Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: writing competition

The 2025 Laramie Short List for Americana Fiction
The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Western, First Nations and Americana Fiction. The Laramie Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring Americana themes, First Nation stories, early North American History, cowboys & cowgirls in the Wild West, pioneering, and Civil War, and we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the first look rounds from the 2025 LARAMIE Long List to the 2025 Laramie Book Awards SHORT LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Laramie 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 sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALISTS of the 2025 Laramie Book Awards novel competition for Western and Americana Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Barbara Salvatore – Together To Gather Kí-Ku
- Bill Lynam – Sojourn To War
- Charlie Steel – Two Women Conquer the West and Their Hearts
- Chuck Locklear – The Pines Know
- CK Van Dam – Iron Horse Claim
- David Fitz-Gerald – A Grave Every Mile: A Pioneer Western Adventure
- David Fitz-Gerald – Rathuun King of the Prairie
- Derek Wachter – Sons of the Promised Land
- Dwight Holing – The Broken Blood
- E. S. Raye – Gas Giant Gambit
- George T. Arnold – An Ounce of Death
- Imogen Martin – To the Wild Horizon
- J. E. Weiner – The Wretched and Undone
- Jeza Belle – The Freedom To Love
- Joan Koster – Prairie Cinderella
- John Hansen – The Medicine Line
- Julie Mcdonald Zander – The Reluctant Pioneer
- Karen Lynne Klink – War and Preservation
- Larry Boucher – The Scout
- M. B. Gibson – Pryor Knowledge Horse Racing Love and Slavery in the Antebellum South
- M. E. Torrey – Fox Creek
- Melora Fern – Whistling Women and Crowing Hens
- Robert L Jones – The Unbroken Trail
- Suzanne Elizabeth Gillis – The Landlady of Maple Avenue
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 2024 Laramie Grand Prize Winner

Sarita

By Natalie Musgrave Dossett

Click here to see the full list of 2024 Laramie Book Award Winners for Western Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2026 Laramie Book Awards for Western Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

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

April 16 – 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 annual conference and discover why!
December 18, 2025
The 2025 Book Series Awards Long List
The CIBA SERIES Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in any of our Fiction Divisions and Non-Fiction Divisions where the author has written a series. The Series Book Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs) is seeking for the best book series in all of the CIBA Divisions. 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 first look rounds from all 2025 Series Award entries to the 2025 Series Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Series 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 sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Series Book Awards competition!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Alexandra Pugachevsky – Lilou the Shadyside Chronicles
- Baer Charlton – Nash Running Bear Mysteries
- Bruce J. Berger – The Covo Family Saga
- Charlotte Stuart – John Smith Mysteries
- D. J. Adamson – Lillian Dove Mystery Series
- Daniel Greene – The Northern Wolf Series
- Daniel V. Meier Jr. – Frank Adams Detective Series
- Donald Firesmith – Hell Holes: The Complete Trilogy
- Elizabeth Klein – Elizion Series
- Emeryl Williams – The Chosen of Bryndir Trilogy
- Eve M. Riley – The Techboys Series
- Gay Yellen – Samantha Newman Mystery Series
- Helena P. Schrader – Bridge To Tomorrow
- J. M. Shaw – Callum Walker Series
- J. W. Zarek – Bella Brown Picture Book Series
- Jeff Nania – Northern Lakes Mystery Series
- JJ Winston – The Anniversary
- Katherine Smith Dedrick – The V-Files
- Kathleen Troy – Dylan’s Dog Squad
- L. P. Hoffman – The Third Peril Trilogy
- Lawrence Brown – Vaka Sevah
- Lucinda Brant – Falling Series Enchanting Georgian Fairytale Romances of Sorts
- Matt Ozanich – The Tears of Promises
- Michael J Cooper – Seasons of Empire
- Michael J. Bowler – The Lance Chronicles
- Michaela Riley – The Witch’s Rebirth
- Michele L. Sayre – Darke Realms
- Mim Eichmann – A Sparrow Alone Series
- Ralph R. Rick Steinke – Jake Fortina Series
- Rene Fomby – A Moose Mcgillicutty Mystery
- Robert C Littlewood – The Balance Wars
- Ruth Amanda – Caribbean Coral Carols
- Ryan J. Southworth – The Treeborn Trilogy
- Sarah V. Barnes – She Who Rides Horses
- Sherry Roberts – The Galaxy According To Cece
- Vito Dibarone – Botheration Matty Weber
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 2024 Series Grand Prize Winner

A Vengeful Realm

By Tim Facciola

Click here to see the full list of 2024 Series Book Award Winners.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2026 Series Book Awards for Fiction and Non-Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

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

April 16 – 19, 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 and discover why!
December 10, 2025
The 2025 I&I Long List for Instruction & Insight
The Instruction and Insight Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Guides and Self- Help Non-Fiction. The I&I Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring HOW-TO, Guidance, Travel Guides, Cookbooks, Instruction, Insight, Self-Help, and more.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2025 I&I Non-Fiction entries to the 2025 I&I Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for the I&I Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC26).

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 18th, 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 SHORT LIST of the 2025 I&I Book Awards novel competition for Guiding and How-to Non-Fiction!

Join us in celebrating the Long List authors and their works in the 2025 CIBAs.
- Albert Jung – What’s Your Name
- Alejandra Acuña – Stones, Flowers, and Lessons Learned
- Ana María López Jimeno – Vademecum of English: a Complete Reference Guide for Teachers and Learners
- Andrew Cooper – The Ethical Imperative: Leading with Conscience To Shape the Future of Business
- Ashlee Piper – No New Things
- Darryl Arrington, PhD – Epilogue: Now We Rise Above the Trafficking Experience
- Dawn Madelon Barclay – Vacations Can Be Murder: a True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide To New England
- Evan M. Butterfield – Copyright for Creatives: a Practical Guide To Copyright Law for Creative People Who Make Stuff
- Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, Mba Jd – Seeking Fairness at Work: Cracking the New Code of Greater Employee Engagement Retention Satisfaction
- Holly Thorton – The Hardest Help: Supporting a Loved One Through Addiction
- Jack Wolf – Critical Thinking for Go-Getters
- Jerome Puryear – The Art of Thinking: Critically with Clarity for Optimal Health Your Longevity Is Determined by How You Think
- Judy Taylor – Magpie Times Marshmallow World
- Kathleen Lockyer – Wild Inside: How Nature Protects Your Child’s Mental Health and Restores Yours
- Leslie Bains – Birds, Monarch Butterflies, and Short Hikes in the Santa Barbara Area
- Luella Goethals – Resonance Chakra Balance and the Law of Attraction
- Léonie Rosenstiel – They’re Coming for Your Elders and Your Inheritance: Ways To Protect Your Family Mitigate the Damage and Change the System
- Stephen Rue – Must: Becoming the Person You Are Meant To Be
- Tak Salmastyan – The Life’s Theater: Book One: Echoes That Suffocate, Art and Essays
- Tissa Richards – Rethinking Resilience: Fueling Your Competitive Advantage
- Tony Jeton Selimi – Climb Greater Heights
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!

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 I&I Awards is:

Success With Hydrangeas

By Lorraine Ballato

See the full list of 2024 First Place I&I Winners here!

We are now accepting submissions into the 2026 I&I Book Awards for Guiding and Helpful Non-Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

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 annual conference discover why!
November 17, 2025
The 2025 Mind and Spirit Long List for Spirituality and Enlightenment
The Mind & Spirit Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Spirituality and Enlightenment Non-Fiction. The Mind & Spirit Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring Spirituality, Enlightenment, Self-Help, Mindfulness, Well-being, Meditation, Energy, and more.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2025 Mind & Spiri Non-Fiction entries to the 2025 Mind & Spirit Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for 2025 Mind & Spirit 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 (CAC26).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 28 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 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Mind & Spirit Book Awards novel competition for Spirituality and Enlightenment Non-Fiction!

Join us in celebrating the Long List authors and their works in the 2025 CIBAs.
- Amy L. Bernstein – Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears Finding Inspiration
- Andy Becker – “Grandy Let’s Play!”: Reflections on the Joy Blessings and Wonder of Grandparenting
- Andy Chaleff – Dying To Live: Finding Life’s Meaning Through Death
- Anne Jeppesen – When Life Came Knocking
- Charlotte Swift – Glow Up: Self-Love and Spirituality for Teens
- Cheryl Lynn – Washing the Inside of the Cup: My Journey of Walking in the Spirit
- D. H. Hutton – Drums of a Distant Tribe: a Son’s Message From the Great Beyond
- Danielly Kaufmann – The Age of Digital Spirit
- Diane Marie Taylor – I’m on Assignment: an Alternative View of Past Lives, the Impact on Our Current Lives, Soul Mates, World History, and the Akashic Records
- G.W. Evans – Heaven’s Hill: Meeting Your Loved Ones on the Other Side
- Dr. James Manning – Deeply Human the Science and Soul of Emotional Healing
- J.D. Pincus Ph.d. – The Emotionally Agile: Brain Mastering the 12 Emotional Needs That Drive Us
- Julianna Lindsey – Radiant Longevity a Physician’s Protocol for Living Your Best Life
- Keith and Erin Ramachandran – Mental Health, Strong Marriage
- Lara Sanderson – Mātrikā’s Muse: a Journey To Awakening Through the Senses
- Linda A. Lavid – Personal Archetypes for Stress Relief: a Holistic Guide
- Marie-Eve Dawood – Jesus Shrank My Dating Pool: Holding Out for a Godly Man When It Feels Like You’ve Missed the Boat
- Marti Tote – A Whisper in the Wings
- Natalie Saar – Becoming 1 Better: 100 Simple Changes To Improve Your Life 1 at a Time
- Paul O’Neill – Letters To a Young Teacher: Wisdom for Those Who Guide Others
- Rev. Robyn Accetturo, Lcsw – I Am the Reluctant Messiah and So Are You
- Stavo Mustang Craft – Auto Antenna: an Enchanted Guide To Santa Fe & Vague Blueprint To the Cosmos
- Terri Harford – New Body, Old Soul
- Timeout A. Taumu – The Magnificence of the 3
- Tyrone Polastri – Dancing on the Edge: Moving Through Life with Power, Dignity, and Effectiveness
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!

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

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2024 Mind & Spirit Awards is:

Naked in the Now: Juicy Practices for Getting Present

By Marijke McCandless

See the full list of 2024 First Place Mind and Spirit Winners here!

We are now accepting submissions into the 2026 Mind and Spirit Book Awards for Spiritual Non-Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

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 annual conference and discover why!
November 12, 2025
The 2025 Little Peeps Long List for Picture and Children’s Books
The Little Peeps Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Children’s Fiction. The Little Peeps Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring stories of all shapes and sizes written to an audience for Early Readers. Story books, Beginning Chapter Books, Picture Books, Activity Books, and Educational Books. These books have advanced to the Long List for the 2023 CIBAs. (For Young Adult Fiction see our Dante Rossetti Awards, for Middle Grade Readers see our Gertrude Warner Awards.)

These titles have moved forward in the first look rounds from all 2025 LITTLE PEEPS entries to the 2025 Little Peeps Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Little Peeps 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 at the Bellingham Yacht Club sponsored by the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Little Peeps Book Awards novel competition for Children’s Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Alison Frenz – I Bet I Can Make You Yawn
- Amy B. Mccoy – Katie Finds Her Voice: A Story About Autism
- Andrew Woolnough – Nuts About Dinosaurs
- Andy M Riley – Finding Hanna’s Happy Place
- Angelina Natale – Peanut and Butter: A Sky View Farm Adventure
- Ann P. Borrmann – You Little Monkey
- Ann P. Borrmann – Never Take a Pirate’s Pearls
- Anna Gerrodette – Wild Rides with Pedal and Blaze
- Anne Polli – Mason the Magnificent
- Antonia Blackmore & illustrated by Sarah P Sharpe – Figgles & Flo the Elephant in the Room
- Ben St. James – Cowboy Cooper and the Ghost Town
- Brandon Moore – Bridget Kimble Learns Self Control
- Bridgetta Tomarchio – Monsters Don’t Say Meep Even the Tiniest Roar Can Make the Biggest Difference
- Brittany Petish- Sally the Brave
- Cal Lopez & Natalia Ulloa – Humans Are Awesome: A Kid’s Guide to Staying Smarter Than AI
- Carrie A. Buck – Ivy Learns to Share
- Christine Kessides – Tail Tale Too
- Corey Turner – Cloudy Days
- David Waugh – Benny the Lost Balloon
- Deborah L. Staunton – Owls Can’t Sing
- Dzvinka Hayda – The Legend of the Dipper
- Ellissa Schwartz – This Day I Hold Dear
- Everett Livingston – The Story of You
- G.R. Foster – The Puppy That Wanted to Be a Flower
- Gail Heath – Miracle on the Mountain: An Appalachian Christmas
- Glenda Keiper – Clancy McFancy and the Tree with Bright Green Leaves
- Gretchen K. Webber – Beanie the Weenie
- J.W. Zarek – Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm
- J.W. Zarek – Bella Brown’s Messier Than Messy Room
- J.W. Zarek – Bella-Brown Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Locket
- J.W. Zarek – The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed
- Jane Xu – Can Pandas Be Koalas Too
- Jessica A. Macpherson – The Little Things We Do
- Jessica Mcanelly – Birdie’s Picnic Party a Tasty Take on Food Safety
- Jomo Jesus Thomas Suriel – The Angry Vacuum
- Kate Shooltz – Kate the Earthling
- Kelly Curtin and Molly Hallinan – Molly and Potato
- Kenneth Brown – Saving Private Brown
- Kim P. Chesney – A Mysterious Night at the Library
- Kim Sloan – Billy Bob’s Adventures Learning the 50 States
- Kristen J Anderson – Lorelei the Lorelei: The Problem with Science Fairs, Cicadas, and Sewers
- Kristy Whilden – Alice’s Colorful New World
- Laura Ball – Albert the Donkey Solves a Mystery
- Leslie Calimeri – One Day with Dinosaurs
- Lisa Mueller – Dot’s Spots
- Lolisa Marie Monroe – Dungoolee
- Lori Hoffman Penna – Catawampus the Story of a Crooked Cat
- Lori Orlinsky – Being Middle
- M.D. Mcalister – Phin York and the Giants of Wintercoombe
- Mark Anthony King – Trigger the Dog That Thought He Was a Horse
- Michele L Sayre – The Long Lazy Summer Wonders of Childhood Beyond
- Michelle Mcalister – Carolina Is a Knight
- Michelle Mcalister – Gilly Green Will Sing
- Michelle Mcalister – Nighttime for Everyone
- Michelle Mcalister – Snelliot the Bold
- Mike Darcy – Little Joe and the Big City
- Mike Stonecypher – There’s a Girebra in the Forest
- Miki Taylor – Bentley Finds a Hippopotomonsterous
- Mr. Steve – Fishing Is Fun
- Mr. Steve – The B Hive
- Nicole Metas – Hemi Bunny Finds a Mommy
- Olga Podoprigora – The Banana From Space and Other Stories From Riverstone
- Once Upon a Dance – Bellyrina
- Paloma Williams – Milo’s Big Beautiful Journey
- Pamela Gray Willcox – Tux the Little Emperor
- Patty York Raymond – There Was a Tenacious Teacher Who Scarfed Down a Sticker
- Payton Lynch – The Journey To You
- Rae St. Clair Bridgman – W Is for Winnipeg a Little Architect’s ABC
- Robin Currie – How Do You Sleep
- Ruth Amanda – Ess-Car-Go!
- Sally Kashner – River Song
- Sally Kashner – The Night Has a Secret
- Sherry Roberts – Amica Helps Zoe
- Sherry Roberts – Just Call Me Pardner
- Shlomo Goldman – Ryder the Spider Discovers the Body
- Svetlana Kitik – Mother’s Mega Marrow: a Gardening for Kids Nature Storybook About Growing Food, Sharing, and Outdoor Learning
- Sydney Roubian – Scarecrow Finds a Heart
- Tamara Neal – I Know Why the Red Bird Talked
- Thomas Anthony – Walter the Polar Bear
- TK Sheffield – Nellie’s Island Small Hooves Big Heart Island Adventures Start
- Tom Morency – Doris the Dragon
- Vassi Rombis – Luna the Little Witch the Magic of Teamwork
- Victoria Fletcher – Lovely Locks of Gold
- Wanda Carter Roush – The Jellybean Gospel the Born-Again Bunny
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 2024 Little Peeps Grand Prize Winner

Island Moon

By Ruth Amanda

Click here to see the full list of 2024 Little Peeps Book Award Winners for Children’s Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2026 Little Peeps Book Awards for Children’s Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

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 annual conference and discover why!
October 29, 2025
Five Days Remain: The Series, Collections, Nellie Bly, and Military and Front Line Awards call!
The 2025 CIBAs Close Soon!

Don’t let your book miss out!
Only 5 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success.

The Chanticleer International Book Awards provide ongoing recognition that amplifies authors’ digital footprints through high-traffic website features, social media promotion, newsletter spotlights, and long-tail marketing that continues promoting winners throughout the year and beyond!

The Series, Collections and Anthologies, Nellie Bly and Military and Front Line Awards are still open!

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Series Awards!
- Karen Inglis – Secret Lake Mystery Adventures
- Glen Dahlgren – The Chronicles of Chaos
- Sandra Wagner-Wright – Salem Stories
- Taryn R. Hutchison – A Cold War Trilogy
- Kari Bovee – The Pryce of Murder
- J.L. Oakley – The Jossing series
- Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke – Jake Fortina Series
- Mike Murphey – Tales of Physics, Lust and Greed
- Rose Prendeville – Brides of Chattan
And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Series Grand Prize Winner:

A Vengeful Realms

By Tim Facciola

Collections and Anthologies is our Newest Division, recently split off of the SEA Shorts Award!

SEA Shorts now covers Short Stories, Essays and Novellas together, and Collections and Anthologies is for exactly that, Multi-Story Collections and Multi-Author Anthologies!
The Nellie Bly Award for Journalistic and Research-Based Non-Fiction
- Carla Conti – Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir
- Kori Reed – Men-in-the-Middle Conversations to Gain Momentum with Gender Equity’s Silent Majority
- Bonnie Bley – Stolen Voices: Missing and Murdered in Big Horn County
- Sarah Towle – Crossing the Line: Finding America in the Borderlands
And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Nellie Bly Grand Prize Winner:

The Sing Sing Files

One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and A 20 Year Fight For Justice

By Dan Slepian

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Military and Front Line Awards for Service to Others Non-Fiction!
- Roderick S. Haynes – Unauthorized Disclosures a Navy Memoir of the 1980s
- David Huntley – The B-17 Tomahawk Warrior: a WWII Final Honor
- Patrick Hogan – Coincidence, You Say?
- Shari Biery – It’s Your Turn How To Rediscover Yourself Prioritize Your Well-Being Thrive with Purpose
- Max Lauker & Antonio Garcia – Number 788: My Experiences in Swedish Special Operations – Preparing for NATO and the War on Terror
- Bibi LeBlanc – Wings of Freedom – The Story of the Berlin Airlift | Flugel der Freiheit – Die Geschichte der Berliner Luftbrucke
And a huge round of applause to our 2024 Military and Front Line Grand Prize Winner:

Memoirs From The Front Lines

Four States, Two Years, One Pandemic

By Kim Sloan

The CIBAs provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.

We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.

Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 17-19, 2025) where Winners from all 28 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

Let’s celebrate exceptional storytelling together!

Your book deserves to be discovered

Enter Today!
October 26, 2025
The 2025 Laramie Long List for Americana Fiction
The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Western, First Nations and Americana Fiction. The Laramie Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring Americana themes, First Nation stories, early North American History, cowboys & cowgirls in the Wild West, pioneering, and Civil War, and we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the first look rounds from all 2025 LARAMIE entries to the 2025 Laramie Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Laramie 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 sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Laramie Book Awards novel competition for Western and Americana Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- Barbara Salvatore – Together To Gather Kí-Ku
- Bill Lynam – Sojourn To War
- Brett Shayler – Kickapoo Creek
- Chad Lester – House of Crimson Roses
- Charlie Steel – Two Women Conquer the West and Their Hearts
- Chuck Locklear – The Pines Know
- CK Van Dam – Iron Horse Claim
- David Fitz-Gerald – A Grave Every Mile: A Pioneer Western Adventure
- David Fitz-Gerald – Rathuun King of the Prairie
- Derek Wachter – Sons of the Promised Land
- Dwight Holing – The Broken Blood
- E. S. Raye – Gas Giant Gambit
- Erika Shepard – Molly’s Lament
- George T. Arnold – An Ounce of Death
- Imogen Martin – To the Wild Horizon
- J. E. Weiner – The Wretched and Undone
- Jeza Belle – The Freedom To Love
- Joan Koster – Prairie Cinderella
- John Hansen – The Medicine Line
- Julie Mcdonald Zander – The Reluctant Pioneer
- Karen Lynne Klink – War and Preservation
- Larry Boucher – The Scout
- M. B. Gibson – Pryor Knowledge Horse Racing Love and Slavery in the Antebellum South
- M. E. Torrey – Fox Creek
- Melora Fern – Whistling Women and Crowing Hens
- Robert L Jones – The Unbroken Trail
- Sally Rutledge Moore – Fever Season
- Suzanne Elizabeth Gillis – The Landlady of Maple Avenue
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.

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

Congratulations once more to the 2024 Laramie Grand Prize Winner

Sarita

By Natalie Musgrave Dossett

Click here to see the full list of 2024 Laramie Book Award Winners for Western Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2026 Laramie Book Awards for Western Fiction.

Please click here for more information.

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 annual conference as we enter our second decade and discover why!
October 2, 2025
The 2025 Mind and Spirit Hall of Fame for Mindfulness and Enlightenment

Looking for Balance in your Life?

The Mind & Spirit Awards are here for you

***Enter your book today***

Mind and Spirit Non-Fiction

At the heart of the Mind & Spirit Awards is a celebration of transformation and enlightenment. It embraces the power of words to uplift, inspire, and guide, creating a ripple effect that resonates with readers on a soulful level. This division acknowledges the significance of the mind-spirit connection, delving into the realms of spirituality, mindfulness, well-being, and self-discovery.

Let’s celebrate the Grand Prize Winners of the Mind and Spirit Awards

Naked in the Now: Juicy Practices for Getting Present
By Marijke McCandless

Naked in the Now: Juicy Practices for Getting Present offers a playful yet impactful guide for those seeking vitality and inspiration. Through short, refreshing practices, readers explore vulnerability, authenticity, and self-compassion, fostering deeper connections with themselves and others. By committing to just minutes of daily practice, this book cultivates sustainable awareness and self-inquiry, rejuvenating one’s sense of vitality and joy. With an emphasis on mindfulness and emotional intelligence, it provides accessible tools to shift mindsets and embrace the present moment with curiosity and delight.

Buy it here!

Psychological Secrets for Emotional Success
By Dr. Kelly Rabenstein

Do you often feel that you sabotage your personal and work relationships? In Psychological Secrets for Emotional Success, Dr. Kelly Rabenstein teaches readers exactly what psychological techniques will help them strengthen and maintain their interpersonal connections.

Dr. Rabenstein is a licensed psychologist offering her extensive knowledge of how to make sound, conscious changes in mindset and perspective to help you thrive in relationships across the board. If a person can thrive, then they can be fully authentic to themselves and to those who surround them.

Psychological Secrets for Emotional Success follows the structure of thoughtful explanations and emotional explorations, followed by insightful exercises at the end of each chapter to help readers understand and improve both their workplace culture and personal interactions. These questions reveal where we stand and how to develop a more balanced life.

Dr. Rabenstein lays out the deceptively simple key to emotional success: a combination of awareness, education, and empathy.

Read More Here

A Sky of Infinite Blue
By Kyomi O’Connor

“It’s my armor,” Kyomi O’Connor realizes, as she sees herself continuing life as normal after her husband dies of cancer.

Grief brings with it many companions: childhood trauma, memories of difficult seasons of life, triumphant moments of growth, epiphanies, healing, love. In A Sky of Infinite Blue, Japanese immigrant Kyomi O’Connor allows grief to open her heart to the lessons of her past.

In particular, she recognizes emotional armor that since childhood, she has built up, torn down, and built up again. Through her relationship with her husband, her devoted Buddhist practice, and her trust in her “Self,” Kyomi makes meaning of her life and redeems her darkest memories. Readers walk through these memories with her as the book shifts between past and present.

Kyomi is deeply guarded as a child.

She struggles to deal with her family’s dysfunction, gradually learning to distance herself emotionally as a means of protecting herself. She fashions her armor, wearing it for years. But, after immigrating to the US, she finds a reason to begin taking it off.

Read More Here

Enlighten Up
By Beth Gibbs

Beth Gibb’s Enlighten Up! Finding Clarity Contentment and Resilience in A Complicated World is not a simple how-to book, but rather an invitation to begin a journey of self-discovery.

This journey follows the “five-layer method,” based on the Upanishads, a 3,000-year-old East-Indian wisdom tradition. After a quick history lesson on the pursuit of self-awareness, Gibbs walks readers through the five layers of achieving it, for a happy and fulfilling life. Throughout the book, Gibbs includes breaks for mindfulness and grounding exercises to get the most out of each section.

Gibbs writes about the assumption that the goal of enlightenment is to, “suppress or eliminate their emotions, live everlasting bliss, and face every situation with equanimity,” and how that assumption is unrealistic.

Read More Here

Exit The Maze
By Dr. Donna Marks

Exit The Maze: One Addiction, One Cause, One Cure by Dr. Donna Marks is a welcoming and comprehensive enchiridion of untapped wisdom that offers a step-to-step guide to getting out of any form of addiction.

No one sets out to become an addict; it catches us off guard. An addiction can happen quickly or slowly and can affect anyone regardless of intelligence, social class, ethnic group, or religion. With pitch-perfect prose, Dr. Donna Marks invites readers into the root causes of different forms of addiction, while offering pragmatic and evidence-based solutions that are bound to yield results.

Buoyed by the personal experiences of the author along with numerous case studies, Dr. Marks further offers deep insights into the inadequacies of traditional treatment models. For example, she notes that most rehab centers lack adequate staffing and overstep the limits of their capabilities. Another example is the famous 12 steps of fighting addiction which she believes do help to stop a behavior and develop a solid support system, however, she also sees that the program falls short.

Read More Here

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

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

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

As the deadline for the 2025 Mind & Spirit Awards arrives, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the exceptional achievers.

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

September 26, 2025
The 2025 I&I Hall of Fame for Instruction & Insight

Seeking to spread wisdom and knowledge?

The Instruction & Insight Awards are here to help!

The Insight & Instruction Awards celebrate exceptional books that provide valuable knowledge, guidance, and enlightenment across a wide range of subjects. From alternative remedies to self-help, these awards acknowledge authors who have made significant contributions to the fields of education, self-improvement, and understanding the world around us. This diverse collection of books foster learning, personal development, and a deeper understanding of the world around us. Enrich lives and contribute to the non-fiction landscape by submitting today!

***Submit your Book Today***

You have until September 30th to Share your Book and Submit to the 2025 CIBAs!

Looking for something to learn? The I&I Awards have what your looking for! We’ve got categories for Travel, Crafts, Cooking, Motivation, Self-Help and More!

We’re always looking for reasons to celebrate our past winners. You can see the Grand Prize and First Place Winners from 2024 here, but let’s hope into our time machine and recognize our past I&I Grand Prize Winners!

Honoring the Grand Prize Winners of the Instruction & Insight Awards!

Success with Hydrangeas- A Gardener’s Guide
By Lorraine Ballato

Our review for the newest Grand Prize Winner is forthcoming. Here’s an excerpt from Amazon:

Finally, a Book with All the Secrets to Growing Great Hydrangeas!

This book reveals all the ins and outs to growing hydrangeas. If you’re at all confused about pruning this shrub – and who isn’t? – this book will clear things up. If you’re worried about how much water to give it especially when it droops in the sun, this book explains it all. And what about transplanting: when is the best time to do that? Chapter four has the answers to that one and covers it all.

How to get your plant to bloom

Let’s not forget the most common issue people have with this plant: how can I get it to flower reliably? You’ll get the scientific insight needed to better site your plant, and how to care for it. Then you can just sit back and watch it flower for you.

Read More Here

Eating Together, Being Together
By Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers and Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers

Eating Together, Being Together is a rare, enlightening book that teaches the importance of family dining, both on the culinary side and in its benefits for childhood and young adult development beyond the kitchen walls.

Co-authored by master Chef and Dad, Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers, and Ph.D. Psychologist and Mom, Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers, Eating Together, Being Together offers up their parental wisdom and expertise from the heart of the home—the kitchen.

With informative but relaxed conversations about food choices, preparation, and related activities, the two provide great insight into how family mealtime promotes well-being in a child’s life. As involved adults, they incorporate thoughtful discussions about spending quality time with their children, sharing and mitigating bad feelings, and making wonderful memories. Ultimately, they showcase family meals as nourishment for both the body and soul.

Within the pages of the book readers will find ways food can serve as a message of care and support, as well as a way to model kindness in the face of questions and concerns.

Read More Here

Emotional Magnetism
By Sandy Gerber

Emotional Magnetism: How to Communicate to Ignite Connection in Your Relationships is a self-help and marketing book in one—in fact, it’s a self-marketing book.

A seasoned marketing professional, author Sandy Gerber uses common elements in marketing theory to aid those who wish to enhance their communication skills and ability to get along with people around them. It’s easy to be misunderstood or unheard, and it’s even easier to be at cross-purposes, leading to frustration and animosity. But using Gerber’s SAVE technique, understanding what we mean and what we need becomes clear.

In this work, we learn what emotional magnetism is, and how well we can communicate when we learn how to harness it. We also learn about how emotional magnetism can be repelled when it’s not done right. But in order to use emotional magnetism, we must first learn what the emotional magnets are, using the acronym SAVE—short for safety (S), achievement (A), value (V), and experience (E)—and how they are reflected in our personalities.

Read More Here

The Black Foster Youth Handbook
By Ángela Quijada-Banks

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

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

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

Read More Here

Independent Living with Autism
By Wendela Whitcomb Marsh

Author and autism counselor Wendela Whitcomb Marsh has created a specialized guide for those with autism, seen through the eyes of five characters of different ages, with differing needs and aspirations in her book, Independent Living with Autism: Your Roadmap to Success.

Boldly launching her work with the ambitious chapter, “Solutions,” Marsh depicts some of the possible departure points for her readers: those just out of school, those who were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who self-diagnosed, and all who face the challenges of ASD, whether alone or with family or social supports.

Marsh relays her story, focusing on the lives of five individuals with ASD.

Read More Here

Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of I&I 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 Non-fiction story deserves to be discovered, and you can submit to the 2025 Instruction and Insight Awards by the end of the September. Don’t miss this chance to give your book the recognition it deserves.

The I&I Awards is your chance to shine!

September 26, 2025
The Mind & Spirit 2024 First Place Roundup for Spirituality and Enlightenment

The Mind and Spirit Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Enlightenment and Well-Being Non-Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Marijke McCandless’s book, Naked in the Now, will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Mind and Spirit 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 Mind and Spirit Winners were announced at the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2024 First Place Mind and Spirit Winners!

Shari Biery – It’s Your Turn: How to Rediscover Yourself, Prioritize Your Well-Being, & Thrive with Purpose

Also a Chanticleer 2024 Military and Front Lines First Place Winner!

Are you feeling buried under the demands of supporting your spouse, family, and the chaos of daily life while your own needs fall to the bottom of the list?

As a midlife woman, it’s easy to always put others first, leaving little time or energy for yourself. But now, It’s YOUR Turn to break free from the overwhelm and reclaim your life.

In It’s Your Turn, Shari Biery—a National Board Certified Purpose and Well-Being Coach and former military spouse—shares her personal journey from self-neglect to self-empowerment.

The moment she received the American Flag at her husband’s retirement ceremony marked not just the end of his career but the start of her own new chapter. After years of putting everyone else first, Shari made a powerful shift, and now she’s here to guide you in doing the same.

Through relatable stories and actionable steps, Shari shows how common it is for midlife women, especially those supporting a spouse and family, to feel overwhelmed and disconnected—and how to overcome these challenges.

From Chanticleer:

The detailed and actionable guide, It’s Your Turn by Shari Biery, encourages women to reclaim the time and space they deserve in life from the slow creep of demands like home, childcare, and supporting a spouse’s career.

To help women take “their turn,” much of this book is devoted to slowing down: why, how, and when to do it. Even its conversational writing style is an invitation to do so. It’s Your Turn leads readers to reflect, assess, and make effective changes in their lives. This isn’t a quick-hit self-help book, but a meditation for navigating midlife flux amid marriage and family responsibilities.

Biery draws on her own experiences living through many challenges frequently encountered by modern women. She struggled most with balancing personal needs and family responsibilities. Biery’s own needs and dreams long fell by the wayside in favor of managing her household and supporting her husband with his career in the military. With It’s Your Turn, she hopes to share her process of reclaiming those needs and dreams and reclaiming her well-being.

It’s Your Turn is loosely organized around Biery’s “C.A.L.M. method.” Through Clarity, Awareness, Learning, and Mindset, she teaches women how to carve out necessary space for themselves.

Read More Here

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Damien Fozard- Disbelief

Manuscript

Eileen Marlowe – The Call to Connect with Spirit

Author and artist Eileen Marlowe is an Indigenous Chipewyan from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. She invites readers to learn from her journey of spiritual identity, to forge connections with spirit and leverage them to transform your life. Through the symbology of dreams and the vibrant colours of her abstract art, Eileen shares her experience of dialoguing with her spiritual guides. Her practices of daily meditation and her efforts of becoming the director and architect of her own life are embodied in the themes of the artwork throughout.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Anne Kiehl Friedman – Higher Love: A Psychedelic Travel Memoir of Heartbreak and Healing

Her entire life, Anne Friedman chased everything that society told her she should want: Marriage. Professional achievement. Thighs that didn’t touch. But all that got her was depression, anxiety, and disordered eating. Little did she know, her world was about to be turned upside down.

When her fiancé dumps her without explanation, she buys a one-way ticket to Costa Rica in search of answers. But what she finds there is beyond anything she could have imagined.

Through a spontaneous psychedelic experience in the jungle, Anne discovers three simple words that bring her peace. And in Amsterdam, on magic mushrooms with her dad, she has a series of visions that allow her to let go of the self-blame for her broken engagement.

But this is just the beginning of her journey. In Higher Love, Anne takes readers on a globe-trotting search for healing through psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and cannabis. As she travels through the Netherlands, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, and other richly sensuous locations, Anne shares the life-changing wisdom she gains from each psychedelic experience.

For fans of Eat, Pray, Love and Untamed, Higher Love is a guide for self-discovery with a delightful psychedelic twist. But be warned, this is not your average love story. With powerful emotions and a captivating setting, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Jane Kim Yu – Journey of Awakening and Higher Consciousness

Discover the journey of awakening in a new light never seen before. Read about our universal journey of discovery, of awakening to the greatest truth of the land, the truth that reverberates in our very hands, the hands of heart, the very heart of our being, that – you are love.

Through a profoundly rare experience that left the author’s mind silent for nearly half a year, it awakened her own desire to find her fire. The very fire that lit the night sky. The very fire that lives in all our hearts nigh. The very fire, to come alive.

Jane’s debut book Journey of Awakening and Higher Consciousness, is an offering of love that crystalizes her 3 passions: eloquent writing, creative expression, and the exploration of our divine humanity. These combine into an unforgettable experience that will awaken your inner fire and bring passion and purpose back into your life.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2024 Mind & Spirit First Place Winners!

Watch for our Spotlight and Hall of Fame Articles that will feature incredible books, including Marijke McCandless’ Grand Prize Award-winning Naked in the Now

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you enter the Mind & Spirit Awards!

Got a great Self-Help or Enlightenment Book?

The 2025 Mind & Spirit Book Awards are open through the end of September!

Submit to the Mind & Spirit Awards Today!

September 24, 2025