2nd MOST ENTERTAINING BOOK of 2007 IS...

CANTEEN DREAMS by CARA PUTMAN!
Today we are stepping back in time and place to visit book #2. We're going to head to North Platte, NE in the 1940's as America is getting involved in World War II. Here we'll meet Audrey and Willard who pick a very confusing time in the world to decide to try and fall in love. Audrey works at the North Platte Canteen as Willard struggles with wanting to go fight in the War like his younger brother. Conflict, confusion, romance and lots of emotion surround both of them as they try and work things out. Its a great historical romance that will have you wishing for an easier (and more complicated thanks to the War) time. Check out the previous interview I did with Cara here on the blog too. Now come meet Cara Putman...

1) From our previous interview we have already discovered that warm Dutch Apple pie is the dessert you can't walk away from - this begs the question : Do you prefer that ala mode or with milk?
Love the pie warmed in a bowl with milk poured over it. I’m weird!

2) A lot has happened since our last interview, you had your first book signing in Indiana and the bookstore sold out! Now you have a book signing here in North Platte, Nebraska - tell us when and where people can come see you in person?
The book signing will be Saturday, December 29th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. I’ll be signing books at Bible Supplies, 1923 West A Street, in North Platte. This is the Christian book store that I haunted as a teen. It got to the point that when he saw me come in, Craig would hand me the latest publisher catalogs to show me when new books were releasing. I’m so excited to be back in North Platte. And watch the noon show on KNOP on the 29th for an interview with me

3) Canteen Dreams ties together many elements - history, romance, drama - tell us a little about where the inspiration for the setting and the romance came from...
I’m a history buff, and World War Two is my favorite time period. So setting the story during World War Two was pretty natural. Then the Canteen was such a neat occurrence…the deeper I dug, the more I amazed I became at these people’s sacrifices. The romance started with my grandparents with a pinch of my own romance…and then my imagination took over.

4) You have two more books coming out in the Dream Series, tell us a little about both of those upcoming books...
Sandhill Dreams releases in May and is set at Fort Robinson during the war. If you liked Audrey’s best friend Lainie, you’ll love this story. It’s all about Lainie and the soldier she meets who is part of the War Dog Training at Fort Robinson. I LOVED writing and researching this book.
Then Captive Dreams releases in September. It’s set outside Holdrege, at the Kearney Army Air Base, and at the Camp Atlanta Prisoner of War Camp. I thought Graham from Canteen Dreams would be the hero. But Sid, the hero’s side-kick from Sandhill Dreams begged to take the lead. My editor graciously allowed me to make the switch.

5) I know you are under a deadline for the 3rd one (Captive Dreams) right now, that means you must have other projects waiting in the wings - what's up next for you?

That’s a great question. I have a proposal for the sequel to Deadly Exposure (my Love Inspired Suspense that releases in May). My editor there liked it but wants some changes made to the proposal. So I’ll tweak that in January as well as develop an idea I have for a legal suspense series set in the fictional town of Cherry Hill, Indiana, and start writing the first in a proposed legal suspense series set in fictional Poetry, North Carolina. For a town with such a lyrical name, there are all kinds of crazy things happening!

6) Your Nebraska roots inspired this series, does that mean you'll have an Indiana series anytime in the future since you have been a resident there for so long?
If I can find the time to fully develop the Cherry Hill series, it will be set in Indiana an hour west of Indianapolis. I’m in love with the setting we created and the main characters. I just need the right motivation for the suspense thread.
And I’m still hoping I’ll write another World War Two series. Not sure that will be set in Indiana, but I’m always on the look-out for those home front stories.

To buy Canteen Dreams you can visit either Carpenter's Son bookstore in Lafayette, IN or Bible Supplies bookstore in North Platte, NE or you can order directly from Heartsong Presents. To win a copy of Canteen Dreams now you can post a comment with a way to get ahold of you in case you win!