• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Bookshelf
    • Audio
    • Complete List of Chautona’s Books
    • The Rockland Chronicles
      • The Vintage Wren
      • The Aggie Series
      • The Hartfield Mysteries
      • Sight Unseen Series
        • Sight Unseen Series Archives
      • The Agency Files
      • Christmas Fiction
    • Legacy of the Vines
    • Meddlin’ Madeline
      • Madeline Blog Archive
    • Ballads from the Hearth
      • Ballads from the Hearth Blog Archive
    • Legends of the Vengeance
    • Journey of Dreams
    • Wynnewood
    • Webster’s Bakery
    • The Not-So-Fairy Tales
    • Heart of Warwickshire
  • Start HERE
    • If You Like…
    • Characters
    • Suggested Reading Order
    • Free Books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Podcast
    • Advertising
    • Podcast Guest Information
    • Podcast Interview FAQ
  • Merch Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • Bonus
  • Speaking
  • New & Coming
Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Book Review & Interview: 21 Days Devotionals

by Chautona Havig · 13 Comments

kathyide

One of the best things about joining a “local” (I drive 3 hours to get there so not super local) ACFW chapter is that you get to meet some amazing people.  We’re all crazy different–appearance, lifestyle, career, writing genre, and I suspect theologically as well. There’s Michelle the creative memoir writer, Scott (who was our lone guy writing a cool story about salmon until March’s meeting when Paul arrived), Deborah the gracious hostess who also has a killer funny blog (Read it!) and half a dozen others. But we have a couple of things in common–our love of the Lord and of the written word.  It didn’t take long for me to feel deeply connected to these people.

21 Days series covers book review post

So, when one member, Kathy Ide, brought her books to our meeting, I, of course, bought one of each.  Since then, she’s published more.  I love her “Proofreading Secrets” book (highly recommended. Kathy is a fabulous editor). I need to send a copy to Christy.  But her “21 Days of” Fiction Lovers Devotionals” are such a cool, unique idea.  So, I asked Kathy to answer a few short questions to introduce the series to you.  My book review will technically a “series” review and will follow the interview.

Interview:

Me: Kathy, tell us a little about you.

Kathy:  I’ve been writing for publication since 1989 and I’ve been a full-time freelance editor since 1998. I teach at writers’ conferences across the country, and I’m the director of the Orange County Christian Writers Conference in Southern California. I’m also the founder and director of two organizations for freelance editors: the Christian Editor Connection and The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network.

 Me:  So, what is your favorite genre to write in and what inspires you?

Kathy: I love writing Christian fiction because that’s what I love reading. Like Jesus’ parables, a good fiction story grabs me by pulling me into the character’s mind and heart. I “live” the story through the character’s perspective and relate to her (or sometimes him), then think about what I would do if I were faced with those circumstances. That helps me think more clearly about how to handle similar situations in my own life.

Me: So what gave you the idea for the 21 Days series?

Kathy: I believe in the power of fiction to touch hearts and change lives. But in my quiet times with the Lord, reading a chapter from a novel just doesn’t seem quite appropriate. So a devotional with short fiction stories seemed like a great solution. And I loved the idea of collecting short stories, followed by brief life applications, from a  variety of different authors. At the end of each chapter is an author bio that gives some background information. So if you really like a story you read, you can find out what else that author has written, and you may just find some new names to add to your favorites list. And if you haven’t read much Christian fiction, this devotional will give you a taste of several different authors and genres, without having to commit to reading an entire novel. You might just discover that you actually love Christian fiction!

Me: What do you hope these books will do for readers?

Kathy: My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will speak to readers with whatever messages God wants them to get. As Rene Gutteridge wrote in the foreword to the first book in this series, 21 Days of Grace, one story can do many things to different people—some of which the author never planned or even imagined. For those who want to go deeper, individually or in a group setting, we have a companion study guide, with tips for leaders and discussion questions for each chapter. It’s available as a free PDF on FictionDevo.com, or as a 99-cent e-book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble’s websites.

Thank you, Kathy! I know you’re a crazy busy woman–getting ready for the Orange County Christian Writers’ Conference next weekend.  So taking time to answer a few questions means a lot to me.  If you’re an aspiring author in a four or five hour drive of Fullerton, California, I highly recommend the conference.  They have a COOL program this year with great writing tracks to cover. Me, I’ll be attending NY Times Bestselling author, Cindy Woodsmall’s advanced fiction writing class. But if you go, BE SURE you zip me an email. I want to make sure I find you and get to chat for a bit (between filling those coffee carafes.  I know nothing about it, but apparently I didn’t allow for HALF the time you need to brew enough for one of those suckers.  OOPS! Guess who probably shouldn’t be in charge of ensuring that people have their caffeinated nectar?)

Book Review:

So… all of that aside.  What do I think of Kathy’s book series?

I learn best through stories.  It’s why I write.  Just writing all the books I do helps me solidify how to live my faith in practical, tangible ways.  Readers often wonder how I “know so much” about how to apply the Word to my  life.  Um.  I don’t.  I’m learning as I write and then still have to do it!

So Kathy’s idea, in my opinion, is genius.  There are so many benefits to these books.  First, she uses twenty-one different authors to tell stories on a topic.  What does that do?  That gives the readers more than inspiration to dig deeper into the Word (which, let’s face it, is the most important thing!).  It introduces the reader to a wide variety of authors.  Some of these names I’d never heard of.  Others, like Cindy Woodsmall or Kathy Macias are well-known authors that many of us have read.

The stories are quick reads–most are 4-5 small pages long.  But they keep you thinking long after you’ve closed the book. I hope to see many more in the future.

I’m giving away four books–one of each title.  To enter to win one, just leave a comment and say which one interests you most and if you’d prefer hardback or kindle.  I can’t PROMISE that if you win you’ll get your preference, but I’ll do my best!  And whether you receive one as a prize or buy them and read them, please do Kathy the great favor of leaving a book review. Book reviews make or break the success of an author’s work.  If you want to see more of this or any series one excellent way to make that happen is to leave good book reviews.  Publishers often use the quantity and quality of authors’ book reviews as a measure of a book’s success. I, for one, would love to see this series continue.

Don’t forget. Mother’s Day is coming.  21 Days of Joy is all about motherhood–a great and inexpensive gift for any mom in your life.

Share135
Pin
Tweet
Email
135Shares
Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
135Shares

Related

Filed Under: General Information

Previous Post: « The Birth of a Born Sleuth
Next Post: OCCWC: or what I did this weekend »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Or, you can subscribe without commenting.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Tina at Mommynificent says

    April 11, 2016 at 7:19 am

    “Readers often wonder how I “know so much” about how to apply the Word to my life. Um. I don’t. I’m learning as I write and then still have to do it!” I love this so much, Chautona!!!

    This series sounds like such a wonderful idea! If I were to win, I’d want a Kindle version of the one on Joy, I think. Thanks so much for the intro to the series and the author interview! I’m excited to check them out!
    Tina

    Reply
  2. Melissa W says

    April 11, 2016 at 5:45 am

    21 Days of Joy sounds like the one I need. Right now I feel so overwhelmed with motherhood. I prefer Kindle.

    Reply
  3. bn100 says

    April 11, 2016 at 4:25 am

    guess this already ended

    Reply
  4. bn100 says

    April 11, 2016 at 4:22 am

    Kindle; any of the books

    Reply
  5. Ava says

    April 9, 2016 at 10:30 pm

    Grace or Joy

    Sounds like a neat series

    Reply
  6. Tanya says

    April 8, 2016 at 6:42 am

    I would say Grace, Love or Joy. I definitely am going to try one of them and winning one would be great.

    Reply
  7. Susan (DE) says

    April 6, 2016 at 1:22 pm

    Honestly, I would love a hardback copy of any of them. They all sound interesting to me. A hardback would be nicest, but I wouldn’t be picky.
    Thanks for the opportunity to try. 🙂

    Reply
  8. PamB says

    April 6, 2016 at 10:44 am

    I loved your book review! I would start with the 21 Days of Grace, as I feel that is where I am at right now. (Kindle version) I have a friend retiring in a few months and I think I will add one of these to her retirement basket. Thanks!

    PS, I have been an advanced reader in the past, but with summer and all the garden work, I can’t commit to that right now. Thanks for the opportunity and maybe in the fall/winter I can sign up again.

    Reply
  9. Faith Derickson says

    April 6, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Boy! Deciding which one interested me the most was not an easy task. All of them interested me! But I think at last I narrowed it down to one–21 Days of Love.

    My preference would be the Kindle books but either would be super.

    Thanks for this great opportunity to get these books!
    Faith

    Reply
  10. Emma says

    April 6, 2016 at 2:50 am

    I’d like a Kindle copy of 21 Days of Grace–sounds good! I enjoyed your newsletter this morning, too. Sure can identify with the problem of distractions. I’m not trying to write, but this afternoon I chuckled with my daughter about this problem when I was trying to get seven jars of applesauce into the canner and instead, ended up draining the ricotta cheese that had been sitting out waiting for several hours!

    Reply
  11. Deborah G says

    April 5, 2016 at 7:58 pm

    I love devotionals. I would be interested in 21 days of grace in either format.

    Reply
  12. Michelle Stewart says

    April 5, 2016 at 3:41 pm

    I love this idea for many reason. Awesome!
    I think I’d be most interested in 21 Days of Grace at this time (hardcover please but either is fine).
    Michelle

    Reply
  13. Lindsay says

    April 5, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    I’d be most interested in a Kindle copy of the Christmas one! I love Christmas stories. 🙂

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
byChautona Havig

I had a chat with actor and author Henry O. Arnold a while back, and boy did we have a lot of fun. His Song of Prophets and Kings series features the advent of Israel’s kings from Samuel’s birth through David hiding from Saul (so far) and onward. Listen in as we chat about his most recent release, The Singer of Israel.

 

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

What Made David Such a Man after God’s Heart?

I think this series will show us. I love that Henry O. Arnold started back at Samuel’s story to prepare us for the story of arguably the most influential king of Israel. Yes, Solomon was the wisest and richest, but David offered something that Solomon didn’t have. He was an average guy—a shepherd, no less—chosen by God to lead his country.

In a sense, it’s kind of the ancient Jewish version of a poor, everyday guy growing up to become President of the United States. If you know what I mean.

This five-book series is available as an eBook, in print, and as an audiobook, too! Henry read a snippet of it to us, and boy you get a feel for his love of Scripture and God’s people as he reads.

And if that wasn’t enough, he even gave us a hint of his upcoming Christian suspense/thriller “series. He says he has two books planned for sure, so… at least a duology, but maybe we can talk him into a trilogy at least? Get those odd numbers and everything?

The Singer of Israel by Henry O. Arnold

A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation…A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant

The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced mind. The great prophet of Israel lives in fear of the wrath of the king. Then out of the hills of Bethlehem emerges the last-born son of a family of shepherds to become the unforeseen hero of Israel.

When David sings of the glory of Yahweh, this shepherd wins the hearts of the royal family and restores King Saul’s troubled mind. But when the singer/shepherd defeats the champion of the Philistines in single combat, David becomes forever known as “the giant slayer.” Saul quickly sees that David is now a threat to his kingdom and secretly plots to have him killed.

David may be the champion of the people of Israel, but he must live under the constant threat of Saul’s wrath until he is finally forced to flee for his life.

The Singer of Israel is a tale of triumph and tribulation, deepest love, and burning rivalries; the new epoch is given a voice…and it is The Song of Prophets and Kings.

You can learn more about Henry on this WEBSITE.

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

  • Apple 
  • Castbox 
  • Google Play
  • Libsyn 
  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • Amazon
  • and more!
Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
March 24, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 214: A Chat about After the Shadows with Amanda Cabot
March 21, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 213: A Chat about Daughter of Eden with Jill Eileen Smith
March 17, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 212: A Chat about Code Name Edelweiss with Stephanie Landsem
February 28, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 211: A Chat with Lynn H. Blackburn about Under Fire
February 24, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 210: A Chat with Jennifer Deibel about The Maid of Ballymacool
February 21, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 209: A Chat with Tracie Peterson about Remember Me
February 17, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 208: A Chat with Author, Hallie Lee
February 14, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 207: A Chat with Daniella Rushton about Portal Fantasy
February 10, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
February 7, 2023
Chautona Havig
Search Results placeholder

Love Audio Books?

audio book ad

Check out the Sparrow Island novels. A tiny island with a lot of heart

independence islands series

Featured Books

A Ransomed Grete

A Ransomed Grete
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
A Ransomed Grete
Buy now!

Twice Sold Tales

Twice Sold Tales
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Twice Sold Tales
Buy now!

Under the Hibiscus

Under the Hibiscus
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Under the Hibiscus
Buy now!

Upcoming Posts

Sorry - nothing planned yet!

Or just subscribe to the newsletter

Recent Blog Posts

  • Why I Can’t Wait to Read the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing Series!
  • What Kinds of Lessons Can We Learn from the First People?
  • Why Would Anyone Send Beautiful, Thorny Roses with Strange Messages?

I buy my stickers here! (affiliate)

Custom Stickers, Die Cut Stickers, Bumper Stickers - Sticker Mule
Found this book at our local bookstore, Red Rock Found this book at our local bookstore,  Red Rock Books. It changed one direction of my next Bookstrings novel. I think we need more emphasis on picture books. So... this will sit around to inspire. 
#Bookstrings 
#bookishbooks
Reposted from @lornaroseboutique Annnnnnnd here th Reposted from @lornaroseboutique Annnnnnnd here they are!!! I’ve been anxiously waiting to see how they turn out, and they’re AMAZING!!! Gahh I love these post cards! 
If you love them too, you can check out the link in my bio!!

#digitalart #redbubbleartist #iloveart
When @kathleendenly offers to send an ARC, you squ When @kathleendenly offers to send an ARC, you squeal and accept before she changes her mind d. Eeep! I love her Chaparral Hearts series!
#AmReading 
#historicalromance 
#ChristFic
My first Goudge this month was a DNF. However, I My first Goudge this month was a DNF. However,  I found this while sorting my books in our home library and decided to read it now. Delightful. 
#yearofgoudge
#ChristianFantasy
Reposted from @susankbeattyauthor Take a trip to t Reposted from @susankbeattyauthor Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart with Book 2 in the series, Wheelers Design.

Clay is messy and so is Sabrina’s life sometimes, but will God mold it into a work of art?
	
Wheelers Design releases March 28, but you can pre-order now: 

Pre-order the ebook copy now to get a special pre-order price of $2.99 https://buff.ly/3TPO7NT

Preorder the paperback copy to get 30% off plus free shipping. Just fill out the form https://buff.ly/40aLI2s 

#preorder #newrelease #cleanreads #contemporaryfiction
New ARCs arrived from @tyndalehouse over the past New ARCs arrived from @tyndalehouse over the past couple of weeks.  Looking forward to reading this one by Cindy Woodsmall.  Haven't read anything by her in years. 
#AmReading 
#christianfictionreaders 
#ChristFic 
#amishfiction
Reading right now. It's so good!!! Reposted from Reading right now.  It's so good!!!

Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks ⏰ If you haven’t read Cold Dead Night, you can enter to win it! Plus 45+ exciting Inspirational Mysteries & Thrillers from a great
collection of authors... AND a brand new eReader :D
--
Enter 👉 via link in bio.
When you’re done, comment to let me know you’ve entered!
  • Home
  • Bookshelf
  • New & Coming
  • Blog
  • News!
  • Disclosure & Policies
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Chautona Havig · All Rights Reserved · Coding by Gretchen Louise

Don't go before you grab your FREE short story collection!