Give a huge round of applause 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 Fiction Authors, this post has links to all of the Finalist Awards for the 16 CIBA Divisions we have for fiction. We will have a separate post for Non-Fiction and one more post for the Shorts Awards and Series Awards where you can find all the 2023 Finalists!
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 20th 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 Fiction Awards Finalists
The Official 2023 CIBA Lists of the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for all Divisions of the CIBAs will start to be posted starting on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024.
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 12th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference is April 19-21, 2024
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.
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.
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The Somerset 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 contemporary stories, literary themes, adventure, magical realism, or women and family themes. 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 2023 Somerset Literary and Contemporary Fiction Semi-Finalists to the 2023 Somerset Book Awards 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 Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are the FINALISTS of the 2023 Somerset Book Awards novel competition for Literary and Contemporary Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
Judy Keeslar Santamaria – You Can’t Fool a Mermaid
Leslie Tall Manning – Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol
Deborah Hufford – Blood to Rubies
Charlotte Beck – A Good Day To Die
Nova Garcia – Not That Kind of Call Girl
Linda Moore – Five Days in Bogota
David Fitz-Gerald – If It’s the Last Thing I Do
Jo Deniau – Hologram
J.A. Wright – Eat and Get Gas
B. Lynn Carter – Jus Breathe
Jennifer Gold – Halfway to You
Jacqueline Boulden – Her Past Can’t Wait
Anne Moose – When You Read This I’ll Be Gone
Leslie Liautaud – Black Bear Lake
Chera Thompson – Dawned on the Danube
Kevin Lavey – The Return of Jason Foxx
Dennis Must – MacLeish Sq.
Margaret Klaw – Every Other Weekend
Julia Brewer Daily – No Names to Be Given
Ann Curtin – Muldoon’s Walking
Kamille Roach – A Matchbox Full of Pearls
Linn Aspen – The Dreamtidings of a Disgruntled Starbeing: Life with a psychopathic brother
James Gish, Jr. – When Blackbirds Dream
Donna Norman-Carbone – All That is Sacred
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.
We are now accepting submissions into the 2024 Somerset Book Awards for Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The 2024 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2025.
Featuring authors like D.D. Black, Kim Hornsby, book doctor Christine Fairchild, and Mark Berridge, our twelfth annual conference is shaping up to be excellent! You won’t want to miss out on the best tips around the business of being an author!
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.
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The Somerset 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 contemporary stories, literary themes, adventure, magical realism, or women and family themes. 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 2023 Somerset Awards for Literary and Contemporary Fiction Short List to the 2023 Somerset Book Awards Semi-finalists. 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 Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running to be the FINALISTS of the 2023 Somerset Book Awards novel competition for Literary and Contemporary Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
Judy Keeslar Santamaria – You Can’t Fool a Mermaid
Leslie Tall Manning – Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol
Deborah Hufford – Blood to Rubies
Charlotte Beck – A Good Day To Die
Nova Garcia – Not That Kind of Call Girl
Ruth F. Stevens – My Year of Casual Acquaintances
Linda Moore – Five Days in Bogota
David Fitz-Gerald – If It’s the Last Thing I Do
Dian Greenwood – About the Carleton Sisters
Lou Dischler – Oracle to the Underworld
A.J. Kohler and Susan Lynn Solomon – The Magician
Jo Deniau – Hologram
J.A. Wright – Eat and Get Gas
B. Lynn Carter – Jus Breathe
Terry Tierney – The Bridge on Beer River
Jennifer Gold – Halfway to You
Jacqueline Boulden – Her Past Can’t Wait
Anne Moose – When You Read This I’ll Be Gone
Leslie Liautaud – Black Bear Lake
Victoria Costello – Orchid Child
Barbara Francesca Murphy – Ever After
Chera Thompson – Dawned on the Danube
Kevin Lavey – The Return of Jason Foxx
Dennis Must – MacLeish Sq.
Margaret Klaw – Every Other Weekend
D.R. Ransdell – Carillon Chase
L.S Case – A Hundred Days Till Tomorrow
Elayne Klasson – The Earthquake Child: A Novel
Leslie A. Rasmussen – The Stories We Cannot Tell
Debra Thomas – Josie and Vic, a novel
Julia Brewer Daily – No Names to Be Given
Ann Curtin – Muldoon’s Walking
Kamille Roach – A Matchbox Full of Pearls
Linn Aspen – The Dreamtidings of a Disgruntled Starbeing: Life with a psychopathic brother
James Gish, Jr. – When Blackbirds Dream
Donna Norman-Carbone – All That is Sacred
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.
We are now accepting submissions into the 2024 Somerset Book Awards for Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The 2024 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2025.
Featuring authors like D.D. Black, book doctor Christine Fairchild, and Mark Berridge, our twelfth annual conference is shaping up to be excellent! You won’t want to miss out on the best tips around the business of being an author!
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.
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The Somerset 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 contemporary stories, literary themes, adventure, magical realism, or women and family themes. 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 all 2023 Somerset Literary and Contemporary Fiction entries to the 2023 Somerset Book Awards SHORT LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2023 Somerset 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 Four Points by Sheraton in beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the Semi-Finalists of the 2023 Somerset Book Awards novel competition for Literary and Contemporary Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
Judy Keeslar Santamaria – You Can’t Fool a Mermaid
Leslie Tall Manning – Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol
Marcia Peck – Water Music: A Cape Cod Story
Deborah Hufford – Blood to Rubies
Charlotte Beck – A Good Day To Die
Kimberly Sullivan – Rome’s Last Noble Palace
Ruth F. Stevens – My Year of Casual Acquaintances
Ann Marie Jackson – The Broken Hummingbird
George R. Wolfe – Into the River of Angels
Nova Garcia – Not That Kind of Call Girl
McKinley Aspen – Cogitatio: Shadows in the Wind
Linda Moore – Five Days in Bogota
David Fitz-Gerald – If It’s the Last Thing I Do
Pam Landen – If You Find Me Worthy
Dian Greenwood – About the Carleton Sisters
Lou Dischler – Oracle to the Underworld
A.J. Kohler and Susan Lynn Solomon – The Magician
Bob Holt – Firebird
Jo Deniau – Hologram
J.A. Wright – Eat and Get Gas
B. Lynn Carter – Jus Breathe
Terry Tierney – The Bridge on Beer River
Jennifer Gold – Halfway to You
Jacqueline Boulden – Her Past Can’t Wait
Giselle Mehta – Vectors in the Void
Mary Avery Kabrich – The Journal of Hidden Truths
Ron Roman – Of Ashes and Dust
Anne Moose – When You Read This I’ll Be Gone
Leslie Liautaud – Black Bear Lake
Victoria Costello – Orchid Child
Nancy Joie Wilkie – Faraway and Forever: More Stories
Barbara Francesca Murphy – Ever After
Chera Thompson – Dawned on the Danube
Kevin Lavey – The Return of Jason Foxx
Dennis Must – MacLeish Sq.
Margaret Klaw – Every Other Weekend
D.R. Ransdell – Carillon Chase
L.S Case – A Hundred Days Till Tomorrow
Patricia Sands – The Secrets We Hide
Elayne Klasson – The Earthquake Child: A Novel
Judy Lannon – Nine Days
Michele Chynoweth – The Wise Man
Leslie A. Rasmussen – The Stories We Cannot Tell
Debra Thomas – Josie and Vic, a novel
Julia Brewer Daily – No Names to Be Given
Joe Pace – Moss
Ann Curtin – Muldoon’s Walking
Kathy Sechrist – Success Is The Best Revenge
Kamille Roach – A Matchbox Full of Pearls
Michele Kwasniewski – Falling Star Book Three of The Rise and Fall of Dani Truehart Series
Linn Aspen – The Dreamtidings of a Disgruntled Starbeing: Life with a psychopathic brother
James Gish, Jr. – When Blackbirds Dream
Donna Norman-Carbone – All That is Sacred
Laura Albu – The Undines
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.
We are now accepting submissions into the 2023 Somerset Book Awards for Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The 2023 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2024.
Featuring authors like D.D. Black, Screenwriter Kim Hornsby, book doctor Christine Fairchild, and coach and inspiring Mark Berridge, with more to be announced. CAC is shaping up to be excellent! You won’t want to miss out on the best tips around the business of being an author and achieving your publishing goals.
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.
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The Somerset 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 contemporary stories, literary themes, adventure, magical realism, or women and family themes. 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 all 2023 Somerset Literary and Contemporary Fiction entries to the 2023 Somerset Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for the 2023 Somerset 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 Four Points by Sheraton in Beautiful Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2023 Somerset Book Awards novel competition for Literary and Contemporary Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
Mhani Alaoui – The House on Butterfly Street
Khristin Wierman – This Time Could Be Different
Judy Keeslar Santamaria – You Can’t Fool a Mermaid
KP McCarthy – Mortal Weather
Leslie Tall Manning – Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol
Marcia Peck – Water Music: A Cape Cod Story
Deborah Hufford – Blood to Rubies
David Joseph – I Didn’t Know What to Say, so I Just Said Thanks
Charlotte Beck – A Good Day To Die
Kimberly Sullivan – Rome’s Last Noble Palace
Scott Swanson – Sweet Tooth
Ruth F. Stevens – My Year of Casual Acquaintances
Ann Marie Jackson – The Broken Hummingbird
George R. Wolfe – Into the River of Angels
Arthur Byrd – Crossing Lake Pontchartrain
Nova Garcia – Not That Kind of Call Girl
McKinley Aspen – Cogitatio: Shadows in the Wind
Carrie Simmons – Lovers’ Jewelry
Linda Moore – Five Days in Bogota
David Fitz-Gerald – If It’s the Last Thing I Do
Pam Landen – If You Find Me Worthy
Dian Greenwood – About the Carleton Sisters
Lou Dischler – Oracle to the Underworld
A.J. Kohler and Susan Lynn Solomon – The Magician
Bob Holt – Firebird
Jo Deniau – Hologram
J.A. Wright – Eat and Get Gas
B. Lynn Carter – Jus Breathe
George Brown – Who Killed Jerusalem?
Krishma Tuli Arora – From Ash to Ashes
Terry Tierney – The Bridge on Beer River
Jennifer Gold – Halfway to You
Jacqueline Boulden – Her Past Can’t Wait
Giselle Mehta – Vectors in the Void
Mary Avery Kabrich – The Journal of Hidden Truths
Ron Roman – Of Ashes and Dust
Anne Moose – When You Read This I’ll Be Gone
Leslie Liautaud – Black Bear Lake
Victoria Costello – Orchid Child
Nancy Joie Wilkie – Faraway and Forever: More Stories
Barbara Francesca Murphy – Ever After
Chera Thompson – Dawned on the Danube
Kevin Lavey – The Return of Jason Foxx
Dennis Must – MacLeish Sq.
Margaret Klaw – Every Other Weekend
D.R. Ransdell – Carillon Chase
L.S Case – A Hundred Days Till Tomorrow
Patricia Sands – The Secrets We Hide
Elayne Klasson – The Earthquake Child: A Novel
Judy Lannon – Nine Days
Michele Chynoweth – The Wise Man
Karla Huebner – Too Early to Know Who’s Winning
Leslie A. Rasmussen – The Stories We Cannot Tell
Debra Thomas – Josie and Vic, a novel
Julia Brewer Daily – No Names to Be Given
Rick Shands – Frame 39
Joe Pace – Moss
Ann Curtin – Muldoon’s Walking
Kathy Sechrist – Success Is The Best Revenge
Kamille Roach – A Matchbox Full of Pearls
Michele Kwasniewski – Falling Star Book Three of The Rise and Fall of Dani Truehart Series
Linn Aspen – The Dreamtidings of a Disgruntled Starbeing: Life with a psychopathic brother
James Gish, Jr. – When Blackbirds Dream
Victoria Costello – Orchid Child
Donna Norman-Carbone – All That is Sacred
Laura Albu – The Undines
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.
We are now accepting submissions into the 2023 Somerset Book Awards for Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The 2023 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2024.
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.
Are the pages of your book full of rich literary themes, captivating contemporary narratives, a touch of magical realism, or heartfelt explorations of family dynamics? If so, it’s time to put your work to the test by submitting it to the Somerset Awards! These awards seek to celebrate and honor books that shine with literary brilliance, offering a platform for those that delve into the complexities of human existence through the written word. Whether your work weaves enchanting tales of magical realism, delves into the intricacies of modern life, or delves deep into the bonds that tie families together, the Somerset Awards is your chance to gain recognition and acclaim for your extraordinary storytelling.
For Humor, Satire, or Allegorical works, we suggest that you consider the Mark Twain Book Awards division of the CIBAs.
Lets take a look at the Grand Prize Winners of the Somerset Awards!
Everything That Was By Conon Parks, Chris Sempek, Mike MacNeil and Larry Knight
Everything That Was echoes myriad broken emotions born of the world in turmoil after 9/11, intricate and politically bold, and as disturbing in its brutal humanity as it is satisfying with witty jests.
The 9/11 terrorist attack has shattered the psyche of the American people. A volcanic eruption of questions demands the whys and hows of the attack. From this anger, a massive war on terror begins. This historical fiction reflects the chaos of 9/11 and its ensuing global chaos – resulting in a series of violent endeavors and events. Throughout Everything That Was, one can find a swarm of fragmented ideologies, mini memoirs of war veterans, and witness accounts – all screeching reasons for the attack, the ensuing war, and its consequences: political, ideological, and theological.
From the first paragraph of Lies in Bone, Natalie Symons’ debut novel delves into human darkness.
Lies in Bone, set in a factory town in 1986 Pennsylvania after its industrial boom faded, is told from the point of view of a girl who struggles with more than usual teenage angst. Symons relentlessly reveals the fear, ignorance, and poverty which often suffuse a community left behind.
The residents of Slippery Elm, Pennsylvania, were bewildered and ill-equipped to deal with their new reality when the steel mill shut down seven years before, leaving many unemployed and discouraged.
Frances Coolidge, known as Frank, knows the struggle of being left behind.
Gregory Erich Phillips’ A Season in Lights is a well-crafted, engaging exploration of creatives, each following their heart and trying to reach their dream.
Against backdrops of the 1980s AIDS crisis and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic, the story entwines the lives of a 30-something dancer and an older musician as they strive to make their artistic mark in the cultural capital of New York City.
Here in a two-fold unveiling, the story comes to life from the first-person perspective of Cammie, a starry-eyed aspiring dancer from Lancaster, PA, and the third-person reveal of Tom, a more seasoned black pianist. He longs for a classical career but is too often labeled a jazz musician. Cammie first encounters Tom in a studio dance class where he’s taken a job as the musical accompanist. Befriended by the gay dance instructor, Tom heeds the worldly advice offered about surviving in the Big Apple. “All you’ve got to do is convince people that you belong. You’ve got to tell them who you are before they tell you.”
Abbie Rose Stone is a woman determined to follow her newly discovered dream of producing her own craft hard apple cider while navigating the ups and downs of family life with her grown sons and husband.
Abbie Rose knows how to deal with adversity, and dives headfirst into this new chapter of her life with energy and passion. She describes her early adulthood years of infertility struggles and the hardscrabble way she built her young family through invasive medical procedures, a surrogate attempt, and adoption barriers.
After finishing a successful career in education and raising her three sons, Abbie Rose now sees an opportunity to create a new segment of her life’s work in a blossoming business venture. She’s set to take on this new venture by herself, determined to succeed, with or without her husband’s support. Yet, while she lays out her meticulous plans for her cider business, life keeps happening around her, attempting to derail Abbie Rose at every turn.
Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Somerset 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!
Submit to the CIBAs Today!
Now is your chance to touch the hearts of readers everywhere. Your Contemporary story deserves to be discovered, and you can submit to the 2023 Somerset Awards by the end of the month. Don’t miss this chance to give your book the recognition it deserves.
And remember! Our 12th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24) will be April 18-21, 2024, where our 2023 CIBA winners will be announced. Space is limited and seats are already filling up. Sign up and see the latest updates here!
Celebrating the 4th of July – Independence Day in the U.S.A.
In July 1776 the United States declared Independence from England.
John Dunlap printed copies of the Declaration of Independence in his Philadelphia shop on the night of July 4, 1776. (National Archives Identifier 301682)
The primary freedoms that everyone remembers from the Declaration of Independence is “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” You can read the full Declaration here via the National Archives. It’s about two pages long and worth taking the time to review it.
Of course, the Declaration of Independence didn’t mean freedom for all…
Since US Independence was declared, the path to voting rights for all has been a long one getting from there to here, and there’s still more work to be done. You can read an abridged history of the journey of voting rights for women and people of color here, with special attention paid to the 19th Amendment.
And we now have Juneteenth, a Texas holiday that is now celebrated nationwide. . The holiday celebrates a June 19, 1865 proclamation that freed enslaved peoples in Texas. Texas then, in 1979, became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday. You can learn more about Juneteenth here.
Clearly, the US Independence Day has a deep, rich history that still lives on and evolves today. The traditions to celebrate the Fourth of July also continue to change and grow with the world.
Here in Bellingham, Wash., there will be a celebration at Zuanich Point Park and the Squalicum Boathouse. Events begin at 2pm, and, with sunset around 9:16pm, the big event begins at 10:30pm! You can learn more about this and other Whatcom County Events here.
Bellingham’s Old City Hall
It is also a time to remember those who serve and have served to preserve our nation’s independence and democracy.
Finally, we want to celebrate the US Independence Day in the most Chanticleer way possible — by recognizing wonderful titles . We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
Great Reads from Chanticleer Reviews
US Fiction and Early History
DELAWARE BEFORE The RAILROADS By Dave Tabler
Delaware Before the Railroads by Dave Tabler presents a captivating visual tale of this tiny state, from 1638 to 1832, ranging between early colonial settlements and the aftermath of America’s Independence.
Delaware’s place in this seminal time of United States history is carefully illustrated through pictures with wonderful captions. Delaware Before the Railroads highlights the significant role played by Delaware in America’s creation, uncovering surprising historical details such as the origin of log houses, a heroic figure who thwarted the British invasion of Canada, and the intriguing connection with Captain Kidd.
The pictures and captions are highlighted by sidebar paragraphs that deliver more knowledge about what life was like for the Swedes and Dutch who settled near Delaware Bay. They found, for instance, a “new world” of seafood they didn’t recognize, such as the crabs they called “sea spiders.”
DELPHIC ORACLE, U.S.A. By Steven Mayfield
Mark Twain Grand Prize Winner
The Coen Brothers meet Garrison Keillor in Steven Mayfield’s quirky, offbeat, and often hilarious Delphic Oracle, U.S.A.
One June afternoon in 1925, seventeen-year-old Maggie Westinghouse, out walking alone as was her custom, comes upon a stranger in a railroad switch-house asleep on a pile of gunnysacks. Maggie, who has always stood a little apart from the town, has recently begun to experience visions that come upon her “in a leisurely way,” ending in a swoon and a restless sleep filled with exotic talk of which she later has no memory. No one knows what to make of it, but they soon will. After this afternoon’s chance encounter with July Pennybaker, a charming grifter on the lam, her world will never be the same. Neither will the town of Miagrammesto Station.
Eighty-nine years later, in the days leading up to and following the July 4th weekend, domestic dramas are playing out across Delphic Oracle, Nebraska (nee Miagrammesto Station).
EVERYTHING THAT WAS
By Conon Parks, Chris Sempek, Mike MacNeil, Larry Knight
Somerset Grand Prize Winner
Everything That Was echoes myriad broken emotions born of the world in turmoil after 9/11, intricate and politically bold, and as disturbing in its brutal humanity as it is satisfying with witty jests.
The 9/11 terrorist attack has shattered the psyche of the American people. A volcanic eruption of questions demands the whys and hows of the attack. From this anger, a massive war on terror begins. This historical fiction reflects the chaos of 9/11 and its ensuing global chaos – resulting in a series of violent endeavors and events. Throughout Everything That Was, one can find a swarm of fragmented ideologies, mini memoirs of war veterans, and witness accounts – all screeching reasons for the attack, the ensuing war, and its consequences: political, ideological, and theological.
The book’s very structure expresses the central ideas of its content, making for an affecting read.
DEAR BOB: Bob Hope’s Wartime Correspondence with the G.I.s of World War II
By Martha Bolton with Linda Hope
Military and Front Line Grand Prize Winner
During World War II, Bob Hope traveled almost ceaselessly to outposts large and small, entertaining US troops – and inspiring them; Martha Bolton brings the extent of this work to light in Dear Bob.
Writer Martha Bolton worked with and for comedian Bob Hope. Now, with Hope’s daughter Linda, she has gathered and organized the letters written to Bob by the soldiers he helped.
Hope, English born, and born to entertain, once said he could not retire and go fishing because “Fish don’t applaud.” Among his sizzling lines – and there are hundreds recorded here – he told one audience that he’d gotten a wonderful welcome when he arrived at their camp: “I received a 10-gun salute… They told me on the operating table.”
SEEING GLORY: A Novel of Family Strife, Faith & the American Civil War
By Bruce Gardner
Seeing Glory by Bruce Gardner is a sweeping, thought-provoking Christian historical novel of the American Civil War. The novel portrays the critical roles of family ties and religious faith in shaping personal attitudes and actions towards the horrors of slavery and the war itself.
Spanning the era from the famous abolitionist John Brown’s Pottawatomie Massacre in 1856 through the end of the war nine years later, Seeing Glory focuses on the gut-wrenching conflicts over slavery and the southern way of life faced by David, Emma, and Catherine Hodge, fictional siblings, raised on a wealthy plantation in Virginia.
David returns home from a prestigious northern college filled with radical new perspectives. He challenges his father’s and his southern church’s assurances that the Bible says slavery is approved by God. When David calls out the truth as he now sees it, he ignites a firestorm that tears him away from his family at the beginning of the Civil War, sparking huge changes in their individual destinies. Soon after meeting Abel Bowman—an ardent abolitionist and follower of John Brown—David moves north to Ohio and becomes an embedded war reporter with Abel’s Union army regiment. Mutual zeal for the abolitionist cause abounds, but will it help or hinder the two men’s endurance of horrific battlefield violence and scandalous personal accusation?
May your family and loved ones be close and happy. May we share in the benefits of a community that cares for and loves each other.
Happy Fourth of July from Sharon, Kiffer, David, Scott, Anya, Andy, and the whole Chanticleer Team!
And Remember! You can join the Chanticleer Family Anytime!
CAC 23 featured atty Maggie Marr, magazine editor Eric Lucas, author Mark Berridge, podcaster and broadcast journalist Reenita Malhotra Hora, and more!
To stay up to date with exciting news about our conference, your next great read, or contest deadlines, sign up for our Newsletter here!
Check out our Editorial Services here and our Manuscript Overviews here, OR, if your work is already polished to a fine shine, it’s time to submit to our Editorial Reviews here and our Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) here!
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The Somerset 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 contemporary stories, literary themes, adventure, magical realism, or women and family themes. These books have advanced to the final judging rounds.
1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners were announced at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony by Donna LeClair on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2023 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
This is the OFFICIAL 2022 LIST of the SOMERSET BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the SOMERSET Grand Prize Winner.
Join us in celebrating the following award-winning authors and their works in the 2022 CIBAs.
Jo Deniau – Stiff Hearts
Datta Groover – The Reluctant Visionary
Conon Parks – Everything That Was
John Hansen – Hired Hands
Linda Moore – Attribution
Morgan Sloan – Scars and Honey
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 SOMERSET Awards is:
Everything That Was
by Conon Parks
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.
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 inJune. 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.
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 Fiction Authors, this post has links to all of the Finalist Awards for the 16 CIBA Divisions we have for fiction. We will have a separate post for Non-Fiction and one more post for the Shorts Awards for both longer works and collections as well as , as well as the Series Book Awards.
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 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 after 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
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.
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.
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The Somerset 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 contemporary stories, literary themes, adventure, magical realism, or women and family themes. 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 all 2022 Somerset Literary and Contemporary Fiction Semi-Finalists to the 2022 Somerset Book Awards FINALISTS.Winners will be selected from the Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22).
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.
These titles are in the running for the First Place and Grand Prize Winner of the 2022 Somerset Book Awards novel competition for Literary and Contemporary Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2022 CIBAs.
Conon Parks – Everything That Was
Michael Richard – Chosen’s Beautiful Heart
Linda Moore – Attribution
Datta Groover – The Reluctant Visionary
Robert Tucker – The Discontent of Mary Wenger, Paper Dolls, Book 1
Patricia Sands – The Secrets We Hide
Julia Tvardovskaya – Identifiable
Ellen Sherman – Into the Attic
Fran Hawthorne – I Meant to Tell You
Leslie Kain – Secrets In The Mirror
Patricia Averbach – Dreams of Drowning
Tom Stewart – Immortal North
Jeffrey Dale Lofton – Red Clay Suzie
John Hansen – Hired Hand
Jo Deniau – Stiff Hearts
Dianne C. Braley – The Silence in the Sound
Maggie Smith – Truth and Other Lies
Susan Lynn Solomon – Raising Kane
Lynn Byk – The Fearless Moral Inventory of Elsie Finch
Morgan Sloan – Scars and Honey
Harriet Cannon – Exiled South
Ann Marie Stewart – Out of the Water
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.
We are now accepting submissions into the 2023 Somerset Book Awards for Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The 2023 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2024.
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.
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary and Contemporary Fiction. The Somerset Book Awards is a genre division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).
