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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Manuscript for Murder

by Chautona Havig · 6 Comments

Alexa Hartfield.  You’ve read about her in almost every book I’ve published.  Though young, she’s a bit eccentric, very eclectic, and definitely elusive.  The perfect persona for a mystery writer.

Her books border on thrillers that give much more detail of horrors than I ever could.  I’ve had people ask if she’s my fictional “me.”  Not hardly.

There are similarities, sure.  We both write.  There’s one.  She’s from the town I live in (just for fun).  There’s two.

Um… oh, she lives a similar life to the one I planned for myself back when I was seventeen and was sure I’d never get married or have children (and didn’t want to!).  Unlike her, I was going to be a teacher and write on my summers off  (I actually believed that teachers got three months of freedom back then–silly me).

Alexa doesn’t teach.  She is much more successful (and wealthy) than I ever expected or even wanted to be.  I had romantic ideas of being a starving artist kind of author–discovered after I was dead if ever.  Um, I love her fashion sense, but I wouldn’t look good in her wardrobe–not being nearly double her size!  Oh, and she does drive my dream car–but I wrote it before it was my dream car, so does that count?

Book two is nearly finished editing.  It takes so long to retype it all, get it to the editor, get it back, fix the five thousand changes per page (ok, so maybe that’s a bit exaggerated), and then get back to work.  I’ve neglected my family shamelessly these past two and a half weeks, but it’s almost there and I plan to fix a great meal to celebrate.

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Comments

  1. Courtney says

    October 31, 2012 at 11:45 am

    I finished this this afternoon. Not at all what I expected and I absolutely LOVED it. I was on the edge of my seat several times during the book…great writing!

    Reply
    • Chautona says

      October 31, 2012 at 12:06 pm

      Book two is almost there. It has a slower start to the mystery part… because it has to develop relationships first… but I love this one. Partly because I modeled one of the people after someone I know… and made that person the killer!

      Reply
  2. Ruth says

    October 29, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    Hmmmmm, the raffelcopter hasn’t been working when I have looked at it for the last week or so. Is it just me or have other people had the same problem?

    Reply
  3. Lynn says

    October 29, 2012 at 9:06 am

    Don’t have Twitter but have done all the rest 🙂

    Reply
  4. Susan says

    October 29, 2012 at 7:46 am

    I think this will be a fun book to read. Shared all around the www. 🙂

    Susan

    Reply
  5. ~*~Jennifer~*~ says

    October 29, 2012 at 7:33 am

    Liked
    Downloaded
    Tweeted about the giveaway

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 472: A Chat with Shelley Shepard Gray
byChautona Havig

 It may seem weird, but my favorite way to read Amish fiction is with mystery or suspense added. I think I like the juxtaposition of the “simple, quiet” life and the upheaval. Listen in to my chat with Shelley Shepard Gray about her newest book, Unshaken.

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

There are so many questions about the Amish, their ways of life, and their differences from us and from each other. We talked about the differences between people, sure, but we also looked at how the Amish look for the ways people are similar to them etc.

Of course, we also talked about the Rumors in Ross County series and how her newest book connects.

 Unshaken  by Shelley Shepard Gray

He helps her hide until danger has passed. She hopes her cover lasts long enough. When Stephanie Miller planned her visit to a dollar store in southern Ohio, she was expecting to pick up a few items she couldn’t find in her Amish community. She was not expecting to find herself an innocent bystander as a drug deal went horribly wrong. The sole witness to a murder, now Stephanie is targeted by the gunman. Hardy Anderson is always ready to help his social worker sister, Bev–which now includes hiding an Amish woman until a killer can be brought to justice. Surely if they dress her in English clothing, Hardy can hide her at the sprawling ranch where he works. But the killer is desperate–and there’s no telling what lengths he will go.

You can learn more about Shelley on her WEBSITE.  Don’t forget to follow her on BookBub and GoodReads.

AND!!!  Don’t miss her Buggy Bunch group on Facebook, too! 

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

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Episode 472: A Chat with Shelley Shepard Gray
Episode 472: A Chat with Shelley Shepard Gray
September 29, 2025
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Episode 471: A Chat with Heather Wood
September 27, 2025
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Episode 470: A Chat with JPC Allen
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September 20, 2025
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Episode 468: A Chat with Ann H. Gabhart
September 19, 2025
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Episode 467: A Chat with Elizabeth Goddard
September 15, 2025
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September 13, 2025
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September 8, 2025
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