We have another fabulous interview for you today, with author Erin Lark Maples! Her book A Circle of Stars: Four Crowns Series Book 1 took home the Chanticleer 2024 CIBA Grand Prize Award in the Ozma Division.
Erin Lark Maples is a lover of fountain pens and the trail they leave behind. She is the author of the Four Crowns contemporary fantasy series and the companion web serial, Weir Walker. Her work is highly praised for its heart and snark as well as her knack for breathing magic into the everyday.
Find out more about this interesting author and her imaginative fantasy novels here.
The 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference and International Book Awards was a huge success! Authors from around the world came together for a weekend of learning, networking, and celebrating the best books of the year!
Every April, the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC) brings working authors to Bellingham, WA for a weekend of masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions, networking, and the annual Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) ceremony to celebrate the best books of 2026!
This year, CAC26 featured a masterclass with New York literary agent Donald Maas and best-selling author and keynote speaker, Avanti Centrae.
The work leading up to the conference can be chaotic and exhausting, but that is long forgotten once our Chanticleer authors arrive. Every year I enjoy seeing friends I’ve made from past conferences, and I always meet a few new friends, too!
For a full rundown of the weekend’s events, check out the blog post I wrote on the Chanticleer Book Reviews’ website here!
If you feel your manuscript needs a new set of eyes who can map it out and locate vulnerable areas, consider a manuscript overview to get your story to the finish line.
Putting together a manuscript is like putting together a puzzle. You add in the characters, the action, the red herrings, the clues, and everything else that creates a memorable tale. It’s easy to have all the needed information in your head when you’re writing, but it never shows up on the page. In your haste to get the great story out you can sometimes overlook an important piece of your story.
Manuscript overviews are your manuscript’s wingman. A good manuscript overview pinpoints areas where your work can be improved. It evaluates character, plot, action, romance elements, and everything else found in a story.
If you feel your manuscript needs a new set of eyes who can map it out and locate vulnerable areas, consider a manuscript overview to get your story to the finish line.
Find out more about Manuscript Overviews and the service Chanticleer Book Review offers here.
One of my favorite genres is historical fiction. It acts as a time portal that can lift you up and transfer you years into the past. With vivid details and sometimes language of the time, you get to experience a world that was well-known to our ancestors but is only a blurred image in our minds today.
I recently discussed a few tips to writing historical fiction in a post I wrote for Chanticleer Book Reviews. If you are interested in writing historical fiction, or just want to learn more about how your favorite authors can conjur up the past, I invite you to read my article; “Three Rules for Writing Historical Fiction That Will Transport Readers Back in Time.”
Every writer knows the power of a great chapter ending—it’s the moment that turns casual readers into page-turners. In the Chanticleer article “Breaking Down the End-of-Chapter Hook,” I explore what makes these moments truly compelling and how you can craft chapter endings that keep readers desperate for what comes next.
Rather than relying on gimmicks, the article reveals the underlying mechanics of tension and conflict that fuel reader curiosity and propel your story forward. Whether you’re drafting your first novel or polishing your tenth, this piece offers practical insights to sharpen your craft and transform ordinary chapter breaks into irresistible hooks.
Great stories don’t live on words alone.
When writers and illustrators collaborate, ideas gain texture, emotion, and visual rhythm that readers instantly feel. From picture books to graphic essays, these partnerships turn imagination into something you can see as well as read.
I recently wrote about writers working with illustrators in a blog post for work. In it I offer six tips writers can use to create a collaborative, productive working relationship with their illustrator. It encourages writers to focus on good communication, a clear vision of the art that doesn’t stifle creativity, and how building a collaboration that is rooted in trust is your best bet to get a great result for your next book.
Whether you’re a novelist, poet, or content creator, understanding this relationship can elevate your work. Dive deeper into the process, challenges, and rewards by reading the full article here, and start collaborating with confidence.
To efficiently research for a book, define a focused topic, create a plan, gather diverse sources, evaluate their credibility, organize findings, and begin writing early while integrating research seamlessly.
To streamline research for a book, begin with a focused topic, create a research plan, and utilize various information sources like books, articles, interviews, and online resources. Organize your findings systematically, evaluate sources critically, and consider using tools like RSS feeds or note-taking apps to manage information efficiently.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
By following these steps, you can streamline your research process and create a well-researched and engaging book.
Click here to streamline your research further with these tips from Chanticleer Book Reviews!
Horror subgenres offer a diverse toolkit for writers to explore and evoke fear, suspense, and a range of emotions within their narratives. Here’s why they are valuable:
By leveraging the diverse characteristics of different horror subgenres, engaging, emotionally impactful, and thought-provoking narratives that resonate deeply with readers can be created.
Click here to see a list of different horror sub-genres.
Subtle character hints make a big impact on shaping your characters.
Have you ever met a character in a book or movie who felt real before they even said a word?
Maybe it was the way they adjusted their sleeves when nervous, or how they always paused a beat too long before answering a question. These small, almost invisible cues are what give characters depth—and they’re often more powerful than flashy backstories or dramatic dialogue.
They are the hints that provide readers with the essence of who that character is. Picture a character at the grocery store checkout who writes a check for sixty-seven cents when buying half and half. We know he’s probably broke, doesn’t seem in control of their life, and he doesn’t really care.
I recently wrote about subtle character hints for work about how using subtle character hints can breathe life into your creations and make them feel authentic, layered, and alive on the page. I’ve also highlighted different ways you can add new, unique subtle character hints into your story.
I hope you find it valuable!
Have you ever wished you could capture the feeling you had standing at an scenic overlook? Or the silly moment you shared with your family when you climbed up on a miniaturized sculpture of a T-Rex to take a picture? If you’re interested in writing these moments, whether for yourself or to sell to a travel magazine, it’s fun to write about all the wonderful experiences that come your way when you step out into the world of travel writing.
I wrote an article about the fundamentals of travel writing for work and you can read it by clicking on is link:
