Apr 4, 2020
The Because Fiction Podcast
Just introducing you to the podcast and what to expect. Talking about why a podcast, what sorts of episodes you'll find, and how often you'll hear from me!
Let's talk books!
Links:
Transcript:
Hey, hey, this is the #becausefiction podcast where we chat about all things Christian fiction. I’m your host, Chautona Havig, and long before I was an author I was an insatiable reader. Shocker, right?
Since bibliophiles tend to eat, sleep, and breathe books, we sometimes talk about them more than people around us who aren’t readers want to endure, so I thought it was time for a podcast where we did just that—we discuss Christian fiction in general. Specifically. And aaalll the bookness.
So, hey, let’s… talk books!
Now, for this “episode zero-slash-introduction,” I decided to anticipate a few questions and give you some answers so you know what to expect.
So first, I assume…Why a podcast about Christian Fiction? I mean, can’t I just blog about this stuff?
And I could. I mean I blog already a lot about things like writing (not on my blog, but elsewhere), about books, and authors, and I do a lot of reviews, and what I love and what I don’t, and where I see things going in the Christian fiction market. You’re right. I do that already.
But you see, the blogosphere is limited because you can’t write twenty-minutes worth of reading on a subject and expect people to read all that. It’s too much. And sometimes you just need to talk out an issue.
You know how it is when try to send a letter to someone and explain something it ends up all stilted and unnatural—too wordy and not really conveying your heart?
But, if you have a conversation, there’s a give-and-take element, even if only one person is doing most of the talking. It pulls out the intensity sometimes.
That kind of happens sometimes with books. I mean, sometimes I read a book and I really love it people and it’s hard for me to explain why and why isn’t always the point of a review. That’s more of a "what did you like or not like" about something. Customer reviews have a specific purpose that limits what you can say without spoilers and going too deep into all the nuances. The next customer is just looking to figure out if they want to buy the book. Not all my thoughts about it.
This happened with the book All In by L.K. Simonds, who I really hope I can talk into coming on the show. I want to discuss her book with her. Because this is a prime example of a book that I loved but usually I wouldn’t have. There’s stuff in that book that usually turns me off. It’s not a spotless read, it’s messy, there’s language and it has some situations that aren’t my usual book fare!
But all that stuff needed to be in there for a reason—it wasn’t gratuitous, or anything—but normally I would have had a problem with it. I didn’t. The book did what it needed to do for the audience it was intended to serve.
I had a terrible time conveying that in the review, though, because it’s not the scope of the review. Okay. So we’re going to talk about stuff like that—just chatty and the funny things that I loved, and sometimes about spoilers. I promise I’ll let you know if it’s going to be a spoiler episode and stuff, and I won’t do it often, but it will happen now and then. Or, hey. It might be that I do a regular episode in the first half, and then say, “Okay, spoiler time. If you don’t want spoilers, I’ll see you next week!”
Then of course, there’s the obvious question… Aren’t there enough podcasts out there already?
I have a Socratic answer for you.
Are there enough books out there already?
Okay, I rest my case. No really, come on. There’s never too many. If someone wants to talk about books, there’s likely someone who wants to listen. And hey, if I’m the only one showing up, at least I get to talk about books. I’m happy! Life’s good.
So that kind of leads into the next obvious question… Can you
really talk about books THAT much?
All right, sweetie. Let me tell you something… I can talk about
ANYTHING that much. All right? Just sayin’.
Well, so what’s it going to be like?
Well, okay. Here we go. I have this mental picture. This is what I think about when I’m planning these episodes. All right? Picture me helping you clean your kitchen or fold the laundry.
Maybe I’m riding shotgun with you on your commute, or sweating myself to death next to you at the gym—no wait. Nuh-uh, no! Don’t picture that. You really don’t want that, and neither do I. So… um.. how about me cheering you on at the gym. Yeah… let’s go with that. I can get with that program.
Anywho, while we’re doing this, we’re just talking picture us just talking about books. The latest releases, what’s coming up, what I’ve read, genres we love, tropes we hate, complaining about this writing style or gushing over that one—we’re going to talk about all of it. And it’s going to be fun.
Because it’s a podcast, and not a blog, (see how I did that?), you can take me around the house while you’re cleaning, or along for the ride on errands or your way to work, on a walk, or… if you must, to the gym. I’ll bring a clothespin and some Aarid Extra-Dry. I’m helpful that way.
You can just be there and listen while you’re already doing something so it isn’t just one more thing to go online and find the thing and ugh. Right? It’ll be fun—so fun!
Going back up to what we discussed a minute ago, What’s the
difference between what I’m doing here and a book review?
Well, for one thing, it’s going to be more than just reviews, we’re
going to talk about the best books covering some situation. Like,
for instance, the best WWII books that don’t take place in England
or America. You know. We might get that specific.
Or it might be what the best High Fantasy is in Christian fiction.
That’s going to be interesting, because I don’t know! I have no
clue. But I can’t wait to explore and talk to you guys and find
out! It’s going to be fun.
Instead of a regular review, we’ll talk about the books that I love
that no one else seems to or… the books everyone else loves that I
can’t stand. We’re going to talk about it. Because I have
discovered that I’m not alone in some of my dislikes that I think
everyone else loves. It’s cool to find people like you!
And, when it comes to individual books, BecauseFiction will be more of a rant or rave about the book. I’ll still be kind—no, I’m not throwing the rotten tomatoes or anything—but I’ll be more candid than I would be in a review because this is more than just reviewing. I’m just talking about BOOKS instead of trying to help you decide if you want to buy that book, this is just discussing it for the book’s sake. It’s more like talking about it would with a friend over a cup of coffee (I’m drinking Coke, just thought you should know) or at a book club as opposed to what you would find on Amazon where you’re going, “Oh, do I want to buy this book… well, they said this about it.” It’s going to be… different from that. It’ll be more of a chat.
Sooo… that brings us back to, What kinds of episodes will there be?
Well, I shared some… but there’s even going to be things like lessons that I’ve learned from specific books. I mean I’ve learned some really cool spiritual lessons from Christian fiction, and I want to share that!
I’m going to beg authors to write the things that I want to read that I can’t write. Y’know? I’m going to say, “Oh, I want this book. Isn’t there someone out there that wants to write this book, and I’m going to put out that idea. I’ll get listeners to send in requests for the books they’re looking for, because someone else might say, “Wait! That book exists!”
That’s the key here. We’re going to engage. We’re going to talk! It’s going to be fun.
Speaking of fun, I think it would be neat to have genre and trope wars with readers where people send in why they like this one better than that one. So some readers will say why this is best, and others will argue for another. We’ll see if anyone “wins.” Hint: Doubt they will. We all love what we love, but it’ll be fun to get to see why folks love what they love!
It’s going to be fun!
Then we’ll have authors on the show—I hope. I hope they follow
through and want to do this. But my goal is to have them on the
show so we can talk with them like a friend—like we’re just sitting
down somewhere, and it’s like, “Ha! That’s my favorite author!” and
the author says, “Hi! I remember you. You bought my book!” And she
sits down and chats with us.
He tells us about his life, and books and what he’s working on.
Maybe she’ll tell us what she quit working on and why she just didn’t like it anymore or what she enjoys doing when she’s not writing.
They can tell us where they’ll be at different events so we can meet them in person and talk books with them... in person.
Because, you know… oh,! Oh! How about this one… …. We’ll ask authors what their favorite book is… that month. (Because we all know that asking for a favorite book is like asking who your favorite child is, right?) Still, we can torment them a little and ask for their favorite. Ha! That’s fun. Anywho…ha, ha!
So… maybe you want to know where the name “BecauseFiction” came from?
Now, you might be listening to this in the sidebar at the #BecauseFiction Magazine website, and technically, this is a separate entity. Because Fiction is my podcast, and I’m going to be talking fiction. But, I am connected with the #BecauseFiction Magazine and so we are also going to have these episodes on that website.
I chose BecauseFiction for a kind of comical reason. So I was teaching at the SoCal Christian Writers Conference a couple of years ago, and when I got the email telling me the sessions I was supposed to teach, it said, “Fiction.” That’s it. Fiction. And I’m like, what do they want from me? Wait, what?
So, when I met my roomie there, she asked what I was teaching, and I was like, “I’m teaching… fiction. Because… Fiction.” And that’s kind of become our phrase when we’re talking about this crazy world I’m a part of. It’s what it is BecauseFiction.
So that’s where Because Fiction came from, and when it was time to name the magazine, I was like, “It needs to be that.” Because that’s what it’s all about. It’s about Fiction.
So, with that said, I just have to say one thing and then I’ll let you go because this is just supposed to be a short introduction. Hi, how ya doin’!
But! I do need to say this. My goal for this podcast isn't’ to replace anything. I’m not trying to replace people’s blogs or my blog. I’m not trying to replace conversation in Facebook groups. I’m not trying to replace anything. That would be really ridiculous. My purpose with this thing is just to expand the conversation about books that’s already going on all over the internet in the book world. Okay?
I hope you’ll join me each week, I hope you’ll love the episodes.
Please, send me an email at chautona@chautona.com.
That’s c-h-a-u-T as in Thom-o- N as in Nancy-a. Chautona@chautona.com with any episode topics that you want to talk about. Send it! If I can do it, I will do it!
And, as a reader or an author, if you want to be on the program, send me an email about that, too. We’ll see what we can do! If I can make it happen, I will.
Hey, have a good day, and go read a good book.