Special excerpt for the Tremayne Family Romances by Anna J. Stewart

Today I’m featuring three contemporary romance novels from The Tremayne Family Romance series: Asking for Trouble, Here Comes Trouble, and The Trouble with Nathan by Anna J. Stewart.

During her virtual book tour, Anna will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner's choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

See below, too, for a special offer regarding The Lantano Valley Family Cookbook which features more than 50 family favorite recipes contributed by The Butterfly Babes, Anna's dedicated street team. This cookbook has a little something for everyone, from simple, quick meals to family pot luck winners, warm, comfy dinners, to lots of sweet treats. 

A little bit about the author:

USA Today and national bestselling author Anna J Stewart can't remember a time she didn't have a book in her hands or a story in her head.

A geek at heart, Anna writes romances featuring strong, independent heroines for Berkley (The Tremayne Family Romances), Harlequin Heartwarming (The Butterfly Harbor series) and will soon add romantic suspense to her booklist with the BONDED trilogy from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

RT Book reviews says Anna's romances are "refreshingly unique, quietly humorous, and profoundly moving" and NY Times bestselling author Brenda Novak says "The talented Anna J Stewart delivers every time!" Anna lives in Northern California where she deals with a serious SUPERNATURAL, STAR TREK, and SHERLOCK addiction and tolerates an overly affectionate cat named Snickers (or perhaps it's Snickers who tolerates her).

Here’s a little bit about each of the novels:

Asking for Trouble: Morgan Tremayne has a heart of gold, but to keep her children's charity afloat she's had to resort to some less than legal means: donations from a notorious cat burglar who targets the wealthy. It's only a matter of time before Morgan's criminal connection blows up in her face--especially since her undeniable attraction to the man heading the investigation keeps putting her in tricky situations.

Former police detective-turned-investigator for the D.A. Gage Juliano has two goals: salvaging his career and nabbing Lantano Valley's present-day Robin Hood. But when he meets a beautiful, curvaceous woman who's more interested in helping others than amassing a fortune like the rest of the town's residents, Gage finds his desires pulled in an unexpected direction...

Here Comes Trouble: Former beauty queen Sheila Tremayne looks dainty, but she's tougher than she seems. The hard-as-nails business woman is determined to bring down corruption among Lantano Valley's rich and powerful. Her latest scheme to get technology tycoon Chadwick Oliver is going perfectly until a distraction arrives in the form of Malcolm--the man who broke her heart and who happens to be Chadwick's son...

Malcolm spent five long years away after his father publicly blamed him for some shady business dealings. Now he's back to exact some revenge. Reconnecting with Sheila was never part of the plan, but the second he sees her, there's no way he can resist...

Sheila and Malcolm quickly fall into the sizzling passion between them, but Malcolm has no intention of staying once he's finished with his father--even if leaving Sheila again might be more than he can bear.

The Trouble with Nathan: Nathan Tremayne shares a dangerous secret with his father, Jackson, and sister Sheila. Together they are Nemesis, the infamous cat burglar who targets the wealthy. But when Jackson is framed for stealing the priceless Crown of Serpia, the whole family is at risk.

Nathan isn’t about to let his father go down for a crime he didn’t commit, but finding the real culprit won’t be easy with Laurel Scott, the nosy, pushy, drop-dead gorgeous insurance investigator following his every move.

But Laurel has secrets of her own. Posing as an insurance investigator was part of her own plan for the Tremaynes. As their attraction heats up, and the truth comes out, will this pair of thieves steal each other’s hearts?

Excerpt from Here Comes Trouble (book 2):

“Dammit, Malcolm.” Sheila resisted the urge to press trembling fingers against her fluttering chest. He leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, a knowing gleam in his eyes. He’d thrown off her plans twice in one night. Two times too many. “I thought you’d gone downstairs.”

“Nope.”

Nothing more, just one word. Nothing on his face, just passivity. Once upon a time she’d have been able to read his expression, identify his moods, but not now. Not when it mattered.

“So, did you?”

“Did I what?” Sheila kicked out a leg and tapped restless fingers against her hip.

“Find what you were looking for?”

Find what she was—“Oh, my bracelet you mean?” Shit. “No, actually. I guess I was wrong—”

“You mean it wasn’t in the vault?”

“The vault?” She blinked, scrambling for an escape route out of the conversation. A distraction. Anything . . .

His hand whipped up and caught her chin, turning her face to his as he stepped closer, amber eyes hot as he stared into her surprised gaze. His breath caressed her skin, hot, intense. “No lies, Sheila. I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime.”

Sheila swallowed and attempted to ignore the heat moving through her body where he touched her, trying not to remember how it felt to be locked in his arms, to be the center of his attention, his world. Beneath his piercing gaze, the insistence she couldn’t avoid, there was also the shadow of the man she’d known, but it was the man who had walked away from her as easily as if she’d been a one-night stand.

“Then don’t ask,” she whispered as she reached up and wrapped her hand around his wrist, willing him to pretend he hadn’t seen, that he didn’t know where she’d been.

“Will it hurt him?”

His question caught her off guard but she managed to quell the unease roiling inside her as she found her way out. Mutual hatred and distrust of his father could very well forge a bond she’d be unable to break. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t use it. Or him. “Yes.”

Social Media Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

SPECIAL OFFER: The Lantano Valley Family Cookbook features more than 50 family favorite recipes contributed by The Butterfly Babes, Anna's dedicated street team. This cookbook has a little something for everyone, from simple, quick meals to family pot luck winners, warm, comfy dinners, to lots of sweet treats. 

Inspired by The Tremayne Family romances (Asking for Trouble, Here Comes Trouble, and The Trouble with Nathan) as well as the Lantano Valley sweet novella series, this special offering will only be available to those who purchase The Trouble with Nathan before April 30th. This cookbook will not be available for purchase.

To claim your copy, simply e-mail proof of purchase (a copy of your e-receipt is perfect) for The Trouble with Nathan to Anna at authorajstewart@gmail.com and she'll e-mail you the file (PDF, compatible with all e-readers) within 48 hours. It's as easy as that!

Buy links:

ASKING FOR TROUBLE (2/17/15)

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo 

HERE COMES TROUBLE (8/16/15)

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes 

THE TROUBLE WITH NATHAN (on sale April 19, 2016)

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes 

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Interview with self help and inspirational non-fiction writer Allison Carmen

Allison Carmen is kicking the week off. She’s the author of the self-help, inspirational non-fiction book, The Gift of Maybe.

During her virtual book tour, Allison will be awarding an autographed copy of The Gift of Maybe to a lucky winner. And she’s going to give another lucky winner, a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card. To be entered for either giveaway, use the form below. And to increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and entere there, too!

Bio:

After fifteen years of working as an attorney overwhelmed with anxiety about the future, Allison Carmen found hope and freedom when she discovered the Philosophy of Maybe. Today, Allison is a business consultant, life coach, and the author of the Amazon best seller, The Gift of Maybe, a book offering hope and possibility in uncertain times.

Allison is also a blogger for Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Mind Body Green, and Inc.com. Allison’s work has also been featured in Success Magazine, Psychcentral.com, InnerSelf.com, LifeHacker.com, and examiner.com. She is an active speaker and lives in New York City.

Welcome, Allison. Please tell us about your current release.

The Gift of Maybe is a great book for anyone that worries or is anxious about the future. Sometimes it is hard to calm our minds when we are concerned about job security, our relationships, the well being of our children or the state of the world. With our minds filled with constant thoughts of worry, it is hard to see how life will change and what possibilities are still available for us. The Gift of Maybe shares my journey of being addicted to certainty and how the simple word of MAYBE became a tool to alleviate my stress and worry and find more hope and opportunity in my life. The book also shares experiences of my clients, as well as tools and techniques that can liberate us from the pain of the unknown and help us find more joy and opportunity. It comes down to one simple word and MAYBE it changes everything!

What inspired you to write this book?
It all started in the self-help section in a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan about five years ago. I was early for a meeting down the block and I thought I could escape the rain and read for a bit. I pulled a book off the shelf written by one of my favorite authors and started to read it. As I was reading, I did not feel very inspired and then by accident, I sneezed in the book. For five minutes, I went back and forth trying to decide the proper etiquette for what I should do. I thought to myself, “Do I actually need to buy this book that is not inspiring me just because I sneezed in it?” Of course I bought the book. But as I left the store, I thought to myself, “I bet if I wrote a book about Maybe and someone sneezed in it at Barnes & Noble, they would be more than happy to buy it!” I gave myself a good laugh and left the store, but the seed was planted. A few months later at a business lunch, a publisher made me an offer to write the book. That deal did not work out, but as I started to write, I realized how many people I could help by publishing a book about the mindset of Maybe. For me, it has always been about helping people alleviate their suffering and I think this book has some great tools to do just that.

Excerpt from The Gift of Maybe:

How Can Maybe Help You?

You may be wondering how something as easy as thinking or saying the word “Maybe” can have the kind of impact I am describing. That is precisely the beauty of Maybe. The idea of Maybe is so easy to apply, and at the same time it can have a profound effect on whatever part of your life you choose to apply it to. Whether you have been recently laid off from your job or you are having health concerns or money problems, whether you are looking for love or success or just looking to live life with less emotional pain, the philosophy of Maybe provides you with a tool to help you find your way. It helps you alleviate stress or worry, helps you embrace the uncertainty in your life as an opportunity, helps you enjoy the present, and helps you live with less emotional suffering. It is a mind-set that can influence all aspects of your life, a strategy you can use when life throws you an unexpected curveball.

As you experience the mind-set of Maybe, it will take on a meaning unique to you. Maybe creates a space where so much more is possible. Maybe becomes the constant that never lets you down.

Maybe is not a plan or a story; it is the offer of an unfolding experience. Embracing Maybe is a process, one that evolves and will continue to improve your life in new and

exciting ways. For this reason, the true power and nuance of Maybe will come to you outside the pages of this book, when you experience your first moment of joy and vigor in the face of uncertainty.

Maybe is just one change of perspective, but it is one that can change the very direction of your life. So, let’s take a journey together into the land of Maybe, and may we all find  a life of peace, happiness, hope, and success. Just Maybe!


What exciting story are you working on next?

I am writing a book about using the philosophy of Maybe in parenting. Maybe has enabled me to parent with less stress and more ease. I am able to recognize that my children’s lives often are not determined by one moment and, even during tough times, Maybe everything will still be okay. Of course there are imperative moments when our kids must listen to us, like taking a particular medicine if they are sick or mandatory safety provisions during certain activities. Yet much of what we believe is 
”imperative” is a story that we are writing in our minds making us believe that there is only one way for our children to have joyful and successful lives. As we embrace Maybe, we remember parenting is a long road and our children’s well-being and futures are always filled with more opportunities and possibilities even when we can’t see them in the moment.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I am still adapting to calling myself a writer. It is much easier for me to speak to people than to sit down and write a blog or a book. However, writing my book and blogs has been an amazing tool for me to spread my ideas and help people alleviate their emotional suffering. MAYBE over time I will get more comfortable with my new occupation!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I do not write full-time. I am the parent of two girls that keep me quite busy and I have many clients who I work with to help them deal with the uncertainties of growing their businesses, parenting or other common life issues. I try to write a few hours every day for my blog or other publications and also try to spend some time working on my new book.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I need to read my work out loud in order to edit it.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An attorney

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

The idea of Maybe is so simple and I challenge each of you to try it in your life. The first time you are able to alleviate some of your stress and worry with this one simple word, you will find it truly liberating. It will help you feel less emotional pain every day and allow you to feel more joy and seek new opportunities in your life.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Thank you, Allison!

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