2021 PenCraft Book Awards for literary excellence voted “Almost Damned” 1st Place Winner for the Category Fiction – Supernatural. Read Review.

Instagram Images & Posts

Almost Damned Perfect Pairing by The Book Feast, May 8, 2021.

A legal thriller of Heavenly proportions! by Write-Read-Life, April 27, 2021.

Testimonial, Instagram, and Articles on Chris Leibig via Sabrina Dax

National Indie Excellence Awards

Los Angeles press release for 2021 Indie Excellence Awards. Almost Damned Awarded Best Légal Thriller

Alumni Authors | Georgetown Alumni Online

Almost Damned Named a Finalist in 2021 Next Generation Indépendant Book Awards

2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards Finalist in Suspense/Thriller and Paranormal Categories

Almost Damned Review. By The Book Feast, May 5, 2021.

Book Review – Almost Mortal by Christopher Leibig. By Quaint and Curious Volumes, May 10,2021.

Almost Damned: A Legal Thriller. By Maria Carlson, The US Review of Books.

Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb by Deborah Kalb Books. April 12, 2021.

Almost Mortal + Almost Damned Review by Selina, Beauty’s Library. April 16, 2021.

Almost Damned [Review] by Jessica Higgins, Write Read Life. April 27, 2021

Book Review: Almost Damned by Christopher Leibig #BookReview by ALittleBookProblem.com

Almost Damned Review by IndieReader.com

Almost Damned – Book Review by AuthorsReading.com

On-Line Book Club Reviews Chris Leibig’s Novel Almost Damned: Official Review: Almost Damned by Christopher Leibig by OnlineBookClub.org

Chris Leibig’s Novel Almost Damned by Kirkus Reviews

Watch Chanticleer Authors Conference 2020 – The New Era of Content Creation in All Its Forms Online Vimeo On Demand on Vimeo

• Conference Information and Bios
• Day 1 Vimeo Link

How to Pivot from LIVE to VIRTUAL for Book Launches, Book Clubs, and Book Events from Chanticleer Book Reviews on Vimeo.

Chris Leibig Moderates Panel and Presents at the 2020 Chanticleer International Authors Conference, Bellingham, Washington, September 8-13, 2020

Chris Leibig accepting the Pencraft Award for Best Legal Thriller for 2019 for The Isotoner Ordeal.

We are pleased to announce that our judges of the 2019 PenCraft Awards for literary excellence voted your book, The Isotoner Ordeal published Independently as our Legal Thriller genre 2019 1st Place Winner.

The Isotoner Ordeal” reviewed by AuthorsReading

Award and Honorable Mentions for Author Chris Leibig, 2016-2019.

Chris Leibig’s novel about teenage violence, “The Isotoner Ordeal”, published by Traveller’s Playground Press in 2018 (written in 2004) wins 2018 Next Generation Independent Book Award for Best Fiction E-Book

View Full Winners List

Review 2017 Pencraft Award Winners

Almost Mortal Unabridged Audiobook, narrated by Steve Carlson, released by Audible, October 30, 2017.

July 2017 – Almost Mortal Featured by Book Club Reading List

https://bookclubreading.com/almost-mortal/

Almost Mortal receives three awards at the Chanticleer International Book Awards, April 1, 2017. Grand Prize for Paranormal Fiction, First place in Mystery Category for Legal Thrillers, and First place in Fantasy Category for Magic.

Chancellor Book Awards Official List

Chris Leibig’s novel Almost Mortal is still holding strong on Amazon Best Sellers in three separate categories (having hit as the Number One legal thriller for three days last week). It has now holding in the top 25 in the categories of Legal Thrillers, Supernatural fiction, and Paranormal fiction. Almost Mortal is also nominated in three separate categories for Best Book of 2016 at the Chanticleer International Book Awards – Awards Ceremony this Saturday, April 1 at 8 pm in Bellingham, Washington. Paranormal Short List, Fantasy Short List, Mystery Short List.

Almost Mortal Publisher John Koehler Posts About Big National Momentum for Almost Mortal

Chris Leibig’s novel Almost Mortal short-listed for Chanticleer International Book Wards in three separate categories – Mystery, Paranormal, and Fantasy. Awards ceremony in Bellingham Washington on April 1, 2017.
Paranormal Book Award for Supernatural Fiction — Semi-Finalist
Ozma Book Award for Fantasy Fiction — Semi-Finalist
Clue Book Awards for Suspense and Thriller Fiction — Semi-Finalist

The 2016 PARANORMAL Book Awards FINALISTS List… Almost Mortal is a category finalist for 3 Chanticleer categories – Mystery, Fantasy, and Paranormal.

https://www.chantireviews.com/2017/02/01/the-2016-paranormal-book-awards-finalists-list/

Two Chris Leibig novels, Almost Mortal and The Black Rabbit, make short list for 2016 Chanticleer Mystery Award. Winners Announced at Awards Ceremony in Bellingham, Washington on April 1, 2017

You gotta stop trying to reinvent the wheel

He obviously thought the comment had something to do with why I was in so much trouble but it only got me thinking about the summer the wheels came off my chuck wagon.

It was the summer when Sue Ann finally let loose on the lady from the peanut shop and there was no catching hold of what came oozing out after. Sue Ann had come alone and brought us beautiful music while oiling her strong wooden bow by the edge of the woods. She was our mystic craftsman and us all thinking it was the advent of a nice new time and not scene one of a scary two-scene bit. Turned out Sue Ann was never an artist but an archer and I screamed

Turned out Sue Ann was never an artist but an archer and I screamed liar liar as we all froze when the music stopped and my heart sank down and down like a stone that’ll never hit bottom. Strangest part now is that even though Sue Ann never was playin’ any music I’ve been hungry ever since. Kerplunk.

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Here are a few scenes from the Charlottesville Barnes & Noble book signing on September 17th. Next up Rehobeth Beach on October 1!

Cool to see one’s name and book cover when you walk into Barnes & Noble – Thank you, Charlottesville!

Meet Almost Mortal’s official youngest fan!

Okay, so maybe mom will read it, too…

Book fans are the BEST fans… Ask any reader!

Back in the signing seat. It’s a great place for an author to be, I can tell you…

Also, enjoy this article recently posted… And I look forward to seeing you at my next stop!

It’s been an exciting few months and still on the road signing Almost Mortal! This photo is from the signing on August 13 at the beautiful Barnes & Noble in Fairfax, VA.

Next up, come on out and say hi at the Barnes & Noble in Manassas, VA. It’s on Surrey Road at  Westgate Plaza. The signing takes place Saturday August 27, 2016 1:00 PM.

Says B&N, “Join us as we host local author Chris Leibig for a book signing of his novel Almost Mortal. Chris has written a novel that is “both realistic and unpredictable” (Robert Dugoni). He will be at this location from 1:00 to 3:00PM on Saturday, August 27. Stop by and pick up your signed copy…”

Look forward to seeing you there!

Enjoyed meeting new readers on my fourth stop on the Almost Mortal book tour, this time at the cool Beach Books in Bethany Beach, VA… Below, a few shots from the event…

Has your store scheduled an event yet? If you’d like to, please email Chris Leibig at chris@chrisleibiglaw.com

See you at a favorite book store soon…

Chris

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Almost Mortal enjoyed two more successful signings in past couple weeks. The first took place at the Potomac Yards Barnes & Noble (see the full album of images HERE).

Then, on Independence Day weekend it was onto the College of William and Mary on July 3 in Williamsburg, VA (see full album of images HERE).

More to signings to come, including Charlottesville, Richmond Chesterfield County, Fairfax and the Eastern Shore…

Catch a Performance!

Meanwhile, this weekend, DC Playwright Jeff Reiser’s performance, Free Range, begins at the DC Fringe Festival! Chris Leibig, co-producer of the performance, would like to encourage everyone to check out this funny satire. Says Chris, “It has real actors and everything!”

This contemporary comedy is described as:

“Hypervigilant and overly permissive, simultaneously. If you’re upper middle class, is deviation from this prevailing parenting style even legal? Samantha seeks to show others the way. She pits her parenting philosophy against fear and judginess, and hilarity ensues.”

• Playwright: Jeff Reiser
• Director: Justine Hipsky and Jeff Reiser
• Featuring: Justine Hipsky, Derek Hayes, Sherrita Wilkins, Chinwe Nwosu, Kristen Ruga, Sarah Maher, Bryanda Minix

You can visit the link at http://bit.ly/FreeRng for prices and showtimes at the Logan Fringe Arts Space, running five performances 7/8 through 7/23.

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Chris gets ready to address readers and talk about his newest release, Almost Mortal

Christopher Leibig’s first book signing event for Almost Mortal took place at Seven Corners in Falls Church, Virginia on June 18, 2016.

We’re pleased to report it was a great success, and Chris was invited by the store to a local authors forum in October. Stay tuned for details!

More events to come throughout Virginia; keep up with Chris’s appearance at his EVENTS page.

Almost Mortal has also been entered in two additional national contests – The National Book Awards and the Chanticleer Books Award. Finalists will be announced this fall…

UP NEXT: Join Chris tomorrow, June 24, 2016 at 7 p.m. for his Book Signing for Almost Mortal at the Barnes & Noble, Potomac Yards, Alexandria, VA!

Here’s a look at the first big book signing at Barnes & Noble!

Readers begin to gather to hear Christopher Leibig talk about his newest release, Almost Mortal

Readers and fans at Barnes & Noble at Seven Corners in Falls Church, Virginia

After the talk, Chris stuck around to sign books for readers.

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Almost Mortal in Amazon’s Top 100 Legal Thrillers!

In less than three weeks on the street, I’m humbled and pleased to announce that Almost Mortal is already making tracks; today I broke into the coveted Amazon Top 100 for legal thrillers. Thanks for your support and with your ongoing kind reviews maybe next I’ll be announcing the top 10!

Indie Next Gen Award

At the recent Book Expo America, the book was awarded the Indie Next Gen award.

Sadly, I wasn’t there to receive it, but instead sent my publisher, John Koehler of Koehler Books (read his cool coverage article here) and my publicist, Shari Stauch of Where Writers Win (read their cool coverage here!).

Publisher John Koehler of Koehler Books steps to the stage to accept the Indie Book Award on my behalf! Wish I could’ve been there…

Upcoming Book Events

Also excited to share that I’ll be doing several book events in June and July, beginning with a signing at the Seven Corners Barnes & Noble in Falls Church, VA on June 18 from 2-4 p.m. Then it’s on to William & Mary Bookstore at William & Mary College in Williamsburg on July 3 (12-3 p.m.); Chesterfield Barnes & Noble July 9 (2-4 p.m.) and Bethany Beach Books on July 20 in Delaware (6:30 – 8:30 p.m.).

Stay tuned for more news on these and other signings both here on the website and at my Facebook page.

In the News

Meanwhile, thanks to Northern Virginia magazine for their kind posting about Almost Mortal. You can read that HERE.

Featured Title, Too!

Also exciting (well for me it is), Almost Mortal is now listed as a featured title on the Koehler Books website.

Again, my sincerest thanks to all you readers and fans – Keep in touch and appreciate you sharing this with your reading friends, too!

Haven’t read Almost Mortal yet? Please order it HERE!

Whoever?

is in a hurry shows that the thing he wants is too good for him.

Which may have been the key to Lord Chesterfield’s game but even according to him

wit is so shining a quality that everybody admires it; most people aim at it, all people fear it, and few love it unless in themselves.

Duh. In our game we wear our ideas like pocket watches meaning we keep ‘em hidden until somebody asks the time.

Just sayin’, I doubt Chesterfield ever dodged into a hen house prayin’ for the footfalls to disappear around the bend so he could scurry on off.

The sixth in a series of international lectures by Alexandria Virginia  criminal defense attorneys, organizer Chris Leibig, along with Joni Robin, Cary Citronberg, Andrea Moseley and Ellen Shultz traveled to Aarhus, Denmark to hold a penal discussion with students and professors on April 13, 2016.

The group, most of whom are former public defenders whose practices focus on the defense of serious criminal cases in Virginia, spoke on the death penalty, police shootings, and Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

Organizer Chris Leibig introduced the group and spoke about general trends in American criminal defense.

Joni Robin, a former pubic defender who now has her own law firm, spoke methods of execution in The US, including the electric chair and lethal injection – and Virgina’s attempt to cerate secret protocols for executions so the public cano0t learn exactly how death row inmates are being killed.

Andrea Moseley discussed police shootings and a recent suit she and her partner won against a Virginia police department.

Ellen Shultz, who is not a lawyer but an experienced investigator who works at the Federal Public Defenders Office in Alexandria, spoke about the investigation necessary to defend someone who faces a death sentence

Cary Citronberg compared Denmark’s recent public reaction against immigration into the country with Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant policies. Some in the crowd did not enjoy the comparison.

“Denmark has a low rate of incarceration and its justice system, unlike the one in America, focuses first on rehabilitation. The result is they have less than half of the US recidivism rate,” Chris Leibig told a local reporter upon the group’s return.

The group, in various combinations, has previously been to Scotland, Ireland, Jamaica, Trinidad and the Bahamas for similar programs. They have been invited to a school in Berlin and Geneva this fall.

Read more about attorney Christopher Leibig and his upcoming release, Almost Mortal, HERE!

Emergency, push for help says less than the big red button

with sides encased in metal, the

the whole contraption like the street signs warning no turn on red

when pedestrians present ‘cause they’re always kinda present

and who couldn’t use the help.

But when it’s all on camera you think twice even though you’re damn sure

nobody’s watching unless things head down shit creek.

I say push it but it’s too late ‘cause everything’s suddenly back to normal

and nobody ever really interrupts that shit.

Soon to Be Released: Almost Mortal

Emerging criminal defense attorney Sam Young has always known he had a gift. Or a curse. He thinks of them as just minor psychic abilities. When Sam is hired by an attractive young nun named Camille Paradisi, he must discover the identity of a serial killer. Otherwise Camille’s Pastor will be exposed for not having turned in the man after a confession—thereby allowing another murder to occur. While Sam’s psychic abilities increase as he investigates the case, he quickly learns that the enigmatic Camille is not revealing the complete truth.

Camille shares an old journal anonymously mailed to the Church, which she believes may have been authored by the killer/confessor. The journal purports to tell the life story of a man with mind control and other special powers who claims to be a descendant of the fallen angels cast of out Heaven by God. As he learns more about the murders, the mystery author, and Camille, Sam begins to realize the so called “Rosslyn Ripper” case may have implications beyond his imagination—including his own past.

Published by Koehler Books and distributed by Ingram, Almost Mortal will release in both soft cover (978-1-63393-179-4, $15.95) and ebook (978-1-63393-180-0, $4.99) in May, 2016. Advanced reader copies in pdf format are available now.

For press inquiries, email shari@writerswin.com.

Chris-Leibig-Almost-Mortal-Release in PDF format
Chris-Leibig-Almost-Mortal-Release in MS Word format

Early-Praise-for-Almost-Mortal in PDF format
Early-Praise-for-Almost-Mortal in MS Word format (legal letter size)

You gotta stop trying to reinvent the wheel

He obviously thought the comment had something to do with why I was in so much trouble but it only got me thinking about the summer the wheels came off my chuck wagon.

It was the summer when Sue Ann finally let loose on the lady from the peanut shop and there was no catching hold of what came oozing out after. Sue Ann had come alone and brought us beautiful music while oiling her strong wooden bow by the edge of the woods. She was our mystic craftsman and us all thinking it was the advent of a nice new time and not scene one of a scary two-scene bit.

Turned out Sue Ann was never an artist but an archer and I screamed liar liar as we all froze when the music stopped and my heart sank down and down like a stone that’ll never hit bottom. Strangest part now is that even though Sue Ann never was playin’ any music I’ve been hungry ever since. Kerplunk.

Desiderata says many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness and I hope that’s true

because this shithole lacks a certain placidity and as far as loud and aggressive persons they’re all over the place and avoiding them brings us back to the loneliness question

which apparently triggers the fear and that’s nothing but a dog chasin’ its tail.

Like this old guy who was crossing the street who was a scabby kind of old and I know that wasn’t his fault but he still grossed me out

and then the guy said hello and he seemed happy despite it all

and I nodded and let him pass on by but I couldn’t help thinking how much I’d like to make him eat dirt

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view,” Atticus said to Scout back in 1960. And this is exactly what I was thinking about when Smitty tossed another empty over his shoulder into the backseat like he had no idea he would have to clean that shit up later.

You know when your mother’s cousin’s husband cheats on her with a bunch of whores and that’s all anyone can whisper about at family dinners and you realize it’s pretty much a big deal? Smitty cracked another beer and I thought about how dumb it was that he liked to keep the windows rolled up ‘cause it meant he needed to smoke less.

“Nah,” I said, but he was onto something new already and he usually didn’t wait around for answers to questions like that…

Less than sixty days from the release of Almost Mortal and now knee-deep in final edits from my publisher, Koehler Books.

Many thanks to authors, reviewers and others who have taken the time to read Almost Mortal and to share your thoughts. – Chris

“The verdict is in – Attorney Christopher Leibig offers a legal thriller for the ages. Realistic yet unpredictable, with a clever metaphysical twist, Almost Mortal is a thrilling roller coaster ride!” – Robert Dugoni, #1 Amazon, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author of My Sister’s Grave

“A poised protagonist leads this serpentine but engaging legal tale.” – Kirkus Reviews

She smiled and said Man, you walk heavy towards where I expect to dispense shiny new news.

Hard copper bits of news like jacketed bullets or pennies

Time may have a way of showing some of us what’s really important but that’s often stuff like the thirteen year old girl that was really a fat old cop who actually felt bad about the whole mess but not nearly enough

Sure, we got Donald Trump, The Clinton’s War on Women and the People versus OJ Simpson but they rarely show fat old cops or AA meetings only elegant tidbits of flare like silver bullets or medals

Do small things with great love – said Mother Teresa – and I guess that’s a good way to think because it applies to things that are really fuckin’ small like trying to figure out when you got hooked

Last night I was at a dinner in Charlottesville, Virginia for the criminal law section of the bar association. These things are usually kind of fun. Drinks and dinner with random legal personages who often turn out to be pretty interesting.

Last night’s event was more interesting than usual. I was seated next to a woman who was a lawyer, a political consultant, and who also turned out to be an award-winning Charlottesville poet. A great conversation ensued and left eager to read her work the following morning.

So I did! And, reading some of her work online this morning got me thinking about writing. People like her, with actual, serious talent for word-wrangling, make small, daily things large and memorable. They make you remember to pay attention. Words have power, real power.

As I prepare for the launch of Almost Mortal this May, life has been a flurry of interviews and reviews; speaking with publishers and printers and designers and videographers.

It’s an exciting time for any author and very enjoyable when we get to see some fruits of our labor, especially while we’re still anxiously awaiting the book’s release!

So here are a few early articles and interviews I’d like to share, and I’ll keep you posted on more as they become available, either here or on our Press page.

Thanks for stopping by!

Chris

Interview with Christopher Leibig, Author of Almost Mortal:

A fun Q&A with the folks at Small Friendly planet, where I answer questions about the book, the publishing process, and on being a defense attorney.

Almost Mortal Reviewed by Kirkus Reviews

Happy with the review from Kirkus, who sums up the review (link above) with this: “A poised protagonist leads this serpentine but engaging legal tale.”

Author Interview of Almost Mortal by Christopher Leibig

Fun interview here and a spoiler alert when asked about what readers can expect in the future: “Hopefully a sequel to Almost Mortal. Also have another novel, finished years ago, that I will try to launch if Almost Mortal does well…”

Almost Mortal Reviewed by Authors Reading

Kind words at this review that include: “Leibig has done a masterful job… you will sit down with Almost Mortal and not want to put it down. Leibig has a very nice and easy way with his writing that will keep you captivated.”

If you’re a recognized reviewer and would like to arrange for a digital ARC of Almost Mortal, please provide your info with your comment below or email shari@writerswin.com to arrange a copy.