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Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Getting Ready for Christmas. . . and a sale

December 11, 2025 By Cara Putman

    This month has been chaotic. The race to final grades. Editing page proofs and thinking about my next series ideas. I'm also really trying to be present with my family. The Christmas decorations have started going up. I wasn't sure we'd get the tree up. Truly. But we did and now it's time to wrap presents, so they can surround the tree. One thing I'm learning to do is give … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: cara putman, Christmas, writing

Five Things ChatGPT told Me about How I Manage My Time & Giveaway

November 13, 2025 By Cara Putman

A year ago, I was working on a grant process at the Big Ten university I teach at that involved how to more effectively incorporate AI into my teaching and classes. It was a six-week sprint, and I found it really interesting to think deeply about AI and how to use it with students. How does this relate to writing? Great question! As part of developing an assignment I asked ChatGPT what it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assorted & Sundry Tagged With: AI, cara putman, giveaway, writing

Confidence versus Comparison: finding joy anyway + a giveaway

October 9, 2025 By Cara Putman

Once upon a time there was an author who wondered if anyone would ever read her books and enjoy them. Everywhere she looked, there was someone who sold more copies, hit more lists, and won more awards. The ways to measure success were everywhere. Numbers of reviews. Number of contracts signed. Even the number of books stolen to train AI. Then she one day she realized all the looking around her … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: cara putman, giveaway, writing

ACFW 2025 Recap

September 11, 2025 By Cara Putman

Last week found me traveling to Springfield, Missouri, a seven hour sojourn by my trusty GMC to reach the hotel where the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference was held this year. Each year this is my few days to spend time with my writing friends, interact with editors and agents, and get to spend rare time with readers. Each year elements are different, but some things never change. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assorted & Sundry Tagged With: cara putman, reading, writing

A bouquet of pencils and a helping of grace

August 14, 2025 By Cara Putman

There's something about the middle of August. It's a time of bouquets of sharpened pencils and kids starting school. The temperatures are still blisteringly hot here in Indiana, but my kids started school this week. I have a senior and a sophomore in high school. And my recent college grad moved over the weekend and started his grown-up job after milking every moment out of his last summer. I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Faith Tagged With: cara putman, giveaway, writing

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