LOVE NOTES - A Musa Publishing Anthology
Sometimes words on paper are magical, especially when lovers meet again and again.Love is never a lost cause, and sometimes all it takes is a few special words written down to make all the difference in the world. Wayward cupids, lonely vampires, long-lost loves, and mysterious strangers come together in this collection sure to warm to your heart and steam up your screen.
Read our Love Notes--four Valentine's stories from four outstanding romance authors Sam Cheever, Helen Hardt, Sloane Taylor and Xakara and then maybe write a few letters of your own!
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Sam Cheever writes fast paced fantasy and romantic fiction with feisty characters who deal with life's little challenges in unique and often hilarious ways. As a reader Sam is very impatient. She quickly loses interest if a story doesn't have a good pace and snappy dialogue. Sam's inability to focus in a backwash of human angst and subtleties works out well for her readers, since she writes the way she likes to read.
In her real life, Sam lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 10 dogs, 4 horses, 2 barn cats, 2 daughters, and one husband. Not necessarily in that order.
Find out how you can get free goodies and many even your name in one of her books by joining her Fan Club!
Sloane Taylor is a sensual woman who believes humor and sex are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries over into her books. Her stories are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. A true romantic, the women Sloane writes will bring more than lust to their men’s lives.
Born and raised in Chicago, Sloane and Studly, her mate for life, split their time between a home in Illinois and a weekend cottage on the back roads of Indiana…or you can catch up with her as she travels though Europe, researching new material. Sloane loves to hear from readers. Feel free to email her at sloanetaylor@comcast.net.
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Helen Hardt is an attorney and stay-at-home mom turned award-winning romance author and freelance editor. She met her real-life hero in law school, and they live in Colorado with their two teenage sons. Helen writes contemporary, historical, paranormal, and erotic romance for several publishers. Her non-writing interests include Harley rides with her husband, attending her sons’ sports and music performances, traveling, and Taekwondo (she’s a blackbelt.) Visit Helen at helenhardt.blogspot.com, fiction-editor.blogspot.com andromanceeditor.blogspot.com.
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WIN - Leave a question for one or all of the authors and your name goes in the hat for one of several prizes like free downloads of of your choice from Sam Cheever's Booklist, Sloane Taylor's PHOTO OP!, Sloane Taylor's FRENCH TART, Helen Hardt's IVY LEAGUE COWBOY - Lots of chances to win today! Please leave your email address so we can contact you if you are one of today's lucky readers!
Love Anthologies. They are the best because even if you know a few of the authors, there is always one you don't know. This is the best way to try out new authors. All of these are new authors for me and would love to win and read this book.
ReplyDeleteMy question is for all the ladies. What is your favorite genre to write? Also any good book or author recommendations you could pass along?
Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win. I love valentines day and can't wait to read some good stories.
christinebails@yahoo.com
Happy Release Day Ladies!!!
ReplyDeleteWelcome and super congrats on the new release. Beautiful cover and great idea for an anthology.
Tell us all about your story in this anthology and if the characters are connected to any of your other work or if we'll see them again in the future.
Thanks so much for being with us today, hope you enjoy your party and hope LOVE NOTES is a big success for you all. Have fun!
Good Morning Author Island and Chris!
ReplyDeleteIt's great to be here and I appreciate you having us out today.
Chris - My favorite genre to write is erotica with a HEA. I'm a sucker for romance.:)
Sorry, but I can't help you on the recommendations because there's too many great authors out there and not enough space to list them.
I guess I ran out of space or hit a key too soon. groan.
ReplyDeleteChris, what's your favorite genre to read?
Hey Christine!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by! My favorite genre would be paranormal/fantasy. I love creating new worlds and being able to do anything my imagination can come up with! Pure fun. But romantic suspense is definitely a close second. I usually try to work on at least one of each at the same time so I can fly off into fantasy one day, and then drag myself back down to earth the next! LOL
As far as recommendations, Kresley Cole, Josh Lanyon, Chloe Neill are just a few off the top of my head. I've also just started the Hunger Games series, have you read that? Very good. I'm getting ready to start Book 2.
Happy Reading!
A.I.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the cover. Musa does a fantastic job on art work and their editing process is exhilarating. It's a joy to work with people who know what they're doing!
My story is MASQUERADE. It's set in Venice during Carnival. Clancy Marshall, the heroine is from Chicago. She's on a well deserved, short vacation when she meets Vittore Ricci, a definite snob who she is attracted to. I'll post an excerpt in my next post.
This is a stand alone so the characters don't return. I admit, I will miss them.:)
MASQUERADE EXCERPT:
ReplyDeleteGreen eyes sparkling behind delicate shades of purple feathers held him hostage. Vittore thought he had recognized her the moment she walked onto the pier. When she spoke, he knew his search had finally ended. Determination and desire had persevered. The gods had delivered her into his hands and he wanted to learn more about this mystery woman with her gay laugh and quick wit, even if it was only for one night.
Clancy opened her door, then switched on the entry light. At the bedroom, she glanced over her shoulder, the long plumes brushing her creamy bare shoulder. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be just a moment.”
He wandered around the room, straightening the pillows on the sofa, adjusting a wing backed chair and, finally, the magazines scattered across the pecan desktop. It was there he found a handwritten note caught between the pages. A little guilt crept in for snooping, but he shoved it aside, eager to discover more about this sensual woman who intrigued him.
Note to Self — Loving Venice
1. Ride in a gondola
2. Climb the Campanile in St. Mark’s Square
3. Attend a masked ball
4. Dance under the stars in St. Mark’s Square
5. Tour a professional kitchen
6. Buy one special piece of Murano glass
7. Fall in love—at least for the night
8. Hear a Vivaldi concert
9. Attend an opera at the Fenice
10.
Vittore reread the paper, paying close attention to number seven. He looked out at the waning moon and sent a prayer of thanks to Raphael the Archangel, the patron saint of happy meetings, for his good fortune.
On a whoosh of material, he slid the list back under a book.
“Vittore, I have a suggestion, a little game to add to the Carnaval mystique. Sort of an adult Twenty Questions. Are you willing to play?”
“You spark my interest.” He liked games, particularly in the bedroom. A myriad of erotic foreplay flitted through his mind. Before they said farewell, his princessa would experience pleasures she had never imagined. “What are the rules?”
Hey DeNita!
ReplyDeleteCupid Only Rings Twice is a fun and sexy 20k story that will make you smile, cry, cheer, and walk away feeling as if love really can beat all odds. I LOVED this story. I'm so happy to share Damios and Rori with everybody!
~~*~~
Rori Foster is too beautiful to find love. Men just can’t seem to look past her exterior to recognize the human being inside. This Valentine’s Day, Rori’s gonna meet an honest to god Cupid. And he’ll use more than arrows to win her love. Unfortunately he’ll have to save her from the bad intentions of a cocky Love Demon first. But Damios is determined to protect her. Even if he loses her in the process.
~~*~~
Rori looked at the appetizers and groaned inwardly.
“I hope you like oysters.”
“Oysters? Oh, um, I’ve never tried them. I’ll probably just stick to the antipasto, it looks delicious.”
Damios lifted a shell from the platter and squeezed fresh lemon on it, holding it toward her.
“Just one try. I promise you won’t die from it.”
Rori grimaced, “Are you sure?”
His sexy dark eyes sparkled with mirth. “I am reasonably certain, yes. And if you start to die, I will give you mouth to mouth resuscitation.”
Rori grinned. Talk about motivation. “I’m pretty sure mouth to mouth won’t do a thing for food poisoning.”
“No. But at least we’ll both enjoy your last moments.”
Rori shook her head, rolling her lips to keep from laughing.
Damios lifted the oyster closer. “Come. Try. Expand your horizons.”
For just a moment, looking into Damios’ dark eyes with the thick, velvet fringe of black lashes, Rori had a déjà vu moment that nearly took her breath away.
Deciding he wasn’t going to give up without a fight, Rori sighed, closed her eyes, and opened her mouth obligingly.
She heard the scrape of Damios’ chair against the rough carpet. Smelled his warm, sandalwood scent as he leaned close. Felt the cool, rough edge of the shell against her lips. Then a slight pressure as Damios tipped the shell to expel its slimy contents.
The oyster was cool and silky against her tongue, surprisingly not unpleasant. She swallowed quickly, feeling it glide down her throat in a cool wash.
The scent of sandalwood enveloped her. A warm fingertip touched her chin. Then Rori felt the sweetness of a pair of lips gently touching hers. She gasped, her eyes flying open, and looked into a pair of beautiful, olive green eyes.
Damios skimmed the finger over her chin, holding her gaze for a beat, before sitting back down and fixing her with a soft, sexy smile. “In my family we call it blessing the oyster. It is a practice passed down through generations.”
Rori swallowed hard, her lips still tingling from the delightful touch. She cleared her throat twice before she thought it was safe to speak. “I guess that’s why they call oysters the food of love.”
Damios didn’t respond. He simply picked up another oyster. “Would you like another…?”
“Yes.”
His husky chuckle sent heat spiraling through her, and made her wish there were more oysters on the plate.
Congratulations on the new book. I have always enjoyed reading anthologies because I discover a lot of new to me authors that way. Do you enjoy writing with other authors? Do you talk to each other about storylines?
ReplyDeleteseriousreader at live dot com
Hi all! I'm at JFK Airport on my way home from a week in the Dominican Republic. I miss the beach already. I'm so sorry I couldn't be more active in the launch party today. I hope you all enjoy Love Notes!
ReplyDeleteHi all! I'm at JFK Airport on my way home from a week in the Dominican Republic. I miss the beach already. I'm so sorry I couldn't be more active in the launch party today. I hope you all enjoy Love Notes!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I love anthologies! Can't wait to nab this one! Have you written together before? Have you written holiday stories before? Hope you're celebrating your release in a fun way!
ReplyDeletef dot chen at comcast dot net
Hey Linda!
ReplyDeleteWe actually did not get together on the stories, though I'm thrilled to be included in an anthology with such a talented group of authors. The publisher pretty much handled organization of the story lines. I think you'll be pleased with the diversity though. It's a great, fun mix of stories!
Hey flchen1!
ReplyDeleteActually, I do a Halloween Love Series, which I write a new book for every year, and I usually write a free short at Christmas for my fans, other than that Valentine's Day is the only other holiday I've written to. I guess it makes sense, given that I write romance. LOL The first book in my Gods of Love series, Nocked Over, was a Valentine's story too.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the book!
Hi Linda,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the congrats and coming to our launch party.
Anthologies are a great way to meet new authors. As Sam said, Love Notes is a fun mix and its sure to please every reader.
Hi Flchen1,
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoy anthologies. You'll be very happy with this one.
I've not written with these excellent authors before. Also, this is my first anthology and holiday, But I'd love to do another.
Normally, my work is stand alone contemporary set in Europe. I've done one book, a sci-fi, with a co-author which was a lot of fun.
Thank for being here!
Hi! Congrats on your releases! This anthology sounds so good! I love anthologies, great way to find other authors. ;D Do you plan on writing another anthology again together?
ReplyDeleteshadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Hey Shadow!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to work with Helen and Sloane again. I'm sure we'll have the opportunity! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Shadow,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the congrats and it's good to meet you.
You bet I'd like to work with these fine authors again! Unknowingly, they kept me on track.Trust me, I need it:)
Hey Everyone,
ReplyDeleteSorry I haven't been around. Technically, I'm still not around, but I've had the chance to stop in.
@Chris, my favorite genre is paranomral. I love that it's open to absolutely everything. No matter what I want to explore, I can craft a world in which it is normal and take it wherever I wish.
@AI, ITS SWEETEST FORM is the story of a vampire, werewolf and psychic medium that have been best friends forever. Guided by a book nn communicating in writing when you can't get the words out otherwise, they start down a path that chances their relationship forever.
ISF is the third story and the second novella, set in my TherianWorld series, where shifters are the dominant preternaturals and the supernatural is part of open, everyday life.
@Linda, Although this particular anthology was publisher organized, I do have an upcoming anthology that was author organized and will showcase more of my TherianWorld.
@flchen, I haven't written with these authors before, but I love the way the anthology came out, and would happily do so again.
This is my third holiday release. I have a Christmas release GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST, and a Fourth of July release DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT, both in my PsiCorps Chronicles. The third PsiCorps book will also have a Fourth o July theme and there is another Christmas release in the works.
@Shadow, these ladies are all new to me, but I'd happily write for a project with them again!
~Xakara
Good Morning Everyone,
ReplyDeleteIt's time to announce the prizes from our Love Notes launch. I'm happy to say there are four winners! And they are:
Chris Bails French Tart
Flchen1 French Tart
Linda Henderson Photo Op!
Shadow Photo Op!
Thank you all for coming out and playing!