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Purrfectly Mated is on preorder… and there’s more!

Purrfectly Mated is with my editor right now and I just had to tell you I added 20K words to this one…

PLUS

Look for the rest of the series on preorder where ebooks are sold… That’s right the Pride is now available WIDE.

I am so thrilled for the opportunity to not only revamp the cover art and adding more to each story, but for the first time ever, these books are available to wide audiences and yes, they are going to libraries too!

Thank you so much everyone!

xoxo,

C.D. Gorri

Rituals & Runes Author Feature

The runes are cast, the rituals prepared, now it’s time to enjoy an interview with author Madison Granger as she talks about her book, Claiming Magick. It comes out in the Rituals and Runes Anthology, in October 2022!

Author: Madison Granger 

Book: Claiming Magick

R&R: Thank you for agreeing to an interview. I’m excited to talk about your upcoming story, Claiming Magick. 

What is the key theme and/or message in the book?

Madison: Holding a grudge is a waste of energy. Being angry for so long, you lose sight of why you were angry in the first place. Taking a step back, you might find out things have changed along the way.

R&R: That’s a deep and meaningful theme. It’s awesome to read a book that’s both entertaining and has a message. 

Would you and your main character get along? 

Madison: Most definitely. We’re a lot alike, which shouldn’t be a surprise, I tend to pattern my female MC’s with my personal likes and best traits.

R&R: What was your hardest scene to write, and why?

Madison: Sex scenes, always. I constantly debate on whether it’s not enough or too much and have I said this already. I stress over them.

R&R: Yes, it can be tricky to balance everything in those scenes.

What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?

Madison: The characters. I have to get a visual in my head before I can write their story. The plot, and the rest of the story, comes while I’m writing.

R&R: Sounds like you get a vivid sense of things before you start writing. That’s wonderful.

Name three things your main character would not want to do.

Madison: Have anything to do with shifters. (at least in the beginning)

Rowan Murphy would never hurt anyone intentionally but would have no qualms about it if she was protecting someone she cared about.

Because she’s a witch, Rowan doesn’t seek attention, preferring to live quietly.

R&R: Tell us about your writing routine. What are your must-have elements when you sit down and focus?

Madison: I prefer to write when it’s quiet, even music can distract me. I always keep bottled water on my desk and make constant use of a thesaurus and search engine. I research as I write. 

R&R: Great tools! It’s funny how some authors love music while they write, while others don’t. To each their own.

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

I’ve had two releases earlier this year, A Warrior’s Redemption, book seven of The Kindred series, and The Rising of Amelia, the sequel to The Awakening of Amelia. I’m currently working on Zane, the first book of the Bayou Crescent Wolves trilogy.

R&R: Congrats! Exciting lineup! 

My final question: Would you rather read your writings to an audience of ten people who love you or to 10,000 people you don’t know?

An audience of ten. I hate reading aloud, especially to people. I don’t think I have a good speaking voice, and I don’t deal well with being the center of attention, I turn beet red the whole time.

Understandable! Thank you very much for the wonderful interview. 

If you would like to find out more about Claiming Magick, read on!

Blurb:

Rowan Murphy loves her life as a solitary witch and owner of The Hidden Key, where she spends her days making and selling charms and potions to the locals of Havenport. As long as she can ignore the wolf shifters in town, her life is perfect.

Griffin Reed, Alpha of the Firethorn wolfpack has his back against the wall—find a way to break an ancient curse or watch his pack die out. His only hope is the local witch, and she doesn’t like shifters.

Magick sparks and fur flies when Rowan and Griffin combine forces to break the spell threatening the pack’s existence. The solution is one they never saw coming and will change their lives forever.

Excerpt:

Candles lit, bath oil scenting the water, and a glass of wine at hand, Rowan slowly lowered into the steaming bath. She groaned in pleasure as she stretched out, sore muscles relaxing for the first time in three days. Rowan was always amazed how much the festival took out of her. She kept herself reasonably fit and was fairly active, but those three days were a whirlwind of activity. She was always exhausted at the end.

  Rowan’s cell phone rang, and she peeked over the edge of the tub to see whose name popped up. Seeing Griffin’s name, she reached for the device and answered, her voice relaxed and sultry.

  “Hello.”

  “Rowan, this is Griffin. Did I interrupt something?”

  “Not at all. I’m relaxing in a tub full of bubbles.” She chuckled lightly.

  “Now there’s a visual.”

  Rowan scooped up a handful of water, letting it trickle between her fingers.

  “Like that, do you?” Her voice was husky, and his gravelly tone when he responded was doing things to her that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

  “What’s not to like, a beautiful woman in a tub? You probably have candles lit too.”

  “I do, as a matter of fact, and you can’t forget the glass of wine.”

  “Let’s not forget the wine.” Griffin growled low. “That means you’re relaxed. There’s only one thing missing.”

  “What would that be?” Rowan’s breath hitched. What started out as simple teasing had taken a turn into something… more.

  “You need someone to scrub your back, help you with those hard-to-reach places.”

  Griffin’s breath was getting harsher. They were both getting turned on, and not only was she allowing it, she was enjoying it. Her core clenched as she fantasized about Griffin joining her.

  “Are you volunteering for the position?” Her voice was breathy with anticipation.

  “Do I have a chance?”

  “I think we might leave it on the table, open for discussion.” Rowan couldn’t believe she was encouraging him but wanted to know him better, to know him… intimately.

  “Sounds good. It’s encouraging. It would be nice to think there’s something ahead for us.” His voice was soft and low, a sensual murmur in her ear.

Author Bio:

Madison Granger is a free-spirited late bloomer who stubbornly lives by three beliefs: dreams can come true, never give up, and you’re never too old to try new things. She is living proof of all three adages, vowing she isn’t done by a long shot.

Born and raised near New Orleans and even closer to the swamps of south Louisiana, Madison Granger is no stranger to tales of the magical and different.

An avid reader, Madison grew tired of reading about young, flighty girls and began writing her own stories of mature women who aren’t so quick to jump before looking first.

Where to find her:

Website https://www.MadisonGranger.com/

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/MadisonGranger

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

MeWe https://mewe.com/myworld

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

Pinterest  https://www.pinterest.com/mgrangerauthor/_saved/

YouTube   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNvc_E8nYeWDnxp2oBPd8wg

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

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/madison-granger

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15139766.Madison_Granger

Readers Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/2886808738200587

or get them all here in one place: https://linktr.ee/MadisonGranger

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

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

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

GREEN LIGHT ON SERIES REBOOT

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I am so excited to break the news…

the Maverick Pride reboot is starting real soon and here is an even better peak at the brand new cover for Purrfectly Mated>>>>>>>>>

Rituals & Runes Author feature!

Readers, thank you for joining us. Please enjoy an author interview for the upcoming Rituals and Runes Anthology, coming out in October 2022!

Author: J.C. McKenzie 

Book: Embrace the Flame 

R&R: Thank you so much for joining us! We can’t wait to hear about your book that’s exclusive to the Rituals and Runes Anthology.

In Embrace the Flame, what challenging situation do your characters find themselves in?

Ms. McKenzie: Juni is a fox shifter and used to getting out of complicated situations, but she may have finally found something she can’t escape. Binding herself to the Lord of War may have saved her lover, but now she has to serve her family’s number one enemy. And while she tried to find a way out of the bond, she learns one of her besties has been charged with murder. Juni knows her friend didn’t do it, but it will take all her skills as a private investigator to find the evidence that will prove it.

R&R: What a predicament! It’s going to be awesome finding out how Juni deals with that situation.

What was your favorite thing about writing Embrace the Flame?

Ms. McKenzie:  I can’t fully answer this without major spoilers, but let’s just say, this story feels very Canadian.

R&R: What do your main characters want more than anything in the world?

Ms. McKenzie: Her family and friends are safe and loved.

R&R: There are so many types of Shifters, why did you pick a fox?

Ms. McKenzie: I love the idea of fox shifters. They have predator and prey-like tendencies. They’re smart, agile, adaptable, and family-oriented—all the characteristics Juni possesses.

R&R: How fun! That’s very true about foxes and makes them a great animal to use for a story.

What surprised you about writing this book?

Ms. McKenzie: Where my brain took the murder mystery.

R&R: Intriguing! Can’t wait to find out what happens!

Who are your favorite authors?

Ms. McKenzie: There are so many who inspire me every day. There are authors I look up to, who I inspire to be one day, authors who have no idea I even exist. There are authors who support me and cheer me on.

One of my favorite authors is Neil Gaiman. I love listening to and/or watching interviews with him where he discusses his writing process. Though we are vastly different writers, our writing process is very similar and to learn a fabulous, highly successful writer like Neil Gaiman, goes through a similar process was very validating.

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

Ms. McKenzie:

 Heir of the Eyrie, a standalone fantasy romance, releases March 31st, 2022. 

Immortal Throne, a standalone urban fantasy, releases in June, 2022

 House of Chaos, a standalone fantasy romance, releases September, 2022.

 And I will also be rapid releasing an Urban Fantasy trilogy starting November 2022.

 R&R: Now for our bonus question. Would you rather have endless winter or endless summer?

 Oh, that’s a hard one. I’d have to say endless summer. 

R&R: Thanks again for joining us! Please read on for the blurb, a lovely excerpt, and where to find Ms. McKenzie.

Blurb:

 I don’t have time to deal with Fae shenanigans…

 My best friend was charged with a murder she didn’t commit. If I don’t find a way to exonerate her, she’ll spend her life in jail, along with other wrongfully accused shifters.

With the Fae haunting my every step and impeding my investigation, I’m forced to rely on Lincoln, the human who crushed my heart. He’s worked hard to become a skilled fighter and make amends, but can he play Watson to my Sherlock?

 My skills as a PI will be tested, but not as much as my heart.

Excerpt:

 They stared at each other awkwardly while her heart thundered in her chest and threatened to break free of her ribcage.

“What’s wrong?” Lincoln asked.

Where should she start? “Everything has changed.”

He tensed, his hands balling into fists. “Nothing has changed for me.”

Of course not, he wasn’t the one tied to the Lord of War’s life.

“I know your circumstances are not the same, and I would do anything to rewind time,” he continued. “And I will do everything and anything to see you free of Bane.”

Her heart started doing weird things again.

“But have your feelings for me changed?” he asked.

A wide range of evasions and excuses popped up. She could weasel her way out of this awkward discussion about touchy-feely emotions. But why? What would be the point besides ruining something that hadn’t yet had the chance to start?

Lincoln waited. Quiet and patient, like he had for the last six years.

“No,” she admitted. If anything, her feelings for Lincoln had deepened, intensified.

Lincoln smiled. Not a regular smile. The smile. The one that could light up a room and blind half the occupants.

“Then nothing has changed for us, Juni. I like you and you like me.”

“It’s not that simple.” And she was certainly beyond simply liking him.

He shook his head. “It really is.”

“But Bane could…”

“Bane could do a number of things.” Lincoln licked his lips. “But not this.”

He pulled her close, leaned down, and pressed his lips to hers.

Whatever arguments she had run out the door.

Lincoln had this way of kissing her—as if breathing held no consequences as if he stopped time itself for them to have this moment as if he’d never taste her lips again.

And every time it did her in. She swung her leg around to straddle him. He groaned and one hand slipped down her back to the top of her hip to hold her in place. The other moved around her head to tangle in her knotted hair.

His lip curled up under her mouth, probably saving some sort of joke about her mass of curls for later.

At this moment, she didn’t care. She didn’t care about her blood-encrusted outfit, the state of her hair, the significance of her caomhnóir bond, and certainly not about her need for oxygen. She simply needed to consume Lincoln, stamp the feel of his lips on her brain so she could relish the memory forever.

Author Bio:

J. C. McKenzie is a book-loving, gumboot-wearing, unapologetic science geek. She’s the author of the Carus Series, an urban fantasy five-book saga published by the Wild Rose Press. Born and raised on the West Coast, J. C. sets the majority of her books in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Where to find her:

Website: www.jcmckenzie.ca

Blog: www.jcmckenzie.blogspot.ca

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/j.c.mckenzie.author

Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/JC_McKenzie

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

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/jcmckenzie

Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@jcmckenzie0

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dc_EQv

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

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

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

You don’t need KU when you have Libby/Hoopla/Overdrive etc…

DID YOU KNOW….

Wide authors like me often have ebooks available through public libraries that you can access through sites like Hoopla and Overdrive.

Here I am on Hoopla https://www.hoopladigital.com/artist/6832289648

Here is a list of libraries you can still use for folks who live out of the area: https://www.aworldadventurebybook.com/blog/libraries-with-non-resident-borrowing-privileges

Learn more about how to read indie books from your local library here:

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-borrow-and-read-ebooks-from-your-library

The reason I have removed 99% of my books from KU is simple. KU demands exclusivity and if I did that I would have to say goodbye to libraries and other stores like Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple.

If you want a subscription service, check out Kobo Plus.

Rituals & Runes Author Feature

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

Rituals & Runes Author Feature!

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

The Maverick Pride reboot… bigger, badder, and with a fresh new look!

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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Azrael by Carrie Pulkinen

Samael by Julie Morgan

Azazel by AL Kessler

Hecate by Ariel Dawn

Wishes & Waves Anthology

Accidental Cupid by Laura Greenwood

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Disguised Queen by Laura Greenwood

Shifter’s Heart by Laura Greenwood

The Peacock and the Wallflower by Laura Greenwood

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