Authors of the Rituals and Runes Anthology would love for you to fall under the spell of our very special author interviews about the magical books included in our box set coming out in October 2022.

Please join us for our talk with, Jude Cocaigne, who will talk about her upcoming book, Faeted Magic!

Author: Jude Cocaigne 

Book: Faeted Magic

R&R: Hello Jude. Thanks for agreeing to the interview. Tell the readers, why are you excited about them reading Faeted Magic?

Jude: This story has been a wild ride from the beginning, and I can’t wait for people to meet my protagonists because they’re awesome, fun, and completely wacko! Seriously, I got stuck for weeks at the end of chapter five because I intended to go one way with them, and then Sarah did what she did, and that was it.

They refused to talk to me or each other for weeks after that, and I had to come up with characters’ therapy to get them to play nice again! Also, Dublin. I mean, my inspiration for this story comes from my time living there, so the city is ever-present in all its magic and beauty, it’s a character in its own rights, and I hope I give it justice. So yeah, Faeted Magic is a story close to my heart and I’m really excited to share it with the world!

R&R: Wow. Sounds like they threw you for a loop! A very exciting one I can’t wait to read.

And why did you pick to write about Fae?

Jude: Believe it or not, but I met a faun while living in Dublin! And a leprechaun! But that’s another story (literally, it’s going to be the sequel!). I love the Fae world and all its creatures, and I love Celtic folklore, so it was a no-brainer. My story would be about this Earth Witch going to Dublin to reconnect with her roots and meet Fae—well, she never intended to meet them really, let’s say they happened upon her, because that’s the way Fate works, right?

R&R: Magical and romantic! Which fits right in with the anthology theme. Explain a bit about your main characters.

What are their worst fears?

Jude: Sarah’s got some serious abandonment issues. She’s lost everything and everyone she ever loved, so she’s not one to rush into emotional commitment, especially when the recipient of such commitment are creatures known to be players and serial lovers. But she also fears being alone, which prompts her to jump into promiscuous situations without a second thought. (I love paradoxes!)

Liam’s worst fear is to fall in love for real. He’s afraid of what it could do to him to really love someone because he’s never known a day of love in his life. If he exposes himself to the feeling, he might just die for all he knows. In truth, he doesn’t think he’s worth being loved, so he hides behind his tough killer act and refuses to let feelings take the lead for fear they will not be reciprocated and his heart would shrivel from the rejection. It could happen, fauns’ hearts are very sensitive…

R&R: You really hit it with making those characters face very tough but engaging situations. Paradoxes are fun and make me want to read your story!

That was awesome to get to know their “dark” side, now tell us, what is special about your main characters?

Jude: Sarah’s an Earth Witch freshly out of the Academy where she’s learned to control her powers, but she still has the potential to better them. Yet I don’t think that’s what makes her special. I believe that what truly sets her apart from your average witch is her resilience.

She’s lost almost all her family (her great aunt’s her only remaining living relative…), she’s separated from her closest friends, and she’s alone in a foreign country even though she was born in it, yet she never gives up, she never quits, she lives to make her family proud, she’s strong and she believes in the beauty of life despite what life has thrown in her face from a very young age.

But she’s not tough either, she’s still very much smiling and appreciating the beauties of the world around her, she trusts people despite having been burnt countless times. Her resilience will help her do great things in the end.

Liam is a special soul. I mean come on, he’s hired to kill Sarah in the prologue, but all he can think of is to have fun with her first, which leads to, you know, feelings… How special is that?? I love how sweet his heart turns out to be because of what he is. His faunness makes him intrinsically horny (pun intended) and that’s what leads to all the adventure and fun and mess happening in the story. It’s a superpower on its own!

R&R: Now you really have me wanting to read this story! On that, if you met your characters, what would you say to them?

Jude: BEHAVE NOW! No, really. I’ve been meeting with them regularly and I always have to keep them in line! But when this is all over, I’ll tell them I’m proud of them for how far they’ve come, and to keep up the good work for the next books!

R&R: But it’s so much more fun when the characters misbehave and it fits right into our theme of breaking the rules! LOL! Tell us a bit about yourself, what do you do when you are not writing?

Jude: A lot, too much, I don’t know where to begin! I’m the mom of one adorable and lively little girl of 4 that I keep at home part-time (she goes to daycare the rest of the time and will start school in August), I also work part-time as a specialist administrator in a renowned university and as an editor and translator.

I play video games to unwind, I read, of course, I take care of my hubby when he’s sick, I draw, play the guitar, sing, and last but not least, I dream up the next stories I’m going to write!

R&R: You do sound busy but also like those are rewarding activities. What books do you have coming out that are not involved in the anthology?

Jude: Book 3 of my Gods of Ze World series called Summers in Hell is coming out this year, followed by book 4, presently called A Tale of How True Magic Works (truth be told, it’s been called like this for years, I don’t think it’s going to change anytime soon…). It’s a lower YA Fantasy series full of adventures and epicness centered around the deities and magical concepts of my world. On the steamy UF/PNR front though (I juggle both caps!), I should be publishing a Shifter RH soon, so stay tuned!

R&R: Books in totally different genres—one sounds fun and fascinating, and the other should be fun and steamy. Awesome! Let’s end with our bonus question but stick around for her blurb, excerpt, bio, and where to find her. Would you rather drink coffee or tea?

Jude: That’s a trick question! I drink both! I’m a coffee-first-thing-in-the-morning person, but an afternoon-and-evening tea kind of gal too!

R&R: LOL! Best answer ever! Thanks again and read on for more goodies below.

Blurb:

Unearthing her witchy roots might cost Sarah her life… unless she surrenders her heart to the faun who wants her dead.

Sarah Wolf’s back in Dublin after learning to be a good Earth Witch abroad. But her plans to reconnect with her last living relative take a dangerous turn when she falls for the handsome local faun.

Liam O’Cuill’s out to kill the witch, but he’ll have some fun with her first. He’s a faun after all! The problem is, she’s a tough nut to crack, and that makes her even more irresistible.

Their fates entwine in an unlikely match, heightening their powers and putting the faun in more danger than ever of falling for the enemy. But he’s on a mission, and his boss expects fast results.

If Liam fails to deliver, he will face a punishment worse than death. Either way, Sarah ends up dead… Unless she kills him first.

Excerpt:

I’ve been here less than a week, but I already feel at home. When I get up in the morning, Auntie Kill makes sure I have enough crumpets and scones to fill my belly for an entire day. And she makes the best tea, strong enough but not too bitter, with a cloud of milk and just enough sugar that the sweetness lingers on the palate. Oh, and don’t get me started on the jams. Plum, fig, strawberry and raspberry jams from the fruit growing in her wonderful garden, and marmalade to die for. This is heaven!

I don’t like to spend the day in here though. The house is fraught with my great aunt’s energy, and while it behaves when she’s present, lulled by the love she has for me, it doesn’t appreciate an outsider’s company when she’s away. That’s one perk of Air Magic. You can leave your energy to fend for your house; it works better than a guard dog.

So, every morning, I leave the house with a book and go to the park. That’s my ritual for the time being. Ever since leaving the Academy, New Orleans, my friends and all my bearings, I’ve been prone to anxiety attacks. I thought I’d gotten over all that crap after the years of therapy, but apparently, going into the world as a grown-up woman strikes as bad a chord as losing everything in my head. Grown-up woman, my ass. I feel as frail and stupid as when I was a kid.

Not frail. I’m not fragile, never have been. But I’m not comfortable in new situations, and if I’m being honest, I’m still afraid everyone will abandon me. So, I don’t get too close to people, I keep to myself, and apart from the girls back at the Academy, who’ve had my back countless times and are just as much a part of me as I am of them, I prefer the company of books. Never has a book betrayed me, or dumped me, or died…

I’m not stupid either, I’ve just been burned too often. Once bitten, twice shy, am I right? Rituals help me keep my head clear, and once I feel safe enough, I’ll explore and expand. But for now, I’m a neutered house cat: I don’t stray too far. Fairview Park it is.

Author Bio:

International author born in Switzerland of a Dutch mother and a Romanian father, I found my calling after binge reading all of Terry Pratchett’s work. Fantasy is my realm, with dashes of adventure, drops of romance, and a lot of epicness!

My short story The Girl with the Red Hood is a retelling of The Company of Wolves by Angela Carter. Drawing on Carter’s original idea, but adding gruesome details and an even deeper twist, I unleashed my talents and my voice.

The novel The Elf Girl and the Prince (which made #68 on the USA Today Bestseller list in October 2020 with the boxed set Once Upon Another World), is a dab at romance and fairy tales of another kind.

It introduces Ze World, the planet on which the Gods of Ze World series take place. Book one and two, Godnapped! and Snooze or Lose, are already out, and book three, Summers in Hell, is in the works.

Our world and its wonderful cities and countries are not left out, however, as they receive a fantastic treatment of their own in the form of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romances and adventures of a steamier kind set in the various places I’ve lived in or loved visiting.

Where To Find Her:

Website: https://www.judecocaigne.com

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gYvrOH

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judecocaigneauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jude_cocaigne/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jude_cocaigne

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jude-cocaigne

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/judecocaigne

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

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

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

The authors of the magical Rituals and Runes Anthology (R&R) are thrilled to present you with our author interviews about the swoon-worthy books included in our box set. 

Today, we are excited to present, J.E. Taylor who will talk about her novella, Jasmine!

Author:  J.E. Taylor

Book: Jasmine, A fractured fairy tale.

R&R: Hi, Ms. Taylor. Thank you for joining us today. As your contribution to the Rituals and Runes Anthology, you’ve chosen to write Jasmine, A Fractured Fairytale, a story inspired by Arabian Nights.

What inspired you to choose this theme and what aspect of Arabian Nights did you base your story on?

Ms. Taylor: I started my fractured fairy tales four years ago and I originally was going to do eight – at least that is how many covers I ended up getting. Red, Cinder, Brave, Tangled, Frozen, Snow, Spindle and Belle. 

And then my cover artist did a premade that sparked an Aladdin retelling in my head (inspired by Arabian Nights).  But like some of the fairy tales, I spun it on its head and made my genie a female who fell in love with her master. 

Each book has a theme of either Shifter or Magic.  And now I have a total of ten because I also found a wonderful Hook cover that will be coming next year.  It’s paranormal romance, so there are HFN or HEA endings, unlike some of my urban fantasy books which can be ambiguous. 

R&R: Oooh, that sounds so juicy and fun. I know a lot of fans love a fairytale flipped in its head! And I love how you tied into our theme relating your story to both magic and breaking the rules.

Tell us something about Jasmine that isn’t in the blurb. Also, what genre is the book?

Ms. Taylor: Jasmine is cunning and smart and does not quite get a man who doesn’t make wishes out of selfish wants. That is what she is used to. So she doesn’t quite know what to think of Ali.

R&R: Awesome! Jasmine sounds intriguing and I can’t wait to find out what happens between her and Ali. I’d like to know more about Jasmine but I’ll make it challenging.

Describe her in only three words. 

Ms. Taylor: Magical, beautiful, and smart!

R&R: Score one for the strong and intelligent female character. How about you tell us more about what makes your main characters tick?

Ms. Taylor: Jasmine must follow the rules set for genies or she will be demolished. Ali wants his kingdom restored to what it once was.

R&R: Your story sounds so exciting, like your characters get in some sticky situations, and have huge challenges ahead of them. I love all the mystery and big stakes. It makes me want to find out what happens.

How about a few questions about you. Do you listen to music when you write? If so, does your book have a play list? 

Ms. Taylor: Not usually. Usually, my husband has sports on the television and I’m just typing away as he watches.

R&R: That’s funny! Well, we do what works.

What genres do you write?

Ms. Taylor: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Suspense, and Horror.

R&R: That’s a fantastic variety. Tell us, what books do you have coming out that are not involved in the anthology? 

Ms. Taylor: My first book in my new Shades of Night Trilogy is coming out on April 5th.  Wicked Heart is an urban fantasy about a vampire hunter who has a bad night that she cannot remember and must find out what happened before she becomes the hunted.

I also have another fractured fairy tale coming out in another #shiftersunleashed set – Belle is coming out in June in Shifters Ever After! This is a beauty and the beast retelling where Belle is the beast.

R&R: Exciting! You really give readers a lot to look forward to! Those sound fun and filled with mystery. Now for our fun bonus question. Tell the readers, would you rather be in a room full of snakes or spiders?

Ms. Taylor: Snakes.  I’d befriend them all. And funny you should have snakes as an option – because there is a scene in Jasmine with a snake. 🙂 

Spiders – I’d need to burn down the entire house. 

Thank you so much for joining us today. It was a pleasure having you with us and hearing about your wonderful projects.

Please enjoy the blurb and an awesome excerpt from Jasmine. You can also find out more about Ms. Taylor and where to find her!

Blurb:

There are three rules all genies must obey: No killing. No raising the dead. And above all else, never fall in love.

I have been granting wishes to the most deplorable of humans for thousands of years. So, when Prince Ali releases me back into the world, I’m not prepared for a selfless man who isn’t an absolute bastard like all the others before him.

His stepfather is another story. The new sultan carries out his rule with an iron fist. His return to barbarian ways leaves the kingdom cowering with fright, for the new sultan finds joy in screams of fear and pain.

When Ali comes to me with an impossible wish, I must decide whether to follow the rules, or break them and be banished to my lamp forever.

Excerpt:

He groaned and moved again. His hip rubbed the lamp with his motion.

I laughed at the irony. He hadn’t freed me on purpose. I drifted down and crossed my arms on the edge of the outcrop he laid on, mere inches from him.

“Psst,” I whispered to get his attention.

His head turned in my direction, and his eyes fluttered open for the briefest of seconds before his eyelids fell again. But it was enough time for me to see eyes of bright emerald under those dark lids. His profile revealed a beauty that men usually don’t carry. He was all high cheekbones and supple lips, with a crop of dark hair that hung over his forehead. His nose was neither too skinny nor too broad. His form was lithe but muscular, with broad shoulders that tapered to a thin waist and an ass right out of heaven’s mold.

He was perfection incarnate, and I sighed heavily, rustling his hair with my breath.

His eyes slowly opened and met mine. His eyebrow cocked and he timidly pushed himself onto his elbows.

“You are on a ledge,” I said in case he decided to roll to check out his surroundings.

“Are you an angel?” he asked in a groggy voice.

I let out a hearty laugh and raised myself up so I filled up the cavern above. Expanding enough to make his eyes as wide as the cave’s entry used to be.

He tracked my movement with something akin to awe filling his features, making his slack-jawed stare that much more amusing.

“I am a genie, and you have freed me from my prison. Therefore, I shall grant you three wishes.”

He rolled back, pressing my lamp into the dirt wall.

“Just don’t ruin my home, please.” I waved behind him.

“But I thought I gave the lamp to my stepfather.” His forehead creased in confusion.

I put my hand on a crumbling pillar next to me and used my magic to raise it as high as the one that had once held the decoy. With a wave of my hand, another imitation lamp appeared on the pedestal. “You mean this shiny piece of crap?”

He nodded and felt behind him, finally pulling my real lamp out. It was as black as night and his rubbing of the side revealed my golden seal embedded in the onyx container. He stared at it and slowly pushed himself into a sitting position so he could glance at his predicament. The shelf he sat on was not big enough for him to maneuver much, and it was a straight drop to the fiery pit below.

As if sensing a possible meal, the earth belched a fiery bubble.

Author Bio:

J.E. Taylor is a USA Today bestselling author, a publisher, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a mother, a wife, a business analyst, and a Supernatural fangirl, not necessarily in that order. She first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after her daughter asked:

“Mom, if you could do anything, what would you do?”

From that moment on, she hasn’t looked back.

In addition to being co-owner of Novel Concept Publishing, Ms. Taylor also moonlights as a Senior Editor of Allegory E-zine, an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and co-hosts the popular YouTube talk show Spilling Ink.

She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and during the summer months enjoys her weekends on the shore in southern Maine.

Where To Find Her:

Website  https://JETaylor75.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JETaylor/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JETReaderClub

FB Profile: https://www.facebook.com/JETaylor75/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtaylor8/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/J-E-Taylor/e/B003FER8M6

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153969.J_E_Taylor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-e-taylor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JETaylor75

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jetaylor75/

Blog: http://jetaylor75.blogspot.com/

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcZDfwKo5R-ARo7yjpk5DyA

TikTok: @jetaylor75

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

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

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

Hey everyone,

I have received some messages worried about a couple of series recently taken down from one of my publishers. It is true, MTWorlds and I have amicably parted ways. But I am thrilled to say all 3 series will be back up and live as soon as I can get all of the rewrites finished and edited.

And let me tell you… each book will have amazing new characters and slews of brand new scenes between your favorite Pride, Dire Wolf, and Wyvern heroes and heroines!

I have been dying to redo these series for you, and now that I have the opportunity, I am THRILLLED to tell you they will be available once again this fall and I am offering them on WIDE retailers.

Up first will be the Maverick Pride Tales!

Thank you again for the kind words and concern.

My readers are freaking awesome!

xoxo,

C.D. Gorri

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Azazel by AL Kessler

Hecate by Ariel Dawn

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THANK YOU to everyone who purchased a copy of Midnight Magic! We hit #123 on USA Today because of you <3 Did I ever tell you how awesome you are? Well, you are! Never doubt it.

I really appreciate you and hope you enjoy every word! xoxo

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ztqJLj
Universal: https://books2read.com/midnightmagic

Enter a magical world of sassy heroines and mystical creatures…Fall under the spell of these outstanding USA TODAY and Bestselling authors as they spin unforgettable tales of witches, demons, dragons, shifters, and more.Explore enchanting worlds filled with magic, unexpected twists, strong leading ladies, and just the right amount of flirty romance.This limited edition collection of BRAND NEW paranormal romance and urban fantasy books will take you on a thrilling joy ride you won’t soon forget.★★★ Authors Featured in Midnight Magic ★★★Gina Kincade
C.D. Gorri
Laura Greenwood
Juliana Haygert
Rebekah R. Ganiere
Louisa Bacio
Siera London
Susannah Shannon
Ariel Dawn
Fiona Starr
Julie Morgan
Taya Rune
Taylor Aston White
Quell T. Fox
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Asa Maria Bradley
Kate Rudolph
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Lilith Darville Cover by JJ King

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Warning: the following plea is last chance effort written by an author shamelessly begging for support…

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THIS ANTHOLOGY WILL NEVER GO IN KU!

So, if you love paranormal romance & urban fantasy, or if you’ve been thinking of trying those genres out, this is your big chance for rock bottom prices!Why do I care so much?♥☽☆☆Well, if you did not know, the Midnight Magic authors (including me), are working our butts off to grab a spot on a bestseller list.♥☽☆☆ Do you think you can help us reach our goal? Great! ☆ Grab your copy on #apple #nook, or #amazon for just #99pennies and you will get 20+ paranormal romance and urban fantasy stories that will bring you hours of awesome reading and entertainment

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Come see me August 6th with this amazing lineup!

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