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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

You Never Know What Will Inspire an Author’s Next Great Book

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

Kim Vogel Sawyer has written many wonderful historical novels, and her latest, Still My Forever, promises to be a wonderful addition. via @chautonahavig

I had a lovely chat with Kim Vogel Sawyer a couple of weeks ago, all about her newest novel, Still My Forever. I’ll never see tubas or Music Man the same again. Listen in for her inspiration for this book and her next!

Quick note: the audio on my end of the episode is horrible, and I can’t figure out why. I did nothing different, but… *shrugs* Sorry!

Kim Vogel Sawyer

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

You Never Know What Will Inspire an Author’s Next Great Book

During our chat, Kim Vogel Sawyer talked about how the photo of the pack librarians of the 1930s had inspired many books a few years ago and how a photo of a boy’s band in Kansas inspired her latest book, Still My Forever. I just loved the sound of a Music Man-esque novel about boys bands in Kansas… and in a Mennonite community!  EEEP!. How cool is that?

Though she writes from the 1860-1930s, Kim said the Depression era holds a special place in her heart. I bought her recommended Depression book inspired by her husband’s… grandmother? Great grandmother?  Can’t recall. Sounds heart-rendingly beautiful to me. So a photograph here, a family story there… and she even told us that her next book was inspired by her research for this one!  I for one cannot wait!

Still My Forever Kim Vogel SawyerStill My Forever by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Can a frustrated composer find new inspiration with the woman who once made his heart sing? From the bestselling author of Freedom’s Song comes a charming romance inspired by a real historical figure.

“A melodious second-chance romance.”—Publishers Weekly

Four years after leaving town to make a name for himself as a composer, Gilbert Baty has returned temporarily to Falke, Kansas. Now, he’s trying to keep everyone from learning the truth about his disastrous years in New York City. He hopes to start writing music again in Falke, but he can’t help being distracted by Ava Flaming, the brown-eyed baker to whom he was briefly engaged before he ended things—and who still stirs feelings in him he knows he has no right to pursue.

Ava had thought she was past the loss of Gil Baty. But to her dismay, she’s as drawn to him as ever. The situation only gets worse when Gil establishes a youth band in Falke, showing once more what a good man he is.

But when the band has a chance to compete in a statewide competition, Ava faces the prospect of heartbreak again. Could music take Gil away forever this time? Or might God be stirring in Ava’s and Gil’s hearts a new song that will draw them together for good?

You can learn more about Kim Vogel Sawyer on her WEBSITE.

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 501: A Chat with Heidi Gray McGill
byChautona Havig

The only thing better than historical Christian fiction is possibly… historical Christian fiction at Christmas? One full of faith and possibility? Listen in as Heidi Gray McGill talk about her Discerning God’s Best series and her new release, A Place to Belong.

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

Don’t miss tomorrow’s release Before We Belong–the PREQUEL to the whole series FREE from Heidi’s WEBSITE.

A Place to Belong by Heidi Gray McGill

Some fresh starts begin in silence… others begin with a baby’s cry. Josephine Blake has run out of places to hide. Pregnant and burdened by secrets, she flees the whispers of Philadelphia, clinging to the hope that her former boardinghouse roommate in Shumard Oak Bend will take her in. When a weathered but kind-hearted miner offers her a ride west, she dares to believe she might finally outrun her shame. But hope comes at a price… and Josephine isn’t sure she can afford it. Jeremiah Remington lost everything in the war—his family, his home, even one arm. Now a quiet fixture in the growing town, he avoids entanglements, content to live on the edges of community. But when Josephine arrives with wary eyes, an iron will, and a child on the way, Jeremiah is drawn to something he thought he’d given up for good—a second chance at family. As Christmas nears and the town orphanage opens its doors, Josephine is offered a new beginning—not just for herself, but for her daughter. But when the past threatens to unravel it all, she must decide: keep running… or stay and fight for the place—and the man—God may have prepared for her. A marriage of convenience. A scandalous past. A baby who changes everything. And the kind of love only a Savior can give. If your heart longs for stories of quiet redemption, fierce hope, and homes built one act of grace at a time, A Place to Belong will welcome you in. Fans of Misty M. Beller, Liz Tolsma, Karen Witemeyer, and Jody Hedlund will feel right at home in this heartfelt Christmas novella. A Place to Belong is a standalone Christmas companion novella in the Discerning God’s Best series, following Healing of the Heart (Book 5).

Learn more about Heidi on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

Don’t miss Heidi’s YOUTUBE Channel where you can listen to some of her books FREE.

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

  • Apple
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  • Google Play
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  • and more!
Episode 501: A Chat with Heidi Gray McGill
Episode 501: A Chat with Heidi Gray McGill
November 30, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 500: A Chat with Joy Crain
November 29, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 499: A Chat with Jessica Wakefield
November 28, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 498: A Chat with Sarah Hanks
November 27, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 497: A Chat with Michael E. Cafferky
November 26, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 496: A Chat with Marline Williams
November 25, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 495: A Chat with Kay DiBianca
November 24, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 494: A Chat with Terrie Todd
November 23, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 493: A Chat with D. T. Powell
November 22, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 492: A Chat with J. A. Webb
November 21, 2025
Chautona Havig
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