Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for His Small Town Dream by Tara Randel, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: His Small Town DreamThis city girl…
Could be his perfect match!PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | BookBub
GUEST POST FROM AUTHOR TARA RANDEL
I have always enjoyed setting my books in small towns. Probably because I grew up in one and remember how much I loved it there. I recall the town green where we watched the July 4th parade and gathered to count down before the Christmas tree lights blazed to life. How if I walked from my house to the town center, I passed a dozen neighbors along the way. I had wonderful friends and lovely memories. Now, I travel to get that small town feel.
For instance, we spend a week in the north Georgia mountains almost every fall. Since autumn is my favorite season, I love to see how the leaves have changed color and go for long hikes in the woods. But when we are in one of the towns in the area, I especially love to people watch. My special town, Golden, was born from the many vacations we have taken in this area.
In creating Golden, I’ve taken the best of every town and plunked it down in one place. My imagination runs wild as I bring to life a place where I’d love to live myself. Since this is my town, I create the businesses, the descriptions of the town and surrounding areas, and most of all, the characters. Trust me, there is no lack of drama in a place where everyone knows each other, or a newcomer arrives and has to learn about the townspeople. There is a lot of conflict packed there and I love coming up with plots that will build on the conflict and then drag it out, revealing the setting as the story progresses.
I take lots of pictures when I’m in the mountains, so I have inspiration when I’m creating. I can see downtown Golden in my mind’s eye; the six blocks of Main Street on a slight incline, full of interesting businesses to lure tourists. The buildings are painted different colors and are neatly kept by the shopkeepers. Ornate cast iron lampposts line Main Street, supporting large planters brimming with flowers, the variety and colors changing with the seasons.
There is a local hangout, Smitty’s Pub, where there is action in most of the books, along with the always important coffee shop where characters meet up. You never know where the matchmakers might gather, but usually they can be found at the ringleader’s house while they plot the future of the unsuspecting couples. I’ve included cabins by the lake, had characters hike through the beautiful woods or searching for waterfalls and offered my characters horseback riding on secluded trails. To me this is heaven on earth.
In another series, I set the town on the Florida coast, similar to where I live. I was able to bring the lovely weather, beach activities and the fun of living near the water to those stories, while creating characters who thrive in the this setting.
Mostly, I love my characters’ connections to these towns. The joy of their hometown or how they unintentionally fall in love with their new home. There are roots, traditions and pride in these settings that I love to portray. I also enjoy reading stories set in small towns when I get lost in a good book. And from what I can tell, readers love to visit these towns as well.
Small towns are a wealth of content for writers, and to be honest, I just love them, so it’s natural that I’d pick a small town in which to set a story every time I write a book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and, of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. She writes for multiple genres, including romance, mystery and Women’s fiction.
Connect with Tara by visiting tararandel.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive an autographed print copy of Stealing Her Best Friend’s Heart and Her Christmastime Family, a festive fall mug and towel, and a $25 Amazon Gift Card. (1) additional winner will receive a $10 Amazon e-Gift Card.
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 19, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 26, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Gift card open internationally. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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