Showing posts with label Luanna Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luanna Stewart. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

My Favorite Winter Things by Luanna Stewart #newrelease

Luanna Stewart is here to tell us about a few of her favorite winter things. She's got a brand new book coming out too, and I love the excerpt for IF I DIDN'T CARE. Enjoy!



These are a few of my favourite…winter activities…

As much as I like raindrops on flowers and whiskers on kitties, this is the time of year when I’m wishing for warm mittens. I enjoy living where we have four markedly distinct seasons. I even venture out into the winter wonderland when it happens. But given my druthers I’d rather be:

~ in my kitchen baking something sweet, either a new recipe or one of my tried and true favourites. The bonus of baking is the hot oven helps to warm the house.

~ knitting a pair of socks for one of my boys, or yet another hat for my husband, or even just a dishcloth. If it’s a simple project I’ll watch something on TV while I knit. But if the pattern involves following a complicated chart, then I’ll listen to an audio book.

~ reading from my to-be-read pile that seems to grow no matter what I do. I swear I haven’t bought a book since…cough…yesterday.

~ sewing another set of curtains. Our new house has lots of windows and I gave myself the task of making the draperies so…. It wouldn’t be so bad except full-length curtains are BIG which means my ‘work table’ is the floor of my study – my aching knees!

~ writing, of course, because no matter how strong the winds howl and no matter how much snow piles against the door, I can write my way to a warm meadow caressed by a soft breeze with only the rasp of a grasshopper and the trill of a goldfinch for company.

If autumn colours, pumpkin carving, and starlit nights are some of your favourite things, check out my new book, If I Didn’t Care.


Blurb, If I Didn't Care:

Guess who’s moving in next door?

Nicole Bennett is used to bad luck—it’s kind of a family curse. She’s spent the past year stitching her life back together after losing her dream job. Well, it paid the rent. Now stuck working at her family’s grocery store while wrangling a demoralized dad and a spoiled-brat sister, the last thing she needs is for the man who wrecked her life to move in next door, even if it is for only three weeks. So what if he’s sexier than sin and makes her believe in fairy tale endings?

Ross Calvert’s life in the fast lane crashed when he lost his job and fiancĂ©e. All he’s got to show for years of hard work are a sleek sports car and a closet full of designer suits – minus the closet. Determined to salvage his relationship with his best friend, he trades in the corporate life for a brief stint as a caregiver. The decision was simple—until he discovers the tempting vixen he wronged lives next door. Maybe she’s what he needs to reboot his life.

What starts off as a no-strings fling soon veers into making promises that might be impossible to keep.

Excerpt:

He propped an elbow next to the credit card reader and leaned closer. “How about you and I get a coffee?"

"Not happening." She pressed a key on her register. “Thirty-nine eighty, please.”

"You must get a break." He slid his credit card into the reader.

She leaned her hands on the counter. "You don't remember, do you?"

"Remember what?" A tickle of dread stole the fun out of the little flirt session. Being asked if he remembered was never a good way to start a conversation with a woman, covering as it did a myriad of hidden death traps. A forgotten birthday, or anniversary, or first date, or worst of all, a one-night-stand. He doubted he'd forget a night spent with Nicole, but he couldn't rid himself of a sick feeling, much like the sense of impending doom at the crest of a roller coaster track.

She slammed the cash drawer shut and handed him the receipt. "Halifax?"

"Yeah?" Shit, that word encompassed a hell of a lot of potential trouble. The city had a pub on every corner, to say nothing of the music clubs, restaurants, and casinos. Ample opportunities for a casual hook-up. Damn hard to remain lonely in Halifax.

"Dunstan and Woodville?"

What the hell? The tickle of dread became a punch in the gut. "That's where I work—used to work." Admitting the end of his dream hurt. All his work undone, all those long hours erased. Almost at the top of the ladder and he'd been knocked off. Stepped on a snake’s tail, and slid all the way to the starting line.

"Yeah, me, too."

Shit. Oh, shit. His smile slipped and he knew he looked like a guilty son-of-a-bitch. "You were in the accounting department. Assistant office manager."

"Ding, ding, ding. Give the man a prize."

"Until you were let go."

"Ah…no. Until you fired me. You."


Buy link:

https://books2read.com/if-I-didnt-care

Author Bio:

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and historical romance. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and two spoiled cats.

To stay up-to-date on all her book news, and receive tasty recipes from her kitchen, subscribe to her monthly-ish newsletter here.

Social media:

Website:  http://www.luannastewart.com/
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/luanna-stewart
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Luanna.Stewart.nau
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/luannastewart/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart
Amazon Author Page:  www.amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart

Friday, June 28, 2019

#NewRelease from Luanna Stewart and a Recipe!

Luanna Stewart joins me today to celebrate the release of LOVE PROOF, part of the Deerbourne Inn series from The Wild Rose Press. Since her main character in the story is a pastry chef, Luanna dug deep into her recipe files for sweet treats to use in the story. Today she shares a recipe that didn't make the cut, but it sounds delicious! And don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post. Welcome Luanna!



New Release! Love Proof, a Deerbourne Inn story.

You know the best part about writing a foodie character into a book? They talk about food.

As something of a foodie myself (I’m one of those who reads cookbooks like they’re novels), I spend a least a couple hours in the kitchen every day. While I enjoy cooking, baking is my favourite of the kitchen arts. And whipping up a cake or batch of cookies is my most favourite.

When I brainstormed about who would make the best heroine for Love Proof, I wasn’t too surprised when she developed into a baker whose shop sold cupcakes and bar cookies. (If I come back in another life, I hope it’s as a pastry chef.)

I enjoyed incorporating different cakes and cookies into the story, quite often becoming hungry as I wrote. With all the sweets descriptions in the book, it only made sense to add a recipe or two.

I couldn’t just slap any old recipe in there, though. It had to be my own creation, or one I heavily adapted, and it had to be rigorously tested, and sampled. A few times. Which is another best part about writing a foodie character.

Here’s one of the recipes short-listed for inclusion in the book, but space constraints forced it out of the running. I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from a neighbour, who got it from who-knows-where. One of my all-time favourites.

Currant Squares
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, chilled

1 cup currants
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
2 large eggs, beaten.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, the icing sugar and the salt. Cut in the chilled butter until the mixture is mostly pea-sized clumps. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 – 10 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven.

Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
Combine currants, brown sugar, and coconut in medium bowl. Stir in eggs, vanilla, salt, 2 teaspoons flour, and baking powder. Mix well. Spread mixture on top of crust. Bake 25 – 30 minutes, or until set.
Place on rack and cool completely before cutting.

Optional: I often cover the squares with orange-flavoured icing.

3 cups icing sugar
pinch of salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon milk, plus additional
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
grated zest from 1 orange

Place icing sugar and salt in bowl of stand mixer. Add butter and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Add juice and milk, increase speed to medium, and continue mixing, adding additional milk as needed, until light and smooth. Stir in vanilla and zest and mix well. Spread on thoroughly cooled squares.

Blurb, LOVE PROOF:

Unemployed photojournalist Raynor Elliot stops at a bakery near the famous Deerbourne Inn. Not only does he get a lead on a job but the bakery’s owner is that awkward kid he knew in high school, only now she has fabulous curves and an irreverent sense of humor. The cozy bakery, with its aroma of sugar, vanilla and spice, has more to offer than tasty cookies.

Fiona MacLeod has been plagued for years by the need to make amends for telling The Big Lie. When the lie’s victim strolls into her bakery with his icy blue stare and killer charm, she feels like she’s standing too close to a hot oven.

Between running her bakery and frosting cupcakes for the Mad River Garden Party, she's pretty sure she's falling in love with this infuriating, sexy man. Can Fiona dredge up the courage to confess, face the consequences, and hope for forgiveness?


Excerpt:

“I remember those days.” She pushed the calculator to the side, too tired to worry about planning the week’s baking schedule. “Why’d you study journalism?"

“Truth is important to me. I was tired of all the lies in government, at every level. I wanted to change that. Ultimately make the world a better place. Easy peasy, right?” His lips quirked and he shook his head.

“That’s why I decided to be a baker. Brighten someone’s day with a special treat.”

He scooted his chair closer and pointed at the column of numbers on the page. “You want me to do the rest?” His arm, bare to the bicep, lightly tanned, dusted with blond hair, a little lighter than on his head, rested less than an inch from her own spindly pale arm. Not spindly compared to other women, hefting bags of flour and moving trays of baked goods did take some muscle power. But spindly compared to his manly toned muscles flexing under skin that she’d bet her last jar of sprinkles was smooth and warm. She clenched her hand.

No touching allowed.

“We have cupcakes to frost.” She bounded from the chair and rushed into the kitchen.

Holy moly, the guy oozed sex. In a good way. A very good way. She pulled a clean apron off the shelf and cinched it around her waist. An extra layer of armor between her and temptation in the form of Raynor. The seeker of truth. The man whose mission in life was to expose lies. The reporter who thought liars were not decent human beings.

Buy links:

Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Amazon CA:  https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Amazon AU:  https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Nook:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-proof-luanna-stewart/1131669284?ean=2940161211489


Luanna’s bio:



Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. At the tender age of twelve she discovered her grandmother's stash of romance novels, after which all plots had to lead to a happily-ever-after.

Luanna spends her days writing sexy romantic suspense, steamy paranormal romance, and spicy historical romance. When she's not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s either in her kitchen baking something delicious, or protecting her garden from the chickens. She lives in Nova Scotia with her incredibly patient husband and two spoiled cats.

Social media links:

Website:  http://www.luannastewart.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Luanna.Stewart.nau

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/luannastewart/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart

Amazon Author Page:  www.amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart


GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Luanna Stewart and LOVE AND REDEMPTION

Luanna Stewart joins me today for a look at LOVE AND REDEMPTION, her historical romance from The Wild Rose Press. I think this story is extra special because it's set in Canada! Luanna put a twist on the Quick Five by posing the questions to her character Finton Morash, the hero of LOVE AND REDEMPTION. Thanks for being here today, Luanna!



Blurb:

Mary Taylor abandoned her silk gowns and sparkling jewels when she quit her position as one of London’s highly prized courtesans. She’s determined to earn her living with a paintbrush rather than between the sheets. Starting fresh in a new country, she masquerades as a widow running a tearoom in Halifax while perfecting her art. But when she’s hired to finish the portrait of a handsome judge, she risks everything by surrendering to her lustful craving.

Finton Morash, youngest judge on the Queen’s bench, believes people are either good or bad. The dowdy widow painting his portrait is surely one of the former. After discovering the sensual beauty hiding beneath shapeless gowns, he wonders at her other secrets.

When whispers circulate about Mary’s nefarious past, she must find the courage to face the consequences. And Finton must decide whether love is worth the risk.

Excerpt:

He closed the window and turned, catching her around the waist. “I can’t stop wanting you.”

“So you rode here—”

“I walked.”

Her brows rose. “Heavens, all this way?”

“I wanted time to change my mind. Except that didn’t happen. I’m not sure a journey of a hundred miles would be far enough to change my mind.”

“If you stay…”

“If I stay?” He dipped his head and began kissing her neck, pushing her robe aside so he could taste her shoulder.

“I’m not sure what you want or what I can give.”

Luanna asks Finton five questions about some of his favorite things. We learn much about the man through the things he enjoys!

Luanna: Favourite colour?
Finton: Shortly after joining the law firm where I began my career, Maddie, one of my sisters, made for me an embroidered waistcoat in a striking shade of royal blue. The care and labour and love that went into its creation make royal blue my favourite colour. Unfortunately the passage of time has added a few inches to my waist and I can no longer wear the waistcoat, but it hangs in my closet and gives me joy whenever I see it.

Luanna: Coffee or tea?
Finton: As a boy in Lunenburg, we couldn’t afford the luxury of coffee. I recall one instance when we were at Captain Zwicker’s house for a children’s party during the summer. It was one of those perfect days that stick in the memory. The adults were served coffee and my mother made such a face that I had no desire to taste it. Not until I’d lived a few years in Halifax did I try coffee for myself and grew to appreciate the taste. I much prefer tea, however, particularly on a cool damp day.

Luanna: Pie or cake?
Finton: Am I allowed both? My man Jackson is famous for his piecrust and makes the best blueberry pie I’ve ever tasted. But he also bakes a delicious spice cake that is the perfect antidote to a raw, winter wind.

Luanna: Chocolate or caramel?
Finton: If by chocolate you mean hot chocolate, the drink, and by caramel you mean toffee, then I’d choose toffee. Hot chocolate is either too bitter or too sweet for my taste, depending on who has prepared it. Toffees were a special treat when I was a child and they recall to mind lazy summer days, after the chores were done, of exploring rock pools and adding to my seashell collection.

Luanna: When I’m alone I…
Finton: Enjoy reading. From my earliest days I’ve filled hours with my nose in a book. We had very few books in our house and I read them all many times, to the point I had passages memorized. Our village school had a small library but it wasn’t until I entered Dalhousie College that I was able to read as much as I wanted. Now that I have the where-with-all, I’m a frequent visitor to The Book Room, my favourite bookshop in town.

Buy Links for LOVE AND REDEMPTION:

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130823749?ean=2940161420393

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-and-redemption


Author Bio:


Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. As soon as she discovered her grandmother's stash of romance novels, all plots had to lead to a happily-ever-after.

Luanna writes full time, concentrating on sexy romantic suspense, steamy paranormal romance, and spicy historical romance.

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Luanna has recently returned to the land of her birth with her dear husband and two spoiled cats. When she's not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.luannastewart.com/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/luanna-stewart

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuannaStewartAuthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/luannastewart/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart

Thursday, March 23, 2017

New Release and a #Giveaway from Luanna Stewart!

Luanna Stewart visits with me today and talks about her new historical novel, IF WISHES WERE EARLS. She's sharing her love/hate with moving and, to celebrate her new release, she's got a giveaway for us. Please welcome Luanna Stewart!


Title:  Ten things I like and don’t like about moving house.

Thank you, Jana, for inviting me to visit with your readers.

In no particular order…
1. I don’t like sorting through old clothes. Never have, never will. That’s why my off-season closet has items I’ve not worn for several years.

2. I do like moving into a new kitchen, organizing the cupboards and shelves to suit my cooking and baking personality.

3. I don’t like all the trips I have to make to Goodwill, the animal shelter (they take old towels and bedding to use in their kennels), and the town dump.

4. I do like packing boxes. Strange but true. Especially the more delicate items, wrapping each piece in paper and nestling it safely in the box.

5. I don’t like unpacking boxes, putting away all the stuff, often wondering why the heck we kept some of it.

6. I do like having a yard or garage sale, finding new homes for some of my treasures that I no longer want or need.

7. I don’t like preparing for a yard sale, organizing the clutter, setting up the tables, praying it doesn’t rain.

8. I do like learning my way around a new location, discovering the best place to do this or that.

9. I don’t like having to find a new hairstylist. The horror! I’ve had my current hairdresser for over 15 years and she knows my hair. I trust her completely, usually telling her to “do what you like”. The last time I got my hair cut I simply said “something shorter than usual” and let her have fun.

10. I do like decorating – choosing wall colours, arranging furniture, hanging artwork on the walls. Making the house a home.

Do you like moving house? What do you like most/least about the process of upping sticks?

One commenter will receive a hand-knitted (by me) washcloth and a bar of handcrafted soap. (USA and Canada only.)

If Wishes Were Earls
By Luanna Stewart

Tagline:

A mysterious letter and an enchanted keepsake promise to lead Miranda to her heart's desire. Or does her heart secretly yearn for more than a sexy earl?

Blurb:

When a mysterious note directs Miss Miranda Large to a tiny village in Cornwall to find her heart's desire, she has no choice but to go. An enchanted keepsake heightens her curiosity. A snowstorm forces her to accept the hospitality of a sullen, albeit sexy and handsome, earl and Miranda's wish doesn't seem so out of reach.

Edward Penhallion, the 12th Earl of Claverlock, is not in the mood to start his search for a new wife. He wants to be left alone with his books and his dreams of revenge. But the arrival of a headstrong, sharp-tongued spinster forces him to play the charming host. Not a difficult task, given her intelligence and beauty. Suddenly, he’s not terribly eager for her to leave.

But as the snow falls and the winds blow, Edward discovers there’s more to Miranda than a lively wit and a lovely face. And Miranda wonders if the trappings of wealth are enough for true happiness.

Excerpt:

He chuckled. The low, enticing sound warmed her from the tips of her ears to the soles of her feet, and made her quite forget her urgent need. “I won’t detain you any longer. It is quite safe for you to turn around. I’m respectably clothed.”

She lowered her hand and looked over her shoulder. She’d not noticed much about his face the first time she’d seen him, being distracted by other parts of his anatomy. Her cheeks heated. Oh, heavens, the other parts were all she’d looked at. Not at all similar to those parts on statues, or in paintings. This man’s parts were—impressive. More than her cheeks heated. Why had no one told her a man’s chest, when unclothed, was so thrillingly fascinating?

Now, with the distracting portions of his person covered, she could see he was incredibly attractive. Several inches taller than her, which was unusual given her height, with auburn hair a bit longer than current fashion, and brown eyes holding a hint of humor. She might escape unscathed. The bristles on his cheeks and chin matched the hair visible on his chest, for he had not buttoned the neck of his shirt.  He had tucked in the tails, however, and was possessed of muscular thighs.

When her gaze travelled up to meet his, a smile lingered in his eyes. “Have you seen enough?”

She opened her mouth to refute his implication, but in good conscience could not. She’d been ogling the poor man. Of course she had. What living, breathing woman wouldn’t ogle such a fine specimen?

Buy links for:  If Wishes Were Earls

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0QJSHA/

Nook: http://bit.ly/2ifWvXO

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/if-wishes-were-earls-2

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/if-wishes-were-earls/id1184695145?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

All other retailers: https://www.draft2digital.com/book/209375

Luanna’s bio:

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. As soon as she discovered her grandmother's stash of romance novels, all plots had to lead to a happily-ever-after.

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Luanna now lives in Maine with her dear husband, two college boys, and two cats. When she's not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious.

Writing under the pen name Grace Hood, she has two novellas published with The Wild Rose Press.

Website:  http://www.luannastewart.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Luanna.Stewart.nau

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/luannastewart/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart

Amazon Author Page:  amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart