Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

How Can an Insanely Busy Person Make Time for Reading?

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For the past five years, I’ve had a lot of fun using Goodreads as a place to organize the books I read. As this year comes to a close, I’ve been keeping a close watch on my 2017 Goodreads shelf which lists all of the books I’ve read over the past months. 2017 is shaping up to be my best year to date. I’ve already read 50 books, and I plan to squeeze a few more in during December. My goal is … [Read more...]

Gift Ideas for Jane Austen Fans | 2017

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Need some gift suggestions for a Jane Austen lover in your life? I admit I’m not the most gifted gift-giver, but I do have a few ideas about what would make a Jane Austen fan (like me) happy. Of course you can find many items printed with Jane Austen quotes and images: T-shirts, note-cards, mugs, totes, and more. For gifts like these, browse the offerings from the Jane Austen Centre Gift Shop, … [Read more...]

It’s Facebook Party and Giveaway Time!

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I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! As we head full-steam into the Christmas holidays, I'm excited to tell you about a couple of great Facebook parties and giveaways coming up. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: Tuesday, November 28 (that's tomorrow!) My sweet writer friend Elizabeth Musser has invited me to join her for a fun Christmas-themed Facebook … [Read more...]

Becky’s Favorite Things

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Remember when Oprah would air an "Oprah's Favorite Things" episode each year?  The people who happened to be in the studio audience that day would leave with a fabulous haul of gifts. I was inspired by Black Friday to craft a list of my own favorite things from the past year.  Just... without the freebies. :)  If only! Perhaps one of these items will give you gift inspiration for yourself or … [Read more...]

Happy Thanksgiving!

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  The holidays can be really hard for some. This week my mother-in-law lost her brother and a friend. That is casting a shadow over Thanksgiving. This has been a good, yet very challenging year for me. So thankfulness is more days a choice than a feeling. [Tweet "Finding it hard to feel #thankful this year? @cara_putman shares some perspective shifting verses."] So today I wanted to … [Read more...]

A Thanksgiving Blessing

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Earlier this week, a friend shared a Dennis Prager video about The Key to Unhappiness. It's short, under 5 minutes, and very worth watching. But I'll give you the "key" in a nutshell. Ungrateful people are unhappy people. Grateful people are happy people. And I believe that is very, very true. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=xxmORnnP3WI A number of years ago, I heard a … [Read more...]

Magnolia Market or bust!

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Kelsey and I are planning a Waco Road Trip for 2018 to visit Magnolia Market, and I recently polled Facebook friends who've been to Waco for their "must sees, must dos, and must eats!" It was so helpful! This is what they shared: Arletta recommended seeing the Dr. Pepper Museum Julie-Nick said the Magnolia Farms bakery was "fantastic!" Perrianne advised that the least crowded … [Read more...]

Thanks a Lot!

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Two more chapters to write and I will be able to type those wonderful words—THE END. The novel I’ve been laboring on for nearly a year is almost finished. Maybe I’ll be able to enjoy the Christmas season with my family this year without stressing over my deadline. But when I tried to start my computer yesterday morning, eager to make the final sprint to the finish line, I discovered that it had … [Read more...]

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