyful moments.  Readers are encouraged to get uncomfortable and accept unexpected burdens.  Paris challenges us to climb the damn mountain!

    Sandi Paris lights a light with Catching Rain that illuminates her journey of love in action. It is highly recommended!

    Catching Rain by Sandi Paris won First Place in the 2022 CIBA Journey Awards for Overcoming Adversity Non-Fiction.

     

    5 Star Best Book Chanticleer Reviews round silver sticker

  • MOROCCAN MUSINGS by Anne B. Barriault – Travelogue, Moroccan History, Multi-Cultural

     

    Anne B. Barriault’s Moroccan Musings is a creative blend of personal journal, travelogue, and historical narrative about an ancient culture and civilization.

    The slim three-part volume delivers contemplative vignettes that showcase Barriault’s draw to the intoxicating beauty of this North African country and the openness and sincerity of its people. Early on Barriault relates that her story was born of wanderlust, curiosity, ignorance, yearning, and desperation. In the aftermath of the tragic events of 9/11, her quest for knowledge about the Middle East grew, along with a desire to better understand Islam and the Muslim world.

    Inspired by a trip to Italy where Arab-Islamic cultures had been present in the 13th and 14th centuries, Barriault ultimately joined a “Moroccan Discovery” museum tour group. The experience gave a voice to her writing as she described her visit to a region that was “sensuous, intoxicating, spiritual, and earthbound.” From olive groves, cork tree orchards, and dogs rooting for flavorful white truffles, to the contrast of an unremarkable Moroccan home exterior and its interior of marble floors, colorful tiles, filigree arches, silk & brocade fabrics, and calligraphic Koranic blessings, Barriault invites readers along on her excursion.

    She reflects on the beauty, friendliness, and curiosity of the young people she meets in a place where adolescent boys are taught the art of selling and trading, as they entice visiting foreigners to speak bits of the Arabic language. Meanwhile, three generations of women in the central marketplace show the changing culture, the covered elders, their daughters in European attire wearing the hijab head scarf, and a granddaughter defying tradition by choosing clothing inspired by pop stars.

    In part two of this travel memoir, Barriault showcases her solo journey to Fes.

    Here she notes that her first trip to Morocco was “through the lens of a five-star hotel.” “This time around was the lifting of the romantic veil.” She details an ancient city with shops, houses, and astonishing artisanship. Free concerts in the public square, along with a sacred music festival offer enticement with their carnival-like atmosphere. Lunch with a hosting family features an array of delectables from salads and couscous to roasted meat, along with fresh fruit and the ritual of mint tea. Unfortunately, she puts future travel plans on hold due to the restless discontent in the country.

    Part three in this trilogy of essays finds Barriault on a family trip to Marrakesh for Christmas of 2018.

    With time’s passing, the area is now home to 2 million people. A new museum has opened to preserve the city’s heritage, and the Moroccan King and Queen are now divorced. Barrialult spends Christmas in the desert, artfully describing the beauty of the sand dunes changing color with the light, a flavorful tagine lunch at camp, and a precarious ride aboard a long-lashed camel with its “camelicious thoughts and sideways glance of bemusement.” From the ancient Berber influence that permeates the city and the five times daily call to prayer, to the Western presence that finds Marrakesh a modern-age mecca for the likes of expatriates, rock stars, and hippies, Barriault’s revelations are rich, sensory, and alive.

    Moroccan Musings by Anne B. Barriault won First Place in the 2014 CIBA Journey Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction.

     

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews

  • BETTER OFF BALD: A Life in 147 Days by Andrea Wilson Woods – Living with Cancer, Family Memoirs, Sisterhood

    Journey Grand Prize Badge for Better Off Bald by Andrea Wilson Woods

    There exists a bond between sisters, and often that bond becomes a connection so strong that time cannot erase the love and the longing for the other. Andrea Wilson Woods defines such a bond in Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days.

    Woods details the choreographed life she lives with her sister Adrienne, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Together they begin their dance, pirouetting around IV ports and long lists of medications. Sisters in life, love, and an all-out war against liver cancer.

    Woods retells her story with compassion and a rational eye for detail while embracing all the deep emotions that ravage her as she records every one of the 147 days after the initial diagnosis.

    Their confusion about how this could have happened and their hope that they can beat this “thing” growing inside Adrienne are present on each page. Woods makes note of the doctors by name, the nurses by nicknames, and the hospital visits by hours spent waiting, waiting, waiting for help to come and rescue them from the nightmare that cancer has made of their lives.

    Adrienne, during this nightmare, remains her fifteen-year-old self, a bright, cheerful, optimistic imp who has brought so much joy to Andrea’s life. Adrienne’s love of music and the artists who create it becomes the beacon for her as her body begins a transformation caused by her cancer and the effect of the drugs used to fight it.

    Woods is not only Adrienne’s sister but also her legal guardian, since approximately the age of eight. So, as well as the bond of sisterhood, they have the bond of parent and child. They have relied solely on one another for years, and the love they have for one another grows stronger and brighter. As an educator, Andrea’s love for her sister drives her to research to find a cure.

    Andrea quits her job to care for Adrienne.

    Her partner John and her biological father help her financially and emotionally. She struggles to remain positive and supportive of this beautiful child being ravaged by an enemy she cannot look in the eye.

    Meanwhile, Adrienne salvages her teenage self by hanging out with her boyfriend and other friends when she can.

    She goes to the movies with John, the only father she’s ever known, and meets Jay Leno and her musician hero Dave Navarro twice. Woods captures the essence of Adrienne’s youthful exuberance as they all learn to cope with the diagnosis and the grueling treatments that take Adrienne’s hair and strength.

    Through this journey, hope reigns supreme, and to the last page, there is a winning spirit that will not be denied. The sisters cling to hope and each other in this candid tale. She gives us glimpses of their lives with their mother and the hardships they overcame for Andrea to gain custody of Adrienne. We see glimpses of the mischievous Adrienne, who doesn’t want to brush her teeth and is the honor student Adrienne who wants to get good grades and go to college.

    Woods brings captions and paragraphs from Adrienne’s journal and emails to head each chapter and lead us through the days from 1 to 147. The love she had for her sister shines on every page, and as we root for Adrienne and hold out hope. Andrea navigates us through the labyrinth of the medical profession, becoming well versed in treatments and experimental drugs.

    Andrea Wilson Woods’ Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days reflects a time of crushing grief and determination.

    She grieves, yes, but she carries on the work of finding a cure for her sister’s cancer. She has devoted her life to making Adrienne’s experience matter, and we learn how much love can drive one to be a positive force. Better off Bald is a must-read for people of all walks of life because each of us is touched by cancer through our family, friends, or our own experiences. Woods’ experiences show us that “winning,” even though it may not be what we think it should be, can be a blessing and a comfort.

    Better Off Bald by Andrea Wilson Woods won Grand Prize in the 2021 CIBA Journey Awards for Overcoming Adversity Non-Fiction.

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews

    Journey Grand Prize Gold Foil Book Sticker Image

  • REDLINED: A Memoir of Race, Change, and Fractured Community in 1960s Chicago by Linda Gartz – Memoir, Racial Segregation, Sexual Liberation

    Author Linda Gartz tells of her childhood and early adulthood amidst social upheaval in the city of Chicago in her memoir, Redlined: A Memoir of Race, Change, and Fractured Community in 1960s Chicago.

    Gartz grew up the second child of second-generation immigrants to the US. Her father’s father boldly made the trip to the land of opportunity at age 21. She spent much of her childhood in cramped quarters with her parents and her older brother, living alongside strangers. They paid this price for the “dream” – the couple bought a house in a decent neighborhood; keeping roomers, even living in the same flat with them, helped pay expenses.

    Gartz’s grandmother, a talented dressmaker, helped out with childcare and other chores while her mother worked to manage all the finances, tenants, and repairs in their rooming house; she had to do this alone half the year while Gartz’s dad traveled for his job. But Grandma K suffered mental illness and abused Gartz’s mother and father, sometimes violently. Gartz’s father felt oppressed by her presence, which caused ongoing, if mostly unspoken, conflict in the home.

    Chicago’s social and economic upheaval served as a microcosm for national change, and as backdrop for the Gartz family drama.

    African Americans fled the dangerous and economically dead-end South for more promising prospects in places like Chicago. But majority white cities and regions resisted their incursion through restructuring and re-designating neighborhoods and school districts. All the while, the civil rights movement sought large-scale change amidst peaceful protests, riots, and violent reprisals from the law.

    The influx of black workers into her own neighborhood affected Gartz’s choice of schools and friends. Civil rights struggles incited her sympathies while her parents expressed their older prejudice. They feared that all of their hard-earned investments would vanish if “the colored” came in. Still, the teen had black friends and neighbors. She felt touched by the spirit of rebellion in a new testing of societal limits: sexual freedom.

    Gartz felt driven to compose this intelligent account of the changing times when she and her brother “found our gold” in the attic of their parents’ home: diaries, letters, cards, calendars and notebooks reaching back to the couple’s own youth.

    The undercurrent of family tensions became clear. Grandma K’s psychosis put the house on edge. Gartz’s father struggled to balance his home and work life, needing to earn money with a job that required six months of travel across each year, and also supporting his over-burdened wife with the demands of their rooming house with as many as eleven tenants. Her mother saw her behavior in the sexual revolution as shocking. Gartz includes details of the subtleties of “redlining” that allowed cities and regions to keep African Americans down and poor by limiting their ability to own property. Family photos pepper her book, lending emotive touches. The result is a vibrant look at the coming of age of a nation through the eyes of a frank, freethinking woman.

    Redlined: A Memoir of Race, Change, and Fractured Community in 1960s Chicago by Linda Gartz won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBA Journey Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction and Memoir.

     

    5 Star Best Book Chanticleer Reviews round silver sticker

  • VETERANS DAY 2021 – Honoring All Who Have Served – Books For, By, and Honoring Veterans

    VETERANS DAY 2021 – Honoring All Who Have Served – Books For, By, and Honoring Veterans

    Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good, and to protect our democracy. 

    As an annual tradition here at Chanticleer Reviews on Veterans Day, we are suggesting these titles from among our reviews of authors who are Veterans.

    But before we recognize these outstanding works, let us take a minute to review these statistics about those who have served our country.

    • There are 19 million Veterans as of this year (Pew Research Center)
    • There was an average of 17.2 Veteran suicides a day in 2019 (VA Mental Health)
    • Firearms were used in 70% of veteran suicide in 2019 (Stars and Stripes)
    • Suicide Risk of veterans is almost double what it is for the general population (VA Public Health)
    • The greatest difference in suicide rates between veterans and nonveterans is among those ages 18–34 (Rand Corporation)
    • The largest number of veterans who die by suicide are between 55 and 74 years old.
    • (Rand Corporation)
    • 25% of all veterans have a service connected disability (Military.com)
    • 41% of all post 9/11 veterans have a service connected disability (Military.com)

    HELPFUL LINKS for ASSISTANCE  

    Writing is known to be a “transformative therapy’ for veterans haunted by their experiences. “The Red Badge Project encourages Wounded Warriors to rediscover their personal voice and realize the value of their experiences and emotions.”

    “RBP partners with Vet Centers and allows Veterans of all ages to take advantage of the Red Badge Project’s program while providing a link between veterans of multiple generations.” Here is a link to a Seattle Times article by Nicole Brodeur that was published on November 11, 2019, that is about the Red Badge Project.

    Using the creative process of storytelling, Wounded Warriors begin to rebuild their individual sense of purpose and unique individuality.

    For Wounded Warriors struggling to heal the invisible wounds of PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression, believing in the value of their story and finding the means to communicate it to family, friends, and community is a struggle of heroic proportions. Tom Skerritt is a founder and is part of the Red Badge Project faculty.

    We here at Chanticleer Reviews have had the honor of reviewing top novels and narrative non-fiction written by outstanding authors whose stories enlighten, remind,  empathize, and creates a better understanding with those who have served in the armed forces.

    Read on to see excerpts from our reviews:

    NO TOUGHER DUTY, NO GREATER HONOR
    By GySgt L. Christian Bussler
    First Place in Journey Awards

    From a family with a long history of military service dating back to the civil war, GySgt L. Christian Bussler brings to life his experience as a Mortuary Affairs marine and sheds light on a duty that few ever talk about. He is called to duty for his first of three tours in Iraq in February of 2003 after spending many years training as a reservist.

    This fear becomes reality when he narrowly escapes an IED blast with his life. Afterward, Bussler wrestles with the guilt of going back home injured, leaving his team behind to fight without him. The final and longest section of No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor mirrors the length of the final and longest tour from 2005-2006. This tour especially proves to be the most challenging for not just Bussler, but his whole team, and it leaves them all forever changed.

    Continue Reading Here…

    HILLBILLIES to HEROES
    The Memoir of James Quinton Kelley
    By S.L. Kelley

    World War II veteran Quinton Kelley recounted his life story to an avid biographer – his daughter, S. L. Kelley, a documentarian and award-winning video producer.

    Kelley’s tale begins in Coker Creek, Tennessee, where he was raised on an 80-acre farm, in a log cabin that he described as rough, but “brightened” with flowers. Taught to be honest and hardworking by his parents, he grew up with kerosene lamps for light, a fireplace for warmth and a wood stove for cooking. His recollections are colorful, with language that recalls his roots.

    Continue Reading Here…

    WOUNDED WARRIOR, WOUNDED WIFE
    By Barbara McNally

    The critical issues surrounding post-traumatic stress among America’s wounded warriors is expanded here to include the challenges and concerns of military wives and families.

    Barbara McNally was working as a physical therapist when she watched helplessly as a man jumped off a bridge to his death. Feeling involved in his tragedy, she learned he was a wounded veteran. The experience spurred her to find out more about PTS and its effects on those who have participated in war.

    Continue Reading Here…

    A CROWDED HEART
    By Andrea McKenzie Raine
    Note: This is a work of Fiction

    Willis Hancocks survives fighting in Western Europe during World War II but faces continuing battles of the mind at war’s end in Andrea McKenzie Raine’s poignant study of the plight of the former soldier in her historical novel, A Crowded Heart.

    Willis decides to remain in London rather than return to his native Canada where his parents and sister live near Vancouver. Eager to put the war behind him, he marries Ellie, an intelligent young woman who has studied art at Cambridge University. Her affluent parents approve of Willis, and her father offers to finance his new son-in-law’s study of law at Cambridge. The newlyweds’ future could not look rosier.

    Continue Reading Here…

    MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY PTSD
    By Christopher Oelerich

    Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Christopher Oelerich

    “I went away to war one person and came back another, and in my wildest dreams would never have chosen to be the one who came back.” – Christopher Oelerich

    Thus begins this heartfelt discussion of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by a military veteran who has spent his life helping others deal with the debilitating symptoms associated with the disorder. Christopher Oelerich relates his own personal history, beginning from when he was drafted into the military during the Vietnam War, and continuing through his return to civilian life and his own rocky road to recovery.

    Oelerich eschews political correctness in favor of blunt talk mixed with detailed, empowering strategies that have worked for him, as well as for the military veterans and homeless he has helped over the years.

    Continue Reading Here…

    A Note from Chanticleer CEO, Kiffer Brown:

    Many of my family members have served their country (many of whom have passed) and are serving their country: my father (Marine Corps, deceased), my brother (Army, with us but 100% disabled), my nephew Robert is currently serving in the Air Force,  my dear Aunt Ellen (WWII nurse – she passed away recently), my cousin Billy Wayne (first 100 to die in the USA – Vietnam Conflict), and many other cousins too numerous to mention here.

    Thank you all for your service.

  • Part Three of Three Official Postings of the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards (#CIBAs) Overall Grand Prize and Division Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners

    Part Three of Three Official Postings of the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards (#CIBAs) Overall Grand Prize and Division Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners

    We are deeply honored and excited to continue to announce the 2020 Winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs) with our third of three official postings.

    Click here to visit the First Posting out of Three Official Announcements of the 2020 CIBA Winners.

    Click here to visit the Second Posting out of Three Official Announcements of the 2020 CIBA Winners.

    CIBA Grand Prize Ribbons!

    The winners were recognized at a special CIBAs ceremony held on June 5th, 2021 in-person and by ZOOM webinars based 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.

    We cheered on the CIBA Premier Finalists with our bubbly of choice from wherever we were Zooming!

    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 24 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 2020 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

    Six Non-Fiction Divisions:

    Journey, Hearten, Harvey Chute, Mind and Spirit, I & I, and Nellie Bly

    along with the FIRST Winners for the 

    Short Story, and Book Series Awards,

    and concluding with the 

     OVERALL 2020 GRAND PRIZE WINNER 

    for the 

    2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards 

    Journey Narrative Non-Fiction

    The JOURNEY Book Awards for

    Narrative Non-Fiction, Memoirs, and Biographies 

    Grand Prize Winner is

    A blue and gold badge for the 2020 Grand Prize Winner for Journey Narrative Non Fiction The Parrot’s Perch by Karen Keilt

    THE PARROT’S PERCH: A MEMOIR OF TORTURE AND CORRUPTION IN BRAZIL by Karen Keilt

    The cover for The Parrot's Perch by Karen Keilt

    The Journey First Place Category Winners are:

    • Susan E Casey – Rock On: Mining for Joy in the Deep River of Sibling Grief
    • Laila Tarraf – Strong Like Water: Lessons Learned from Leading with Love
    • Steve Mariotti – Goodbye Homeboy 
    • Steve Rochinski – A Man of His Time: Secrets from a Halfway World
    • Susan E. Greisen – In Search of Pink Flamingos: A Woman’s Quest for Forgiveness & Unconditional Love
    • Renee Hodges – Saving Bobby: Heroes and Heroin in One Small Community 
    • Barbara Clarke – The Red Kitchen    

    The INSTRUCTION and INSIGHT Book Awards

    for How-To Guides, Travel Guides, Cook Books, Self-Help, and Enlightenment

    Grand Prize Winner is 

    A blue and gold badge for the 2020 Grand Prize Winner for I & I Instructional and Insight Living Independently with Autism by Wendela Marsh

    INDEPENDENT LIVING WITH AUTISM by Wendela Whitcomb Marsh

    Cover for Independent Living with Autism by Wendela Whitcomb Marsh

     

     

    The I & &  First Place Category Winners are:

     

    Nellie Bly Awards

    The NELLIE BLY Book Awards

    for Investigative and Long Form Journalism Non-Fiction 

    Grand Prize Winner is

    A blue and gold badge for the 2020 Grand Prize Winner for Nellie Bly Journalistic Fiction, Prison from the Inside Out by William ‘Mecca’ Elmore & Susan Simone

    PRISON FROM THE INSIDE OUT by William ‘Mecca’ Elmore & Susan Simone

     

    The Nellie Bly First Place Category Winners are:

    • Ashley Conner and Cierra Camper – Memoirs of Michael: The Hurricane Project 
    • Kris Newby – BITTEN: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons
    • Janice S. Ellis, Ph.D. – Cause and Civility: Imploring Reason and Respect From An Advocate Journalist, Book I (now, Advancing the Good Society: Real Advocacy Journalism™ in Action, Book I Ethics and Values)
    • Patricia Martin Holt – EMPOWER A REFUGEE, Peace of Thread and the Backyard Humanity Movement
    • Gigi Berardi – FoodWISE: A Whole Systems Guide to Sustainable and Delicious Food Choices
    • Ted Neill – Two Years of Wonder 

    A yellow badge with three black lines that says "Harvey Chute Awards" across the bottom

    The HARVEY CHUTE Book Awards

    for Business & Enterprise Non-Fiction 

    Grand Prize Winner is

    EDGE: TURNING ADVERSITY INTO ADVANTAGE by Laura Huang

    Cover of Edge by Laura Huang

    The Harvey Chute First Place Category Winners are:

    • Gary M. Shiffman – The Economics of Violence: How Behavioral Science Can Transform our View of Crime, Insurgency, and Terrorism
    • Susanne Tedrick – Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators
    • Rachel Thompson – The BadRedhead Media 30-Day Book Marketing Challenge
    • Marcus Kirsch – The Wicked Company
    • Anthony Delauney – Owning the Dash
    • Tikiri Herath – Your Rebel Dreams: Discover Your Purpose and Passions to Power Up Your Life
    • Mike D. Kinney – Navigating Your Safety Culture Journey     

    Mind and Spirit Non-Fiction Awards

    The MIND & SPIRIT Book Awards

    for Spirituality and Enlightenment Non-Fiction

    Grand Prize Winner is

    A blue and gold badge for the 2020 Grand Prize Winner for Mind & Spirit Spirituality & Enlightenment for Exit the Maze by Dr. Donna Marks

    EXIT THE MAZE: ONE ADDICTION, ONE CAUSE, ONE CURE by Dr. Donna Marks

    Cover for Exit the Maze

    The Mind and Spirit First Place Category Winners are:

    • Cindy Rasicot – Finding Venerable Mother: A Daughter’s Spiritual Quest to Thailand 
    • Nancy Pickard – Bigger Better Braver
    • Jennie Lee – Spark Change: 108 Provocative Questions for Spiritual Evolution 
    • Anna Carner – Blossom – The Wild Ambassador of Tewksbury
    • Marianne Ingheim – Out of Love: Finding Your Way Back to Self-Compassion  
    • Jill Sherer Murray – Big Wild Love: The Unstoppable Power of Letting Go     

    The Hearten Awards Image

    The HEARTEN Book Awards

    for Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction

    Grand Prize Winner is

    A blue and gold badge for the 2020 Grand Prize Winner for Hearten, inspiring and uplifting Non-Fiction is Love, Life, and Lucille by Judy Gaman

    LOVE, LIFE, AND LUCILLE by Judy Gaman

    Cover of Love, Life, and Lucille by Judy Gaman

    The Hearten First Place Category Winners are:

     

    Congratulations to the Inaugural 

    AWARD WINNERS for the

    Short Story Awards and Short Story Collections

    of the CIBAs

    The SHORT STORY Book Awards

    for the CIBA Short Story Collections

    Grand Prize Winner is

    A WEEK AT SURFSIDE BEACH by Pierce Koslosky Jr.

    The cover of A Week at Surfside Beach by Pierce Koslosky Jr

     

    Congratulations to The SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS FINALISTS!

    • Lindy Ryan – Dead of Winter 
    • Janet Oakley – Hilo Bay Mystery Collection
    • Sean Thomas Dwyer – Voices I Hear
    • Susan Lynn Solomon – T’was the Season
    • Abbe Rolnick – Tattle Tales: Essays and Stories Along the Way

    The SHORT STORY Book Awards

    for Short Stories, Novelettes, and Novellas

    Grand Prize Winner is

    SAVONNE, NOT VONNY by Robin Lee Lovelace

    Cover of Savonne, Not Vonny by Robin Lee Lovelace

    Congratulations to The SHORT STORY & NOVELLAS FINALISTS!

    SHORT STORIES and NOVELETTES 

    Historical Fiction (Chaucer/Goethe/Laramie/Hemingway) 

    • Kristie Clark – Dragon of the Sea
    • Vali Benson – Blood and Silver 
    • Grendolyn Soleil – Snow Dust and Boneshine: The Chronicles of Granny Witch
    • Marina Osipova – From Stalin with Love

    Mystery & Suspense  (M&M/Clue)

      • J. J. Clarke – Dared to Fly 
      • Alan E. Fleischauer – Sherlock and the Tiger 
      • Joanne Jaytanie – Twice As Bad, Miss Demeanor, P. I.  Series

      Out of This World Fiction – Speculative Fiction

      • Robin Lee Lovelace – Savonne, Not Vonny 
      • Alexandrea Weis – Sisters of the Moon 
      • Matilda Scotney- Joy In Four Parts
      • Sarena Ulibarri – Inviting Disaster
      • Grendolyn Soleil – Snow Dust and Boneshine: The Chronicles of Granny Witch

        Contemporary/Literary/Satire (Somerset/Mark Twain) 

        • Susan Lynn Solomon – Reunion
        • V. P. Evans – N
        • V.P. Evans – W
        • Michelle Rene Magee – Danielle’s Inferno
        • Dennis M. Clausen – The Accountant’s Apprentice 

        Chatelaine

        • Joanne Jaytanie – Christmas Chemistry, Forever Christmas in Glenville, Book 3
        • Vicki Batman – Raving Beauty
        • Gail Meath – Fire Blossom 
        • Joanne Jaytanie – P.I. I LOVE YOU,  Miss Demeanor, P.I. Book I

         

        Congratulations to the

        Inaugural AWARD WINNERS for the

        FICTION SERIES

        of the 2020 CIBAs

         

         

        The BOOK SERIES Book Awards

        for Fiction Series

        Grand Prize Winner is

        A blue and gold badge for the 2020 Grand Prize Winner for Book Series Fiction Series, The Devil’s Bookkeepers by Mark Newhouse

        THE DEVIL’S BOOKKEEPERS by Mark Newhouse

        Devil's Bookkeepers 3 Covers

        The Noose, The Noose Tightens, The Noose Closes

         

        Congratulations to the First Place  Category Winners 

        for the CIBAs New Division for Fiction Series Book Awards!

         

        CHATELAINE Book Series Awards for Romantic Fiction

        Multi-cultural/Inter-racial Romance Series:

        • The Prodigy Slave by Londyn Skye
          • The Prodigy Slave: Journey to Winter Garden
          • The Prodigy Slave: The Old World
          • The Prodigy Slave: The Ultimate Grand Finale

        Regency/Georgian Romance Series:

         

        • The Donet Trilogy by Regan Walker
          • To Tame the Wind 
          • Echo in the Wind
          • A Fierce Wind

        Historical Romance Series:

        • The Lavender Meuse Trilogy by Gail Noble-Sanderson
          • The Lavender House in Meuse
          • The Passage Home to Meuse
          • The Lavender Bees of Meuse

         

        HEMINGWAY Book Series Awards for Wartime Historical Fiction

        The Devil’s Bookkeepers – Three Books by Mark Newhouse

          • The Noose
          • The Noose Tightens
          • The Noose Closes

         

        CLUE Awards Series for Mystery & Suspense

        • The Annie Oakley Mystery Series – Three Books by Kari Bovee
          • Girl with a Gun
          • Peccadillo at the Palace
          • Folly at the Fair

        LARAMIE Series Awards Western, Americana, Civil War Fiction

        Americana Fiction

        •  An American Journey Novel Series – Four Books by Richard Alan Schwartz
          • The Emigrant
          • The Pioneer
          • The Surgeon
          • The Soldier

        GOETHE for Historical Fiction Series, post-1750s

        • The Poland Trilogy – Eastern European Literature -Three Books by James Conroyd Martin
          • Push Not the River
          • Against a Crimson Sky
          • The Warsaw Conspiracy

         

        DANTE ROSSETTI Book Series Awards for Young Adult Fiction

        • The Adventures of Jonathan Moore Book Series – Three Books by Peter Greene
          • Warship Poseidon
          • Castle of Fire
          • Paladin’s War 

         

        M & M Book Series Awards for Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries 

        • The Henrietta and Inspector Howard Mystery Series – Five Books by Michelle Cox
          • A Girl Like You
          • A Ring of Truth 
          • A Promise Given
          • A Veil Removed
          • A Child Lost 

         

        OZMA Book Series Awards for Fantasy Fiction 

        • Terribly Serious Darkness Gaslamp Fantasy Book Series – Three Books by Sam Hooker
          • Peril in the Old Country
          • Soul Remains
          • Now Before the Dark

         

        PARANORMAL Book Series Awards for Supernatural Fiction

        • The Winters Sisters – a Paranormal Romantic Suspense Series – Four Books by Joanne Jaytanie
          • Chasing Victory
          • Payton’s Pursuit
          • Willow’s Discovery
          • Corralling Kenzie 

         

        SOMERSET Book Series Awards for Contemporary, Literary, & Mainstream Fiction

        • The Anne McFarland Book Series – American Literature – Three Books by Jill G. Hall
          • The Black Velvet Coat
          • The Silver Shoes
          • The Green Lace Corset

         

        CONGRATULATIONS to ALL! 

         

        And NOW for the 

        2020 CHANTICLEER INT’L BOOK AWARDS

        BEST BOOK

        and

        OVERALL GRAND PRIZE WINNER

        A blue and gold badge for the 2020 Overall Grand Prize Winner for the CIBAs with a crown image is Trouble the Water, A novel, by Rebecca Dwight Bruff

        Cover of Trouble The Water by Rebecca Dwight Bruff

        TROUBLE THE WATER

        by Rebecca Dwight Bruff

        Rebecca Dwight Bruff will also be awarded $1,000 USD in recognition of her 2020 BEST BOOK of the YEAR – Chanticleer International Book Awards – Sponsored by Chanticleer Reviews & Media. 

        A Chanticleer Review of Trouble the Water will be featured in the in the SPRING 2022 quarterly edition of the Chanticleer Reviews Magazine (print and epub) along with other promotional and marketing opportunities along with an interview with the author, Rebecca Dwight Bruff.

        Thank you Rebecca Dwight Bruff for participating in the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards. We look forward to receiving future work in our CIBAs.

        We look forward to toasting Rebecca in person at our next gathering–hopefully in 2022. We are so happy that she joined us virtually for the CIBA announcements at our special ceremony on June 5th, 2021.

        CONGRATULATIONS REBECCA DWIGHT BRUFF! 

        From all of us at Chanticleer International Book Awards and Chanticleer Reviews. 

        THANK YOU to VCAC21 SPONSORS and FRIENDS

        And to FRIENDS of CHANTICLEER REVIEWS:

        Cathy Ace, J.D. Barker, Robert Dugoni, Chris Humphreys, Bradley Metrock, Jessica Morrell, Scott Steindorff, and Paul Hanson of Village Books

         

        We will post more photographs and information. Do check back and subscribe to the Chanticleer Reviews e-news letter.

        The video recordings of VCAC21 will be available on VIMEO. More information to come.

        We have exciting news for the Chanticleer Community on the horizon so do stay tuned!  

        You know you want a coveted Chanticleer Reviews Blue Ribbon! 

        Submit your works (manuscripts or novels published after or on January 1, 2019, are accepted) to the prestigious Chanticleer International Book Awards today! Entries are being accepted into the 2021 CIBAs in all 18 fiction divisions and seven non-fiction divisions. 

        Be sure to register early for the 10th Anniversary 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference that will start on April 7th, 2021 with the 2022 CIBA banquet and ceremony scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 10th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. If we cannot move forward with CAC22 due to the coronavirus, we will host another LIVE and HYBRID Chanticleer Authors Conference and 2021 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards ceremony.

        Pivot and Oscillate are the Words for Today’s Challenging Times.

        An email will go out to all 2020 CIBA award winners prior to October 30, 2021, 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!” –even if it is virtual!

        As always, please contact us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!

        Be well. Stay Healthy. Take Care!

        The Chanticleer Reviews Team