OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction | Sword & Sorcery Fiction | Chanticleer International Book Awards

The Ozma Book Awards ~ Fantasy Fiction Novel Writing Contest ~2025
The search for 2025's best Fantasy Fiction Books

Deadline July 31, 2025

Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Diesel-punk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out of this world fiction, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them to take home the prizes.

Prizes to be won:

ENTER TO WIN the 2025 CIBA Overall Grand Prize of $1,000 USD for Best Book

or the 2025 OZMA Exclusive Chanticleer Book Review Package and Author Interview!

Or the more than $30,000 in Additional prizes, services, and awards for Finalists, 1st Place Category Winners and Division Grand Prize Winners!

Enter to WIN the OZMA Grand Prize and BEST FANTASY BOOK of the YEAR!

Five 1st Place Category Positions will take home blue ribbons and prize packages, digital badges, & more!

The Finalists will be recognized on stage at the CIBA ceremony and will be eligible for prize packages & services, digital badges, etc.

• The Ozma Grand Prize Winner is named Chanticleer Reviews Best Fantasy Fiction Book of the Year, and goes on to compete for the Chanticleer Overall Grand Prize Best Book of the Year
• The Overall Grand Prize Winner is named Chanticleer Reviews Best Book of the Year, and awarded the $1000 prize
• All Winners receive a Chanticleer Prize Package which includes a digital badge, a ribbon and a whole assortment of goodies detailed below (winners outside the US pay a shipping & handling fee)

The entry fee is $99 for Non-Members and $75 for The Roost at Chanticleer members per entry per category.

Email Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com for membership information or click here for more info about this exciting new Members-Only Community:

That's more than $30,000.00 worth of cash and prizes! The Fine Print.

~$1,000 for one lucky Overall Grand Prize Winner

~$19,000 in reviews, interviews, prizes, and promotion awarded to Division Grand Prize Winners

~$28,980 in reviews, prizes, and promotional opportunities awarded to Category Winners

Currently accepting entries. Deadline: July 31st, 2025.

What are you waiting for? Enter today!

The 2023 OZMA Grand Prize Winner is Tim Facciola

See the Full List of 2023 OZMA Winners here

The Chanticleer Prize Package includes:

• A Prize Ribbon to use in promotion at book signings and book festivals
• Digital Badges for display on your website or incorporation into book covers
• Book stickers to identify your print books to book store shoppers as they browse

In addition to all the ribbons and badges and cash awards we will be showering you with, you will also receive a powerful promotional boost from Chanticleer Reviews, with:

• Your name and book title announced on our high traffic website at the finalist stage, the category winner stage, the genre grand prize stage, and the overall grand prize stage, depending on how far you go in the competition
• Corresponding social media announcements of your contest advancements
• Corresponding newsletter announcements to our sizable email list
• Your winning title's review published in our Chanticleer Reviews Magazine
• Your book may also receive trade show representation as we show off our winners at conferences and trade shows across the US and Internationally. We like to show off our winners in as many ways as we can.
• Your book may also be seen and noticed by agents, publishers, Hollywood producers, and others within the publishing and entertainment industry who see our contests as a way to spot new and upcoming talent and original story ideas

The Ozma Awards Categories are:

• Magic, Heroes & Villains
• Coming of Age
• Steampunk/Dieselpunk/Gaslight Fantasy
• Historical Fantasy
• Modern/Urban Fantasy
• Fairy Tale, Fable, Myth & Legend

Each work submitted will be judged on the following criteria:

Eligibility Requirements:

• Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published.
• E-pub accepted.
• All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission.
• Entries must be in the English language.
• No erotica. No graphic violence, please.
• Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2020 will be disqualified.
• Novels must be 60,000 plus words.
• You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.
• You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.
• Default winners will not be declared. Contests are based on merit and writing craft.
• Digital Files must be submitted in PDF or Word DOC format.
• Fees and Digital File must be received before July 31st, 2025 midnight.
• Please read our Terms and Conditions page aka The Fine Print. Prizes and Award Packages may change without notice.

Helpful Links

Announcement Schedule

Previous Winners:

See the ALL previous CIBA Winners here

How The Contests Work

The Fine Print

If you have any questions or concerns, please email: info@ChantiReviews.com

Note: You will receive a confirmation email after you have uploaded your work and paid entrance fees through PayPal. PayPal also sends us your contact information. If we have any questions or concerns, we will contact you within 72 business hours of receiving entry(ies).

You should receive a confirmation emails from PayPal and from Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media. If you have any questions or concerns about your submission, please contact us at info@ChantiReviews.com.