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Because Fiction Podcast

Because Fiction Podcast

By: Chautona Havig
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Digging deep into what's up in Christian Fiction to help you find your next great read!© Chautona Havig 2025 Art Christianity Literary History & Criticism Spirituality
Episodes
  • Episode 557: A Chat with Laura DeNooyer
    Jul 4 2026
    I've had so much fun chatting with Laura DeNooyer about her books, and The Broken Weathervane sounds amazing. Listen in as we talk about family secrets and see them across dual timelines. note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. I love split-time novels, and I can't wait to read this one. We also chatted about being eclectic writers--people unable to stick to just one genre when stories demand different ones. The Broken Weathervane by Laura DeNooyer Two coworkers want the same truth. Only one of them can afford to reveal it. Leslie Wickersham has spent years hiding her connection to the legendary Buckwalter family—a secret her grandmother made her swear to protect. Now, thriving in her new role at Raymond University, she's tasked with helping brassy English professor Dr. Gregory Scott Stafford achieve full professor status. But there's a problem: Greg is racing to complete a biography of celebrated author Linus Fritz Buckwalter, and one final interview stands between him and publication. Leslie knows exactly who that interview subject is—her grandmother, Klara—and why speaking up could expose secrets her family has protected for decades. When Klara finally entrusts Leslie with her 1950s diary, the pages reveal why Fritz's brother, Edmund, quietly disappeared—and the devastating truth that fractured the family forever. As deadlines close in, Leslie finds herself caught between professional obligation and personal loyalty. The closer Greg comes to the truth, the more fragile Leslie's carefully guarded silence becomes—and the higher the risk of whatever choice she makes. Unfolding across dual timelines, The Broken Weathervane explores family loyalty, the stigma of mental illness, and the cost of telling the truth. Readers who enjoy thoughtful, book-centered fiction with layered timelines and emotional depth will appreciate this novel in the vein of Rachel Hauck, Susie Finkbeiner, Erin Bartels, Amanda Wen, and Katherine Reay. Discover The Broken Weathervane today and step into a story where the past refuses to stay quiet. Don't miss the Celebrate Lit Tour HERE. Learn more on Laura's WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!
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    30 mins
  • Episode 556: A Chat with Sharon Wilharm
    Jun 29 2026

    Three Women. One Unlikely Mission. One Town Forever Changed. If that doesn't grab you, nothing will! Listen in as I chat with Sharon Wilharm about this intriguing book.

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

    Loved our conversation--life in Florida during the late 19th century, authors, books, and movies she reminded me of, and even...

    THE NEXT BOOK! Can't wait to see what publisher snaps that one up! EEEP!

    The Amazing Crab Alley Revival by Sharon Wilharm

    In 1897 Florida, a widowed woman searching for purpose finds herself drawn into an unexpected friendship—and a revival that will transform an entire town.

    The year is 1897 and wealthy widow Lydia Culpepper is evaluating her mundane existence. For sixty-three years, she's faithfully gone through the motions of fulfilling everyone else's expectations for her life, but nothing she does is ever enough. She longs for something more.

    When a young boy comes to her house in search of his missing coon dog, she gets her wish. She meets Emily Reed, a young finishing school instructor, and Opal Jackson, an Irish single mother, and the three women join together on a mission that turns the First Baptist Church on its head.

    Suddenly, the town is in an uproar as lives are being changed. When Yellow Fever hits, it looks like their efforts may have been in vain, but the epidemic isn't enough to thwart the fruits of the Crab Alley Revival.

    Learn more on Sharon's WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.

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

    • Apple
    • Castbox
    • Google Play
    • Libsyn
    • RSS
    • Spotify
    • Amazon
    • YouTube
    • and more!
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    32 mins
  • Episode 555: A Chat with Jil Koller
    Jun 27 2026

    Looking for YA fantasy that gives all the great world-building vibes, fabulous faith, and a nod at forbidden romance? Listen in as Jil Koller and I chat about Heart of a Bowman and see why I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK!

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

    Okay, the way Jill built her world, talking and planning, and getting people on board to help figure all the things out? EEEP! That is awesome! I loved the stories she told about writing it, about seeing how things came together--all of it!

    But best of all, LOVED the book. My review of it can be found on GoodReads HERE.

    Heart of a Bowman by Jil Koller

    RISING FROM THE ENDLESS SEA is the Vertical Horizon, a massive rock spire holding four tiers of kingdoms. Four Truth Stones, one for each of the spire's interdependent tierdoms, help maintain a delicate power balance. But when a stone is stolen, the Spire is plunged into war.

    Seventeen-year-old Princess Aratess of Ardenia is destined for the shallow life of the royal court—and an arranged marriage to a selfish prince—but she longs to serve her people in a different way. For years, she's practiced archery in secret, and when the chance arrives, she matches her talents against Colt, an elite King's Bowman.

    Fiercely loyal to the crown, twenty-year-old Colt questions how his mother's people, the Reyjik, could betray the Realm. He also questions the judgment—though not the skills—of the fiery young woman who has inserted herself into his mission. Tess keeps her identity a secret, knowing Colt would forbid his princess from risking her life. Colt, meanwhile, strives to keep a secret of his own: his growing feelings for Tess.

    As Reyjik overrun Costair's capital, Colt and Tess escape skyward to warn the King of Ardenia and mount a counterattack. Desperate, they enlist the help of Deacon, Colt's estranged childhood friend and a lighter-than-aircraft pirate. Will Colt, Tess, Deacon, and a motley crew of pirates prove enough to stave off invasion and turn the tide of war?

    Learn more on Jil's WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads.

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

    • Apple
    • Castbox
    • Google Play
    • Libsyn
    • RSS
    • Spotify
    • Amazon
    • YouTube
    • and more!
    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
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