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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

What More Could You Want This Weekend Than an Exciting New Thriller?

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

A Cry in the Dark by Jessica R. Patch promises to combine police procedural fiction with a psychological thriller. via @chautonahavig

While a nice, sweet escape from reality can be a great read, so can a read about a fictional character having to escape from their horrible reality and get help from the folks who will bring bad guys to justice–if they can catch those guys in time, that is. Jessica R. Patch is one author you won’t want to miss if you like your toes to tingle for reasons other than swoony heroes and all the liplock that can go with that nonsense–I mean romance.  Ahem. Yeah. Well, Jessica might have romance in her books, but it definitely plays second fiddle to a whole different kind of heart thumping! Listen in to find out more!

A Cry in the Dark Jessica R. Patch

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

What More Could You Want This Weekend Than an Exciting New Thriller?

Whooeee! Just before the interview, I was listening to the opening of Jessica R. Patch’s latest release, A Cry in the Dark, and man! If it wouldn’t have been rude, I’d have been tempted to beg off the interview and just listen.  Well, and I was in the middle of another book at the time anyway, so… sigh.

Jessica and I had a great time chatting about her love for justice, showing the beauty of redemption against the backdrop of man’s depravity, and all without going overboard. She’ll do her best to scare the hair off your head, but she’s not interested in throwing out just anything for shock value.

Is it just me, or is that beautiful news? Honestly, I probably should’ve cheered more.  Full disclosure: I was probably bobbing my head off in agreement.

In addition to her latest release, we also chatted about Jessica’s first book with Love Inspired Trade, Her Darkest Secret, her other Love Inspired books, and her next Love Inspired Trade novel… I think it was something about Garden Girls. My brain is shutting down.

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m crazy excited to read all of them! Jessica did say that while her books could be read in any order, it is a better reading experience to start with the first in this series, so I ordered Her Darkest Secret and it should be here any day now. EEEP!

A Cry in the Dark by Jessica R. Patch

Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.
But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.
And they’re not talking…

Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder.

As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.

In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…

You can learn more about Jessica and her books (and get the first sneak peek at that new cover) by heading over to 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 550: A Chat with Joan Lovestrand Farley
byChautona Havig

High school is hard enough without trying to navigate all the ups and downs without your mother. Listen in as I talk with Joan Lovestrand Farley about Letters to Cassie, what you’ll find inside, and why she wrote it.

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

I love the idea of a mother being so proactive as to write letters of encouragement and guidance when she realized she wouldn’t be there to offer it in person.

My copy is at my house now, and I can’t wait to get started on it.

Letters to Cassie by Joan Lovestrand Farley

Cassie always imagined her high school graduation would be a moment of celebration, surrounded by her family. But when her mother passes away from cancer just before her senior year, that dream shatters, and her future feels empty.

Grief consumes her, and the path ahead seems impossible without her mom’s steady guidance. Who am I? What are my strengths? What will I do with my life? Why does it all feel so meaningless? Even the smallest decisions feel overwhelming without her mom by her side-until her dad reveals something extraordinary: nine letters her mom wrote, each with a special task for her senior year.

These letters become a lifeline, not just a series of challenges but a journey of healing, self-discovery, and faith. With each letter, Cassie is led closer to understanding her purpose and finding her identity as “God’s girl,” uncovering the depth of God’s love for her.

Follow Cassie on this emotional and empowering journey, and discover how these letters might inspire your own personal growth, one challenge at a time.

Learn more on Joan’s WEBSITE or her other WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads.

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

  • Apple
  • Castbox
  • Google Play
  • Libsyn
  • RSS
  • Spotify
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  • YouTube
  • and more!
Episode 550: A Chat with Joan Lovestrand Farley
Episode 550: A Chat with Joan Lovestrand Farley
June 13, 2026
Chautona Havig
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
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I have a theory and would love to test it. If you' I have a theory and would love to test it. If you'd be willing to help, I'd so appreciate it. So... Which of my characters (you can do more than one if you like, I'm just trying to get a feel for things) is your favorite... and why?
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Reposted from @catheswanson Charlea Evans thought Reposted from @catheswanson Charlea Evans thought she had finally put her unconventional past behind her.

Now a widow with a college-age daughter and a promising new career within reach, she's worked hard to build a respectable life far removed from Serenity Hill—the quirky former commune where her free-spirited mother still lives. But when a devastating house fire destroys her home and everything she owns, Charlea finds herself with nowhere else to turn.

Reluctantly, she returns to the farm she thought she'd escaped forever, trading independence for her childhood bedroom, milking goats, tending chickens, and counting the days until she can afford a place of her own. Then an accident lands her mother in the hospital, leaving Charlea responsible for managing the property and overseeing an ambitious new venture.
Her mother and daughter have plans of their own. Big plans. Plans to transform Serenity Hill into a seasonal market and destination for workshops, events, and community gatherings. Helping bring the vision to life is Drew Wallace—the man who stole her heart on a single unforgettable date fifteen years ago.

As she works to keep the project moving forward, Charlea finds herself confronting old hurts, long-held assumptions, and the family history she's spent years trying to leave behind. With old dreams awakening and new possibilities taking root, she begins to wonder if Serenity Hill holds the answers she's been searching for. She must decide whether she's willing to risk her heart again—and whether the future she carefully planned can compete with the one God may have been preparing for her all along.

Coming home is the last thing Charlea wants—but it may be the beginning of everything she's been searching for.

Something New is the first book in the Serenity Hill series.
Having a great time at out writing retreat. My Ju Having a great time at out writing retreat.  My June bingo board had "write outside" on it, sooo... another spot filled.
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Made it to Denver. Next stop, Minneapolis and #Th Made it to Denver.  Next stop, Minneapolis and #TheLadiesOfTheLake
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So... with little time left, I decide to do corne So... with little time left, I  decide to do corners. Six down,  3 to go...
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The annual(ish) journal making assembly line has c The annual(ish) journal making assembly line has commenced. To be fair the text blcks were already done. And marking 18 boards wiped me out ( been sick) but... Now, can I get them all done by Sunday? Nine??? Eeep!
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For example, while writing Meddlin' Madeline, I al For example, while writing Meddlin' Madeline, I always play @AdamGSwanson on YouTube so I can stay in touch with her favorite music: Ragtime (I still have CDs of his to use for giveaways with Looks Can Kill. Must get that written. Stay tuned for more about THAT.
While writing Be My Inspiration, I listened to every love song I could stomach (they get old fast. I don't know how Linus does it). I even listened to Taylor Swift's old break up songs (again, not my cuppa). But... at least I got to listen to Roger Miller's "That's Why I Love You Like I Do"  Now THAT is a love song.  hee hee.
If I'm in hyper Get-er-done mode, THEN... I put on a Hogwarts Pomodoro study session and type like the wind. Or get on Discord and join a few writing sprints.  It all depends.
If you have a question you want me to answer, leave it in the comments OR... zip me an email at chautona@chautona.com.  I'll try to work them in (and will probably combine those that are really similar.
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