Today I have something so exciting I might've squealed when I got the email.
I am working with JustRead Tours and Tina Radcliffe to bring you a giveaway of Tina's newest book "Christmas with the Cowboy".
Normally I do spotlights or reviews, but seeing as I've already written a review about the book, Tina has GRACIOUSLY offered to be a GUEST on my blog today!
So please help me welcome Mrs. Tina Radcliffe to "For the Love of Christian Fiction"!
****
The Joy of Writing and Reading a Series
As a reader myself, there is nothing more exciting than the start of a new series. It’s even better if I can find a series that is already started and binge read through all the books. It’s like falling into another world where I am invited to stay for a little while. The better job an author does, the more my curiosity is sparked and the more books I read.
I don’t know about you but once I realize I’m in the middle of a series, I start to get excited about each walk-on character. Will this character become the protagonist of the next book? And yes, it’s a little sad when a series is over or a favorite character didn’t get his or her own book.
As a Harlequin Love Inspired author, I’m given the opportunity and encouraged to write series books. Series books have a common thread of connection. It could be family, a town, employment, a theme, a situation (like a tornado) or even an object such as a locket, a wedding dress, or even a book or Bible. Of course, they are all ultimately connected by the world they occupy.
There are several types of series books too. One is the standalone series where each book can be read out of order without context issues.
Another series type features the pivotal character/s in each subsequent books. Often this type of series book-usually a trilogy- has an overarching conflict that is dealt with in each book. The ultimate final conflict or final battle occurs in book three, tying up all threads.
Other series books take secondary characters or simply characters from the fictional world who have not been introduced and make them the leads in the next book or books.
You can see how these different types of series books can even be mashed-up to create new and varied types of series books.
A unique type of series and one that Harlequin is known for is called the continuity series. This follows the traditional series thoughts, but each book in the continuity is written by a different author. Clearly, this requires a good deal of cooperation and communication between authors and a clear series bible (the written source that details all the plots and characters and miscellaneous information in the continuity… to maintain, well, continuity!
I personally love writing a series as much as readers love reading them. That said, they do require diligence to details and an obligation to keep each story as free from repetition as possible. Starting a new series requires a promise to both the characters and the readers that each story will be unique, fresh and original.
Big Heart Ranch is my second series for Harlequin. The first was the five-book Paradise, Colorado series based on a fictional town in Western Colorado. Big Heart Ranch is a four-book series set in the fictional town of Timber, Oklahoma only twenty minutes south of Pawhuska. Pawhuska, you may recognize as the real home of the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile store. Or the Merc.
One advantage of a series is that I can offer special series bonus’s to readers on my website. tinaradclife.com And I do. This includes the epilogue for book 1 and several recipes used in the stories.
This week’s book tour is book three of Big Heart Ranch, Christmas with the Cowboy, which is Emma Maxwell Norman and Zach Norman’s story. This is a Christmas story with elements of Charles Dickens’s The Christmas Carol. Books one and two are available to binge. Book four, Tripp Walker’s story will be out in early 2019.
What about you, the reader? Are you a series fan? What is your favorite type of series? Are you a binger like me?
Thank you so much to my blog hostess here at For the Love of Christian Fiction, for having me, and thank you, dear reader, for following the JustRead Publicity Blog Tour for Christmas with the Cowboy.
****
Thank you so much Tina, for taking time out of your schedule and stopping by the blog today.
I'm tellin' y'all you need to pick this series up! I personally CANNOT wait for Tripp's story.
😍😍😍😍
Keep scrolling to find all the info for the amazing giveaway connected to this post!
Also check out all the other stops for more chances to win.
****
Title: Christmas with the CowboySeries: Big Heart Ranch, Book 3
Author: Tina Radcliffe
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Home for the holidays
A second chance at love on Big Heart Ranch
Former Navy SEAL Zach Norman has been avoiding his ranching roots—and the woman he couldn’t have. Back to visit his brother’s widow, Emma Maxwell Norman, and her adorable toddler twins, the bah-humbug cowboy is roped into helping prepare the ranch for the holidays. Working side by side, can Emma and Zach overcome their troubled past…and receive the greatest Christmas gift of all—love?
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Book Depository | BAM! | Book Bub
****
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Originally from Western, N.Y., Tina Radcliffe left home for a tour of duty with the Army Security Agency (a branch of the NSA) stationed in Augsburg, Germany and ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While living in Tulsa she spent ten years as a Certified Oncology R.N. Her move to Colorado led to a career as a library cataloger. A freelance writer for over twenty years, Tinamanages Seekerville, 13 author blog which is starting its tenth year. Seekerville is a Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers award winner.Tina is a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist, a 2012 ACFW Carol Award finalist, a 2014 ACFW Mentor of the Year finalist, a 2014 Golden Quill finalist and a 2014 ACFW Carol Award winner. In 2016 Safe in the Fireman's Arms was a Holt Medallion Merit Award finalist and a Detroit Bookseller's Best finalist and a NERFA finalist. She has won first place in over twenty RWA chapter affiliated contests in her career. Tina is also a short story writer and has sold over twenty short stories to Woman’s World Magazine. She currently resides in Arizona where she writes fun, heartwarming romance.
TO CONNECT WITH TINA: website, facebook, twitter, pinterest, instagram, Book Bub
Tina also have a great newsletter filled with fun facts and great giveaways for her newsletter subscribers. Sign up for her newsletter HERE.
****
Tina has graciously offered (1) winner an awesome Christmas with the Cowboy prize pack that includes:
TOUR GIVEAWAY
Tina has graciously offered (1) winner an awesome Christmas with the Cowboy prize pack that includes:- An autographed copy of Christmas with the Cowboy
- LED Christmas Bulb Necklace
- $50 Amazon gift card.
TOUR SCHEDULE
For the full tour schedule, click on either of the launch pages below.Launch Page @JustReadTours
Launch Page @JustCommonly
Great review thank you, love the cover, this sounds so good, thanks Penney
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love that picture of the little girl. Hugs to you, Alysha, and thank you for hosting me!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being part of the book tour for "Christmas with the Cowboy" by Tina Radcliffe. Really enjoyed reading the guest post by Tina. I do love to read series. It gives you a chance for the characters to grow and you fall in love with them over and over.
ReplyDeleteLove the cover which would put anyone in the holiday spirit regardless of the time of year. I have this book on my TBR list and can't wait for the chance to read it.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
THank you Alysha!! You are awesome, as always. And TINA is one of my FAVORITE authors (and people) in the world. Thank you for being a part of the tour!
ReplyDeleteA great book in a great series!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind comments. I hope everyone enjoys Christmas with the Cowboy.
Deletei need to read this, this sounds great!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading this story. Looks good!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for a good series, this should get me to the Holidays for sure!I am reading an excellent book called The Leper Messiah by RLM, rlmwriter.com for his site. But this book has been amazing. His take on David will inspire for certain.
ReplyDeleteI love this guest post. It's a perfect breakdown of all the different types of series and I've never really considered all the different variations until you condensed it. I love series where secondary characters are promised they're own book - usually family series. And I love trilogies too.
ReplyDeleteI think my face is about that little girl making that face, we are both so excited about this book.
ReplyDelete@tisonlyme143
Books in a series are so fun to read. I agree with your comment about looking forward to characters getting their own story in the next book. I’ve enjoyed all of Tina Radcliffe’s books, but especially this Big Heart Ranch series...and the Paradise, Colorado, series. Yep, love them all!
ReplyDeleteI love to binge-read a good series too! Sometimes if I've read them one by one as they release, I'll binge-read all of them before starting the last book of the series ;)
ReplyDeleteBinge-reading is the only way I read a series.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this book! Great post!
ReplyDeleteExcited about this 3rd book in the Big Heart Ranch Series! Love me some cowboys! Thanks for sharing y'all.
ReplyDelete