Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

My Favorite Covers of 2021

By

Every January I enjoy looking back at the prior year of Christian fiction and picking my favorite book covers. It wasn't easy! There were so many fabulous covers to choose from. Here are a few of my personal favorites.... A dressmaker AND Paris? Yes, please. I love the peach-colored gown against the sepia-toned background that gives the reader a sense of the WWII setting. Excellent … [Read more...]

Classic Hollywood & a Giveaway

By

February 1st, I'm rereleasing my novel Stars in the Night into the world. This is one of my favorite books that I've written because it marries my love of World War II with suspense. As my oldest put it at the time the book came out..."Mom, I love this book. It has a body count!" [Tweet "Join @cara_putman for classic movie reviews and a giveaway as she celebrates the rerelease of Stars in the … [Read more...]

Overcoming Story Obstacles

By

Happy Wednesday, friends! I hope your New Year is off to a great start. I thought it would be fun to answer a variety of reader questions I’ve received in my next few posts. Two questions I often get are: “How do you stay inspired to write?” and “How do you overcome writer’s block?” I’m mentioning both questions because I believe the answer is the same, and I found it in a book that I read years … [Read more...]

New Year, New Words

By

Hello friends. I hope your 2022 is off to a good start. I have only a few days left until my next manuscript is due, so today’s post will be short and sweet. As a historical novelist, I spend a fair amount of time checking to see if words were in use during my time period and sometimes end up discovering new words along the way. For example, I recently consulted my favorite online etymology … [Read more...]

Gifts for five-year-olds

By

Ten years ago, my husband, Ken, began a wonderful tradition of giving our grandkids paintings of themselves riding their creature of choice. Our first two grandsons got their paintings the same year, but after that, the paintings were gifted to each grandchild on the Christmas they were five years old. Ken starts with a photo of the child, posed as if he or she was riding the creature of … [Read more...]

Release Time! Let’s party! (Plus a Giveaway!)

By

NEVER LEAVE ME, the much-anticipated sequel in my Waters of Time series is hitting shelves this week! So far, early readers have been loving this second time-crossing novel. In fact, one reader said this: “Never Leave Me is one of my most anticipated sequels and it does not disappoint! Once again, author Jody Hedlund weaves a compelling, intelligent, page-turning story full of symbolism, … [Read more...]

From the Mountain to the Valley

By

For the last several months, I've been rehearsing for a worship music recording that started on December 28. People from all over the country came to my hometown of Abilene, TX to participate in a Praise & Harmony recording. It happens in a different city each year, and when a friend of mine told me about it coming to Abilene, I was excited to join in. My worship tradition focuses on a … [Read more...]

My Favorite Year End Task

By

Some seventeen years ago, I was discouraged. After five years of writing, my motivation to continue was waning. I had written three complete novels, and while my rejections always came with good feedback, it wasn’t easy to find the will to keep going. Especially when I felt like I had less time than I wanted for writing, even with my kids in school all day. Maybe God was trying to tell me I had … [Read more...]

Recent Posts