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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 472: A Chat with Shelley Shepard Gray
byChautona Havig

 It may seem weird, but my favorite way to read Amish fiction is with mystery or suspense added. I think I like the juxtaposition of the “simple, quiet” life and the upheaval. Listen in to my chat with Shelley Shepard Gray about her newest book, Unshaken.

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

There are so many questions about the Amish, their ways of life, and their differences from us and from each other. We talked about the differences between people, sure, but we also looked at how the Amish look for the ways people are similar to them etc.

Of course, we also talked about the Rumors in Ross County series and how her newest book connects.

 Unshaken  by Shelley Shepard Gray

He helps her hide until danger has passed. She hopes her cover lasts long enough. When Stephanie Miller planned her visit to a dollar store in southern Ohio, she was expecting to pick up a few items she couldn’t find in her Amish community. She was not expecting to find herself an innocent bystander as a drug deal went horribly wrong. The sole witness to a murder, now Stephanie is targeted by the gunman. Hardy Anderson is always ready to help his social worker sister, Bev–which now includes hiding an Amish woman until a killer can be brought to justice. Surely if they dress her in English clothing, Hardy can hide her at the sprawling ranch where he works. But the killer is desperate–and there’s no telling what lengths he will go.

You can learn more about Shelley on her WEBSITE.  Don’t forget to follow her on BookBub and GoodReads.

AND!!!  Don’t miss her Buggy Bunch group on Facebook, too! 

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

  • Apple
  • Castbox
  • Google Play
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  • RSS
  • Spotify
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  • and more!
Episode 472: A Chat with Shelley Shepard Gray
Episode 472: A Chat with Shelley Shepard Gray
September 29, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 471: A Chat with Heather Wood
September 27, 2025
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Episode 470: A Chat with JPC Allen
September 22, 2025
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Episode 469: A Chat with Niki Florica
September 20, 2025
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Episode 468: A Chat with Ann H. Gabhart
September 19, 2025
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Episode 467: A Chat with Elizabeth Goddard
September 15, 2025
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Episode 466: A Chat with Jennifer L. Wright
September 13, 2025
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Episode 465: A Chat with DiAnn Mills
September 8, 2025
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Episode 464: A Chat with Amy R. Anguish
September 6, 2025
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Episode 463: A Chat with Jenelle Hovde
September 5, 2025
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And seriously, if you love mysteries, don't miss Benedict Brown's.  He's brilliant and Christopher is awesome.  Lauren has that right. ;)
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OR

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The countdown to the series finale has begun… and survival is anything but guaranteed.

#TheAgencyFiles
#Christfic
#ChristianRomanticSuspense
#KindleUnlimited
#Audiobooks
The fabulous @ChristaDelSorbo has narrated many of The fabulous @ChristaDelSorbo has narrated many of my books, including The Last Gasp--a mystery set in 1920s Hollywood and with a Cinderella twist.
You can listen FREE on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@christadelsorbo/videos
Check out the other books she has on there... also free! https://www.youtube.com/@christadelsorbo/videos
OR
You can also get The Last Gasp and several of my other titles on popular retailers like Audible, Spotify, Everand, and more!
#Audiobooks
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