A themed tour through Prism Book Tours.Welcome to the Launch for the MISTLETOE KISSES TOUR for
Christmas, Actually
Three Harlequin Heartwarming novellas
By Anna Adams, Anna J. Stewart, and Melinda Curtis
Introducing the Three Stories in Christmas, Actually
The Christmas Gift by Anna Adams
This anthology was born one night in January when Melinda Curtis and Anna J. Stewart and I (Anna Adams) were chatting on Skype, and Melinda suggested a holiday anthology. From there we went to setting, and then to the kind of stories we wanted to write. Christmas Town, Maine came to life and the Banning siblings began living. I hope readers will be moved as I am by Jack and Sophie’s story.
Sophie Palmer was confused when the pregnancy test came back positive, but one thing she knew—she already loved her unborn child. She didn’t expect former Army surgeon, Jack Banning to break all contact with them. He’s promised financial support, but he wants no other contact with her or their coming child.
He must have a reason. She’d known him and loved him for two years. At Christmas, she follows him to Maine to tell him she’s putting his name on the birth certificate.
She no longer loves him. He’s destroyed those feelings, and she will never give their daughter a reason to believe she can expect more than her father’s name, but Sophie can’t forget the soldier who lived by the code of “Leave no man behind,” the doctor who’s cared more for his patients than himself, the man who didn’t know how to be dishonorable.
Fatherless herself, Sophie doesn’t care about the financials. She’ll take care of her own, but she needs to understand why Jack’s become an impossible-to-love stranger.
***The Christmas Wish by Anna J. Stewart
For as long as I've been writing, I never thought I'd ever write a novella. I'm a novel length kinda girl--I just write long books; sometimes very, very long. But when my friend (and writing Yoda) Melinda Curtis proposed the idea of interconnected novellas featuring a set of siblings, I couldn't say no. Especially not when she, Anna Adams and I decided to make it a holiday themed anthology. There's something magical about the holiday season, and writing Callie and Dean's story was a true pleasure. In all honesty, it was also the easiest thing I've ever written; probably because this story comes straight from my heart.
When Callie Banning's student declares war on Christmas, it's up to her to teach the little girl--and her widowed father--to believe again.
Normally when I start a story, the heroine is first to pop into my head. This time around, Dean Galloway entered the scene first. I could see him so clearly, shoulder length blonde hair, the brown leather jacket, the haunted twinkle in his eye as he struggled to raise his little girl on his own. And he came with a camera. No idea why, he just arrived that way. Like a gift. There's something incredibly appealing to me (and hopefully to readers) about a father who is so in love with his child he'll do anything--even move them all across the country--to keep them happy. Adding a tinge of grief to their story and Callie Banning was just the healing effect they'd been looking for. There are people who just fit from the moment they meet; not necessarily that clichéd "you complete me" fit, but that something special that makes life and love all that more exciting. The Christmas Wish is more than about celebrating the holiday season and rediscovering the magic those months bring--it's about finding where one truly belongs, both in home and heart. So come on, welcome to Christmas Town, Maine and meet the Banning siblings, who have a very special New Year coming their way.
***The Christmas Date by Melinda Curtis
The Christmas Date is the third novella in Christmas, Actually – three holiday stories about three siblings living in Christmas Town, Maine, where tradition has it that a kiss on Christmas Eve in the town square gazebo will lead to wedding bells in the new year!
At a critique session, the Annas and I were talking about how we loved holiday stories. It was a natural progression to creating our own special town with heartwarming traditions.
In The Christmas Date, Gina Vernay was in an accident as a child and has a scar down her right cheek. Since then, Gina has always sat on the sidelines, lacking the self-confidence to shine. Wanting what many of her friends have – love, a family – Gina signs up for an online dating account. But her picture doesn’t show her scar. And she’s always too busy running The Tea Cup in Christmas Town to meet anyone, much less a man to share a kiss under the mistletoe in the town’s gazebo. But when one persistent on-line suitor arranges to meet her on Christmas Eve, Gina’s life turns upside down.Will your heart be warmed by a sweet kiss under the mistletoe this year?
Christmas, Actually
by Anna Adams, Anna J. Stewart, & Melinda CurtisClean Contemporary RomancePaperback & Ebook, 202 pagesNovember 1st 2014 by Harlequin HeartwarmingDiscover the magic of Christmas Town, Maine!Three lonely strangers come to Christmas Town, Maine, and find love with three Banning siblings in the town that celebrates the holidays by decorating its square with lights and ribbons and a holiday pageant on Christmas Eve. Tradition has it that a kiss beneath the mistletoe that night means marriage for the couple in the new year.
The Christmas Gift by Anna Adams:
Jack Banning promised to support the mother of his unborn child… But she doesn't need money, she only needs him.
The Christmas Wish by Anna J. Stewart:
Callie Banning's student has declared war on Christmas, so it's up to her to help the little girl—and her widowed father—believe again.
The Christmas Date by Melinda Curtis:
Gina Vernay is about to meet her online mystery date…and she's in for the surprise of a lifetime!
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EXCERPT
This is from the story’s opening. Sophie Palmer, a trauma nurse is driving from Boston to Christmas Town, Maine….
Snowflakes hit the windshield and splayed into star shapes while Bing Crosby crooned his dreams of a white Christmas. Sophie Palmer tried to sing along, but her mind was already racing up the icy interstate to Christmas Town, Maine, where the father of her unborn child now lived.
That Charlie Brown Christmas song came next, with talk of happiness and cheer and families drawing near. Sophie stared at the road, as frozen as the world she was driving into. The closer to Christmas Town she got, the more humiliated she felt.
But she wasn’t going to ask Jack Banning to love her again. He’d rejected her and their child—love wasn’t a possibility.
She dropped one hand to her slightly rounded belly. “You deserve better. You deserve the chance to have a father, if he can remember he’s a decent man.”
Overhead, a sign warned that the exit for Christmas Town was a quarter mile ahead. Time to embark on possibly the most foolish fool’s errand of all time.
She veered off at the exit, pausing to yield, and then turned onto a two-lane road bounded by primeval forest.
Another car was coming toward her, but it shimmied in its lane, as if the driver was asleep. Sophie slid her foot to the brake and lowered her speed, edging to the right, but the other car seemed to follow. It crossed the line. And sped up.
Sophie slapped at the steering wheel to find the horn. She hugged the edge of the road, screaming at the oncoming driver as she tried to stay out of the ditch.
Time yawned as the driver’s face came into focus. A young woman—looking up from her phone. Her face screwed up in horror, and Sophie realized she would see that woman’s expression in nightmares for the rest of her life.
The little blue car swung away, rocking, but then skidded back as the driver tried to steady it.
In the time it took to gasp, Sophie hoped they would have a near miss. Then the back of the girl’s car smacked the front of hers, and they spun away from each other.
That quickly, it was over, and Sophie found herself staring up at snow-covered trees. While the clash of metal echoed in her ears, Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song” made the silence surreal. Sophie whipped off her seat belt and splayed her hands across her stomach.
Nothing. She felt nothing.About the Authors
Anna Adams wrote her first romance in wet sand. The Atlantic Ocean washed it away, but Anna kept going. Her stories are of love, like the proverbial stone in a lake, making ripples that spread and contract and involve. From Iceland to Hawaii, and points in between, Anna and her own hero share with children and family and friends who’ve become family. All this living and loving gives Anna plenty of fodder for stories of love set in real life. Come along and live them with her!
Anna J. Stewart can't remember a time she didn't have a book in her hand or a story in her head and credits her mother never saying no to a book for turning her into a writer. Anna lives in Northern California with an overly attentive cat named Snickers and is happiest when setting her heroes and heroines on their road to happily ever after amidst family, fun and laughter.
Melinda Curtis grew up on an isolated sheep ranch, where mountain lions had been seen and yet she roamed unaccompanied. Being a rather optimistic, clueless of danger, sort she took to playing "what if" games that led her to become an author. She spends days trying to figure out new ways to say "He made her heart pound." That might sound boring, but the challenge keeps her mentally ahead of her 3 kids and college sweetheart husband.
Tour-Wide Giveaway- Gift Card Prize Pack: $20 Amazon gift card and ebook of Christmas, Actually (open
internationally)- US Prize Pack: Paperback of Christmas, Actually and three Christmas ornaments
(US only)- 3 ebooks of Christmas, Actually (open internationally)Ends November 30tha Rafflecopter giveaway
Come along on the tour to find out!
11/11
Christy's Cozy Corners
Coffee Books & Art
11/12
Getting Your Read On
The Book Lovers' Lounge
11/13
Colorimetry
Southern Chelle
11/14
Kelly P's Blog
My Love for Reading Keeps Growing
11/16
The Wonderings Of One Person
Christian Chick's Thoughts
11/17
Bookworm Lisa
fundinmental
11/18
Beck Valley Books
Mel's Shelves
Painted Words
11/19
I Am A Reader
Deal Sharing Aunt
Wishful Endings
11/20
Harlie's Books
JoJo's Corner
Underneath the Covers
11/21
Undercover Book Reviews
Katie's Clean Book Collection
11/23 - Grand Finale
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