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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

All Great Historical Fiction Has One Thing in Common

by Chautona Havig · 1 Comment

Historical fiction comes from many eras. In today's episode we look at Biblical fiction, the War for Independence, and US antebellum period. via @chautonahavig

The second of our compilation interview episodes (first HERE), this episode features three historical fiction authors. Join me as I chat with Amanda Cabot about her latest release, Dreams Rekindled.  I also spoke with Jill Eileen Smith about her latest release, Miriam’s Song. Marguerite Martin Gray discusses her Revolutionary Faith series as well as upcoming new series.

Three authors, three very different writing styles and time periods, and three great books or series to keep you entertained and encouraged for hours!

And as I studied the different stories,  time periods and themes, I realized something important about historical fiction.

historical fiction

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All Great Historical Fiction Has One Thing in Common

It teaches us how no matter how different times and places are, people remain the same.  We love, grieve, hate, fear… People wage war and reconcile.  We sin and repent. In the end, all we have is faith or we flounder trying to understand why life is the way it is.

In today’s episode, I spoke with three authors and learned what they wrote, why, and got to know a little bit about each of them.  First up:

Amanda Cabot and her Mesquite Springs Series

Dreams Rekindled Historical Fiction

Though she hopes for a quiet, uncomplicated life for herself, Dorothy Clark wants nothing more than to stir others up. Specifically, she dreams of writing something that will challenge people as much as Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin seems to have. But in 1850s Mesquite Springs, there are few opportunities for writers–until newspaperman Brandon Holloway arrives, that is.

Brandon Holloway has seen the disastrous effects of challenging others and has no intention of repeating that mistake. Instead of following his dreams, he’s committed to making a new–and completely uncontroversial–start in the Hill Country.

As Dorothy’s involvement in the fledgling newspaper grows from convenient to essential, the same change seems to be happening in Brandon’s heart. But before romance can bloom, Dorothy and Brandon must work together to discover who’s determined to divide the town and destroy Brandon’s livelihood.

With this second novel in the Mesquite Springs series, bestselling author Amanda Cabot invites you to discover the healing power of truth.

You can find out more about Amanda, sign up for her newsletter, and follow her on social media from her WEBSITE.

Next up!  Jill Eileen Smith and her Biblical Fiction in Miriam’s Song

Miriam's song historical fictionIn her eventful lifetime, Miriam was many things to many people: protective older sister, song leader, prophetess, leper. But between the highs and the lows, she was a girl who dreamed of freedom, a woman who longed for love, a leader who made mistakes, and a friend who valued connection.

With her impeccable research and keen eye for detail, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith offers this epic story to fill in the gaps and imagine how Miriam navigated the challenges of holding on to hope, building a family in the midst of incredible hardship, and serving as a leader of a difficult people, all while living in her brother’s shadow. Follow Miriam’s journey from childhood to motherhood, obscurity to notoriety, and yearning to fulfillment as she learns that what God promises he provides–in his own perfect timing.

You can find out more about Jill, sign up for her newsletter, and follow her on social media from her WEBSITE.

And last but not least, Marguerite Martin Gray and her Revolutionary Faith Series

Wait for Me Historical fictionA town besieged by the enemy with just one Sovereign order: wait.

Charles Town, South Carolina, 1780

With the inevitable occupation of Charles Town by the British pounding at the gates, Louis Lestarjette braces for possible imprisonment or worse. How can he provide for his growing family with the evil chains of the enemy binding his source of existence? The scenarios of imprisonment and starvation force him to realize he has no control over the outcome of the stronghold of the British. All that remains is a sense of survival at almost any cost.

Elizabeth Lestarjette faces looming confinement with both a drive to protect her children and a desire to do her part to undermine the enemy.  They must thwart the British plans to imprison more men, but how?  Who can they trust?

Just how long will Elizabeth’s confidence in justice withstand the constant battering of war and circumstance?

Discover the destiny of the Lestarjette family in the final book of the Revolutionary Faith Series as they hope and wait upon deliverance from a world under siege.

You can learn more about Marguerite, sign up for her newsletter, and follow her on social media from her WEBSITE.

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

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Filed Under: Because Fiction Podcast, Interviews

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Comments

  1. Katie says

    May 28, 2021 at 6:27 pm

    This was a lovely podcast! I really enjoyed listening to various authors and am interested in reading all of their work! Thank you for putting this together for readers!

    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
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  • and more!
Episode 549: A Chat with Laura DeNooyer
Episode 549: A Chat with Laura DeNooyer
June 8, 2026
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Episode 548: A Chat with Sarah Heatwole
June 6, 2026
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Episode 547: A Chat with Terri McAdoo
June 1, 2026
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Episode 546: A Chat with Chuck Richardson
May 30, 2026
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Episode 545: A Chat with Gina Holder
May 25, 2026
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Episode 544: A Chat with Nicholas Teeguarden
May 23, 2026
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Episode 543: A Chat with Stephanie Cardel
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Episode 542: A Chat with Megan Schaulis
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Episode 541: A Chat with Demi Griffin
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Episodd 540: A Chat with Dana Mentink
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