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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Confessions

by Chautona Havig · 4 Comments

I have a friend in West Virginia.  A couple of years ago, I shared a project that I started.  I wanted a very emotional book that was not dialogue driven and yet still kept up a good pace.  I don’t do well with those things, so I decided on an exercise.  I have a man who isn’t shy, isn’t inarticulate, can hold an audience without the slightest discomfort– but doesn’t like to talk.  Add to him, a lovely woman with a talent for setting people at ease, and intense attraction, and you’ve got Cara and Jonathan.  I deliberately gave them a hands-off relationship simply because it’s wise for their particular situation.  Yes, you’re right.  It just intensifies the situation.  And my friend loves it.

It’s been hovering at the end for the last 9 months or more.  I have very little to do to finish it.  But there it sits.  I don’t want it to end, soooo I let it hover there taunting me.

I have several active projects.  By active, I mean that I’m writing on them on a semi-consistent basis (more than once or twice a month).  Even if I am concentrating on one book, I still am likely to skip over to another one or two within a week.  Sometimes more.  I write better if I mix it up a bit.

Here We Come-  Proposals don’t solve a woman’s problems.  Aggie is dreading Christmas, battling bad attitudes, and trying to catch up on school work.  Oh– and without the help she’d grown accustomed to having.  She has to plan a wedding in between participles, diapers, and laundry.  Icky.  Then, if that’s not enough…  Well, we wouldn’t want to give anything away, would we?  There’s a remote chance that this book might be out this month!

Everard-  Our prince just arrived home from his first two quests as I type this.  The book is about 50% complete as of today.  I’m excited about it– very excited.  I am falling in love with the shy prince of Havilund.  He has a few more quests ahead of him, so I sure hope I can get him done on time!  I’d like this published soon!

Mismatched-  Oh how I love this story.  I’m determined to get this book done a.s.a.p.  It will fit in nicely with the next book in the publishing queue.  I have Allison and Leo holed up in the desert, but they’re on their way elsewhere.  The men after him are about to make waves in Fairbury.  So much for a peaceful little town.

31 Kisses-  *whistles*  I’ve got a story going where everything is reversed.  Everything I think is best, is happening backwards.  Note that I didn’t say everything that is right… I haven’t truly put the cart before the marriage cart– so to speak.  It’s just that I realized people don’t always follow logical steps and I wanted to explore the advantages and disadvantages of a romance starting backwards so to speak.  Oh, and it’s Christmas related.  Maybe this year!  Who knows?

Guardians of Valimar (Book One)-  This will be an incredibly slow process unless something unexpected happens.  I am falling in love with characters, planning histories and creating the entire world, but I’m not doing much writing.  I doubt much will get accomplished, but with the occasional dips into the story and the world of Valimar, I think my writing will not suffer from lack of imagination.

Allerednic-  Cinderella in reverse.  I finished this book in January, but I’m feeling great about it and had to say so.  I’ve never written anything like this, but it was a lot of fun.  Once I get it edited to remove modernity, voila! My tribute to Miss Austen and my beloved friend Barbara.

Now… if I can just manage to get another Legends written and Webster’s Bakery this year, I’ll feel like I’ve really done my job!  There is one thing that really bothers me about it.  You see, I learned something finishing the Wynnewood series and the Aggie series.  I don’t like to say goodbye to my characters.  Sad, isn’t it?  Kind of pathetic even.  But true.  Because of it, I’ve made a promise to myself that I won’t publish a book with a sequel before the sequel is written.  If there’s a trilogy, I won’t publish the first until the third is half done– and so on.  It’ll help me stop dragging my feet when it’s time to end the story.  I have time then.  🙂

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Comments

  1. Michele says

    March 3, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    I LOVE YOU, Chautona… <3

    Reply
  2. Michele says

    March 3, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    :sniff: :sniff:

    Reply
  3. Michele says

    March 3, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    …or I may have to start taunting you…just sayin’

    Reply
  4. Michele says

    March 3, 2012 at 7:08 pm

    FINISH CARA!!!!!

    Reply

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Episode 584: A Chat with James Finke
byChautona Havig

If you love spiritual warfare with a bit of Screwtape Letters thrown in, then listen in as James Finke and I chat about his Dear Judas. This is one I do NOT want to miss.

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Tommy Finch has built his life on evidence, logic, and measurable results.

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There is just one problem for hell’s strategy team.

Tommy is married to Elizabeth, a devoted Christian whose persistent prayers and unwavering faith make him far more dangerous than he realizes.

Through chilling letters between a junior demon and his calculating supervisor, Dear Judas reimagines the themes of The Screwtape Letters in a contemporary setting, blending spiritual warfare, thoughtful apologetics, humor, heart, and eternal stakes.

As Tommy wrestles with skepticism, truth, and the unseen battle unfolding around him, one question becomes unavoidable:

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Episode 584: A Chat with James Finke
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