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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 571: A Chat with Lucas and Shauna Fischhaber
byChautona Havig

I love me a good, unlikely hero. Chatting with Lucas and Shauna Fischhaber gave me a new one to root for. Listen in and see why I’m eager to read Gathering Storms.

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

The world, the plans, the way Lucas and Shauna interact and brainstorm–it was awesome!

Gathering Storms by Lucas Fischhaber

As storms descend, who will rise?

Amber Veloré never asked to be a hero. A daughter of the forest, her gift for taming wild creatures should have been enough. But when a legendary griffin crashes into her world on her nineteenth Crossing Day-majestic, wounded, and brimming with primal fury, a creature beyond even her ability-her quiet life shatters.

To the villagers of Thunder Ridge, the griffin is a curse, a living reminder of the Haze, a storm-born terror that cannot be contained. To the ruthless Dracara, its young is a prize worth blood and fire.

To Amber, it is a choice she cannot turn away from… even if it costs her everything. Far beyond her forest home, whispers of forgotten powers stir. Ancient artifacts, tied to Solaris’ greatest cataclysm-the Great Event-begin to resurface.

And as storms gather on the horizon, destinies entwine: a failed Dracara warrior desperate for redemption, siblings bound by loyalty and loss, and a girl who only ever wished to remain Amber, daughter of the forest. The storm is coming. And when it breaks, who will rise?

Every song whispers history. Every poem hides truth. In Gathering Storms, even the smallest verse carries the weight of forgotten worlds.

Set in the mythic world of Solaris-a land scarred by the echoes of a forgotten age-this sweeping tale blends adventure, mystery, and heart. Readers will uncover a world where griffins soar through thunderclouds, ancient artifacts hum with lost power, and the choices of a few can alter the fate of all.

For fans of the mythic wonder of The Inheritance Cycle, the depth of Earthsea Cycle, and the epic scale of The Lord of the Rings, Gathering Storms is a character-driven epic fantasy of memory, courage, and the power that awakens when hope refuses to fade.

Learn more on Lucas’ WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads.

Don’t miss their YouTube Channel.

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

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Episode 571: A Chat with Lucas and Shauna Fischhaber
Episode 571: A Chat with Lucas and Shauna Fischhaber
August 17, 2026
Chautona Havig
Episode 570: A Chat with Niki Florica
August 15, 2026
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Episode 569: A Chat with Fayla Ott
August 10, 2026
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Episode 568: A Chat with Chelsea Bobulski
August 8, 2026
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Episode 567: A Chat with Roseanna M. White
August 5, 2026
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Episode 566: A Chat with Clint Hall
August 3, 2026
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Episode 565: A Chat with Taylor S. Newport
August 1, 2026
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Episode 564: A Chat with Sheri A. Bradley
July 27, 2026
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Episode 563: A Chat with Stephanie Mack
July 25, 2026
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Bonus Episode: A Chat with Becca Wierwille
July 21, 2026
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