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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Yeah, Baby! It’s Time for a New Reading Challenge

by Chautona Havig · 14 Comments

Why would anyone want to do a reading challenge? Why would someone who reads a TON already want one? Find out now and see what the hype is about! via @chautonahavig

“Does anyone know a book that has more than six words in the title?”

Look, it was the last week of the year. I should have known why someone would ask the question.  I didn’t.  However, a few cool answers came, including a super-cool sounding book that I’ve got to read.  Check it out: The Curious Prayer Life of Muriel Smith. 

Who could resist a title like that?

I mean, really. When I remembered the title, I had it as “the Secret Prayer life…” and knew there was something wrong.  See, that’s what you’d expect.  No one expects to hear about a “curious” prayer life.  So, I’m going to read it.

As part of the 2020 Christian Fiction Readers’ Challenge.

Yeah. I’m doing it. Every year they come up.  I think about it.  Imagine it. Then, I do the rational thing and close out of my browser before temptation overtakes me.

Look, I read a lot of books every year.  Part of it is because it’s my job. I mean, that’s what authors do.  They read and write books.  They read them because they love books and because reading books helps one develop better writing skills.  It’s a win/win there.

But seriously. Picking a challenge and following strange requirements like, “Read a book that has four obnoxious toads in it,” is kind of… um… difficult.  Especially when you get tons of review requests… and make tons of requests to review.

That’s when it hit me.  Some of these probably fit my review lists anyway.  I can count those.  If I want to. However, I promised myself that I didn’t have to.  Because this time, I got sucked into the vortex of super-cool reading challenges.

2020 Christian Fiction Reading Challenge

Note: links are likely affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you

Yeah, Baby! It’s Time for a New Reading Challenge

For the uninitiated or flabbergasted, I thought I’d answer a few questions about reading challenges—you know, like why anyone would want to do something so crazy.  Then I’ll share the one I found and see what you think.  Oh, and share a joke.  Because, when you see #2, you’re going to crack up.

What is a reading challenge, anyway?

Well, not to put too fine a point (or print) on it, it’s a challenge to read a certain number or kind of books.  Usually both.  The one I’m doing is both.

Why would anyone want to challenge themselves to read x number or kinds of books?

The Curious Prayer Life of Muriel SmithReaders get in ruts.  We read our favorite genres most often, right?  Well, a reading challenge can push you out of that comfort zone.  For example, this year’s challenge has suggestions like, “Read a book that…”

      • takes place during the Civil War
      • Is YA *Is from a debut author
      • with a title more than 6 words long

This means I’m going to have some seriously cool books to read—including The Curious Prayer Life of Muriel Smith.

It means that I’ll read stuff I never would have found before—that I didn’t know existed, even.

It’ll also mean getting to learn about new authors and making new reader friends, because I’ll need help.  I mean, where am I going to find a book, under 100 pages, that I haven’t already read?  Unless Perry Kirkpatrick doesn’t get writing faster, I could be in trouble on that one.  If she gets another Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott book out, then we’re golden.  Hint, hint, Perry.

How does it actually work?

Well, I can tell you how it doesn’t work.  It doesn’t work to set up a reading challenge list on Goodreads and then try to add books you want to read to that “shelf.”  No, that does not work.  Instead, it marks them as read.  You think you just did something wrong, so you delete it all and try again.  Only to have it posted, for the second time in mere minutes, that you read the same book you just claimed to have read—and didn’t.  Basically, it makes you a double liar. Just keepin’ it real, folks.

So, for me how it is going to work is this handy, dandy Pinterest board I set up in the middle of writing this post.  Oh, yeah, baby! (what’s with the baby, thing today, anyway?  I doubt I’ve ever said that in my entire life!).

Whatever.

When I find a book I want to use for one of the challenge topics, I’m going to pop it on there.  😀  I’m also making a pin of that list for ease of use, too.  All the pinness!  WOOT.

So… now that I know you’re just DYING to take part in said challenge, want to know what’s on it?

The 2020 Christian Fiction Readers Challenge

2020_CF_Reading_Challenge

Ain’t it pretty.  There are some books I THINK I want on my list. But I don’t know!  I’m ALSO going to try to use this to “read up” some of my obscene TBR pile. Okay, so total transparency here?  I’ll probably buy as many as I read up.  But here’s the thing. I probably would have anyway.  It’s what I do. I buy books that I don’t read—at least for a long time.

Now that Mom lives with us, she’s reading about 10-15 books a week it seems.  EEEPS.  She’s going to get ahead of me.  Must. Not. Happen. 😉

So… what’s the reading challenge?  Well… I’ve created this handy, dandy DOWNLOAD for you. #becausereading

2020 Christian Fiction Reading Challenge

Check out #2.  Seriously, I’ve failed at my first ever reading challenge with the second prompt.  Not gonna find another Chautona, period.  Much less an author.

But over at Avid Readers of Christian Fiction, someone had a BRILLIANT idea.  And I’m doing it.  I’ll read my own book!  Why not? I obviously like them. I read them often. So why on earth not?  I’ll kick back, read the book, and enjoy life.

I hope you’ll join me (and a bunch of others) on this challenge.  Choose to do Tier 1, 2, 3… some combination, or all of them.  Use the Bonus Books to replace one from the other lists if you can’t find something… or forget that “Enough” is your word for the year before the year even gets started and read all the books like me!

Well… that’s the plan.  I’m only promising myself Tier 1. #becauseenough

Even if you don’t want a reading challenge of your own, you can help me with mine. 

Feel free to check out the options and… make suggestions.  Seriously, if someone hadn’t asked for help with the “title longer than six words,” I’d have been in a pickle.  So unpickle other ones like… “New-to-you author” or “Biblical Fiction” (just don’t suggest Francine Rivers. Not happinin’ folks).

And seriously.  A tenacious female character.  How am I supposed to know if she’s tenacious if I haven’t read the book yet!  Need major help there.

Tell me… what book should I read this year?  And where does it fit on these lists?  And  I think I might even create a “Which of Chautona’s Books Would Fit This List” list sometime soon.  Wouldn’t that be fun to see how many of mine would count?

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Comments

  1. Cathy says

    January 5, 2020 at 2:04 pm

    I should start by saying that I’ve been reading and loving your posts and books for a couple of years or so now, but this is probably my first comment.

    I doubt I’ll try this challenge myself – I read too much as it is – but since you asked for suggestions, I had to mention a little-known Biblical fiction author, Mark Morgan, who has written several books and a couple of collections of short stories based on the lives of Bible characters – most notably a series on the prophet Jeremiah, “Terror on Every Side”. In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that he is my dad, but that actually makes me a little more reluctant to mention it because it feels awkward; however, I do think that he does an amazing job of bringing people and stories to life, without adding vast quantities of fiction to the story. Another Biblical fiction author I enjoy is Jill Eileen Smith, but she definitely goes heavy on the fiction, so it depends on what you’re looking for.

    Reply
  2. Faith says

    January 5, 2020 at 11:25 am

    I’ve never done this before. Sounds fun even if I don’t get it all done.

    Reply
  3. Alicia G says

    January 4, 2020 at 9:19 pm

    You might check out author Nicole Sager. I personally know her and have enjoyed many of her books. – YA and a young author

    Biblical Fiction – Lynn Austin, her Chronicles of the Kings series is a favorite of mine, along with her Restoration Chronicles. First time the Biblical history came to life for me, was reading her books.

    A male Author – Chuck Black and maybe in the “controversial” realm, his War of the Realm series.

    ? Audiobooks are my friends, lol, I “devour” books at work that way.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      January 5, 2020 at 4:14 am

      Will do!!! WOOT

      Reply
  4. Sarah Anderson says

    January 4, 2020 at 8:00 am

    I have a suggestion for the Biblical fiction category- Tessa Afshar. Thief of Corinth, Land of Silence, and Bread of Angels. I listened to them as audio books and thoroughly enjoyed them.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      January 4, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      Audio! GREAT idea!

      Reply
  5. Paula Shreckhise says

    January 3, 2020 at 2:06 pm

    Are you going to mish mash this up? Cause I don’t see you going with First Person POV!
    I think I would make my own list and puck and choose from each tier!
    I would love to see what books of yours fit those categories!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      January 3, 2020 at 11:07 pm

      I have a couple of first-person books, but not many. I read them now and then because I have to or because it’s too good not to suck it up. LOL

      Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      January 4, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      That post is up!

      Reply
  6. Megan says

    January 3, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    Thank you for spreading the original challenge we set up!

    Reply
  7. Emma says

    January 3, 2020 at 12:48 pm

    This sounds like fun…but at my stage of life, I’m not sure I should try it. Might print the list, though, just to see how many I can tick off. (And the one book I’ve read already this year fits one slot!)

    Reply
  8. Cara says

    January 3, 2020 at 7:42 am

    Hmmm…have you read Tessa Afshar? I love her book Harvest of Rubies. It would fit for biblical fiction! The sequel Harvest of Gold has a color in the title if you need one of those?

    Reply
  9. Courtney says

    January 3, 2020 at 7:20 am

    Because I’m in the middle of it, “Arabian Nights”. Scheherazade is a tenacious women who using storytelling to keep herself alive!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      January 3, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      Is it a retelling? It has to be Christian Fiction for this one, so I will need to be sure.

      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.

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

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