Songs

Currently, some of my favorite songs are:

1.  I'll Pray for You--Jaron and the Long Road to Love (A little too vengeful for me, but I can appreciate the sentiment).
2. I'm In--Keith Urban (just a fun, upbeat song).
3. If You're Going Through Hell--Rodney Atkins (My hubbie's and my anthem from last spring).

There's more... I have to think about it.

The Dance--Editor's Pick at Siren Publishing

Buy now from Bookstrand Publishing and receive 15 percent off through December 15th.

EDITORS' RAVINGS: Outstanding Book

"I enjoyed this story from page one. It's well-written with likable, well-crafted characters." -- Jennifer Colgan, Editor

"Wonderful characters who touch my heart." -- Karen Denmark, Editor

http://www.sirenbookstrand.com/editorspick

[Siren Classic 91: Erotic Contemporary Romance, Interracial] What's a girl to do after her former fiancé declares that she's frigid? Mariah decides to take a jaunt on her wild side—if she can find it—with the scruffy Puerto Rican next door. Only Rico isn't who she thinks he is and time is her enemy. "Outstanding Read: A" —Simply Romance Reviews. "5 Cherries"—Whipped Cream. "5 Flags" —Euro-Reviews. READ MORE

Spring Update

I'm pleased to say that The Gift Horse should be in print within the next month or so. I'll keep you posted.

I'm working on the final edits to Fourth and Goal. I hope to have it submitted soon.

I'll be at the Lori Foster's Get Together along with my good friend Allie K. Adams in June. I'll be signing my first two books. Please stop by and say hi if you're there.

On a personal note, my husbanda and I are busy planning an addition onto our home. He thinks it's going to be a "man cave." It's really my library, but he doesn't know that yet. ;)

Have a great spring.

New Reviews

I just found a five-flag review for Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? at Euro-Reviews:

Rich, handsome and sexy as hell, Jake Reynolds returns home to discover a real life Goldilocks in his own bed. He's got just the solution to take care of Harlee's needs. Overly made up, polyester clad Harlee Davis had no idea as to who's bed she was in. Running away from a nasty breakup, a ruined career and a cruel world, she sought refuge from the storm, and found more than just shelter.

When Harlee learns of Jake's plans to demolish the camp she's been entrusted with, she wages a crusade to stop this. A lot is riding on this for Jake, as he and his family stands to lose everything. Will the two stop battling long enough to realize that the only thing worth fighting for at this point, is their love?

"Quirky characters. Love and passion. Great plot. Great writing. Elements of a good book." --5 Flags, Aya29 (Euro-Reviews)

I also have new reviews at Book Cover Reviews:

The Dance

Is Mariah Baker really all that frigid like her ex-fiancé makes her out to be? She certainly does not think so, what else has the scumbag called her. Not that she cares what he has to say, she’s moving on with her life. Let’s see if she can discover her hidden wild side. She noticed a sexy Puerto Rican move in next door and she decides he’d make the perfect man for her plan. But little does she know he’s what she thinks he is. Although, Rico finds Mariah very attractive and causes his heart to dance when he discovers that she can train horses to dance. He also decides that she is the perfect person to keep his mind off his troublesome family that seems to want too much from him. Do you think the magic of the San Juan Islands can keep their fling from disappearing? Find out for yourself in Jami Davenport’s ‘The Dance’, Book 1 in her San Juan Islands series, and available now from Siren Publishing.

“Definitely a sizzling read from beginning to end, Jami delivers pure sexiness from San Juan.”-- Mark (Book Cover Reviews)

Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?

Jake Reynolds returns home from a long days work and discovers a beautiful blonde sleeping in his bed. Wondering how she ended up there and why she’s there to begin with he decides to investigate. She tells him she didn’t know it was his bed and she was only escaping from 2 storms: one brought on by nature and one from her messed up life. He then decides to hire her on as an assistant for his construction business and the next day, she gets right to cleaning up his office that looks as if it’s been hit by a tornado. But to his dismay, when his family discovers what kind of assistant he has hired, they begin to believe he might be going back to his bad boy ways even that is not what is going on. And when Harlee Davis finds out Jake plans to destroy the very camp that she swore to protect, she stops at nothing to put a halt to his plans. Can Harlee stop Jake’s plans before he puts them in action? Discover for yourself the exciting conclusion to Jami Davenport’s ‘Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed’, book 2 in her San Juan Islands series and available now from Siren Publishing.

“Another captivating installment from Jami Davenport’s San Juan Islands series that will have you addicted until the climatic conclusion that will make you antsy for more.”-- Mark (Book Cover Reviews)

The Dance--Book of the Week and Outstanding Read

The Dance recently received: Book of the Week from Whipped Cream, an "Outstanding Read" from Simply Romance Reviews, 5 Flags from Euro-Reviews, 5 Cherries from Whipped Cream, and an "A" Rating from Simply Romance Reviews.

"You can’t come away from reading The Dance untouched. I certainly didn’t and I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well told romance."--Book of the Week (Whipped Cream)

"If you’re looking for a read which will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart then pick up The Dance you won’t be disappointed"--Outstanding Read (Simply Romance Reviews)

Two More New Reviews--5 Flags and an Outstanding Read

I'm happy to announce two more excellent reviews for The Dance. Plus The Dance is Book of The Week at Whipped Cream Reviews and Outstanding Read at Simply Romance Reviews


Euro-Reviews--5 Flags

The Dance by Jami Davenport is the story of a man and a woman who have been deeply wounded by loss and betrayal. They've each handled their pain very differently but still end up in the same place - hiding behind thick walls to keep out anyone who could hurt them again.

Mariah has been alone for as long as she can remember. She clings to material things because they don't run away. But still she keeps the hope alive that one day she'll find real love and have the whole fantasy. But in the meantime she'd rather by like Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, and not think about it until tomorrow.

Rico has his own skeletons in his past and in his present his freeloading family is milking him dry. A has-been rock star who was addicted to drugs, Rico has thrown himself into his import business to keep everything else out of his life. But still his family is making him nuts so he goes into "hiding" in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. When he sees Mariah on her horse she puts the first chink in his wall in years, but is he ready to let her in, and will she want to cross that threshold?

The two can't resist each other and eventually give in to their feelings and their walls come tumbling down. But all too soon it is time for Rico to head back to his "real" life and that coupled with the truths that Mariah learns brings their happiness crashing against the rocks.


The Dance is a great book! It pulls on your heartstrings and caused me to tear up a time or two. I really felt for Mariah and all the hurts she had to work through. Her growth throughout the story was inspiring. Rico, of course, had my heart from the beginning. And when the two are together it is beyond scorching! Through all of this The Dance is still more than just a love story, there are some ups and downs which keep you guessing and causes plenty of hand wringing as we wait to see if they will get their happily ever after. I definitely recommend this book, its a great read filled to the brim with real emotions and plenty of heat.

_________________

Simply Romance Reviews--"A" Rating and Outstanding Read

Mariah Baker doesn’t want to nurse her wounds – not the kind on the outside but the inside ones, that are deep and painful. She’d rather put it off like Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, but in The Dance she’ll learn that isn’t the best way to heal.

Rico is hiding from a family which is milking him dry. A music star that was betrayed and then shunned, he went into the import business and still supports his freeloading family. But he’s bored in his “hideout” until the day he sees a vision on a horse and can’t stay away.
Mariah and Rico are instantly attracted to each other and work hard to keep it controlled – at least for a while. Mariah knows Rico will leave at the end of the month and she doesn’t even know his true identity, he pushes all of her buttons and she can’t resist.

But nothing is as it seems and when Mariah finds out the truth and Rico goes back to his “real” life it is almost too much for her to bare. Coupled with the underhanded plotting by her unscrupulous ex, Mariah doesn’t have much of a chance though she puts up a good fight.

I really enjoyed Jami Davenport’s The Dance. It is a beautiful love story and so much more. There is a lot of plot weaving and twists here that you wouldn’t expect in this kind of story but it all works, especially the love scenes – can you say “smokin’?” If you’re looking for a read which will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart then pick up The Dance you won’t be disappointed.

Vote for The Dance for Book of the Week

The Dance is a finalist for Book of the Week at Long and Short Romance Reviews based on the best review. Please, please, please take a moment to drop in and vote for The Dance at Whipped Cream. The reviewer truly did a very thorough and thoughtful job on my review and deserves to win the award. So drop in, it'll just take a few seconds of your time. Voting ends on Sunday.

New Review for The Dance

I had to share this wonderful review with all of you. It is truly incredible, and I'm blown away by it.

Whipped Cream Reviews--5 Cherries
The Dance by Jami Davenport

Siren PublishingContemporary

Full length, M/F
Review by Xeranth

♥ ♥ ♥

Right from the get-go, The Dance embraced humor, warmth, very human characters and a wealth of possibilities. It’s a well told tale about two people who make choices with the best of intentions and get the worst results. However, until they face their demons, and for one of them, it ends up being formidable, they will have an incomplete future.

You might wonder about my word choice, ‘incomplete future’. Think of a scale – you put two items to weigh and they don’t match. Of course you are going to add something to or subtract from the one that needs to be balanced. Thing is, sometimes the item we believe to be perfect ends up being not enough. That is how I see the relationship between Rico and Mariah. It’s a delicate dance to make a relationship work and Ms. Davenport explores this from a very human perspective. Our hero and heroine each end up giving, but the scales remain unbalanced. They have to come to terms with what each is willing to do, to go that extra mile, if they want that balanced future, a complete future.

The back drop totally fascinated me. Oh sure, this occurs in a delightful and romantic location but what hooked me were the horses, especially Mariah’s horse, Sueño. The riding discipline that Mariah practices is called dressage. I had no clue what that was; couldn’t wrap my mind around what that would look like. I found a co-worker who knew exactly what it was because she herself practices it with her horse so I was able to pick her brain. How cool was that? Think of the Lipizzaner stallions and you’ll get the picture. Once I figured it out, I had a new appreciation for Mariah’s character and enjoyed the story on a whole other (new) level. Now I am fascinated with Ms. Davenport’s choice of profession for her character. I wonder, what was her inspiration?

The only blip in reading this story came very early on within the first few pages. There is an editing glitch where the same line is repeated twice. I can assure you that it is the only one you will find. The rest is perfect.

The conflict of the story is meaty and emotional. Ms. Davenport resists, though I have no idea how she did it, the easy way out for her characters. I really wanted Rico to save the day. I wanted the conflict to end as happily as Mariah and Rico eventually become. The author stuck to realism and endeared her characters to me even more. They are not perfect, they are not cardboard and neither are they capable of super human acts. Rico and Mariah are just a man and a woman stumbling through the pile of yuck life has thrown at them, to come out on the other side with bumps and bruises but whole.

The passion they share is sweet and hot. The happily ever after is well earned and emotional. And through it all, Ms. Davenport keeps it optimistic with humor, love of family and hope. Which is a good thing because there are some tense moments which for me, were jarring and emotional. You can’t come away from reading The Dance untouched. I certainly didn’t and I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well told romance.

New Review for The Dance

I was happy to find this new review yesterday:


Dance, The
Jami Davenport
Siren Publishing, 2008
ISBN: 1606010875
4 Stars
Reviewed by B. Lamar for ReviewYourBook.com


Entertaining…
Just as Mariah swore off men, she met Rodrigo--handsome, sexy, and oh-so-tempting. The down-on-his-luck former rock star had been watching the beautiful woman ride her horse. Mariah’s bills were piling up. The old horse farm’s upkeep took an amazing amount of money. Plus, she had expensive taste. Everyone seemed to want a piece of Rodrigo. They seemed to think he was still making money, even though his bank account dwindled as his fame dwindled. Can this couple survive through the distrust?


Jami Davenport has created an entertaining look at the lives of has-been rock stars. The Dance is about maturing, learning to trust, and learning to love. The characters are well-developed and have depth. Fans of romantica will enjoy The Dance.

Orca Whales and The Dance

I was asked by a fellow author if I'd ever been whale watching. To be honest, I did go on a commercial whale watching boat once, but I have seen them several times on my own boat.

Over the years, my ex and I had been VERY fortunate to spot Orca Whales in the San Juans many times. Unfortunately, the best pictures were taken on a 35mm camera. This is my best one taken on an old digital. Anyway, on this one occasion, we were crossing the Straits of Juan De Fuca, heading for the San Juans. In the distance we saw a huge gathering of boats, which means one of two things, good fishing or whales.

We kept our course, out in the middle by ourselves. Neither of us wanted to participate in that frenzy that often follows the whales because we didn't believe in harassing these magnificent creatures. More often than not, the whales found us. We didn't need to pursue them. This time was no exception.

I'd put on Jimmy Buffet because the joke was the the Orcas loved jazz and Jimmy Buffet and would come to the boat if you did that. Next thing we knew, we were surrounded by a pod of 16 plus Orcas with a few babies thrown in. We shut down the boat and floated, while they frolicked and played around us for about 30 minutes, giving us a private show. It was INCREDIBLE, a moment that would bring tears to your eyes. One of them went under the boat and surfaced no more than 5 feet from it then leaped into the air for us.

In The Dance, I have a scene where a cynical Rico loses his cynicism when he encounters these whales. They play a small, though important part in the book that is somewhat mystical. You'll have to read it and see what you think.

Contest for The Dance--Win this Gift Bag

Check out this link or read below for how you can win a San Juan Islands gift bag. All entries must be received by Friday, June 11, at 7 am Pacific time. I'll announce the winners at 9 am tomorrow.

http://home.att.net/~jamidavenport/WhatsNew.htm
Stayed tuned throughout the day, as I'll give members of the Siren readers loop extra chances to win.
_____________________________________________________________

Using the listed links, answer these five questions. Send your answers to jamidavenport@att.net before 7 am Pacific time on Friday morning.

Each correct entry will receive their name in the hat for the drawing to win this gift bag, which includes: An Orca Whale cloth tote bag, three types of soaps, Starbucks Coffee, Pike Place MarketSpice tea (for the tea lovers), Rosario mug and shot glass, chocolate spoon for stirring your coffee, a glass ornament, Orcas Island keychain, and a wooden Orca Whale bookmark.

The winner will be drawn and announced on Friday morning at 9 am Pacific time.

Questions:

The hero has two names, what are they?
What is Mariah’s horse’s name and what does it mean?
What does Rico want to do to his neighbor?
What is the name of the Island that is the setting for the book?
What are the San Juan Islands known for?

Where to find the answers:

http://www.sirenpublishing.com/jamidavenport/td.asp
http://home.att.net/~jamidavenport/TheDance.htm

The Dance--Released Tomorrow!!!!

Join me tomorrow at Siren Readers Yahoo Loop for the release of The Dance. I'm giving away one more San Juan Islands gift bag. Check out my website or blog tomorrow for details on how you can win.

Hope to see you there.

Release Party Next Thursday

I'm now in the "Coming Soon" section on Siren's Home Page. "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" will be released next Thursday in ebook form, followed by "The Dance" on July 10. I'll be having a release party on Siren-Bookstrand's loop and this blog.

I'll be giving away four San Juan Islands gift bags starting next Thursday and finishing with Siren-Bookstrand's release party on July 28, along wth some other gifts. So join me next Thursday and pick up a copy of "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" You can read the first chapter on my website.

Day One--San Juan Trip

Dennis and I caught the 1:15 ferry to the San Juans yesterday. It was a beautiful ride over, pretty warm for this time of year, and sunny. The ferry trip was about an hour as we stopped at Lopez and Shaw Islands before we could depart at Orcas.

Here's my husband on the ferry trip over.



Once we arrived on Orcas, we had a pleasant, scenic drive along a winding two-lane road to Rosario Resort. Rosario was built by Robert Moran in aprox. 1904. He was a former mayor of Seattle and a shipbuilder. The Moran Mansion is spectacular and now a museim. One of the highlights of the museum is the music room with its 1900-pipe organ. The woodwork in this mansion is Honduras mahogany and teak.

Our room was a surprise. All their bayview rooms were occupied so we were given a garden view room. It actually did have a water view of the marina and Cascade bay.

We had dinner in the bar, which was Robert Moran's library at one time. I'll post pictures of the bar later this week. In my book, "The Dance," Mariah and Rico fall in love in this bar while dancing. Once you see pictures of this romantic bar, you'll see why.


Then we took a walk around the grounds, and Dennis happened upon some very friendly deer.

Today, we're going to move our room to one of the rooms that are perched on the cliff and hang out over the water. I'll update you about everything tomorrow.

Have a great Easter.