A Writer’s Reasons to be Thankful

Today is Thanksgiving. A perfect time to stop and think about all of the reasons I’m grateful this year.

Here I am signing my contract two weeks ago! I still get a thrill… I have a feeling this will never get old 🙂

There is so much I have to be thankful for. A wonderful husband. Four amazing kids. A house that more than meets our needs. A fulfilling job and the same for my husband. This year I signed a contract with my dream editor at my dream publisher…a long process, but another reason to be thankful. I’ve had the opportunity to write two books for another great publisher with a good friend of mine. I’ve also seen a story of my heart, Shadowed by Grace, final and win some prestigious awards. Oh, and let’s not forget that crazy MBA!

It has been an amazing year! Here are a few writerly reasons I’m thankful. (And, yes, I think I just created a word. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does that!)

• I’m thankful for you. Yes, you. As readers, you make my stories come to life. I could spend hours and months writing and tweaking stories, but until you interact with them, they are still flat. In my mind these people and events are real, but to the rest of the world I’m just typing. You are the final and most important ingredient. Don’t ever forget that!

• I’m grateful for every reader who takes the time to talk to their friends about my books. People discover them because you ask your library to order the book, you tell a friend why you couldn’t put it down, you read the book in a public place where a conversation starts. Word of mouth is still a critical way that people find out about our books.
• I’m grateful for each review — even the bad ones. The number of reviews makes a difference to prospective readers who may not have tried one of our books. So when you take a little bit of time to write that few sentences about why you liked a book, it matters. Really!
• I’m grateful for the Facebook posts, the #FF tweets, and emails that let me know my stories matter. It might seem small to you, but I write these books in a void. I pray that God will somehow take my offering and make it meaningful. That He will use it in a way that brings Him glory. You tweets, posts, and emails let me know that prayer is being answered. Thank you!

This year, I’m thankful for you. Thank you for being part of this amazing writing adventure. I wouldn’t want to do it any other way.

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Cara Putman

An award-winning author of more than 40 books, Cara is a Clinical Associate Professor in business law and ehtics to graduate and undergraduate students at Purdue University. She lives with her husband, four children, a perfect cat, and a sweet yet rambunctious shelter puppy in Indiana.

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