Author: C.D. Gorri

READERS!

Are you active online? Are you constantly looking for new books to fall in love with? Well… Welcome to BOOK GUSH OCTOBER!

Over 100 authors are looking to send out print book packages to those active on IG, TT and FB, to help spread the word about books you might not know, with stories you are dying to read! ALL GENRES except children’s books will be available!

So? How do you get in on this? FILL THIS OUT:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKllWjFWK2f5_4H8CPj5uT878zGrhfqEd5PVwHX1Ck6l-ZXA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR0Bv1ImzGGH_e0l4rKSmicIk9Y-oM1XxDjA46kl1lOnUL2uplrJH7rA5Gs

This form is open from today the 25th to the 1stof September!
And starting in September authors involved will be picking their recipient, and sending a package to them!

Participating readers MUST post Video’s, Lives or Reels for the ‘unboxing’ of the book, and a gush post during the read or after. THIS IS NOT A REVIEW REQUEST. We don’t want your review, we want your influence, your post about the book you receive.

ARE YOU IN? Take a chance and find some diamonds you never knew existed!

#BOOKGUSH #BOOKGUSHOCTOBER #influencermarketing

Hey readers!

THANK YOU so much for grabbing my book on sale! Shifter Mountain grabbed a few bestseller flags and that was so awesome to see <3 I am so proud of this book. You might recall this was featured in the USA Today Bestselling anthology Hearts Unleashed.

If you did not grab it then, you can now for just $0.99 (for a few more days anyway)…

THANK YOU!

#myreadersarethebest

xoxo

C.D.

The Masterminds of Shifters Unleashed Are Back Again…

…and this time they’re bringing the MAGIC!

Rituals & Runes is an anthology packed with tales of magic, steam, and more from the hottest bestselling authors in paranormal romance and urban fantasy! 

Join us for an author interview with Jordin Thiele about her book, Witch, Wolf, Mine, which will come out only in the anthology.

Author: Jordin Thiele

Book: Witch, Wolf, Mine!

RR: So awesome of you to talk with us today. What is the one aspect of your story that you think readers will enjoy?

Jordin: The unexpected interaction between shifter and witch.

RR: Sounds exciting! 

Name something magical from the plot of your story.

Jordin: The confusion of who claimed who.

RR: We will have to find out! 

What book or genre would you love to write in?

Jordin: I am already a Multi-Genre author but recently I have been interested in the Y.A. and N.A. groups.

RR: Those are very appealing genres. 

What is something you’ve tried and would love to do so again?

Jordin: I would really like to do another Horror and have a few in mind for the future.

RR: That’s great because many paranormal romance readers also love horror.

What books do you have coming out that are not involved in the anthology?

Jordin: I have ‘Aurora Borealis’ which is Paranormal (Vampires) Stand Alone Romance.

I’m also working with Melissa Bell to co-write ‘Sebastian’ the second book in the Demon Hunters Series.

RR: Great! What is the best part of being an author?

Jordin: I get to stretch my imagination and say the things that I wouldn’t get away with saying out loud. I also get to lose myself in the worlds I create before the readers get to read about them.

RR: Do you prefer a quiet dinner with friends or a night out at a club?

Jordin: When I was young I would have gone for the nightclub but now that I am older I would much rather the quiet dinner with friends or family.

Thank you so much. Here’s more exciting information about Witch, Wolf, Mine! 

Book Blurb:

Everyone has a secret, a past, or something they’d just rather forget. Angie and Andreas are no different. But when their paths cross, they come face to face with the horrible truths that have been lying in wake haunting them for years. Andreas has lived with his uncle who has forced him to keep a secret about his father since he was a pup. But he isn’t a pup anymore, and he’s ready to claim his mate, despite the fact that he has been forbidden by Uncle Pete, and told to stay away from the female that was no ordinary human. And to see that Andreas did as he was told, Pete called in some old friends to help him keep his nephew in line. 

Angie has lived with the shame and guilt surrounding her parents’ deaths for years.  No one except her knows the awful truth about what really happened that day, but she was a minor, and she was scared, and now she was alone. She wants Andreas like she has never wanted anybody before, but has to come to realize she has accidentally cast him out. She can’t have it both ways, he’s either all in or all out.

Excerpt:

She closed her eyes and began to chant. “From rivers wide and valley low, Whether it be rain, or snow, Keep the wolves outside at bay, Through the night and again at day. Shield my home from man or beast, Demons alive and those deceased. Let no harm come to those I love, Show a sign and send a dove.” “A dove?” Odonis asked with a hint of sarcasm. “Hey! I’m out of practice okay?” “Well, while you’re at it, you might want to brush up on your poetry skills as well.” Just as he said that, a dove flew straight into the window, snapping its neck on impact. “Meh, whatever works I suppose.” Odonis said “You didn’t say it had to be alive when it showed up.” Angie raised her eyebrows and bowed her head slightly at Odonis as if to say ‘At least it worked.’ A single wolf could be heard close by, howling as if in pain. “Should I go see if its hurt?, Angie suggested “It could have been shot by Uncle Mike and need some help.” “Sure, why not? First shoot the wolf, then put a spell on it to keep it away, then bring it in here to patch it up. You really have lost your way haven’t you?” Odonis replied. “You’re right, what was I thinking?” “Clearly you weren’t, how did you survive without me all these years?” he asked her. “By indulging in the silence and lack of sarcasm,” she replied, “didn’t anyone ever tell you it was the lowest form of wit?” With that Angie called it a day and turned in for the night.

*** 

Angie felt the covers being pulled back, followed by his hand gently touching her on the front of her leg. Then slowly sliding seamlessly up to her inner thigh. A small gasp escaped her lips, she rolled further onto her back allowing more access for his experienced touch. His thumb reached her panties and gently stroked back and forth along her seem. Her back arched slightly with pleasure and a moan rattled in her throat. “Andreas” she whispered. She opened her eyes to look into his, ready to beg him to take her. When she did, she was face to face with a wolf that was baring his teeth at her. Angie screamed, and suddenly she was awake, Odonis flew in to her rescue, fearing her spell had failed at protecting her, and so had he.” “I’m sorry, I must have been dreaming” She explained “Coming back here has opened a lot of old wounds and having those fucking wolves fighting outside today, seemed to have shaken me up more than it should.” “Perhaps I should stay in here” Odonis said as he perched on the foot of the bed frame. “At least then I’ll know if there’s a real emergency or your just having another wet dream about the boy next door, or should I say across the lake?” “Stay out of my dreams ya pervert!” she said as her face scowled at him “And it wasn’t wet by the way.” “No, it wasn’t, sloppy maybe, but definitely not wet.” “If you’re going to be an ass, you can go back into the other room.”

Author Bio:

J. Thiele lives in Brisbane, Australia. She writes in a variety of genres, ranging from paranormal romance, old fashioned who did it – Detective novels and most recently has broadened her scope with the addition of writing horror. 

She finds writing therapeutic and centering which tends to balance out her energetic personality, and the occasional bout of insomnia. Although she has realised that writing horror at night can raise your blood pressure when you see a movement out of the corner of the eye. It’s all too easy to scare oneself half to death.

Where to find her:

Website: https://authorjthiele.wixsite.com/authorjordinthiele

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-thiele

Website: https://www.authorjthiele.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jthiele

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/J.-Thiele/e/B00XW8S6LM/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jordintheiele

Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jordinthiele?fan_landing=true

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thieleauthor/

Newsletter- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEFKXbIX5z1hHe5yqQUh_f2yTZmxiJfCsi4qwG2Wz40ApixQ/viewform?c=0&w=1

Facebook Reading Group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/307826966552421

Get more magical & paranormal-themed stories like this in Rituals & Runes!

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3oz9aGJ

Rituals & Runes GIVEAWAYS

KINDLE GIVEAWAY

BIG BOX OF BOOKS

Gift Card

Bookfunnel Special Group Promos

https://books.bookfunnel.com/steamyromancepnrplus/u7imu26awo

NEW RELEASES in AUGUST

Purrfectly Kissed is coming August 3rd

Once Upon An Ever After featuring Sweet As Candy is coming August 16

Arachne is coming August 23

Werewolf Fever is coming August 31

Demi by Kincade & Bishop

Blood & Lust by Ariel Dawn

Shifter Happens Anthology

Hell’s Belle by Julie Morgan

Osiris by Amy Kessler

Shifting Forms for Clumsy Felines by Laura Greenwood

Lioness of Karnak by Laura Greenwood.

Justice and Her League by TJ Bell

Mason by Eve Riley

Peppermint Tea and Nothing is Free by Laura Greenwood

Shifters Truth by Greenwood & Tape

SALES & FREEBIES (always check prices before clicking)

A Bear For Christmas $0.99

Shifter Mountain $0.99 Sale starts mid august thru the 30th (1st time on sale)

SpellCaster by Laura Greenwood Aug 10 – Sept 10 $0.99

Second Chance Spirit by Carrie Pulkinen 99¢ August 15 – 21

The Dragon’s Valentine is FREE

Bound By Air is FREE

Dragon and Drakes FREE Antho

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Hello readers!

Some of you have asked me for an updated release schedule so I thought I would just post here, but please be aware that sometimes life happens and dates get rearranged.

THANK YOU!

Purrfectly Kissed is coming August 3rd

Once Upon An Ever After featuring Sweet As Candy is coming August 16

Arachne is coming August 23

Werewolf Fever is coming August 31

Tiger Denied is coming Sept 20

Rituals & Runes featuring Air Witch is coming October 4th

Purrfectly Trapped is coming October 11 (might be moved up)

Spring Fling is coming October 11 (might be moved up)

Sealed Fate is coming October 16th

Hungry For Her Bear is coming October 31

Purrfectly Caught is coming Nov 15

The Dragon’s Surprise Nov 18th

Shifter Christmas Howlidays Dec 1

Purrfectly Naughty Dec 13

Book Funnel Macconwood Pack Take exclusive

The Dragon’s Dream Dec 23

Bearing Gifts Dec 24

Vampire Shield Jan 15th

Purrfectly Bound Jan 17

Shake That Sass February 1

*Subject to change

All your favorite sexy creatures of your dreams are waiting for you in Rituals & Runes, a tantalizing collection of paranormal romance and urban fantasy tales. The authors of this anthology have a series of interviews regarding our box set.

Today, please welcome author Piper Stone to discuss her sexy tale, Dark Reign, which is only available in the anthology!

Author: Piper Stone

Book: Dark Reign

R&R: You have described your story as a dark little piece in the anthology, tell us why this is an apt description? 

Piper: My hero is a very bad man, both with regard to the fact he’s a powerful mafia leader and that because of a vicious curse, he’s forced to live his life as a vampire. And our heroine is the fixation of his desires, incapable of refusing his desires. 

R&R: What a hot, intriguing story readers can look forward to!

What do you think readers will like most about the love interest? 

Piper: I think that our heroine is very strong, a fighter who refuses to give in. However, our hero does have a soft spot, more humanity than you might think a dead mafia king might have. 

R&R: Layered characters make a story great and engaging. We can’t wait to read it.

Can you give us some insight into what makes your main characters tick? 

Piper: For our hero, it’s all about the fact he was cursed by a witch, forced to live as the undead. For our heroine, she’s compelled by her instincts and spiritual gifts to explore the realm of witchcraft, a trait inherited by her grandmother. 

R&R: Those are the types of challenges that make characters relatable and draw us in as readers.

What qualities does your female, main character possess? 

Piper: All the feistiness of a true heroine, including a strong will to live. She also has dark desires that ultimately become impossible to ignore. 

R&R: I bet she will give that vampire a good run around! 

What about you as an author. Do you have a favorite place to write? Where is it?

Piper: I have an amazing office full of books and music where I write every day. 

R&R: That’s an author’s dream come true! Very lovely.

What books do you have coming out that are not involved in the anthology? 

Piper: I have a release every two weeks, including additional stories from the dark mafia world of Sinners and Saints, a sexy reverse harem involving oil riggers, and a hot little sci-fi about a human thief. 

R&R: Those are quite a few amazing titles readers can get their hands on! Congratulations!

If you chose three people for a dinner party, who would they be, and why? 

Piper: Stephen King, Bentley Little and Dean Koontz because I’m a horror junkie. 

R&R: That makes total sense given your slant toward the dark side in your writing. Very nice.

Would you rather travel to the same place once a year or move every month to a new place?

Piper: I’d rather travel to a new place, enjoying the culture and excitement of the people, indulging in their food and customs.

R&R: Awesome! Sounds like an adventure like your books. Thanks for joining us. 

If you’d like to find out more about this story, read on for more information and a juicy snippet.

Blurb: She is my salvation, innocent and vulnerable. Now, she belongs to me.

As the firstborn of the Bartholomew mafia family, I’m used to getting what I want, no matter the savagery I’m forced to use. However, when a single miscalculation leads to a damning curse, not only is the powerful hold on my empire threatened but my mortal life as well. Sequestered in the darkness, I’m plagued with an insatiable thirst only human blood can quench.

The moment Rayne Ward enters my life, my hunger becomes something else entirely.

Predatory. With a single whiff of her intoxicating scent, I realize she’s the only one who can break the horrific spell. She can fight the burning desire, the electricity sparking between us, but she will never be free.

My beast will claim her, but the man will keep her forever.

Excerpt

A delicious scent filtered across the street; the floral perfume laced with just a hint of exotic spices. Inhaling, I filled my lungs and closed my eyes briefly. Hunger roared through my system, but it wasn’t my usual craving for blood that had drawn me to this location or to the luscious creature.

It was her feminine scent, delicate and sweet, that had inspired my dark cravings. I dragged my tongue across my lips, my breathing labored just from the mere sight of her alone. She had no idea that a predator was watching, waiting patiently for the right time. 

Tonight was the night her life would change, surrendering to my carnal needs. I’d studied her for some time, absorbing her habits, her long hours spent at job that was beneath her intellectual abilities. With few friends, her time spent alone entailed burying her nose in a book, obviously longing for a better life, one that could provide excitement like the heroines in the romance novels she devoured. 

I was the man who would provide everything she’d ever wanted, fulfilling her darkest fantasies.

Rayne.

Her name rolled across my tongue as I whispered it, igniting the kind of fire I hadn’t experienced in years. 

Then I would sink my teeth into her porcelain skin, savoring the taste of her blood as I extinguished her life. The thought pushed my throbbing cock against my trousers, the hard pinch creating an ache that would remain until I buried my shaft deep inside her pretty, pink pussy. 

She was very organized, ensuring the lock on the library door was intact before walking down the aging stone steps, tugging on her light jacket. The girl who’d walked out beside her chatted away, her drivel regarding whatever cute young man who’d visited the hallowed halls of the establishment boring my luscious flower. I could sense Rayne was attempting to be polite while longing for the dark hair girl to shut up. 

A part of me wanted to become her hero, removing the troublesome girl from Rayne’s life, leaving her bloodless body on the cracked sidewalk. But I would refrain from indulging at least for now. I moved closer, longing to gather a stronger whiff of Rayne’s delicious fragrance. Exotic, spicy and when combined with the scent of her aching pussy, my desires bordered insatiable. 

When the useless girl finally walked away, Rayne began her walk, the same one she took every night. This part of New Orleans was safe, so she’d been led to believe after returning to her hometown. Little did she know the kind of danger she was in. She would soon learn that monsters lurked in the shadows, prepared to take what belonged to them at any time.

Tonight was the night.

Soon, Rayne Ward would belong to me. 

Body and soul.

Author Bio:

Amazon Top 100 Internationally Best-Selling Author, Kindle Unlimited All Star, Piper Stone writes in several genres. From her worlds of dark mafia, cowboys and marines to contemporary reverse harem, shifter romance and science fiction, she attempts to delight readers with a foray into darkness, sensuality, suspense and always a romantic HEA. When she’s not writing, you can find her sipping merlot while she enjoys spending time with her three Golden Retrievers (Indiana Jones, Magnum PI and Remington Steele) and a husband who relishes in creating fabulous food. 

Dangerous is Delicious.

Where you can find her:

Newsletter Link  http://eepurl.com/c2QvLz

Home

https://www.facebook.com/authorpiperstone/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1868206103443965/

http://www.instagram.com/authorpiperstone/

http://amazon.com/author/piperstone

http://bookbub.com/authors/piper-stone

https://www.tiktok.com/@piperstoneauthor

piperstonecreations@gmail.com

Get more magical & paranormal-themed stories like this in Rituals & Runes!

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3oz9aGJ

Fall under the spell of the hottest bestselling authors in paranormal romance and urban fantasy with the Rituals and Runes Anthology which welcomes author, Calla Zae. 

Please enjoy an author interview featuring her book, The Wicked Return, only available in the anthology!

Author: Calla Zae

Book: The Wicked Return

R&R: Thanks for joining us today. What made you write about witches?

Calla: I love mystical things such as tarot cards. I have quite a few oracle decks at home. I’ve always wanted to write a witch romance, so when the opportunity presented itself, I joined Rituals & Runes!

R&R: Tarot cards are so much fun and are a super neat way to link your story to the overall anthology theme.

Without sharing spoilers, what part of your story made you feel the strongest emotion while writing it?

Calla: When I wrote the scene on how Ariyana encountered the otherworldly witches. These women gave her hope, which she used to heal herself physically and emotionally.

R&R. How moving and touching. It will be interesting to see how it comes into play in the plot. 

If you were in your story, what do you think you would do in the world and what role would you have in your world?

Calla: I’d be an otherworldly witch of course. Who doesn’t want to play with magic? Lol.

R&R: Great question! And it’s on point, because who wouldn’t? Also, we’re looking forward to understanding what “otherworldly” means in your story.

What are your main characters’ hobbies? 

Calla: Ariyana loves to collect crystals and dabble with interior design. Dillon enjoys sports and loves to go fishing.

R&R: They seem to be sort of opposites that make a wonderful juxtaposition in a book.

Who is your book boyfriend and why?

Calla: I have so many! Lol. But I have to say that Roarke from the J.D Robb series is my book boyfriend for now. He’s a dark and dangerous billionaire who only loves one woman.

R&R: Wow. He does sound sexy. 

What made you take part in the anthology?

Calla: Because it was a perfect opportunity for me to write my witch story. I also wanted to meet other writers too. I’ve met a lot of friends working on this anthology!

R&R: That’s a lovely reason. And yes, the group has been really neat to get to know.

What books do you have coming out that are not involved in the anthology?

Calla: I have an Asian fantasy novel coming out in October 2022 and a contemporary romance releasing in November under a different name.

R&R: Very cool you write diverse books and contemporary romance as well.

Would you rather have to sing along to every song or have to dance to every song? 

Calla: Probably sing. 

R&R: Singing seems easier than dancing so I can see why you chose that. Lol!

Thanks again for talking with us today. Find out more about The Wicked Return below!

Book blurb:

He may not be punctual, but sure as hell, he’d promptly kill anyone who hurt her.

As a human with a painful past, Ariyana struggles to learn extraordinary magic from otherworldly witches. She secretly loves a man but is afraid of making the same mistakes that once hurt her. When she is captured by an enemy, she is forced to find the power to fight a wicked vendetta that will destroy everyone she has come to love.

Dillon has an open mind, but he is always late to everything. The one time he is “punctual,” he’s tossed into a dark world, where a confession opens his heart and makes him realize that he has wasted too much time hiding his true feelings from the woman who holds his heart.

 Is it too late for Dillon to confess his wicked desire to Ariyana?

Excerpt:

Dillon was scheduled to arrive today to deliver an order for breadboards, butcher blocks, and boxes for wines and candles. As always, he was late today, a whole hour. The Apothecary staff was used to it, expected it.

If Ariyana made it back now, she could hopefully at least catch a glimpse of him. She got up from the ground and prepared to head back to the wagon of baskets when she noticed that the swirling image from the pond hadn’t disappeared. It should have vanished when the scrying stopped.

An uncomfortable sensation settled in her stomach. The swirling gray cloud rose from the water’s surface, forming into a figure of mud that floated back down to stand in the water. The muddy figure moved toward her. Goosebumps bloomed all over her body. This figure didn’t belong in this sacred space.

Who was it? What was it? How had it snuck in?

Fear skated down her spine, and she stepped back. Sludge slid and dripped down the female figure as it carved out her form.

She walked out of the water and stepped onto the ground. The wet dirt sagged off her form, revealing a translucent face Ariyana had seen in pictures taken with the Taka siblings. Ariyana’s heart thundered with fear as she stared at Sanna, who used to be one of the Zintakan witches but had since become an evil witch. A witch who was supposed to be imprisoned.

 Author Bio

I love writing otherworldly romance novels. I’m an artist, and I love to create visuals to convey my stories.

I live in Massachusetts with my husband who keeps me grounded to Earth and two creative children who think I have my own secret planet. They’re onto something…

Where to find her:

Website: https://www.callazae.com/

Newsletter Link: https://callazae.com/newsletter/

Amazon Profile: www.amazon.com/author/callazae

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/callazae/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callazae

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/callazae/_created/

Bookbub Link: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/calla-zae

FB author page: https://www.facebook.com/callazaeauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20603799.Calla_Zae

Get more magical & paranormal-themed stories like this in Rituals & Runes!

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3oz9aGJ

Looking for your next hot read? Look no further than Rituals & Runes, a limited-time anthology featuring the HOTTEST bestselling authors in paranormal romance, urban fantasy, reverse harem, and MORE!

And today, you can find out about one of the stories exclusive to Rituals and Runes Anthology. Let’s welcome author Melissa MacKinnon who will chat with us about Crown of Crows.

Author: Melissa MacKinnon

Book: Crown of Crows

R&R: This book cover is amazing. I’m getting Snow White vibes. Was that intentional? Can you tell us why or why not, and explain?

Melissa: My cover is seriously amazing. I gave her the story, and she came up with THAT. No, it wasn’t intentional, but I love writing kick-butt female characters. 

Elowen is next in line to be the Queen of elves, but she’s hiding a secret. She was born with the old magic, particularly shadow magic. It comes in the shape of crows, and her shadows do her bidding, which isn’t always on the good side of things. Where Snow White might be pure, Elowen is quite the opposite. But, she is looking for her prince! She finds him in Balen, the human who saves her life.

R&R: Juicy! And at least we hit on the queen who might be a bit naughty vibe. Lol!

If you were in your story, what do you think you would do in the world and what role would you have in your world?

Melissa: Honestly, I’d probably just be trying to survive. The humans have been after Elven land for decades, and the wars just keep on raging. Being a human myself, surviving would be my greatest task. The Elven women are the greatest warriors in the land, and pretty much take what they want. I don’t think I’d live past my teens! 

R&R: Wicked as in very cool and a bit evil, both of which we like.

Without sharing spoilers, tell us about the book’s conflict. What is your main character’s goal and what’s in their way?

Melissa: Elowen has been betrayed by her own eleven sisters. They are afraid of her, of her magic. She’s saved by an unlikely hero – a human, no less. While Elowen has been trying to negotiate a peace, her sisters have had other plans. Elowen has no choice but to form a wavering alliance with her human savior… In order to stay alive. And, now that her magic is out there, both sides- Elven and human-want her head.

R&R: Wow. The description of this story gets worse and worse in a very intriguing and appealing way. Captivating! 

How did you right-size the research you did for this book? Did you ever find yourself getting lost in the research or stopping too soon?

Melissa: I have ADHD, which means I get lost in the research quite often. My google search history is filled with searches like, “what color is elven blood”? And “how is leather armor reinforced”? But also… “at what angle is the best for a sword to enter between ribs”? I have to laugh. I love the fantasy world I’ve created, and I’ve tried to keep it as accurate as possible. And sometimes, that includes some pretty crazy research.

R&R: Being neurodiverse can sometimes be a challenge but also can open some fascinating doors. And you’re like, I swear, I’m an author, I can explain…lol!

How about your bookish experiences. Have you ever gone on a literary journey? Tell us about it.

Melissa: I decided to take a trip to Scotland in order to know the history and the people while writing a book. But, who am I kidding? The book was my excuse to get on a plane in the name of “research”. I fell in love with the country, its people, and its dangerous history of war, epic battles, and love stories for the ages. I spent almost a month traveling the countryside of the UK and I can’t wait to get back for inspiration.

R&R: Epic! Truly sounds incredible. We’re glad you did that.

What has been your favorite book to write to date?

Melissa: I’d have to say, my sweet romcom, THE DO-OVER, has been my favorite so far. I set it in my hometown in Maine, and also included some of my favorite people, my grandparents, and the absolutely hard-to-understand Maine accent. Ha! I put my heart and my childhood into that book. Some of the childhood memories of the hero, Finn, were taken straight from my own.

R&R: Swoony and fun!

What books do you have coming out that are not involved in the anthology?

Melissa: So, so many! 2022 and 2023 are loaded with books from me! I have one I’m super excited to share with readers called STAR STRUCK and it’s about an up-and-coming country singer who falls in love with the waitress at his favorite hole-in-the-wall coffee shop. And of course, when he finally gets noticed and ends up the opening act for a famous singer, he forgets all about the woman who helped get him there. Can you say, “drama”? 

I also have the second book in my Finding Home Series debuting! It’s the second book after The Do-Over, starring Finn’s sister, Tess. She’s had a hard life as a single mom, but when she meets Brody, an Army Veteran who gave his all-including his leg for his country, they heal each other in ways they couldn’t imagine. It’s also a sweet romcom that will have readers swooning!

R&R: We have such talented authors in this group who have so many wonderful books to offer, including you!

Would you rather know the history of objects you touched or talk to animals?

Melissa: Oh my gosh. You know me too well. I am a history ADDICT. I have an obsession with doors. When I was in Europe, I took more pictures of doors than I did my husband or kids. I love running my fingers along the worn wood, just imagining all the great people who have touched it before me. The same goes for stone walls in castles. I’ve stood in the same spot where Mary, Queen of Scots waited for her execution. It brought me to tears. 

R&R: Honestly, we had no idea we would hit such a great note with that last question. So glad it hit home and that you connected with it. 

We hope you connected with her interview. To find out more about Crown of Crows, read on!

Blurb:

A forbidden love. A kingdom inherited. Without him, she’ll burn it to the ground.

Magic hasn’t been seen in centuries. Once, it ruled the land along with the elven warriors, keeping the peace and the enemy at bay. Magic faded, and now there is nothing but war.

Elowen took her duty seriously. She is next in line to the elven throne, and she’s dedicated her life to the task. Reigning over a kingdom will be no small feat, especially when she finds a sword in her belly with elven sisters holding the hilt.

Balen was bred for war. He’s a number, until the fateful day he’s cut down on the battlefield. When he sees a beautiful elf ambushed by her own kind during battle, he acts without thinking—cutting the traitors down in a bout of honor. He is set to offer her a mercy killing, until she rips the blade from her belly and the gaping wound disappears under a glow of purple light. Unable to explain what he’s seen, Balen rushes into the protection of the forest.

With betrayal lingering in the mist and war raging around them, Elowen and Balen must join forces in order to stay alive. Elowen owes him her life, and there’s something about this handsome warrior she cannot place. She’s drawn to him like no other. He’s seen her magic that both, elf and human, want. There’s a reason she’s kept it a secret—she’s the weapon they need to win the war.

Excerpt:

The saddest part about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. 

Elowen could not decide which was worse: that her Elven sisters had so easily betrayed her, or the Elven steel protruding from her gut. She pulled her palm back from the wound to assess it—but who was she trying to fool? If they wanted her dead enough to corner her amid a raging battle, they would find other ways to bring their future queen down if this steel didn’t

take her.

If she had any chance for survival, time was of the essence, but, by her calculations, her sisters were not going to leave her death up to fate. No, they would linger in the trees until she slowly bled out until death was imminent. She moaned slightly while propping herself against

the decaying log they’d backed her into—legs splayed before her, and shoulders

slumped forward slightly to ease her breathing.

Although her forest was thick and littered with snares, the humans continued to wage war on her kind. It was futile behavior, but Elowen chose to honor her mother’s wishes and continue to broach peace with treaties that never endured. Humans were habitually men of war and the desire to have what they couldn’t—power—always won. 

And so, the battles raged, and endless lives were cut short, and the cycle repeated itself each season. The humans would retreat, a peace would be struck, and the quiet would last only if the humans remained satiated. 

Elowen grew tired of it, honestly, just as tired as she grew of the sword slowly killing her.

allow herself to die, either. 

“Come and finish what you started!” She baited. Seeing no movement, she sighed slouching a bit onto her side. “Cowards,” she muttered. 

Elowen closed her eyes to listen. Elves sliced through the forest, their only sounds being the displacement of air and the gurgling of the men whose lives they took. The whistle and thunk

of arrows as they found their intended targets—the chests of men who did not stand a chance of surviving Elven steel in her forest. 

Light footsteps fell close. Too close. The time had come where her sisters had lost their patience with her dying. A bowstring was pulled. An arrow knocked.

Elowen opened her eyes.

Three of her sisters scowled down at her; their blood-stained faces glowing in the fractured moonlight parting through the trees. Their silvery hair whipped around their faces as a wicked wind tunneled around them. Calen, the meeker of the three, stepped forward.

“I’m sorry it has to be this way,” she spoke softly against the wind.

Elowen’s mouth formed a tight line. “No lies, Calen.”

Calen’s fingers tightened on the bowstring. “Close your eyes.”

Elowen shook her head. “I will not. You will remember your treachery with every pair of Elven eyes you see.” 

She swallowed the lump in her throat. She’d never feared death, exactly, nor the pain. Only the life she left behind, unfinished.

Author Bio:

Melissa spent her childhood exploring the coast of down east Maine without parental supervision and immersing herself in any book she could get her scrappy little hands on. Although she pursued a career in theater, the written word is her true calling. She leads a full life with her husband and six children traveling the country to wherever the Army sends them in her very large twelve-passenger van, in what she lovingly deems “organized chaos”. She finds time to write in her “spare time”, somewhere in between soccer practices and nap time with coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. She loves creating unforgettable romance, and enjoys writing and reading everything from sexy, sword-toting heroes to spit-out-your-coffee funny romantic comedies… as long as she doesn’t get the book wet. She leaves that up to the characters.

Where to find her:

https://www.melissamackinnon.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/melissa.mackinnon.author

https://www.tiktok.com/@melissamackinnonauthor

https://www.instagram.com/melissamackinnonauthor/

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