Cara C. Putman's Blog, page 103

Two Books I Enjoyed this Month

In the midst of classes and writing a couple books, I’ve managed to find time to read in snippets here and there. There are certain authors that when their books arrive I will find time. The two books I’m bringing to you today are exactly those kinds of authors.

Their books leap to the top of my TBR pile. And if I could discover where I set Lisa Bergren’s latest, it would be included here, too!

Dee Henderson is a master of romantic suspense, but this book is a strong romance with some mystery threads. Like her O’Malley series, Unspoken brings back characters from prior books and gives them a strong plotline. This book has a touch of the Ultimate Gift, a Nicholas Sparks’ love story and a cold case mystery. All of the threads come together in a way that kept me returning to the book until the satisfying conclusion, but it is not a balanced romance with suspense. If you love romance with threads of more this book will be one you enjoy.

In A Talent for Trouble, Jen Turano is back with another story set in 1881 New York City among the wealthy. Many of the same characters fill this story as appeared in her earlier two novels, but this time Felicia Murdock and Grayson Sumner take center-stage. Grayson’s past is catching up with him, and Felicia is ready to break free from years of chasing something that wasn’t her after all. Her heart for others is huge, and his closed off by lies he believes about his past. The romance is sweet and rocky and the mystery threads fun if a tad predictable. But I don’t read Jen’s books for the mystery, I read them for the delightful way her characters interact. You never know what her heroines will do next or how the heroes will get the girl in spite of their best intentions. A very fun, light read.

 

Marketing 101: What Matters to You?

This month I’m working on some of the marketing pieces for Shadowed by Grace, elements you’ll start seeing in the next weeks as we race toward the December 15th early release date. Next week we’ll shoot a couple of behind the scenes videos. I’ll be uploading all kinds of supporting images to Pinterest. I’ll write lots of blog posts that take you behind the scenes.

I really don’t mind marketing. There’s an energy and synergy that develops when I’m working with idea people to generate innovative ways to spread the word about a particular book.

How do you discover new books and new-to-you authors?

Is it through word of mouth? Somebody tells you about a wonderful book they’ve read and highly recommend that you do the same.

Is it through twitter, facebook, pinterest or another online presence? By scanning the web do you find a resource that leads you to a new book?

What has been the most effective tool you’ve seen to introduce you to a book?

The Reichenbach Problem Review

The Reichenbach Problem is a book with an interesting premise. What it would be like to be the creator of Sherlock Holmes? To live life in his long shadow and know that he’s nothing more than a figment of your imagination?

I found the first several chapters slow-going as we travel with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to Switzerland for a pre-vacation. He’s traveling solo but soon finds himself burdened with a traveling companion. Once a murder occurs, everyone assumes the fictional Doyle will gladly, willingly, and effortlessly solve it.

It was intriguing to get inside the hypothetical mind and experiences of a man who was truly overshadowed by a figment of his imagination. However, it was slow going in places. It is a fun read though for those who are fans of Sherlock Holmes. Well worth the read for those willing to take a slower pace building up to the mystery.

What were Your Early Dreams?

As some of you know, I’m kicking off an online bookclub here November 1st — nice of the calendar to have that fall on a Friday! Since we’re getting close to the new year (eck!), I wanted to find a book that would dare us to dream bigger with God. I think I’ve found it with You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth. You can buy it here at CBD or Amazon. Your local bookstores should have it, too.

This morning I was reading a bit of chapter one and wanted to share a few thought invoking quotes with you.

[God] doesn’t want you to be a “me too” when it comes to your dreams. He wants the one, original you whom he created to do exactly what he made you alone to do. No one else can fulfill your purpose. No one else can make that dream happen. There is no plan B for what God has destined to come into being through you. (Page 19).

Um…wow. Just sit and think about that a minute. Your dream is yours and yours alone. Our dreams may be similar, but they’re as unique as we are. Soak in that for a bit. Let the Holy Spirit whisper the truth of that to your soul.

“Yet in those early dreams [childhood dreams], we often find the seeds of something more God has planted within us.” (Page 14)

When was the last time you stopped to remember your childhood dreams? When was the last time you invited God to walk through those with you and illuminate His light on what each dream shares about you? For me, I wanted to be a writer starting about 13. For many years that dream looked ridiculous, but it never died. Then in God’s timing, He breathed life into the dead bones of that dream and told me to run.

I also wanted to be the next Jane Pauley (remember her) or Sandra Day O’Connor. I’m not either, but those dreams chased me to working at a TV Station in college and law school. All was preparation for what I’m doing now.

Can’t wait to share this journey with you!

 

 

Ready to Dream Bigger?

If you’ve been around me long, you know I believe God created us for a reason. Usually a reason that is much bigger than we can imagine or dare to explore.

I’ve talked about doing an online bookclub for a couple books that piqued my interest. Someone asked me if I was going to actually kick it off. After thinking and praying about it, I am. Are you game?

Since we’re getting close to the new year (eck!), I wanted to find a book that would dare us to dream bigger with God. I think I’ve found it with You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth. You can buy it here at CBDor Amazon. Your local bookstores should have it, too.

Here’s why I’m excited to dive into it with you:

We all long to live with more purpose, passion, and joy. Yet in the middle of our hectic lives, the God-sized dreams that have the potential to lead us into all God has planned for us are the ones that tend to get lost. With her intimate, approachable style and constant encouragement, popular blogger and author Holley Gerth invites women to rediscover the big dreams God has given them–and then dare to pursue them.

With the enthusiasm and honesty that we all want from our closest friend, Holley encourages women to overcome excuses–too busy, too late, too far out of my comfort zone–and believe that their God-sized dreams can become reality. She takes readers by the heart and says, “Yes! You can do this! Let’s go!” and then guides them forward with a loving hand. A licensed counselor and certified life coach, Holley insightfully combines inspiration with practical application in this positive book.

Still interested? Then leave a comment letting me know you’re getting the book. We’ll read a couple chapters a week in November and early December and chat about what we’re learning here. Can’t wait to take this journey together!

Dark Justice by Brandilyn Collins

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Dark Justice

B&H Books (October 1, 2013)

by

Brandilyn CollinsI love Brandilyn’s books. This book shows once again why she’s a master of  page-turning suspense. A headline got the idea spinning through her mind. What if terrorists target the power grid? From the first couple of pages, the set up is in place for a mind-bending suspense. Hannah and her mother encounter an accident and when they try to help the injured man, everything begins to fall apart. In a matter of hours Hannah is on the run. I love the first person perspective…it pulled me tightly into the extreme challenges Hannah faced. And interspersed among the chapters were after-the-fact hearings related to the events. It was a fascinating way to up the tension. But that’s what Brandilyn Collins does best. I loved this book!

ABOUT THE BOOK

If I’d had any idea what those words would mean to me, to my mother and daughter, I’d have fled California without looking back.

While driving a rural road, Hannah Shire and her aging mother, who suffers from dementia, stop to help a man at the scene of a car accident. The man whispers mysterious words in Hannah’s ear. Soon people want to kill Hannah and her mother for what they “know.” Even law enforcement may be involved.

The two women must flee for their lives. But how does Hannah hide her confused mother? Carol just wants to listen to her pop music, wear her favorite purple hat, and go home. And if they turn to Hannah’s twentyseven- year-old daughter, Emily, for help, will she fall into danger as well?

Pressed on all sides, Hannah must keep all three generations of women in her family alive. Only then does she learn the threat is not just to her loved ones, but the entire country . . .

If you’d like to read the first chapter of Dark Justice, HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandilyn Collins is a best-selling novelist known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®. These harrowing crime thrillers have earned her the tagline “Don’t forget to b r e a t h e . . .”® Brandilyn’s first book, A Question of Innocence, was a true crime published by Avon in 1995. Its promotion landed her on local and national TV and radio, including the Phil Donahue and Leeza talk shows. Brandilyn’s awards for her novels include the ACFW Carol Award (three times), Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice.

Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). The Writer magazine named Getting into Character one of the best books on writing published in 2002.

When she’s not writing, Brandilyn can be found teaching the craft of fiction at writers’ conferences.

The Hunger for True Love

This weekend we had a group of delightful young ladies at our house for a slumber party. These girls are wonderful…the kind I enjoy having at our house. They all love Jesus and know how to have a goo time together. What amused me this time was how the 15 year old had her wedding planned out in detail — if you knew this young lady, you wouldn’t be surprised.

But each of the girls had already thought a lot about their weddings. They knew what dresses they liked and didn’t like. They’d watched crazy shows on TV where women spent $100,000 on a dress and thought it was ridiculous — a thought I encouraged.

As I listened to them, I was reminded that God created us with the love of romantic love. We all want to be Cinderella after the prince discovers her. Snow White or Sleeping Beauty when the prince saves her with his kiss. We long for the man who will see us, the real us, and find that person worth fighting for and protecting. Worth loving for the rest of our lives. We want the happily ever after.

How do we balance that with the need to not awaken love before its time? The longing for a hero?

My prayer is that these girls will fall in love with Jesus first. That as Dannah Gresh puts it, they will fall so in love with Jesus, that a man has to go through Him to find them. That their first romance will be with the one who was willing to give up everything for them. To seek them when they were lost and find them. To lay down everything so they could be redeemed.

Because that’s a love story that will never end. It will always cherish and protect them.

Review: Class Reunion Series

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Pretty is as Pretty Does (bk 1)

Bless Her Heart (bk 2)

Tickled Pink (bk 3)

(Abingdon)

by

Debby MayneI have enjoyed the first book in this series and look forward to reading the other two. Written in first person from four different perspectives, it’s a fun look into the chaos of neuroses that a high school reunion brings to the forefront. Makes me every more grateful that I was homeschooled and can have a reunion every day. This collection follows a group of high school classmates from their 10th to 15th to 20th reunions. Lives changes, but insecurities don’t always. Add in a spark of romance that spans the 3 books, and it’s a fun read.

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Priscilla Slater goes to her ten-year high school reunion with equal parts dread and eager anticipation. Even though she’s a successful owner of a chain of hair salons and no longer has the mousy brown hair, crooked teeth, and discount-store wardrobe, she still feels like the ugly duckling. But when she arrives at the reunion, Priscilla soon realizes that her old classmates aren’t exactly as she remembers them. With humor and a just a touch of sassiness, Priscilla finds herself facing her own truth—and she may be surprised at what she discovers.

As Priscilla Slater’s 15-year class reunion approaches, she decides to attend out of curiosity… and to flaunt her latest achievement—taking her business to a national level with the possibility of a TV show. As if getting ready for the event and putting up with the pranks of her former classmates isn’t enough, Priscilla’s hometown visit is further complicated by her parents’ separation. With the once-solid sanctuary of her home broken at the foundation, there’s only one thing Priscilla’s parents can agree on: no matter what sort of accolades their daughter receives as a hair stylist, she’s not living up to her potential. Eager to escape the painful reality of her childhood home, Priscilla bolts as soon as a call from New York brings good news: her offer to purchase one of the best salons in the country is likely to come through. But returning to New York means returning to Tim, Priscilla’s best friend and business pal who has been impatiently suggesting their relationship should be more than a friendship. Despite her recent achievements, will Priscilla learn that success doesn’t always result in popularity—or love?

Priscilla Slater shows up at her 20-year reunion as a national celebrity. Her hair salon dynasty has skyrocketed, and to top it off, she has her own line of hair products. She has become a huge success with the “Ms. Prissy Big Hair” line that lets women with the thinnest of locks get the coveted “big hair” look so popular in the South. Her classmates have finally come to terms with adulthood, but they’re handling it with the grace of a Southern woman wearing white after Labor Day. It’s just downright awkward! Asserting the maturity that her classmates have often lacked, Priscilla holds her head high. But she can’t ignore everything. When she catches her mother in the arms of her former high school principal, Priscilla can’t get out of town fast enough. Eager to get back to her more comfortable life, Priscilla runs head on into an ultimatum: Tim tells her they’re not getting any younger—as if she has to be reminded.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Debby Mayne is a best-selling author who has published more than 25 books and novellas, 400 short stories and articles, and devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor, and a copy editor and proofreader. Her novel, Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from RT Book Review, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July. She and her husband Wally have two grown daughters, and live in Palm Harbor, FL.

Thank you!

Last week I learned through an editor friend that Waterfront Weddings spent five weeks on the Bookscan Christian fiction bestseller list. Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who bought it. I hope you enjoyed the stories. Making a bestseller list is something I’ve dreamed about — really after my kids started talking about the day I would be  a bestseller. It really convicted me that they have bigger dreams for my writing than I do/did.

Writing is a solo endeavor when I’m creating. But then editors come alongside and help reform the story, strengthening it. Yet it’s when readers read and engage with the characters and their story that the real magic happens.

Thank you for taking that journey with Alana and Jonathan.

Waterfront Weddings is a repackage that contains my novel A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island.  

Join attorney Alanna Stone as she returns home despite her determination to never set foot on Mackinac Island again. Once again in close proximity to Jona

than Covington, her first love, she vows to protect her privacy and her heart from the man who still makes her pulse race. But when her worst fears are realized and history repeats itself—landing her in the midst of a murder investigation—Jonathan may be her only hope. Will they be able to lay aside the past and let God heal their hearts, or will reconciliation come too late?

Where’s God Pushing You?

This weekend has been a wonderful writing one. Through God’s grace I wrote 10,000 words — and I think I’ll get to keep most of them. Scenes for the novella that’s due October 18th are rolling through my fingertips.

I am so grateful.

You see, my plate is overloaded. There I said it. Willingly.

Yet I

know I’m where God wants me…with a bunch of balls that seem to teeter on the brink of tumbling around me.

Still I have peace I am where God wants me in this season. Why? Because He opened the doors and Eric and I were in agreement. It doesn’t mean this won’t be a season of intense work. But what it does mean is I’m already anticipating a period of rest around Christmas.

God reminded me last week when I was ready to panic that He wouldn’t call me to something without equipping me. I know from past intense seasons that doesn’t mean it will be easy. Often, the most intense seasons are filled with hard work. Hard. Work. Intense. Sweat. Longing for balance. But I’ve learned that when I fall into Him, God meets me. He gives me tools I didn’t know I had. He supplies the things I know I don’t have.

Sometimes I have to humble myself and ask for help. But He will meet me and provide the tools. Right now I’m praying for wisdom to understand accounting and economics. I’m asking for creativity to tell stories that matter for His sake. I’m asking for extra doses of energy and patience. That I’ll have extra grace with the kids. I know myself. More importantly, He does, too.

So where is G

od pushing you? Are you trusting Him? Willing to jump off the building into the dream He has for you? Trusting Him to meet you with the tools and grace you need?