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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Is Being a Celebrity Enough to Get You Out of Hot Water?

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

A Vanishing Act mashes up 1940s Hollywood with a beloved fairy tale in one, can't-put-it-down mystery. Listen in to learn more! via @chautonahavig

First off, can I just say that I totally missed the ball with what a brilliant title A Vanishing Act is for a story about 1940s Hollywood and a missing actress?  Just sayin’. Totally flubbed it there, but whoa… Edwina Kiernan has transported her writing a hundred years into the future from her Victorian series to join the Ever After Mysteries with a Beauty and the Beast-inspired mystery full of glamor, backstabbing, and love.  Listen in for more about the book, her writing, and her upcoming release this November!

a vanishing act

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

Is Being a Celebrity Enough to Get You Out of Hot Water?

Well, Edwina’s character is about to find out! A Vanishing Act looks at 1940s Hollywood through the eyes of both popular actors and behind-the-scenes folks.

Edwina talks about studies she’d done about the history of the time, about word choices that didn’t work as a UK author writing about America (I still say Bob’s your uncle, so… there’s that!), and about what she hoped people would take away from her novel.

We also chatted about her next book releasing in November, The Lamp (Victorian Virtues book 2).She promised to come back and tell us more, but the covers of this series… WHOA. They’re gorgeous!  So stay tuned for that!

When we ended the interview, Edwina had to go because there was an award ceremony, and her book was a finalist. I’m thrilled to announce that her book The Letter (Victorian Virtues book 1) was the WINNER in the Short Historical category of the FHLCW Reader’s Choice Award 2023! Congratulations, Edwina! To learn more about this series, listen to Episode 185.

A vanishing actA Vanishing Act by Edwina Kiernan

On screen they’re a darling duo, but it’s a whole different story backstage.

Hollywood legend Kent Selwood isn’t happy sharing the limelight with rising star Stella Sanders. Tired of her diva drama, Kent makes it clear—he wants Stella gone.

Seamstress Bonnie Roseland is practically invisible to everyone at the studio, except for slick actor, Jerry Jackson — the one man she wishes would leave her alone. Her deep-rooted faith helps her see beyond the glitz and glamor to the broken realities and dysfunctional atmosphere at the studio. She sometimes wonders if God has a purpose for her there or if she should just move on.

When the studio receives blackmail letters, Kent’s attitude makes him the prime suspect, and he’s swiftly banished from the lot, despite insisting that he’s been framed. Only Bonnie believes him — and she’s confident she knows who the real culprit is.

But when a ransom note arrives after Stella goes missing and evidence is discovered that clearly implicates Kent, will Bonnie help him uncover the truth in time to save his career… and Stella’s life?

To learn more about Edwina and her books, visit her WEBSITE.

You can also find her on BookBub and GoodReads.

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 553: A Chat with Chris Underwood
byChautona Havig

A chilling read from Chris Underwood… literally. What happens if you’re in the Midwest in winter and the power goes out? Listen in as I chat with Chris Underwood about his Cold Winter series.

Content warning: While these books do have characters who are Christians and live their faith, the first book (not sure about the rest) does include a few instances of foul language in the first few chapters. I’m switching from audio to print to finish.

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

Talking about all the research he did for this series was a blast. I loved hearing about his travels with the crew and the prepper side–everything.

The Cold Winter Grid-Down Series by Chris Underwood

The Cold Winter Series begins with a power grid failure at Niagara Falls three days before Christmas, as a snowstorm approaches.

Welcome to The Cold Winter. It follows a group of families in Central Ohio who want to help stranded motorists who end up on their porch. Even when doing the right thing doesn’t work out, they keep on trying. There is a sense of morality and faith as the emergency continues to worsen.

In the second book, they learn that the power outage is an attack on the nation, and join a civilian minuteman militia to fight back.

The third book of the series ramps up the action and features the first major battles of the minutemen militia. Since modern machinery cannot be trusted, vintage military equipment is utilized by the militia, such as a Huey Helicopter and a WWII Landing Ship, the LST-325.

This ship is an actual floating museum on the Ohio River and is used by this militia to go upstream to rescue a VIP and bring him to safety. River locks are liberated from the enemy, and a dramatic battle is staged on Wheeling Island, where the landing ship performs much as it did on D-Day in Normandy: Landing aground with troops and equipment pouring out the front for battle!

The fourth installment of the series introduces more vintage equipment, including a Cobra Attack Helicopter and a P-47 Thunderbolt, to fight modern naval ships in an effort to liberate the Niagara Falls power station from the enemy.

Even the WWII Destroyer, USS The Sullivans, in its current engineless state at the Buffalo Naval Museum, is somehow used in the battle! It’s an epic showdown of antique airpower against modern naval might!

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

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

  • Apple
  • Castbox
  • Google Play
  • Libsyn
  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Amazon
  • YouTube
  • and more!
Episode 553: A Chat with Chris Underwood
Episode 553: A Chat with Chris Underwood
June 20, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 552: A Chat with Laura Ashwood
June 17, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 551: A Chat wth Kayla E. Green
June 15, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 550: A Chat with Joan Lovestrand Farley
June 13, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 549: A Chat with Laura DeNooyer
June 8, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 548: A Chat with Sarah Heatwole
June 6, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 547: A Chat with Terri McAdoo
June 1, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 546: A Chat with Chuck Richardson
May 30, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 545: A Chat with Gina Holder
May 25, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 544: A Chat with Nicholas Teeguarden
May 23, 2026
Chautona Havig
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Yeah. It's a thing. Which is weird because I rarel Yeah. It's a thing. Which is weird because I rarely call a book by its title.  Past Forward is "Willow." Ready or Not (and the rest) are all "Aggie" (I add 1, 2, 3, 4 etc). None So Blind is "Ella."
The New Cheltenham books are all whatever word changes that year.  So I'll talk about "Stars" or "Ghosts" or "Bells." But if I don't have a title I could put on the cover of the book (even if it changes--rarely but it happens--) I can't even write the first sentence.  It's dericulous.  Um... Ridiculous. Same smell.
Grammar wise, I'd say it's my stupid habit of not bothering to add question marks at the ends of questions.  My poor editors.  I THINK it's because I get interrupted in the middle of the sentence, come back, and forget it was supposed to be a question.  Dont' quote (or question) me on that, though.
If you have a question you want me to answer, leave it in the comments OR... zip me an email at chautona@chautona.com.  I'll try to work them in (and will probably combine those that are really similar.
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Reposted from @janelleleonard.author It's time for Reposted from @janelleleonard.author It's time for another WhiteCrown cover reveal!!! The Promise of a Princess, the third and final book in the Royals of Andelar series by Joy Crain, releases November 2026 and is available for preorder now. 
*
Princess Genevieve’s life seems like a dream. She has a loving family, a devoted fiancé, and a future set in stone. But beneath the perfection lies a secret she has guarded for years, one that could shatter everything if it were ever revealed. When an ancient doctrine resurfaces and threatens the very foundation of the monarchy, Genevieve is forced to face a choice that will cost her more than she ever imagined.

DePeaux men love for life. They only ever give their heart away once. Julian knows his father’s oft-quoted words to be true, because his heart belongs to a woman too. A woman who long ago stole his heart, captured beneath the oak tree as they painted and grew up together. But he can never have her. Because another man’s ring lies on her finger.

With time running out and the truth impossible to ignore, Genevieve and Julian are drawn together in ways that challenge everything they have ever believed. In a world bound by tradition and expectation, they must decide if love is worth the risk of losing their future, their duty, and each other.

Preorder your copy today!

#thepromiseofaprincess #joycrainauthor #theroyalsofandelar #coverreveal #whitecrownpublishing
Love flawed characters, redemption, and free books Love flawed characters, redemption, and free books? Well... gotcha covered. Through June 18th, anyway. OR, read Not a Word "free" on Kindle Unlimited anytime (but now's a great time. Just sayin'). One of my favorite books, I LOVED this story so much.
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First time in my life I can say that I'm excited f First time in my life I can say that I'm excited for McDonald's. 
#AmHungry
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I have a theory and would love to test it. If you' I have a theory and would love to test it. If you'd be willing to help, I'd so appreciate it. So... Which of my characters (you can do more than one if you like, I'm just trying to get a feel for things) is your favorite... and why?
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Reposted from @catheswanson Charlea Evans thought Reposted from @catheswanson Charlea Evans thought she had finally put her unconventional past behind her.

Now a widow with a college-age daughter and a promising new career within reach, she's worked hard to build a respectable life far removed from Serenity Hill—the quirky former commune where her free-spirited mother still lives. But when a devastating house fire destroys her home and everything she owns, Charlea finds herself with nowhere else to turn.

Reluctantly, she returns to the farm she thought she'd escaped forever, trading independence for her childhood bedroom, milking goats, tending chickens, and counting the days until she can afford a place of her own. Then an accident lands her mother in the hospital, leaving Charlea responsible for managing the property and overseeing an ambitious new venture.
Her mother and daughter have plans of their own. Big plans. Plans to transform Serenity Hill into a seasonal market and destination for workshops, events, and community gatherings. Helping bring the vision to life is Drew Wallace—the man who stole her heart on a single unforgettable date fifteen years ago.

As she works to keep the project moving forward, Charlea finds herself confronting old hurts, long-held assumptions, and the family history she's spent years trying to leave behind. With old dreams awakening and new possibilities taking root, she begins to wonder if Serenity Hill holds the answers she's been searching for. She must decide whether she's willing to risk her heart again—and whether the future she carefully planned can compete with the one God may have been preparing for her all along.

Coming home is the last thing Charlea wants—but it may be the beginning of everything she's been searching for.

Something New is the first book in the Serenity Hill series.
Having a great time at out writing retreat. My Ju Having a great time at out writing retreat.  My June bingo board had "write outside" on it, sooo... another spot filled.
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