No, it's not Christmas, LOL. Not yet anyway. THAT holiday will be upon us soon enough. November, however, is proving to be my favorite month this year, not only because fall should soon be in full swing, but a kinder, gentler pall tends to fall over the world around this time. Or maybe that's my imagination because that's how I feel it should be. The holidays have always made me feel full of promise; when I see friend and family I don't see as often, when the air is filled with the aroma of hot cider and crisp bite of cold.
This year I've felt particularly thankful, as one of my biggest dreams will soon be coming true (more on that later). What better year for me to have written a Thanksgiving book! My latest Butterfly Harbor story, THE FIREFIGHTER'S THANKSGIVING WISH is out this month and, I have to say, this book was so much fun to write. A bit lighter than my last few, with lots of comedic moments thanks to my elderly cast of characters, The Cocoon Club, I enjoyed focusing on a holiday that doesn't seem to get a lot of attention on our rush to get to Christmas. Frankie and Roman's journey to Happily Ever After felt particularly joyous if not fraught with some...well, complications. Hey, it's a romance! Complications are a must!
Is it just me or is that cover swoonworthy? That is SO how I imagined Frankie when she first popped up in SAFE IN HIS ARMS. And yes, she is a firefighter, too. I was so lucky to reconnect with a high school friend who is a Lieutenant in the San Francisco Fire Department. She read over my "technical" scenes with a critical eye and, much to my surprise, was shocked to hear there was going to be a book featuring a female firefighter. I hope I did her proud with the final result. And a side note: good things really can come from attending your high school reunion, LOL.
Good things also come out of the blue. The news that one of my Butterfly Harbor books had been optioned for a TV movie could not have been more of a surprise. A most welcome surprise, as anyone who knows me knows this has always been one of my biggest dreams. Well, the day is fast approaching: A CHRISTMAS RECIPE FOR ROMANCE will air on UPtv on November 24th! It stars Sebastian Sacco and adorable Madeline Leon (you might recognize her from AFTER THE STORM, an UPtv movie from earlier this year based on the Harlequin Special Edition by Christine Rimmer). You can click here to find UPtv on your cable provider.
This year I've felt particularly thankful, as one of my biggest dreams will soon be coming true (more on that later). What better year for me to have written a Thanksgiving book! My latest Butterfly Harbor story, THE FIREFIGHTER'S THANKSGIVING WISH is out this month and, I have to say, this book was so much fun to write. A bit lighter than my last few, with lots of comedic moments thanks to my elderly cast of characters, The Cocoon Club, I enjoyed focusing on a holiday that doesn't seem to get a lot of attention on our rush to get to Christmas. Frankie and Roman's journey to Happily Ever After felt particularly joyous if not fraught with some...well, complications. Hey, it's a romance! Complications are a must!
Is it just me or is that cover swoonworthy? That is SO how I imagined Frankie when she first popped up in SAFE IN HIS ARMS. And yes, she is a firefighter, too. I was so lucky to reconnect with a high school friend who is a Lieutenant in the San Francisco Fire Department. She read over my "technical" scenes with a critical eye and, much to my surprise, was shocked to hear there was going to be a book featuring a female firefighter. I hope I did her proud with the final result. And a side note: good things really can come from attending your high school reunion, LOL.
Good things also come out of the blue. The news that one of my Butterfly Harbor books had been optioned for a TV movie could not have been more of a surprise. A most welcome surprise, as anyone who knows me knows this has always been one of my biggest dreams. Well, the day is fast approaching: A CHRISTMAS RECIPE FOR ROMANCE will air on UPtv on November 24th! It stars Sebastian Sacco and adorable Madeline Leon (you might recognize her from AFTER THE STORM, an UPtv movie from earlier this year based on the Harlequin Special Edition by Christine Rimmer). You can click here to find UPtv on your cable provider.
Based on the second Butterfly Harbor book, RECIPE FOR REDEMPTION, this story has gone through a bit of a transformation. It's now about Christmas (of course!), Jason Corwin is now British (yay!), and there will be snow (even though there's no snow in Butterfly Harbor). Some characters have been combined, others have been added, and there are a few story tweaks (not everything can make it into a script), but having read what I've read...and seen what I've seen, I'm super excited to watch the final product!
If you're interested in the behind the scenes story from when I visited the set, and met the actors, producers, director and behind the scenes talent, you can find a blog post all about it on right on my website. And don't worry, I'll be back on the 23rd to remind you all to tune in (and set your DVRs...those ratings count, too!).
Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season ahead and can take time to enjoy your family and friends. Happy reading and watching, everyone.
<3
~Anna J
USA Today and
national bestselling author Anna J. Stewart writes sweet to sexy romance for
Harlequin's Heartwarming and Romantic Suspense lines. Early obsessions with Star
Wars, Star Trek, and Wonder Woman set her on the path to creating
fun, funny, and family-centric romances with happily ever afters for her
independent heroines. A former RWA Golden Heart nominee and 2018 Daphne
DuMaurier finalist, her Heartwarming book RECIPE FOR REDEMPTION was recently
optioned for a TV Movie and will air on UPtv during the 2019 holiday season. Anna
lives in Northern California where she deals with a serious Supernatural, Sherlock, and Jason Momoa addiction and surrounds herself with friends
and family. When she's not writing, you can find her at fan conventions, at her
local movie theater, or building her client list for her content editing
services. You can read more about Anna and her books at
www.authorannastewart.com.
Your movie update is fantastic. I'm glad you're having fun with it. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, too, which is why I enjoyed ending A FAMILY FOR JASON on Thanksgiving. I like the day because it's more low-key than Christmas--we're seeing Christmas hoopla starting already around here. And unlike Christmas, we can all celebrate Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Virginia. I agree. I love the laid back atmosphere of Thanksgiving. And we've got Christmas going at full speed here, too! It's like we skip over it even tho it's for everyone. Thanks for stopping by. <3
DeleteSo exciting that there is going to be a movie. I will definitely look for it. I have not read that particular Butterfly Harbor story, but I am sure it will be a wonderful adaptation.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carla. Hope you enjoy!
DeleteI just finished Frankie and Roman's story. So cute, with the cocoon club and his mother. I'm really excited about the movie. Loved the original story. Hope it's a huge hit. Lots to be thankful for this year!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the movie. The new cover is very appealing, will definitely make people pick it up. Everyone can be thankful but my sister who lives in Toronto always likes to remind me that they do it at a different time of year!
ReplyDeleteWow! Congratulations. I'll be sure to watch it since watching Christmas movies is on my list from the moment they begin until January when life goes back to normal.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the movie! That is so exciting. Can't wait to see it and I hopped over to your blog and read about your visit. What fun!!
ReplyDeleteI’m really hoping I can get this movie (no cable tv) but if not, the book will be a wonderful option. Congratulations! So exciting.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for you Anna! It's a different world --film making, and you and your talent deserve this showcase. I can't wait to see the movie. And YES, your Thanksgiving book looks fabulous. It's on my Amazon order! Congratulations all the way around!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for your movie!
ReplyDeleteThe movie is so exciting! I hope you enjoy every moment of it. Please tell me you're having a party for the premiere. So much to celebrate this time of year:-)
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