Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Non-Fiction

Chanticleerians in the News! Journey Grand Prize Winner Mark Berridge on TEDx Brisbane
When your mission is to Discover Today’s Best Books, you come across good news regarding authors!

At 5pm PST (10am AEST) 10/13/23, TEDx Brisbane will begin. Around 5:16pm PST, Mark Berridge, the 2023 Journey Grand Prize Winner will take the stage and talk about his incredible journey chronicled in his book A Fraction Stronger. This article will be updated with a link to stream Mark’s talk as soon as it’s available!

We fortunate enough to hear Mark speak at CAC 23 where he received standing ovations! He is authentic, tenacious, and insightful! He finds belief and possibility in life’s impossible moments and is truly inspirational!
Mark Berridge to take Center Stage at TEDx Brisbane in Australia!

A Journey Grand Prize Winner and CAC Keynote Speaker, Mark constructively challenges pre-existing mindsets of his audience to inspire positive outcomes. He delivers stimulating perspectives from both his personal and professional experiences, from successfully negotiating multiple hundred-million dollar deals in his corporate career, to how he deals with uncertainty and adversity in his ongoing battle to overcome a devastating spinal cord injury.

Mark Berridge getting ready to present at TEDx

From TEDxBrisbane 2023: THE POWER OF INTENTION

Intention is a powerful thing. It takes a great idea and transforms it into determination. Determination to act, make a difference, grow, create, discover. To change minds, lives or perhaps the entire world.

The power of intention reflects the heart of the TEDxBrisbane community.

At TEDxBrisbane, we bring together thinkers, doers and changemakers on our stage and in our audience. We inspire, inform and challenge. We grow networks, spark and nurture collaborations, forge lasting communal memories, and generate intention and impact.

Curious to learn more?

Visit the TEDx Brisbane Facebook Page here

See Mark Berridge’s Personal website here

The Chanticleer Review of A Fraction Stronger

There’s still time!

Want to be a Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Winner like Mark? The last 11 CIBA divisions close in October! And submissions for the 2024 CIBAs are already open. You can see the full list of Awards here: https://test.chantireviews.com/contests/

The 2022 CIBA Blue Ribbon Winners

You know you want one!

Are you ready? Then Submit Today!

Why Opt for the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards?

Credibility: Our awards spotlight and guide readers to extraordinary writing. We are partnered with or recommended by ALLi, IBPA, Reedsy, and Book Award Pro.

Prestige: Whether it’s the Blue Ribbons, the Author Interview, or the Book Reviews, even advancing partway through a Book Award Program shows readers and publishing experts that you’re doing right by your book when it comes to marketing.

Support: The CIBAs are run by human beings, and we’re here for you. Each time you advance in our Tiers of Achievement, your name and book title are promoted on our high-traffic website, across social media, and in our newsletter.
October 13, 2023
The 2023 HEARTEN Book Awards Long List for Inspiring & Uplifting Non-Fiction
The Hearten Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Uplifting & Inspiring Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Hearten Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them. See our full list of Non-Fiction Divisions here.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2023 Hearten Non-Fiction entries to the 2023 Hearten Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for the 2023 Hearten Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2023 Hearten Book Awards novel competition for Uplifting and Inspirational Non-Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
- Lynne M. Kolze – Please Write: Finding Joy and Meaning in the Soulful Art of Handwritten Letters
- Anna Casamento Arrigo – Patience Insanity & Wisdom
- Lisa Niver – Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty
- Syril Levin Kline – Inspiring Legacy: David and Carmen Kreeger’s Journey to Philanthropy
- Lally Pia – The Fortune Teller’s Prophecy: A Memoir of an Unlikely Doctor
- Alexander V. Girman & Cynthia J Girman – A Voice from Heaven: From Earthly Struggles to Thriving in the Afterlife
- Duncan McLauren – Owning Your Destiny
- Terri Kim – The Enlightenment Stories Represented in the Samgook Yusa and the Princess Bari
- Julie Morrison – Barbed: A Memoir
- Alex Bisset – The Destination Birth
- Shanita Liu – Dear Durga: A Mom’s Guide to Activate Courage and Emerge Victorious
- Theo Boyd – My Grief is Not Like Yours: Learning to Live After Unimaginable Loss, A Daughter’s Journey
- Trudy Wells-Meyer – Some Things Are Simply Meant to Be
- Maria C. Palmer and Ruthie Robbins – On the Rocks
- Tony Jeton Selimi – The Unfakeable Code®
- Tony Jeton Selimi – A Path to Excellence
- Art Berman – Art in the Middle Ages: A Memoir of Midlife Renaissance
- Nove Meyers – Running Away From the Circus
- Patrick M. Garry – The Power of Gratitude: Charting a Path Toward a Joyous and Faith-Filled Life
- Nove Meyers – Running Away From the Circus
- Kate Hudson-Hall – Anxiety Hacks: Proven Techniques, Tools and Tips to Calmness
- Hollie Stuart – I Can See For Miles
- Cory Mortensen – The Buddha and the Bee
- Julie Scolnik – Paris Blue
- Cort Casady – Not Your Father’s America
- Elizabeth Rau – The Good Slope
- Joel Harris – Searching for Steve
- Steven Greenebaum – An Afternoon’s Dictation: Inclusive Revelation for the 21st Century
- Dian Seidel – Kindergarten at 60: A Memoir of Teaching in Thailand
- Aurita Maldonado – The Zen of Dancing in the Rain: Becoming One with the Storm
- Grant Harper Reid – The Apocalypto Kid Goes to College
- Nanette J. Davis Ph.D. – Raging Currents: Mental Illness and Family
- Catherine DeMonte – Beep! Beep! Get Out of My Way!: Seven Tools for Powerful Creation and Living Your Unstoppable Life
- Dr. Kelly Rabenstein – Psychological Secrets for Emotional Success (It’s All About Love)
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

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

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 HEARTEN Awards is:

Inner Trek
a reluctant pilgrim to the Himalayas

By Mohan Ranga Rao

Click here to see the 2022 Hearten Book Award Winners for Uplifting Non-Fiction

We are now accepting submissions into the 2023 Hearten Book Awards for Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction & Memoir. The 2023 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC24.
- Please click here for more information.
- See our Full List of Non-Fiction Divisions here!
Winners will be announced at the 2023 CIBA Awards Ceremony, sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 12th annual conference and discover why!
October 12, 2023
Don’t have time for a full book? The Shorts Awards Hall of Fame has Something for Everyone! Submissions Open Now!

Short and Sweet? We want your prose today!

The Shorts Awards are here to bring you excellence in Novellas, Story Collections, or Individual Short Stories and Essays

***Got a Short to Share?***

You’ve got until August 31st to share your Stories with us and Enter the 2023 CIBAs!

For Short Prose and Collections

Join us as we delve into the Hall of Fame for Grand Prize Winners of the Shorts Awards – a realm where short fiction goes beyond genre. Starting in with the 2021 winners while the reviews for 2022 are processed!

New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst
By Elizabeth Crowens

Prepare to be carried away to bustling, vivacious streets as you read Elizabeth Crowens’ New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst.

This captivating literary anthology is a love letter to the great city from a group of brilliant artists and authors, which delves into the multifaceted lives of New Yorkers.

Short fiction and a few poems describe the ins and outs of New York living. Murder mysteries, revenge, family struggles, family sagas, and, of course, the most important questions regarding real estate. Finding the perfect place to live in the city may be difficult, but this story brings into vivid relief the heart of what makes New York special: the people.

Read More Here

Homegoing
By Toni Ann Johnson

Homegoing by Toni Ann Johnson is an intimate portrait of a middle-aged African-American woman dragging herself hand over hand out of grief and despair.

This story begins with her aching, echoing pain after the one-two punch of a miscarriage and the dissolution of her marriage. Her journey takes her back to the upper-middle-class white suburb where she grew up, through childhood memories that refuse to be denied and to, of all times and places, a funeral.

Something and someone is supposed to be buried. Certainly the deceased. But quite possibly the woman who has held on to her losses and her grudges long enough to poison her own future.

Read More Here

Savonne, Not Vonny
By Robin Lee Lovelace

Robin Lee Lovelace evokes a world in which the mystical intertwines with the everyday in Savonne, Not Vonny, a coming-of-age story set in rural Louisiana.

Nine-year-old Savonne lives in a small room at the back of Mama Gwen’s whorehouse, in Indianapolis in the ’60s. Her mama is one of the working girls, and her father is Mama Gwen’s own son. Savonne’s daddy dotes on her, and Mama Gwen loves Savonne like the daughter she never had; the two of them together make a loving home for Savonne, in the midst of their raucous brothel.

By contrast, Savonne’s birth mother rarely pays her any mind. A “crazy-ass woman” with a temper “as hot as a Mississippi afternoon,” Coco is not at all opposed to beating the bejesus out of someone. In a fury one night, she does something that cannot be undone, and in her headlong flight out of town, she takes Savonne with her.

Read More Here

A Week at Surfside Beach
By Pierce Koslosky Jr.

Vacationers from all walks of life converge on Portofino II-317C, South Carolina, a quaint blue beach house, in Pierce Koslosky Jr.’s short story collection, A Week at Surfside Beach.

From May 30th-December 26th each group of people comes to stay one week at a time, to forget their cares of the big city, to work, to celebrate, or to simply get away. Surfside Beach has much to show them, including temperamental weather.

The small town itself offers a charming supermarket where fishing supplies, whoopie pies, and local southern favorites can be found. The Christmas vacationers, the final of the thirteen beach house renters, struggle to find a tree in time; a real tree simply wouldn’t allow enough space for the family to sleep, and the fake tree would cost too much. But they find arts and crafts supplies in town, to fashion a paper Christmas tree during a day of rainy weather.

Read More Here

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SHORTS Awards for Collections is:

God, the Mafia, My Dad, and Me

by Lori Lee Peters

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SHORTS Awards for Short Stories is:

Old Man Baseball

by Mike Murphey

You can see the full list of winners for longer work here and for shorter work here.

Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Shorts Winners is to submit today!

Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!

Be Part of the Legacy: Join the Illustrious Roster of Winners

As the deadline for the 2023 Shorts Awards approaches, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the exceptional achievers who have come before.

Seeking avenues for your non-fiction prowess? Explore all our Divisions that provide platforms for various genres and styles.

With over $30,000 in rewards and prizes given away every year, what are you waiting for? Submit today!

The Grand Prize Winners of the 2022 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards!

August 18, 2023
Spotlight on the 2023 Shorts Awards, a Division of the CIBAs!

Times is short, and maybe your prose is too!

The Shorts Awards close at the end of August!

Submit your work by 8/31/23

“Short stories are tiny windows into other worlds and other minds and other dreams. They are journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and still be back in time for dinner.”
― Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman

The Shorts Awards: Celebrating the Power of Concise Storytelling

The Shorts Awards, one of our newer divisions, have quickly become a cherished space for recognizing and celebrating the magic of short prose. While initially limited to fiction, the overwhelming demand from our authors prompted us to also embrace short non-fiction. As always, our commitment to meeting authors’ needs remains unwavering, and we’re thrilled to provide this platform for their literary achievements.

Short Prose: Where Seeds of Creativity Flourish

Short prose serves as both a starting point and a catalyst for literary journeys. It offers emerging writers a brilliant entryway to the world of publishing, allowing them to introduce their unique voices to readers. These brief narratives can often ignite the spark for larger projects, as exemplified by Robin Lee Lovelace’s Savonne Not Vonny, a hint of what was to come with her captivating collection A Wild Region. Lovelace’s brilliantly weird and magical tales tales of wonder and enchantment blossomed from the seed of short fiction.

Robin Lee Lovelace with her excellent fiction

Whether it’s mystery, romance, science fiction, or fantasy, short stories can transport readers across a spectrum of emotions and genres. This concise format becomes a canvas for authors to explore diverse themes and experiment with various narrative styles. Just as Karen Russell’s wonderful School for Girls Raised by Wolves provides the a launch point for her acclaimed novel Swamplandia short fiction often serves as the fertile ground where authors sow the seeds of larger tales.

Capturing Moments, Echoing Emotions

The succinct nature of short stories allows readers to hold an entire world in their hearts with a single reading. As Paolo Bacigalupi aptly noted, short fiction delivers targeted narratives—vivid hand grenades of ideas that explode in the reader’s mind, leaving an indelible mark. The brevity enables authors to encapsulate specific moments, emotions, and characters, resulting in stories that linger and provoke reflection. Indeed, while longer works may scatter across memory, short prose remains vivid and focused.

“Short fiction seems more targeted – hand grenades of ideas, if you will. When they work, they hit, they explode, and you never forget them. Long fiction feels more like atmosphere: it’s a lot smokier and less defined.”

― Paolo Bacigalupi

Paolo Bacigalupi

Evolving Ideas, Inspiring Creativity

The evolution of ideas often commences in the realms of short fiction. Authors nurture fledgling concepts within these concise narratives, which may eventually flourish into extensive novels or novellas. The transformation of small tales into grand sagas speaks to the inherent power of short stories as seeds that germinate into larger, more intricate narratives.

The Shorts Awards shine a spotlight on talented authors who are forging their paths through short prose. This division acts as a stepping stone for emerging writers, enabling them to connect with readers and gain recognition. Stories birthed within this realm can be the catalyst for a writer’s creative journey, ultimately leading to the exploration of diverse storytelling forms.

As Ezra Pound once said, “Poetry is a sort of inspired mathematics.” In a similar vein, short fiction celebrates the art of crafting narratives with precision, each word chosen with care and intention. The Shorts Awards showcase this brilliance, highlighting the power of brevity to ignite imagination, evoke emotions, and leave lasting impressions. Whether through fiction or non-fiction, these stories showcase the beauty of concise storytelling that resonates deeply within us.

Discover the Short Treasures

We invite you to explore the Shorts Awards section and immerse yourself in the world of captivating short stories and essays. Engage with these tales, share your experiences, and celebrate the remarkable journey that unfolds within each succinct narrative. We’re delighted to be able to recognize the excellent short stories, essays, novellas, and collections that come through these Awards. Sometimes, the little things really do matter the most.

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SHORTS Awards for Collections and Anthologies was: God, the Mafia, My Dad, and Me by Lori Lee Peters

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SHORTS Awards for Short Stories and Essays was Old Man Baseball by Mike Murphey

Reviews of each of these titles are forthcoming, and you can see the full list of Shorts Awards Winners here and here.

All the 2022 Grand Prize Winners are pictured below! See them all here.

Join the Grand Prize Winners and submit today!

Join the amazing CIBA Winners today!

August 10, 2023
The 2023 Long List JOURNEY Book Awards for Overcoming Adversity in Narrative Non-Fiction
The Journey Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Overcoming Adversity in Narrative Non-Fiction and Memoir. The Journey Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring true stories about adventures, life events, unique experiences, travel, personal journeys, global enlightenment, and more. We will put books about true and inspiring stories to the test and choose the best among them. See our full list of Non-Fiction Divisions here.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2023 Journey Non-Fiction entries to the 2022 Journey Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2023 Journey Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2023 Journey Book Awards novel competition for Overcoming Adversity in Non-Fiction!

Join us in celebrating the Long List authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
- Maria C. Palmer and Ruthie Robbins – On the Rocks
- Frederick Douglass Reynolds – Saint Bloodbath
- Stephen Watts – Searching for Charles: The Untold Legacy of an Immigrant’s American Adventure
- Qin Sun Stubis – Once Our Lives
- Rebecca Olmstead – Loved So Much It Hurts: Purpose in the Pain
- Tina Davidson – Let Your Heart Be Broken, Life and Music of a Classical Composer
- Hollie Stuart – I Can See for Miles
- Trevor Greene – March Forth: The Inspiring True Story Of A Canadian Soldier’s Journey Of Love, Hope and Survival
- Cory Mortensen – The Buddha and the Bee
- Kyle Campbell – Beyond Belief: How Living with a Brain Stem Tumor brought Faith and Purpose to Life
- Cathryn Vogeley – I Need To Tell You
- Lori Lee Peters – God, the Mafia, My Dad and Me
- Cort Casady – Not Your Father’s America
- Francesca Miracola – I Got It From Here
- Patricia Angeles – Midpoint: A Memoir
- Francesca Grossman – Not Weakness: Navigating the Culture of Chronic Pain
- Sara Alvarado – Dreaming In Spanish: An Unexpected Love Story in Puerto Vallarta
- Joel Harris – Searching for Steve
- Leslie Ferguson – When I Was Her Daughter
- Kathy Sechrist – Success Is The Best Revenge
- Antonia Deignan – Underwater Daughter: A Memoir of Survival and Healing
- Phyllis Dyson – Among Silent Echoes: A Memoir of Trauma and Resilience
- Andrew Saltarelli – Leaving Home
- Nanette J. Davis Ph.D. – Raging Currents: Mental Illness and Family
- Aurita Maldonado – The Zen of Dancing in the Rain: Becoming One with the Storm
- Barbara Wolf Terao – Reconfigured: A Memoir
- Trisha T Pritiin – The Hanford Plaintiffs: Voices From the Fight for Atomic Justice
- T.C. Fuller – Painting Over Rust: Stories From a 20-Year Odyssey in the FBI
- Sarah Martin – Dear Psychosis
- Julie Morrison – Barbed: A Memoir
- Jarie Bolander – Ride or Die: Loving Through Tragedy, A Husband’s Memoir
- Mikky Eagle – Transcending to Power – the Freya Files : A Survivor’s Memoir Uncovering the Aftermath of Child Sexual-Abuse
- Erika Shepard – Trans-Formations From Field Boots to Sensible Heels
- Karen DeBonis – Growth: A Mother, Her Son, and the Brain Tumor They Survived
- Mike Nixon – Life Travel And The People In Between
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

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Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

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

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 JOURNEY Awards is:

A Fraction Stronger

by Mark Berridge

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

The 2023 JOURNEY Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC24 on April 20, 2024. Save the date for CAC24, scheduled April 18-21, 2024, our 12 year Conference Anniversary!

April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 12th annual conference and discover why!
July 25, 2023
THE BLACK FOSTER YOUTH HANDBOOK: 50+ Lessons I Learned to Successfully Age-Out of Foster Care and Holistically Heal by Angela Quijada-Banks – Overcoming Trauma, Inspirational Non-Fiction, Foster Youth

The Black Foster Youth Handbook: 50+ Lessons I Learned to successfully Age-Out of Foster Care and Holistically Heal is a distinguished compilation of award-winning author Ángela Quijada-Banks’ insights, seeking to assist those in foster care to stay optimistic and triumph over traumatic experiences.

The text features the author’s candid revelations regarding the disarray she encountered in foster care and the overwhelming emotional roller coaster she underwent through family upheavals and a heart-breaking rift between her siblings.

Foster care had seen her forget her goals and aspirations, as traumas and emotional misfortunes spread their venom in her soul. Banks had found herself misplaced, perplexed, wounded, irate, and unloved. Her background, past wounds, and pessimistic beliefs ruled over her. In a painful recap, she reveals how she became accustomed to constant alarming incidents, creating in her a perpetual state of survival.

But a deep longing for conquest in life kept burning in her heart.

Achieving that conquest would prove trickier with time, as she struggled to figure out her path. Readers will find Banks’s R.E.A.L Success Model a gem that will help them understand the basics of foster care, the implications of having healthy relationships, the kind of people one should reach out to in case of a problem, and how to attain a stable life of success.

This resourceful read has ably uncovered what numerous children experience in unfamiliar foster care settings, such as mistrust and fear of encountering a trauma they have already gone through.

Banks explains how adopting such cynical sentiments blocked her from certain blessings and people who were willing to help her into a quicker recovery. Her open confessions are bound to leave readers more open-minded, honest, and ready to come out of complicated matters, regardless of their years, gender, ethnicity, or religion. This book meticulously uncovers little-spoken traps that numerous people have fallen into, such as seeking guidance and counsel from relatives or friends who don’t have truthful insight to offer.

The Black Foster Youth Handbook’s substantial content will inspire readers to check whether their thoughts, actions, and beliefs are being powered by love or by fear. Its lessons will benefit many readers, primarily those who have gone through young childhood traumas and torment. Thought-provoking illustrations from Banks’ life journal deepen the impact of these lessons, highlighting the importance of each personal choice on the road to healing and restoration. This powerful handbook will guide its audience to aim for progression, rather than perfection.

The Black Foster Youth Handbook by Angela Quijada-Banks won Grand Prize in the 2021 CIBA I&I Awards for Instruction & Insight Non-Fiction.

June 19, 2023
DAWGS: A True Story of Lost Animals and the Kids who Rescued Them by Diane Trull & Meredith Wargo – Memoirs, Animal Rescue, Animal & Pet Care

We love our dogs. We love our cats. But what do we do when people no longer want them, use them for cruel purposes, or release them into the streets with no thought for what will happen to them? Diane Trull’s memoir with Meredith Wargo, DAWGS, shines a light on these questions.

Trull begins the story as a fourth-grade teacher in Dalhart, Texas. One of her young students asks about an article in a local paper showing photos of adorable dogs at a shelter who were up for adoption, wondering what happened to those who weren’t adopted.

Instead of dodging the question, and with great trepidation, she answered it with the truth: those who weren’t adopted would be put to sleep. Her tiny students were understandably shocked. Then one of them said, “I don’t want any of those dogs to die. Isn’t there something we can do to save them?”

That simple question, asked by a child in a classroom in 2003, started a profound adventure in the lives of Diane and her husband, Mark, and her students.

Together, they started a private dog shelter, working with a reluctant animal control officer and an even more reluctant city council to take in as many pets as possible, feed them, groom them, and bring many back to health until, hopefully, someone would adopt them.

This was no simple task. For most of us, taking care of one or two animals in our homes is enough. How can someone take care of hundreds? Without government funding, and with a workforce of only two adults and a small group of nine-to-ten-year-old children, the struggles started to pile up. The noise of barking dogs brought constant complaints, the food and medical attention cost too much, and the sheer effort to take care of these animals in the harsh weather of the Texas Panhandle overwhelmed the volunteer school children even with help from other concerned citizens.

The development of the shelter is in itself a remarkable story. But even more profound is its effect on the children who volunteered for months, or even years.

The shelter had a strict code of ethics regarding those young volunteers including full permission of their parents, and a required balance between school and their work at DAWGS. Its motto, then and now is, ”Making a difference, one animal at a time, one child at a time, one day at a time.”

Students who participated learned life lessons of responsibility, compassion, and dedication that helped shape them as people. Some of these fourth graders are still involved with the shelter after nearly 20 years.

Many dogs have their stories told in this book. Tales of abandoned, damaged pets who were nursed back to health at the shelter and subsequently adopted. Also told are the stories of the many companies and individuals whose key donations and hands-on work have made this shelter work.

A heartwarming story? Yes. But equally important is the hard work and grit that ensured the success of this shelter. Highly recommended.

DAWGS by Diane Trull won Grand Prize in the 2021 CIBA Hearten Awards for Uplifting & Inspiring Non-Fiction.

May 29, 2023
The 2022 CIBAs Grand Prize Winners for Non-Fiction, Shorts, and Series!
A Huge Congratulations to all of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) Division Non-Fiction, Book Series, and SHORTS Grand Prize Winners!

Every tier of the CIBAs is an important one, though few rise to be one of the coveted Division Grand Prize Winners.
- See all Fiction Grand Prize Winners here
- See the Overall Grand Prize Winner here
All First Place and Grand Prize winners were announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 29th at the Chanticleer Banquet. We have a separate post for Fiction, the Shorts Awards, and the Series Awards.

Now let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.

Want to join in the fun? Submit to the 2023 CIBAs today!

Now, presenting the Non-Fiction Awards Grand Prize Winners!

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 I&I Awards is:

Emotional Magnetism

by Sandy Gerber

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 NELLIE BLY Awards is:

Saints & Soldiers

by Rita Katz

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 HARVEY CHUTE Awards is:

Reconfigurement

by E. Alan Fleischauer

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 MIND & SPIRIT Awards is:

A Sky of Infinite Blue

By Kyomi O’Connor

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 HEARTEN Awards is:

Inner Trek
– a reluctant pilgrim to the Himalayas

By Mohan Ranga Rao

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 MILITARY & FRONT LINE Awards is:

Lost in Beirut: A True Story of Love, Loss, and War

by Ashe & Magdalena Stevens

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 JOURNEY Awards is:

A Fraction Stronger

by Mark Berridge

Now, presenting the Shorts & Series Awards Grand Prize Winners!

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SHORTS Awards for Collections and Anthologies is:

God, the Mafia, My Dad, and Me

by Lori Lee Peters

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SHORTS Awards for Short Stories and Essays is:

Old Man Baseball

by Mike Murphey

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SERIES Awards is:

The Curtis Jefferson Series

by Vince Bailey

We have badges available starting with the Short List. If you need a digital badge reflecting your tier level, please email info@ChantiReviews.com with your division and rank, and we will send you one as soon as possible.

The 2022 Grand Prize Winners!

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

To ALL the WINNERS: You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

Grand Prize Division Winners will receive a customized digital badge. When we receive it from our graphic artist, we will also post here and in the Grand Prize Division Winners Official Posting.

Thank you for participating in the 2022 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.

Team Chanticleer

Make sure your Award gets the attention it deserves on Goodreads.com

In the Librarian Manual on Goodreads, you can go to your Book Edit Page — Literary Awards.

You want to list the Award for Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Winners, and be sure to include the year and what place you received. For example:

The year Long List, Short List, Semi-Finalist, Finalist, First Place, Division Grand Prize, or Overall Grand Prize Winner

Note from Goodreads: “To add a new award or edit an existing award, you’ll need help from one of our volunteer librarians or a staff member.” For assistance, post in the Goodreads Librarians Group.

Always double check that you’ve written everything correctly before posting it. The search function for Awards on Goodreads is both case and punctuation sensitive.

The Overall Grand Prize Winner for the 2022 CIBAs

was Michelle Cox’s Book A Spying Eye

The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
See all Fiction Grand Prize Winners here

See the Overall Grand Prize Winner here
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

Attn CIBA Winners: More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Facebook and Twitter handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

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

To ALL the WINNERS: You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

Grand Prize Division Winners will receive a customized digital badge. When we receive it from our graphic artist, we will also post here and in the Grand Prize Division Winners Official Posting.

Thank you for participating in the 2022 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.

Team Chanticleer
May 22, 2023
The 2022 CIBAs Finalists for Shorts and Series!
A Huge Congratulations to all of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) Finalists!

Every tier of the CIBAs is an important one, though few manage to rise this far in the ranks.

For our Shorts and Series Authors, this post has links to all of the Finalist Awards for the 3 CIBA Division Lists we have for Longform work like collections, anthologies, and novellas; Short Prose like Short Stories and Essays; and Series. We will have a separate post for Fiction and Non-Fiction.

All Finalists in attendance will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, and we will announce the Winners at the CIBAs Ceremonies on Saturday, April 29th at the Chanticleer Banquet. We can’t express how excited we are to be able to do this in person with our fully vaccinated and boosted staff in a healthy metro area.

Now let’s take a step back and look at where we came from to make this happen.

The remaining tiers are the First Place Winner, the Grand Prize Winners, and finally, the coveted Overall Grand Prize Winners. The Overall Grand Prize Winner takes home the $1000 and more! See the Book Award details here.

Now, presenting the links to the Non-Fiction Awards Finalists
The Official 2022 CIBA Lists of the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for all Divisions of the CIBAs will start to be posted April 29th, 2023.

We have badges available starting with the Short List. If you need a digital badge reflecting your tier level, please email info@ChantiReviews.com with your division and rank, and we will send you one as soon as possible.

The 11th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference is April 27-30, 2023

Don’t Delay, Register Today!

Goodreads Icon

Make sure your Award gets the attention it deserves on Goodreads.com

In the Librarian Manual on Goodreads, you can go to your Book Edit Page — Literary Awards.

You want to list the Award for Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Winners, and be sure to include the year and what place you received. For example:

The year Long List, Short List, Semi-Finalist, or Finalist.

Note from Goodreads: “To add a new award or edit an existing award, you’ll need help from one of our volunteer librarians or a staff member.” For assistance, post in the Goodreads Librarians Group.

Always double check that you’ve written everything correctly before posting it. The search function for Awards on Goodreads is both case and punctuation sensitive.

The Overall Grand Prize Winner for the 2021 CIBAs was J.W. Zarek’s book THE DEVIL PULLS THE STRINGS

Remember, you don’t have to be present to win, but it sure is a lot more fun!

The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
April 5, 2023
The 2022 SHORTS CIBAs Finalists for Short Stories and Essays
The Short Story Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in Short Stories, Essays, Novelettes, Novellas, Short Story Collections and Anthologies. The Short Story Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards program.

The Chanticleer International Book Awards program discovers today’s best works. The Short Stories Awards discovers the Best New Shorts in Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction. These books have advanced to the next judging rounds. We will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2022 Shorts Book Awards Short List to the 2022 Shorts Book Awards Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC23).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2023 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

NOTE: We are posting the Collections and Novellas in a separate post.

These titles are in the running for First Place and Grand Prize Winners of the 2022 Shorts Book Awards for Short Stories and Essays!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2022 CIBAs.
- Louise Lenahan Wallace – Mud on the Range
- Susannah Dawn – The Case To Be Me
- Brian Feutz – Masquerade
- Linda Lee Keenan – The Sentinel
- Mike Murphey – Old Man Baseball
- Lloyd Jeffries – Buried in the Stars
- Alice McVeigh – Capturing Mr Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Short Story
- Miriam Polli – Agathos
- Tom Durwood – Jayani’s Big Gamble
- Ellen Notbohm – What She Thinks About When She Thinks About Shoes
- Robert Phillips – The Dummy
- Mekiya Outini – The Man Who Misspelled God
- J.L. Oakley – Sons and Streams
- Donna LeClair – I Am Human
- George T. Arnold – Those phone calls
- Claudia Carbonell – Hututu
- Ray Dionne – Harvest Day
- Suzanne Smith – Bullets and Bustles
- Suzanne Smith – The Scalp Collector
- Leslie Wibberley – The Poison Garden
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

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

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2021 Shorts Awards for Short Stories is Toni Ann Johnson for Homegoing

Click here to see the 2021 Shorts Book Award Winners and Finalists.

We are now accepting submissions for the 2023 Shorts Book Awards. The 2023 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2024.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2022 CIBA Awards Ceremony, sponsored by the 2023 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 27-30, 2023! Register Today!

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 11th annual conference and discover why!
April 4, 2023