Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Laramie Book Awards

  • SPIRIT of the RABBIT PLACE (Choestoe Book 3) by J.R. Collins – Native American Literature, American Western Fiction, Historical Action & Adventure

    SPIRIT of the RABBIT PLACE (Choestoe Book 3) by J.R. Collins – Native American Literature, American Western Fiction, Historical Action & Adventure

     

    Laramie Western Fiction 1st Place Best in Category CIBA Blue and Gold BadgeWhen gold miners discover Choestoe Valley, Jebediah Collins must fight for his family – whether blood-related or not – in J.R. Collins’ historical adventure, Spirit of the Rabbit Place

    Fourteen-year-old Jebediah Collins lives in paradise, also known as Choestoe Valley, or to the Cherokee as the “land where the rabbits dance.” The Collins consider Dancing Bear, a Cherokee elder, and his relatives as family. They share with and help each other in good times and bad.

    When Jeb’s grandfather settled in the valley after immigrating from Ireland, he quickly learned the benefits of befriending the Native Americans living in the area. Now Jeb’s father, Thompie, gives freely of his farm’s bounty to the Cherokee, who help work the land and teach the Collins how to survive in this beautiful but deadly landscape. Cain, Jeb’s older brother even marries Rose, Dancing Bear’s daughter, and becomes a full-fledged Cherokee warrior in his own right. Dancing Bear symbolically adopts Jeb, who shares an age with his own son, Wolf. Jebediah and Wolf become blood brothers, learning to be Cherokee warriors together and taking on any and every adventure that comes their way.

    Their adventures take a darker turn with the arrival of gold miners to their sacred valley.

    These unscrupulous men threaten their very way of life. The ruthless miners capture Wolf and force him into slavery, pushing Jeb to risk himself for the chance to rescue his friend.

    The third novel in the Choestoe series builds on a theme of unity. Jeb’s family and nearly all of the settlers in the valley honor and respect the Cherokee who inhabited this area long before the settlers arrived. From plowing fields to hunting game, the Collins family and Dancing Bear’s clan work seamlessly, easily with each other. Under the age-old adage, “treat folks how you want to be treated,” Jeb understands that what he does and says will be returned to him tenfold. Though the white man’s greed threatens to change his home forever, he would never make an enemy of the Cherokee, a people so much more knowledgeable than his own. He trusts implicitly and without question, and with that comes the need to protect and love his family.

    The people of Choestoe take responsibility for one another.

    Their hearts beat as one; their minds think as one. When any neighbor needs help, neither the settlers nor their Cherokee brethren forsake them, chasing down murderous outlaws and helping free slaves. More people than just Jeb’s family show this amazing generosity of spirit. Throughout the valley, families return in kind the goodness shown to them. Mrs. England, for example, takes in orphaned children, especially those with disabilities and special needs.

    The settlers not only want to fight for their way of life, but also for the ancient ways of their Cherokee neighbors, who the gold seekers and US government treat more cruelly every day. This community defines the emotional journey of Spirit of the Rabbit Place.

    Spiritualism plays an important role as well, with a mixture of and deep respect for Cherokee and Christian beliefs.

    Jeb’s faith often brings him comfort and strength, and many times, the Cherokee turn to prayer for direction and guidance on huge decisions. Though he fears evil when he comes face-to-face with it, Jeb knows the Great Creator protects him and finds solace in the idea that no evil can hurt someone who is protected by the Peace of Jesus. All of the Cherokee warriors repeatedly assure Jeb, whose Cherokee name is Spirit Filled One, that he should trust in and heed the voice of the Spirit that comes to him; that very faith not only saves him and George Black Oak, Wolf’s blood uncle, but also shows them some much-needed information in the midst of an important emotional struggle. This faith shines through in Jeb’s loving nature and brings light to all those around him.

    Spirit of the Rabbit Place (Choestoe Book 3) by J.R. Collins won 1st place in the 2019 CIBA Laramie Book Awards for Western and Americana fiction.

    Click on these titles to read our reviews of the first two books in this powerful series, The Boy Who Danced with Rabbits and Living Where the Rabbits Dance.

    5 Star Best Book Chanticleer Reviews round silver sticker

    Laramie Americana Fiction gold foil book sticker image

  • The 2020 Laramie Book Awards for Western/Pioneer Fiction – the Short List

    The 2020 Laramie Book Awards for Western/Pioneer Fiction – the Short List

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction Award

    The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Western, Pioneer, & Civil War Historical Fiction and First Nation Novels. The Laramie Book Awards is a genre division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

    Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring, the wild west, pioneering, Civil War, North American History, and First Nation Novels.. These books have advanced to the next judging rounds. The best will advance. Which titles will be declared as winners of the prestigious Laramie Book Awards?

    These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2020 Laramie Book Awards LONG LIST and now have progressed to the 2020 SHORTLIST. 

    Congratulations to the following titles who have advanced to the 2020 Laramie Book Awards SHORTLIST!

    • Fred Dickey – Days of Hope, Miles of Misery  
    • David Fitz-Gerald – She Sees Ghosts? The Story of a Woman Who Rescues Lost Souls 
    • DL Fowler – The Turn      
    • JR Collins – Legend of Swell Branch
    • John W. Bebout – The Cause of Darkness- A Story of the Civil War    
    • Eileen Charbonneau – Mercies of the Fallen
    • James Kahn – Matamoros
    • Gerry Robinson – The Cheyenne Story    
    • J. Palma – The Chaffee Sisters   
    • Susan Higginbotham – The First Lady and the Rebel    
    • Barbara Salvatore – Magghie    
    • J.C. Graves – Death is a Sharpshooter    
    • J.B. Richard – Jesse   
    • Terry D. Heflin – Scarlet Hem
    • Mike Shellenbergar – Quail Creek Ranch
    • Mike Shellenbergar – Refuge
    • T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring
    • Van Temple – Whisperwood: A Confederate Soldier’s Struggle  
    • Rebecca Dwight Bruff – Trouble the Water, a Novel
    • John Hansen – Elk Meadows
    • E. Alan Fleischauer – Hunted
    • Daniel Greene – Northern Wolf
    • W. Hock Hochheim – Rio Grande Black Magic
    • Elizabeth St. Michel – Surrender to Honor 

    These titles are in the running for the Semi-Finalists of the 2020 Laramie Book Awards for Western, Pioneer, & Civil War Historical Fiction and First Nation Novels Fiction. 

    Which of these works will move forward in the judging rounds for the 2020 Laramie Book Awards for Western/Pioneer Fiction?

    Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

    Laramie Book Awards

    The ShortListers’ works will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists, and then all Finalists will be recognized at the VCAC21 ceremonies. The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 22 CIBA divisions Finalists. We will announce the 1st Place Category Winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Ceremonies April 21-25th, 2021 live at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

    We are now accepting submissions into the 2021 Laramie Book Awards. The deadline for submissions is July 31st, 2021. The winners will be announced in April 2022.

    Please click here for more information.

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

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

  • The LARAMIE Awards for Western Fiction – the Long List for the 2020 CIBAs

    The LARAMIE Awards for Western Fiction – the Long List for the 2020 CIBAs

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardThe LARAMIE Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana / Western, Pioneer, Civil War, Frontier, and First Nations Novels. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

     

     

    Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring cowboys, & cowgirls  the Wild West, pioneering, Civil War, Native American stories, and early North American History, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

    These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2020 Laramie Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for 2020 Laramie Shortlist. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. Semi-Finalists will be announced and recognized at the CAC21 banquet and ceremony. The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 17 CIBA divisions Semi-Finalists. We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremonies April 21-25th, 2021 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. at the 2021 Chanticleer Authors Conference–whether virtual, hybrid, or in-person.

    These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2020 LARAMIE Book Awards for Western Fiction. Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

    2020 Laramie Book Awards Long Listers

    • Fred Dickey – Days of Hope, Miles of Misery
    • David Fitz-Gerald – She Sees Ghosts? The Story of a Woman Who Rescues Lost Souls 
    • Clay Houston Shivers – The Marauders of Pitchfork Pass
    • DL Fowler – The Turn
    • JR Collins – Legend of Swell Branch
    • John W. Bebout – The Cause of Darkness- A Story of the Civil War
    • Eileen Charbonneau – Mercies of the Fallen
    • James Kahn – Matamoros
    • Gerry Robinson – The Cheyenne Story
    • J. Palma – The Chaffee Sisters
    • Susan Higginbotham – The First Lady and the Rebel
    • Barbara Salvatore – Magghie
    • Michael D. Abbott – Wyoming Wind
    • J.C. Graves – Death is a Sharpshooter
    • J.B. Richard – Jesse
    • Terry D. Heflin – Scarlet Hem
    • Mike Shellenbergar – Quail Creek Ranch
    • Mike Shellenbergar – Four-Flusher
    • Mike Shellenbergar – Refuge
    • T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring
    • Elizabeth St. Michel – Surrender to Honor
    • Gail Meath – Fire Blossom
    • Van Temple – Whisperwood: A Confederate Soldier’s Struggle
    • Michael T. Tusa Jr. – And Trouble Followed
    • Rebecca Dwight Bruff – Trouble the Water, a Novel
    • John Hansen – Elk Meadows
    • Roger Newman – Will O’ the Wisp: Madness, War and Recompense
    • E. Alan Fleischauer – Hunted
    • T.J. Johnston – Lockett’s Crucible
    • Daniel Greene – Northern Wolf
    • W. Hock Hochheim – Rio Grande Black Magic

    Which of these works will move forward in the judging rounds for the 2020 LARAMIE Book Awards for Western Fiction?

    Congratulations to Eileen Charbonneau whose work Seven Aprils took home the Grand Prize for the 2019 Laramie Book Awards.

     

    Here is the link to the 2019 Laramie Book Award Winners!

    Our next Chanticleer International Book Awards Ceremonies  will be held  April 21 – 25, 2021, for the 2020 CIBA winners. Enter your book or manuscript in a contest today!

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

     Enter your book or manuscript in a contest today!

    We are now accepting entries into the 2021 Laramie Book Awards, a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

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

  • CHASING DEMONS by John Hansen – War & Military Action Fiction, Westerns, Action & Adventure Fiction

    CHASING DEMONS by John Hansen – War & Military Action Fiction, Westerns, Action & Adventure Fiction

    In the first several pages of Chasing Demons, a novel of the Old West not long after the American Civil War, the following happens to U.S. Army Private Gus O’Grady: he kills two Apache Indians, saves the lives of a troop of U.S. soldiers, kills two more Indians, kills a bad guy, winds up being mistaken for a man who may have robbed a bank of $20,000 in gold, and gets arrested for possibly being the man who raped a lass in an Arizona town populated by Mormons, and meets a woman he thinks is far too good for him. Oh yes, and he deserts the Army after 13 years.

    That’s just for openers.

    Gus is a complex character. He knows his strengths—he’s an excellent soldier—but understands his weaknesses—not being fond of authority and deathly afraid of the effects of alcohol on him. He is also awkward in the extreme when it comes to women. He doesn’t shoot anyone that doesn’t deserve to be shot and lets his nobler impulses rule when others might run or turn to wickedness.  He hopes his deserter status remains a secret, but it keeps on leaking out at the most inopportune times despite his impressive list of good deeds. Trying to forge a new path for himself in the dog-eat-dog, unforgiving times of our post-Civil War western frontier is no easy task.

    Gus’s life, his demons, and his existential quandaries could well have been produced as a film noir set in fog-shrouded San Francisco during the late 1940s, shot in black and white, bad, bad guys and good-hearted dames with a past, bodies falling left and right, a sense of foreboding as the central character tries to escape his fate even as we well know he never will. No less an authority than the puritanical motion picture industry Production Code of the 1930s laid out the fate that awaits guys like Gus, even the best of them: “Sympathy with a person who sins is not the same as sympathy with the sin or crime of which he is guilty. We may feel sorry for the plight of the murderer or even understand the circumstances which led him to his crime: We may not feel sympathy with the wrong which he has done.”

    Poor Gus . . . or maybe not. The book keeps his ultimate fate to the final page. No fair peeking!

    Chasing Demons is for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced well-written, articulate novel. The memorable characters, clever plot, and terrifically entertaining story is every reason for you to wander into your favorite saloon, listen to the piano player banging out “Buffalo Girl Won’t you Come Out Tonight” on his tinny piano, watch the Five Card stud game over in the corner, then sit down at the bar, order a whiskey, two fingers if you please, and start reading Chasing Demons. Oh, and keep your revolver handy. You never know when you’ll need it.

    Chasing Demons won 1st in Category in the CIBA 2018 LARAMIE Awards for Western Fiction.

     

     

     

     

  • LARAMIE Book Awards for Western and Americana Fiction – 2019 CIBAs

    LARAMIE Book Awards for Western and Americana Fiction – 2019 CIBAs

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardCongratulations to the First Place Category Winners and the Grand Prize Winner of the LARAMIE Book Awards for Western, Civil War, Pioneer, First Nation Novels and Americana Fiction, a division of the 2019 CIBAs.

    The Search for the Best New Western and Americana Books!

    Chanticleer International Book Awards is celebrating the best books featuring, the Wild West, Pioneers, Civil War, Americana, and First Nation Novels. We love them all.

    The 2019 Laramie Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the LARAMIE Grand Prize winner were announced at the Virtual Chanticleer Authors Conference that was broadcast via ZOOM webinar the week of Sept 8 -13, 2020 from the Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

    Jacquie Rogers, author of Honey Beaulieu, Many Hunter series  – 2016 Laramie  Grand Prize Winner announced the 2019 Laramie  Book Award Winners.

    This is the OFFICIAL 2019 LIST of the LARAMIE Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the LARAMIE Grand Prize Winner.

    Congratulations to All! 

    • E. Alan Fleischauer – Rescued  
    • Lynwood Kelly – The Gamble: Lost Treasures    
    • David Fitz-Gerald– Wanders Far-An Unlikely Hero’s Journey     
    • Eileen Charbonneau – Seven Aprils  
    • Juliette Douglas – Bed of Conspiracy  
    • John Hansen – Hard Times
    • J. R. Collins – Spirit of the Rabbit Place   

    The Laramie Book Awards

    2019 Grand Prize Winner is

     Seven Aprils  by Eileen Charbonneau 

    This is the digital badge for the 2018 Laramie Grand Prize Winner – Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale by Ruth Hull Chatlien.

    Laramie Book Awards

    How to Enter the Laramie Book Awards?

    We are accepting submissions into the 2021 LARAMIE  Book Awards until July 31, 2021. Submissions into the 2020 Laramie Book Awards are closed. 

    The 2020 Laramie Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC 21 on April 17, 2021.

    Don’t delay! Enter today! 

    A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in October. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

    If you have any questions, please email info@ChantiReviews.com == we will try our best to reply in 3 or 4 business days.

    • LARAMIE Book Awards – SPOTLIGHT Focus on ALL Works of Western Fiction and Uniquely American Tales

      LARAMIE Book Awards – SPOTLIGHT Focus on ALL Works of Western Fiction and Uniquely American Tales

      Welcome to our SPOTLIGHT on LARAMIE Book Awards, the stories that stick!

      Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction Award

      The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana / Western, Pioneer, Civil War, Frontier, and First Nations Novels. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

      Charles M. Russell painted the cowboy scene on Chanticleer’s very own Laramie Book Awards badge. It is one of many such paintings he did that encompassed the Old American Wild West. He was an advocate for the Northern Plains Indians. Charles M. Russell also helped establish a reservation in Montana for the Chippewa people.

      *More interesting facts about Laramie, Wyoming, and its historical icons are immediately after the Laramie Hall of Fame listing below. A fun read! 

      The Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction Hall of Fame First Place and Grand Prize winners!

      The 2018 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

      Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale by Ruth Hull Chatlien

      Laramie Book Awards

       2018 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

       

       

      The 2017 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize Winning Book also won the OVERALL Prize! Best book of 2017:

      HOUR GLASS by Michelle Rene

      2017 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

      The 2016 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

      Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch: Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter #1
      by Jacquie Rogers

      2016 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

       

      The 2015 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

      Widow (formerly known as Doctor Kinney’s Housekeeper) by Sara Dahmen

      2015 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

       

      The 2014 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

      Not on My Mountain Jared McVay

      Not On My Mountain by Jared McVay

      2014 Laramie Book Awards for American Western Fiction First in Category Winners

      The 2013 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize:

      Unbroken Horses by Dale B. Jackson

      Unbroke Horses clean

      Congratulations to the Laramie Awards 2013 1st Place Category Winners:

      • Mystery:  Double or Nothing by Meg Mims
      • Action/Adventure:  Haunted Falls by Ken Farmer & Buck Stienke
      • Historical Fiction: Because of the Camels by Brenda Blair
      • Civil War:  Ford at Valverde by Anita Melillo
      • Prairie Pioneer:  They Rode Good Horses by Dale B. Jackson
      • Literary Western:  Unbroke Horses by Dale B. Jackson
      • First Novel:  Confessions of  a Gunfighter by Tell Cotten
      • Best Manuscript: Lick Creek by Deborah Lincoln

      HOW DO YOU HAVE YOUR BOOKS COMPETE? Submit them to the Chanticleer International Book Awards –Click here for more information about The CIBAs! 

      Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction Award

      Want to be a winner next year? The deadline to submit your book for the 2020 Laramie awards is July 31, 2020. Enter here!

      Grand Prize and First Place Winners for 2019 will be announced during our Virtual Conference in early September 2020.

      Any entries received on or after July 31, 2020, will be entered into the 2021 Laramie Book Awards. The Grand Prize and First Place for 2020 CIBA winners will be held on April 17, 2021.

       As our deadline draws near, don’t miss this opportunity to earn the distinction your American Western readers deserve!  Enter today!

      The LARAMIE Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards – the CIBAs.

      The 2020 winners will be announced at the CIBA  Awards Ceremony, which will take place during the 2020 Live/Online Chanticleer Authors Conference. All Semi-Finalists and First Place category winners will be recognized, the first place winners will be virtually whisked up on “stage” to receive their custom ribbon and wait to see who among them will take home the Grand Prize. Covid19 has made our celebrations a bit different this year, but we still will celebrate!

      Don’t delay! Enter today!  

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

      [20] McDougall, Walt, “Pictures in the Papers,” American Mercury, 6:21 (September 1925), 72.

      What’s a Laramie?

      We thought you’d never ask!

      We titled the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) division for Western American Fiction and all things that gather around the campfire singing a lonesome tune, the Laramie Awards, after the county and city in Wyoming. You know the one, tucked into the lower right-hand corner of the state between the Snowy Mountain Range and the Laramie Mountain Range.

      Yes, but why Laramie? 

      The small outpost was changed almost overnight when the Union Pacific Railroad moved their “Hell on Wheels” tent town from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Laramie after building the rails over the Sherman Summit at an elevation of 8,200 feet all the way to Laramie on May 4, 1868. Lawlessness and the Wild West ruled in Laramie. Luckily, “Hell on Wheels” moved on West as more track was laid down.

      But where did that name Laramie come from? 

      Laramie was named after Jacque LaRamie, a French or French-Canadian trapper who disappeared in the mountain range that was later named for him in the early 1810s. LaRamie was one of the first Europeans to visit the area. Laramie is a French name much like DuBois, Wyoming. And, yes, it is pronounced Doo – Boys (and NOT Du Bwai).

      There are several reasons we chose Laramie for our iconic Americana Book Awards. For us, and those in the know, Laramie, Wyoming immediately calls to mind the image of a Wild West town filled with rough-and-tumble cowboys. At one point, the only law in Laramie was “lawlessness. Wild Bill Hickok was even known to visit from time to time.

      Here’s a picture of the man, himself, on the left with his friends, Texas Jack Omohundro (center), and Buffalo Bill Cody on the right.

      Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch robbed trains and passengers with the first recorded train robbery taking place on June 2, 1899 in Wyoming. Butch was known to be very polite and dislike violence.

      But that’s not the only reason we chose Laramie.

      And, yes, there is yet one more reason we love Laramie! 

      The WOMEN!

      Calamity Jane hails from Laramie, Wyoming – a skilled sharpshooter who was born to a gambler and a prostitute. She cared for her five younger siblings in Utah before traveling on to Wyoming in search of a better life. There she found work as a dance hall girl and then as a prostitute at Fort Laramie. It was there that she reinvented herself by wearing buckskins and dressing like a man. She was also known for her swearing and hard-drinking ways, but Calamity Jane was also known even more for her kind heart and helping folks out of calamities–thus her nickname.

      Calamity Jane — She was the inspiration for Michelle Rene’s HOURGLASS novel.

      While the men were wrestling in the streets and shooting up the place, it was really the women who brought civilization to Laramie and Wyoming Territory. They established the first school in 1869, served on a formal jury in the Spring of 1870,  and were the first to gain the vote; which is exactly what Louisa Swain and 92 of her friends did on September 6, 1870 –150 years ago!

      Louisa Swain, the first woman to cast a ballot and she did it in Laramie, Wyoming!

      Louisa Swain – she was made of stern stuff!

      Early in the morning on September 6, 1870 in Laramie, Wyoming Louisa Swain became the first woman in the world to cast a ballot under democratically enacted laws granting women equal political rights with men. In the fall of 2008, 138 years later, the U.S. Congress passes a resolution proclaiming September 6th as “Louisa Swain Day” in recognition of this historic event.The Louisa Swain Foundation

      In 1870, Esther Hobart Morris (59 years old) became the first female Justice of the Peace. She served in South Pass City, Wyoming, which is to the northwest of Laramie.

      Esther Morris "to pettifoggers she showed no mercy." Wyoming Tribune
      Esther Morris, first female Justice of the Peace — Wyoming

      Esther Morris “to pettifoggers she showed no mercy.” Wyoming Tribune

      The Union’s first all-female jury was assembled in Wyoming in 1870.

      Later, in 1894, Estelle Reel Meyer became Superintendent of Public Instruction, the country’s first female statewide elected official.

      And the grand coup d’etat was when in 1889 when Wyoming vied for statehood—and refused to join the Union if the laws giving equality to women were not upheld, telling Congress (which wanted the suffrage law rescinded) via telegram,

      “We will remain out of the Union 100 years rather than come in without the women.”

      Wyoming is also the first state in the USA to allow women to own property and sign legal documents.

      In 1910, Mary Godat Bellamy became the first woman to be elected to the Wyoming Legislature. Two other western states, Colorado and Idaho, elected women legislators in 1895 and 1899, respectively. Wyoming was third in the nation.

      Quotes are from the Smithsonian Magazine
      Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/women-voting-wyoming-150-years-here-how-state-celebrating-180971263/#6UKzMfMeCQsmbIIQ.99
      Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv
      Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter

      {https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/brief-history-laramie-wyoming}

       

    • The FINALISTS Announcement for the LARAMIE Book Awards for Americana Novels – a division of the 2019 CIBAs

      The FINALISTS Announcement for the LARAMIE Book Awards for Americana Novels – a division of the 2019 CIBAs

      Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardThe Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana / Western, Pioneer, Civil War, Frontier, and First Nations Novels. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

      Chanticleer International Book Awards  is looking for the best books featuring cowboys, the wild west, pioneering, civil war, and early North American History, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them to advance in the next judging rounds to discover today’s best books!

      The 2019 CIBAs received an unprecedented number of entries making this book awards program even more competitive. More entries along with more competitive works make the final rounds of judging even more demanding. The judges have requested a new level of achievement to be added to the rounds to acknowledge the entries that they deemed should receive a high level of recognition.

      We decided that this was the time to incorporate the new level – The FINALISTS – as requested by the CIBA judges. This new level will be incorporated into the 2019 CIBAs Levels of Achievement.  The FINALISTS were selected from the entries that advanced to the 2019 LARAMIE Book Awards Semi-Finalists. 

      Laramie Book Awards

      Congratulations to the 2019 LARAMIE Book Awards FINALISTS

      • E. Alan Fleischauer – Rescued  
      • Kit Sergeant – Underground: Traitors and Spies in Lincoln’s War
      • J. R. Collins – Spirit of the Rabbit Place
      • John West – Marshallville
      • Lynwood Kelly – The Gamble: Lost Treasures
      • David Fitz-Gerald– Wanders Far-An Unlikely Hero’s Journey
      • Hayley Stone – Make Me No Grave: A Weird West Novel
      • John Hansen – Hard Times
      • Eileen Charbonneau – Seven Aprils
      • Juliette Douglas – Bed of Conspiracy
      • Mike H. Mizrahi – The Unnamed Girl (The Woodard Chronicles)

      These titles are in the running for the First Place positions of the 2019 LARAMIE Book Awards for American, Western, Pioneer, Civil War, and First Nations novels.

      Good luck to all as your works move on to the final rounds of judging.

      The Finalists and the Semi-Finalists will be recognized at the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference and  at the 2019 CIBA banquet and ceremony.

      Congratulations to the authors whose works have advanced to the FINALISTS Level of Achievement!

      Laramie Book Awards

      The 16 divisions of the 2019 CIBAs’ Grand Prize Winners, the First Place Category Position Award Winners, and all Semi-Finalists will be announced at the postponed (due to the Covid-19 pandemic) 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards Annual Gala, now re-scheduled for Saturday, September 5th, 2020.

      Laramie Book Awards

      Join us at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. Use our link above to register now for this exciting event!

      We are now accepting submissions into the 2020 LARAMIE Awards Book Awards. The deadline for submissions is July 31st, 2020. The winners will be announced in April 2021.

      Please click here for more information.

      Don’t Delay! Enter Today!

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

    • The Semi-Finalists Announcement for the LARAMIE Book Awards for Americana Fiction – a division of the 2019 CIBAs

      Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardThe Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana / Western, Pioneer, Civil War, Frontier, and First Nations Novels. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

       

       

      Chanticleer International Book Awards  is looking for the best books featuring cowboys, the wild west, pioneering, civil war, and early North American History, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them to advance in the next judging rounds.

      These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2019 Laramie Book Awards LONG LIST to the LARAMIE Shortlist and have advanced to the LARAMIE Semi-Finalists positions. Semi-Finalists will be recognized at the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2019 CIBA banquet and ceremony. The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 16 CIBA divisions Semi-Finalists. We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 18th, 2020 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

      Congratulations to the 2019 LARAMIE Book Awards for American West Fiction Semi-Finalists

      • Bert Entwistle – Leftover Soldiers – Life on the Western Frontier
      • E. Alan Fleischauer – Rescued  
      • Kit Sergeant – Underground: Traitors and Spies in Lincoln’s War
      • J. R. Collins – Spirit of the Rabbit Place
      • Gerald L. Guy – Chasing Gold
      • John West – Marshallville
      • Lynwood Kelly – The Gamble: Lost Treasures
      • David Fitz-Gerald – Wanders Far-An Unlikely Hero’s Journey
      • Hayley Stone – Make Me No Grave: A Weird West Novel
      • John Hansen – The Outfit
      • Eileen Charbonneau – Seven Aprils
      • Juliette Douglas – Bed of Conspiracy
      • Nina Romano – The Girl Who Loved Cayo Bradley
      • Mike H. Mizrahi – The Unnamed Girl (The Woodard Chronicles)
      • Suanne Schafer – A Different Kind of Fire

      Which of these works will move forward in the judging rounds for the 2019 LARAMIE Book Awards for Western Fiction?

       

      Laramie Book Awards

       

      The 16 divisions of the 2019 CIBAs’ Grand Prize Winners and the Five First Place Category Position award winners along with recognizing the Semi-Finalists will be announced at the April 18th, 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

      We are now accepting submissions into the 2020 LARAMIE Book Awards for pre-1750s Western Fiction. The deadline for submissions is July 30, 2020. The 2020 winners will be announced in April 2021.

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

    • The LARAMIE Book Awards for American West Fiction – The Short List – 2019 CIBAs

      The LARAMIE Book Awards for American West Fiction – The Short List – 2019 CIBAs

      Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardThe Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana / Western, Pioneer, Civil War, Frontier, and First Nations Novels. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

       

       

      Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring cowboys, the wild west, pioneering, civil war, and early North American History, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

      These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2019 Laramie Book Awards LONG LIST and have now progressed to the 2019 SHORTLIST. The ShortListers’ works will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. Semi-Finalists will be announced and recognized at the CAC20 banquet and ceremony. The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 16 CIBA divisions Semi-Finalists. We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 18th, 2020 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

      These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2019 LARAMIE Book Awards for Western Fiction. Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

      • Bert Entwistle – Leftover Soldiers – Life on the Western Frontier   
      • E. Alan Fleischauer – Rescued  
      • Rhonda Frankhouser – Escape from Ruby’s Ranch   
      • Kit Sergeant – Underground: Traitors and Spies in Lincoln’s War   
      • J. R. Collins – Spirit of the Rabbit Place 
      • Gerald L. Guy – Chasing Gold  
      • John West –  Marshallville
      • Lynwood Kelly – The Gamble: Lost Treasures   
      • David Fitz-Gerald – Wanders Far-An Unlikely Hero’s Journey 
      • Hayley Stone – Make Me No Grave: A Weird West Novel
      • Gerald L. Guy – Chasing the Past
      • John Hansen – The Outfit   
      • Eileen Charbonneau – Seven Aprils     
      • Donna L.H. Smith – Meghan’s Choice
      • Juliette Douglas – Bed of Conspiracy 
      • Nina Romano – The Girl Who Loved Cayo Bradley 
      • Donna L.H. Smith – Meghan’s Choice
      • Mike H. Mizrahi – The Unnamed Girl (The Woodard Chronicles)  
      • Suanne Schafer – A Different Kind of Fire 

      Which of these works will move forward in the judging rounds for the 2019 LARAMIE Book Awards for Western Fiction?

       

      Laramie Book Awards

       

      The 16 divisions of the 2019 CIBAs’ Grand Prize Winners and the Five First Place Category Position award winners along with recognizing the Semi-Finalists will be announced at the April 18th, 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash. 

      We are now accepting submissions into the 2020 LARAMIE Book Awards for pre-1750s Western Fiction. The deadline for submissions is July 30, 2020. The  2020 winners will be announced in April 2021.

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

    • The Chanticleer International Book Awards Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners 2018 (CIBAs)

      The Chanticleer International Book Awards Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners 2018 (CIBAs)

      We are deeply honored to announce the 2018 Winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs). The winners were recognized at the annual Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Banquet Ceremony on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.

       

       

      We want to thank all of the authors and publishers who participated in the 2018 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 2018—the SemiFinalists. The CIBA judges wanted to add Semi-Finalists as a way to recognize and validate the entries that were not selected for the very few First Place Award positions within each genre division.

      PublishDrive, a global distribution platform, and Hindenburg Systems, audiobooks and podcasts software, awarded more than $30,000 (cash value) in additional prizes to the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Award winners. Thank you!

      A Recap of the CIBA Selection Process

      • There are 16 divisions of the CIBAs: 14 fiction genre divisions and 2 non-fiction divisions.
      • First Place Category award winners were selected for each one of the 16 divisions from an overall field of  titles that progressed to the Semi-Finalists positions from the Shortlists, the Long List, and the infamous beginning slush pile rounds.
      • One Grand Prize award winner was selected from the First Place Category Award Winners for each of the 16 CIBA divisions.
      • One Overall Grand Prize award winner was selected from the 16 divisions of Grand Prize Award Winners

      All CIBA Semi-Finalists in attendance at the CIBA awards ceremony were recognized with their respective division at the CIBA awards ceremony along with receiving a Semi-Finalist ribbon and digital badge and a significant discount to attend the Chanticleer Authors Conference.

      Additional Prize from the DONALD MAASS LITERARY AGENCY

      An additional prize was awarded to the 2018 CIBA Grand Prize Award Winners by the Donald Maass Literary Agency (that represents more than 150 novelists and sell more 100 novels each year to leading publishers in the U.S. and overseas). Donald Maass has offered “a high priority submission” process opportunity to the 2018 Grand Prize CIBA winners and a “priority submission” process opportunity to the 2018 CIBA 1st Place Category winning titles for consideration by his agency.

      An email will go out to all 2018 CIBA grand prize award winners prior to June 10, 2019 with instructions, links, and more information about the awards packages. We appreciate your patience. As stated in the Semi-Finalist notification email, “One does not need to be present at the CIBA ceremony and banquet to win. But it sure is a lot more fun!”

      And now to present the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards Grand winning titles and their authors who were announced on April 27, 2019, at the CIBA ceremony and banquet.

      You read testimonials from the 2019 Chanticleer Authors Conference and the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony at  https://www.chantireviews.com/chanticleer-conference/conference-testimonials/

      Cygnus Award for Science Fiction

      The CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction Grand Prize Winner

      The Korpes File by J.I Rogers took home the 2018 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction Grand Prize Ribbon.

      View the 2018 CYGNUS 1st Place Category Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/04/29/cygnus-book-awards-for-science-fiction-novels-the-grand-prize-winner-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

      The JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction

      From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream by Janice S. Ellis took home the 2018 JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction Grand Prize Ribbon! 

      View the 2018 JOURNEY First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/04/30/journey-book-awards-for-narrative-non-fiction-the-grand-prize-winner-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/ 

      Cozy Mystery Fiction Award

      The M & M Book Awards for Mystery and Mayhem

      A PROMISE GIVEN by Michelle Cox took home the M&M Book Awards for Mystery & Mayhem Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 M&M First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/01/the-mm-book-awards-for-mystery-and-mayhem-grand-prize-division-winner-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

      Gertrude Warner Children's Chapter Books

      The GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards for Middle-Grade Readers

      A manuscript titled The PORTALS of PERIL by Jules Luther took home the Gertrude Warner Book Awards for Middle-Grade Readers

      View the 2018 Gertrude Warner First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/04/the-gertrude-warner-book-awards-for-middle-grade-readers-grand-prize-and-first-place-catergory-winners-2018-cibas/

      Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction

      The DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction

      WHISPERS by Lynn Yvonne Moon took home the Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult  Fiction

      View the 2018 Dante Rossetti First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/05/the-dante-rossetti-book-awards-for-young-adult-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

      Pre 1750 Historical Fiction Award

      The CHAUCER Book Awards for pre-1750s Historic Fiction

      The SERPENT and The EAGLE  by Edward Rickford took home the CHAUCER Book Awards Grand Prize Blue Ribbon

      View the 2018 Chaucer First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/05/the-chaucer-book-awards-for-pre-1750s-historical-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

      Post 1750s Historical Fiction AwardThe GOETHE Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Post-1750s Historical Fiction

      The Lost Years of Billy Battles by Ronald E. Yates took home the Goethe Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 Goethe First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/07/the-goethe-book-awards-for-post-1750s-for-historical-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

      Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardThe LARAMIE Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Western Fiction

      Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale by Ruth Hull Chatlien took home the Laramie Grand Prize Ribbon. 

      View the 2018 Laramie First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/06/the-laramie-book-awards-for-western-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

      Romance Fiction AwardThe CHATELAINE Book Awards  GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Romantic Fiction

      The House at Ladywell by Nicola Slade took home the 2018 Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 CHATELAINE First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/07/the-chatelaine-book-awards-for-romantic-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

      Early Readers and Picture booksThe LITTLE PEEPS Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Early Readers

      The Tooth Collector Fairies: Home from Decay Valley by Denise Ditto took home the Little Peeps Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 LITTLE PEEPS First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/08/the-little-peeps-book-awards-for-early-readers-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

      Thriller Suspense Fiction Award The Clue Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Mystery Suspense & Thriller Novels

      California Son by Timothy Burgess  took home the Clue Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 CLUE First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/08/the-clue-book-awards-for-mystery-suspense-thriller-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

      The OZMA Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Fantasy Fiction Novels

      Dragon Speaker by Elana A. Mugdan took home the OZMA Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 OZMA First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/09/the-ozma-book-awards-for-fantasy-fiction-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

      Paranormal Fiction AwardsThe PARANORMAL  Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Supernatural & Paranormal Novels

      The Madwoman of Preacher’s Cove, a manuscript by Joy Ross Davis took home the Paranormal Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 PARANORMAL First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/09/the-paranormal-book-awards-for-supernatural-paranormal-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

      The Global Thriller Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Lab Lit & High Stakes Thriller Novels

      The Moving Blade by Michael Pronko
      took home the Global Thrillers Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 Global Thriller First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/09/the-global-thriller-book-awards-for-lab-lit-high-stakes-thriller-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

      The SOMERSET Book Awards for Contemporary, Literary, Satire Novels

      Hard Cider – a novel by Barbara A. Stark-Nemon
      took home the Somerset Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 SOMERSET First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/10/the-somerset-book-awards-for-contemporary-literary-satire-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

       The Instruction & Insight Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Non-Fiction, Non-Narrative

      Explore Europe on Foot by Cassandra Overby took home the Instruction & Insight Grand Prize Ribbon

      View the 2018 I & I First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/10/the-instruction-insight-book-awards-for-non-fiction-non-narrative-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

      CONGRATULATIONS to Ronald E. YATES for The LOST YEARS of BILLY BATTLES (Book 3 of the Finding Billy Battles Trilogy) taking home the CHANTICLEER OVERALL Grand Prize for BEST BOOK in the 2018 CIBAS

      “…the reader experiences that all too rare sense of complete transport to another world, one fully realized in these pages because the storytelling is so skillful and thoroughly captivating.” 

       

      The photo below is of Ronald E. Yates with his GOETHE Grand Prize Ribbon and his Chanticleer Overall Best Book Ribbon

      “Reading a Book is Like Life: You Live it One Page at a Time.” (Ron Yates) Ron is a former foreign correspondent and Professor Emeritus of Journalism, Dean of the College of Media and is an award-winning historical novelist. Read more about this Pulitzer nominated journalist and Chanticleerian by clicking on this link.

       

      Twelve of the Sixteen Grand Prize Division Winners were present to receive their ribbons on stage at the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards Ceremony.

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

      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, 2017, are accepted) to the prestigious Chanticleer International Book Awards today! Entries are being accepted into the 2019 CIBAs in all 16 divisions.

      Be sure to register early for the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference that will take place on April 16, 17, 18, & 19, 2020 with the 2019 CIBA banquet and ceremony scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 18th, 2020 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

      An email will go out to all 2018 CIBA award winners prior to June 10, 2019, with instructions, links, and more information about the awards packages. We appreciate your patience. As stated in the Semi-Finalist notification email, “One does not need to be present at the CIBA ceremony and banquet to win. But it sure is a lot more fun!”

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

      We have begun planning for the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 16, 17, & 18, 2020) and the 2019  CIBA Banquet and Ceremony that will take place on April 17, 2020, at the Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.