Today on Danielle's Writing Spot, read a guest post featuring A Cameo for a Cowgirl by Carolyn Miller.

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for A Cameo for a Cowgirl by Carolyn Miller, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Cameo for the Cowgirl Series: Three Creek Ranch #1 Author: Carolyn Miller Publisher: Independently Published Release Date: June 14, 2024 Genre: Christian Romantic Comedy

Welcome to Three Creek Ranch, home of the James family for over a hundred years, complete with its own Western movie set. Franklin James might be a famous pro hockey player, but just because he's Cassie's older brother doesn't mean she wants to step into the limelight. She's too busy helping her dad run the ranch and managing the ranch's movie set, and negotiating with the giant egos of movie stars like Harrison Woods, who's supposed to be filming the new TV series of As The Heart Draws. And while his TV hero characters might be hugely popular, Harrison's real character seems anything but noble. Cassie is convinced he's hiding something, and that this diva's nice guy moments are just an act. Can she remind him what being a true hero is all about?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

Also Available

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About the Author

Connect with Carolyn at carolynmillerauthor.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Guest Post by Carolyn Miller

What is something interesting readers would enjoy learning about you?

I’m an Aussie author, probably most known for my Regency historicals and my Christian hockey books, and writing about a ranch in Canada is not something I EVER thought I’d do. I’m not a horse-person, and haven’t watched too many episodes of Heartland or When Calls the Heart (both of which have had episodes filmed at the ranch where I based this book). And while I live in a small town, I don’t live on a ranch or a farm. But I do have an affinity for the underdog, for those who struggle to make a living on the land, especially as my husband works in the horticulture industry, growing plants, and is often at the mercy of the weather, financial climate, market tastes etc. And I LOVE writing about Canada, & have several series set in various provinces, including the Muskoka small town series, and various books in the Original Six and Northwest Ice hockey series ?

What research was required for your book?

I LOVED the fact that the ranch featured in A Cameo for a Cowgirl is based on a REAL ranch, that—just like in my book!—has its own Western Town movie set! This naturally meant HOURS of perusing images and videos and maps working out some of the descriptions and so on. I discovered that the CL Ranch I based my ranch on actually has filmed episodes of everything from Lonesome Dove to Jackie Chan’s Shanghai Noon to early episodes of When Calls the Heart – which naturally led to yet more inspiration for this story. You can see some of those pics on my website here. My daughter was actually studying at Calgary University while I was writing this, so it was great to have her outsider take on things, and blend that with some of details checked by some awesome Alberta-based authors and readers I’ve come to know over the years.

What does a day in the life of your characters look like?

For Cassie James, she loves helping her dad around the ranch, and plans to take it over one day, so that means she’s doing everything from fixing fences to rounding up cattle, to fixing pipes, to making sure the Western Town her family owns is actually functioning safely. 

As a Hollywood actor, Harrison Woods is impressed by the physical hard work he sees Cassie undertaking, in a practical, no-nonsense world so different to his. He runs lines, does photo shoots, shoots scenes, in a world that’s heavy on the fake – which is why Cassie and her family’s down-to-earth life and faith appeals.

What was the inspiration behind your story?

Imagine what would happen if an actor who is supposed to be a strong hero is afraid of mice – and meets a strong woman who is afraid to let her heart trust again. 

I first introduced Cassie James in my Northwest Ice hockey book Fire and Ice, and her spunky personality meant she HAD to have her own story. And as she’s the first of three sisters, it naturally meant A Cameo for a Cowgirl had to kickstart a new series, the Three Creek Ranch, which is the home of the James family for over one hundred years.

It’s always fun to see how siblings spark off each other, so the next book, A Valentine for a Vet, sees Cassie’s younger sister, veterinarian Jessie James, discover that her hockey-playing brother’s teammate might care about more than just her skills with his dog. I love a good friends-to-more story, and I think readers will enjoy this one too, as its packed full of heart and humor. 

What did you learn while writing this story?

In A Cameo for a Cowgirl I feel like there are certain qualities people all around the world can appreciate and relate to, such as feeling like a fish out of water, like our hero does when he’s on the ranch. Or realizing that although we may have been a Christian a long time, that can sometimes lead to a lack of grace, as Cassie discovers about herself. 

What encouragement do you hope readers will take away from your story?

No matter our façade, we all need God to fix the hidden (or not so hidden) broken parts inside. So don’t judge; see through the eyes of Jesus and you may just see someone come to know Him.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a print (US only) or ebook (where available) copy of A Cameo for the Cowgirl plus a $20 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 12, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 19, 2024. 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 for print. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!