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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

What Do You Do When You’re Offered the Chance at a Dream Come True?

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

Elly Gilbert is about to release her debut novel in Trisha Goyer's Montana Amish series, and boy does it sound great! via @chautonahavig

There are so many different sects and subsects of the Amish, and that alone can really open up a world of ideas for Amish Fiction authors like debut author, Elly Gilbert. But even within individual Amish communities, people are so very different. How a person’s parents interacted with the family, the freedoms allowed or forbidden, the choices of those closest to you–it can all affect how you perceive your life, what you think God wants from you, and what you do when you discover that He might have a different plan after all!  Elly Gilbert’s Under the Blue Skies explores some of these things and more!  Listen in to what light-up shoes have to do with Amish men!

Elly Gilbert

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

What Do You Do When You’re Offered the Chance at a Dream Come True?

Well, Elly Gilbert tells us! She talks about how she’d decided that her bookish pursuit would be to read as many books as she could and review to help authors. Then God offered a different opportunity, and she had to accept the fact that sometimes we don’t know what He has planned for us, even when it seems like we’re “too old” to do what we might have wanted.

Psst… that’s exactly what her characters discovered!  Makes me wonder if her own journey influenced the writing of theirs!

Part of Sunrise Publishing’s and Trisha Goyer’s Big Sky Amish series, Under the Blue Sky is set in Trisha’s Montana Amish world. With each author approaching the books from a slightly different standpoint, you get both edgier stories and traditional Amish romance in one great series.

Stay tuned, Elly has both another book in this series AND… an idea for a small-town, Southern Rom-Com.  Come on!  I want it all. Does that surprise anyone?  Yeah, didn’t think so.

Elly Gilbert under the blue skiesUnder the Blue Skies by Elly Gilbert

Finding Home. Finding Faith.

A matchmaker for an instant father. Secrets. And friends who just might find a happy ending if his past doesn’t destroy everything.

He just wants a fresh start…

Thomas Smucker moved to West Kootenai to escape his past. But when tragedy happens, he suddenly inherits a five-year-old niece…now what?

She’s always wanted a family…

Scarred by a childhood accident, Lovina Graber believes she’ll be single forever, despite her deep longing for a husband and family. And then she meets Thomas, an instant father, who needs a wife.

Lovina to the rescue…she’ll find him the perfect Amish woman. Even if she has to ignore the spark between them…

But her secrets could cost him everything.

Thomas wants a wife…but he can’t ignore his feelings for Lovina. But when her secret comes out, he’ll have to choose between his niece and the woman he suddenly can’t live without.

Instant father. Matchmaker. A found family…and unexpected love. But will her secrets–and his past– destroy everything?

A heartwarming book three in the Big Sky Amish Collection.

Big Sky Amish Collection
Beyond the Gray Mountains
On the Golden Cliffs
Under the Blue Skies (coming soon)

Big Sky Series by Tricia Goyer
Beside Still Waters
Along the Wooded Paths
Beyond Hope’s Valley

Learn more about Elly Gilbert on her WEBSITE.

Follow 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 551: A Chat wth Kayla E. Green
byChautona Havig

I don’t know about you, but the title, The Goodness of Unicorns, grabbed me. That cover? Also amazing! Listen in as Kayla M. Green chats about her writing and just what this goodness of unicorns is all about

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

Eye color changing? Losing the ability to SEE color? That totally grabbed me. My copy is on my bookshelf waiting for a chance to read it. Yay!

The Goodness of Unicorns by Kayla E. Green

One girl determined to heal her sister and another looking for purpose in a nation on the brink of war. And unicorns—with a twist you’ve never seen before. It’s Rowan Tritonia’s sixteenth Naming Anniversary. Her plans for the day never included a headache that causes her to almost faint on a day meant for celebration. When the world comes back into focus, her brown eyes have changed to magenta. But what scares her more is that everything around her is now black and white coupled with a mysterious ability to see the light and shadows in a person’s soul. Then a local cleric implies that Rowan could have the power of Sight, a gift which has only been seen in the stories of unicorns in the Book of Verimor, an ancient text. Rowan is perplexed. Why would Verimor give her something she never asked for instead of answering her greatest prayer to help her younger sister, Blythe? News of the girl with Sight quickly travels beyond Rowan’s local village. When the King of Wisteria learns of her gift from a letter, he summons her to the castle. With growing political tensions from neighboring nations, Rowan may be able to provide the aid they desperately need. Linnea, the king’s sister and his primary advisor, prays that Rowan has truly been blessed by a unicorn and can save the nation and its people from encroaching darkness. Meanwhile, back at home, Blythe, sets out on her own journey. She feels helpless, tied down by the pain that keeps her homebound most of the time. Although she wears a smile to comfort those around her—especially her family—Blythe wonders if her life will ever amount to anything more than fading into the background. Is she truly too broken for any greater purpose, or can Verimor still use her?

Don’t forget to check out Kayla’s Metamorphosis blog tour HERE.

Learn more on Kayla’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 551: A Chat wth Kayla E. Green
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
Episode 543: A Chat with Stephanie Cardel
May 19, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 542: A Chat with Megan Schaulis
May 16, 2026
Chautona Havig
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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.
#ChristFic
#KindleFree
#KindleUnlimited
https://amzn.to/44cIwqC (#affiliatelink)
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
#Ribete
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?
#AmWriting
#ChristFic
#AuthorLife
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.
#AmWriting
#WritingRetreat
#LadiesOfTheLake
Made it to Denver. Next stop, Minneapolis and #Th Made it to Denver.  Next stop, Minneapolis and #TheLadiesOfTheLake
Gonna write like the fool I am!!!
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