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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

My Top Colors of Christmas Are All Bright Red

by Chautona Havig · 5 Comments

Shopping, cleaning, lists… great heaping gobs of lists. Planning, card making, and of course, writing. Always writing. Sweet movies, sweeter books. Music playing to keep me going. So much going on at once you might just implode. And forgetting stuff? Totally going to happen. Something going wrong?

Definitely. Something always goes wrong.

Sounds like any Christmas season, doesn’t it?

Yeah.

It’s also everyday life. And in everyday life, sometimes so much happens at once that you feel like you’re going nuts.

I’m definitely going nuts. Prayerfully, it’ll be a nice Brazilian nut or perhaps a cashew. I like macadamia, too.

One proof? My laptop died. Okay, that makes it sound like it made a choice to cease operations. No… the day I got back from my annual trek across the country for my writing retreat, a beloved member of my family showed how much he loved having me back by knocking it off the bookshelf. RIP, dear, little Toshiba.

So while I waited 36 agonizing hours to replace that trusty little friend, I had no email. And then for another 48-72 hours, we were getting the thing set up. What does that mean? Still no email. No access to my lovely folders that tell me what to do when I get lazy about putting stuff in my planner.

Note to the wise. NEVER get lazy about putting stuff in your planner. Guess who missed another deadline? My only consolation is that for the second time in a row, it was completely unavoidable.
So there I was, staring at this book that I was supposed to have posted a review for on Monday, not wanting to read it. And that’s really unfortunate because I’d been looking forward to it. Then I found out wonderful news. There’s two books in one—by the same author! WOOT!

I made a decision. I’d read one and review that. I’d have a pretty good idea of if I’d like the second based on the first. So, that’s part of why…

My top colors of Christmas are all bright red. With embarrassment.

My Top Colors of Christmas Are All Bright Red

Note: links in this post may be affiliate links that provide a small commission at no extra expense for you.

Seriously, though. Olivia Newport has written a wonderful novella full of faith, hope, and a lot of Christmas cheer. Kind of ironic considering much of the story reflects on an elderly woman’s difficult past in war-torn Germany.

Christmas in Gold is told from two perspectives. Astrid, the octogenarian from Germany and Carly, a single mom with a problem that just won’t go away. Each character has a distinct voice in the story, which makes switching back and forth rather smooth and easy.

Frankly, I wanted to slap Astrid’s son a few times. Astrid is in a difficult position, but she handles the frustration with tact and grace that I could learn to emulate myself. However, what made her response so wonderful wasn’t that it was so perfect, but that it was a choice. You saw her reactions as proof of a lifetime of growth and maturity rather than sloppy characterization. BRAVO, Ms. Newport. Bravo!

In contrast, Carly both makes wise decisions for the safety of her son while also making rather rash choices for how to execute those decisions. She’s a lovely mixture of responsibility and the immaturity of inexperience. And she’s real—oh, so refreshingly, stimulatingly real. I loved her.

I was afraid that the lapses into the past would become rather storytellish—like one prolonged info-dump. Au contraire! Ms. Newport s a gifted writer who keeps her readers interested with realistic dialogue, an engaging plot, and faith woven seamlessly through the threads of the story. I cannot wait to read the next in this dual book! I can’t tell you how glad I am that I requested a review copy from Celebrate Lit. Smartest Christmas fiction decision of 2017… so far!

Recommended for people who enjoy Christmas fiction that has substance and just a splash of romance. Seriously, the hint of romance that didn’t frost itself over the entire book until your throat tingles was one of my favorite parts of this story!

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Comments

  1. Rebekah A. Morris says

    October 30, 2017 at 5:46 am

    You’ve made me want to read this book even more! I love Christmas stories!

    And I sympathize with you about your computer. Mine crashed on me the end of last month. There’s a a really strange, not-so-good feeling that comes over you when your computer won’t turn on.

    Reply
  2. Susan (DE) says

    October 28, 2017 at 11:16 am

    Sounds interesting. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Ava Gunn Kinsey says

    October 26, 2017 at 6:14 pm

    Your description plus the author’s guest post makes me want to read this book!

    Sorry about your old laptop. Hopefully the new one won’t have touchpad issues.

    Reply
  4. Marleen Viola says

    October 26, 2017 at 6:40 am

    Sounds like a great read, can’t wait to read it! Thanks for the recommendation Chautona! 🙂 Always love your books and recommendations

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      October 26, 2017 at 2:10 pm

      I can’t wait to read the second. I hope it’s as good as the first!

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 162: A Chat with Author, Nancy Naigle
byChautona Havig

Hey, we’re back after a couple of weeks of vacation, and boy did I need it. And, have I got a fabulous interview for you. Nancy Naigle and I talked about her books, her most recent release, What Remains True as well as her Christmas books and the one I’m most anxious to read, The Shell Collector. Listen in and learn about what Nancy says about this bet she has going on in What Remains True. Great stuff!

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

Need a Great Romantic Read to Wind Up Your Summer Reads?

As I said in the podcast, a while back, someone told me I’d LOVE The Shell Collector–one of those people who recommends books you HAVE to read if they say you do.  So I bought it and it’s been sitting on my shelf ever since. Well, now it’s on my GoodReads shelf, and I’m about to start it (and I optimistically thought I’d be done with it by the time this episode released. Oh, me of too much faith in myself and my time management!)

Author of over thirty books, not to mention a bestselling author who also has movies made of her novels (And The Shell Collector has been optioned! EEEP!), Nancy loves to write Christmas books and small-town stories. Seriously, as we talked, I felt like she was talking about me half the time. We’re so very alike in so many ways. It was fun.

Nancy also pointed out that her first books (if you go WAY back) are not Christian fiction and are a bit spicier than she prefers to write and definitely more than she writes today. So be warned there, but she did assure us that they are all closed-door books.

What Remains True by Nancy Naigle

One woman wants to win a bet. One man wants to become a rodeo champion. One little girl may give them both something even better—from USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle.

“A commitment-phobic rodeo star and a divorcée with secrets find love in this wholesome romance. . . . As uplifting as it is sweet.”—Publishers Weekly

Working at a little shop on Main Street in a small town is exactly the break that executive Merry Anna Foster needs following her divorce. She’s made a bet with her ex-husband that she can live on the amount of money she’s giving him in alimony. If she can do it, then Kevin will have to stop complaining and leave her alone. But after three months of this new life, will she even want to leave Antler Creek?

Adam Locklear, bull rider and owner of the local feedstore, is having the best year of his rodeo career. He’s also a bit distracted by the pretty new neighbor living in his old bunkhouse. But Adam has no time for matters of the heart. He’s got his future all mapped out, and that future doesn’t involve a woman just yet. It doesn’t involve parenting a little girl either. However, Carly Fowler still suddenly leaves five-year-old Zan—the daughter Adam didn’t know he had—in his care.

Is it possible that the future holds a life even better than what Merry Anna and Adam had each dreamed of? One that includes both tenderness and even love—not just for each other but for Zan too?

You can learn more about Nancy’s books and movies on her WEBSITE.

Oh, and PSST… I’m loving the audiobook of this one!

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Episode 162: A Chat with Author, Nancy Naigle
Episode 162: A Chat with Author, Nancy Naigle
August 9, 2022
Chautona Havig
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July 26, 2022
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July 12, 2022
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Episode 157: A Chat with Historical Christian Fiction Author, Lynn Austin
July 8, 2022
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Episode 156: The Fragrance of Violets by Susan K. Beatty
July 5, 2022
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Episode 154: A Chat with Romantic Suspense Author, Sami A. Abrams
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Episode 153: A Chat with Historical Author, Tracie Peterson
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Reposted from @revolutionaryfaithseries Hello Read Reposted from @revolutionaryfaithseries Hello Readers!

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Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks Win 40+ books or a Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks Win 40+ books or a $500 Amazon card to buy a ton of books yourself in Celebrate Lit's Summer Book Lovers Giveaway.

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Reposted from @karitrumbo Repost from @maciestjame Reposted from @karitrumbo Repost from @maciestjames
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