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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

My (not so) Brilliant Answers to the Cool Bookish Podcast Tag

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

Nicole and the Undending TBR over on Instagram tagged me in the Bookish Podcast Tag and I went for it. Here are my not-so-Brilliant replies! via @chautonahavig

Well, this hasn’t happened before, but I got tagged in Nicole and the Unending TBR’s Bookish Podcast Tag and… talking about books? Ones I liked? Ones I wanted to see in different media? Ones…  ALL THE YEAHs!

So, listen in to find out which villain I want to chuck on a desert island, which I’d take on a reading retreat, what I want to see as a mini-series and more!

Bookish Podcast Tag

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My (not so) Brilliant Answers to the Cool Bookish Podcast Tag

Here goes! I’m excited. I hope

When a Unique Premise Really Is Enough The Kingdom of Ruins by DC Marino YA fantasy1. If you had a time machine and could go into the future to grab one highly anticipated book, which one would you choose?

The next book in the Kingdom of Ruins series. That was my first thought. Second to that since it’s not a well-known book (but it should be), I’d say whatever David Rawlings is working on (He’d better be working on something).  If not that, then a sequel/spin-off to the Rembrandt Stone series.

2. You win a luxurious weeklong quiet reading retreat, what are the first 5 books you will pack?

Impossible. Seriously, it was impossible to decide, so I went into both my room and my shed-i-ffice, closed my eyes, and grabbed books.
Marigolds for Mourning by Audrey Stallsmith,
Shallows by Denver Evans (Perry Kirkpatrick)
Amberwell by D.E. Stevenson
Emma and the Reasons by Natasha Metzler
The Water Keeper by Charles Martin

And then even if I bring no other books with me… I have a stuffed Kindle and I’m not afraid to read it!

3. A book outside your comfort zone but you are glad you read.

Love and the Dream Come True by Tammy L. Gray– Up until the final chapter or two, this was a three-star read for me, but it all came together in a marvelous way at the end there, and I really connected with it finally.

Honestly, the way Tammy Gray pulled all those pieces that I didn’t always like together really shows what a brilliant writer she is. The deep-rooted faith she plants into her books doesn’t always push through the top of the soil quickly, but when it does, it’s strong and supportive and so very healthy. Well done, Ms. Gray. What you did here is so important. It teaches some serious truths without you realizing it’s happening until WHAM! You’re on your face before God and yielding things you didn’t know you’d taken back.

A soothing hug for the broken and a cattle prod at the same time.

4. What genre needs more representation?

I’m going to say… “general.” Everything is so niched these days—even subgenres have subgenres with subgenres! What about a good, old-fashioned story that doesn’t have to fit in a box?

5. What trope needs more representation?

If it existed, I’d say reinventing yourself + humor. But it doesn’t. So how about a romance trope…  Basically, Enemies-to-FRIENDS ONLY.

6. You could maroon one villain/nemesis on a desert island, who would it be?

Jadis from Narnia. I think it would be hilarious for her to be on a DESERT island—heat and misery. On a desert island.

7. What book did you not really think you would like and ended up loving?

Kari Trumbo’s first book in the Independence Islands series, Secret Beach Boyfriend. I mean, that title says fluffy nonsense to me. But it was so rich and so full of encouragement… depth of faith and relationships. I was sooooo impressed.

8. What fictional pet would you want for your own?

Well… of my books, Atticus. Totally. But for someone else’s… I’d say Teri Blake’s bunny… Duggy in The Rosewood Diary. I love that little guy. Her Driftwood Bay women’s fiction series is AWESOME.

9. What book did you love when you were younger and now question your younger self’s taste?

Um… I really loved reading Lois Duncan books. What was I not thinking?

10. Name a book for each category to be adapted into a:
  • Movie: Out of North Korea by Alana Terry—picture Castaway… but in a North Korean prison or Sweet Rivals by Kari Trumbo (she’s really represented in this podcast, isn’t she?) OR… totally different direction, A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus.
  • TV show: The Mrs. Pollifax books!!! Or, since this is about Christian fiction, how about Perry Kirkpatrick’s The Accidental Case Files of Emily Abbott?
  • the accidental cases of Emily Abbott
  • Miniseries: The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone. Okay, I could choose so many so… I think Terrie Todd’s Bleak Landing (THIS episode is about it) would make an excellent one for a more historical fiction series?
  • Broadway play: Dear Henry, Love Edith—but only if they make a musical. Can you imagine a song for the epi-pen that pops up on a startling basis?
11. What fictional family would make the best reality show?

I want Anne Shirley Blythe’s family—all those kids.  Reality. MMMWWWAAAHAHAHA

Dear Henry, Love Edith Becca Kinzer12. What was the last book that made you cry? Laugh?

Laughing hard?  I’m going with Dear Henry, Love Edith. I HOWLED through that book. So hysterical.

Cry? This is going to sound so weird, but if I was a crier, I’d say Stephanie Landsem’s Code Name Edelweiss. Because I see those same things happening in some ways now. And it terrifies me.

13. What author could you talk about for 3+ hours straight?

Cathe Swanson… and I have!

14. What book would you want to write?:

If I could write any book that I wanted to right now this minute, it would be… the concentration camp thing.
.
That’s it! What would your responses be to some of them? I’m sure once I see it, I’ll change my mind about them. #becauseme

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 545: A Chat with Gina Holder
byChautona Havig

Getting to chat with Gina Holder was a blessing because that meant I could finally read her books! Listen in as we chat about her newest release, The Escape Game.

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Spoiler alert: This series is definitely on my FAVORITE series this year list. You don’t want to miss it!

The Escape Game by Gina Holder

Twenty years ago, the world’s leading enigmatologist disappeared, leaving behind a cipher no one could solve… not without his journal. Puzzle shop owner Demi Kayne has spent twenty years hoping her father would return home. When she discovers his hidden journal tucked inside the walls of her family home, she finally uncovers the clue she’s been waiting for—but it leads somewhere far more dangerous than she imagined. Liam Shepherd, a missionary and escape-room enthusiast, is searching for answers of his own. His sister has vanished without a trace, and the trail of clues leads him straight to Demi—and the secrets hidden in her father’s journal. Their search brings them to the eerie Ives Mansion, where its brilliant and reclusive owner has designed a deadly challenge. Once inside, Demi and Liam realize they’re no longer guests. They’re players. Trapped inside a twisted real-life mystery game based on a stolen puzzle design, they must solve a series of lethal riddles before time runs out. Each puzzle brings them closer to the truth about Demi’s missing father and Liam’s sister—but also closer to a killer who has spent years perfecting a game no one survives. With the clock ticking and lives hanging in the balance, Demi and Liam must confront their fears, their pasts, and the faith that may be their only hope of escape. In this gripping Christian suspense novel, every clue matters—and every mistake could be fatal. Can Demi and Liam solve the final puzzle before the game ends…or will the escape room become their tomb? Perfect for fans of Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, and Irene Hannon who enjoy puzzle-driven Christian suspense filled with danger, secrets, and faith under fire.

Learn more on Gina’s WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

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  • and more!
Episode 545: A Chat with Gina Holder
Episode 545: A Chat with Gina Holder
May 25, 2026
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Episode 544: A Chat with Nicholas Teeguarden
May 23, 2026
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Episode 543: A Chat with Stephanie Cardel
May 19, 2026
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Episode 542: A Chat with Megan Schaulis
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Episode 541: A Chat with Demi Griffin
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Episodd 540: A Chat with Dana Mentink
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Episode 539: A Chat with Jane Kirkpatrick
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Episode 538: A Chat with Elizabeth Goddard
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