“With an authentic knowledge of World War II history, a gentle hand of artistry, and a heart for true love, Cara Putman has written a story that stole my heart.” Cindy Woodsmall. Last night I was thrilled to discover that Amazon already has Shadowed by Grace available on Kindle. It releases everywhere January 1st, so this is early, but I’m …
3 Tips for Creating Quirky Characters
I don’t know about you, but characters often make or break a story for me. As a writer, I try to remember what makes some characters and their stories more compelling for me than others. Here are a few tips I try to keep in mind as I write based on the characters that I love to read about again …
Why Mackinac Island?
Mackinac Island. It’s a magical place that allows you to step back in time from the moment you first step off the ferry. That’s what attracted me to the island as a visitor and then as an author looking for a new setting for a book. A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island is being sold as a package in Waterfront Weddings, …
Show v. Tell: 4 Tips from Author Jordyn Redwood
Today I’m delighted to have Jordyn Redwood join me with a guest post on how to write show v. tell. As you’ll see below, this is something I believe she did with excellence in her new novel Poison. It’s also why I asked her if she’d like to write a post to share. Without further ado, here’s Jordyn: Because the …
Picking Topics for Books
One challenge for a novelist is coming up with ideas that generate ideas for future books. While we’re writing one, we need to generate ideas for more — it’s a cycle of life of sorts. I read a few non-fiction books, looking for anything that jumps out at me. And if it interests me, there is a chance I can spin …
To brand or not to brand…
A brand. That’s what every author needs. At least that’s what we’re told as authors almost from the moment we first tap out a word on a keyboard. From some perspectives, people take it to mean you need a tagline. A pithy phrase that defines you to readers and publishers. Others say it means identifying those elements that are consistent …
Writing, Dreaming, or Scheming
Here’s another post. Life is still the same. Only now I’m balancing writing a WWII novel with a contemporary mystery. Oh and spent a lot of time the last couple weeks trying to beat another WWII proposal into submission. Amazing how the more I write, the more the process stays the same. One of the challenges of the writing life …
Three Tips for Creating Compelling Characters
I don’t know about you, but characters often make or break a story for me. As a writer, I try to remember what makes some characters and their stories more compelling for me than others. Here are a few tips I try to keep in mind as I write based on the characters that I love to read about again …
Getting Our Facts Right…
I’m bringing this one back. Getting research right is so important. Our readers care. My friend Julie Lessman recently had a great post on this at the ACFW blog. So Recently, I received some really amazing feedback for one of my historicals A Promise Forged. First, you need to know a little about the story, set in 1943: When Kat …
Interview with author Olivia Newport
Today I’m delighted to have fellow author Olivia Newport join us. her first novel, The Pursuit of Lucy Banning released May 1st. I always love to talk to new authors and see what their process is like. I hope you enjoy getting to know Olivia and her book as much as I have. Olivia, can you tell us a bit …