New Contest: The Arts

We're very pleased to welcome prolific author, attorney, and new mom, Cara Putman, as our special guest judge this week.

For our contest, you can enter one of two ways: 1) submit a scene, up to 1000 words, involving some form of "the arts" or 2) submit an essay, up to 1000 words, telling how you support the arts in your local community. I'll post the entries as they arrive.

Deadline is this Friday, May 30th, midnight. The winner, announced over the weekend, will receive an autographed copy of Cara's latest book, Deadly Exposure.

About the book:

When a murder took place in the theater box next to TV news reporter Dani Richards, she was completely shocked. She hadn't heard or seen a thing. And when her coverage of the story led the killer to stalk her, police officer Caleb Jamison-Dani's ex-flame-insisted on protecting her. Should she let him close again? or risk her life with a killer?

About our guest:

Since the time she could read Nancy Drew, Cara has wanted to write mysteries. For years she asked God if this dream was from Him. Her life was full. She graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!), moved to the Washington, DC area, married the man of her dreams, worked in the non-profit world, went to George Mason Law School at night while working, and then started having children. While her life was far from empty, the dream wouldn’t die. Then she followed her husband to Indiana. Talk about starting over!

In 2005 she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, was history. There she met Colleen Coble. With prompting from her husband, Cara shared her dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, Cara’s been writing books.

Heartsong Presents is publishing a three book series of World War Two romances: Canteen Dreams (October 2007), Sandhill Dreams (May 2008), and Captive Dreams (September 2008). Love Inspired Suspense published her first romantic suspense in May 2008. Now she’s working on the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Business Law (don’t ask!) and the first book in an Ohio World War Two series.

Cara is also an attorney, lecturer at a Big Ten university, women's ministry leader, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, her husband and her kids, that is.

She has also contributed to Generation NeXt Parenting and Generation NeXt Marriage and is a weekly guest blogger at GenXParents and Craftie Ladies of Suspense. You can visit Cara on the web and subscribe to her blog.