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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Why I Refuse to Apologize for Stealing a Brilliant Idea

by Chautona Havig · 6 Comments

Jose Iturbi in "Anchors Aweigh" when he says, "You know those composers--they steal from each other!" I did that. Stealing a brilliant idea--that's me! via @chautonahavig

I was an innocent bystander. Really!  I was. I just sat there, reading a fabulous book (you can read my review HERE), and cracking up over the heroine’s hijinks when it happened.

There, described in brilliant detail (without too much, mind you) emerged a scene that transformed itself in my mind.  Different country, different house, even a different type of location on property! But the concept—brilliant.

Never have I been so torn while reading a book. 

You see, I wanted to stop reading and start writing—right then.  The scene played out so perfectly, I could just imagine how amazing it would be to write my own. But who can stop reading a brilliant book when you’re just really getting into the heart of it?

“Not me,” said the flea!  Or something like that.

So there I was, consumed by frustration and confusion.  And then it hit me.  Of course, I needed to finish the book.  I couldn’t work on the next in the series just a month after the last was published! I had other books calling my name!

But oh, how I wanted to.

Why I Refuse to Apologize for Stealing a Brilliant Idea

Note: links in post may be affiliates that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you!

So, why do I refuse to apologize for stealing a brilliant idea?

And what was that brilliant idea?

Fine Print: Meddlin' Madeline 3Well, what it was, you’ll have to wait for until you read Fine Print.  And that’ll be a week or two.  Yep, the book is going to be late.  I can’t get around that.  It was supposed to release tomorrow.  Yeah, like in twenty-four hours.  That ain’t happenin’.  So, I’m shooting for next week. Pray I make it, okay?

Just the Way You Are Pepper BashamOh, and you’ll need to read Just the Way You Are as well, or you won’t get it.  Sorry.

Yeah. Actually, I’m not.  I’m not sorry at all. And you shouldn’t be, either.  It’s a great book.

Why do I refuse to apologize for it, then?  Well, because it made my book better.

See, I had a plan for Fine Print. It was going to be awesome. And then I read this book and the gears started turning.  An English Manor, a treasure trove, a…

Yeah. I’m going to give too much away. 

So, like any author, I’m stealing the idea.  Oh, yeah.  Livin’ on the wild side.  Okay, not really, but if you really think about it, that’s what we do, you know.  We steal events from our lives or our friends’—our families’ lives.  We steal from history, from theater, movies, and from other authors.

Don’t believe me?  Well, the same guy who said, “the writing of many books is endless” also said, “there is nothing new under the sun.”  Hint: his name is Solomon. He was kind of a wise guy, but not in the “take ’im to Jerzee and whack ’im” sense.  Just sayin’.

Okay, so I stole the brilliant idea.  I took it and I changed it, morphed it, twisted it and reimagined it—kind of like how someone takes a beautiful piece of fabric (one person’s artwork) and cuts it up, reassembles it, and bam!  You have a beautiful dress, a quilt,  some curtains.

I think I just said this book is curtains for me.

I digress.

But no, really. One little element of one author’s book prompted an idea that turned my original idea from “Oh, this is going to be fun” to “That was dumb” and gave me a new one I can’t wait to share.

You know how Henry Hardwick (from books 1 and 2) was all about the archeology thing?  Yeah, well, Madeline is “donning her helmet” so to speak.  And man, she’s mixed up in everything from finding something hidden in the strata of a house to yet another girl’s relationship.  What’s with her and this anti-matchmaking scheme, anyway?  Methinks she’s jealous or something.

Yeah. Not hardly.

So, sure. I stole someone’s brilliant idea.  I don’t pretend I didn’t.  In fact, I thank Pepper Basham for the genius idea. And unlike Liz Johnson, I didn’t just come up with the same idea at the same time. No, I admit it freely.  I stole the idea.

But I suspect if you read both books, you’ll agree.

They’re nothing alike.

Oh, and man… I stole an idea from someone else, too—one of the Denny’s patrons, actually. But that’s a story for another time.  Stay tuned for that one next month.

But tell me… are you looking forward to the third book of the Meddlin’ Madeline series? Are you curious about what Madeline’s up to? What about her growth as a detective?  Did you know that’s what this series is all about?

Here… check out this little video for more information on that!

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Comments

  1. Mari Tysar says

    February 19, 2018 at 9:44 am

    I can’t wait! And I broke my no buy book ban on authors I haven’t read because of you lol. Hopefully her book holds a candle to yours because your books and (Dee Henderson) are the only ones I’ll usually buy without knowing anything about the book. 😀 looking forward to Madeline, she’s one of my FAVORITES.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      February 19, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      Which book was that? Just the Way You Are? If you don’t crack up in chapter one, I’ll refund you the cost myself.

      Reply
  2. Andrea Stoeckel says

    February 19, 2018 at 8:53 am

    They say there is nothing new under the sun right? And I’ve heard pastoral candidates truthfully say they only have five sermons in them; that they preach different version of them on Sunday…. so why should you apologize for your own “spins”? I just received an ARC with a title so generic there are well over a hundred books with the same name out there…

    There is never a reason to apologize

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      February 19, 2018 at 3:50 pm

      Yeah… I do check Amazon before I choose titles. I didn’t with my first say 10 and I could have really made a few huge mistakes with a couple of mine if I hadn’t. Basically, anytime I think I’m being clever, a million other people already have been.

      Reply
  3. Darlene Case says

    February 19, 2018 at 6:20 am

    I love your books, as you may have guessed, but the Miss Marple and Patrick Jane combo is brilliant!! Woo Hoo Chautona!! Keep ’em coming!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      February 19, 2018 at 3:50 pm

      I just hope I make it happen.

      Reply

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Episode 48: A Chat with T.E. Price
by Chautona Havig

What happens when you combine domestic violence with suspense?  A hair-raising ride you won’t want to miss.

On March 2, T.E. Price ‘s book, Take Flight, releases on eBook, and boy is this one excellent story.  Join me as I talk with Tiffany about her book, the inspiration, and all the excellence you’ll find within the can’t-put-it-down pages.

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

The 3 Best Things about This Domestic Abuse Suspense Novel

A new author to me, T.E. Price knocked her suspense (and almost thriller) out of the park with three excellent elements to the book.  

Aside from wonderful and realistic characterization and edge-of-your-seat storytelling, T.E. Price also digs deep into a subject Christians sometimes like to pretend isn’t a thing.  And boy does she do it well. 

So if a great story that grips you and won’t let you go isn’t the best thing, what is?  Well… I’ve got three.

First, the writing is stellar.

Let’s face it, domestic abuse victims have cyclical thought patterns and actions that can feel redundant and become boring when you see it on the page, but Tiffany managed to avoid that while still showing how real and confusing it can be both for the person going through it and for those watching from the outside.

Second, her laser focus on her subject.

Domestic abuse is a multi-layered and faceted subject that spans so many different aspects of life. It would be easy and natural, even, to try to show it all with the one person who experienced it all, but T.E. Price keeps her focus on one woman’s escape from that life and how it affects her relationship with the Lord and others. That’s it.  

Third, T.E. Price shows her heart for the Lord and His people in every word on the page.

While not preachy at all, and while often just the undercurrent of the story, there is no doubt in the reader’s mind that Price wants the reader to learn both how to overcome as the victim of domestic violence and how to aid others in the church going through it.  Additionally, that steady reminder of Who the only true support we truly have touches every aspect of Hallie McClain’s life.

There are so many other excellent elements to Take Flight, but I’d be chatting all day with Tiffany (and nearly did!) if I kept going.

Don’t forget!

T.E. Price’s book releases March 2, 2021 and on March 5, 2021  from 7-8 pm (EST) she is having a Facebook launch party with prizes and lots of information about it.  HERE is a link to that party and I hope to be there to celebrate with her!  Please join her and maybe you’ll win an eBook copy of Take Flight!

You can find more about T.E. Price (Tiffany) at her WEBSITE where you can also find her other novel, Love’s True Colors.

Title:  Take Flight Author: T.E. Price Synopsis:  

Within Take Flight, readers follow Hallie McClain as she is faced with numerous fight-or-flight decisions in her attempt to escape her abusive husband, Jonathan McClain.

Hallie has made the decision to leave him for good, but Jonathan has no intentions of complying. During their separation, Hallie grapples with trusting those closest to her, the gossip-mill of her small town, and her wavering trust in God. Living alone in a secret, secluded cabin in the woods, she is thrust into multiple circumstances where she has to balance her safety with the reality of inescapable encounters with her soon-to-be ex-husband. Jonathan soon discovers Hallie’s whereabouts, forcing her to escape to the city while awaiting the divorce, but her move isn’t the solution as her safety is still compromised.

Hallie has to learn to trust God with her safety while leaning on the church body for support. The tantalizing storyline of Take Flight weaves through one “fight-or-flight” scenario after the next, filling Hallie with angst regarding her constant need for escape. Take Flight addresses the ugliness of domestic abuse and the need for support from the church community. Furthermore, it affirms God’s trustworthiness in the midst of difficult, sometimes even life-threatening, situations.

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

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You can find the Blog post HERE.

Episode 48: A Chat with T.E. Price
Episode 48: A Chat with T.E. Price
February 23, 2021
Chautona Havig
Episode 47: The Drew Farthering Mysteries
February 16, 2021
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Episode 46: What Romances Do I Think Are Perfect for Valentine's Day?
February 9, 2021
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Episode 45: A Gush about Things We Didn't Say
February 2, 2021
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Episode 44: A Chat with Carolyn Miller
January 26, 2021
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Episode 43: A Chat with Allison Pearl
January 19, 2021
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Episode 42: A Chat with J'nell Ciesielski
January 13, 2021
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Episode 41: A Chat with Jennifer Pierce
January 5, 2021
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Episode 40: My Favorite Book of 2020
December 8, 2020
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Episode 39: A Chat with L.K. Simonds
December 1, 2020
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