Sandhill Dreams by Cara Putman

by Andrea Renee Cox

In the midst of my crazy schedule, I recently found time to read a Heartsong Presents novel by Cara Putman. I've been a fan of hers ever since I read Shadowed by Grace (see my review of that one here), but I'm still working on collecting and reading her backlog of stories.

Sandhill Dreams might be the second in a series (I didn't know that when I read it), but it stands on it's own quite well too.

Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

by Andrea Renee Cox

Although I’ve looked forward to Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg for a full year, I couldn’t have imagined just how incredible it is. This book blew me away, and here’s why:

Melissa Tagg just went to a new emotional and spiritual depth with this one.

Be My Guest: Lori Benton

by Andrea Renee Cox

It is my pleasure to once again host Lori Benton here on Writing to Inspire. Her stories have made quite an impression upon my heart, and it is my hope that you'll give them a chance and see for yourself what all the hype is about. I'm pretty sure you'll be glad you did.

*This article first appeared on Mary Vee's website. Re-posted here with permission from Lori Benton.

When Dreams Are Put On Hold

by Lori Benton

My debut novel, Burning Sky, released in 2013. More than once during an interview that year I was asked, "Did your own battle and survivorship with cancer influence your novel?" My answer is very much so! In fact, what I learned during the year I went through cancer treatment offered me much by way of inspiration when it came to writing Burning Sky and every novel I’ve written since.

A theme I explore frequently in my novels centers around identity. In Burning Sky, more specifically, it was the challenge of redefining oneself after a significant loss. Many of the story’s characters are on that difficult journey but one of them, Neil MacGregor—the Scottish botanist aided by the heroine, Willa Obenchain—has a journey that mirrors my own, though I didn’t initially intend for that to happen.  

Writing Amidst the Chaos

by Andrea Renee Cox

It was late. Darkness peeked in the window at me. A chill ran up my spine and tickled the back of my neck. A sense of trepidation crept beneath my defenses, yet I refused to move. The enticing scent of chocolate wafted up from the small table beside my chair, but I couldn’t look away long enough to grab any of the M&Ms waiting for me there.

The scene on the screen before me made me flinch, then cry, but I continued my late-night writing session. If I wanted to reach my goal for Camp NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) I had no choice but to crank out another five hundred plus words, even though the hour on my clock stretched too far beyond my bedtime for my liking.

Need a Hero?

by Andrea Renee Cox

On a recent commercial several ladies sing, “I need a hero!” Superhero movies, comic books, and television programs are always popular, it seems. (I’m a fan of most of the Marvel Universe movies, actually.) From these things and others, it could be surmised that the world is searching for, longing for… perhaps even desperately yearning for a hero to swoop into our lives and save us from the mundane moments and difficulties that often plague our days.

What I’ve come to realize and truly cherish is that I already have a Hero. This Hero never went through that awkward “how do I use my superpower” phase. He never struggled with the desire to use His power for selfish gain, forsaking or using those around Him.