~ A Victorian Romance Set in Canada ~

Romance writer, and fellow Wild Rose and Nova Scotian, Luanna Stewart, is back to tell you about her newest novel and share some writing tips and inspiration. Welcome, Luanna…

What do you do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing you can find me in the kitchen. I love to cook and am always trying new recipes. I spend far too many hours perusing cooking blogs, drooling over yummy looking pictures, and getting ideas for our meals. There just aren’t enough days in a year to cook every recipe that I want to try. I enjoy baking even more than cooking. I’ve had a sweet tooth since forever and I have no will power. We have dessert every night of the week and it’s always home baked. I bake all our bread – the standard sandwich loaf as well as sweet breads like cinnamon rolls, and fancy things like croissant. To counteract all the goodies, I exercise every day either by doing a video routine or by riding my bike along the local trails.

What was the most interesting place you every visited?

This is an easy question to answer because we just returned from Cyprus and it was definitely the most interesting country I’ve ever visited. I’ve travelled around Europe and the UK a few times but always in the northern region – France, the Netherlands, etc. So a Mediterranean country was quite a revelation. We were on the Greek side of the island, a half hour from Paphos, up in the hills amongst the goats and the donkeys and the wild orchids. Truly magical.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I’ve read all sorts of books for as long as I can remember. Our city library’s bookmobile parked at my elementary school every two weeks – the highlight of my young life. I’d return home with arms overflowing with mysteries, historical fiction (Jean Plaidy was my idol), thrillers I probably shouldn’t have been reading, and romance novels. While I enjoyed all of it, the romance stories constituted the largest to-be-read piles. My first love was historical romance – dashing dukes or lairds, strong-willed damsels in fine gowns with petticoats and corsets. All so foreign and thus a fantasy life for which I yearned. Since I can’t travel back in time I do the next best thing, immersing myself in the Victorian era alongside my characters.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

I’m not sure if I have ever experience writer’s block – the symptoms are almost as varied as the writers who report them. But I do get stalled in my stories from time to time. Several “cures” work for me depending on the cause of the affliction. If I don’t know my characters very well, I get them to tell me about their childhood – a best friend, a beloved pet, a schoolyard bully. That’s usually enough to get my writing engine cranking. If I’m unsure of what should happen next in the story, I’ll backtrack a few pages in the book and see if I should have turned right instead of left, metaphorically speaking. Maybe a secondary character needs to play a greater or lesser role in the story. Or maybe someone needs to die <grin>. Regardless of the cause for the stall in writing, I benefit from leaving my computer and writing with a pad of paper and my trusty purple-ink-filled fountain pen.

Have you written a book you love that you haven’t been able to get published?

My first completed manuscript will never see the light of day in its present form. It was my learning book in which I discovered the importance of GMC (goal, motivation, conflict); the joys of introspection; and the horrors of backstory dumping. It’s also the book in which I discovered my author voice, a bit formal and a bit snarky and ever so slightly steamy. One of these days I’ll wade through the dross and the clichés and get it published because I love the characters and they deserve to tell their story.

Can you tell us anything about upcoming books, series, or writing plans?

Just like I’ll never cook all the fabulous recipes I want to try, I’ll never write all the stories spinning in my head. But I do have a few things in the pipeline to be released later this year. My publisher has launched a series for which I’ve written a novella. I adore my hero, the plot has equal measures of humour, angst, and sexy times, and there are recipes – go figure. I’ll also be releasing a few books in a new contemporary romance series set in a fictional town that is loosely modelled on my own town. Again, with equal doses of light-hearted banter, difficult discussions, and dirty talk. Look for the first in the series at the end of summer.

How did you come up with the title?

This book is the third in the series and I honestly can’t remember how I came up with the “love and xxx” format. The first, Love & Mayhem, is my Victorian set version of “girls just wanna have fun”. My heroine, Sybil, wants what she wants and doesn’t care if she causes mayhem along the way. The second book, Love & Turmoil, is filled with turmoil, internal and external, for both the hero and heroine. And now with Love & Redemption, both Mary and Finton need to come to terms with their past actions and decisions, and find a way to forgive themselves and each other, all presented with humour, tears, and heat.

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Love and Redemption by Luanna Stewart

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.

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Buy

 

Amazon US |  Amazon CA |  Amazon UK |  Amazon AU  |  B&N  |  Kobo 

 

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Learn More About Luanna Stewart

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.

Find her:

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

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Are you a fan of Victorian romance?

Luanna Stewart would love to hear from you.

Post your questions and comments below.