Book Talk with Cara Putman

Y'all, I never thought we'd get here. When I started Book Talk, I didn't have a vision for a podcast that would become this. Today to mix it up, my good friend Pepper Basham is interviewing me. It was so fun to share some of my writing journey, my passion for helping authors, and why I write the kinds of books that I do. We also talked about story, how she writes, and how we love teaching together. It was such fun -- even if a bit strange -- to be on this side of the interview process. And if you haven't read any of Pepper's books yet, you'll see why she's one of my dearest writing friends. I adore her books almost as much as I adore her.

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

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Life doesn't always go the way we want it to. If you've lived any amount of time, then you know that. What I love about Toni Shiloh's novels with Bethany House is that they are spiritual or Hollywood fairy tales. They capture that idea of finding a prince or a star who thinks we're beautiful and worthwhile. They see the value in us that we can't quite find. I love this chance to catch up with Toni and talk about her books and the characters she's bringing to life. Y'all, I could not put the Love Script down because I love Neavah. Lamont wasn't so bad himself, but Neavah was the type of heroine I can imagine being friends with. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Toni about her books, imposter syndrome, wondering where the next idea will come from, and much more.

Connect with Toni Shiloh
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | GoodReads

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

Have you ever wondered what it's like to write in a novella collection when the authors intentionally connect the stories closely? That's exactly what Crystal Caudill, Angela Strong, and I did for our collection We Three Kings which releases in September 2023. In this episode of Book Talk, we talk about how we got the ideas for our novellas, how they are connected, and what we incorporated into the stories. It was a real joy to write with Crystal and Angela, and you'll enjoy meeting them and learning more about their books. Of course, we also talk about writing too. Since we all right different genres and time periods, it's fun to compare notes on how we do what we do. I hope you enjoy this edition of Book Talk!

Connect with Crystal Caudill
Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads | BookBub

Connect with Angela Ruth Strong
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

Today it is a pleasure to introduce you to my writing friend Kathleen Denly. Her historical fiction is set in 1850s San Diego County California, and you'll enjoy getting to learn more about her passion for discovering little-known aspects of California's history and transforming it into a story. We also enjoyed talking about her family's adoption journey and how that found its way into a couple of her novels including her most recent Murmur in the Mudcaves. If you enjoy novels by Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Karen Witemeyer, then you will enjoy this chance to learn about Kathleen and what she loves about writing (the discovery and brainstorming process) and what drives her crazy (all the details!). You'll also enjoy her novels which transport you back in time.

Connect with Kathleen Denly

⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | Pinterest | Instagram

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

It is my absolute delight to introduce you to my writing friend DiAnn Mills. I met DiAnn at my very first ACFW in 2005 when I attended one of the workshops on plotting and brainstorming. I have loved her and her books ever since. In this episode, we talk about her upcoming book Facing the Enemy, and how it's a healing book for her because it touches on a tragic experience in her life. More than that, it's an example of her suspense with romance which is set in her hometown of Houston. That launched us into a conversation about how she loves to use setting to create havoc for her main characters and she gives some great examples. She also gives her top 4 writing tips for readers. You'll have to watch to catch them in detail: but they are that you need to read, write, learn, and pray every day.

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Connect with DiAnn Mills

Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | Pinterest | Instagram

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

Connecting with my friend Rachel Hauck is always a joy, and it's always a delight to have her on Book Talk. This episode is no different. When we hit record, you get to eavesdrop on our conversation about stories as art and characters as joy. Rachel starts with a theme but not necessarily a spiritual thread, that will come later. Then the story idea will hit her later. In the process, the big idea will hit.

I also love that Rachel wants to introduce readers to a relationship with Jesus, not the church. Isn't that a cool distinction? The church is filled with people, and that means we will be let down and disappointed at some point in time. But Jesus is different. So very different. You'll enjoy this conversation and look behind the scenes into Rachel's next book the Best Summer of Our Lives.

Connect with Rachel Hauck

⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | BookBub | Instagram

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

In many episodes, I've introduced you to my writing friends that I've known for a long time. In this episode, I have the privilege of introducing you to a new friend Kristen Parnell. It was such fun to talk about books and writing with this author who highlights that while we don't get to choose the situations of our lives, we do get to choose our response to situations in her books. We've both experienced the pain of miscarriage and that has highlighted the way life and its plot points can be outside of our control. Yet our response is not. That experience appears in her stories where a common theme is that faith is an adventure. When you read Take My Hand, her 7th published novel, you will certainly walk away with that idea!

Kristen is an author who often starts with 60-70% of her novel plotted and then lets the story take over and I think you will enjoy her writing as much as I have. I definitely enjoyed this opportunity to connect with her and learn more about her books and her writing process and know you'll enjoy it too.

Connect with Kristen Parnell

⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | Pinterest | Instagram

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

Y'all, I had so much fun connecting with my friends Misty Beller, Gabrielle Meyer, & Roseanna White. They each write historical fiction set in different time periods. Gabrielle Meyer's latest In This Moment is set during the beginnings of the Civil War, WWII, and the days leading up to 9/11. Roseanna White's A Beautiful Disguise is set in 1909 with an acrobatic set of aristocratic investigators — such fun. And Misty Beller's Rocky Mountain Rendezvous is set during the trader's rendezvous in 1837. After marveling at how much these homeschooling mamas who have each written more than 30 books have in common, we quickly turned to their books and how they developed the ideas for them. Idea sparks are a key part of the writing process. Often for the four of us, our best ideas for new books and series come from the research for the next series. And if you listen very carefully, you might just pick up an idea of what's coming next for each of these talented authors. I enjoy each of their books and can't wait for you to meet them!

Connect with Misty Beller

⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠TikTok | Pinterest | Instagram

Connect with Gabrielle Meyer

⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | Instagram

Connect with Roseanna White

⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ 

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

Sometimes you want a book that is richly layered with the best of stories. Author TI Lowe's next novel Indigo Isle is that. Inspired by the Prodigal Son and Beauty and the Beast, this story gripped my heart and didn't let go. I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with TI and learn more about her journey to publication and how she finds her stories. We talked about the importance of research and how it can be hard when researching tough topics like abusive relationships and what it's like when someone doesn't fight or fight, but freezes. We discussed the importance of respecting the experience of others when we write and how she makes space to walk away when the writing is hard. But we also talked about her love of the South infuses her books. You'll hear it in her accent and in the way she writes about Charleston and the surrounding islands. You can also learn about the books she's reading right now.

Connect with TI Lowe

⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | Pinterest | Instagram

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!

Y'all, it was such fun to reconnect with my writing friend Jaime Jo Wright. Since the last time she was on Book Talk, she's released two books: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau and Premonition at Withers Farm. We talked all about her inspiration for Castle Moreau — Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, the Hungarian countess who was the inspiration for her villain, and why she writes gothic novels. We also talked about which comes first for her: Setting or Plot. The answer might surprise you. I think you'll enjoy this peek behind the curtain into her writing process and her latest novel.

Connect with Jaime Jo Wright

⁠Instagram | Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | TikTok | YouTube

Want to watch this interview? You can see this episode as well as multiple others on YouTube! Enjoy!

For more episodes, and to learn more about the authors I interview, visit https://caraputman.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app!

Get the free novella, Dying for Love, when you sign up for my newsletter!