Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Reasons Why Favorite Authors Disappoint Their Readers

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At the beginning of June, my 17th published book made its way into readers’ hands. In addition to 3 published novellas, that means I have 20 different works out there. I’m blessed to have faithful readers who have read everything I’ve written and who let me know how much they’ve enjoyed all my books. However, I know that not every book I write will resonate with all my readers. In fact, the … [Read more...]

Think Outside The Alpha – And a Giveaway!!

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I admit it. My favorite part about writing romance novels is having control over the hero. Making him look the way I want him to look (Hugh Jackman, Chris Hemsworth, and Alex O'Loughin are frequently consulted), giving him rugged swagger and the skills to back it up, and best of all, giving him an honorable core and a soft heart that only the heroine can uncover beneath his gruff exterior. What … [Read more...]

You Never Know How God Will Choose to Encourage You

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Sometimes being a novelist can be discouraging. Mediocre sales. A harsh review. Unkind email from a reader. Rejection by a publisher. Losing an agent. Feeling like you've run out of ideas. I'm sure the list could go on and on, as varied in number as there are authors. But God is an encourager, and He often sends encouragement when and where we least expect it. A couple of weeks after Poppet … [Read more...]

A Makeover—And A Giveaway

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One of the things I enjoy about being a part of a community of Christian authors is how helpful the writers are to one another. For example, take my sisters here on the Inspired by Life and Fiction blog. When the person managing my website retired and I was flailing around trying to figure out what to do, authors Becky Wade, Karen Witemeyer, and Jody Hedlund quickly responded and recommended their … [Read more...]

An Unexpected Road Trip (and some book news too!)

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This past weekend, Ken and I had a surprise chance to see our youngest daughter and her husband, along with our youngest granddaughter, now 16 months old. Springfield, Missouri is a halfway point for each of us and when Tavia's husband invited her to come along and stay in the hotel while he attended church meetings, he suggested she invite us to stay too. Well, as infrequently as we get to see … [Read more...]

Deadline Detox

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I turned a book in on June 1st and I've been in "deadline detox" mode ever since. True confession: I love my job, but I'm not a fan of deadlines. Nonetheless, deadlines are a fact of life for the traditionally published author.  The contracts we're fortunate to be offered often span 3+ books and our upcoming deadlines are written into those contracts.  So it's not unusual for us to commit to … [Read more...]

Lessons Learned in Italy

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Last week Eric and I were in Italy while I started teaching a study abroad program that I'm continuing this week. We had an amazing ten days in Florence before he left, walking a minimum of 72 miles in the days he was here. We call it our Italian weight loss program. For some reason it's just easier to have that lifestyle here. [Tweet "Lessons learned from a da Vinci restoration. @cara_putman … [Read more...]

For I know the plans I have for you …

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I had a hard time trying to decide what to write today. I sat down and thought about why I was holding back. I think it's because the world is a very scary, sad place right now. Children die. I know this. It happens every day. But these last couple of weeks have been brutal, regarding this. Twenty-two killed in Manchester, England and then another attack on the London Bridge so soon after. And … [Read more...]

Specials Days and Prayer Requests

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Last week we celebrated my father's 85th birthday in Atlanta. It was so great to be together with family, even though it was a quick weekend! L to R (back row) My older brother Doug, Kurt (my son), and Joe (my dh) L to R (front row) Jackie (my sweet SIL), Dad, Esta, and Kelsey (my daughter) at Gibbs Garden in Ball Ground, GA  Gibbs Garden, designed by Jim Gibbs, is an absolutely gorgeous … [Read more...]

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