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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Can Repeating History Ever Be a Good Thing?

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

Escape from Amsterdam offers a peek into a semi-forgotten piece of Dutch history during WWII. Listen in to see why Lauralee Bliss wrote it! via @chautonahavig

The heroic stories of average people during time of war are one of the few things that will choke me up.  Book, movie, verbal–doesn’t matter. Tell me all the stories and watch me try not to sob. Lauralee Bliss captured one of the most inspiring stories of WWII in her recent release, Escape from Amsterdam as part of the Heroines of WWII series published by Barbour, and guys… you’ve got to hear the story behind this book!

Lauralee Bliss

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

Can Repeating History Ever Be a Good Thing?

That’s what I have been pondering ever since reading Escape from Amsterdam, and I think the answer is, “Yes!”  Because think about it. The same ugly, ugly things have been happening since the fall of man, but amid all that ugly are the beautiful self-sacrificial stories like the ones Lauralee Bliss shares in this novel.

Yes, Hitler’s atrocities still affect the world today. And yet, those who opposed his regime and fought for the innocent, those who risked their own lives to save the lives of others… Those stories happen, too.  And if (more like when) the ugly times come again, stories about people like those you meet in this book will remind us that the Lord can use anyone (even me!) to accomplish His purposes.

So… repeating the ugliness of history may not be a good thing, no. But that ugliness means that we likely will also repeat some of the beauty of the past as well. And books like Escape from Amsterdam and the real people who inspired it are there to ensure we don’t forget that we can make a difference.

Escape from Amsterdam by Lauralee BlissEscape from Amsterdam by Lauralee Bliss

A University Student Smuggles Children Out of Amsterdam

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

Helen Smit believed she was called by God to become a teacher. Little does she know that her care for kids will take a drastic turn for survival when the Germans occupy Amsterdam and Jewish children and parents begin to be deported. Now all she can think of is helping all the kids escape before it’s too late.

Erik Misman’s newfound love for Helen is tested when he joins a plot to help move Jewish children to a safe place in the countryside. If danger can foster a closer bond with Helen and save the lives of the little ones, he will do it all. But a German patrol that stumbles upon the farm where they are hiding with three children and a soldier who takes an unexpected interest in Helen, could well destroy their plans for safety and love.

?Don’t miss these other stories:

  • The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander
  • Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma
  • Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson
  • Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis
  • A Rose for the Resistance by Angela K. Couch
  • The Season of My Enemy by Naomi Musch

You can find out more about Lauralee Bliss 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 482: A Chat with Lara d’Entremont
byChautona Havig

When Lara d’Entremont began describing her YA portal fantasy, The Painted Fairytale, I knew this would be right up my alley. Listen in and see how art becomes the portal to other worlds!

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

Portal fantasy is my favorite, so I was crazy excited to learn about this one–especially the art tie-in. I can’t wait to dive in myself.

We chatted about her characters, the world, and the faith that connects them.

The Painted Fairytale by Lara d’Entremont

Seventeen-year-old Wren Devine refuses to share her art with anyone-other than her parents and her sister (who died three years prior). But when her mother submits her artwork to a mentorship program, and she gets accepted, Wren is forced to display her artwork for the eccentric Professor Hayes. Despite her fears, Wren hopes this mentorship will finally make her as worthy as her sister.

But this mentorship is about more than painting.

Wren soon learns that she has a magical ability to turn her paintings into portals to travel not only to other places but also to another world entirely. An eerie children’s book in the professor’s classroom reveals a wicked pirate with a vengeance who has her eye on Stefan Branson, a former student of Professor Hayes.

As all four of these lives intersect, it becomes apparent that everyone has a secret–some more deadly than others. The longer these secrets brew, the more deadly and heavy they become, and possibly lead to never seeing her former, earthly realm again. Wren must not only learn to release the shadow of her beloved sister but step boldly into her own world.

Learn more about Lara on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads.or on Subtack.

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

  • Apple
  • Castbox
  • Google Play
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  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Amazon
  • and more!
Episode 482: A Chat with Lara d’Entremont
Episode 482: A Chat with Lara d’Entremont
October 27, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 481: A Chat with Patricia Bradley
October 25, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 480: A Chat with Tracie Peterson
October 20, 2025
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Episode 479: A Chat with Connilyn Cossette
October 18, 2025
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Episode 478: A Chat with Julie Klassen
October 17, 2025
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Episode 477: A Chat with Kate Angelo
October 13, 2025
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Episode 476: A Chat with Katie M. Reid
October 11, 2025
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Episode 475: A Chat with D. T. Powell
October 6, 2025
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Episode 474: A Chat with Ann Swindell
October 4, 2025
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Episode 473: A Chat with Jennifer Willcock
October 3, 2025
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Sometimes, I fall in love with a character in my b Sometimes, I fall in love with a character in my books. Someone like Lewis in The Lights of New Cheltenham or Rory in Not a Word. But... in Twice Sold Tales, I fell in love with a cast of characters.  Harper the store owner, Noah the single-dad just learning how to be one, Bennie, the adorable ballet-loving little boy... and Mrs. Klair. Oh, how I loved Mrs. Klair.
I also love the town of Red Wing, Minnesota.  I infused as much of it as I could into the book--places to eat and explore, people I love dearly (family!), and the feel of a small town inside a modest city along Lake Pepin (of Laura Ingalls fame). I also learned that there is actually a lake monster there!  Pepi!  You wont want to miss him!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLKCDYKR
#BookishBooks
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#KindleUnlimited
Part of the Westward Home & Hearts Mail-Order Brid Part of the Westward Home & Hearts Mail-Order Brides series, Penelope's Pursuit is on sale for $0.99 to celebrate six years of mail-order bride novels and novellas. Penelope is a bit different from most stories. It shows the potentially dangerous side without being too heavy. Check out the Facebook group for more books on sale by the series' authors!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0921KHWBV
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I also love the town of Red Wing, Minnesota.  I infused as much of it as I could into the book--places to eat and explore, people I love dearly (family!), and the feel of a small town inside a modest city along Lake Pepin (of Laura Ingalls fame). I also learned that there is actually a lake monster there!  Pepi!  You wont want to miss him!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLKCDYKR
#BookishBooks
#Bookstrings
#ChristFic
#KindleUnlimited
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0921KHWBV
#ChristianHistoricalFiction
#ChristFic
#Kindle99
#KindleUnlimited
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