Jennifer Ashley's Blog, page 25
December 21, 2010
Updates
I seriously need to update my website, and I'm working on that. In the meantime:
Highlander Ever After will be re-released January 1, 2011 as a trade-sized paperback (the big ones). It is the same as the earlier mass market release, just in a different size (this was the publisher's decision). You can order it from Amazon by clicking this link.
Other news: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie will be re-released by Berkley in August 2011 to coincide with the release of The Many Sins of Lord Cameron . You can preorder those by clicking the titles.
Note that while Lord Ian will have a new cover, it is the same book. No changes. Just a new cover and new publisher!
I will overhaul my website soon, especially the Books page, to reflect the changes in how to buy my Dorchester books, and which books are or are no longer available. I've basically switched entirely to Berkley, so my books going forward should be easier to obtain.
Take care during the Christmas rush!
November 5, 2010
Award Time--This Week's Good News
The last week has been a pretty exciting one--the release of Firewalker, plus I found out about some awards.
I've been nominated for three Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards in three categories:
Jennifer Ashley, Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage (historical)
Allyson James, Stormwalker (urban fantasy)
and the one that amazed me: Jennifer Ashley--Career Achievement in Historical Romance.
Wow. These are nominations only, no wins announced until April. But it's cool!
Over at Amazon, in the Top Ten Editor's Pick in Romance:
Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage was #1! Thrilling! The list is here:
http://tinyurl.com/266yjxj
All this good news, coupled with release week has made things a bit crazy for me! Thanks everyone for your support!
November 2, 2010
Grand Prize Winner!
The winner of the Firewalker Coundown Grand Prize is... Chelsea B!! Chelsea--please contact me at allysonjames(at)cox(dot)net so I can get you your prize.
The Grand Prize is: One signed copy of Stormwalker; one Stormwalker/Firewalker bookcover, one hardback copy of Pride Mates, one backlist book of choice (backlist: http://www.allysonjames.com/seriesorder.html). Plus I'll throw in pens and things.
Thank you all so much for joining in my Countdown Giveaway. It was so much fun I might just do it again for Primal Bonds, which comes out in March.
Firewalker is now out (should be in stores everywhere; plus in ebook). I hope you enjoy it!
I will be mailing all prizes out this week, so look for them soon!
November 1, 2010
Firewalker Countdown--Daily Winners! and Grand Prize Info
Hello all. First, THE GRAND PRIZE for the Firewalker Countdown Giveaway will be drawn TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, Firewalker 's release day (and election day in the U.S.).
Second, below I'm listing the winners for the Daily Prizes (a copy of Stormwalker or backlist book of choice). I have emailed all winners privately, but if you see your name, haven't gotten my email, or haven't responded, please contact me at allysonjames(at)cox(dot)net.
Day 9: Sara Dee
Day 8: Cathy M
Day 7: yzhaBella
Day 6: Mel (meljprincess)
Day 5: Judy (magnolias_1)
Day 4: donnas!
Day 3: Stephanie (2lovestephanie)
Day 2: barbi-b
Day 1: Melissa (witchofavalon)
Thanks everyone for playing! Tomorrow I will put ALL names into a hat (from FB, Goodreads, Blogger, Twitter, private email) and draw the Grand Prize Winner!
You all rock. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy Firewalker!
October 31, 2010
FIREWALKER Countdown--JANET BEGAY
The FIREWALKER Giveaway continues! Comment to win a signed copy of Stormwalker (or backlist book) and qualify for the grand prize!
PLEASE NOTE: If you have trouble posting comments on here on Blogger, feel free to comment on my FB page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-AshleyAllyson-James/94603953921 ), Twitter (http://twitter.com/JennAllyson ), or simply send me an email (allysonjames AT cox DOT net) I want you to win!
DAY NINE--JANET BEGAY
And finally, Janet Begay, the star of the show.
Janet's had a rough start to life, being motherless, a bad thing to be in a matriarchical society. Because no one knows who Janet's mother's people or clans were, they don't trust her much. Of course, Janet's mother is a goddess from Beneath, and the evil she's invested in Janet is pretty powerful.
Janet's dad, on the other hand, is a sweet guy who was seduced by the goddess. He raised Janet on his own, with the help of Janet's formidable grandmother (who can become a Crow).
Janet is a Stormwalker, which means she can draw power from nearby storms and use it to work amazing magic. When it's storming, nothing can stop her. When it's not storming--good thing she has Mick. Her power manifested when she was a kid, and it terrified her. With the help of Jamison Kee and Mick, Janet has been able to hone her power to a controlled weapon.
But now, another power is rising within her, and she's not sure that she'll ever get that one under control. (More about this in FIREWALKER and SHADOW WALKER.)
Question of the day: What do you think of the urban fantasy genre overall? Is there too much of it? Or can't you get enough? Do you think it mixes well with romance? Or not at all?
PLEASE NOTE: If you have trouble posting comments on here on Blogger, feel free to comment on my FB page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-AshleyAllyson-James/94603953921 ), Twitter (http://twitter.com/JennAllyson ), or simply send me an email (allysonjames AT cox DOT net) I want you to win!
DAY NINE--JANET BEGAY
And finally, Janet Begay, the star of the show.
Janet's had a rough start to life, being motherless, a bad thing to be in a matriarchical society. Because no one knows who Janet's mother's people or clans were, they don't trust her much. Of course, Janet's mother is a goddess from Beneath, and the evil she's invested in Janet is pretty powerful.
Janet's dad, on the other hand, is a sweet guy who was seduced by the goddess. He raised Janet on his own, with the help of Janet's formidable grandmother (who can become a Crow).
Janet is a Stormwalker, which means she can draw power from nearby storms and use it to work amazing magic. When it's storming, nothing can stop her. When it's not storming--good thing she has Mick. Her power manifested when she was a kid, and it terrified her. With the help of Jamison Kee and Mick, Janet has been able to hone her power to a controlled weapon.
But now, another power is rising within her, and she's not sure that she'll ever get that one under control. (More about this in FIREWALKER and SHADOW WALKER.)
Question of the day: What do you think of the urban fantasy genre overall? Is there too much of it? Or can't you get enough? Do you think it mixes well with romance? Or not at all?
October 29, 2010
FIREWALKER Countdown--MAYA
The FIREWALKER Giveaway continues! Comment to win a copy of Stormwalker (or backlist book) and qualify for the grand prize!
DAY EIGHT--MAYA
Maya Madina, a black-haired, dark-eyed Latina who grew up in Magellan, is one of the few non-magical characters in the Stormwalker series. She's kind of a foil for Janet--Maya is smart, good at her job (Janet's electrician), sassy as hell, doesn't take crap from anyone, and the only person not the least bit afraid of Janet.
In Maya, Janet finds a friend, though their friendship gets off to a rocky start. Maya is slow to trust, but once she likes you, she's loyal to the end.
Maya's madly in love with Sheriff Nash Jones. Their affair is rocky, but Maya's determine to work through it, and prove to Jones that he loves her back.
Maya held out her hand. "Come with me. We're going to get you dinner."
"I can't," I said.
"I'm not going to bring you a tray. Your cook is a scary b*tch, and I don't want to interrupt her when she's anywhere near her knives."
The question of the day: Secondary romances (i.e., a romance between secondary characters that's not the focus of the book). Like them? Think they take away from the main story? Won't read a book without them? What'dya think?
DAY EIGHT--MAYA
Maya Madina, a black-haired, dark-eyed Latina who grew up in Magellan, is one of the few non-magical characters in the Stormwalker series. She's kind of a foil for Janet--Maya is smart, good at her job (Janet's electrician), sassy as hell, doesn't take crap from anyone, and the only person not the least bit afraid of Janet.
In Maya, Janet finds a friend, though their friendship gets off to a rocky start. Maya is slow to trust, but once she likes you, she's loyal to the end.
Maya's madly in love with Sheriff Nash Jones. Their affair is rocky, but Maya's determine to work through it, and prove to Jones that he loves her back.
Maya held out her hand. "Come with me. We're going to get you dinner."
"I can't," I said.
"I'm not going to bring you a tray. Your cook is a scary b*tch, and I don't want to interrupt her when she's anywhere near her knives."
The question of the day: Secondary romances (i.e., a romance between secondary characters that's not the focus of the book). Like them? Think they take away from the main story? Won't read a book without them? What'dya think?
October 27, 2010
FIREWALKER Countdown--CASSANDRA--A Witch
The FIREWALKER Giveaway continues! Comment to win a copy of Stormwalker and be in the running for the Grand Prize.
DAY SEVEN--Cassandra
Now that I've introduced the guys, I need to introduce the ladies. (I like the guys, so I tend to lavish attention on them.)
Cassandra leapt to her feet and kicked the inert Changer in the buttocks with her Blahnik heel. "That's for calling me a b*tch."
Cassandra Bryson is a super-powerful witch who becomes Janet's hotel manager. Cassandra is blonde, lovely, businesslike, good at her job, and way-wicked with magic. She used to work for a top luxury hotel chain in California, but for reasons she's not telling, she's decided to bury herself in a backwater desert town.
Janet isn't sure why Cassandra's interested in working in the middle of nowhere, but she welcomes Cassandra's no-strings-attached help. But Cassandra has some dark secrets that Janet suspects will someday come back to bite them.
Cassandra becomes part of the team in FIREWALKER and SHADOW WALKER, and you learn more about her in the HEXED anthology.
From FIREWALKER:
"Sheriff Jones grilled me about what kind of witchcraft I did," Cassandra muttered. "I should do a spell to make his balls fall off."
The question of the day: Heroes or heroines? Do hero-driven stories float your boat, or are you more interested in the heroine and her story?
DAY SEVEN--Cassandra
Now that I've introduced the guys, I need to introduce the ladies. (I like the guys, so I tend to lavish attention on them.)
Cassandra leapt to her feet and kicked the inert Changer in the buttocks with her Blahnik heel. "That's for calling me a b*tch."
Cassandra Bryson is a super-powerful witch who becomes Janet's hotel manager. Cassandra is blonde, lovely, businesslike, good at her job, and way-wicked with magic. She used to work for a top luxury hotel chain in California, but for reasons she's not telling, she's decided to bury herself in a backwater desert town.
Janet isn't sure why Cassandra's interested in working in the middle of nowhere, but she welcomes Cassandra's no-strings-attached help. But Cassandra has some dark secrets that Janet suspects will someday come back to bite them.
Cassandra becomes part of the team in FIREWALKER and SHADOW WALKER, and you learn more about her in the HEXED anthology.
From FIREWALKER:
"Sheriff Jones grilled me about what kind of witchcraft I did," Cassandra muttered. "I should do a spell to make his balls fall off."
The question of the day: Heroes or heroines? Do hero-driven stories float your boat, or are you more interested in the heroine and her story?
October 25, 2010
FIREWALKER Countdown--COLBY--A Dragon
The FIREWALKER Giveaway continues! Comment to win a signed copy of Stormwalker (or backlist book of choice) and qualify for the grand prize.
DAY SIX--(a new character) COLBY
Colby to Janet: "You're bubbling with power, and sooner or later, you're going to blow. I was willing to give Micky the benefit of the doubt for not offing you, and then I met you." His smile was gone, his eyes darkening like Mick's did. "Now I think it wasn't his fault he couldn't kill you. I'm betting you wouldn't let him."
Meet Colby, another inked biker who can turn into a fire-breathing dragon. He and Mick tangled years and years ago, and parted enemies. Now Colby might be Mick's only chance to survive his coming tests. Janet doesn't trust him, but she has no choice but to work with him.
Colby is dark-haired, blue-eyed, full of muscle and inked all over. He's snarky, smart, and up to something. I introduce him for the first time in FIREWALKER, and you'll see him again in SHADOW WALKER (coming in June).
As I sat down, Mick flashed me a warning look and said, "The magic mirror showed him everything."
"Everything." Colby's grin became a leer. "It was stimulating, even if I had to watch through a lot of cracks."
My face heated. "I swear I'm melting that thing."
"Don't be embarrassed," Colby said. "It was beautiful. Way better than anything I can find on that motel TV."
I love writing new characters and lots of them. Do you prefer books that focus solely on the H/H with a few characters for spice, or do you like a lot of characters, with depth, running around?
Comment to win!
DAY SIX--(a new character) COLBY
Colby to Janet: "You're bubbling with power, and sooner or later, you're going to blow. I was willing to give Micky the benefit of the doubt for not offing you, and then I met you." His smile was gone, his eyes darkening like Mick's did. "Now I think it wasn't his fault he couldn't kill you. I'm betting you wouldn't let him."
Meet Colby, another inked biker who can turn into a fire-breathing dragon. He and Mick tangled years and years ago, and parted enemies. Now Colby might be Mick's only chance to survive his coming tests. Janet doesn't trust him, but she has no choice but to work with him.
Colby is dark-haired, blue-eyed, full of muscle and inked all over. He's snarky, smart, and up to something. I introduce him for the first time in FIREWALKER, and you'll see him again in SHADOW WALKER (coming in June).
As I sat down, Mick flashed me a warning look and said, "The magic mirror showed him everything."
"Everything." Colby's grin became a leer. "It was stimulating, even if I had to watch through a lot of cracks."
My face heated. "I swear I'm melting that thing."
"Don't be embarrassed," Colby said. "It was beautiful. Way better than anything I can find on that motel TV."
I love writing new characters and lots of them. Do you prefer books that focus solely on the H/H with a few characters for spice, or do you like a lot of characters, with depth, running around?
Comment to win!
October 24, 2010
Two things--Prize and Vid
This gorgeous bookcover, made by Chasity at LoveLifeReviews.com, is part of the grand prize of the Firewalker giveaway. They're beautifully made. Thank you, Chasity!
Below is the cool video Kendra of Creations by Kendra did for Firewalker. Enjoy!
October 23, 2010
FIREWALKER Countdown--JAMISON
The FIREWALKER Giveaway continues! Comment to win a signed copy of Stormwalker (or backlist book of choice) and qualify for the grand prize.
DAY FIVE--JAMISON KEE
Jamison to Janet: "I'm remembering a fifteen-year-old girl, one eaten up with storm magic. So scared she was afraid to go to school, and she'd run away from home so her grandmother wouldn't make her go. She was sitting on a ledge overlooking Spider Rock and crying because she couldn't make the lightning stop."
Jamison Kee is a handsome Navajo shaman and a Changer (shifter) who takes the form of a mountain lion. He loves Naomi, the lady with the blue-green eyes who makes him a whole person.
Jamison is Janet's oldest friend, the one who helped the teenaged Janet make sense of the storm power that rocked her. Without Jamison's instruction, she'd never have survived.
Jamison and Naomi's love story is told in "A Little Night Magic," in the Hot for the Holidays anthology available from Berkley Publishing.
FROM Firewalker:
"My shaman advice to you is to go to bed. Before you do, will you call Naomi and tell her I need a ride home? If I walk home as a mountain lion in this town, I'll probably get shot. If I do it as a naked man, I'll never live it down."
I think shape shifters are my favorite paranormal creatures (see PRIDE MATES, by Jennifer Ashley, followed by PRIMAL BONDS in March, if you don't believe me). There's something about a guy with an animal lurking beneath that's just...mmmm.
Do shape shifters rock your world? Or do you prefer a different paranormal creature? (and what?) Comment to win!
DAY FIVE--JAMISON KEE
Jamison to Janet: "I'm remembering a fifteen-year-old girl, one eaten up with storm magic. So scared she was afraid to go to school, and she'd run away from home so her grandmother wouldn't make her go. She was sitting on a ledge overlooking Spider Rock and crying because she couldn't make the lightning stop."
Jamison Kee is a handsome Navajo shaman and a Changer (shifter) who takes the form of a mountain lion. He loves Naomi, the lady with the blue-green eyes who makes him a whole person.
Jamison is Janet's oldest friend, the one who helped the teenaged Janet make sense of the storm power that rocked her. Without Jamison's instruction, she'd never have survived.
Jamison and Naomi's love story is told in "A Little Night Magic," in the Hot for the Holidays anthology available from Berkley Publishing.
FROM Firewalker:
"My shaman advice to you is to go to bed. Before you do, will you call Naomi and tell her I need a ride home? If I walk home as a mountain lion in this town, I'll probably get shot. If I do it as a naked man, I'll never live it down."
I think shape shifters are my favorite paranormal creatures (see PRIDE MATES, by Jennifer Ashley, followed by PRIMAL BONDS in March, if you don't believe me). There's something about a guy with an animal lurking beneath that's just...mmmm.
Do shape shifters rock your world? Or do you prefer a different paranormal creature? (and what?) Comment to win!
