Rituals & Runes Anthology presents Bella Roccaforte Author Interview

 

The runes tell no lies…

...and they tell me you are going to LOVE Rituals & Runes, a collection of magical, alluring, and sensational tales. 

Read on for an interview with author Bella Roccaforte as she tells us about her book, The Raven Sorceress, which will appear only in the anthology!

Author: Bella Roccaforte

Book: The Raven Sorceress

R&R: We appreciate you joining us to talk about your book, The Raven, which will be exclusive to the anthology. 

Based on your book title we would assume there is magic in your book, what type of magic can we expect to find?

Bella: Aisling is our Raven Sorceress, she discovers her fae and sorcery roots on a journey to her homeworld. She’s got a little bit of fire and ice mixed with the divine power of the raven. 

R&R: Got to love fire and ice, plus the Raven. Powerful and bound to stir up some fun trouble.

You seem to write in a lot of genres. What theme is consistent in all your books?

Bella: Imperfect characters and deep friendships. Many of my books feature tight friend groups that go through their own issues together. In my own life, I don’t have traditional family. My family, the ones who I’d put my life on the line for are my friends.  

R&R: Beautiful. Some readers probably identify with chosen family so that's a deep theme to weave into your books.

Do you ever relate to your characters, and if so, how? How would you help them if you could?

Bella: I think I often relate to many of the characters in my stories in some way or another. Aisling, my MC is a little lost from being pulled from the only life and world she ever knew, to suddenly being immersed in a fantastical fairy land where she’s expected to defeat the evil queen and become ruler herself. She doesn’t want that. She knows the crown is heavier than what she wants for herself. But she’s young and needs guidance. I think I would be the seer she meets with, to help guide her to the right choice, for her and the realm.  

R&R: That would be a huge, shocking job and it's neat you would counsel her like that. 

Tell us a few sentences about your main characters’ strengths and weaknesses. 

Bella: Aisling is set in what she wants for herself. She’s also unrelenting and strong in her convictions for what’s right. She was trained to fight from an early age by her father before he left. She never understood the training until now. She’s very overwhelmed and trying to do her best. Her weakness is being a bit selfish and not really being able to communicate with all of these new situations and people in her life. She doesn’t want the responsibility. 

R&R: It will be interesting to see how her challenges pan out!

When you were growing up, what did you want to be as an adult?

Bella: A cat. I’m not kidding. I used to walk around on all fours and insisted that I was going to be a cat when I grew up. 

R&R: Being a cat does seem like a relaxing job to have, so we don't blame you. 

Do you have any quirks that help you write?

Bella: Not really. When a story is flowing I will not stop writing until I’m empty or simply fall asleep at the keyboard. I ended up with a huge goose egg on my head once when I literally fell asleep at my desk and my head slammed down. 

R&R: That's dedicated and seems like you could get a lot done!

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

Bella: I’ve made some decisions about my writing career that involve being gentle with myself and only writing when I’m absolutely loving it. That has evolved to me only publishing one book per year. I have a few other stories I’m working on, but not sure of a release date. I write for the love now, and only the love. 

R&R: Awesome way to balance things out.

Would you rather own your own boat or your own plane? Tell us about your choice.

Bella: I would rather own a plane so I can go anywhere I want and get there fast. 

R&R: Works for us! Thanks for talking with Rituals and Runes Anthology today. Read in to find out more information and read a juicy snippet.

Book blurb:

Aisling gripped her phone staring at a message she thought she'd never see.

 

Her father left behind two things when he disappeared. A dagger that glows in moonlight and an amulet fabled to call Queen Alavon's feathered fiends. Aisling has no use for either trinket her father bankrupted them to find. She never believed in his treasure hunts or his faith in the portal to fae. But when someone breaks in and almost kills her fighting for the dagger, she knows her father isn't just off on one of his expeditions. He's in danger. Now, so is she and sibling Alex. She's dragged to the Fae realm to reclaim a birthright she doesn't want.

 

Will Aisling fight for her people that are being tortured and transformed into zombie-like creatures? Or will she walk away?

Excerpt: 

My eyes fluttered open, it sounded like I was under water. The air burned and stung my lungs as I breathed it in.  

“Just stay down for minute.” Ferg’s body still covering mine.  

“I can’t breathe this air.” I choked. 

“I know, it’s going to clear.” Ferg sputtered.  

He came into focus, there were black smudges on his face and shoulders. He was straining and I struggled to not squirm under him.  

The world held a dark blue hue washed in the freakish moonlight streaming through the trees. 

“When I give you the signal, get up and run in that direction, keep running until I tell you to stop.” He said with an intensity and seriousness that drove the message into my very being that if I didn’t do as he said, I would die.  

I nodded ready to go but then realized. “What’s the signal?” 

Ferg cracked a smile that shattered my fear. “I don’t know, I’ll say 'go’.” 

I nodded again. 

Ferg looked over his shoulder, then side to side, then ahead of us. With urgency in his eyes, he gave me the signal. 

I scrambled out from under him trying to get upright. My fingers dug into the loamy ground and I finally righted myself to run.  

My legs burned and I checked behind me looking for Ferg. I couldn’t see him through the smoke. A million things ran through my mind all at once. The one thing at the forefront of my mind was, is Ferg okay? 

If I yell they could find me. But what if something happened to him?  

I stopped in my tracks and started running back. 

“What are you doing?” Ferg’s voice came through the smoke.  

“Looking for you.”  

“I’m fine, keep running.” He huffed out as he was running next to me.  

There was no way I was going to be able to keep running much longer. Everything hurt and the air was decimating my lungs. 

My paced slowed and Ferg took my hand and dragged me. “Don’t give up on me now, we’re almost there.”  

I mustered that last bit of energy I had to keep going. We broke through the smoke into a beautiful valley that exploded with intense color everywhere. I stopped and put my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath. I collapsed onto the ground.  

Ferg stood over me glaring with disapproval. “Why did you come back? What were you thinking?” 

“I was thinking if you weren’t right behind me I wouldn’t know when to stop running.”  

Ferg’s lips ticked to the side and his eyes squinted looking into me. “Really?” 

“Yeah, really.” 

“Don’t do that again. It’s my job to keep you safe.” He shook his head and reached his hand down to me. “Let’s go.”

Author Bio:

I’m just Bella, a girl that loves sharing stories with the world! I write because I love doing it. Making up fantastical worlds, watching my characters grow and shape into their destinies.

I also paint, I’m not very good, but I love it anyway.  

I’m the lucky mom of two awesome teenagers and two awesome fur babies. I’m also the grandma of six rat babies!  

My favorite things that always make me smile:

•                     My babies, Fox and Twila

•                     My fur babies

•                     Dove chocolate with caramel

•                     Gardenia’s are my favorite smelling flower

•                     Gladiolas are my favorite looking flower

•                     Dancing in the rain

•                     I’m a sucker for a country boy

•                     Long talks about deep shit

•                     Dick and fart jokes

•                     Good music

•                     Warm hugs

•                     Pineapple

Where to find her:

Website: BellaWrites.com

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_bellaroccaforte

Facebook: http://facebook.com/BellaRoccaforte

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BellaRoccaforte

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bella-Roccaforte/e/B00E6QLMDS/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7151265.Bella_Roccaforte

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bella-roccaforte

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

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Rituals & Runes Anthology presents Roxy Matthews Author Interview!

 

Find your next book boyfriend in the pages of this limited edition collection of paranormal romance and urban fantasy tales.

You can read about one of those book boyfriends in this author interview with Roxy Matthews. We'll be talking her upcoming book, Unlikely Trio, which comes out only in the Rituals and Runes Anthology.

Author: Roxy Matthews

 

Book: Unlikely Trio

 

R&R: Wonderful to have you today. What is the inspiration behind the talking monkey in your story?

 

Roxy: That’s actually a funny, alcohol-induced story that starts with a cover deadline and me not even having a story yet.

 

So, here I am, sitting on the living room floor, my laptop on the coffee table, Canva loaded, and a cooler in hand. I had two people I really liked from earlier cover-hotty searches and got to work creating. They fit well together, the background was colorful, the title brainstormed and accepted with a shrug of ‘why-not’. But something on the cover didn’t look right.

 

Ahhh, there’s a space there that I could fill. Takes a sip of bubbly. Why not a monkey, like a spirit animal or something? I have a small one. Let’s see.

 

Plops said monkey in empty space. BAM!

Hey, why not a talking monkey?

 

And the rest is history. Lol.

 

I have worked with prompts in my life before, when I was early ‌in my writing career, flexing my creative juices. So I could do this, right?

 

 

R&R: That's pretty funny and I bet it adds some excitement to the story. Are any other talking animals in your stories?

 

Roxy: Hmm… good question. I feel that Unlikely Trio definitely raised the bar for me in my storytelling comfort zone. I’ve done magic in my Pale Bay Treasures series, have hit tender points in some, if not all of my previous pieces, even time-travel in a sci-fi short. I’ve always enjoyed crossing boundaries and genres, but to bring bits of humor and pieces of emotion together with that element of magical realism was not only fun, but intense. As for talking animals, never, aside from my shifter pieces.

 

 

R&R: Stories with talking animals do push the boundaries of human imagination but that's also what makes them neat and engaging.

 

What is your favorite beverage, and what fuels your writing?

 

Roxy: Favorite beverage is definitely coffee. Swap that to a cool drink in the evenings, and I’m a happy author.

 

R&R: Coffee is definitely a must for a lot of us authors. And time to relax fuels the imagination.

 

If you had magic, what type would you want to have?

 

Roxy: I’m probably the most curious person you will meet, a people watcher at heart, so definitely the magic of super hearing. :) Not a valiant magical request, but it would appease my nosey-spirit.

 

R&R: Great balance of satisfying your curiosity but still keeping your distance. You could get some incredible material for books!

 

What personal item would you want to have if you were stranded on a deserted island? This island has everything you have for survival already.

 

Roxy: Definitely my bed. It’s outfitted with several layers of foam, the softest sheets known to man, a thick duvet and soft, lavender infused pillows… need I say more? 

 

 

R&R: Sounds heavenly.

 

If you could go back in time and meet someone, who would you meet and why?

 

Roxy: Oooh, just one, eh? Tricky. I would have to say, Ed and Lorraine Warren. I am a huuuge fan of things that go bump in the night, and their basement is loaded with them. I’d love to hear the stories firsthand while they give me a tour.

 

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

 

Roxy: Betrayed, the third piece in my Eternal Enemies shifter series will release in August 2022 in the Shift Happens: A Shapeshifter Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Anthology which I am super excited about.

 

After that, I think I will be taking a break for the rest of the summer, then I have a few more stories for the shifter series, and a side-secret-project I’ve been working on… we’ll have to see come fall. ;)

 

 

R&R: Love it!!

 

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

 

Roxy: Definitely 10,000 strangers. Then if I bomb the entire thing, I can go home and pretend it never happened. People who like me, I’ll still have to face after. Lol.

 

Understandable. Thank you for the interview. Ahead we have more information about Unlikely Trio, and a juicy snippet from the book.

 

Book blurb:

Trinity Masters knew better than most—that time was fleeting, yet infinite… with the right spell, of course.

For sixteen years she hid in the shadows of the home she was raised in, secretly learning the ways of the warlocks. Armed with the final strands needed to complete her spell, Trinity takes a headfirst leap into the past, only to end up facing the present.

Oscar never had a one-day bathroom-stall fling get under his skin as much as the one he had with Trinity Masters. Daughter of the Puck clan, she intrigued him, yet made him wary, especially when he finds out she used him for a time-travelling spell meant to bring back the dead.

Face to face with the demons of Trinity’s past and present, Oscar must decide which time to save and which to end, or forever be caught in an endless loop of pain and death.

Excerpt:

“The name’s Oscar.”

She stopped, turned.

“I didn’t ask.”

He shrugged. “I know, but I like to know the names of the women I pleasure in dirty bar bathrooms.”

Her eyes rounded, perfectly sculpted jaw dropped. When she pulled it back, looked around them, then glared those dark brown eyes on him, he struggled to not rip her up off the floor and take her back to that damn bathroom.

Around them, the bar had returned to its usual rowdy atmosphere of drunken, or on their way to, warlocks of all clans. All but Puck’s. All but hers.

His curiosity as to why Puck’s daughter walked in the bar once, let alone twice now, was eating at him. But he was more enamored by her then he expected considering it was he who had the ability to make any woman melt into a puddle of sex at his feet.

Somehow, this woman was turning the tables on him.

She took several steps closer, shifted the heels to one arm, reached the other out.

“Trinity.”

He took her hand, felt the heat emanating from her, shook it.

With a half-cocked grin, he watched Trinity change before him. Her irritated stance shifted and the beauty on her face at that moment nearly took his breath away.

Damn this daughter of Puck’s had some magic. And he was so fucking lost in it.

“Oscar?” She tilted her head. “That doesn’t sound like a warlock name.”

He stifled his laughter at the look of innocent confusion on her face.

“Neither does Trinity.”

When her expression pulled back, head straightened, he knew there was something she was hiding, something she didn’t want known. She was everything he expected in a witch from Puck’s clan, yet she was somehow different.

What was she hiding? That she was Puck’s daughter? Hell, he already knew that.

He scoured the bar, not a patron was paying them any mind, instead drinks flowed, men laughed, glasses clinked, and hollers of an impending fight impregnated the walls of the bar.

The part of him that knew he could delve into the deep recesses of her mind to know the answer held itself back. There was something about her that was alluring, that made him want to know her the old-fashioned, magic-free way.

 

Author Bio:

 

Roxy Matthews, a member of the Silverleaf Writers Guild, is a self-published author of full length novels in the Romantic/Suspense and Fantasy genres. In 2018 she was named one of Canada's Best Writers of the Year by Polar Expressions Publishing.

 

Her work has been featured in several anthologies, including ‘The Way Through’ by Polar Expressions Publishing, The Charmed Writers Flash Fiction Anthology 2019, Naughty Night's Press' Sweeter Than Chocolate: Valentine's Day Anthology, and Sultry Shifter Nights: A Shapeshifter Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Anthology.

 

Roxy's dark, twisted side can be read under her alternate pen name R.M.Sackville, where she tests the boundaries of taboo with Dark Fantasy, Sci/Fi, and Thriller pieces that include novellas, novelettes, and short story collections that delve into the dark and twisted. Her work has been featured in Suspense Magazine and LitFest Magazine.

 

Where to find her:

 

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0741VZ4V4

https://bluebaloo79.wixsite.com/roxymatthewsauthor

https://www.facebook.com/OtherworldlyInfluenceFiction/

https://twitter.com/AuthorRoxy

https://www.instagram.com/roxy_matthews_author/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxy-matthews-a5849a114/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17060600.Roxy_Matthews

http://roxymatthews.allauthor.com/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/roxy-matthews?list=about

 

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

 

Universal: https://books2read.com/rituals

 

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

 

Rituals & Runes Anthology presents Jordin Thiele Author Interview!

 

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