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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Like It or Not, Yesterday Still Has a Significant Impact on Today

by Chautona Havig · 1 Comment

Lilly's Promise by Terrie Todd is an award-winning split-time book that will keep you riveted to both timelines! via @chautonahavig

My favorite book of 2020 was from a previously unknown to me author, Terrie Todd. That book? Bleak Landing. Since listening to the audiobook for that one, I went on to read several others by her including one of this year’s favorites, Rose Among Thornes. And now, surprise, surprise, another of her books is going to end up on this year’s favorites list as well–Lilly’s Promise. Stay tuned to find out why!

Lilly's Promise Terrie Todd

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Like It or Not, Yesterday Still Has a Significant Impact on Today

The way the Lord’s timing works astounds me. In the year of all the Roe v. Wade controversy, here comes a book full of compassion, truth, and the reality of difficult choices. This split-time novel rocketed to my ever-expanding top five last week. I was supposed to read five chapters a day. I read it in about 36 hours with two sleep times in there. Just sayin’.

And wow… what a book. I didn’t want it to end.  You can find my review HERE.

Terrie Todd and I chatted about her other books, about reading, writing, and fiction set in Canada. Her commitment to faithful Christian fiction and not shying away from the hard stuff is probably what makes her one of my top favorite historical authors. You’ll see why in this interview.

lilly's promise terrie toddLilly’s Promise by Terrie Todd

Orphaned and adopted as a toddler in 1922, Lilly Sampson pursues a nursing career in hopes that it will redeem the shameful crime of arson she committed as a child. When her self-sabotaging choices only build the ash heap higher, will she find the love she desperately seeks?

In 2019, while unraveling a mysterious link in her ancestry, thirty-six-year-old Diana DeWitt is at a crossroads as she tries to help a teenager in crisis. Will the truth she uncovers about her grandmother, Lilly, inspire her to let go of her fear and rise to the occasion?

You can learn more about Terrie Todd and her books on her WEBSITE.

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Filed Under: Because Fiction Podcast

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Comments

  1. Terrie Todd says

    December 7, 2022 at 8:37 am

    Thanks so much for having me as podcast guest, Chautona! Your encouragement has been just what I needed in so many ways. God bless you!

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 549: A Chat with Laura DeNooyer
byChautona Havig

I’ve been anxious to read this one since the moment I saw it. I mean, come on! Secrets are always cool but then Frank L. Baum? And The Pilgrim’s Progress? WHAT? Listen in as Laura DeNooyer and I chat about A Hundred Magical Reasons.

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

The L. Frank Baum connection was a draw, but then she brought in The Pilgrim’s Progress, and it took the whole story idea to a new level!

I had a blast chatting with Laura and I’m excited to read this one. It’ll probably be my flight read tomorrow. EEEP!

A Hundred Magical Reasons by Laura DeNooyer

Some fairy tales don’t end when the story is over…they begin when the truth is finally told.

At eighty-eight, Charlotte Rose Gordon has spent a lifetime guarding secrets—burdens that have turned her into the town’s most notorious recluse. But before her story ends, she has one final quest: to set the past right and clear her husband’s name.

Even if it means facing the dragons she’s spent decades avoiding.

Carrie Kruisselbrink is fighting dragons of her own. Fresh out of college and desperate to escape the weight of her parents’ expectations, she risks everything to chase a dream that feels just out of reach.

An unlikely job with the reclusive Mrs. Gordon seems like a temporary solution. Until it becomes something much more.

As Charlotte begins to unravel her past—from a stifling childhood to an extraordinary friendship with author L. Frank Baum—Carrie is drawn into a story filled with imagination, loss, and long-buried truth.

But the deeper Carrie digs, the more she’s forced to confront her own fears, her own choices… and the cost of living someone else’s life.

Because some stories were never meant to stay hidden.

Spanning generations and woven with echoes of a beloved literary legacy, A Hundred Magical Reasons is a moving tale of courage, identity, and the kind of hope that only comes when truth, grace, and imagination collide.

Can two women from different generations find the strength to rewrite their stories—before time runs out?

Step into a story of secrets, second chances, and the courage to believe again.

Learn more on Laura’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 549: A Chat with Laura DeNooyer
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
Episode 541: A Chat with Demi Griffin
May 11, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episodd 540: A Chat with Dana Mentink
May 9, 2026
Chautona Havig
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