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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

This Book Gives New Meaning to “The Romance of the Rails”

by Chautona Havig · 4 Comments

In this fictionalized true story of a WWII-era romance, Just a Train Ride delves into faith, love, and a lifetime commitment to the Lord and each other. via @chautonahavig

When the synopsis for Just a Train Ride appeared, I knew I had to request a review copy of the book. One thing, shallow as it may be, stopped me, however.

The cover.

As indie covers go, it isn’t bad—not really. I like most of it. The typography didn’t grab me, but it wasn’t horrible. But the single splotch of red lipstick in a black and white photo—every Photoshop novice does it at some point. It’s fun.

And I’d even made a cover for one of my books with a colored flower growing out of black and gray ashes. Fortunately, I’d scrapped it before it saw the light of day. This wasn’t nearly as bad. Just that tiny spot of red… well, and the typography.

At least the designer hadn’t used Papyrus font. I latched onto that and the synopsis and filled out the request form.

Into my planner it went. May 26th… my review date.

Then, on May 24th, I left home and drove three hours south to attend my son’s graduation—and forgot the book.

Oops.

So, after getting home and sleeping for a few hours last night, I pulled out  Just a Train Ride and started reading.

One of Denny’s cooks came over and said hi while I was still on the first chapter. He took one look at my face and said, “No good?”

I didn’t know. Not yet. But I was nervous.

Somewhere around chapter four, I gave up. With a fine-tipped Sharpie pen in hand, I removed the red lipstick and made it look like the near-black it would have in black and white.

Of course, now I wonder if it was that distracting the whole time or not. Would I have enjoyed that first chapter or two more if I’d just dealt with my (granted, quite peculiar) issues earlier?

No clue. And you know what? It doesn’t even matter. Because this book…

This Book Gives New Meaning to "The Romance of the Rails" Just a Train Ride Review

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  Additionally, I requested a review copy and am glad I did.  This is what I thought.

This Book Gives New Meaning to “The Romance of the Rails”

In a world that practically screams to authors, “show, don’t tell,” Elizabeth Wehman has managed to find a way to “tell” all she wants and still hold readers’ attention.

With the skill of a natural storyteller, she weaves a story that I can’t even decide if it’s pure fiction or part memoir/biography. (According to the author story below, it IS a fictionalized biography!) The way she does it, by a chance meeting of old and young on a train from Chicago allows that comfortable narrative style to shine best.

Foreshadowing? Nailed it.

Natural dialogue? Yep.

Enough tension to hold your attention? On a train? With just two people talking? Absolutely.

Solid faith that encourages without preaching?  Oh, yeah.

Story-wise, I only have one real complaint. At the very end of the book, one of the characters promises to tell the last bit of her story when she gets home. For all I know, she did.

We just don’t get to know it. And that was a huge letdown. I read the end a dozen times, trying to find just one line to hint at what it was. Can’t find it.

There are a couple of issues with Just a Train Ride that I should note.

In a few places, one character would continue speaking in a new paragraph in such a way as to make you think it is the next person. But it’s not. Dialogue tags, as much as I hate their overuse, would have been helpful in those places. I know why the author did it, but the lack of clarity became frustrating.

For those bothered by formatting issues, occasionally, you’ll have a sentence or paragraph centered out of the blue.

Still, that’s about it. I didn’t really find many typos or things like that, so that was a blessing. (I should confess that I read very quickly, so I could have missed them).

The only other objection I have—and again, it’s minor—is that the very last chapter feels very “telly” and rushed. I get why, but a smoother exit would have really made an otherwise wonderful book almost perfect.

I’ll be getting the author’s other books after reading this one. Requesting a review copy of it–so glad I did. I really did enjoy it immensely.

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Comments

  1. Caryl Kane says

    May 27, 2019 at 3:34 pm

    Chautona, Thank you for the wonderful review! This book sounds like one not to miss.

    Reply
  2. Andrea Stoeckel says

    May 26, 2019 at 8:40 am

    Interesting premise

    Reply
  3. Vicki Hancock says

    May 26, 2019 at 8:23 am

    I am the worst of the worst when it comes to this: I do judge books by their cover. I have books that I got free way back when that went on to become NYT’s bestsellers but the cover I can not get over it. Now I realize when they wrote the book they were new Indie authors and probably found what they could for the cheapest cost. I do get that. However whatever part of my brain is messed up, I can’t get over it. I’m not a person that judges people, especially not for looks but I have this obsession with books covers LOOKING appealing. What can I say?

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 26, 2019 at 2:15 pm

      We all do it to one degree or another. There was one cover I LOVED. BEAUTIFUL. So excited about the book. Read it. The book takes place in Colorado during winter. Snow. Valentine’s Day. The works. The cover shows the girl in a sundress walking down the street with spring leaves in the trees. Huge frustration for me. I think it affected my opinion of the book more than I’d like to admit.

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
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Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 164: A Chat with Christian Fantasy Author, Ernest Yip
byChautona Havig

When I talked to Ernest Yip last month, I was crazy excited to learn about his fantasy novel, The Shattered King, an allegory about the attributes of God. Ernest talks about his inspiration, how he got started, and what’s coming next for us. I loved hearing more about the story and my copy is on its way to me now. EEEP! Listen in to learn more.

Note: links are affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Experience the Attributes of God in a Whole New Way

In the tradition of Pilgrim’s Progress or the parables of Jesus, Ernest Yip brings us a story that introduces to a King like no other through the various attributes our main character meets through out the book. I love a good allegory, and listening to Ernest talk about his book had me choming at the bit to get started.

Though written for teens, The Shattered King is sure to appeal to anyone who loves fantasy and adventure. I especially love how it is a great introduction to who God is without being a heavy or preachy tome of apologetics. Instead, we’re taken on an adventure to discover it all for ourselves.

I can’t wait to see what Yip does next!

The Shattered King by Ernest Yip

Finding his way home means finding something else first—someone else.

When a dark force shatters the benevolent and mighty king Eloa, the land of Astrea lies broken and dying. Though Eloa lives, he is a shadow of his true self, unable to restore his kingdom unless he is reunited with the living Fragments of his being and made whole again.

Catapulted into this unfamiliar world and gifted with a magical sword, teenager Jax faces the ultimate test—finding the lost Fragments of Eloa. Only by fulfilling this quest will he be able to return home. But there are new forces in power, forces that will do whatever it takes to thwart Jax’s efforts and defeat Eloa.

But Jax will soon find that Eloa is no ordinary king, and neither are his Fragments—

A creator of living stone beings A father of orphans in a storm-filled land A desert warrior of limitless power

And they aren’t the only ones out there…

Encounter the Fragments of The Shattered King, a tale of danger and discovery that explores timeless truths about the world we live in, where justice and mercy are sometimes the most powerful weapons.

You can find out more about Ernest from his WEBSITE.

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Episode 164: A Chat with Christian Fantasy Author, Ernest Yip
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