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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Hidden Treasures, a Mystery, and a Lonely Girl: What Isn’t to Love?

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

It's release day for The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel, and we chatted about what readers will find in this book! via @chautonahavig

Happy Book Release Birthday to Jennifer Deibel and her newest historical romance, The Maid of Ballymacool. I chatted with her about this book a while back and have been biting my nails for release day. My book arrived a couple of days ago, and I’ve been anxious to start reading.  Listen in to learn about why I’m going to love the bits of her in the forest (that’s what Jennifer said!).

the maid of ballymacool

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

Hidden Treasures, a Mystery, and a Lonely Girl: What Isn’t to Love?

So, I’m about to utter a bit of literary blasphemy here, but when Jennifer described the background of The Maid of Ballymacool, it struck a familiar cord.  I mean… a small child dropped off at a school and just left there for life. Yeah. Am I the only one who thinks, “Okay… so like Jane Austen’s Emma?”

Here’s the thing, though. Even if that’s the only similarity the two stories have, I’m already predisposed to love this book more. Why?

How about the fact that Brianna of Ballymacool had to put herself into God’s hand and trust His creation for her instruction in Him since she wasn’t given any other? I can’t wait to see what that looks like!  How about No Frank Churchill?  That’s gotta be an improvement! And while I’ll miss the silly Miss Bates… well, I think I can manage. I’ll have Brianna after all. 😉

Jennifer gave us a lovely rundown of her first two books, but… shhh…

**looks around to make sure no one is listening too closely**

I think I’m even more excited about her next one!  Then again, Jennifer might be mad at me for giving her an idea too late. Oh, well. I have every confidence her marketplace matchmaker book will be perfect the day it releases.

Next year. Sigh.

The Maid of BallymacoolThe Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.

Learn more about Jennifer (and get the first bits of news… you know, like the COVER REVEAL) on her WEBSITE.

Note: The book IS 30% off and DOES have free shipping as of today over at Baker Book House.

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 590: A Chat with Shilo Creed
byChautona Havig

There’s nothing better than taking a strong man with excellent skills and put him into a situation where he’s not at the top of his game. EEEP! Listen in and see how Shilo Creed set up this world!

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

Don’t know about you, but a Navy Seal being thrown into spiritual warfare? Yes, please!

Plunged by Shilo Creed

Jacob Carter built his life around one vow: never be helpless again. As a Navy SEAL, fear is buried under discipline, muscle, and mission. He runs toward danger, protects the weak, and survives what breaks other men. Then an admiral forces him into Project 157. The experiment tears him through the hull of a weaponless ship and strips away everything he mistook for strength. Jacob wakes in a spiritual dimension where none of his training can save him. His weapons are gone. Everything he trusted in is a distant memory. And here? Here, he is the hunted and the darkness has teeth. The lions can smell his weakness, and they obey only their relentless hunger. Back on Earth, nurse Sage Emerson is the only one fighting to keep Jacob’s body alive. The project sees a military asset. The admiral sees data. The One World Government sees a weapon. But Sage sees a man trapped in a war no one else believes is real. And every hour she keeps him alive, the experiment reaches deeper into her too. Jacob is facing something older than science, closer than breath, and hungry enough to follow him back. Plunged is a gripping Christian fantasy spiritual thriller where military conspiracy and spiritual warfare collide—and a soldier trained for every earthly battle discovers the one war his weapons cannot win.

Learn more on Shilo’s WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.

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

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Episode 590: A Chat with Shilo Creed
Episode 590: A Chat with Shilo Creed
October 10, 2026
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At twenty-six, Abbi would much rather spend Christmas surrounded by history and art than dealing with another holiday full of family expectations.

So when she gets the chance to spend Christmas at Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, it feels like the perfect escape.

Snow. A magnificent castle. A celebration of Christmases past.

What could possibly go wrong?

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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
FREE through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. https://amzn.to/4hMAcEF #Affiliatelink
#BecauseFiction
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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
FREE through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. https://amzn.to/4hMAcEF #Affiliatelink
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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
FREE through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. https://amzn.to/4hMAcEF #Affiliatelink
#BecauseFiction
#ChristFic
#ChristmasRomance
#KindleFree
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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
FREE through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. https://amzn.to/4hMAcEF #Affiliatelink
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