Who doesn't love a good romantic suspense? Especially when it blends romance with suspense in a way that welcomes the reader back to the pages again and again?

That's why I love reading my friend Dani Pettrey's novels. It was such fun to welcome her back to Book Talk as we talked about the first book in her new Jeopardy Falls series. Set in New Mexico, One Wrong Move takes readers on a ride through the insurance world — with an ensemble cast that is a Dani Pettrey trademark. It was fun learning how she balances the main story with the additional threads — and what she does with all the scenes and chapters she has to cut.

In this episode, she also talks about her biggest challenge as a writer — writing instinctually which makes for lots of drafts. And her best advice for herself as a young writer is to balance her time better earlier because that doesn't get easier with later drafts. These are just a couple of the gems she shares with us in this chapter of Book Talk with Cara. I can't wait to hear what you think and if you've read One Wrong Move. I loved it!

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Today it's so much fun to introduce you to Sarah Sundin and Amanda Barratt. These two write amazing World War II fiction, the kind that pulls you in, yanks out your heart, and leaves you thinking hard about what you've read. They each illuminate different parts of the war and are meticulous at bringing the details of real stories to the page. In this episode, we discuss their newest books. Amanda's is The Warsaw Sisters, set in Poland during the war, and Sarah gushes about it. Sarah's is Embers in the London Sky and involves a Dutch mother who is separated from her three-year-old during the Blitz. They each talk about the joys (Amanda: finding the stories of resistance, Sarah: her characters in particular the hero), and the way they structure their days when writing.

And in the end, they both give fabulous advice for their younger selves and current writers. You won't want to miss a word. Thanks for joining us for this episode of Book Talk. You'll be inspired!

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Connect with Amanda Barratt

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

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It's a delight to bring you this conversation with my new writing friend Jerry B. Jenkins. We've been in the same published writing group for years. But it was such fun to hop on Zoom and talk about his latest book, The Chosen Book Three. We talked about working with his son Dallas, writing the book after the production, which is the flip, and so much more. It was enlightening to hear his heart for this work and what God is showing him in the writing. There is such care in the process. There's also such fun in the writing and the choices. Jerry's been writing for 50 years, and he is a pro. But this is a calling. Writing has always been a calling, but there's a special add-on to this new work. I can't wait to hear your thoughts as you listen in.

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

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Today it's so much fun to have my friend Amy Lynn Green. She writes beautiful stories set during WWII often in homefront settings. Today we're talking about her brand new release The Foxhole Victory Tour. Y'all, I adored this story set in a small USO tour — the ensemble tour is wonderful and the setting is unique with most of it being in North Africa. We had so much fun talking about the challenges and fun of writing a story with so many characters — she ends up writing so much more than you read. We talked about how she knew she was a writer and the advice she would give herself if she could go back in time. She also told me that she finds joy in the process of overwriting and then editing down to the core story. It works so well for her books and for us as readers. This is such a fun conversation. You'll love this chance to get to know Amy and her books. You won't want to miss a word. Thanks for joining us for this episode of Book Talk. You'll be inspired!

Connect with Amy Lynn Green
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Today it is such fun to introduce you to my friend Laura Frantz. She is an award-winning author of historical romances, and we're talking about her latest novel The Seamstress of Acadie. This book is set in Canada with the French Acadians and follows the story of people who are sent from their homes in Canada to Louisiana and beyond. It's a story that will pull at your heart.

Because she wrote this book during the pandemic, Laura wasn't able to do the on-site research that she usually does. That meant her research had to take different turns. Still, it's deeply embedded in the real experiences and that vitality comes out in the story. You'll enjoy hearing about the joys and challenges of her research as well as learning about a fun summer opportunity to travel to London with Laura and Pepper Basham in June 2024. The Quill and Tea Tour sounds like so much fun and is going to some of my favorite places in England including York, Oxford, and London. Finally, you won't want to miss her writing advice if you're an aspiring or current writer.

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

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Today it is such fun to introduce you to my friend Sara Brunsvold. She is an award-winning author of gripping stories that I'd call contemporary women's fiction or saga. They bend genres in the best possible way, and readers agree wholeheartedly. Her first novel The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip is finaling and winning all sorts of awards, and today we're talking about her second The Divine Proverb of Streusel. This novel is laced with recipes that sound amazing and the wisdom of a great-grandmother that guides Nikki as she reconnects with her heritage and more.

You'll truly enjoy this opportunity to meet Sara and learn more about her books and how she is inspired to find these stories. Each author has a unique journey to publication and story discovery, and I loved learning about hers. I think you will too!

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

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It is a delight to have my friend Lynette Eason back to talk about her latest novel Double Take. I loved this novel. It's a bit of a departure for Lynette because it's more of a psychological suspense than her other books. It's all about the mind games. But that made it a fun, twisty read in a fresh way. Double Take does a beautiful job highlighting that we don't need to let the past define us and that we can believe in ourselves even when the evidence seems to point in a different direction.

Not only is Lynette an incredible author of award-winning, best-selling romantic suspense, but she recently started agenting. She's been a great mentor and writing teacher, so this is a natural extension of the work she does. What's some of the advice she would give to her younger writing self and to you? Don't be quite so obsessive and take care of your physical self, too.

I think you'll enjoy this interview. Thanks so much for tuning in!

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

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In this episode of Book Talk with Cara, I wanted to do something fun and different. I thought I'd show you some of my favorite authors. These are the ones whose books I preorder so that going to my mailbox feels like Christmas year-round. These authors are from a variety of genres and I always enjoy their books. If you're looking for a book recommendation, these authors are a great place to start:

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

Do you ever wonder why an author writes the story they do?

Some books are a favorite, even though I really do hate to admit that. There's just something about them that makes them special and unique. Stars in the Night is one of those for me. This was the first full-length novel I got to write and it blended my love of WWII and suspense. I call this my 1942 Hollywood collides with Murder on the Orient Express novel. It's grounded in a real event, only I created a fictional second one, because...well...bodies. I dive into the real events and how I had fun creating a second one and research detours. I'd love to know if topics and settings like this intrigue you because I'm always thinking about what I'm writing next.

Have you read Stars in the Night? What did you think?

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

If you enjoyed this conversation, I would be thrilled if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast app and leave me a note below letting me know who you would love to see on the show!

Do you ever wonder why an author writes the story they do?

Caroline's story was a long time coming. Originally I thought, her book would be book 3 in the Hidden Justice series. Then book four. Then it ended up being this novel, Lethal Intent. It was well worth the wait. I had so much fun telling this friends-to-more love story between Caroline and Brandon. But like all of my romantic legal suspense, it's so much more than a romance. This book is deeply embedded in the legal and ethical wranglings of cutting-edge medical technology and research. It also wrestles with how far should we go to save a child. I like asking the easy questions. I adore Brandon as a hero. He is so heroic and self-sacrificing in all the right ways. I think you'll love reading Caroline and Brandon's story.

Have you read Lethal Intent? What did you think?