Once there was a fourteen-year-old who quickly realized her favorite authors simply could not write books fast enough. Because she was young, she decided she could write books, too. Her mother smiled and allowed her to write as part of her English. Slowly two novels grew on an old computer, paragraph by paragraph, page by page. She loved creating ideas, …
The Story Behind the Story: Francesca Battistelli
If you’re like me, then you love learning the story behind the story. Whether it’s an artist’s inspiration for a painting, a musician’s inspiration for a song, or an author’s spark that launched a story, I love getting behind the curtain. That’s why I loved finding this video about Francesca Battistelli‘s newest release. The kids and I are loving the …
Purpose for Everything We Do
I have been immensely blessed in life. I grew up in a Christian home with a heart to serve God from about as young as I can remember. Maybe that’s why this quote from Holley Gerth’sbook You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream resonates with me. There is a purpose for everything we do. In a day and age where so much tells us …
Writing Tip: Easter Eggs
In honor of Easter, here’s a delightful short film from Pixar on Easter Eggs. Those are fun little surprises buried in a book or movie that delight readers and viewers who find them. They are fun to include as you write more books. For example, in my Christmas novella that releases in October, I have a fun tie back/Easter egg …
Age is Merely a Number
Today I have extensive edits on a book due, so I’m pulling forward a post I wrote several years ago. The ironic thing is this a still an area I’m still fascinated by. How do the generations we’re born in impact our life choices. I’d love your thoughts on this important topic! My friend Tricia Goyer forwarded the following commentary …
Grace to Finish the Task
When I decided grace was my word for the year, I didn’t know what that would mean. Over the last week, I’ve been praying about it and asking God to give me insight on what He’s trying to teach me. Part of me feels extremely guilty. It seems like the word should involve an in-depth study, stacks of books, a …
Review: Dating Like Airplanes: an invitation to soar
As the parent of one teenager and three more who will become teenagers, I’m always looking for tools to help as we coach our kids through dating/courting/finding a spouse. In Dating like Airplanes, Caleb Breakey issues an invitation to do dating differently. He honestly talks about how hard it can be to know how to do relationships the right way, in …
3 Steps to Sharing Your God-Sized Dream Story
I am a story girl. I love to learn about the ways God has moved in other people’s lives. That often comes through story. In fact, one of the classes I’m taking right now has reinforced just how much of a story girl I am. In this class we have a standard textbook, but we also had to read a …
Library Journal’s Review of Shadowed by Grace
Some reviews leave a girl speechless. This would be one of them. Whoever read Shadowed by Grace for the Library Journal really understood what I was trying to do. Putman, Cara C. Shadowed by Grace: A Story of Monuments Men. B&H. 2014. 352p. ISBN 9781433681783. pap. $14.99; ebk ISBN 9781433681790. CF Rachel, desperate to save her dying mother, signs on as a photographer …
Purpose in Everything We Do
I have been immensely blessed in life. I grew up in a Christian home with a heart to serve God from about as young as I can remember. Maybe that’s why this quote from Holley Gerth’s book You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream resonates with me. There is a purpose for everything we do. In a day and age where …