Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

Romancing the Jock Debuts January 1st

Romancing the Jock Blog Debuts on January 1st

In the first known collaboration of a group of romance authors who write sports romance, the Romancing the Jock blog (http://romancingthejock.com) will officially debut on January 1, 2013. A contest will be run in the month of January for a bevy of prizes, including books, promotional items, and an ereader.

The authors participating in the blog include: Cassandra Carr, Chanta Rand, Deirdre Martin, Emily Cale, Emma Lai, Jaci Burton, Jami Davenport, Kelly Jamieson, Koko Brown, Lex Valentine, Liz Matis, Luann McLane, Lynn Shurr, Mercy Celeste, Patricia Sargeant, Roz Lee, and Toni Aleo.

The authors come from all different facets of romance. Series romance publishers, digital-first publishers, erotic genre, non-erotic genre, and write such diverse sports as basketball, rodeo/bull riding, hockey, football, and several others.

Regarding making the decision to be part of the new blog, bestselling author Jaci Burton said, "I think there's plenty of room for growth in the sports romance market. First, because I think sports romances are very popular. Look at all the authors writing them, and doing it successfully, who have done it successfully for so long. Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Deirdre Martin, and Erin McCarthy have written some of my favorite sports romances and paved the way for me to believe I could do it, too. Second, I firmly believe a lot more women love sports than many people think. And of course we know women love romance. Put sports and romance together? Boom!"

"These "niche" romances appeal to a broader spectrum than I first realized, judging from the comments I've received from readers of my sports romances. Other authors have heard the same remarks. The time was ripe for a blog that catered to those readers," co-creator of the blog, author Jami Davenport remarked.

Some ideas for blog posts will be sports romance of the week; favorite athletes/hottest athletes; themed months on particular topics, such as player safety; tailgating recipes; personal experiences as a fan; specific information about a sport, such as football basics; and anything else related to sports.

Where to Find Me in December

Read my interview at Night Owl Reviews:

http://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Interviews/Tamazon-interviews-Jami-Davenport-on-Dec-01-2012

Win free copies of my books by visiting these blogs and posting a comment:

Today I'm kicking off Josee Renard's 12 Days of Christmas with a contest for a copy of Love at First Snow. Leave a comment for a chance to win.

I'm participating in Lex Valentine's 30 Days of Christmas. My day will be December 23. Stop by to win a copy of one of my latest books.

 

 

And don't forget that Romancing the Jock debuts on January 1 with a sports basket giveway!!!

 



 

 

 

 

Romance Lives Forever: Character Interview: Blake from Love at First Snow

Stop by Romance Lives Forever today and meet Blake, the hero of Love at First Snow:

Romance Lives Forever: Character Interview: Blake @jamidavenport #christmas #romance

Introducing Romancing the Jock

On January 1, 2013, Romancing theJock will debut.

For several months, a few sports romance writers batted around the idea of a blog written by romance authors who love sports. We're talking about male-dominated sports such as hockey, football, basketball, baseball, UFC, etc. Sports romance novels are increasing in popularity, along with female fans of major sports. Yet, a blog dedicated to fans of sports romance novels didn't exist.

We are a group of authors who don't just write about sports romance heroes, we’re actually sports fans. We want to share our love of our respective sport(s) from the point of view of a female fan.

We'll be blogging about our favorite teams, athletes, experiences as a female fan, and the challenges of writing about jocks. Certainly, we'll keep you apprised of our latest sports romance releases, but it's our intention to keep book promo to a minimum.

Some future blog topics will be:

•           Sports romance of the week--featuring one sports romance novel

•           Favorite athletes/hottest athletes

•           Themed months on particular topics

•           Tailgate recipes

•           Personal experiences as a fan

•           Info about a sport, such as football basics

•           Anything you can think of relating to sports

We’ll also have guest posts by various romance writers and sports figures (hopefully, some athletes, too.)

This blog is your chance to interact with us regarding the sports we all love. We hope to see you during our Grand Opening on January 1st. Stay tuned for more information as our debut gets closer.  

We are looking forward to getting to know you better.

Sincerely,

Caralyn Fox

Chanta Rand

Casandra Carr

Destiny Blaine

Dierdre Martin

Emma Lai (Michele)

Jaci Burton

Jami Davenport

Kelly Jamieson

Koko Brown

Lex Valentine

Liz Matis

Luann McLane

Lynn Shurr

Mercy Celeste

Roz Lee

Toni Aleo

 

 

Win a Copy of Forward Passes on my Blog Tour

Please stop by at these blogs for the next few weeks. Check out which ones you can leave a comment and win a copy of Forward Passes.

11/6 Books Like Breathing Review
11/7 Talk Supe Review
11/7 Musings From An Addicted Reader Review & Interview
11/7 TBQ's Book Palace Guest Post
11/8 SnifferWalk Review & First Chapter
11/8 Seductive Musings Review & Guest Post
11/9 The Bookmark Blog Review
11/12 Reflections of a Bookworm Review
11/13 Smitten with Reading Review
11/14 thrice the mischief 3 times the love First Chapter
11/15 Maureen's Book Haven Review
11/16 Once Upon A Book Review, Interview and Guest Post
11/19 Queen of the Night Reviews Review & Guest Post
11/20 The Cover by Brittany Interview
11/20 Hooks and Book Review & Guest Post
11/21 Book Purses First Chapter
11/22 Amy's Book World Review & Interview
11/23 Andi's Book Reviews Review & First Chapter
11/26 SMARTMOUTHTEXAN Guest Post & First Chapter
11/26 Wicked Readings by Tawania First Chapter
11/27 Harlie's Books First Chapter
11/27 For The Love of Reading First Chapter
11/28 Get Lost in Fiction Review, Interview, & Guest Post

 

Available Now: Love at First Snow

Christmas is a time for family--if you have a family.

Four years ago on Christmas Eve, NHL hockey player Blake Daniels lost his entire family in a float plane crash. Every Christmas Eve he mourns his losses by returning to the family vacation home in Friday Harbor, Washington, his family's destination that fateful night. Only this year he's also mourning the loss of his hockey career and wondering what's left to live for. When he finds a kitten starving and half frozen in a foot of snow, he rushes the tiny thing to the local animal hospital.

Still reeling from the unexpected loss of her father on Christmas Eve two years ago, Dr. Sarah Whitney opens the door to her clinic and finds a rough and tough professional athlete holding a minuscule kitten in his big hands. Only a miracle can save the frozen creature and only a miracle can heal the devastating losses suffered by both Sarah and Blake.

But Christmas is the time for healing and miracles if you only believe and give love a chance.

Only 75 cents from Boroughs Publishing Group

99 cents from all major distributors.

 

Where to Find Me Today

I'm the guest blogger at Dirty Birdies today talking about redeeming bad boys. Stop by and say hello.

Welcome guest blogger Jami Davenport!

Fall 2012 Newsletter

Hi, everyone, I hope you’re enjoying the beginning of fall. I have a lot things on my plate this fall.

New Releases

Forward Passes

Book 2 in Seattle Lumberjacks Football Series

Published by Boroughs Publishing Group

Boroughs:  http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/forward-passes

 

Quarterback Tyler Harris is about to find the woman who can get past his defensive line and reach his heart.

 

With two championships in as many years, superstar Tyler Harris is the best quarterback in the league. Gorgeous and rich, he’s at the top of his game. But everyone’s looking to take him down. There’s a building media frenzy around an unfortunate accident, and the only safe place seems a rundown mansion deep in the San Juans owned by his late great uncle. There, Tyler gets sacked by the sassy redhead next door. It’s more alive than he’s felt in years.

 

Lavender Mead has a good reason to dislike jocks, namely an absentee father who deserted the family to coach college football. Maybe that explains her penchant for bad boys who play ball for a living and break hearts for a hobby. Her new neighbor seems just the type. Yet, something is different about Tyler, and sometimes love requires a Hail Mary. You draw back your arm, pray…and give it all up to fate. And sometimes you win your ring.

 

Public Displays of Eroticism anthology

Available from Sybarite Seductions

http://sybariteseductions.com/anthologies/public-displays-of-eroticism/

 

Hail Mary

Meeting Mari Simms for one night of hot sex each year for the past four years is no longer enough for Wyatt Bedford, a ten-year veteran of professional football. This time, he plans on telling her he wants more. While waiting for her in a park, he stumbles upon a sight that changes his game plan and takes their relationship to whole new level. Can Wyatt and Mari find love in the final quarter with the clock ticking?

 

In  the Open

Once a year, Jaid Angelini takes a break from her demanding career as a criminal defense attorney for a night of passion with young, hot pro-football player Alex Greeley. Despite misgivings about their age difference, Jaid desires a more permanent relationship and concocts a scheme to brand her name on his heart. After witnessing an exhibitionist couple in the park, her plan takes a turn toward the great outdoors. Will Alex and Jaid finally go for the long bomb or settle for minimum yardage?

Coming Soon

Touchdown 4 Callie

Hooked Up: The Game Plan--October 2012

Anthology from Sybarite Seductions

http://sybariteseductions.com/authors/jami-davenport/

 

Callie Lester, a play-it-safe girl for twenty-nine years , decides to shake up her dull life. She's never had a one-night stand, and she wants one before she turns thirty. For a month, she stalks pro football player Drake Hopkins waiting for the right--or wrong--moment to put her game plan into motion. When she finds him alone in a bar, she knows it's time to be tackled by the hunky football star and not for a loss but a big gain.

Love at First Snow

A sweet and heart-warming Christmas-themed short story set in Friday Harbor, Washington, from Boroughs Publishing Group--November 2012

 

Down by Contact

Seattle Lumberjacks Football Series 3

From Boroughs Publishing Group in Early 2013

 

After twelve years in the league, all Zach Murphy wants is a Super Bowl ring. He’s been about hard hits not smooth manners, about breaking quarterbacks not making small talk at cocktail parties. But now he’s shattered something else. After dumping a tray of drinks on the team owner’s snooty daughter and accidentally feeling up the Governor’s wife, his tenure with his team looks perilously short. And things are getting worse.

 

Life is looking up for Kelsie Carrington-Richmond. A onetime beauty pageant star and mean girl, she only recently stopped living out of her car. But both those times have passed. Her Finishing School for Real Men has a real shot, and the Seattle Lumberjacks have hired her to polish up their roughest player. Except…it’s Zach. Long ago she broke his heart. He’s just the beast she remembers—gruff, protective—but she’s nothing like the beauty from his past. Yet, getting knocked down happens, and getting back up makes a contender. And they both have the hearts of champions.

Places I'll be:

October 8-12--Lucy Monroe's Online Readers' Retreat http://www.lucymonroe.com/OnlineReaderRetreat.htm

October 9: Cassandra Carr's blog: http://booksbycassandracarr.com/wordpress/

October 14: Dirty Birdies Blog:  http://www.dirtybirdiesauthors.com

October 26-28: Emerald City Writers Conference

November 10: Book signing at Timberland Regional Library, Lacey, WA

December issue of RWA's Romance Writer Report: Included in an article on sports romance

January 1, 2013: Debut of Romancing the Jock blog: A blog written by romance authors who love sports for female readers who love sports

Blog Tour:

 









Places I've Been:

USA Today Blog on Favorite Football Romance Heroes

http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2012/10/03/jami-davenport-forward-passes-fave-football-romance-heroes/1612193/

Wendy the Super Librarian Jami Davenport Week

http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/2012/09/jami-davenport-week-interview.html

Heroes and Heartbreakers Cover Reveal

http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2012/09/cover-reveal-jami-davenport-forward-passes

 

 

Who are the Hottest Heroes in Football Romance Novels?

Are you curious who the hottest heroes are in football romance novels? Check out my blog at USA Today's Happily Ever After.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2012/10/03/jami-davenport-forward-passes-fave-football-romance-heroes/1612193/

And while we're talking about football romance heroes, check out the yummy covers for my Seattle Lumberjacks football series.

Sports Romance Week at Wendy the Super Librarian's Blog

To celebrate the start of the NFL regular football season, Wendy and I decided to do a week-long salute to football. I'm so grateful and flattered to be included for an entire week at her blog.

http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/

Drop by to win print copies of Fourth and Goal, find out Wendy's and my favorite football romance novels, and get an exclusive preview of Forward Passes.

Here's the schedule:

9/4 - Introduction Post
9/5 - Original review of Fourth and Goal
9/6 - Interview
9/7 - Our Favorite Football Romances
9/8 - Preview of Forward Passes, Chapter 1
9/10-Announce Winners of Print Copies

For those of you out of the country, Wendy is willing to ship internationally.

Play Guess Who

Go to The Book Tart and play guess who to win prizes. Who is the football player from my Seattle Lumberjacks series mentioned in this post:

http://thebooktart.com/blog-hop/sweet-sexy-scorching-blog-hop-wk-3day-1-starring/

Blog Hop Starting August 10

I'm participating in the Sweet-Sexy-Scorching Summer Giveaway Hop starting August 10. For details see:  http://www.mysecretromancebookreviews.com/2012/05/sweet-sexy-scorching-summer-giveaway.html?zx=432ab9a951ce56a0

My day will be August 27, and I'll be featured at http://www.inluvwithromance.com/

New Publishing Contract

I promised news soon, and here it is:

I've accepted a contract with Boroughs Publishing Group for my Seattle Lumberjacks Football Series. As you no doubt know, Loose Id published Fourth and Goal, Book 1, but declined to publish Forward Passes, Book 2, because it wasn't erotic enough for their line. I felt that the heat level was appropriate for the story and elected not to up the heat by adding more love scenes.

As a result, I started a search for a new publisher in February. I never thought it would take me this long to contract the book, but I believed in the book, and I hung in there. After waiting months to hear from the first three publishers, I began to research this new publisher Boroughs. I was especially impressed when they hired long-time Dorchester editor Chris Keeslar as their editor-in-chief. So I submitted to them the end of May and received the offer in July.

I signed the contract and sent it off today, so it's official. As soon as I have details on publication dates, etc., I'll post here and on Facebook and Twitter.

Great News Coming Soon

Stay tuned for some great news. I can't announce it yet bccause it's not official, but I'll post it here as soon as I have more information.

The Print Version of Fourth and Goal

The print version of Fourth and Goal is now available on CreateSpace at:

https://www.createspace.com/3869640

In two to three weeks it will be available elsewhere, including internationally.

Check out the hot print cover done by Kim at Hot Damn Designs.

Have Patience

I can tell by my web statistics and the frequent visitors to my Coming Soon page, that many of you are wondering when my next book will be released. Please have patience with me as I go through a re-evaluation of where I want to focus my writing in the future.

For the past couple years, I've been writing REALLY hot romances under another pen name. While these books were profitable, my heart wasn't in them. Even worse, they prevented me from writing what I loved to write: A hot contemporary with unforgettable characters and few opinionated animals thrown into the mix.

As of December 2011, I left behind my other pen name to direct my energies on books like Fourth and Goal.

Forward Passes, Tyler's story and the sequel to Fourth and Goal, is complete, and I'm currently shopping for a suitable home for this book. I love Tyler, as screwed up as he is, and I think you will, too. His book deserves a special publisher, and it may take me a while to find the right one.

Meanwhile, I'm not sitting around idly waiting for Tyler's book to sell. I'm several chapters into Book 3 in the Seattle Lumberjacks series. I'm also working on another series set in the small Eastern Washington town I grew up in. Book one is practically writing itself. Lastly, I have about 10,000 of Mitch's story (Rachel's surly brother from Fourth and Goal).

Lastly, I wrote two short stories for an anthology with Ellora's Cave authors Cassandra Carr and Cristal Ryder. The release date for this anthology is late spring.

So even though I may not have a book on the horizon, I do have a lot of irons in the fire.

Lucy Monroe's Fitness Challenge

Join Lucy Monroe, me, and several other authors in Lucy's Fitness Challange. You can sign up here:
http://www.lucymonroe.com/ReaderFitnessChallenge.htm

Here's what Lucy has to say about the Challenge:

Dear Readers,

2011 was my wake-up call to get healthy and I've been working hard to improve my lifestyle with better eating and exercise habits to help me become healthier, stronger and happier. I kicked off the year by joining my local Hillsboro Fitness Challenge in January. Not only have I lost weight and inches, but I have lots more energy and enthusiasm than I've had in years! Because you are all such a big part of my life, though for the most part we'll never meet, I wanted to share this experience with you all - and thus the Lucy Monroe Reader Fitness Challenge was born.

I really can't wait to share my "after" picture with all of you in June. Know that I'll be pulling for you and working right along with you as we all do our best to get stronger and healthier in time for summer!

Hugs and blessings on all our endeavors,

Lucy

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews: Guest Blog - A Different Kind of Fantasy Football—...

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews: Guest Blog - A Different Kind of Fantasy Football—...: A Different Kind of Fantasy Football— The Sports Hero Genre

Fourth and Goal Best of 2011

Wendi, The Super Librarian, named Fourth and Goal as one of her best books of 2011. Thank you so much, Wendi.

http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/2012/01/year-that-was-2011-best-of-everything.html

Guest Blogging at Romancing the Genres

I'm blogging at Romancing the Genres today about sports romances. Stop by and say hi.

http://romancingthegenres.blogspot.com/2012/01/different-kind-of-fantasy-football.html