Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Superhumans

The 2025 Shelley Short List for Paranormal Fiction
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

The Shelley Awards were formerly known as the Paranormal Awards. We are delighted to be able to honor the mother of science fiction with this award!

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird other-worldly stories, super humans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Dresden Files), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2025 Paranormal Book Awards!

Each of these authors is already winning with their books are now featured on our high-traffic website, shared across our social media, and promoted to our newsletter subscribers. But this is just the beginning of their CIBA journey.

These titles have moved forward from the 2025 SHELLEY Paranormal Fiction Long List to the 2025 Shelley Awards Short List. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Shelley Semi-Finalists. Finalists will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA.

These titles are in the running for the Semi-Finalists of the 2025 Shelley Book Awards novel competition for Paranormal Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- AJ Humphreys – Trip: A Psychological Horror Novel
- Amy S Cutler – A Shadow of Love
- Amy S Cutler – To Have and To Hold To Love and To Kill an Agreement of Souls
- Antoinette Chalmers – Midnight Stone
- Bryan Alaspa – The Given
- Dan Morris-Young – The Music Building
- Diane Corso – Broken Things
- E.L. Deards – The Lavender Blade
- Evette Davis – The Campaign
- George Petersen – The Summer of Haight
- Gina Detwiler – Forever
- H.J. Ramsay – Love and Other Cures for the Recently Undead
- Heather Murphy – Bring Out Your Dead
- Isaac Thorne – Tab’s Terrible Third Eye
- Jared TLC – Destiny Lane
- Katy Nyquist – A Holy Maiden’s Guide To Getting Kidnapped
- Keith Steinbaum – The Poe Consequence
- Kevin S. Moul – Lander’s Gate
- L. J. Aldon – Riddle of the Jeweled Cipher
- Lloyd Jeffries – Embers of Shadow Ages of Malice Book III
- Logan D. Irons – City of Wolves
- Lou Pugliese – Blame It on the Moon
- Louisa West – Kiss of Death
- Mark Mustian – Boy with Wings
- Matt Ozanich – Priestess: The Tears of Promises Book One
- Matthew Minson – The Lupin Gene
- Melanie Forde – Guardian of the Crossroads
- Raquel Y. Levitt – The Seer
- Rebekah L Webb – Burrows of Blood and Shadow
- Sheila English – The Deadly Pieces
- Sherri L Dodd – Moonset on Desert Sands
- T.V. Holiday – Cataclysm Legend of the Iron Warrior Vol. 2
- Tom Dolan – Boba Wars Zero
- Tracy Shew – Book Group
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, LinkedIn, and Bluesky pages. We try to tag all authors listed here on Facebook. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed @ChantiReviews on these platforms.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE! We are @ChantiReviews everywhere!

We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

Congratulations once more to the 2024 Shelley Grand Prize Winner

Time-Marked Warlock

By Shami Stovall

Click here to see the full list of 2024 SHELLEY Book Award Winners for Paranormal Fiction.

Ready to Submit?

Submissions for the 2026 Shelley Awards and other Speculative Fiction Divisions are open now! For other genres, we still have 25 divisions open for the 2025 CIBAs! Whether you write mystery, romance, historical fiction, or something entirely different, there’s likely a perfect fit for your work.

Winners will be announced at the 2025 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 17-19, 2026! Save the Date for Registration!

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 14th annual conference and discover why!
August 28, 2025
The 2025 Shelley Long List for Paranormal Fiction
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

The Shelley Awards were formerly known as the Paranormal Awards. We are delighted to be able to honor the mother of science fiction with this award!

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird other-worldly stories, super humans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Dresden Files), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2025 Paranormal Book Awards!

Each of these authors is already winning with their books are now featured on our high-traffic website, shared across our social media, and promoted to our newsletter subscribers. But this is just the beginning of their CIBA journey.

These titles have moved forward in the first look rounds from all 2025 SHELLEY Paranormal Fiction entries to the 2025 Shelley Book Awards Long List. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Shelley Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. Finalists will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Shelley Book Awards novel competition for Paranormal Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- AJ Humphreys – Trip: A Psychological Horror Novel
- Alexandra Pugachevsky – Lilou the Shadyside Chronicles
- Amy S Cutler – A Shadow of Love
- Amy S Cutler – To Have and To Hold To Love and To Kill an Agreement of Souls
- Antoinette Chalmers – Midnight Stone
- Bryan Alaspa – The Given
- C.V. Vobh – Somnus Palace
- Charlie Robinson – Bow Tie Sex
- D.D. Franklin – Silver Lake Awakening
- Dan Morris-Young – The Music Building
- Derek Wachter – While We Wait
- Diane Corso – Broken Things
- E.L. Deards – The Lavender Blade
- Evette Davis – The Campaign
- George Petersen – The Summer of Haight
- Gina Detwiler – Forever
- H.J. Ramsay – Love and Other Cures for the Recently Undead
- Heather Murphy – Bring Out Your Dead
- Isaac Thorne – Tab’s Terrible Third Eye
- Jared Tlc – Destiny Lane
- Jonathan Fossler – Where the Children Play
- Katy Nyquist – A Holy Maiden’s Guide To Getting Kidnapped
- Keith Steinbaum – The Poe Consequence
- Kevin S. Moul – Lander’s Gate
- L. J. Aldon – Riddle of the Jeweled Cipher
- Lloyd Jeffries – Embers of Shadow Ages of Malice Book III
- Logan D. Irons – City of Wolves
- Lou Pugliese – Blame It on the Moon
- Louisa West – Kiss of Death
- M. Flagg – Memories of a Hunter’s Moon
- Mark Mustian – Boy with Wings
- Matt Ozanich – Priestess: The Tears of Promises Book One
- Matthew Minson – The Lupin Gene
- Melanie Forde – Guardian of the Crossroads
- Raquel Y. Levitt – The Seer
- Rebekah L Webb – Burrows of Blood and Shadow
- Sheila English – The Deadly Pieces
- Sherri L Dodd – Moonset on Desert Sands
- T.V. Holiday – Cataclysm Legend of the Iron Warrior Vol. 2
- Tom Dolan – Boba Wars Zero
- Tracy Shew – Book Group
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, LinkedIn, and Bluesky pages. We try to tag all authors listed here on Facebook. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed @ChantiReviews on these platforms.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE! We are @ChantiReviews everywhere!

We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

Congratulations once more to the 2024 Shelley Grand Prize Winner

Time-Marked Warlock

By Shami Stovall

Click here to see the full list of 2024 SHELLEY Book Award Winners for Paranormal Fiction.

Ready to Submit?

Submissions for the 2026 Shelley Awards and other Speculative Fiction Divisions are open now! For other genres, we still have 25 divisions open for the 2025 CIBAs! Whether you write mystery, romance, historical fiction, or something entirely different, there’s likely a perfect fit for your work.

Winners will be announced at the 2025 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 17-19, 2026! Save the Date for Registration!

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 14th annual conference and discover why!
July 18, 2025
Don’t let your Books Slip into the Shadows! Speculative Fiction Deadline Looms!
Time is Running Out for your Book to be Discovered!

Three great speculative fiction divisions close at the end of June!
Your book shouldn’t stay hidden!

Enter the CIBAs today!

Only 10 days left to submit your books to the prestigious CIBAs and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!

We’re looking for the best of the best for Speculative Fiction! Chanticleer started with a mandate to offer a platform specifically to indie authors and presses, and now every year we receive every type of work, from brilliant manuscripts to Big Five publications. Does your book have what it takes?

The Shelley Awards for Paranormal Fiction, Ozma Awards for Fantasy Fiction and the Cygnus Awards for Science Fiction are still open!

We are proud to recognize ALL of these 2024 CIBA Winners in Speculative Fiction Divisions!

Cygnus Award Winners!
- Timothy S. Johnston – A Blanket of Steel
- Peter Dingus – Deep Time
- A. R. Black – No Man’s Land
- Thomas R. Weaver – Artificial Wisdom
- Shami Stovall – The Half-Life Empire
Ozma Award Winners!
- Curt Locklear – Treasure and Murder In Ireland
- Glen Dahlgren – The Realm of Gods
- Susan Wands – High Priestess and Empress, Book Two, Arcana Oracle Series
- Prue Batten – The Red Thread
- S.G. Blaise – Meddling Mages
- J.A. Nielsen – The Claiming
Shelley Award Winners!
- Evette Davis – The Gift
- Alexander Fernandez – Above the Ashes
- Keith Steinbaum – In Lieu of Flowers
- Tim Facciola – Ghosts of Rheynia
- AA DaSilva – Periphery
- Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle – Vein Pursuits
And the 2024 Grand Prize Champions of Speculative Fiction

Congratulations once more to these powerhouse authors!

From left to right we have The Cygnus Grand Prize Winner Ares, the Ozma Grand Prize Winner Circle of Stars, and the Shelley Grand Prize Winner Time-Marked Warlock

More than just recognition

The CIBAs are your portal to discoverability in a world with millions of books published annually. Whether your book makes it to the first lists or all the way to the coveted Blue Ribbon, the CIBAs signal to readers, booksellers, and industry professionals that you’re serious about your craft.

Join the ranks of celebrated authors who’ve taken this critical step.

Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable recognition at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 2026) where Winners from all 28 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

Your story deserves to be heard.

Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

The Cygnus Awards for Science Fiction

The Ozma Awards for Fantasy Fiction

The Shelley Awards for Paranormal Fiction

Don’t Delay! Enter Today!
June 20, 2025
The 2025 Shelley Book Awards Hall of Fame for Paranormal Fiction

Celebrating the Best in Paranormal Fiction!

The Shelley Awards Hall of Fame Showcases Supernatural Excellence

***Send us your spooky tale today!***

The Shelley Awards (Formerly Known as the Paranormal Awards) celebrate the most compelling paranormal fiction each year. Let’s jump to our Hall of Fame and celebrate truly extraordinary supernatural tales from our Grand Prize Winners!

Let’s celebrate the past winners and visit the Hall of Fame for the Shelley Awards!

Time-Marked Warlock
By Shami Stovall

Our newest Shelley Grand Prize Winners review is still upcoming, in the meantime here’s what GoodReads readers have been saying:

“Let’s see what did I like?

Everything

This is a book I will be recommending to literally everyone. Smart magic, fun characters, & a mystery to solve. Also, the narration was amazing. 10/10 will be recommending.” -Hayley

“As per usual, Shami Stovall wrote a new series that somehow manages to immediately reel you in. The magic is explained well enough and inherently simple enough to understand how it works without having to go too in depth.” -Carlos

“Amazing book! If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, mysteries or Groundhog Day get this book. Shami keeps you on your toes as you share her world. The magic system is well thought out and the characters are engaging. 10/10″ -Karson

To see more from this author, see her website here

Buy the book

Becoming Crone
By Lydia M. Hawke

There’s a darkness rising from the Otherworld in Lydia M. Hawke’s Becoming Crone, and only the Morrigan’s Crones can send it back. But For Claire Emerson, her first challenge is accepting the fact that she is a Crone.

On Claire’s sixtieth, friends and family come to celebrate her milestone birthday. But with her daughter-in-law Natalie giving out advice more suitable for an 80-year-old, her neighbor Jeanne’s annual gifting of a garden gnome, and her best friend Edie cracking wise and irreverent, Claire’s milestone is more like a millstone around her neck. Fresh off a divorce, in a funk, and seeking purpose in her life, her day is only brightened by her grandson Braden gifting her an antique pendant.

The owner of the antique shop, her neighbor Gilbert, wants to buy it back. Claire refuses for Braden’s sake and finds the pendant proves to have a value stranger than money. Other strange occurrences happen as well, including a strange, angry man, and protective crows. Determined to resolve this new mystery, Claire sets out to find the address.

Read More Here

Cold as Hell
By Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle

James Crowley isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill cowboy. Nor is Cold as Hell, by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle, your typical gunslinging western.

Although he’s got all the right characteristics – tough exterior, snarky personality, and commitment issues – Crowley is much more than he appears. Resurrected to immortality straight from death’s “sickly sweet aroma,” Crowley is duty-bound as a Hand of God to serve the White Throne in its shadow war against demonic presences called the nephilim unleashed by freezing hell.

But it’s not all ‘good guys versus bad guys’. As Crowley learns, “good choices don’t always mean doing right or wrong things. Especially when it comes to serving a Master like [the White Throne].” Forced to be the middle man between God and the Devil, Crowley has to decide for himself how to care for the people around him and bring true justice to fruition. Forced to be the middleman between God and the Devil, Crowley has to make his own choices about how to care for the people around him and bring justice to fruition.

Jam-packed with simmering romance, evil yetis, reckless bar fights, and other outlaw shenanigans, Cold as Hell will warm readers’ hearts as it freezes them to their seats with anticipation.

Read More Here

The Devil Pulls The Strings
By J.W. Zarek

The protagonist and all-around decent guy, Boone Daniels, is in a heap of hurt in JW Zarek’s new Young Adult novel, The Devil Pulls the Strings.

One would think being plagued by an evil spirit wendigo since age six would be enough inconvenience to last a lifetime, but when Boone jousts with his best bud at a Ren Faire and accidentally deals a mortal blow, the hurt he experiences suddenly lands on a sliding scale of 1 to 1 million. And Boone Daniels becomes a millionaire, so to speak.

Read More Here

Soul Seeker
By Kaylin McFarren

The realms of demons and angels clash, as the possibility of romance, plunges the beings of Hell into chaos. Kaylin McFarren’s Soul Seeker follows the otherworldly set as they flee for their lives, uncover millennia-old secrets about one another, and face the possibility of love in a very dangerous world.

But first, the demon, Crighton, wreaks havoc on his human target, a man named Poe, devastating the man and his family. You could say, Crighton’s at home collecting wicked souls for his boss, Lucifer. His villain persona is put into question when he meets the angel, Ariel. At first, Crighton believes the angelic Ariel would make an excellent prize for the prince of darkness, as the demon is well aware that his master adores ruining pretty things. However, when an undeniable attraction emerges between them, they wrestle with each other, pitting strength against strength. Beware any who would do anything to tear these two apart—that would spell certain death.

Read More Here

Congratulations again to these exception Grand Prize Division Winners in the Shelley Book Awards for Paranormal Fiction!

From time-traveling warlocks to cosmic battles between good and evil, each of these stories found their readership through the recognition that comes with Shelley Award achievement.

Your villains are shadowy, but don’t let your book fade into the darkness.

From time-traveling warlocks to cosmic battles between good and evil, each of these Hall of Fame winners shares one crucial element: they didn’t let their stories remain undiscovered. They took the leap and submitted to the Shelley Awards, transforming their manuscripts from hidden gems into celebrated works. In today’s saturated market, exceptional writing isn’t enough. You need strategic promotion, credible recognition, and a pathway to readers who are hungry for exactly the kind of paranormal fiction you’ve created. The Shelley Awards provide all three.

Time is Running Out

Deadline: June 30, 2025

Your Supernatural Story Won’t Discover Itself

Submit to the Shelley Awards Today

June 13, 2025
Shelley Book Awards First Place Round Up from 2024

The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Supernatural Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Shami Stovall’s book, Time-Marked Warlock will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Shelley contest page year ’round!

The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!

The 2024 Shelley Winners were announced on April 5 at the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2024 Shelley First Place Winners!

Evette Davis – The Gift

After a brutal act of terrorism shakes the Council to its core, they send supernaturally gifted Olivia Shepherd on assignment in Eastern Europe. What Olivia really wants is time to recover and process the stunning revelations she recently uncovered—secrets her parents have hidden from her all her life. But with a thousand-year-old vampire on her trail, rest is not in the cards for the reluctant witch, who is still discovering the extent of her powers.

When her nemesis makes the fight horribly personal, Olivia becomes blinded by her need for revenge. Pulled back into the Council’s treacherous politics, she finds herself separated from her lover, William, and thrust into an uncomfortable partnership with his beguiling brother, Josef. Meanwhile, danger lurks around every wintry corner in Eastern Europe.

As everything in Olivia’s life spins out of control, will she surrender to destiny—or forge her own path?

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Alexander Fernandez – Above the Ashes

Fleeing barbaric witch hunts in England, Sybil Cotterill sails to the British Colonies only to find herself trapped by another witch hysteria in Salem of 1692. Caught by a frenzied mob, Sybil’s witchcraft saves her from the noose; however, a gruesome man with mysterious powers defeats Sybil and confines her in a tomb for over 300 years.

In modern times, a vampire named Marcelo discovers Sybil’s tomb and unwittingly releases the raging spell-caster. With centuries of pent-up vengeance, Sybil initiates a quest to destroy the descendants of those who murdered her fellow witches and tried to kill her. Marcelo attempts to quell Sybil’s wrath and protect the innocent descendants, yet his growing desire for the witch leaves him to question his motives as an undead blood-drinker.

Confused, lonely, and troubled by the modern world, Sybil’s lust for revenge conflicts against her rising adoration for Marcelo. Will she commit murder to fulfill her need for retribution, or will love from an unlikely source free the witch from the darkness within her?

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Keith Steinbaum – In Lieu of Flowers

There are over 300,000 gravesites in Evergreen Cemetery, and all of the occupants are resting in peace. Except for two. One with a warning to give. The other who the warning is about.

Following in the influential footsteps of dark classics such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and The Exorcist, multi-award winning author Keith Steinbaum brings you In Lieu of Flowers, where death is only the beginning.
The beginning of the end…

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Tim Facciola – Ghosts of Rheynia

Some curses run in the family. This one seeks to consume it.

Ten years ago, Threyna’s family fractured: her father lost in the Battle of the Cut, her mother and sister vanishing from her life. Now she fights with the Underground resistance, dreaming of rebellion — until a mission to save her condemned father goes wrong, leaving her cursed with blood magic that demands souls to survive.

Laela has spent a decade becoming her own kind of rebel: leading the Wraith in a desperate plan to escape their cursed isle. But when her careful exodus falls apart, she’s forced to seek help from the sister she abandoned. The sister who now wields the same dark power that turned their realm into a prison for the dead.

Their reunion was meant to be temporary. Their alliance, tactical. But with the Skeleton King’s undying army hunting them both, they’ll have to decide what’s stronger: the bonds of blood, or the curse running through it.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

AA DaSilva – Periphery

Charlotte barely survived the accident that killed her husband four years ago. Resuscitated a savant, she struggles to find meaning in her survival.

When she meets Simon, a mysteriously familiar stranger, they are drawn to each other with undeniable magnetism. But Simon is contracted to a black-ops agency.

With the agency on her heels, and Simon claiming her heart, Charlotte’s past and future collide when she’s offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband.

As secrets are revealed, motives uncovered, and alliances are formed, Charlotte must choose…between the fate of the world and the fate of her heart.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle – Vein Pursuits

The path to Heaven runs through miles of icy Hell…

James Crowley has ridden the road to Crescent City before, but never with companions like these. Never with a woman whose very presence jeopardizes everything he’s fought for over the past two decades.

The swamps are a brutal, nasty place filled with creatures most people think only exist in nightmares and fever dreams. When Crowley, along with Rosa, Bram Stoker, Harker, and Irish stumble upon such a creature, and one of their party finds themselves mortally wounded, they must find help in the most unlikely of places.

But that wasn’t James Crowley’s mission. As a Black Badge, a Hand of God, he’s been tasked with hunting down the worst Hell has to offer, and at Shargrafein’s beckoning, he must suss out the Betrayer – a mysterious being about whom no information is given.

What he finds is something he never could have guessed. The city is overrun with vampires, werewolves, and worse, including an old acquaintance with nothing good in mind.

Meanwhile, Rosa has continued her pursuit to reconnect with her dead husband, Willy Massey. With the help of a Voodoo Queen, she must do the unthinkable. Only Crowley stands between her and a choice that would forever scar her soul. But will he be able to escape the clutches of Hell in order to keep her from destroying everything and everyone in her path?

With the question of right and wrong always nagging at Crowley’s undead heart, he must decide where his loyalties lie in this pulse-pounding sequel to the hit Cold as Hell. The Witcher meets The Dresden Files in this weird Western series by the Audible number one bestselling duo behind Dead Acre.

From Chanticleer:

See our review of book 1 in this series, and the 2022 Paranormal Grand Prize Winner, Cold as Hell, here:

James Crowley isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill cowboy. Nor is Cold as Hell, by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle, your typical gunslinging western.

Although he’s got all the right characteristics – tough exterior, snarky personality, and commitment issues – Crowley is much more than he appears. Resurrected to immortality straight from death’s “sickly sweet aroma,” Crowley is duty-bound as a Hand of God to serve the White Throne in its shadow war against demonic presences called the nephilim unleashed by freezing hell.

But it’s not all ‘good guys versus bad guys’. As Crowley learns, “good choices don’t always mean doing right or wrong things. Especially when it comes to serving a Master like [the White Throne].” Forced to be the middle man between God and the Devil, Crowley has to decide for himself how to care for the people around him and bring true justice to fruition. Forced to be the middleman between God and the Devil, Crowley has to make his own choices about how to care for the people around him and bring justice to fruition.

Read More Here

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2024 Paranormal First Place Winners!

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards!

Got a great Fiction Book? The 2025 Shelley Book Awards are open through the end of June!

Submit to the Shelley Awards Today!

June 11, 2025
The 2025 Shelley Awards Spotlight for Paranormal Fiction
Who you gonna call for the Best Paranormal Fiction?

It’s a good guess, but not these folks!

The Shelley Awards!

The submissions for the 2025 Awards are well underway, and Shelley closes submissions at the end of June!

Paranormal fiction opens doorways to worlds where the impossible becomes reality—where vampires walk among us, where psychic powers shape destiny, and where the supernatural lurks just beyond the veil of everyday life. From spine-tingling mysteries to heart-pounding romances with otherworldly beings, the Shelley Awards celebrate the authors who dare to explore the realm between the known and unknown.

Let’s Dive into the Paranormal Categories of the Shelley Awards!
- Adventure/Mystery/Thriller combines supernatural elements with pulse-pounding action and intrigue—think Supernatural meets Sherlock Holmes, where paranormal investigators solve crimes that defy explanation.
- Paranormal Romance is where love transcends the boundaries of the mortal world. Whether it’s vampires finding their eternal mates or witches discovering love through magical bonds, these stories prove that romance knows no supernatural limits—perfect for fans of Twilight, True Blood and Shadowhunters.
- Magical Beings & Creatures features the fantastic inhabitants of paranormal worlds: vampires, werewolves, witches, demons, angels, and beings born from imagination. These stories explore what it means to be otherworldly in a human world.
- Strange and Unexplained delves into the mysterious phenomena that science can’t quite explain—haunted houses, unexplained disappearances, psychic phenomena, and encounters with the truly unknown. Think The X-Files in book form.
- Supernatural Powers focuses on characters gifted (or cursed) with abilities beyond normal human capacity: telepathy, precognition, telekinesis, or powers yet to be imagined. These stories explore how extraordinary abilities shape ordinary lives.
The beauty of paranormal fiction lies in its endless possibilities—where else can a detective consult with ghosts, or a romance bloom between a time traveler and an immortal?

Celebrating Our 2024 Shelley Grand Prize Winner!

After months of reviewing entries, we announced on April 5, 2025 at CAC25 that Shami Stovall claimed the 2024 Shelley Grand Prize with her exceptional novel Time-Marked Warlock! This thrilling book delivers Groundhog Day meets the Dresden Files—featuring a captivating adventure and murder mystery that will keep readers spellbound.

Stovall’s compelling narrative and masterful blend of time manipulation with supernatural investigation exemplify the innovative paranormal storytelling we seek to recognize. In addition to all the featured posts that have already gone out for the Shelley Awards, Time-Marked Warlock will be regularly promoted throughout the year on the Shelley Awards submission page and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame post. Shami Stovall will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and Time-Marked Warlock will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.

Looking for Your Next Paranormal Read?

Check out some of these incredible books we’ve reviewed recently that showcase the amazing diversity of paranormal fiction!

SOMETHING I KEEP UPSTAIRS
By J.D. Barker

An old and hungry thing wakes beneath the house on Wood Island. It calls out to another generation of children. In J.D. Barker’s supernatural mystery, Something I Keep Upstairs, a circle of New Castle teenagers digs up the unholy secrets of those who came before them.

When the hermit Geraldine Rote dies without clear cause, her grandson Spivey inherits Wood Island and the historic house upon it. He plans to spend the summer as a carefree sixteen-year-old rather than submitting to another round of cancer treatments. With the help of the mysterious estate lawyer Marston, Spivey escapes his parents’ reach.

At first, the island becomes a perpetual party, drawing an endless stream of kids and alcohol. But only a few learn the truth behind Wood Island’s dark stories.

Read more here!

THE MONARCHS
By Mark Sabbas

Hounded by an authoritarian military, vicious fellow psychics, and his own mental shadows, teenage Samuel Helen seeks the only people who can help his comatose beloved Evelyn. In Mark Sabbas’s Metaphysical adventure novel, The Monarchs, Samuel has no choice but to trust a strange and powerful girl, Luna, as his guide.

Decades after a nuclear apocalypse devastated Earth, the New Youth were born amidst rebuilding civilization. Vested with large, shining eyes and mysterious psychic power, these children are often feared as demons and taken by the Union military to be molded into weapons. Samuel himself spent most of his life in a military research facility. He grew up believing that a dark and furious power slumbered within him, eager to emerge and wreak havoc.

But Samuel’s not quite alone in this painful world. He has the love of an orphaned non-psychic girl, Evelyn, who urges him to run away with her. And within the walls of the Facility, Samuel relies on the mentorship and counsel of the psychologist Walter. Walter’s old-world music awakens a sense of beauty and inspiration in Samuel, though he struggles to accept Walter’s belief in a beneficent cosmic power.

Read more here!

BECOMING CRONE: Book 1 of The Crone Wars
By Lydia M. Hawke

There’s a darkness rising from the Otherworld in Lydia M. Hawke’s Becoming Crone, and only the Morrigan’s Crones can send it back. But For Claire Emerson, her first challenge is accepting the fact that she is a Crone.

On Claire’s sixtieth, friends and family come to celebrate her milestone birthday. But with her daughter-in-law Natalie giving out advice more suitable for an 80-year-old, her neighbor Jeanne’s annual gifting of a garden gnome, and her best friend Edie cracking wise and irreverent, Claire’s milestone is more like a millstone around her neck. Fresh off a divorce, in a funk, and seeking purpose in her life, her day is only brightened by her grandson Braden gifting her an antique pendant.

The owner of the antique shop, her neighbor Gilbert, wants to buy it back. Claire refuses for Braden’s sake and finds the pendant proves to have a value stranger than money. Other strange occurrences happen as well, including a strange, angry man, and protective crows. Determined to resolve this new mystery, Claire sets out to find the address.

Read more here!

DREAMS And ILLUSIONS: Gabrielle Dorian Mysteries Book 1
By Rebecca Olmstead

Dreams and Illusions by Rebecca Olmstead is a delicate interplay of mysteries balanced on an emotional undercurrent, exploring the immutable ebb and flow of life to find resilience in the shadow of misfortunes.

In the bustling town of Whitman, Gabrielle co-owns the boutique Belle Femme with her best friend, Kate. Radiating the tranquil aura of an empowered business owner, Gabrielle is a caring woman, but burdened with a secret she hides from everyone. Gabrielle is blessed—or perhaps cursed—with prophetic dreams.

Almost as if they are a glimpse into the future, Gabrielle wrestles with dreams that foretell an ominous fate. Soon she is confronted with a series of distressing events that thrust her into a mystery.

Read more here!

These reviews represent just a glimpse of the supernatural worlds waiting to be discovered in today’s paranormal fiction.

See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!

We’re so excited about all the great books we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.

Don’t Let Your Supernatural Story Remain in the Shadows!

The paranormal world is vast and full of untold stories waiting to find their readers. Whether your tale features ancient vampires navigating modern life or psychic detectives solving otherworldly crimes, the Shelley Awards are your gateway to recognition and readership.

Paranormal fiction has the power to make readers question reality while providing thrilling escapism. Don’t let your supernatural story remain hidden in the darkness—submit to the Shelley Awards today and join the ranks of celebrated paranormal authors who’ve found their audience through Chanticleer!

You know you want it…

Enter the Shelley Awards today!
June 9, 2025
The 2024 Shelley Book Awards WINNERS for Supernatural Fiction
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Supernatural Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Formerly known as the Paranormal Awards, now recently renamed after the mother of Science Fiction herself, Mary Shelley (1797-1851), Author of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818).

Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs) is looking for the best books Paranormal books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird otherworldly stories, superhumans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Harry Potter), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements.

1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners were announced at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony by Pamela Beason on Saturday, April 5th, 2025 at the Bellingham Yacht Club in beautiful Bellingham, Wash., sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

This is the OFFICIAL 2024 LIST of the SHELLEY BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the SHELLEY Grand Prize Winner.

Join us in celebrating the following authors and their works in the 2024 CIBAs.
- Evette Davis – The Gift
- Alexander Fernandez – Above the Ashes
- Keith Steinbaum – In Lieu of Flowers
- Tim Facciola – Ghosts of Rheynia
- AA DaSilva – Periphery
- Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle – Vein Pursuits
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 SHELLEY Awards is:

Time-Marked Warlock

By Shami Stovall

You can see all of our amazing 2024 Shelley Finalists! Congratulations to all and thank you for submitting!

Well done climbing the CIBA Levels of Achievement!

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. Our handle is @ChantiReviews

A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in May. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

NOTE: We will post at least two 2024 CIBA Divisions’ OFFICIAL Winners per business day starting April 14, 2025. We do a final sweep and reconciliation prior to making the Official CIBA Posts for the 2024 First Place and Grand Prize Winners. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. There are many moving parts involved with the Chanticleer International Book Awards Program.

Thank you for participating in the 2024 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.

The Chanticleer Team
April 20, 2025
The 2024 Shelley Book Awards Finalists for Paranormal Fiction!
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

The Shelley Awards were formerly known as the Paranormal Awards. We are delighted to be able to honor the mother of science fiction with this award!

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird other-worldly stories, super humans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Harry Potter), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2024 Paranormal Book Awards!

These titles have moved forward from the 2024 Shelley Supernatural Fiction SEMI-FINALISTS to the 2024 Shelley Book Awards FINALISTS. FINALISTS will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC25.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 5th, 2025 in beautiful Bellingham, WA at the Bellingham Yacht Club sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FIRST PLACE and GRAND PRIZE WINNERS of the 2024 Shelley Book Awards novel competition for Paranormal Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Jennifer Anne Gordon – Pretty Ugly
- Evette Davis – The Gift
- Peter B. Dedek – Possessed
- C.W. James – Mindfield: a Paranormal Thriller for Teens
- Alexander Fernandez – Above the Ashes
- Keith Steinbaum – In Lieu of Flowers
- Tim Facciola – Ghosts of Rheynia
- AA DaSilva – Periphery
- Charles Allen – A Graveyard of Ships
- E. L. Werbitsky – The Marsh Keeper
- Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle – Vein Pursuits
- Evette Davis – The Others
- Dennis D. Skirvin – Nicholas Knocker
- Joy Ross Davis – The Singer Sisters
- Shami Stovall – Time-Marked Warlock
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 Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us on Facebook.

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

We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

Congratulations once more to the 2023 Paranormal Grand Prize Winner

Becoming Crone

By Lydia M. Hawke

Click here to see the full list of 2023 Paranormal Book Award Winners for Supernatural Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2025 Shelley Book Awards for Supernatural Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2024 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 3 – 6, 2025! Save the Date for Registration!

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 annual conference as we enter our second decade and discover why!
January 12, 2025
The 2024 Shelley Book Awards Semi-Finalists for Paranormal Fiction!
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

The Shelley Awards were formerly known as the Paranormal Awards. We are delighted to be able to honor the mother of science fiction with this award!

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird other-worldly stories, super humans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Harry Potter), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2024 Paranormal Book Awards!

These titles have moved forward from the 2024 Shelley Supernatural Fiction SHORT LIST to the 2024 Shelley Book Awards SEMI-FINALISTS. FINALISTS will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC25.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 5th, 2025 in beautiful Bellingham, WA at the Bellingham Yacht Club sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FINALISTS of the 2024 Shelley Book Awards novel competition for Paranormal Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Jennifer Anne Gordon – Pretty Ugly
- E.S. Magill – Magica Book Rise of the Cult
- Evette Davis – The Gift
- Charles Allen – Maid of the Feast
- Kristin Homer – A Taste for Fear
- Miki Mitayn – Heated Earth Aedgar Moves In
- Peter B. Dedek – Possessed
- Jenny Allen – The Lotus Tree Book 3 in the Lilith Adams Series
- C.W. James – Mindfield: a Paranormal Thriller for Teens
- Alexander Fernandez – Above the Ashes
- Gracie Dix – Vork Chronicles Welcome to Superhero School
- Keith Steinbaum – In Lieu of Flowers
- Tim Facciola – Ghosts of Rheynia
- Beth Castrodale – The Inhabitants
- AA DaSilva – Periphery
- Charles Allen – A Graveyard of Ships
- E. L. Werbitsky – The Marsh Keeper
- Mark Sabbas – The Monarchs
- Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle – Vein Pursuits
- Evette Davis – The Others
- Brian Blackwood – Fractured
- Bradford Tatum – Hot Berry Punch
- LS Delorme – Bright Midnights
- Dennis D. Skirvin – Nicholas Knocker
- Joy Ross Davis – The Singer Sisters
- Shami Stovall – Time-Marked Warlock
- L. J. Aldon – Riddle of the Haunted Hoard
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 Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us on Facebook.

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

We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

Congratulations once more to the 2023 Paranormal Grand Prize Winner

Becoming Crone

By Lydia M. Hawke

Click here to see the full list of 2023 Paranormal Book Award Winners for Supernatural Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2025 Shelley Book Awards for Supernatural Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2024 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 3 – 6, 2025! Save the Date for Registration!

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 annual conference as we enter our second decade and discover why!
January 10, 2025
The 2024 Shelley Short List for Paranormal Fiction!
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

The Shelley Awards were formerly known as the Paranormal Awards. We are delighted to be able to honor the mother of science fiction with this award!

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird other-worldly stories, super humans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Harry Potter), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2024 Paranormal Book Awards!

These titles have moved forward from the 2024 Shelley Supernatural Fiction LONG LIST to the 2024 Shelley Book Awards SHORT LIST. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. FINALISTS will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC25.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 5th, 2025 in beautiful Bellingham, WA at the Bellingham Yacht Club sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALISTS of the 2024 Shelley Book Awards novel competition for Paranormal Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Stephanie Edwards – Lowcountry Charm
- Jennifer Anne Gordon – Pretty Ugly
- E.S. Magill – Magica Book Rise of the Cult
- Evette Davis – The Gift
- Charles Allen – Maid of the Feast
- Kristin Homer – A Taste for Fear
- Miki Mitayn – Heated Earth Aedgar Moves In
- Peter B. Dedek – Possessed
- Jenny Allen – The Lotus Tree Book 3 in the Lilith Adams Series
- C.W. James – Mindfield: a Paranormal Thriller for Teens
- Alexander Fernandez – Above the Ashes
- Gracie Dix – Vork Chronicles Welcome to Superhero School
- Keith Steinbaum – In Lieu of Flowers
- Tim Facciola – Ghosts of Rheynia
- Beth Castrodale – The Inhabitants
- AA DaSilva – Periphery
- Anika Savoy – Mayhem in Disguise
- Charles Allen – A Graveyard of Ships
- E. L. Werbitsky – The Marsh Keeper
- Mark Sabbas – The Monarchs
- Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle – Vein Pursuits
- Sharon Barnes – Shanghai Sunset
- Evette Davis – The Others
- Brian Blackwood – Fractured
- Mike Fiorito – For All We Know: A UFO Manifesto
- W.B.J. Williams – Johnny Talon and the Goddess of Love and War
- Sherri L Dodd – Murder Under Redwood Moon
- Bradford Tatum – Hot Berry Punch
- LS Delorme – Bright Midnights
- Dennis D. Skirvin – Nicholas Knocker
- Joy Ross Davis – The Singer Sisters
- Shami Stovall – Time-Marked Warlock
- L. J. Aldon – Riddle of the Haunted Hoard
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 Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us on Facebook.

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

We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!

Congratulations once more to the 2023 Paranormal Grand Prize Winner

Becoming Crone

By Lydia M. Hawke

Click here to see the full list of 2023 Paranormal Book Award Winners for Supernatural Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2025 Shelley Book Awards for Supernatural Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2024 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 3 – 6, 2025! Save the Date for Registration!

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 annual conference as we enter our second decade and discover why!
January 6, 2025