Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: WritingCommunity

The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Twelfth Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

Did you know that the Twelfth Day of Christmas is also known as Women’s Christmas in Ireland? Nollaig na mBan in the Gaelic).

On this day in Ireland, men were to take over the household duties or take down the tree and other Christmas decorations, while mothers, sisters, daughters and friends would meet up and share a drink over the last of the Christmas cake.

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent.

Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas are all about revelry!

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry. Just get it done.

(Note from Kiffer: I still have presents to wrap and cookies to bake, so I will extend the Christmas holidays like the Swedes do until St. Knut’s Day on January 13th. This is the day when the children can eat all the gingerbread decorations on the Christmas tree. Then, they take the tree down and outside and dance around it. We burn our Christmas tree on Summer Solstice.)

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Twelve Drummers Drumming

Eleven Pipers Piping

Ten Lords A-Leaping

Nine Ladies Dancing

Eight Maids A-Milking

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Six Geese A-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

Twelve Drummers Drumming by Caroline Búzio

Interesting Notes about the Twelve Days of Christmas
- King Richard II of England (1367-1400) organized a tournament that drew knights from across Europe to compete in during the twelve days of Christmas. Each evening after the jousting and sword matches, there would be dancing and feasting. The peasants could watch the matches because they didn’t have to work the fields during the Twelve Days of Christmas.
- It was also custom that the lord provides a feast for all who are working his lands. Of course, the workers were expected to bring gifts of farm produce to the lord’s manor.
- In colonial America, many parties took place during this time where finding romance (or a potential spouse) could happen. Also, many weddings took place during the Twelve Days.
Interesting Notes about the Twelfth Day
- It is considered not the best for good luck in the new year, taking your tree down before January 7th, Epiphany.
- Twelfth Day of Christmas is also the beginning of Mardi Gras. The Mardi Gras season is celebrated between Epiphany and Fat Tuesday (the Tuesday before Lent begins).
- Shakespeare wrote the Twelfth Night (first performance Feb. 2, 1602), a comedy mistaken identities that tegins on the twelfth night’s celebration – “If music be the food of love, play on.” Twelfth Night, Act 1 Scene 1
Religious Significance of the Twelfth Day – Epiphany
- The Three Wise Men visit the baby Jesus by following a guiding star aka as Three Kings Day: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar according to the Gospel of Matthew. Adoration of the Magi
- In many cultures, it is on Three Kings Day that presents are exchanged and opened and feasts are held.
- The Twelfth Day of Christmas is also when Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding at Cana (the first miracle of Christ).
- Jesus was baptized by John on the Twelfth Day of Christmas
Dom Prosper Gueranger in his Liturgical Year states that it was the Church’s tradition for many centuries that these three events occurred on the same day, January 6.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

Twelve Months of Community

That’s a wrap for us on the Twelve Days of Christmas, but we’re still committed to bringing you excellence in as many forms as we can. Whether that’s our regular blog, with writing tips, our marketing tools like Editorial Book Reviews and the CIBAs, or our competitively priced Editorial Services that keep satisfied writers coming back, we’re here to help you on your Author’s Journey. Whatever it is you need, you can reach out to us at info@ChantiReviews.com and we’ll be there to help!

Our goal is to discover today’s best book, and your book deserves to be discovered! Thanks for sticking with us on this 12 Days of Christmas, and we look forward to keeping up regular writing tips and content in the New Year.

Warmly,

Kiffer, Sharon, David, Scott, Argus, Rochelle, and the whole Chanticleer Team!
January 6, 2023
The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Tenth Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent.

Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas is about revelry!

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 12 days!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the Tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Ten Lords A-Leaping

Nine Ladies Dancing

Eight Maids A-Milking

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Six Geese A-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

Ten Varied Genres!

When it comes right down to it, the CIBAs genres at Chanticleer can fit into ten basic categories:
1. Speculative Fiction
2. Historical
3. Young Adult through Kids Lit
4. Historical Fiction
5. Literary
6. Romance
7. Humor
8. Narrative Non-Fiction
9. Prescriptive Non-Fiction
10. Short Fiction or Non-Fiction
Of course, within those genres, we often split out at least three categories to be able to give authors the best chance possible of winning an Award. If you think you’ve got an amazing book, submitting for a Book Award Program is an excellent way to put that to the test.
January 4, 2023
The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the Eighth Day, Chanticleer Brings to me…

Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas – One Day at a Time

“But Jiminy Crickets, it’s after December 25th! Is it not too late for the 12 Days of Christmas?” you say.

Not to fear, Chanticleerians! The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 26th! And it continues to the 6th of January – Three Kings Day. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent.

Some say that December 25th is the first day of Christmas, but we are going with the medieval date of the 26th because revelry could not take place on the 25th as it was a holy day. And the Twelve Days of Christmas is about revelry!

So if you haven’t finished wrapping presents, sending out those cards, and baking cookies—don’t worry—you’ve got an extra 12 days!

Happy Holidays to You from the Chanticleer Team!

On the Eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Eight Maids A-Milking

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Six Geese A-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French hens (Chanticleer’s favorite #justsaying)

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, Chanticleer brings to me…

Eight Writing Craft Books

On The Roost we’ve started a Writing Craft Book Group that reads and discusses books specifically on writing craft. While the information from book to book can repeat a little bit, the conversation is always excellent.

A rough estimate of the number of writing craft books available

Let us know if you have a book group that helps inform your writing life!

January 2, 2023
MailChimp 101: Level Up Your Mailing List from the Desk of Rochelle Parry

An Introduction to MailChimp

MailChimp may be no Rooster, but it’s a great way to start email marketing. With a very low barrier to entry (free!), you can build your audience before your book is published!

Why Use MailChimp?

Your personal email is great for sending messages to a small group of people, but once you get a higher volume of recipients, limits will apply. For instance, Gmail will only allow 100 contacts per outgoing email, with a limit of 2000 emails per day (source). Your email account can be suspended if you go over their limits.

Signing Up

To sign up, just go to MailChimp.com. Of course, there are paid plans, but assuming you’re starting out with fewer than 500 contacts, free will work! They also offer free email support for the first 30 days, so make sure to get your questions in early. Paid accounts can provide 24/7 technical support, add additional users to your account, and would allow more than 500 subscribers (source).

To sign up, create an account with your email, and be prepared to verify. A surprise for most users is that to sign up you have to provide a physical address. This address will appear at the bottom of every email! Make sure it’s not going to give away your location if you’re working from home and are concerned about safety and privacy. Read up on MailChimp’s ideas to provide a less personal address here.

I’ve signed up, now what?

Once you’re in the Mailchimp site, you’ll see a dizzying array of choices. If you have a website, you’ll want to create a signup form. Click the “create” icon, and select “embedded form.” The form includes name and email by default, but other fields are available too.

You can see our Newsletter sign-up as an example here

Once you’re happy with your form fields, hit ‘continue’ and you can copy the code and place it directly into your website. If this is all Greek to you, consider working with a webmaster to get the form to appear correctly. They also have a pop-up form option. If you create a pop-up form, you’ll need to provide your website address to connect it, then add some provided code to your site’s header, which MailChimp explains here.

Your Audience

Get your audience excited!

Once people sign up, they’ll be added to your Audience. “Audience” is where you manage your contacts. If you already have a list of emails you want to market to through Mailchimp, you can add them manually or by uploading a spreadsheet. Make sure you have the email owner’s permission first! The anti-spam laws can work against you if you get a lot of people marking your email as spam (learn about the importance of permission here). If they sign up via your form, they’ve given their consent!

Campaigns

Marketing Campaigns rather than D&D Campaigns

Your outgoing emails are called “Campaigns” in MailChimp. You create your campaign to go out to your audience or to a section of your audience. MailChimp’s design tools are a bit rudimentary, but they do provide templates to help you get started. You can use uploaded images, different fonts, texts and links, and style it to be consistent with your brand. While designing your email to send, you can send test emails to yourself and others to see how it appears in your inbox. Just remember that once it’s finalized, you can no longer make edits. Once sent to your designated audience, you’ll be able to see how many people opened your email in your dashboard via Campaign Reports. You can learn more about Campaigns in Mailchimp directly here.

Thank you for joining us for this Writer’s Toolbox Article, and good luck out there on the web!

Writer’s Toolbox

Writer Toolbox Helpful Links:

Gmail sending limits in Google Workspace

MailChimp Website

Pricing Options for MailChimp

Alternative Physical Address Ideas

How to Add a Pop-Up Signup Form to Your Website

Email Consent and The Importance of Permission

Getting Started with MailChimp Campaigns

Rochelle Parry – Creative Director

Rochelle Parry helps authors and small business owners with their digital marketing efforts by creating custom websites, setting up social media, and publishing print and online materials including magazines and art books. You can learn more at her website: www.megabite.com

I hope you enjoyed this quick introduction to using MailChimp and found some useful tips! There is much more to this service, and hopefully this is enough to get you past the blank white page and into creating some fantastic emails! — Rochelle

Looking for more quality time with Chanticleer?

Take Your Publishing Career to the Next Level – April 27 – 30, 2023! Register Today!

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 11th annual conference and discover why!

December 13, 2022
The Road So Far | November Deadline for Humor & Satire

Don’t let the joke be on you!

There’s still time to submit for the Humor and Satire Book Awards!

You can have the last laugh by submitting to the Humor and Satire Book Awards.

The Humor and Satire Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Humor and Satire. The Humor and Satire Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring satire, humor, political ideology, parody, fantasy, and allegory or fable. The Deadline for the 2022 Humor and Satire Book Awards is the end of November.

Looking to learn more about the Humor and Satire Awards? Click here!

A Newer Division of the CIBAs, the Humor and Satire is quickly establishing itself as a book award program for humor, satire, lampoons, and allegory.

Let’s take a look at some of the 2021 winners from the 10th Anniversary Chanticleer Author’s Conference!

Binge

By Anne Pfeffer

Twenty-seven-year-old Sabrina “Bree” Hunter has the chance to grasp her dream of being a published author, but will her binge eating spell the end of that dream?

After years of working for a demanding B-list talent agent in Los Angeles, Bree earned a publishing deal with Fast Track Books. She should celebrate, thrilled that her life will finally go down the right path since her graduation from Dartmouth. However, Bree has a problem that isn’t easily fixed. Her publisher expects the skinny beauty on her webpage, a picture taken many years previously.

Since the days of the photo, Bree has become a compulsive eater. She spends every moment of her day obsessing over junk food. Bree turns to food to comfort her, console her, and to bring her joy. This addiction has caused her to gain forty pounds since college. Finding dieting on her own harder than she expected, Bree agrees to attend a support group meeting. Her sister, Lena’s, boyfriend has recently found success in breaking his addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Hot Air

By Charlie Suisman

Arnold Falls bristles with zany events, quirky locals, and colorful newbies. Above all, this memorable enclave buoys its people through heart, soul, wit, and a true sense of collective spirit.

Jeebie Walker returns as the story’s central narrator.

The successful voice-over artist stands as a solid fixture in the town, now in a loving relationship with his partner Will. A volunteer fireman, illustrator, and candidate for an MA in Conservation Biology, Will jokingly claims that Jeebie makes “bossing others around” a superpower.

The Kissing Rabbi: Lust, Betrayal, and a Community Turned Inside Out

By Andy Becker

Based on a true story, Andy Becker’s tale The Kissing Rabbi is a smart, witty, and engaging novel that takes readers into the heart of a Jewish community in the Pacific Northwest.

Here a young, self-serving rabbi sets a town on edge when his salacious desires and personal financial agenda are brought to light by the people he was brought there to serve.

Rabbi Mishegas Dreidel, a young orthodox leader, arrives in the quiet town of Destiny, Oregon. His intentions seem noble as he opens up a synagogue in his basement and establishes a flock of dedicated followers.

Babs and Basil, and the Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles

By Elizabeth Crowens

This book is still a manuscript, but we’re excited for it to come out!

A cute premise and a light-hearted beginning. Babs and Basil, and the Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles features humor, mystery, and action throughout that’s easy to read and follow.

An excellent book for older readers and Hollywood movie buffs that can catch the myriad of references. The lightheartedness storyline buoys the reader along naturally. A kindly read to escape into and keep your spirits afloat.

My Only Sunshine: Getting Straight with the Bomb

By Lou Dischler

Lou Dischler delivers an intricately woven story about one well-meaning boy who tries to make sense of the crazy he’s been born into. Get ready for one belly laugh of an adventure in My Only Sunshine.

Welcome to the Louisiana low country, home of 9-year-old Charlie Boone, a kid growing up in 1962. Charlie, a most unreliable narrator, concerns himself with giant wingless wasps and biting red velvet ants. Combine his critter-concerns with the legend of the giant slugs, the story of his mother taken up by a hurricane, and the episode of the puddle he and his brother dug that grew into a pond, then turned into a lake, and we have one wildly imaginative ride well-worth taking.

Dischler delivers an epic tale that shifts from Charlie’s first-person point-of-view with his youthful ignorance coloring his observations to his Uncle Dan’s and “Aunt” Lola’s in third-person point-of-view. While Charlie ages and grows in wisdom as the story progresses, his uncle never seems to gain a lick of sense. Dischler skillfully applies the laws of magic realism to Charlie’s wonderful way of viewing his world. Uncle Dan’s story, on the other hand, derives from an inept conman’s rap-sheet – from failed grifts to bank robbery bungles that succeed only by accident. Dischler guides us, normalizing the ridiculous to the point that the characters jump off the page and set up camp in your living room.

The Grand Prize Winner!

Certified

By Roger Wilson-Crane

Certified by Roger Wilson-Crane is a multi-award-winning comedy-drama, following one man down three sharp turns in his life trajectory.

Based on real-life events, Certified shows the narrator’s birth, marriage, and death, three of the most significant milestones in human life. The book is divided into three sections.

“One Unexpected Birth” explores his flawed string of relationships until he meets Dawn, the love of his life. However, a woman from the past makes a comeback, threatening to shatter his newly found happiness.

“One Hapless Wedding” careens about his well-planned wedding in Puglia, Italy, which is trampled by Justin Timberlake who wants the same venue. “One Bizarre Death”, on the other hand, follows the loss of the narrator’s loved one and the pain and confusion that surrounds an unexpected death. Certified is full of humor, heart, and unexpected gems that one might find in a trunk of well-lived memories.

Need more Humor in your life? Check out these books that won the 2020 Humor and Satire Awards!

The sky is the limit when it comes to Humor

Even Data from Star Trek likes Mark Twain

HOW DO YOU HAVE YOUR BOOKS RECOGNIZED? Submit them to the Chanticleer International Book Awards – Click here for more information about The CIBAs!

The last day to submit your work is November 30, 2022. We invite you to join us, to tell us your stories, and to find out who will take home the prize ribbons at CAC23 in April.

As our deadline draws near, don’t miss this opportunity to earn the distinction your novel deserves! Enter today!

The Humor and Satire Book Awards for Satirical and Allegorical fiction is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards – the CIBAs.

ENTER NOW!

Don’t delay! Enter today!

November 23, 2022
Series Spotlight: Themes and Research for Success!
Sometimes a story is too big for just One Book

You have an idea. Not just any idea, a big idea! We’re talking ten thousand pages, hundreds of thousands of words, the next Great Doorstop of a novel!

Consider breaking that up into a series!

It might be easier to split up the book digitally

Smaller books are more accessible, and a series keeps you in the front of your readers’ minds. With books consistently coming out, winning awards, and receiving reviews, the marketing for those happens much more naturally than having to bring out a backlist of unrelated novels. When a book takes place in a series, a reader who read an earlier book already knows they’re going like what they pick up.

With the incredible versatility of a book series, we now offer the Book Series Awards for Genre Fiction in addition to progressive discounts on multiple book reviews.

But where to start? How do you link your series together? What goes into finishing an actual series?

Enter Your Series Today!

Series Theme

Theme is the central idea of the series. Your theme informs the main character’s goal, their motivation to pursue that goal, and the threats to their success.

Your stories are grounded in the theme. A hero who saves the world from evil plans will experience different challenges than two teenage friends who love to solve small-town mysteries. The theme helps you maintain the tone of each book in the series. If one book is filled with irony and another is deadly serious, your readers will be disappointed and stop reading. That’s why your theme is important to the success of the entire series.

There’s no guaranteed formula, but you can start out by doing some serious research into great series that have already succeeded. The tools you discover will help fashion unique work for you and your voice.

Let’s Dive in!

Research and Read

All good story research starts somewhere

Everyone will tell you to be a great writer, you should be a great reader. Think about the series you want to write, and ask yourself: What authors do I admire who are doing something similar? You’re going to want to look through their books for all that we will discuss here, as well as comparing it to your own understanding of structure and what makes a good story.

If you aren’t sure where to start, you can reference this wonderful article on plotting by Jessica Morrell here.

Jessica Page Morrell

In it, she covers some of what authors need to consider when writing, such as:
- What is the inciting event or threat?
- Environment
- Risks to take with your characters
And if you want more, you can refer to this article on story structure by David Beaumier that looks at
- Dialogue
- Character
- Plot
- Voice
- Beats
- Show vs Tell
Now that you have your list and a running understanding of what’s making the books work, you can take notes on what your favorite series are doing that makes them your favorite series! Your notes should cover the important events in each book, and then ask yourself what the overall point of the book was, and finally how did that book fit into the series as a whole.

The Chanticleer Authors Conference is the place to go to hone your writing skills!

With regards to character, you’ll want to examine which central characters return, and how many new characters come on the scene (these are named characters where you receive background on them and they have a non-trivial impact on your main cast).

At the end, do a comparison of themes between books and ask how they relate to other books in the series.

Here are some of our favorite series that also won First Place in the Series Awards! you could look through for ideas. Let us know if any of them are similar to what you want to write!

M. K. Wiseman – The Bookminder series

You can read the review here for The Bookminder

Kaylin McFarren – Threads

Read the reviews here for Buried Threads, Banished Threads, and Twisted Threads

Mark Newhouse – The Devil’s Bookkeepers

Read the reviews here for The Noose, The Noose Tightens, and The Noose Closes

Nicole Evelina – The Guinevere’s Tale Trilogy

Read the reviews here for Daughter of Destiny and Camelot’s Queen

Have a Book Series that deserves recognition? Submit now to our Book Series Awards here by the end of November!

The 2021 Series Grand Prize Winner was Nicole Evelina, author of The Guinevere’s Tale Trilogy.

See the 2021 Series Award Winners here!

Enter before the end of November!

Helpful Links Recap:

Prepping to Write – Plotting, Inciting Incidents, Atmosphere, Characters – Brainstorming Tips for the NaNoWriMo Season by Jessica Morrell

Understanding Story Structure by David Beaumier

The traditional publishing tool that indie authors can use to propel their writing careers to new levels? https://test.chantireviews.com/2016/05/15/the-seven-must-haves-for-authors-unlocking-the-secrets-of-successful-publishing-series-by-kiffer-brown/
November 4, 2022
Word Nerd – Using the Best Word – the PERFECT Word by Kiffer Brown
Learning another language has always been my portal to understanding the nuances of my own language, American English. Currently, I am trying to learn European Portuguese to add to my faltering French and German. It is a very slow process but still appeals to my word nerdiness that I attribute to my Latin classes in high school.

In reviewing books and many other types of media, my most frequent complaint is when the writers are lazy with their word usage. Not punctuation. Not verb agreement. Not even when the writers are being pedantic. What makes me twitch the most is Lazy Word CHOICE!

Not that the words must be sesquipedalian. (Definition at the end of the post.)

For example, the word PERFECT.

Would any of these words below be a better fit than “perfect” for conveying your thoughts with a more exact meaning?
- impeccable
- without fault
- flawless
- faultless (slightly different than flawless)
- incomparable
- sublime
- ideal
- the best
- shiny new
- perfection
- absolutely
None of the words above are sesquipedalian (ahem), but they do have slightly different connotations to convey your thoughts more exactly, don’t they?

And now, as promised, the definition of sesquipedalia: very long words.

Sesquipedalian: a person who uses big words to sound smart.

Even though Diane Garland and I are lexicomanes, I hope that we do not come across as sesquipedalian. However, no one would accuse me of being pauciloquent.

Lexicomane: lover of dictionaries

Pauciloquent: using few words in speech or conversation

The main point is that as a writer, you do not want to bumfuzzle your readers or listeners.

Bumfuzzle: confuse, perplex, fluster

To bring this diverting (aka fun, I hope) post to a close, I would like to share some words that I read in a business journal that are supposed to make you sound smarter. However, their synonyms might work better in your works. It depends. Right? Right! Or as my friend with whom English is a second language admonishes me to say, “Correct? Correct!” instead of right—especially when giving directions.
- articulate (well-spoken)
- accolades (kudos)
- brevity (concise)
- adulation (excessive flattery)
- anomaly (odd)
- pithy (brief, clever remark)
- lucid (clear and intelligible)
- bespoke (custom-made)
- diatribe (rant)
- vitriolic (nasty, scathing comment or action)
- aplomb (confidence)
- resplendent (shining brilliantly)
Do you have some words that you would love to share or ones that you think should be abolished (scrapped) from the English language? Let me know!

REMINDER to WRITE FAST and EDIT SLOW

And remember to not worry about word choice when you are creating your first or second draft.

WRITE FAST!

Edit Slow!

Handy link to our Write Fast, Edit Slow post with a practice exercise.

Word choice editing comes after you get your story’s first or second draft draft down in words from the “mindfilm” that you experience when you are creating a work.

I do hope that you have enjoyed reading this post at least half as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until next time,

Keep on Writing! Kiffer

Chanticleer Editorial Services – when you are ready

Did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services? We do and have been doing so since 2011.

Tools of the Editing Trade

Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).

If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.

We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top editors on an ongoing basis. Contact us today!

Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions are being held.

A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service. Here are some handy links about this tried and true service: https://test.chantireviews.com/manuscript-reviews/
September 20, 2022
Notes and Jottings about Writing from Kiffer Brown, A Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox Post
Kiffer Brown’s Fall Cleaning Finds Writing Tips!

Found Notes from the Home of Kiffer Brown

We are getting ready to do some long-awaited (no thanks to Covid) and much needed remodeling on our 100-year-old-plus bungalow. A little known fact of our old home is that Edward R. Murrow’s parents lived here and Mr. Murrow visited them often. Below is a photo of Mr. Murrow visiting his parents in the house that I now live in.

A photo of Edward R. Murrow visiting his parents’ house in Bellingham, Wash.

In moving my office (read: organize boxes of notebooks, composition books, and small pieces of paper), I am compelled to go through them and decide which ones I will toss, which ones I will need to consolidate, and which of the aforementioned I will deem worthy of keeping. While I was flipping through these individual journals, I saw the following snippets of note-taking from leaders and top authors in the publishing industry.

How many of you have these in your writing lair?

Writing Notebooks

Without further ado here are a few of the found gems that I found while going through a few of my notebooks:
- Write the slow stuff fast and the fast stuff (aka action scenes) slow to increase tension. In other words, “Tell” the slow stuff and “Show” the Fast Stuff.
- When writing you either need to advance the plot or reveal more about a character.
- Chapters should have arcs to them and cliffhangers to keep the reader turning pages.
- The first and last sentences of each chapter are the most important.
- Dialogue is action. Action is dialogue (Robert Dugoni).
- Only add backstory in on an as-needed basis. Does it advance the story? If not, don’t add it.
- Start scenes with action. End scenes with action.
And, finally, Subplots must be woven in. They are tools for the author to:
- Delay the main plot
- Distract the protagonist
- Heighten mood
- Affect pacing
- Add foreshadowing
- Shows transformations
- Ramp up the main plot
After years of attending conferences and living and breathing the writing world, it’s a joy and a gift to come across these treasures from the best in my home office. I hope you find these jottings as helpful as I have.

Now back to trying to beat back chaos in my office. I will do another post about the jottings and notes that I find during my re-organization.

We’d love to hear from you and your notes and jottings!

Keep on Writing! The world needs good books now more than ever! – Kiffer
September 8, 2022
Film Techniques for Fiction Writers by Jessica Morrell and Other Advanced Writing Class Sessions at CAC 22
The 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference is offering Advanced Writing Craft Sessions!

Learn from the Best!

CAC22 is offered In Real Life and Virtually, June 23rd – 26, 2022.

Headlining the sessions is:

Master Writing Class – Film Techniques for Fiction Writers with Jessica Morrell

Fiction and memoir need to be cinematic—there’s no getting around that fact.

Especially in this saturated, reality-dominated, and competitive media landscape. Creating cinematic fiction makes great demands on writers—there’s no gigantic screen, no darkened theater to enchant a reader, no actors prancing around a stage, their body language and costumes signaling meaning and subtext. But many film techniques can be translated onto the page from viewpoint to mastering props and subtext. It begins with making powerful choices and identifying key moments that need emphasis, when to whisper and suggest, and when to stage and let the camera roll.

Topics we’ll cover:
- Using viewpoint to establish camera angles and narrative distance, especially bringing your ‘camera’ in close for potency and impact.
- Borrow method acting techniques to create immersive viewpoints.
- Using wide angle or establishing shots to nail down scenes and place.
- Zooming for impact.
- Factoring in the subliminal with sounds, subtext, color, and texture.
- Lighting to create mood, atmosphere, resonance, and obstacles.
- Using props to ground the story and create subtext.
- Scene cuts and cliffhangers to keep suspense percolating.
This workshop will available LIVE and VIRTUALLY for those who register

The inimitable, always-in-demand, Jessica Morrell

One of the primary contributors to the Chanticleer writing blog, Jessica’s tips and advice are invaluable lessons that benefit all authors. Each year we offer writing craft sessions from the best editors and authors in the publishing industry.

Don’t Miss Out!

Jessica will be teaching two classes over the course of three sessions LIVE at CAC22

Your Brain on Writing: How Neuroscience Research Can Make You a Better Writer (2 Sessions)

Writing is a complex process and these days information gleaned from cognitive neuroscience can make a powerful difference in how much you accomplish and how your words affect readers. While writing, all regions of your brain are engaged and on the job. That’s why the more you write, the more neural connections you’re growing. The latest science-based information gives insights on how to form connections and develop powerful habits as you train and strengthen your brain. Reading is also a complex act so we’ll delve into what goes on in readers’ minds and how to capture their interest and keep them captivated. Or should we say captive?

Topics we’ll cover:

An easy-to-understand overview of brain structures and functions. This includes learning the roles of key neurotransmitters, our billions of neurons, and how to better implement them in writing and life.
- Neuroplasticity and how you can change your brain’s structure and function by rewiring neural pathways.
- Understanding the function of the RAS (reticular activating system) and how it helps us achieve goals and leads our future self forward.
- Put your subconscious and unconscious to work by reprograming generating ideas and breakthroughs.
- The function of the vagas nerve, the longest cranial nerve running from your brain to your stomach, and how it affects major body functions from breathing to blood pressure to heart rate. Then we’ll discuss simple practices to stimulate it to support overall and emotional health.
- Practical habits and exercise to put this knowledge into practice.
AND

Dangerous Women with Jessica Morrell

Vampire Juliette and Vampire Hunter Cal — Two Dangerous Women from Netflix’s First Kill

Dangerous women can occupy so many roles in fiction, film, and television. With their complex moralities and motivations, they defy expectations, and can be strong, fearless, and inspiring. Then there are the ones who scare us. Because one bad woman is worth five bad men, so when women plot and scheme and break bad, the results are often disastrous for whoever she’s got in her crosshairs. Because social norms have taught us that women are the gentler and nurturing sex, when they defy norms, the results are combustible.

With that in mind, we’ll talk about female anti-heroes in all their fierceness and intriguing capabilities and how to make their stakes personal. We’ll cover unlikable protagonists, villains, and rule breakers who sizzle on the page, reflect the realities of their society or culture, or are deliciously out of sync. We’ll also discuss roles in fiction such as femme fatale, divas, mommy dearest, and power behind the throne. Characters we’ll analyze characters from well-known tales such as Annie Wilkes of Misery, Sula, Nurse Ratchet, Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca DeWinters, and Mrs. Bennet of Pride and Prejudice.

The workshop will review contemporary women found in TV series and films because in recent years an explosion of strong and norm-defying females are everywhere—including Claire Underwood from House of Cards, Eve Polastari and Villanette from Killing Eve, Cersei Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, Queen Elizabeth in The Crown—disrupters all.

Other Sessions at In Real Life CAC 22
- Why Acting Classes Make You a Better Writer – Nicole Evelina – USA Bestselling Author
- Seven Advanced Techniques for Deeping Characterization – Diane Garland (Continuity Editor) and Jacquie Rogers – multi-award winning author
- Five Things You Need to Know About POV – Amy Peele, Medical Mystery Author
- Writing Intimacy Scenes – Betsy Fasbinder, Writing Coach & Author
- Story Bibles and Continuity – with Diane Garland (World Builder and Continuity Editor)
- and more!
Plus, sessions on the business and marketing side of being a writer!

Register Today!

In addition to Morrell’s LIVE Master Class, you can sign up for her other sessions and the full Chanticleer Authors Conference here.

Reach out to us at info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions!
June 15, 2022
Spotlight on Seán Dwyer, Award Winning Author of Quest for Tears, Professor, and Community Leader

Award-winning Author, Professor, and President of Whatcom Writers and Publishers

Seán has been a writer since he discovered that people strung words together to tell stories. He is also a polyglot and has written creatively in Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Latin, and Irish. Sean has finished three novel projects and published stories in several journals, anthologies, and Chanticleer Magazine. A native of Gary, Indiana, and Dwyer teaches Spanish, German, and Portuguese at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. The author of over 100 songs, Dwyer is also an active member of Red Wheelbarrow Writers, Whatcom Writers and Publishers, and Upstart Crows.

Seán Dwyer’s collection Voices I Hear was a Finalist for the innaguaral Shorts Awards, and his book A Quest for Tears won First Place in the Journey Awards. Read the 5 Star Book Review of A Quest for Tears here.

Still thinking about registering for the 10th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference?

Now’s the time!

We have a stellar line up of speakers for CAC22, with options to attend in person and virtually. Find out why The 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 June 23-26, 2022 at the beautiful Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, WA.

June 2, 2022