Cara C. Putman's Blog, page 83
January 5, 2015
My 2015 Word: Brave
Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.
–Omar N. Bradley
It’s that time of year. A new year. A fresh calendar page.
An opportunity to embrace the unknown of the future…
Or cower in fear of what’s to come as it hides behind the veil of the unknown.
As I look at 2015, there are a couple things I know. I will teach at Purdue this spring. I will homeschool my children. I will earn my MBA in May.
It’s that time of year. A new year. A new word. What’s yours?
Click To Tweet
Yet there are a host of unknowns. When will I write my next book? Who will it be for? What will the genre be? Will I do more legal work after I complete my MBA? Will I teach more or fewer classes?
I’m a person who loves a ten-year plan. Yet lately it feels like I’m being asked to run on a five-month plan. It’s okay. I’ve walked with God long enough to trust that He has things in my future. Things I may not be able to anticipate at this moment, but still I know there is a plan. And in the right time, He’ll let me in on the next step. After all isn’t that what faith is about? Trusting Him with the full journey of my life?
So as I prayed about the word I should focus on this year, the word He whispered to my heart through songs, through prayers, through life, was BRAVE. At first I tried to shrug the word off. I’m not exactly known as a shrinking violet or someone who isn’t willing to do counter-culture things (As one of the older homeschoolers when it became legal in Nebraska — that definitely led to a need for bravery!) Yet as I tried the word on and prayed about it, it feels right.
Like 2015 might be a year filled with new opportunities…opportunities that will be uncomfortable, scary, and call me to be brave all over again. To follow God into unknown territory in ways that I know I can only do with His help.
So here I type…with a wee bit of hesitancy…as I embrace the word. Brave. Here’s to a year where each of us gather our courage and follow God a bit deeper into who He’s called each of us to be…all for Him!
If we take the generally accepted definition of bravery as a quality which knows no fear, I have never seen a brave man. All men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are frightened.
–George S. Patton
January 4, 2015
Rachel Hauck Fires Up the Romance with “A Brush with Love” Kindle Giveaway!
I’m getting ready to read this novella today, but wanted to make sure you knew about the giveaway that ends on the 5th.
“Fire” up the romance in the new year with Rachel Hauck‘s newest book, A Brush with Love, by entering her Kindle Fire giveaway! And be sure to catch a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-released How to Catch a Prince!
One grand prize winner will receive:
A Kindle Fire
A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway only runs for a week, 12/30 – 1/5. Winner will be announced January 6th on Rachel’s blog.
{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}
December 22, 2014
The one Christmas tradition I “don’t” like
Today my friend Melissa Tagg is posting about her most un-favorite Christmas tradition:
I love lots of Christmas traditions:
Classic Christmas movies. (Somebody posted a comment on Facebook the other day asking if she’s missing out by never having seen It’s a Wonderful Life. It was all I could do to stop crying and pull myself together before replying.)
Christmas candy…especially candy that other people make. I tend to have issues when I attempt to make it myself. (Seriously, ask my family about Melissa trying to make peanut brittle. You’ll hear words like “smoke,” “charred,” and “how is the house still standing?”)
Christmas decorations. Snow. The candlelight Christmas Eve service. FAMILY.
But there is one Christmas tradition that has far too easily taken up center stage my past few Christmases. And I don’t like it. I don’t like it in a little kid, stomp my foot, stick out my bottom lip and go full-on Veruca Salt kind of way. It’s a little tradition I like to call…busyness.
To read the rest of Melissa’s post, click here.
- 12/10 – Beth Vogt: A copy of Somebody Like You or A November Bride (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/12 – Cara Putman: A copy of Where Treetops Glisten; B&B Works lotion
- 12/14 – Kristy Cambron: A copy of The Butterfly and the Violin or A Sparrow in Terezin (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/16 – Katherine Reay: A copy of Lizzy & Jane or Dear Mr. Knightley (winner’s choice); a Lizzy & Jane tumbler
- 12/18 – Katie Ganshert: A copy of A Broken Kind of Beautiful; an audio copy of An October Bride
- 12/20 – Courtney Walsh: A copy of Paper Hearts; Christmas artwork
- 12/22 – Melissa Tagg: A copy of Here to Stay; an It’s a Wonderful Life DVD
- 12/ 24 – Sarah Ladd: A copy of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall; a Pride and Prejudice DVD
*Winner announced 12/26. U.S. only please.
Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
It’s easy to enter. Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
And here’s mine!
The one Christmas tradition I *don’t* like
Today my friend Melissa Tagg is posting about her most un-favorite Christmas tradition:
I love lots of Christmas traditions:
Classic Christmas movies. (Somebody posted a comment on Facebook the other day asking if she’s missing out by never having seen It’s a Wonderful Life. It was all I could do to stop crying and pull myself together before replying.)
Christmas candy…especially candy that other people make. I tend to have issues when I attempt to make it myself. (Seriously, ask my family about Melissa trying to make peanut brittle. You’ll hear words like “smoke,” “charred,” and “how is the house still standing?”)
Christmas decorations. Snow. The candlelight Christmas Eve service. FAMILY.
But there is one Christmas tradition that has far too easily taken up center stage my past few Christmases. And I don’t like it. I don’t like it in a little kid, stomp my foot, stick out my bottom lip and go full-on Veruca Salt kind of way. It’s a little tradition I like to call…busyness.
To read the rest of Melissa’s post, click here.
- 12/10 – Beth Vogt: A copy of Somebody Like You or A November Bride (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/12 – Cara Putman: A copy of Where Treetops Glisten; B&B Works lotion
- 12/14 – Kristy Cambron: A copy of The Butterfly and the Violin or A Sparrow in Terezin (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/16 – Katherine Reay: A copy of Lizzy & Jane or Dear Mr. Knightley (winner’s choice); a Lizzy & Jane tumbler
- 12/18 – Katie Ganshert: A copy of A Broken Kind of Beautiful; an audio copy of An October Bride
- 12/20 – Courtney Walsh: A copy of Paper Hearts; Christmas artwork
- 12/22 – Melissa Tagg: A copy of Here to Stay; an It’s a Wonderful Life DVD
- 12/ 24 – Sarah Ladd: A copy of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall; a Pride and Prejudice DVD
*Winner announced 12/26. U.S. only please.
Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
It’s easy to enter. Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
And here’s mine!
December 21, 2014
In Search of Simplicity – at Christmas?
Today, my friend Courtney Walsh shares about finding Christmas simplicity — is that an oxymoron?
Lately my seven-year-old, Sam has been asking me if Santa is real.
It dawned on me today when he told me the Santa that visited his chapel at school was absolutely not real because he had black tape on his shoes (Impostor!), that he was at that age when Christmas starts to lose a bit of its luster.
After all, some of the magic disappears when you find out the truth about Santa…
And as you get older and you become the one responsible for meals and traditions and transportation and gift buying and all those obligations that take precedent over the things we actually want to be doing, the magic all but up and leaves.
It’s the season of busy. And I know it’s cliche, but somewhere along the way I started to dream of a simpler Christmas. One that didn’t require grandness but allowed for cozy pajamas and orange cinnamon rolls straight from that canister that scares you when it pops open…
For the rest of Courtney’s post, go here.
I am so delighted to announce that my writing buds and I are banding together to give a great big Christmas gift to our readers. This will be a fun tour that takes you to our blogs for Christmas memories and traditions. You can come back to this post for links to each post as they go live. And be sure to check out each one because many of us will have additional giveaways on our sites. These ladies are so talented that I’m delighted you’ll get a chance to meet them and discover their books if you haven’t already.
- 12/10 – Beth Vogt: A copy of Somebody Like You or A November Bride (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/12 – Cara Putman: A copy of Where Treetops Glisten; B&B Works lotion
- 12/14 – Kristy Cambron: A copy of The Butterfly and the Violin or A Sparrow in Terezin (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/16 – Katherine Reay: A copy of Lizzy & Jane or Dear Mr. Knightley (winner’s choice); a Lizzy & Jane tumbler
- 12/18 – Katie Ganshert: A copy of A Broken Kind of Beautiful; an audio copy of An October Bride
- 12/20 – Courtney Walsh: A copy of Paper Hearts; Christmas artwork
- 12/22 – Melissa Tagg: A copy of Here to Stay; an It’s a Wonderful Life DVD
- 12/ 24 – Sarah Ladd: A copy of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall; a Pride and Prejudice DVD
*Winner announced 12/26. U.S. only please.
Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
It’s easy to enter. Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
And here’s mine!
In Search of Simplicity {at Christmas}
Today, my friend Courtney Walsh shares about finding Christmas simplicity — is that an oxymoron?
Lately my seven-year-old, Sam has been asking me if Santa is real.
It dawned on me today when he told me the Santa that visited his chapel at school was absolutely not real because he had black tape on his shoes (Impostor!), that he was at that age when Christmas starts to lose a bit of its luster.
After all, some of the magic disappears when you find out the truth about Santa…
And as you get older and you become the one responsible for meals and traditions and transportation and gift buying and all those obligations that take precedent over the things we actually want to be doing, the magic all but up and leaves.
It’s the season of busy. And I know it’s cliche, but somewhere along the way I started to dream of a simpler Christmas. One that didn’t require grandness but allowed for cozy pajamas and orange cinnamon rolls straight from that canister that scares you when it pops open…
For the rest of Courtney’s post, go here.
I am so delighted to announce that my writing buds and I are banding together to give a great big Christmas gift to our readers. This will be a fun tour that takes you to our blogs for Christmas memories and traditions. You can come back to this post for links to each post as they go live. And be sure to check out each one because many of us will have additional giveaways on our sites. These ladies are so talented that I’m delighted you’ll get a chance to meet them and discover their books if you haven’t already.
- 12/10 – Beth Vogt: A copy of Somebody Like You or A November Bride (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/12 – Cara Putman: A copy of Where Treetops Glisten; B&B Works lotion
- 12/14 – Kristy Cambron: A copy of The Butterfly and the Violin or A Sparrow in Terezin (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/16 – Katherine Reay: A copy of Lizzy & Jane or Dear Mr. Knightley (winner’s choice); a Lizzy & Jane tumbler
- 12/18 – Katie Ganshert: A copy of A Broken Kind of Beautiful; an audio copy of An October Bride
- 12/20 – Courtney Walsh: A copy of Paper Hearts; Christmas artwork
- 12/22 – Melissa Tagg: A copy of Here to Stay; an It’s a Wonderful Life DVD
- 12/ 24 – Sarah Ladd: A copy of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall; a Pride and Prejudice DVD
*Winner announced 12/26. U.S. only please.
Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
It’s easy to enter. Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
And here’s mine!
December 19, 2014
My Favorite Christmas Movies
Ever since I researched 1940s Hollywood for Stars in the Night, I’ve been a bigger fan than ever of classic movies. Growing up, my favorite movies were from the 30s and 40s…that hasn’t changed. There’s something I love about the simplicity of that time that shines through in movies that make me laugh and feel. So today I thought I’d share a few of my favorites.
White Christmas: I adore this relatively simple story set during the post WWII years. I love the theme of honoring those we admire…even at great cost to ourselves. The ending scene with the general makes me tear up every time. And hearing Bing Crosby croon White Christmas? And Danny Kaye is the perfect comedic foil. Sing with me “Sisters, Sisters….” Perfection! My family adores this movie.
Holiday Inn: This is more than a Christmas movie because it features 13 Irving Berlin songs that are set around the holidays. Fred Astaire’s fire cracker dance has always been a favorite of mine, but I love the theme of letting a loved one go so they can chase their dream. Happy sigh.
It Happened on 5th Avenue: I shocked some folks last year, because I’d never seen this movie. Oh my! They were all right. I love it! It’s the story of a rich girl who stumbles on some homeless men who are living in her father’s seasonally abandoned mansion in NYC. She joins them and their friends, and before long her dad and mom have joined them — while pretending to be people other than they are. This is a story of realizing the hold things and money can have on us and turning instead to the value of people. A beautiful story.
It’s a Wonderful Life: I have to admit that I watched this so many times growing up, it lost some of its appeal. But my husband loves this movie, and it’s growing on me again. Who hasn’t felt like their dreams died and in the process their life didn’t matter. I love the way this story shows the long-lasting impact we can have on people without realizing it. The imagining what life would be like without us. It’s a definite keeper and one to watch each year for the reminders that we do matter — even when we feel like our story has no meaning or value.
Is there a favorite holiday go-to movie in your family?
December 18, 2014
Christmas Traditions: The Strange and Highly Unusual
When it comes to Christmas traditions, two come to mind.
The first is not unique to our family, but not as well-known as I once assumed.
Who has heard of the Christmas pickle?
Up until very recently, I thought everybody had! Then I saw a note from one of my editors in my upcoming manuscript (the scene involved the pickle), asking what in the world I was talking about. She had to look it up.
Supposedly, it’s an old German tradition, which would make sense. I come from hardy German stock. I grew up calling my great grandma and grandpa Oma and Opa, and I distinctly remember Oma yelling at Opa in German anytime she got upset. They came to America on a boat as teenagers.
The funny truth, though, is that it’s not actually an old German tradition at all. The funny truth is that nobody is quite sure where this tradition comes from. All I know is that we have one and this is how it works.
First of all, you should know that it’s not food. It’s an ornament, and it comes in varying sizes. Someone hides the green pickle ornament on the tree and the first person to find it gets an extra special gift. We did this when I was younger and we do it now with our son, Brogan.
The second tradition is most definitely unique to my family.
And that tradition is egg salad.
To read the rest of Katie’s post, click here.
I am so delighted to announce that my writing buds and I are banding together to give a great big Christmas gift to our readers. This will be a fun tour that takes you to our blogs for Christmas memories and traditions. You can come back to this post for links to each post as they go live. And be sure to check out each one because many of us will have additional giveaways on our sites. These ladies are so talented that I’m delighted you’ll get a chance to meet them and discover their books if you haven’t already.
- 12/10 – Beth Vogt: A copy of Somebody Like You or A November Bride (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/12 – Cara Putman: A copy of Where Treetops Glisten; B&B Works lotion
- 12/14 – Kristy Cambron: A copy of The Butterfly and the Violin or A Sparrow in Terezin (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/16 – Katherine Reay: A copy of Lizzy & Jane or Dear Mr. Knightley (winner’s choice); a Lizzy & Jane tumbler
- 12/18 – Katie Ganshert: A copy of A Broken Kind of Beautiful; an audio copy of An October Bride
- 12/20 – Courtney Walsh: A copy of Paper Hearts; Christmas artwork
- 12/22 – Melissa Tagg: A copy of Here to Stay; an It’s a Wonderful Life DVD
- 12/ 24 – Sarah Ladd: A copy of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall; a Pride and Prejudice DVD
*Winner announced 12/26. U.S. only please.
Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
It’s easy to enter. Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
And here’s mine!
December 17, 2014
A Christmas Song
Today I’m delighted to share with you Katherine Reay’s post in our fa-la-la-la-la Christmas giveaway.
This weekend I was off-line because my cousin got married. Family came to town and we celebrated an absolutely gorgeous weekend – full of love, laughter and Christmas. Both my girls decided that this was the season for a wedding – the music is amazing and red and green really set off a white dress.
And I have to agree – the wedding was a special topper to what I already regard as the best season of the year. Christ’s church is often referred to as his “bride” and to celebrate that in parallel with my cousin’s marriage was incredibly special. It gave me a deeper feeling of connection with the Advent Season.
I adore Christmas time. I love that Christ came to save us; I love that whether one finds significance in that or not, a feeling of love and kindness pervades our hearts, thoughts, and actions; I love that we are more “other” focused and really think about those around us and in need; I love that my kids are willing to play games, sit by the fire, share stories and time with their parents – and I have a soft mushy spot Christmas movies, books, and songs.
For the rest of Katherine’s post, be sure to go here.
The Christmas Blog Tour:
It’s easy to enter. Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
- 12/10 – Beth Vogt: A copy of Somebody Like You or A November Bride (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/12 – Cara Putman: A copy of Where Treetops Glisten; B&B Works lotion
- 12/14 – Kristy Cambron: A copy of The Butterfly and the Violin or A Sparrow in Terezin (winner’s choice); a $5 Starbucks card
- 12/16 – Katherine Reay: A copy of Lizzy & Jane or Dear Mr. Knightley (winner’s choice); a Lizzy & Jane tumbler
- 12/18 – Katie Ganshert: A copy of A Broken Kind of Beautiful; an audio copy of An October Bride
- 12/20 – Courtney Walsh: A copy of Paper Hearts; Christmas artwork
- 12/22 – Melissa Tagg: A copy of Here to Stay; an It’s a Wonderful Life DVD
- 12/ 24 – Sarah Ladd: A copy of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall; a Pride and Prejudice DVD
*Winner announced 12/26. U.S. only please.
Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
And here’s mine!
December 15, 2014
Candy Cane Traditions
Since it’s Christmas morning, I wanted to introduce you to our newest family Christmas tradition — one that grew out of writing a book.
In my latest book, Where Treetops Glisten, the heroine in my novella works at a candy shop that opened in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1912. The name’s changed (today it’s McCords), but they still make the same Christmas candy canes the same way they were made a couple generations ago. Over the weekend the family and I went on one of the candy cane tours… and I flashed back to two Christmases ago, when I knew I’d be writing White Christmas and I knew my heroine would work at Glatz’ Candy. But I didn’t know how they made their famous candy canes.
Isn’t the shop adorable? It has the best candy counter!
On a Saturday I was headed out to write for a couple hours. I foolishly headed to my normal writing spot — the Panera in the Mall — forgetting it was a Saturday in the beginning of December. I didn’t even bother to park.
Instead, I turned my car downtown and decided to work at the law firm. Only problem? No food. So I walked two blocks to McCords, trying to generate the courage to ask someone about the candy cane process. This may be hard to believe, but this author still feels like she’s really sticking her neck when she tells people she’s writing a book!
Trays of candy canes cooling. We didn’t realize until this time that they shrink as they cool.
As I walked up to the candy shop, I noticed a sign that said candy cane tours $2. Seriously? I ordered my taco salad and asked the clerk. Next thing I was hiking up two flights of stairs to the candy making floor. I. Was. In. Heaven. The stairwell has the most beautiful wood bannister and tin roof. Then you get to the candy floor and I took photos, videos and notes as the employees worked their magic with sugar, water, flavoring, and a tiny bit of coloring to make the candy canes. It was so fascinating that the next day I took the whole family.
Last week, we went again. The kids agree that McCords candy canes are the way candy canes are supposed to be. After watching employees make the sugary confection and twist the red and white together, we got to shape our candy canes. Too fun!
The kids and I on our way up. Isn’t the wood beautiful? And you can just see the tin ceiling.
I felt a wee bit like Abigail Turner, the heroine in Where Treetops Glisten, as I twisted mine into a heart. And I think this just might become a new family Christmas tradition.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into the sweet lengths authors will go to research a story. If only all of our research tasted this good when we were done! Scroll through the photos from our visit to the end for a video our local TV station took of the process. It’s b-roll, and accurately shows how Abigail makes the candy canes in White Christmas.
Pulling the sugary concoction. It starts amber colored and turns white as air is added.
Layering the red on bottom, white, and then three thin stripes of red on top.
My Heart Candy Cane
Now you can see the red stripes on top.
Very important: pulling the colors together
Twisting our own candy canes.
Don’t forget to enter the Christmas giveaway! It’s easy to enter. Just use this form, but be sure to keep going for my extra giveaway!
And here’s mine!
