Trial By Fire by Cara Putman

It's my pleasure to feature Cara Putman's latest book, Trial by Fire. I can't wait to read mine! Check it out! And if you leave a comment, you can win a copy.

About the Book:
Her mother's house was first. Then her brother's. County prosecutor Tricia Jamison is sure she's next on the arsonist's list. But who is after her family? And why does every fire throw her in Noah Brust's path?

Noah can't forgive Tricia. Her failure to protect him on the stand the previous year meant his father's reputation was ruined. Yet every time the firefighter is near her, he's drawn to her again. The vulnerability she hides under her confident veneer surprises and moves him. Torn between Tricia's safety and his own bitterness, Noah belatedly remembers the first rule of firefighting: don't get burned.

Read an excerpt here.

About the Author:

You’ve had several novels release in the last two years. Tell me about your latest novel.

Trial by Fire is my second Love Inspired Suspense. This time Caleb’s sister Tricia Jamison takes the lead as heroine. For those who read Deadly Exposure, they will enjoy seeing Caleb and Dani in this book. But if you haven’t read the first, Trial by Fire stands entirely on its own.

You can see the back cover copy and first chapter to Trial by Fire at http://www.caraputman.com/books.shtml.

How did you come up with the story?

As I was writing Deadly Exposure, it became clear that Tricia had her own story to tell. She kept waving her hand and asking if it was her turn yet. So after finishing Deadly Exposure, I started thinking about her story. She’s an attorney, so I thought it would be courtroom driven. While there are courtroom scenes, the crux of the suspense comes from an arsonist who seems to have targeted Tricia’s family. The fire investigator and Tricia have a history – can they find love while trying to stop the arsonist? It’s romantic suspense, so I’ll let you decide LOL

What challenges do you face with your writing? What comes easy to you?

The challenge for me comes in the starting. Moving from research into the crafting stage. There’s something about the switch from left brain to right brain that takes some work. Once the switch is made, I love creating. But that can make the first couple chapters or the first few pages after a break excruciating. Fortunately, I’ve got great brainstorming and crit partners who talk me off the ledge and force me to get going.

What has surprised you the most about the publishing process?

The conflicting deadlines. When you write for multiple houses like I have, the tricky part comes in managing the deadlines. Turning in the manuscript is only the first step. Then there’s the content edit, the line edit and the final edit. And don’t forget the galleys. Trying juggling that for three books from three different publishers. It’s an experience I hope to manage better in the future!

What takeaway value do you hope readers receive after reading your novel?

Now that I’ve written eight novels, I guess the theme would be that God sees us and cares about our day to day lives. In Sandhill Dreams that took the shape of the heroine coming to accept that God would never leave her or forsake her no matter what her circumstances. In Canteen Dreams, the theme centered around the idea of laying down our lives for others and sometimes that doesn’t mean being willing to actually die but serve in the way placed in front of us. In Trial by Fire, it involved the idea of seeking justice and mercy as God commands, when our human instinct is to want revenge.

What part does God play in your writing?

I believe He guides the story, adding layers I’m not even capable of comprehending while I write it. I cant’ tell you how often I’ll hit a point in a book and ask God what’s next and then sit stunned. He takes the stories places I’d be too scared to take them – but He’s always been right. I wish I were more disciplined about starting my writing time with prayer, but I constantly ask for His help as I write.

Writing has been such a gift from God. But it’s also one I want to use in a way that honors Him.

Readers can find me at www.caraputman.com and http://carasmusings.blogspot.com

Thanks, Dineen!

(Review and winner copy provided by author.)