Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Westerns

  • Three Rules for Writing Historical Fiction That Will Transport Readers Back in Time

    There is magic in historical fiction.

    Magic that takes you to another time and place. In a time machine, you might say, with a beautiful cover and pages in between.

    That’s what readers expect when reading historical fiction. A time machine. They want to immerse themselves in a world that once was and now can only be visited in their imaginations. But who is this storyteller, this weaver of time, and how, exactly, does this time machine transport readers into the past?

    Books, clock, purple, blue, red

    Let’s look under the hood of that writer’s time machine and get to know the rules of historical fiction!

    1. Immerse Readers in the Past

    Historical fiction requires authenticity. Placing the reader in a world that once existed means they have a sense of that world based on their own experiences and knowledge. This doesn’t mean you can’t shape their beliefs, but to do so you must adhere to the way that world existed. 

    Before you tap one key on your computer, do your research. Immerse yourself in your characters world. Be a reporter from that time and ask yourself the who, what, why, and how questions that will help you set the tone and create the authenticity to make your story ring true.

    Make sure your sources are relevant and reliable. Readers of historical fiction tend to be well-versed in the time periods they are interested in reading about, so it’s up to the writer to make sure the details they put into their story are as accurate as possible.

    2. Characters That Live in the Past and Thrive in the Present

    They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. This thought can be applied to the characters your readers will meet in your story. Styles change, trends evolve, and what was once acceptable in society no longer is, but some things never change. 

    To make relatable characters in historical fiction you must blend the societal norms of their era with issues that can still resonate with readers today. You see this in the anguish over someone’s death, or the joy of seeing your destination after a long, difficult journey. Humanity has always shared similar desires and calamities, use them to bridge the gap between readers and the characters in your imaginary world.

    Blending the past and present is also needed for other details within your story. Maybe it’s clothing or language, or a specific smell or sound that places the reader in the past. Slip inside your character’s skin, but keep in mind the thru lines that humans have always shared.

    Books, hand, sleeve

    3. Restrain Your Research

    If you enjoy writing historical fiction, there’s a good chance you love learning about the past, and that’s where our good intentions can derail our writing process. Each turn of the page generates a new idea for your story, and time slips away before you realize your research has sucked up all the time you’d set aside for actually working on the manuscript.

    To protect yourself from this fast road to nowhere we suggest blocking out dedicated time for the research portion of your designated work time. Set an alarm for a specific time and commit to ending that day’s research no matter where you are in the process so you don’t miss out on writing. That is what timers are for!

    Be clear in your goals for your research to ensure you get what you want from the time spent researching. Organize the appropriate resources and tools you’ll need before sitting down so they’ll be within reach, and write a list of the things you want to accomplish before getting started. If you find yourself straying from your goals, refer to the list to find your next subject to research.

    Create steps for your research to break down the work into manageable tasks. You could do it by subject matter, or resource material, or anything that fits your specific needs. The point is to make it less overwhelming as you move through the tasks. Prioritizing the tasks to get the most important or urgent ones done first will also help you to streamline the process further.
    Don’t forget to take breaks from your research to get out of your headspace and refresh. Sometimes we can become so involved in the worlds we are researching that it’s hard to get into the world of our imagination. By taking a break to refresh, it gives our brain time to process the information and see it anew to incorporate into a plot.

    book, glasses, old, buckles

    Buckle Up for a Long Ride

    There’s no way around it—good research takes time and effort. But the payoff can be amazing for your readers. The more you can place them in the time period of your story, the more the story will infiltrate into their imaginations. The devil is in the details, but the details need to make sense. So don’t rush the process. Set boundaries, work toward goals, and find good, reliable sources and you’ll surely find the valuable information that will take your readers back in time on a magical historical fiction ride all the way to the very last page!

    For more tips on streamlining your research check out these Chanticleer articles:

    The Last Man cover

    The Last Man
    Thomas Goodman
    CIBA Grand Prize Winner in the Laramie Division

    In The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery by Thomas Goodman, four men in a small, depression-era Texas town lay in wait to carry out their unique plan for a holiday heist.

    It’s December 23 and a man in a Santa Claus suit walks into a bank. But rather than his bag full of Christmas surprises, he’s brought a gun. With the element of surprise on their side, the robber and his two partners would collect the cash, while another partner waited in the getaway car. It all seemed so simple.

    At the time, Texas bankers—in order to deter crimes such as this—promised a $5,000 reward for any dead bandits, “and not one cent” for the capture of a live one. Should anything go wrong, the possibilities for disaster were clear as a Greek tragedy, but what could go wrong?

    Guns blaze within minutes of entering the bank.

    Read more here…

    The Brisling Code

    In The Brisling Code, a fast-paced first installment of her historical thriller series, Oakley weaves a brilliant portrayal of the perils met by the Norwegian Resistance during WWII.

    Layered perspectives—from resistance workers, traitors, and even an SS Officer—create a rich world through which readers can understand the sacrifices that were made to free our world from the tyranny of Nazi Germany.

    Immersed in volatile Nazi-occupied Bergen, Norway, fearless young intelligence agent Tore Haugland and his team of organizers work tirelessly to protect the essential work of the Norwegian resistance.

    Read more here…

    The Spoon Lisa Voelker

    The Spoon
    By

    Lisa Voelker’s historical fiction novel, The Spoon, takes us back to the 1950s in Hungary during the daring student uprising, and attempted revolution, in Buda and Pest. The author weaves historical facts with fiction in the form of family lore that has been handed down for generations.

    We follow scores of people whose lives intersected during this uprising of 1956. The revolution was, at its inception, a time of joyous upheaval, but in less than two weeks became one of devastating dissolution. People fled Hungary by the thousands, but not before giving the Soviet Union a taste of their discontent.

    Read more here..

    The Merchant from Sepharad

    Joshua Ibn Elazar, the eager son of a Jewish merchant, travels to al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule) to prove himself in his father’s business. But he finds an unwelcoming, degrading society waiting for him, and begins a journey of misfortune and anger in James Hutson-Wiley’s historical fiction novel, The Merchant from Sepharad.

    Shortly after arriving in the city of Lishbunah, al-Andalus, Joshua is tricked out of the gold for his living expenses. Worse yet, he learns that Jews in Lishbunah suffer under oppressive laws, holding far less status than Muslim citizens. He can only find help in Lishbuna’s Jewish community, meeting Rabbi Hiyya al-Daudi and his son Yaish, who house and feed him.

    Read more here…

    A Siren Called Truth Cover

    A Siren Called Truth

    Patricia Roberts Wright’s A Siren Called Truth plunges into the fierce rivalry of the Bone Wars, a real-life scientific feud between paleontologists Edward Cope and O.C. Marsh. Blending history, ambition, and human drama, this gripping historical novel explores the cost of discovery and the lengths people will go to secure their legacy.

    A Siren Called Truth is a character-driven exploration of rivalry. Edward Cope, a self-taught genius, is determined to unearth America’s prehistoric past, but O.C. Marsh stands in his way, a well-funded and politically savvy adversary. Their battle for dominance in paleontology is not just about fossils—it’s about reputation, power, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

    A Siren Called Truth’s prose transports readers to the rugged landscapes where fossils lie buried beneath layers of time.

    Read more here…

    Recognition for Historical Fiction Excellence

    Chaucer, Goethe, Laramie, Hemingway, CIBA, Awards

    Don’t miss out on your chance to submit to these fabulous Historical Fiction Awards!

    Whether you’re writing pure historical fiction or adding bits of history into other genres, professional recognition celebrates the craft behind effective tales from the past. The Chanticleer International Book Awards recognize outstanding fiction across multiple divisions that dive into the past:

    Chaucer Awards ~ Perfect for Early Historical Fiction (Pre-1750s Historical Fiction Novels

    Goethe Awards ~ Ideal for Late Historical (Post-1750s Fiction Novels

    Laramie Awards ~ Excellent for Western, Pioneer, Civil War, First Nations Fiction Novels and other Historical Fiction Books 

    Hemingway Book Awards ~ Fitting for 20th & 21st century Wartime Historical Fiction Novels

    The 2025 deadline is August 31st! These awards recognize the skillful writing in genres that creates memorable, impactful historical fiction.

    Historical fiction is about creating emotional experiences that resonate in the modern world long after the final page. Whatever your primary genre, adding in great period details, creating relatable characters, and sticking to a good process all the way to the finish can transform good stories into unforgettable ones.

    Submit before August 31 and let professional judges recognize your skill in crafting compelling, historical fiction.

  • Happy Birthday, Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of The Little House on the Prairie series!

    For many generations of children, their first introduction into the world of the Western genre is through The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

    Born in the “Big Woods” of Wisconsin, Laura spent her youth traveling across the great American prairie in a covered wagon. She watched as her father was the first to break ground on their Kansas farm and followed the construction of a railroad across the Dakotas. Laura lived an iconic American life, and lucky for us, she created stories from those memories and gave us a beloved children’s series. 

    Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie, woman, three, broach, earring

    Laura Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867. Today, that would make her 158 years old. Our own Dena Weigel was one of the children influenced and inspired by Ingalls, and we are delighted to have her share what she learned about the Western genre from Ingalls’ work. So cozy up around the fire and join us as Dena takes us back in time to see the world as it once was when a child crossed the country in the back of a covered wagon.

    Dramatic Surroundings

    For me, the most meaningful part of Laura’s writing comes through in her talent for setting the stage. Colorful sunsets, the smell of an approaching storm, or the screech of a panther as it pursues it’s prey—Laura had a special talent for describing her surroundings. Likely, that comes from years of “being the eyes” for her blind sister, Mary.

    Perfect for young readers, she wrote simple sentences that didn’t condescend, and sprinkled them with slightly uncommon, but more specific, words for them to learn. It wasn’t just a pink sky; it was a salmon-colored streak across a lavender sky. For a young reader and future writer, this illustrated that word choice is impactful in both meaning and substance. It adds to the meaning of the sentence, but it also adds to the feeling the sentence provokes in the reader.

    family, image, beard, Victorian, black, white
    The Ingalls Family (left to right): Caroline, Grace, Laura, Charles, Carrie and Mary

    Colorful Characters

    The cast of characters in Laura’s stories follow the traditional hallmarks for the Western genre, enhanced by the unique voice of the protagonist.

    Until this point, most imagery for the Wild West featured cowboys, gunslingers, and bounty hunters, but in the Little House series it is Laura, a girl the age of four to around eighteen throughout the series, who offers a new voice and a new perspective. That’s just the start of what makes her Little House books so special.

    Given the time period, most Westerns have limited space for female characters. Teachers, wives, sex workers, and the stray “wild” woman are about all the fairer sex can claim in this genre that’s frozen in time. Laura offers something new. The main protagonist is a spunky girl with complex thoughts and a yearning for adventure. Through her experience we get a new perspective in this very familiar genre.

    Ingalls rethought more than just women on the page. Other more typical Western characters set the stage for interesting challenges and interactions. Settlers, Native Americans, and townspeople bring a variety of conflict, wants, and needs that make Westerns so relatable more than a century after the era.

    The differences in society’s understanding of prejudices do stand out at times in Laura’s books, and there is much worthwhile commentary on her writing. While they undeniably exist, during Laura’s day they were, sadly, common. She wrote about these controversial moments in a way that doesn’t question it, but she does present the separation of cultures that were a part of our country’s commonly accepted ethics at the time.

    Books, Little House on the Prairie, series, Laura Ingalls Wilder

    Exciting Plotlines

    Raging rivers, fierce tornados, and roving bandits all show up in the Little House series. Always miles from the civilized world, there is plenty of opportunity to up the ante with intense plotlines. But there’s also the gentle spirit of a loving family to be a counter balance to the sudden, jarring, dangerous experiences each book brings to the table.

    Reading them as a child, I often missed the level of danger Laura and her family experienced, but as an adult I understand the seriousness of the glances her parents shared when they talked of a week long blizzard or their rush to put out a prairie fire. The family was nearly murdered, almost starved to death, and much worse during their nomadic years, and Laura handles all these events with the soft truth a child requires.

    Action! Action! Action!

    When you think of Westerns, you think action. In the saddle, in the saloon, and on the farm. While Laura doesn’t take us into the saloon, she does provide us with the action you’d expect from a Western. Her father stands up against an angry mob while working as a railroad paymaster. A bully gets what she deserves when Laura drives her into a leech infested creek. And we see Laura racing at breakneck speed on a bareback horse across the open prairie. If your child likes the freedom you’d expect in the Wild West, Laura’s stories are a great choice. She’s bold, she’s adventurous, and she represents a childhood that both boys and girls will be excited to read about.
    Children, elderly, author, writing, table, books

    Just like Laura, I grew up on the Kansas prairie and the Little House series often captured many of the things I experienced there. The sound of a meadowlark in the morning, cooking over campfires, and watching as a sunset lights up the evening sky. For young readers, the Little House series continues to open the door to the beautiful landscapes, wily characters, and amazing adventures that fans of the Western genre yearn for as they ride off into the sunset.

    Happy birthday, Laura Ingalls Wilder!


    Thank you for introducing me to the beautiful, untamed world of Western literature.

    Are you looking for a reading adventure for your children? We encourage you to dig into stories written by these Chanticleer authors.

    Exostar Cover

    Exostar

    It has been said that “the Golden Age of Science Fiction is twelve.” Rae Knightly’s Sci-Fi adventure, Exostar, embodies this childlike sense of wonder that the best of the genre evokes in its readers.

    Twelve-year-old child-robot Trinket takes off on a rocketing spaceship straight towards danger and excitement, with the mostly able assistance of the blue-furred spy and saboteur Woolver Talandrin. Trinket is searching for identity—as all the best young science fiction protagonists do. Woolver is trying to bring down an evil empire—as all the other best science fiction protagonists do.

    Together they’ve been thrust into the kind of epic tale that is guaranteed to keep young readers on the edge of their seats—including the twelve-year-old that lurks inside every science fiction fan.

    Read more here!

    The Ghost in the Garden Cover

    The Ghost in the Garden
    Alisse Lee Goldenberg

    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.

    Read more here!

    Tommy Rocket and the Goober Patrol Cover

    Tommy Rocket and the Goober Patrol

    Tommy Rocket and the Goober Patrolby Thomas R. Kuhn follows Nate, a young boy growing up in the 1970s, whose friendship with the kid genius robot builder, Tommy Rocket, leads him into mysterious adventures.

    Tommy’s father invented the Prometheus chip that gives sentience to robots, and from a young age Tommy started creating a gang of robots called the Goober Patrol. Eccentric and wheelchair-bound, Tommy prefers to tinker with his robots at home. But he befriends Nate after he saves Tommy from bullies.

    When Tommy’s aptly named ‘Monster-bot’ gets loose, Nate is tasked with finding and securing the rogue bot before anyone finds out. But the two boys soon find out there is more at work than one missing robot. There’s another tinkerer in town and they’re building their own special group of robots—which look just like one of Tommy’s creations. Nate and Tommy have to find out who has gotten their hands on the Prometheus chip before it’s too late.

    Read more here!

    plane, jungle, girl, mayday, sue c dugan, path

    Mayday

    In Sue C. Dugan’s middle grade adventure,Mayday: Land, Sea, and Air Series Book 2,thirteen-year-old Jessie and her father, Adam, take an unexpected detour when their plane crashes on a secluded island.

    On their final vacation before Adam begins chemotherapy for thyroid cancer, Jessie and her father take off in their Cessna aircraft over the boundless, azure Atlantic Ocean. Jessie’s anxiety about her father’s health is on high-alert during the trip, especially when she remembers her mother’s cancerous death.

    Twenty minutes into their flight, the sky grows gloomy, and the wind picks up speed from all sides.

    Read more here!

    If you’d like to loose yourself in tales of the Old West, we suggest these Chanticleer authors. 

    A Grave Every Mile Cover

    A Grave Every Mile, Book One of the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail

    Each day’s trumpet blasts the predawn quiet of the sleeping wagon train, demanding that its migrating families face what’s ahead, whether incredible scenery or mortal danger, in David Fitz-Gerald’sA Grave Every Mile.

    This beautifully told story mixes adventure, survival, community, and history, all shown through the eyes of Dorcas, a feisty mother of four. She’s dreamed of hitting the trail to the storied West for so long, but much about this trip and their destination remains unknown.

    Another wagon travels alongside hers. Who are they? Will they remain strangers, or become friends? Now that Dorcas stands with her family at the trail’s starting point and on the brink of changing their lives forever, a tremor of doubt surfaces about what lies ahead. Is her family strong enough to face their future? Will it be everything she and her husband hoped for? That future is 720,000 turns of the wagon wheels away, and there may beA Grave Every Mile. It all starts with that first pull by the team of oxen.

    Read more here! 

    Guarded Hearts Cover

    Guarded Hearts

    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.

    Read more here!

    Thank you for joining us in celebrating the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder!

    Do you have a book that deserves to be discovered? You can always submit your book for an Editorial Review with Chanticleer!Chanticleer Editorial Review Packages are optimized to maximize your digital footprint. Reviews are one of the most powerful tools available to authors to help sell and market their books. Find out what all the buzz is about here.

    Is your book an Award Winner?

    The tiers of achievement for the CIBAs

    Submitting to Book Awards is a great way to get your book discovered! Anytime you advance in the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards, your name and book are promoted right here on our website, through our newsletter, and across social media. One of the best ways to engage in long tail marketing!

    Thank you again to the authors who wrote these wonderful books!

  • The 2020 Laramie Book Awards for Western/Pioneer Fiction – the Semi-Finalists for the LARAMIE Division of the 2020 CIBAs

    The 2020 Laramie Book Awards for Western/Pioneer Fiction – the Semi-Finalists for the LARAMIE Division of the 2020 CIBAs

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction Award

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

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

    These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from the 2020 Chatelaine Book Awards LONG LIST to the 2020 SHORT LIST and now have progressed to the 2020 Semi-finalists. 

    Congratulations to the following titles who have advanced to the 2020 Laramie Book Awards SEMI-FINALISTS!

    • Fred Dickey – Days of Hope, Miles of Misery  
    • David Fitz-Gerald – She Sees Ghosts? The Story of a Woman Who Rescues Lost Souls 
    • DL Fowler – The Turn      
    • JR Collins – Legend of Swell Branch
    • Eileen Charbonneau – Mercies of the Fallen
    • James Kahn – Matamoros
    • Gerry Robinson – The Cheyenne Story    
    • J. Palma – The Chaffee Sisters   
    • J.C. Graves – Death is a Sharpshooter    
    • J.B. Richard – Jesse   
    • Terry D. Heflin – Scarlet Hem
    • Mike Shellenbergar – Quail Creek Ranch
    • Mike Shellenbergar – Refuge
    • T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring
    • Rebecca Dwight Bruff – Trouble the Water, a Novel
    • E. Alan Fleischauer – Hunted
    • Daniel Greene – Northern Wolf
    • Barbara Salvatore – Magghie    

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

    All CIBA Finalists will be announced at VCAC 21 April 21 – 24, 2021.

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

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

    Laramie Book Awards

    The Semi-Finalists’ works will compete for the First Place Winner positions, and then all will be recognized in the evenings at VCAC21 April 22-24th from 6-8 p.m. PST.

    The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 23 CIBA divisions Finalists. We will announce the 1st Place Category Winners and Grand Prize Division Winners the CIBAs Ceremonies June 5th, 2021 virtually (Free) and LIVE at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

    VCAC21 laurel wreath

    Register today!

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

    Please click here for more information.

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

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

    VCAC21 laurel wreath

     

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

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

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

    That’s just for openers.

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

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

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

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

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

     

     

     

     

  • JULY’s SPOTLIGHT is on the LARAMIE PRIZE WINNERS of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards

    JULY’s SPOTLIGHT is on the LARAMIE PRIZE WINNERS of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards

    Please join us in congratulating and (reading) these top works in this classic American genre—the Western.  

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardChanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring cowboys, the wild west, pioneering, civil war, early North American History, and the Contemporary West! Submit your works today and we will put them to the test and choose the best among them in the LARAMIE BOOK AWARDS, a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA). 

    Michelle Rene’s HOUR GLASS  took home the Laramie Grand Prize Ribbon for 2017 and the OVERALL Grand Prize Ribbon for the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards

    CIBA Overall Grand Prize Winner and Laramie Grand Prize, Michelle Rene
    Click on the cover for the Amazon link.

    Click on the Hour Glass book to order from Amazon

    LARAMIE BOOK AWARD WINNERS for 2017, a division of the CIBA.

    LARAMIE BOOK AWARDS Winners T.K. Conklin, Nick K Adams, J.L. Oakley, Michelle Rene, Kiki Watkins

    The 2017 books have all won a Chanticleer Book Reviews package!

    • Grasshoppers at Dusk by Kiki Watkins
    • Mist-chi-mus: A Novel of Captivity by J.L. Oakley
    • Sacrificial Lions by John Simons/David Simons
    • The Hour Glass by Michelle Rene ***LARAMIE GRAND PRIZE WINNER*** and OVERALL BEST BOOK Chanticleer Reviews
    • Away at War: A Civil War Story of the Family Left Behind by Nick K. Adams
    • Threads of Passion by T.K. Conklin
    • Desertion by Michael Aloysius O’Reilly
    • Death in the Black Patch by Bruce Wilson      

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardJacquie Roger’s HOT WORK IN FRY PAN GULCH: Honey Beaulieu Man Hunter Series took home the 2016 Laramie Grand Prize. Click on the cover for the Amazon link:

    Laramie Grand Prize – JACQUIE ROGERS

    First Place Category Winners for 2016 are: 

    Click on the hyperlinks to read their Chanticleer awarded reviews

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction Award

    The Laramie Grand Prize Winner for 2015 was WIDOW: Flats Junction Series by Sara Dahmen (Originally titled Doctor Kinney’s Housekeeper)

    Sara Dahmen awarded Laramie Grand Prize for DR. KINNEY’S HOUSEKEEPER — now WIDOW 1881 (Book One of the Flats Junction Series)
    WIDOW: Flats Junction, Book One – Click on the cover for the link to Amazon

    The Laramie Grand Prize Winner for 2014 was NOT ON MY MOUNTAIN by Jared McVay

     

    Jared McVay the Laramie Grand Prize Winner

    Dale B. Jackson’s UNBROKE HORSES was awarded the 2013 Laramie Grand Prize

    • Mystery:  Double or Nothing by Meg Mims
    • Historical Fiction:  Because of the Camels by Brenda Blair
    • Civil War:  Ford at Valverde by Anita Melillo (ms)
    • Prairie Pioneer:  They Rode Good Horses by Dale B. Jackson (ms)
    • Literary Western:  Unbroke Horses by Dale B. Jackson
    • First Novel:  Confessions of  a Gunfighter by Tell Cotten (ms)
    • Best Manuscript: Lick Creek by Deborah Lincoln (ms)

    Janet K. Shawgo’s LOOK FOR ME was awarded the 2012 Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize.

    Who will win the LARAMIE Book Awards Blue Ribbons for 2018?

    The judging rounds will commence in August! Submit your works today!

    The last day for submissions into the 2018 Laramie Book Awards is July 31, 2018.

    Click here for more information and submission form! 

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

     

  • The LARAMIE Awards for Western Fiction 2016 First Place Category Winners

    The LARAMIE Awards for Western Fiction 2016 First Place Category Winners

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardThe Laramie Awards writing competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of  Western Fiction. The LARAMIE Awards is a division of the Chanticleer Awards International Writing Competitions.

    Congratulations to the 2016 Laramie Awards First In Category Award Winning Western Fiction authors and their novels!

    • Laramie Award Winners: Jacquie Rogers, Scott Eldon Swapp, Barbara Salvatore, & David Selcer,

      Western Romance: Seize the Flame by Lynda J Cox

    • Prairie/First Nation: Big Horse Woman by Barbara Salvatore
    • Classic Western (Manuscript): Clevenger Gold: The True Story of Murder and Unfound Treasure by Scott Eldon Swapp
    • Contemporary Westerns: Improbable Fortunes by Jeffrey Price
    • Civil War: Lincoln’s Hat by David Selcer
    • Adventure/Caper: Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch (Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter) by Jacquie Rogers

    CONGRATULATIONS to  Jacquie Rogers, author of the LARAMIE GRAND PRIZE winner — Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch!

    The 2016 LARAMIE Short Listers competed for these First Place Category Positions. These First Place Category Award Winners’ works have competed for the LARAMIE Grand Prize Award for the 2016 Western Fiction Novel. These winners were announced and recognized at the annual Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala, Bellingham, Wash., on April 1st, 2017.

    The First In Category award winning titles will receive an award package including a complimentary Chanticleer Book Review of the winning title, digital award badges, shelf talkers, book stickers, and more.

    We are now accepting entries into the 2017 Laramie Awards. The deadline is June 30, 2017.  Click here for more information or to enter.

    Congratulations to those who made the LARAMIE Awards 2016 FINALISTS and SHORT-LISTERS.

    More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2017 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Fifteen different genres to enter your novels and compete on an international level.