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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

What Does DIY Have to Do with Love & Romance?

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

Flipping Hearts releases today, and the authors are all sharing their favorite DIY projects with you. First up, me and my kitchen! via @chautonahavig

“What are we writing about for the release of Flipping Hearts?”

I think that’s when I went, “Um…” for about half an hour.  But then it hit me.  Flipping Hearts is about the aftermath of Hurricane Arley and its destruction on Hopper Island.  Now, no, it wasn’t a devastating hurricane. Only a few ruined houses. Mostly cosmetic damage and a lot of clean-up.  I mean, really, they got off easy.

However, a home show, Barret’s Bailey-wick, offers to come on down and help with the cleanup, and Brooks Crawforth has to accept, right?  I mean, they need the help. What they didn’t need was a bait and switch.  Still, it gave the obvious answer.

For this book, we’re going to talk about our DIY projects.  I don’t know what the other authors are doing, but I just happened to have a big project to share.

See, during our big earthquake a couple of years ago, our butcherblock countertop got damaged.

We put it in almost fifteen years ago, and for my birthday, my kids bought me a new section to replace the big cracked piece.  This Saturday was showtime.  #4daughter even brought a friend from church over to do the heavy grunt work.  So, it was a gift for me AND one for Kevin, because he can’t do heavy lifting like that anymore–not since his back surgery.

BUT… he did do the original kitchen work–or a lot of it. And he should get credit for that.

Well… this DIY project ended up being a lot of DIT (do it themselves) with #4daughter and friend duking out the hard stuff, but hey. I moved stuff out of the rain and got screws to work and bought stuff we needed and…. something else, I’m sure.  It counts! And lookie here!

DIY Flipping hearts

New sink, faucet, and backsplash with the new countertop.

flipping hearts diy

It’s looking nice now. We had to put all our castiron in and around the sink to weigh it down for the silicone while we waited for new screws to arrive. The ones they gave us were too short.  Guess it’s time to do those dishes, no?

We’re ripping off that tile and doing a backsplash up to the (now slightly battered after 15 yearsish of hard use by tons of people)cabinets.  We may buy new doors someday.  But seriously, I am a HUGE fan of Ikea cabinets.  And countertops.  Just not their sink style.  We followed their recommendation.  We should not.  BLECH.  Bad design.  But that’s been fixed, now. YAY!

Bailey might even approve.

flipping hearts release

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

What Does DIY Have to Do with Love & Romance?

Well… in this sorta “enemies-to-romance” book, Bailey Barret and Brooks Crawforth have to get past their issues and work together to figure out who is sabotaging the work on the islands.  And well, when folks work together, they either learn to hate each other or respect each other, don’t they?

And today is the release of Flipping Hearts.  

Many of my Independence Islands books have had heavier themes, but this one is a lot more lighthearted.  And we really needed that.  This release is timely, because I just finished my next book in the series, Finding a Memory. 

Each author is sharing their DIY projects this week, starting with me today and then:

  • Melissa Wardwell (7/27)
  • Kari Trumbo (7/28)
  • Rachel Skatvold (7/29)
  • Tabitha Bouldin (7/30)
  • Carolyn Miller (7/31)
  • Sandy Barela–Celebrate Lit Publishing (8/1)
Flipping Hearts

Flipping Hearts

$12.99eBook: $4.99Audiobook: $12.99
Author: Chautona Havig
Series: Independence Islands: the Book Barrow, Book 4
Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance
Tag: Romance

Brooks Crawforth agreed to volunteer crews helping to clean up and repair things on the island, not a whole home and garden series on the total renovation of several houses and a bit of cleanup on the side.  He's livid, and the show host is spitting nails at the person who blew it in the first place.

 

More info →
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Audible.com
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Flipping Hearts
Buy now!

And don’t forget the giveaway!

 

 

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 595: A Chat with Jeremiah Friedli
byChautona Havig

Have you ever had to choose between saving one life or twenty? Fifty? Listen in as Jeremiah Friedli and I chat about his Core Decipher and whether his character Seth should save one life at a time or if he risks his life to save many.

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

This Core series is so timely–with the way surveillance becomes more intrusive every day, ummmm. Yeah.

Core Decipher by Jeremiah Friedli

One hacker. One impossible mission. Zero margin for error.

Seth Alvarez has the ultimate power in a surveillance state: cyber invisibility. Using stolen tech that makes him a ghost to the all-seeing CORE system, he’s the resistance’s most valuable protector. But when CORE prepares a deadly upgrade that will crush all hope of freedom, Seth must make an impossible choice: stay hidden and keep saving lives one at a time, or risk everything by going undercover inside CORE’s fortress for a chance to liberate thousands. Allying with a former enemy, Seth must pull off the most dangerous hack in history—one that will either liberate an entire nation or destroy everyone he loves.

Learn more about Jeremiah on his WEBSITE and follow him on GoodReads.

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

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  • and more!
Episode 595: A Chat with Jeremiah Friedli
Episode 595: A Chat with Jeremiah Friedli
October 21, 2026
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October 19, 2026
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Episode 592: A Chat with Heidi Main
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Episode 591: A Chat with Jenny McLeod Carlisle
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Episode 590: A Chat with Shilo Creed
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Episode 589: A Chat with Amanda Cabot
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Episode 588: A Chat with Christine Suntz
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Episode 587: A Chat with Four Authors
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Meet Mitchell Bogaert (yes, that was a bit on the Meet Mitchell Bogaert (yes, that was a bit on the nose, but come on! I had to!). He's a great guy, if a bit of a drifter. But he has a storytelling degree, and an inheritance--under one condition. He must participate in the New Cheltenham Annual Christmas
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Meet Mitchell Bogaert (yes, that was a bit on the Meet Mitchell Bogaert (yes, that was a bit on the nose, but come on! I had to!). He's a great guy, if a bit of a drifter. But he has a storytelling degree, and an inheritance--under one condition. He must participate in the New Cheltenham Annual Christmas
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