Only 6 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 M&M Awards for Cozy and Not-so-cozy Mystery!
Liese Sherwood-Fabre – The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait
Gail Grant Park – We Are Shadows: An Irish Ghost Story
Rebecca Olmstead – Dreams and Illusions
Elizabeth Crowens – Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles
Patrick E. Craig – The Quilt That Knew
E. W. Finke – Coyote’s Wail
Lyn Squire – Immortalised to Death
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Mystery & Mayhem Awards Grand Prize Winner:
A Haunting at Linley
A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel
by Michelle Cox
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Clue Awards for Thriller and Suspense!
Daniel V. Meier Jr. – Guidance to Death
Frederick Douglass Reynolds – Saint Bloodbath
Michelle Cox – A Haunting at Linley
Jode Millman – The Empty Kayak
Raymond Paul Johnson – The Raven Society: Conspiracy Ignited
Margaret Mizushima – Standing Dead: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Clue Awards Grand Prize Winner:
The Other Murder
By Kevin G. Chapman
The CIBAs offer more than just recognition — they provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.
We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.
Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 3-6, 2025) where Winners from all 25 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.
In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.
The Chaucer Awards are named after Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of The Canterbury Tales. But Chaucer was hardly the only writer of past ages. Female writers of the past are often overlooked, so during this Award cycle, we’re going to highlight some of them in Chaucer posts.
The Disk of Enheduanna, discovered in 1927 by Leonard Wooley, now in the Penn Museum
The oldest known writer in history is Enheduanna
She was High Priestess of the Sumerian Moon Goddess Nanna, and Daughter of Sargon the Great, the first King of the Akkadian empire. Living in approximately 2300 BCE, she composed 42 temple hymns and 3 stand-alone poems. While her Father was uniting Mesopotamia and creating one of the worlds first empires, she was uniting their religions, her hymns being used to combine the worship of Inanna and Ishtar. One of her poems, Inanna and Ebih, even has the distinction of being the first text to have illustrations.
Another female writer, Murasaki Shikibu, wrote Genji Monogatari, also known as The Tale of Genji in about 1000- 1012 CE in Japan.
The Tale of Genji is considered to be one of the worlds first Novels, directly inspired by her life as a Lady-in-waiting in the Royal court. What’s interesting about her novel is how much of it centers on the female perspective, of the women in Genji’s life and how they shaped his fate. While the book is an amazing example and look into Japanese Culture at that time, it also still has points that are still able to be seen in Modern Japanese society. It is however thought that the last 10 chapters may have been written by her daughter, poet Daini no Sanmi.
However, the Chaucer Awards focus on work written in the last 3 years.
Pre-Historical Fiction- Anything before written history. Neolithic and Neanderthal type stories. The Clan of The Cave Bear by Jean Auel or The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle are good examples.
Ancient Historical Fiction- Greek, Roman, Egyptian; Classical History
Dark Ages, Medieval, Renaissance
Elizabethan/Tudor
1600s
World/International History Pre-1750s
Americas- Historical Fiction Pre-1750s
Legend Based Pre-1750s Historical Fiction (Arthurian, Beowulf, Chaucer)
Rebecca Kightlinger – The Lady of the Cliffs: The Bury Down Chronicles, Book Two
C.V. Lee – Token of Betrayal
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHAUCER Awards is:
The Merchant from Sepharad
By James Hutson-Wiley
Now it is our pleasure to celebrate some of the Early Historical Fiction that’s come to us lately!
EDGED In PURPLE
By John W. Feist
Edged in Purple by John W. Feist welcomes readers to a place outside of time and space, a liminal space where characters of myth wait to return to their fated stories.
The Fold is a beautiful land, a near-utopia shepherded– literally– by Thetis and Peleus of Greek mythology. They raise the heroine of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, Perdita, after her father had accused her mother of betraying him with another, the whole sad story a product of his own paranoia.
Perdita’s story is proceeding as it was written. She has already met Florizel, the man who should be the hero of her romance– when her story is intersected by another. Just as The Winter’s Tale features royal courts, doomed relationships, mistaken identities, and family murder, so too does an ancient Greek drama: the Oresteia of Aeschylus, the story of Agamemnon after the Trojan War.
Mack Little’s historical fiction novel Daughter of Hades explores the lives of slaves during the age of pirates.
Little’s research shines in her thoughtful presentation of the Caribbean islands, the escaped slaves who found freedom amongst them, the lives of buccaneers and maroons, and their daring and dangerous exploits.
On the first page, Little introduces us to Geraldine, or “Dinny”, running for her life from her owner, Owen Craig, who has just raped her.
THE SHERIFF: Book Three of The Druid Chronicles
By A.M. Linden
The Sheriff, the third installment of A.M. Linden’s Druid Chronicles series about 9th-century life in Anglo-Saxon England, fully immerses readers in that distant era with all of its joys, conflicts, and hardships.
Trained from his youngest years in the military, Stefan has learned both battle skills and leadership, with the ability to approach a situation without causing it to get out of hand. He is fiercely loyal, but continually denied a larger role in the kingdom’s army. His latest indignity came with the king assigning him as sheriff of Codswallow, a paltry village. With a retinue of less than 10 people including his slave, he has to collect taxes and keep the peace.
The novel shows two major episodes. The first follows his Codswallow days, including his relationship with Jonathan, owner of the Three Dragons Inn. Stefan learns that Jonathan is paying protection money to keep bandits away from the inn, and carries out a series of plans to discover who is, what we could call, the crime boss.
Elodia is a young woman driven by dreadful circumstances to act with deadly force in the Robert S. Phillips novel Elodia’s Knife.
What Elodia hoped would be her leap away from danger instead left her surrounded by perilous threats that now threaten to consume her. Armed with her courage, determination, instincts, and a trusty knife, Elodia faces a hostile world in foreign territory.
Not all are against her though. Allies– even a friend– can be found, if Elodia can summon the bravery to listen to her feelings and own deep wishes.
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!
Only 8 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!
The Chaucer Awards for Early Historical Fiction, The Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction, and the Laramie Awards for Western and Americana Fiction are still open!
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction!
Gina Buonaguro – The Virgins of Venice
Griffin Brady – The Hussar’s Duty
Robert S Phillips – Elodia’s Knife
Rozsa Gaston – Margaret of Austria
Rebecca Kightlinger – The Lady of the Cliffs: The Bury Down Chronicles, Book Two
C.V. Lee – Token of Betrayal
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Chaucer Grand Prize Winner:
The Merchant from Sepharad by James Hutson-Wiley
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Goethe Awards!
Lisa Voelker – The Spoon
Robert W Smith – A Long Way from Clare
Mitzi Zilka – Water Fire Steam
Susanne Dunlap – The Adored One
Linda Ulleseit – The River Remembers
Nicole Evelina – Catherine’s Mercy
William Maz – Bucharest Legacy: The Rise of the Oligarchs
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Goethe Awards Grand Prize Winner:
If Someday Comes by David Calloway
Congratulations to the 2023 Winners of the Laramie Awards!
Barbara Salvatore – The Trail to Niobrara
T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring
Elizabeth Woolsey – The Travels of Dr. Rebecca Harper A Matter of Time
Daniel Greene – Northern Dawn (Northern Wolf Series Book 4)
K.S. Jones – Tastefully Texas
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Laramie Grand Prize Winner:
The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery by Thomas Goodman
The CIBAs offer more than just recognition — they provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.
We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.
Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 3-6, 2025) where Winners from all 25 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.
In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.
Only 10 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!
The Dante Rossetti Award for Young Adult Fiction and The Little Peeps Awards for Children’s and Early Readers are still open!
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction!
Kerry Chaput – Chasing Eleanor
Lynn Yvonne Moon – Fish Scales
Sophia Krich-Brinton – A Song Like the Wind
J.A. Nielsen – The Claiming
Trish MacEnulty – Cinnamon Girl
S.R. Klusman – Luna: Book 2 of The Adventures of Rhone & Stone
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Dante Rossetti Awards Grand Prize Winner:
Sour Flower
manuscript
by Maryanne Melloan Woods
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Little Peeps Awards for Children’s and Early Readers!
Beth Davis – Lacinda the Lion is a Super Youneek Beast
Adalgisa and David Nico – Fish in the Desert: The Untold Story of the Death Valley Pupfish
Ruth Amanda – Geckos in the Garden
Jonna Laster – Nutshell Regatta
Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover , Jessica Alexanderson – The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans
T.K. Sheffield – The Night Icelandic Horses Saved Christmas Eve
Raven Howell – Friends Come in all Sizes
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Clue Awards Grand Prize Winner:
The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans
by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, Jessica Alexanderson
The CIBAs offer more than just recognition — they provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.
We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.
Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 3-6, 2025) where Winners from all 25 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.
In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.
The Mystery and Mayhem Awards is inspired by the works of Agatha Christie, one of the most influential crime writers in history, and along with Arthur Conan Doyle, led to the prevalence of the British Crime genre, in both TV and Books. M&M focuses on Cozy Mysteries, where the violence is often pushed aside, and the Amateur Sleuth reigns supreme. Why have Police and Detectives solve a mystery when meddling old ladies like Miss Marple can do it better.
In contrast to this we have the Clue Awards. Clue is the more violent, gritty, thriller and suspense type mysteries.
Liese Sherwood-Fabre – The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait
Gail Grant Park – We Are Shadows: An Irish Ghost Story
Rebecca Olmstead – Dreams and Illusions
Elizabeth Crowens – Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles
Patrick E. Craig – The Quilt That Knew
E. W. Finke – Coyote’s Wail
Lyn Squire – Immortalised to Death
The Grand Prize Winner for the 2023 Mystery & Mayhem Awards is:
A Haunting at Linley
A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel
By Michelle Cox
And now it is our pleasure to highlight some of the best Cozy and Not-so-Cozy Mystery Books we’ve had the pleasure of reading this summer!
IF TWO ARE DEAD: A Garnick & Paschal Mystery By Jeanne Matthews
An enigmatic raven-haired beauty mysteriously murdered and cast into a stranger’s grave, left for scurrilous resurrection men to uncover in the dark of night! In Jeanne Matthews’s historical mystery If Two Are Dead, Detectives Quinn Paschal and Gabriel Garnick take up this case of vicious murder and ignite a mire of secrets and resentment at the pinnacle of 1867 Chicago society.
After catching the body-snatchers in the act of stealing a freshly buried corpse to sell for medical research, Quinn and Garnick realize the body found in Emmett Buck’s grave is by no means that of a young man, but that of a woman, whose bloody head and clean clothes point to a complex mystery. With only her appearance and some identifying jewelry, Quinn insists they can and will catch the killer of ‘Marietta A.V.’ Enlisting the help of an unscrupulous journalist, they locate her husband, a wealthy and influential doctor.
The woman’s husband, Dr. Horace E. Vinings, offers them an incredible reward if they can find Marietta’s killer. But Quinn and Garnick suspect he might not like the answer he receives.
In the small Missouri town of Walkers Corner, it seems everyone has a dark secret. In Parallel Secrets by ML Barrs, a TV journalist comes to town to do a magazine piece on a missing girl and begins uncovering many of those hidden stories.
Motivated by feelings of guilt for not following up on a previous unsolved case, Vicky Robeson’s joins the search for the missing child. She’s tenacious in her investigation. As a TV station journalist currently between jobs, she has well-honed investigative skills, specifically in her ability to wheedle stories from even the most reluctant people. She’s familiar with Walkers Corner; and as a reporter for a St. Louis TV station, she covered the case of a never-identified mystery girl. She believes the two cases are connected. The similarities that link these cases to her own experiences as a child make her unable to let this new story go.
Safe to say, her investigating is not welcomed by most of the locals in this close-knit town.
In Alisse Goldberg’s engaging young adult mystery, The Ghost in the Garden, a curious 11-year-old must face the challenges of moving to a new city, losing old friends, making new ones, and encountering historic specters in her new home.
Sophie Madison seems none too happy about her recent move from the bustling city of Calgary, Ablerta to the smaller, quieter landscape of Stratford, Ontario. But upon arrival with her parents, she begins noticing the charm of the place, appearing like a step back in time. Their new house in particular catches her interest, with its tall turret topped by stained glass window panes where Sophie’s bedroom will be. In addition, the wild beauty of the backyard garden draws her in.
Soon, a mysterious blonde-headed girl named Tabitha appears in the garden.
After the murder of his sister, Dr. Walker Claybourne journeys to the Yucca Valley to wrap up Claire’s affairs– including the investigation, in David T. Isaak’s mystery novel, Things Unseen.
As a geology professor at the University of California in San Diego, a leading authority on volcanic landforms of the Southwest, Walker lives a life as solid and routine as the very rocks he studies. He has his tenure, his condo, and his quiet existence. On sabbatical to write a textbook, Walker plans on staying in Claire’s rented house just long enough to pack her things. However, he isn’t there long before guilt sets in as he realizes how little he knew his only sister.
With his parents both dead and his only other sibling teaching at Cambridge, Walker realizes how very alone he is, and he decides to investigate Claire’s murder.
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!
The Clue Award is our Division for the more gritty, darker, crime noir type mystery novels. For the light hearted, cozy mysteries see the Mystery & Mayhem Award.
While most of our categories in this Award are for fictional mysteries, unlike the other Fiction Divisions, Clue also has a Non-Fiction category for True Crime and Investigation books. Instead of putting it into a Non-Fiction Division we took a note from what many bookstores do and put the Non-fiction Mysteries with the Fictional ones.
Book Riot featured the differences between True Crime and Thrillers:
True crime aficionados liked the deep dive into the psychology of it all. Jack El-Hai, a true crime writer who recently published The Lost Brothers, wrote, “I’m only an occasional reader of murder mysteries. Many fictional works about murder are about finding out who did it, and the narrative concludes with that discovery or with catching the perpetrator. I’m more interested in why they did it and the aftermath for everyone affected by the crime.”
True Crime books can also be very important on bringing light to unsolved crimes and helping to solve them. Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, which after the authors death, her husband, actor Patton Oswalt, worked with some other writers to finish the book. It was finally published 2 months before the arrest of The Golden State Killer. While her book did not directly affect finding the perpetrator, it did bring crucial publicity towards a largely forgotten case. It was later turned into an HBO documentary series!
Raymond Paul Johnson – The Raven Society: Conspiracy Ignited
Margaret Mizushima – Standing Dead: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CLUE Awards is:
The Other Murder
By Kevin G. Chapman
We’re excited to feature Kevin and our other winners, but before we do that, here are some of the best reviewed Thrillers that have come our way recently!
ECHO From A BAYOU
By J. Luke Bennecke
John Bastian’s life is falling apart, but after a serious accident, he gains another one. In J. Luke Bennecke’s suspense thriller, Echo from a Bayou, John must tie up the loose ends of a man who died decades ago.
One misfortune after another beats John down. His wife divorces him, and his California business is going bust. On a ski trip to boost his mood, he fails to save a man from falling to his death out of a slopes-bound cable car. The next day, on the mountain, John slams head-first into a tree.
He’s not the only one who wakes up in his hospital bed.
The Excursion by T.O. Paine is a horror thriller with enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most jaded reader.
Two people tell this story. Charly, a woman in her 30s, faces her emotionally damaged family. Randall, meanwhile, works as an agent of Zaroff Excursions, a hunting club for the uber-wealthy with an interest in an extreme form of hunting where the prey is much more intelligent than a deer or bear.
On a cold Thanksgiving weekend, Charly and a few other members of her family travel to an isolated cabin in the mountains above Denver. Her car gets stuck in a snowdrift, leaving her stranded, but that’s only the start of her trouble. She finds that the cabin has been rented by Randall’s company for that same weekend, forcing her family to share the lodge with strangers.
REVELATIONS: Ro Delahanty Series Book 6
By Dave Lager
Ro Delahanty bears heavy weights on her shoulders—a decades old conspiracy, the complexities of polyamorous love, and troubling family secrets—all of which she will begin to face in Revelations, book 6 of Dave Lager’s Ro Delahanty series.
The wealthy, powerful Pribyl family is up to something sinister in their new scrap shipment business, Ro is sure of it. But she has to prove it to herself before she can even start to convince anyone else. And as much as she’d like to dive head-first into that mystery, she has many more problems to solve as a Fort Armstrong County Sergeant Deputy.
An unsanctioned party threatens to become a dangerous mob, setting fire to a half-constructed house. Ro’s bold, decisive nature comes under fire from a rival at the Sheriff’s office. Worse, a major change in that office could upend the foundation of Ro’s life and even rob her of the comradery she and her colleagues rely on.
Identified by John Wilander is a dystopian novel about the omniscient power of our potential cyber future.
West, a young man, spent 15 years in prison for hacking government systems. His mother, a highly visible activist against his imprisonment, is also trying unsuccessfully to get her health insurance to pay for her fight against a deadly medical condition. In Identified West believes the government is responsible for illegally blocking her insurance and vows to find out who’s behind the effort and put his mom back on the insurance rolls.
This is no easy task. Cybersecurity is now a fully linked global enterprise called the G20S, an expansion of today’s G20 nations. Virtually every form of human activity across the world can be logged by the system. It will take a small crew of talented hackers who call themselves the Survivors to develop unique hacker tools for West to break into the system, find the guilty, and get his mother insured. At every point, success could slip out of their grasp.
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!
The Hearten Awards is one of our 6 Non-Fiction Divisions. Specifically, it covers Uplifting and Inspiring Memoirs. If you have written a book about yours, or someone else’s life story that can inspire others, Submit it to us!
The Hearten Awards are open until the end of September! We’ll leave you with some of our favorite uplifting reads that have come through lately!
DIAMOND: The Memoir of a Lost Daughter of Japan By Etsuko Diamond Miyagi
In a world ravaged by conflict and loss, Etsuko Diamond Miyagi’s memoir, Diamond: The Memoir of a Lost Daughter of Japan is a shining testament to the beauty of love and the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity.
Etsuko enjoys a peaceful childhood on the Philippine island of Mindanao, where her father owns an abacá plantation. But they are not safe when guerilla forces destroy her village murdering everyone and leaving her as the sole survivor. This deeply personal narrative of grief chronicles Etsuko’s harrowing journey to find solace and joy after the death of her parents.
At first, passed from house to house, Etsuko is forced to work as a domestic servant until a kind family takes her in. However, her safety and survival is once again in danger when she’s forced to leave her adopted family and take a position at Chief Doming Apostol’s estate in Magpet. It is there Etsuko receives the name ‘Diamond.’
A PATH To EXCELLENCE
By Tony Jeton Selimi Hearten First Place Winner
On the belief that life isn’t just the random cards one is dealt, A Path to Excellence by Tony Jeton Selimi offers a blueprint—the octagon of excellence—to succeed personally, professionally, and spiritually.
Transcending the pitfalls and spontaneous stumbling blocks along the path of life can open the door to self-actualization and progression. As someone who experienced bullying, sexual abuse, early disability, and homelessness, Selimi sets on to become a beacon of light to the hopeless and marginalized.
Within each soul lies a bud of genius waiting to blossom. This book focuses on purpose, vision, and persistence to clear the way to that fullest potential. Affirming challenges as immutable truths of life, Selimi employs Buddhist teaching and personal anecdotes to encourage a head-on confrontation with one’s struggles and promotes a feeling of gratitude. As a blend of philosophical wisdom and practical experience, the initial chapters help readers acknowledge their current life situation, perceiving challenges as epochs of potential.
DAWGS By Diane Trull & Meredith Wargo Hearten Grand Prize Winner
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?”
LOVE, LIFE and LUCILLE By Judy Gaman Hearten First Place Winner
Award-winning author, motivational speaker, and podcast host Judy Gaman befriends a fun-loving and feisty centenarian in her CIBA Grand Prize-winning novel, Love, Life, and Lucille.
The list of titles and accolades Judy Gaman has accrued begin to pale when she encounters Lucille Fleming for the very first time. The whole reason for the meet-up with the centenarian was specifically to get her opinions on “aging gracefully,” the featured topic of a new book Judy planned to write. What was scheduled as an hour-long interview turned into an absolutely delightful, near three-hour visit. Lucille turned the tables and began asking questions about Judy’s life with compelling earnestness—something Judy rarely experienced. She was unprepared yet exhilarated.
Judy couldn’t stop thinking about this “dressed to the nines” woman with an ear-to-ear smile and a sturdy, affectionate hug. Her contact with this larger-than-life woman was so infectious, Judy made up an excuse—so that she could see her again. During that second meeting, the two became fast friends as they set Fridays aside as their day to get together. Before their next planned meeting, Judy learned that Lucille had gone into cardiac arrest. She was dead for three minutes before she came back full of vim and vigor as if nothing had happened. Five months later, Lucille was more than ready for TV interviews. With that, Judy made plans to write a second book about Lucille and their relationship.
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!
The Laramie Awards are only open through the end of September!
Tales of frontier life steeped in historic places and dates have long captivated readers of all ages. From Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series to The Red Badge of Courageby Stephen Crane, these stories give readers a glimpse into what was or what may have been. This Americana genre focuses mostly on Western/Pioneer/Civil War stories but can easily contain sub-genres including mystery, romance, and adventure as long as they are dressed with the American West or South as a backdrop. This division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) is meant to celebrate stories that evoke the rough-and-tumble nature of the Wild West, the heartbreaking croon of a lonesome cowboy by his fire, and the overly perfumed air of a small town saloon.
If you’re looking to shine a lantern on your work, submit to the Laramie Awards today! If you’re just a fan of some good ol’ fashioned themes coloring your experience, take a look at some of the previous Laramie Award winners.
Elizabeth Woolsey – The Travels of Dr. Rebecca Harper A Matter of Time
Daniel Greene – Northern Dawn (Northern Wolf Series Book 4)
K.S. Jones – Tastefully Texas
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LARAMIEAwards is:
The Last Man
A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery
by Thomas Goodman
More articles will come out celebrating those Laramie Awards Winners this month! For now, we’d like you to join us in celebrating these amazing books in the genre we’ve recently received!
BED of CONSPIRACY
By Juliette Douglas
Laramie First Place Winner
Growing up alone on the streets of Saint Louis in the mid-1870s, nineteen-year-old Samantha Davis has had to fight for everything.
When she rescues Colonel Brady from armed attackers, she isn’t trying to be a hero or land a dangerous new job, but the moment Brady sees her deadly aim and unparalleled courage, he knows he’s found his new undercover agent. Brady has been tasked with infiltrating the KGC, the Knights of the Golden Circle, a group of Southern sympathizers hellbent on bringing down the government in a Confederate uprising.
Brady believes Sam will be the perfect partner for Ross Cooper, a veteran agent who spends his off-time as a trail boss in Kansas. However, Ross is less than thrilled with Brady’s choice of the untrained, bad-tempered girl. Despite his misgivings, Ross agrees to team-up with Sam, and the two go undercover as Jim and Virginia Van Meter, a newlywed couple from South Carolina visiting Washington. After being introduced to Adam Mundy, the leader of this cell of the KGC, Ross (aka Jim) agrees to use his shipping business to help the Confederate cause.
TOM SAWYER RETURNS
By E.E. Burke
Laramie Grand Prize Winner
Tom Sawyer Returns is the second book in The New Adventures series by author E.E. Burke.
Readers join a now grown up and far more independent Becky Thatcher as she maneuvers her complicated life in Civil War era Mississippi. Tom has long since left, and Becky is engaged to Union Captain Alfred Temple, who offers her all the safety and security she needs in such uncertain times. But does she love him? Actually love him?
Becky soon discovers that her heart may have other plans.
MATAMOROS
By James Kahn
Laramie First Place Winner
With the American Civil War as a grisly backdrop, James Kahn shines a light onto the real old West in his latest novel, Matamoros: Civil War Adventure, Romance and Espionage in an Old West Border Town.
The tiny Mexican town of Matamoros becomes a haven for traders, traitors, ex-slaves, and card sharks. Bring the war into the mix with Northern and Southern agents, both self-appointed and official, and the result is perfect for plenty to go wrong.
Clayton Wilkes owns the Brave River Gambling Emporium and can smile and shoot almost in the same breath.
ROLLING HOME
By David Fitz-Gerald
Series Grand Prize Winner
David Fitz-Gerald concludes the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series with a grand finale for an eclectic cast of characters, as the long wagon train is finally Rolling Home to their new lives in the wild west of Oregon.
With the end of the trail just out of reach, however, their hopes dwindle and their hunger rages. The rigor of the western environment continues to test their determination and threaten vows of heartfelt romance. These weary people ache and mourn losses, while seeking new ways to survive and pull each other forward in the face of impending winter.
This wagon train of travelers will also face venomous villains who have been lurking in the shadows, outlaws waiting for their best opportunity to pounce.
Note: David Fitz-Gerald’s entire series of Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail is excellent. You can read all our reviews for it here.
GUARDED HEARTS
By T.K. Conklin
Laramie Grand Prize Winner
Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.
Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.
LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.
Give another three cheers for the amazing Westerns and Americana Fiction here!
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!
The Little Peeps Awards is our Division for the Children and Early Readers in your life. Introducing books from a young age creates lifelong Readers!
Finding the best books for a child is hard. While these books may be small, writing for children provides it’s own challenges. Needing to provide a moral to the story, something that teaches the reader without being obvious. Plus, adorable, bright and colorful art to go along with the story. For this age range, books need to stimulate imagination, creativity, and learning.
We also have some other Divisions aimed at younger age ranges. For Middle Grade (ages 6-13) see Gertrude Warner. For Young Adult (ages 14-18) see Dante Rossetti.
We’re excited to celebrate all the wonderful children’s books that are submitted to us!
Check out these great Early Reads!
ISLAND MOON By Ruth Amanda
Ruth Amanda’s Island Moon is a magical moment captured in a poem.
The narrator lives on an island where the moon sings of fairies and the magic of the night. While out on a nighttime walk, the narrator breathes in the island scents and hears the waves kissing the shore. In the froth of the waves, and in the moon’s magical light reflecting on the water, the narrator sees the fairies dancing.
LET’S WORK SMARTER: Harmony Lane Adventures Book 2
By Katharine Mitropoulos
Katharine Mitropoulos’s Let’s Work Smarter, the second book of the Harmony Lane Adventures series, begins on a beautiful day at the Harmony Lane Farmer’s Market. There the residents are hoping to reach their fundraising goal to fix up the local playground.
The next day, after having met their fundraising goal, Mouse takes charge dividing everyone into groups, each with their own job to do. Kangaroo, Frog, and Kitten are tasked with planting a flower garden, which turns out to be hard work! They decide they just need to work harder to get the job done but end up making a mess. Cheetah and Mole work hard while cleaning up the sandbox, causing sticks and leaves to get all over the place. Painting the fence are Giraffe, Bear, and Bunny, who all have their own plan for the design.
YIMBY: Yes! In My Back Yard!
By Sheryl Recinos, illustrated by Amanda Ravensdale
In YIMBY! Yes In My Back Yard!, Sheryl Recinos presents a simple yet powerful story that speaks to the heart of human kindness and the need to help our fellow man.
Most people are familiar with the term NIMBY, the acronym for “Not In My Back Yard”, referencing opposition to the construction of something perceived as undesirable in one’s neighborhood. But this passionate and heart-warming children’s book offers a positive transformation to the word.
With their park damp from the rain, seven snails line up for their next thrilling race in Ruth Amanda’s Ess-Car-Go!
Frogs, bugs, birds, and even a curious cat come to cheer on the famous snail racers, from the stylish Sterling to the easily-distracted Sherlock. And as each one runs into their own kind of trouble; this trophy could go to anybody!
In Nutshell Regatta by Jonna Laster, the narrator’s grandmother reveals adventures in nature that could easily be missed without her watchful eye.
With her wise guidance, clouds turn into campers, dandelions hold moon yokes, leaves sing, and a broken branch takes on the form of a fox. Most importantly, twigs and pebbles become sailors who embark on a grand regatta in their nutshell sloops and sailboats.
Thank you for joining us to celebrate these wonderful works for children!
This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!
As summer comes to a close, we’re excited to offer a bundle that includes a year’s worth of access to our online platform filled with goodies and discounts for authors: The Roost!
The Roost is our exclusive membership platform where we perch together to share knowledge and connect with our community of expert authors.
Every year after Labor Day the publishing industry comes back to life, and we’re happy to crow with the dawn and welcome it back!
The Roost is our Favorite Spot to Perch!
Don’t Miss Out on These Upcoming Events:
Weekly Tuesday Morning Write-Ins with David Beaumier
Weekly Wednesday Evening Write-Ins with Phoebe Walker and Janet Oakley
Monthly Thriller Craft Discussions with Dena Weigel
Monthly Writing Craft Discussions with David Beaumier
Monthly Recorded Workshops
Upcoming is Kickstarting Your Book with Kiffer Brown and David Beaumier, 9/13 at 1pm PST
Virtual Happy Hour (9/16 at 5pm PST) with Kiffer Brown
We’re available for virtual Office Hours on the Roost!
Plus Perpetual Discounts and Early Bird Deals on our Annual Authors Conference, Editorial Reviews, and the CIBAs!
The Roost is a space driven by community! We build and add to it based on what our members ask for and want. Join us, and help transform the space into whatever you want it to be!
Roost sign-ups are typically available only in-person at Conferences or for our First Place Winners. We’ve worked hard to cultivate this community of professionals. And it’s open now to you, but only through September 15th!
Two entries to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards ($198)
And a Full Year as Chanticleer Members on the Roost (priceless)
All for $645
What does that include?
The Objective Editorial Review
Every book that receives a Chanticleer Editorial Review written by one of our professional reviewers receives the following:
Published online on the Chanticleer Reviews website for easy linking
Each online published review comes with a built-in All IN One Search Engine Optimization package (AIOSEO) to maximize the review and the book title/author’s digital footprint.
AIOSEO interfaces with Google, Bing, Firefox, and Explorer search engines.
We carefully apply AIOSEO techniques to increase higher search rankings for each review.
AIOSEO allows for easier integration into Google Analytics.
Each posted review comes with SEO metadata to optimize Google searches and Amazon crawlers.
Digital links to Amazon, Independent Bookstores, and the Author or Publisher’s website.
Each review is posted to our social media for easy sharing and commenting by the author/publisher.
All our reviews are promoted and highlighted in our Newsletter.
We continue to periodically post the review to social media and in blogposts with links to the review on our website for long-term marketing and to refresh digital footprints.
You do not have to use the Chanticleer Book Review package now. You can use it in the future when you are ready!
The Coveted Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs)
You know you want it.
The CIBAs run year round with promotions always popping up on our website to celebrate the incredible authors who advance. Starting at the Long List, we begin promoting work on our high-traffic website, on social media, and in our newsletter.
From that point we add in digital badges, promotional stickers. By the time we reach the $1000 cash prize for the Overall Grand Prize Winner, we’ve given away over $30,000 worth of prizes!
With all that plus our under the hood marketing technology, it’s no surprise that the CIBAs are the most popular of all our offerings at Chanticleer.
When You’re Ready, We’re Here
Signing up for this bundle doesn’t mean you have to immediately submit your work to the CIBAs or for Review. We’re happy to hold your spot and check in with you on your terms, when your work is at its best. The same with the two CIBA entries!
You might write your book alone, but authors live in community.
Join The Roost today. We’re here, and we can’t wait to support you in your author’s journey and help your book be discovered!
Can’t do the bundle but still want to join?
Reach out to AuthorOutreach@ChantiReviews.com for a discount code and sign up today!
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 M&M Awards for Cozy and Not-so-cozy Mystery!
