Spotlight: Seven Aprils Wins at the Chanticleer International Book Awards

 

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Community, that’s what we creatives crave when we come out of our focused, turtle habitats!

Thankfully, there are organizations that provide a nudge out of our shells.  When I was considering entering my World War II romantic suspense novel Watch Over Me in the Chanticleer International Book Awards, I consulted with some writer friends about the organization.  “Oh, a great group with a wonderful small conference every year in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!” I was told.  And … CIBA knows how to throw a party!” They were right on both counts!  (Thank you Janet Oakley and Michelle Cox!)

Fast forward a few years and two conferences later. Not only did Watch Over Me achieve First in Category status in the Chatelaine Award for Women’s Fiction, but at this year’s virtual conference, held via ZOOM, I was delighted to hear: “Congratulations to the Grand Prize Winner of the LARAMIE Book Awards for Western, Civil War, Pioneer, First Nation Novels and Americana Fiction: “Seven Aprils by Eileen Charbonneau!” 

My cheering squad of husband Ed, daughter Marya and baby grandson Desmond were on hand. My tiara was in place! Our favorite bubblies flowed!

Here’s a glimpse at some of the topics covered in this years Chanticleer Book Conference:

• Virtual Author Events: How To Pivot from LIVE to VIRTUAL for Book Launches, Book Clubs, and Book Events
• Book to Film Panel Discussion 
• The Critical Role Authors Play in Fostering a Better Society 
• Writing and Selling Children’s Books
• Voice Driven Technology and the Future of Publishing 
• How to Create a Sustainable and Compelling Series 
• Don’t be Left OUT and OFF the Airwaves – Intro to Podcasting 
• Historical Fiction–how to both fictionalize real characters and realize fictional ones 
• Collaborating with Other Authors 
• Writers: Improve Your Productivity and Your Health by Correcting Posture 

Sound great?  It was!!  So, I encourage my author friends of all genres to stick your necks out, enter your books in award competitions, and come out of your shells once in awhile and join with readers, industry folks and fellow authors to celebrate our crazy but wonderful business!

Kindness Never Wasted

coming in April!

shortlisted for Laramie and Chatelaine Awards!

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Located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River lies the island Grosse Isle. It was once the main point of entry for immigrants coming to Canada. On the island was a quarantine station. The year 1847 (“Black ’47”) was the worst year of the Irish Great Hunger, brought in approximately 110,000 migrants to Canada. Nearly 90,000 landed at Grosse Isle. 

An Irish Farewell, 1840

About one out of every six migrants did not make it through that year. They died in the filthy holds of “coffin ships,” in crowded tents on the quarantine islands or in port cities. Most succumbed to typhus.

newspaper account

By year’s end, thousands of children had become orphans. No one is sure of the exact number as many were informally placed out and left no trace in the records. 

Over half the orphans were placed with French Canadian families, many in the countryside. Some were treated merely as farm hands. But some of the adoptive parents were self-sacrificing and expressed love and respect while they urged the children to keep their Irish surnames and preserve their Irish heritage. The descendants of these Irish Canadians have become accomplished in many walks of life. They include artists and musicians, politicians, writers and scientists.

memorial to the fallen on Grosse Isle

My friend Paulinus Healy, chaplain of the Toronto Airport, first told me the infinitely sad story of the fallen of Grosse Isle and the wonderfully redemptive one of the French Canadian families who took the orphans into their homes and hearts. “You’ll write about it some day, “ Paulinus predicted.  I have in my April 2020 historical novel, Mercies of the Fallen.  Sergeant Rowan Buckley is a Grosse Isle orphan taken in by three French Canadian sisters. When the American Civil War breaks out, he decides to head south with his neighbor, a former slave, to join the Union army.

I hope I have captured the character of fallen people, who, if shown kindness, return mercy to the world exponentially.

PS -- As February is romance month, Books We Love authors are offering excerpts from their contemporary romances, romantic suspense and paranormal romances on the BWL free reading club. Check it out and join today at https://www.facebook.com/groups/BooksWeLovebookclub/