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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Why Would I Waste Time While on a Deadline?

by Chautona Havig · 2 Comments

When I Meet You took a good series and turned it into a great one all with great storytelling, a fun mystery, and a sweet little spiritual nugget. via @chautonahavig

When you’ve spent your whole life reading great, heaping gobs of books, you develop… skills. Or, at least I did. When reading and writing books becomes your job, those skills also kick out some lovely things that you wish you could still do.

Like read previews of coming books.

Sometimes—okay, most of the time—I just don’t have time. Sure, I want to know what Sally Wordsmith is planning to share next, but I have a TBR pile that threatens to crush me every night when I go to sleep. I don’t have time for snippets that I’ll forget about while I wait six months to two years before I can read. And deadlines? Oh, my word. All the deadlines. So, if I know without a doubt that I’m going to read the next one, I just skip that preview.

Now look, I’m not going to say I never do it. That would be a lie that everyone would know the second they read it. However, I have… criteria for when I can. All-time favorite author? They get it even if my house is burning down around me. Ain’t stoppin’ until I find out what I’m going to miss when I become a pile of ash and bone. Just keepin’ it real.

Not sure where a series is going? Yep. Gonna read it. I mean, if I just don’t know what I think of something, sometimes a preview of the next book determines if I’ll even read it at all. So sure… then.

Don’t want it to end? Oh, yeah.

Does anyone want to take a gander at why, when I got done reading When I Meet You, I just kept right on reading? All the research stuff I love and don’t always let myself enjoy after a first read-through. The preview. The copyright page. The logo on the spine…

Okay, those last two are also lies. Again. Confession. Soul. All that stuff. But yeah, I read all the research and all the historical stuff.

Just for reference, did you read the review I wrote of the first book in the series? The Inn at Hidden Run? That one? Do you remember how I said I didn’t love it but I had a feeling I’d love the series?

Man, it feels good to be right once in a while. And I’m not afraid to say it this time. I was right. When I Meet You, was one, top-notch book. I did not have time to read the preview for that next book, but um… Yeah. I did. (I feel a podcast coming on).

When I meet you review

Note: most links are affiliate links. They earn a small percentage of sales at no extra cost to you. 🙂

Why Would I Waste Time While on a Deadline?

Good storytelling. That’s why. When an author can take you from “issues” with book one to not being willing to walk away from book three, you know you have a great series. Seriously, Jillian and Nolan are two of my favorite fictional characters. This book brings in a third who might just rank up there, and from what I’ve seen of the next book, I’m even expecting maybe a fourth. Olivia Newport has made this series that good.

One of the things that I love that Newport does shows in how she unfolds her mysteries. Half the time, you know the answer, even before she unfolds it. But she shows natural progression, the tendency for humans to jump to conclusions, and how good investigative work can uncover truths hidden for over a century! I had a pretty good idea of the facts she’d uncover, but she added things I didn’t expect, and didn’t add things I did. All amid a story that kept me turning pages and ignoring all the work I had pressing at me.

Gentle spiritual truths.

Yep. When I Meet You, does not beat you over the head with Scripture by any stretch of the imagination, but it sure does show how the Lord feeds our souls even—if not especially—when we have blown it. Big time.

When I Meet You, is recommended for anyone who loves a good mystery, a bit of history, and a wonderful story arc. If fast-paced, seat-of-your-pants mysteries and suspense are your thing, you won’t find it here… and that’s a good thing. You wouldn’t want this wonderful story told at that kind of speed. It would ruin it, and Olivia Newport is much too fine of a writer to let that happen. Well done. Am I glad I stuck with the series and requested a review copy?  Oh, yeah.  Thanks to the publisher for providing it.

When I meet youAbout the Book

Book: When I Meet You,

Author: Olivia Newport

Genre:  Christian fiction

Release Date: May 2020

Book 3 in the Tree of Life Series: A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Faith Journeys on Family Trees

A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station more than a century ago leads Jillian and Nolan to untangle the mystery of its contents—including correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of the findings, Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity who might not be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land.

When Drew seems anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt Min slams the subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to find out what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why Min doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he gets the answers he seeks.

When I Meet You, is the third book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.

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Comments

  1. Emma says

    June 6, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    I’m glad you kept on trying with this series! I loved this one. (I enjoyed them all, but this was the best.)

    Reply
  2. Amelia says

    June 6, 2020 at 11:37 am

    Thanks for the review!

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
byChautona Havig

I had a chat with actor and author Henry O. Arnold a while back, and boy did we have a lot of fun. His Song of Prophets and Kings series features the advent of Israel’s kings from Samuel’s birth through David hiding from Saul (so far) and onward. Listen in as we chat about his most recent release, The Singer of Israel.

 

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

What Made David Such a Man after God’s Heart?

I think this series will show us. I love that Henry O. Arnold started back at Samuel’s story to prepare us for the story of arguably the most influential king of Israel. Yes, Solomon was the wisest and richest, but David offered something that Solomon didn’t have. He was an average guy—a shepherd, no less—chosen by God to lead his country.

In a sense, it’s kind of the ancient Jewish version of a poor, everyday guy growing up to become President of the United States. If you know what I mean.

This five-book series is available as an eBook, in print, and as an audiobook, too! Henry read a snippet of it to us, and boy you get a feel for his love of Scripture and God’s people as he reads.

And if that wasn’t enough, he even gave us a hint of his upcoming Christian suspense/thriller “series. He says he has two books planned for sure, so… at least a duology, but maybe we can talk him into a trilogy at least? Get those odd numbers and everything?

The Singer of Israel by Henry O. Arnold

A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation…A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant

The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced mind. The great prophet of Israel lives in fear of the wrath of the king. Then out of the hills of Bethlehem emerges the last-born son of a family of shepherds to become the unforeseen hero of Israel.

When David sings of the glory of Yahweh, this shepherd wins the hearts of the royal family and restores King Saul’s troubled mind. But when the singer/shepherd defeats the champion of the Philistines in single combat, David becomes forever known as “the giant slayer.” Saul quickly sees that David is now a threat to his kingdom and secretly plots to have him killed.

David may be the champion of the people of Israel, but he must live under the constant threat of Saul’s wrath until he is finally forced to flee for his life.

The Singer of Israel is a tale of triumph and tribulation, deepest love, and burning rivalries; the new epoch is given a voice…and it is The Song of Prophets and Kings.

You can learn more about Henry on this WEBSITE.

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Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
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