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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

I Just Have to Share!

by Chautona Havig · 5 Comments

Nicole’s book, A Cliché Christmas, is selling out at Walmart stores all over the country.  I didn’t know what I’d think when I got this book, but I love Christmas (you’d never know that, right?) and was dying to read it.  When I discussed it with Nicole later, she asked, “So, was the first person too awful for you?”
And I remember blinking for a moment before I remembered, “Oh, YEAH!  This is first person!”  I don’t think I’ve ever read first person that was so well done that I got lost in it and forgot that I was reading it.  It wasn’t first person/present tense (which makes my teeth itch) and I know that helped, but I truly believe she has mastered the art of this particular writing style.
As for the rest of this book, here’s a link to my GOODREADS review for those who want a little bit more information.

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Comments

  1. Pat Fenstermaker says

    October 10, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    I really love sales and free stuff. Giveaways are awesome!

    Reply
  2. Faith says

    October 10, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    It’s not unusual to hear carols playing in our house mid-summer! I’m always ready for Christmas stories.

    Reply
  3. Linda Rutherford Faulkner says

    October 10, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    Excited. I am sharing . This looks like such a fun book

    Reply
  4. Pat says

    October 10, 2014 at 8:08 am

    Having a birthday close to Christmas, my parents would put the tree up on my birthday. I love Christmas novels!

    Reply
  5. Deborah says

    October 10, 2014 at 5:06 am

    I love giveaways.

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 591: A Chat with Jenny McLeod Carlisle
byChautona Havig

There are just not enough “rodeo” books out there, but Jenny McLeod Carlisle has climbed into the saddle and… yeah. I tried to do something other than “stepped up to the plate,” but it didn’t work. Anyway, you get the gist. Listen in to get the story about the story!

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

Family relationships can be hard, so maybe that’s why stories that explore them resonate so well. Stepping up when things are falling apart means doing hard things, and hard things make great stories. Throw in a horse or three and…

Hope Takes the Reins by Jenny McLeod Carlisle

They’ve spent their lives in the middle—now everything is asking them to step up.

O.D. Billings has always lived in the shadow of his brothers. Even his name feels like something to hide behind. But when his family’s future begins to unravel, O.D. is forced to take the reins in ways he never expected.

Hope Caldwell is doing everything she can to hold her family together after the loss of her mother. The rodeo that’s been her whole world is slipping through her fingers, and the future she counted on is suddenly uncertain.

Because someone is ready to walk away. And everything she loves is at risk of disappearing.

As lifelong neighbors, O.D. and Hope have always known each other—but now they’re seeing each other in a whole new light. With pressure mounting from every direction, they find themselves leaning on each other in ways neither anticipated.

But stepping forward means facing fears they’ve spent years avoiding. And trusting that God’s plan might look very different than their own.

In a world of dust, determination, and second chances, Hope Takes the Reins is a heartfelt story of courage, calling, and discovering that sometimes the middle is exactly where you’re meant to be.

Will they keep running from who they’ve always been…or finally step into who they’re meant to become?

Find love, purpose, and the courage to take the reins. Start reading today.

Learn more on Jenny’s WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.

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

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Episode 591: A Chat with Jenny McLeod Carlisle
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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
FREE through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. https://amzn.to/4hMAcEF #Affiliatelink
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There's nothing like a town that comes together to There's nothing like a town that comes together to take care of their own. When a local couple is scammed with a "defective" diabetic alert dog, Fairbury residents are ticked. Fundraisers abound, and one couple even writes a Christmas play. But without a Christmas miracle, it's not going to happen. God, however, is in the business of miracles. All they needed was for Him to agree.
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