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FOLLOW YOUR DREAM
I'm thrilled to have as our guest in our little cyber cafe our friend Cara Putman. Cara is an overachiever like no one I've ever known. Would you believe she just had her third child three weeks ago?? And here she is, hard at it again! Cara let no grass grow under her feet once she made the decision to write. She's an attorney as well as a homeschooling mom and author. She's a fellow Hoosier and the sweetest little thing you'll ever meet. But sharp. Very sharp! LOL So here's Cara:
Like some of you I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I literally have a shelf of journals at home – the earliest goes back to when I was in third grade and contains short stories I wrote for school. I even started a couple novels while I was in high school.
But somewhere along my journey in life, the dream got placed on the back burner.
First, college interfered. Then I started my career and got married. Next it was law school and starting a family. Yet the dream never died.
Every couple years the desire to write would bubble to the surface. Eric and I would talk about it, I might check out a couple books on writing from the library, and then I’d pray about it. You know the kind of prayers. “God, please kill this dream if it’s not from You or help me place it back on the shelf.”
Then in 2005, everything changed.
I went to a booksigning at my local Parables store that happened to feature three of the authors from this blog. I was determined to go because I had recently discovered Colleen Coble’s books. Eric kept wondering why I was so committed to attending – I couldn’t really explain. I just knew I had to go.
At that signing, Colleen and I chatted about books until Eric came up and asked if I’d told her I wanted to be a writer. That little comment launched my current course. I’ve since learned that Colleen doesn’t do anything halfway. That’s certainly been true with the help and friendship she’s extended to me. Diann and Denise have also been incredibly encouraging – for reasons completely unknown to me!
It was because of Colleen that I joined ACFW and attended that first conference in 2005. It was because of Colleen that I actually finished that first book – I don’t know how many emails she got from me with status updates on word counts. And how many emails I got from her encouraging my early efforts.
This month Deadly Exposure, that first book I wrote, released from Love Inspired Suspense. It’s joined by Sandhill Dreams, the second in my Nebraska World War Two series from Heartsong Presents.
So if you’re wondering why the dream of writing won’t die, pray about it and then settle into your chair with fingers poised over the keyboard and write. Maybe you too will see your stories in print.
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10 Comments:
We're all so proud of you, Cara! You go, girl!
Amen to what Denise said! We're about to bust our buttons over you!
It's so exciting to see what God is doing in your life and through your writing, Cara!!! Whoohoooo!!! We are THRILLED for you!
Thanks, guys. You've each been so encouraging to me! And can't wait to see you at tomorrow's booksigning :-)
Thank you for the encouraging words. I've been really discouraged lately in my writing journey.
Cara,
I really appreciated hearing your journey to becoming a published writer. From the time I was little, I always wanted to be a writer but assumed that was like saying you wanted to be a movie star - everybody wants to, but only the very few succeed. I made college and career choices based on the thought that I'd like to be a writer, but since that will never happen, then I'd do this or that.
Recently, a lot has changed in my life, helping me to grow and mature. Finally, the dream of becoming a writer does not sound so completely beyond what the Lord might have in store for me. At the prompting of a very encouraging husband, I've decided to give it a very prayerful try. I'm currently plodding my way through chapter eight of a short novel set in World War One and sometimes my progress seems incredible slow. I find it difficult to keep making the time to write amidst all my other responsibilities when I'm not even sure if what I'm writing is any good, but I feel led to at least give it my best attempt.
Thanks for your encouraging words, and congratulations on the publication of your first book. May it be the first of many.
Yay, Cara! I was so excited when I heard about your books! :) It's true, finding a great support group makes all the difference. That, and some tush in the chair time. :)
Sarah, hang in there. And Lynette is so right -- the key -- in addition to tons of prayer -- is to make sure you're putting your tush in the chair as often as you can even if it's only for 15 minutes. Doing that consistently will make the writing easier over time. You'll find you hit your stride with the writing and story. Good luck!
Thanks for your encouraging words, Cara! Good for you! You're realizing your long-held, God-given dream!!!! Yay!
You are so much braver than I! I have gone to *one* book-signing in my life, mostly just to see what the author does and if people actually showed up. I made my sister go with me. We perused books as we circled around where the author was. My sister kept telling me to go introduce myself, but I just liked at her like she just suggested I fly to the moon. I'm sure the poor author thought he had a stalker on his hands. I am admittingly a chicken:-)
Way to go though on taking the leap! It is great to be encouraged by other's who had a dream and went for it, and succeeded! I ditto Diann, WOOHOO for you!!
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