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.

Returning to the San Juan Islands

My first two books were set in Washington State's San Juan Islands. The next two, including my new football series, were both set in the Seattle area. With Book 2 of the Seattle Lumberjacks Series, I'm returning to the San Juans, as Tyler, the cocky quarterback in Fourth and Goal, inherits a rundown mansion in the San Juans with one caveat. He must stay in the mansion for ninety days before he can legally own the valuable waterfront property.

This year I also returned to the San Juan Islands in another way. It's been years since I've boated to the San Juans, but my husband and I were lucky enough to spend 10 days in the islands on a boat this August. To see pictures of the trip, friend me on Facebook. Here's a teaser:

An Orca whale in the Straits of Juan de Fuca

Sunset at Roche Harbor

Our hostess for the trip, the Cabaret

Coming on May 3rd--Fourth and Goal--from Loose Id

In a game played on and off the field, only one of them will emerge the winner.

Armed with an uncanny ability for evaluating football talent, a dogged determination to succeed in a man’s world, and an empty bank account, Rachel McCormick agrees to help struggling wide receiver Derek Ramsey get his game back. Rachel believes Derek, her former best friend and lover, knows the truth behind a points-shaving scandal which ruined her father. She vows to expose the secret even if it destroys Derek in the process.

When Derek’s coach suggests sex as an excellent tension reliever the night before a game, Rachel takes one for the team. The next day, Derek has the best performance of his not-so lustrous pro football career. As Derek and Rachel rack up nights in bed and other places, the team racks up wins on the field. Rachel is torn between her loyalty to her father and her growing affection for Derek. Now it’s fourth and goal, one second left on the clock. Their hearts are on the line. Do they trust each other enough to go for the long bomb or do they get dropped for a loss?

Read First Chapter

My Thanksgiving Present: Fourth and Goal has a Home

I am VERY happy to announce that I've contracted with Loose Id to publish my football hero romance, Fourth and Goal, the first book in my Seattle Lumberjacks Football Series. Finally, a new Jami book will be out next spring or early summer (tentatively).

While I don't personally believe in "books of my heart" (as every book should be the book of an author's heart if she's putting her soul into the book), but this book comes close to being that book. Fourth and Goal has been floating around in my head for close to fifteen, maybe twenty years. I've written and discarded pieces of it over the years, put it on a back burner when I found out NY pubs believe sports hero romances don't sell, and a few years ago decided to drag it out. To heck with what does or doesn't sell. After all, I also write equestrian romances, and those don't "sell" either.

I love football, and I know other women love football, too. According to statistics, an estimated 45 percent of NFL fans are female. So do NY publishers think these women don't read? And don't read romance novels? I beg to differ.

The few football hero romances currently published annoy me because the heroines usually hate football and/or know nothing about it. I wanted to write a romance novel series for women who love football, have a decent knowledge of the game, and want to read about a heroine who knows her football.

Rachel, my heroine, grew up in a football-crazed family with a coach dad and football player brothers. She has an uncanny eye for evaluating football talent and diagnosing a player's strengths and weaknesses. She aspires to be a pro football scout.

The book follows Derek, an almost washed-up football player, through his and his team's journey from basement dwellers to Super Bowl contenders.

I'm hoping there's a market for a book like mine. Time will tell, but I'm putting my faith in all those female NFL fans.