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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

What Characters Do I Love to Write Most & Why?

by Chautona Havig · 4 Comments

The question didn’t surprise me. People ask all kinds of things.  Where you get your ideas, what your favorite genre to write is, what your favorite genre to read is… So asking what kind of character is my favorite to write seemed reasonable enough.

“Kids, I think.”

That earned me a blank look and a fly-trap jaw.  “I thought you don’t like kids.”

“I don’t.  Generally speaking, anyway.”

“But you like yours, right?”

I can’t tell you how often I get that one, too.  Look, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times more, I’m sure.  No, I don’t like kids. No, I never wanted to have any.  Yes, I have nine children. Yes, I’m thrilled that I had every single one of them.

I was wrong, okay?  I am so grateful that I was wrong about not having kids. My kids were and are the delight of my life.  Now, I didn’t always show it well. When you don’t know how, you don’t. But I didn’t just love my kids.  I liked them.  And I like them more every year.

What Characters Do I Love to Write Most & Why?

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What Characters Do I Love to Write Most & Why?

Definitely kids. There’s just something magical about showing the very things that can annoy me in person on the page, and suddenly it’s hilarious instead of obnoxious.  Well, for me.

Honestly, I think writing children as characters actually taught me to appreciate children better in real life. I find I smile naturally at other peoples’ children when I’m out and about now.  Once upon a not-so-long-ago, I worked at not scowling when a child started yammering at me about something I didn’t really care about.

Just being transparent here.  I’m not proud of it.  But when my children got old enough to understand that they were loved and valued and appreciated—that they were and are wanted… Oh, so very wanted.  When that happened, I started being vocal about my personal weaknesses.

Because you see, I’d met other people who felt guilty for not naturally loving and adoring all children, all the time, no matter what.  And I thought it was time they saw that your kids are different from “kids” in general, and the more you spend time with the little darlings, the more you learn to appreciate them.

For me, that appreciation exponentialized (yes, I made it up. It should be a word) when I began writing Aggie. In those Stuart kids, I put all the delight that I’d enjoyed from my own children… from the times I’d been able to tear off my selfish blinders and really see into the hearts and souls of other peoples’ children.

But even that didn’t do it—not really.

While a bratty boy who kidnapped Santa Claus did teach me much about understanding children, even Andy didn’t do it for me.

No, a precocious little boy from Not a Word, with red glasses and a flair for comedy reminded me of something my mother had taught me and my children proved every day of my mothering.

Children are not imbeciles.

Shocker, right?  All the books dumbed down to “their level,” and all the presumption about what they can and can’t understand irritated me.  And yet, I was just as bad.

See, in our house, it kind of naturally worked out like this:  From zero to elevenish… the kids were my husband’s domain.  He’s fabulous with little kids.  He likes to play and be silly and go do things.  Swim, walk, park, ride a bike… read a book.

Kevin is phenomenal with stuff like that.  Me… not so much.

But once they start questioning the world around them… once they start thinking beyond the next fun thing and start pondering life… that’s when I can really understand and connect in ways I’d try before.  And fail.

Oh, I failed so much.

Writing Rory reminded me that seven-year-olds can have some pretty profound thoughts.  They can hold intelligent conversations.  Yes, they get silly and annoying.  But seriously?  So do I!!!

Rory Forrester Mackenzie isn’t my favorite character that I’ve ever written, but he is one of my favorite characters to write.

And part of that is just because he’s the little guy who taught me how enjoyable little guys can be.

Speaking of Rory, Mac, and Savannah… here’s a bit about Not a Word.

Not a Word

It’s bad enough when your reputation means everyone assumes the worst of you when you’ve earned that. But when you spend your post-high school years fighting to redeem that reputation, and the girl you’ve secretly loved all that time accuses you of the unthinkable…

Maybe there is hell on earth.

All Todd “Mac” Mackenzie has ever wanted was a chance to love her—Savannah Forrester. And when he gets it, nothing could be sweeter.

Right up to the moment she turns on him and flees town.

He’s stuck now—stuck in a place where everyone hates him. Stuck in a dead-end life and without the girl he can’t help but loving or understanding why.

Why did she pretend to care?

Why did she shred what little reputation he had?

Why did she leave without a word?

Why can’t he defend himself?

Why does he keep on, year after year, enduring the censure?

He’s not said one word against her or in his defense.

Not a word.

But when Savannah returns to Brant’s Corners with a boy, Mac has only one question.

Why does the kid look like his first-grade picture?

*Note: this is one of the few books that I have that I absolutely would caution parents on.  The subject matter is deep and hard. I kept the writing clean, but again, subject matter.  It’s important, I think, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for all ages.

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Comments

  1. Joy @ Real World Bible Study says

    July 24, 2018 at 6:52 pm

    Too funny…I’m a kid magnet! And yet, I’ve never dreamed of having my own, although if I do I’d want to adopt!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      July 26, 2018 at 4:35 pm

      Right? So much fun all the way around.

      Reply
  2. Linda Sue says

    July 23, 2018 at 5:00 am

    I also loved the Rory character and his development in the book – a vital beauty from ashes component. Yeah well I always wanted kids – wasn’t meant to be in my body. So I’ve been blessed with exceptional children of the heart – friends and family children who are so dear to me. I generally like kids but oh my goodness there are a lot of entitled bratty ones out in the world today. So no shame in not liking kids – great praise for realizing what you love and like about your kids. Another example of God’s hand in our lives – your Kevin is great with littles and you not so much – so you have lots of children and get to affirm one another repeatedly.
    Not a Word is an excellent book and good caution – not exactly the right book for younger minds to dwell on.
    OH and I like Aiden Cox – a clever boy who learns from his mistakes and keeps life interesting for the cops of Fairbury.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      July 23, 2018 at 8:19 am

      I love how you put that… “Interesting for the cops of Fairbury.” Hee hee.

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 231: A Chat with RomCom author, Shannon Sue Dunlap
byChautona Havig

Shannon Sue Dunlap isn’t new to rom-coms, and her first book in the Sweetheart Series promises to be a literary riot, and it lives up to that promise. I’m only halfway through it and am thinking mean, ugly thoughts of everything keeping me from being able to escape into the crazy small-town politics and quirky characters. So far the com far outweighs the rom, which makes me thrilled to bits. Listen in to discover what makes Lone Star Sweetheart so much fun.

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

Why Did This Author Write a Rom-Com about a Loveable Shrew?

Well, I think we can safely blame Shakespeare for that. Shannon Sue Dunlap has taken inspiration from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in her Katherine, but unlike Katerina, Dunlap’s character is actually trying to learn to tame the tongue. Maybe someone should send her over to the book of James. There’s that whole bit about not being able to tame it, being an “unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Kate’s isn’t that bad, but not for lack of trying. Or something.

Shannon Sue Dunlap isn’t joking when she says that her Katherine is a “loveable” shrew. Seriously, I love this character. She’s forthright, no-nonsense, and “what you see is what you get” in her approach to life. I respect that. Add to that her boss who has shaken up the town of Sweetheart, Texas, and you’ve got the makings of a great story. I’m loving Lone Star Sweetheart.

But this isn’t all Dunlap has written.

Under the pseudonym, Shannon Kent, you can find her sweet and clean romances (including one Christian romance) inspired by Korean dramas. If you said I’d be not only chomping to read a sweet and clean romance about Korean tour guides and all that entails but also ready to watch a Korean drama on Netflix… Okay, I might not have laughed in your face, but I’d’ve been laughing on the inside.

Best part… one of them ties into her Sweetheart Series

Lone Star Sweetheart by Shannon Sue Dunlap

Katherine Bruno’s passionate, unfiltered temper makes her the shrew of small-town Sweetheart, Texas. When she’s drafted to help the mayor’s wife run against her own husband, Katherine meets opposing big city political consultant Ryan Park. The good-looking, flirtatious campaign manager gets under her skin, but fraternizing with the enemy is off-limits.

Katherine must battle her lack of experience, campaign sabotage, and her growing feelings for Ryan as she strives to succeed. His unprejudiced acceptance of her strong-willed character beckons her heart, but his jaded rejection of God is an insurmountable barrier. Will Ryan return to his faith and stay with her in Sweetheart or leave when the election ends?

You can find out more about Shannon Sue Dunlap AND get that first novella in the Korean Crush series free on her WEBSITE.

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