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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

A Gush about a Good (more like GREAT) Read & GoodReads

by Chautona Havig · 2 Comments

There are 2 kinds of good reads--separated only by a space...ish. There are books that you can't put down and the place you talk about them. via @chautonahavig

Every bibliophile needs a good read (or even better, a great one), and have I got a great one for you!  I take a few minutes to gush about one story I can’t get out of my head and heart, The Gold in These Hills, and the wonderful world of books otherwise known as GoodReads.

GoodReads

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A Gush about a Good (more like GREAT) Read & GoodReads

I’m not going to go too much into The Gold in These Hills. That’s the book I gushed about, and you can read my review of it HERE for my double coppers on that sucker.

But GoodReads deserves a little bit of gushing, too.  Because after years of underestimating the genius of it, I am a huge, raving fan.  Yes, there are drawbacks. Can you say clunky interface?  But with a few tips, you can get past that. So, without further ado, here are …

SEVEN reasons or ways to use GoodReads.

  1. Keep track of all those great books you hear about but can’t start reading today. Janey Sue mentions this great book by Kate Angelo. In the car on the way home (if you’re a phone person) or once you get home, you can add Driving Force to your “Want to Read” and forget about it–until you need a book. Then you go to that “shelf,” scroll through the covers, and voila!  You see it, choose it, and buy it.
  2. FREE books.  GoodReads always has tons of giveaways. I go through periodically and enter the ones I want. Oh, and do authors a favor!  Share that giveaway!  We appreciate that.
  3. “Update Progress.”  For the longest time that made no sense.  Why would I want to stop reading to share an update on my reading progress?  Well, there are quite a few reasons!  For example:
    1. I can comment on the things I really love or dislike on those comments, which gives me a mini-summary of my reading experience.  I can cobble all of those together at the end and voila!  A book review!
    2. If I have to put the book down for any reason, I can tell by my comments what was going on again and I don’t have to start over.
    3. It helps authors!  No, really.  Every comment you make gets put into your “feed.”  Anyone following you sees those updates and may discover they want to read the book (or not!!!), too!
  4. Learn about other books.  Seriously, I can’t tell you how many books I’ve learned about just because someone added them to their shelves.
  5. Reviews.  Want to know if a book is your jam?  Some GoodReads reviews even have spoilers if you’re really not sure how much vampireness you can stand from Dracula or if maybe you should just go read Anne of Green Gables like any other sane person (just joking!!!) Bonus points for helping authors!
  6. You can post like you can on Facebook. Ask for recommendations. Share a quote image (use HTML. HERE is where you can copy the code you need). Thank an author (seriously, I need to do this!).  Whatever.  If you’d post about it (book) FB, it can go here, too!
  7. Groups.  Yep, like Facebook (see, it’s really Facebook for readers and readers only–no politics!  Sorta… some books…), there are GoodReads groups! We even have a Christian Fiction group on GR that we’re trying to kick off the ground.  Check that out HERE.

I mentioned maybe making an infographic with these things, remember?

Well, I found one online, and while it’s not exactly the same, since I don’t have all my tips and tricks here, I’m going to just leave this LINK and then make another post later if/when I ever get mine made.  😀

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Comments

  1. Andrea Stoeckel says

    April 22, 2022 at 10:07 am

    I am a *big* fan of Goodreads as you know and just got the book you started with

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      April 22, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      I can’t believe I ignored it for so long!

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
byChautona Havig

Fans of Lisa Phillips’ Last Chance County series are doing happy dances following the release of an exciting new spin-off series, Last Chance Fire and Rescue. Expired Return brings back a few favorite characters and kicks off another of Sunrise Publishing’s author/mentor led fiction seasons! Listen in to find out what happens when an author brings back a guy she dropped a building on a couple of books back…

 

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When Fans Want More Exciting Stories, Smart Authors Listen and Deliver!

Let’s face it. Authors might SOMETIMES be “done” with a series, but readers often want more… indefinitely. Well, with the brilliance of Sunrise Publishing’s mentor model, authors get to collaborate with authors they trust to do their “worlds” proud while still having time to write new, exciting things as well. And some of the Sunrise lead authors even write in the spin-off series–like Lisa Phillips and Trisha Goyer!

This new Last Chance County series promises everything we love about Lisa Phillips’ world–danger, intrigue, heart-stopping suspense, drama… you know… all the feels. But in addition to her own release, Expired Return, this series also introduces us to new authors who have been carefully vetted and selected to ensure they do justice to Lisa’s Last Chance characters. I, for one, can’t wait to check it all out.

Lisa and I chatted about what she plans for the series,Lisa hinted about a possible super-secret reveal coming soon, and I even poked her with the idea of a Last Chance Christmas.

Help me convince them on that, will ya?

But this new book… Whoa…

Expired Return by Lisa Phillips

Pepper stood up. “How dare you.” She could spit fire at him right now. She’d loved and supported Victory since the day she was born. “You know nothing about me.”

“What’s this?”

Pepper whirled around at that voice. Heart. Breaking. She loved that gruff, commanding voice more than anything else in the world.

He wore a look a lot like Aiden’s. Blank, which she knew—or hoped—had to do with protecting his heart because he still cared for her. Except he probably hated her.

Donaldson sat back in his chair. “Allen.”

Former police officer Allen Frees had both hands on the wheels of his chair. He wore a fire department uniform of slacks and a white shirt. Emblems. A badge. His life of service hadn’t ended when he landed in that chair after a building blew up over his head.

As far as she’d been able to tell, it barely slowed him down.

She’ll give everything to protect her family.

He always knew she was the one.

Veterinary tech Pepper Miller lives a quiet life in Last Chance County. She’s watching her niece until her sister shows up…if she ever does. When Victory’s father demands he take over her care, Pepper knows something has gone wrong. With a new drug in town, and her sister embroiled in a dangerous bargain, it’s up to Pepper to protect the people she loves.

Even if it costs every secret she’s ever kept.

Fire Department liaison Allen Frees lives with the injuries he sustained as a police officer in a raid gone wrong. He’s put his life back together but getting the truck crew and engine squad to succeed might be his toughest assignment yet. When Victory is nearly kidnapped at a community event, Allen steps in to help Pepper keep her niece safe. The one thing he couldn’t fix was the love he lost, but he isn’t going to let Pepper walk away this time.

No matter what walls he has to break down.

Last Chance County returns in this blazing new series from Sunrise Publishing.

Last Chance Fire and Rescue

  • Book 1: Expired Return
  • Book 2: Expired Hope (coming soon)
  • Book 3: Expired Promise (coming soon)
  • Book 4: Expired Vows (coming soon)

Last Chance County

  • Book 1: Expired Refuge
  • Book 2: Expired Secrets
  • Book 3: Expired Cache
  • Book 4: Expired Hero
  • Book 5: Expired Game
  • Book 6: Expired Plot
  • Book 7: Expired Getaway
  • Book 8: Expired Betrayal
  • Book 9: Expired Flight
  • Book 10: Expired End

Learn more about Lisa and her books on her WEBSITE.

Learn more about the different seasons (series) offered by Sunrise Publishing or how to audition with them on the Sunrise Publishing WEBSITE.

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

  • Apple 
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  • Google Play
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  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • Amazon
  • and more!
Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
February 7, 2023
Chautona Havig
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February 4, 2023
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February 3, 2023
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Episode 204: A Chat with Sarah Sundin about The Sound of Light
January 31, 2023
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Episode 203: A Chat with Heather Greer about Window of Opportunity
January 27, 2023
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Episode 202: A Chat with Historical Christian Author, Laura Frantz
January 24, 2023
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Episode 201: A Closer Look at This YA Dystopian Series
January 20, 2023
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Episode 200: Comparing & Contrasting Two Split-Time Novels
January 17, 2023
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Episode 199: A Chat about Karl May with Robert Stermscheg
January 13, 2023
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Episode 198: A Chat about Everything Is Just Beginning with Erin Bartels
January 10, 2023
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My days usually consist of agonizing over my failing restaurant, worrying about my mountain of debt and nursing my broken heart.

Everything changes when I bump into a man in the coffee shop and claim him as my new boyfriend. To my absolute horror, he turns out to be hockey’s most renowned bad boy, Dallas Burke. To my absolute delight, he goes along with my story.

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Heath Karras has a problem. Lots of eager first da Heath Karras has a problem. Lots of eager first dates... no second dates. With his propensity to spout random (and often bizarre) animal facts while nervous (he's always nervous around women) it's no wonder. 
His sister has a solution--lots of dates. Great, heaping gobs of them. Go ahead. Be awkward. Get used to it. Then... then try with someone you really want to get to know. He's not so confident, but when a man gives his word... (Note to self: no more agreeing to Selby's plans without knowing what they are!)
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Heath Karras has a problem. Lots of eager first da Heath Karras has a problem. Lots of eager first dates... no second dates. With his propensity to spout random (and often bizarre) animal facts while nervous (he's always nervous around women) it's no wonder. 
His sister has a solution--lots of dates. Great, heaping gobs of them. Go ahead. Be awkward. Get used to it. Then... then try with someone you really want to get to know. He's not so confident, but when a man gives his word... (Note to self: no more agreeing to Selby's plans without knowing what they are!)
Find out what happens in Random Acts (or is it Facts?) of Shyness.

This book just got a fresh makeover, thanks to the genius of @PlethoraCreative & @PerryElizabeth.
There's a link to how to find it in my bio.
#ChristFic
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