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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

A Bear, a Tardis, and a Blue Ox Walk into a Great Mystery

by Chautona Havig · Leave a Comment

The next Ever After Mystery has released! When the Pilot Falls is a harrowing tale of stunt pilots in the infancy of such shenanigains! via @chautonahavig

Another Ever After Mystery was ready to release when I got the word that the hero of When the Pilot Falls had gone missing.  I mean, seriously?  With everything going on, we now have to go hunting for this guy?  Well, I did what any reasonable author would do.

I made a graphic.  #becausereasons

Isn’t it cute?

After the Pilot Falls

There we had it.  All set.  Everything should go on just swimmingly, right?

Yeah… not so much.  Sandy, our publisher, put out a call.  ALL authors needed to be on the lookout for Hugh.  Great.  Just great.  I’ve got books to write, people. I’ve got this Marine recruiter over here who needs to convince a recruit’s sister that he’s not sending her little brother to his premature death if the brother joins the military.

This is tough.  Especially when that sister has a fiction-influenced, over-active imagination.  But, when a fellow author needs help, you do what you’ve gotta do.  I just had no idea where this thing would take me!

When the Pilot Falls

A Bear, a Tardis, and a Blue Ox Walk into a Great Mystery

It all began with a blue police box—no, really, it did! I was in a little gift shop with all kinds of odd curiosities as well as the typical souvenirs and tchotchkes. They even had a few fun antiques like an old spinning wheel, red satin ballet slippers, and these funny clamshells on a string.

But right there in the middle of the room was this enormous, blue, police box just like you’d see in a Doctor Who episode! Yes, I confess, I even looked at it sideways a few times, just wondering if David Tenant or Matthew Smith would step out of it—or maybe race out chasing some odd-looking creature.

Instead, this hulking, bear of a guy stepped out and shook his head at the store owner. “It’s too small.”

I couldn’t help myself. I said, “You know, I’ve heard some of them are bigger on the inside.”

He gave me a look that would have quelled anyone who didn’t have the power of his story in her hands. That’s when my grin went from a seedling in my heart to a truly scary display of teeth. “Gotcha.”

Apparently, this guy wasn’t a Whovian. Poor soul.

Turns out, he was looking for something to turn into a “little free library.” And this was too small. I wanted to ask if he knew how many books could fit in that thing when I noticed just how big he was. We’re talking a mammoth dude! Hadn’t April Hayman been complaining that her character kept escaping from the pages of her book, and she couldn’t find him anywhere? Hadn’t Sandy insisted we find him!

Look, guys. April and I live in the town. I don’t know if Liz really saw him or not, but you have to admit that it’s pretty suspicious for me to just happen to see this huge guy fitting April’s description at one of our local gift shops. In a police box, no less. Considering she’s writing about the 1920s, it’s not a far stretch to wonder if he was trying to get back to his own time or something.

I guess I must have stared for too long because he started acting weird. Really weird. So, to keep him from bolting, because I’m sure that’s what he was about to do, I kind of accidentally-on-purpose knocked over a tall bookshelf full of glassware.

Hey, it’s the only thing I could think of. I mean, it blocked the door and everything!

Apologizing up one side and down the other, I promised the store owner that I’d pay for everything and went in back to “call a clean-up crew.” Sure, I’d get one out here, but first I called April and told her that I’d nabbed her guy and that she needed to get here pronto. Then I called in my kids.

Look, when you have a bunch of kids, don’t expect them to do daily or weekly chores anymore, AND still pay their car insurance, you get to call in favors. This was one of those times.

Alas, when I hurried back out to reassure everyone we’d be set in no time, the bookshelf had been righted and the guy was gone.

“Where’d he go?”

The still-stunned owner blinked twice and said, “I think he said something about finding that blue ox.” She looked over at me again. “He meant, box, right? He’ll be back to buy it?”

I suddenly had a sneaking suspicion about two things.

  1. I was about to become the proud owner of a Tardis-looking little free library and
  2. April’s character had just taken off to Minnesota, land of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe.

I hope she finds the guy. April needs to get him back in the book where he belongs before readers get to his page and find it blank!

As you can imagine, the authors of the Ever After Mysteries are excited to announce the release of…

When the Pilot Falls by April Hayman

When the Pilot Falls (Ever After Mysteries Book 3) by [April Hayman]

In 1923, there aren’t many pilots, but Willie Labeau didn’t let that stop… her.

A bear of a man, Hugh Taylor, needs a stunt plane pilot, and despite their rocky introduction, Willie sets off for golden California and a new life as his pilot. There’s just one little thing she has to do in addition to flying.

Leave his past alone. Period.

When the flame of her own curiosity becomes fanned by encouragement from Willie’s sister, the feisty pilot can’t help but do just a little investigating.

And Hugh vanishes.

Friends rally around her, and with all the information she can find in hand, Willie sets off to rescue Hugh and battle the evil family holding him hostage.

A fierce air race, a sincere act of humility—are they enough to free Hugh and give Willie a chance to be with him… forever?

Find out in this next book in the Ever After Mysteries, combining beloved fairy tales and mysteries. When the Pilot Falls offers a retelling of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” that will keep you gripped to the edge of your seat as you watch hearts soar and daring dos.

Through My Muddy Fingers, Ever After Mystery

You definitely want to visit all the other authors and see what Hugh’s been up to.

(and get entries in for giveaways!)

Rebekah Jones (9/7)

Denise L. Barela (9/8)

Celebrate Lit Publishing (Sandy Barela) 9/9

Liz Tolsma (9/10)

Chautona Havig (ME!–9/11  note, the rest of the links won’t work until “their day”)

Cathe Swanson (9/12)

Marji Laine (9/13)

April Hayman (9/14)

And here’s where you get those entries in!

 

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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.

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

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Episode 231: A Chat with RomCom author, Shannon Sue Dunlap
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May 26, 2023
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