Jade C. Jamison's Blog, page 7

Slow Burn in live!

Brian’s book (Feverish #4) is now live and I’m excited for you to read it!

The blurb:

LIVE!

When Brian and Sophie meet, there’s spontaneous combustion.
Too bad they hate each other.

Fashion model Sophia Buckley has despised Brian Zimmer from the first time she heard him speak…and so, without even getting to know him, she plots revenge, executing her plan perfectly. Playing a groupie, she engages Brian in a steamy encounter, only to leave him high and dry.

Brian figures she’s simply the mayor of Crazy Town, vowing to forget the experience and move on.

Except she won’t let him because she keeps turning up in his life.

Despite Brian’s protests, the band’s manager forces Last Five Seconds to engage with this woman because she has an innate talent for stirring up drama. Throw in the paparazzi, and both she and the band get some much-needed publicity.

Forced together, Brian and Sophie find their feelings for one another growing.

But it would never work. They are oil and water, not yin and yang.

So why do they keep ending up in each other’s life? In each other’s bed?

When Sophie cuts Brian to the quick in a very public way, he finds the fuel to walk away for good. But will he really be able to stay away?

Some reviews:

“I was intrigued from the first word to the last, and need more of the Feverish world.” Janeane, BJ’s Book Blog

“Jamison is really good at humanizing heavy metal rock stars, showing their insecurities and sensitive sides. It makes it impossible not to fall in love with these considerate, thoughtful guys.” Elizabeth, The Marginatrix

“Brian and Sophia meet up again and sparks FLY. Seems they are so compatible they combust at each turn. Even when they want to apologize, they end up fighting…I enjoyed the story plus…all kinds of excited for what is to come!!!” Angie J, Twinsie Talk Book Reviews

The giveaway is live for less than 24 hours, so if you haven’t entered yet, you’ll want to do it now: https://bit.ly/35AQc7Z

Links:

Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Google Play
Smashwords

One more thing: the book will be moved to Kindle Unlimited soon, so get your copy ASAP!

Excerpt from the upcoming Slow Burn

Slow Burn (Feverish #4) drops in two days…so let me whet your appetite. Enjoy Chapter One but be warned…it’s not necessarily safe for work (adult language and situations follow)!

Slow Burn – Chapter One

Brian Zimmer jumped out of the shower and toweled off, eager to join the party.  After the sad but necessary end of his foolish marriage to the gorgeous metal goddess Kyle Summers, he’d spent far more than a few months in mourning—and now it was time to act like a hot-blooded man again.  He hadn’t been with a woman in far too long and he was dying to hold one close, smell her hair, feel her breasts pushed up against him, cause her to cry his name.

Jesus.  Just thinking about it started the blood swirling in his veins.

As the sole single member of the world-famous heavy metal band Last Five Seconds, Brian would have his choice of women, and he planned to enjoy it.  The first party after the first show at the beginning of the first leg of the tour was always the best—and this one would be the best of the best.

Superlative to the nth degree.

Besides, since Clay had settled down with a steady squeeze a couple of years ago, Brian had somehow become the resident party animal.  That label didn’t actually fit, even though the man loved having fun and enjoyed spending time around others, but he was stuck with it, nonetheless.  So he might as well enjoy it.

Pulling a comb through his long brown hair, Brian questioned if he needed to do anything else after that.  His blue eyes looked sharp but not predatory—good, because he didn’t want to look like he was on the prowl any more than he wanted to appear desperate.  Neither was a suitable look for him.

Stepping into the main room, he headed over to his suitcase, pulling out the first t-shirt on top.  He didn’t even realize it was a Harley-Davidson tee until he looked down at his chest after pulling it over his head.  The best thing about this job was that just about any shirt went with jeans—but, in his opinion, a Harley tee was one of the best pairings.  Unfortunately, he hadn’t ridden in a while, not since last summer.  He was even toying with the idea of selling his bike.  After all, why have one when you were never home to use it?  Someone else could give it more love and attention than he could.

Now that he was looking at life anew, though, he was reconsidering.  He suspected he’d have more fun riding nowadays, no matter the weather, no matter the place.

But enough musing.  Now it was time to party.

Jeans, boots, wallet in the back pocket and he was good to go.

When he stepped onto the elevator, there was a middle-aged couple already on, and the woman gave him a bit of a scowl.  He knew immediately it was likely due to the combination of his full tattoo sleeves paired with the Harley tee.  That meant one thing—the bad boy image he projected was right on target.  This woman, quite refined, very wealthy by the looks of things, probably had a secret desire to be with a rock star—he’d discovered that strange contradiction early on in his career—but she couldn’t let her husband see it on her face.

Nowadays, though, he was starting to think a few less glares might be welcome.

Brian simply settled back into the corner, waiting for the elevator to reach the bottom.  The couple got off on the second level where, if he wasn’t mistaken, there was a spacious fully stocked bar.  He was heading to the ground level where there were conference rooms and a ballroom.  One of those giant spaces was where the party was being held, complete with champagne and a bar, hors d’oeuvres, and loud music.

When they’d first arrived earlier in the day, he and the guys had taken a tour just to get familiar with the place—and while they’d all agreed the outdoor pool looked tempting, this particular early spring evening was turning out to be too chilly.  But who knew what the night might bring?

Stepping off the elevator on the bottom floor, he could hear the music down the hall to the left.  But in the open area where he stood, there was also a digital billboard on the wall, announcing the party to anyone who was invited to attend and was, perhaps, deaf, unable to find it.  There was even another sign on an easel in front of the double doors inviting him in.  Tonight’s event was one of the larger expenses of their tour, the opening night party where they invited people in the industry, local and national celebrities, and the like.  Here there would be people who could spread the news that LFS’s latest tour, one dubbed Pure Pandemonium, was worth the price of admission.

And acting like a bad boy would only help.

He hadn’t been this excited about anything in a long time, a good reminder that he was meant to be single.  He and Kyle had become best friends and why his drunken brain had thought at the time that they would then become a loving power couple only reminded him that he made shitty decisions when drinking.  Kyle was a beautiful, sexy woman and they’d been good in bed together—but they would never love each other as anything more than friends.  So he’d spent the last year or two asking what it was he actually wanted in a woman.  What would make for a solid relationship, one that felt like it was meant to be?  How could he find his own Emily or Grace or Charlie?

He was beginning to think maybe he wasn’t meant to.

All those months of soul-searching led to that conclusion.  If Kyle, one of his best friends, wasn’t what he wanted or needed as a permanent companion, then maybe Brian wasn’t destined to have a long-term relationship.  Maybe he was meant to merely play the field and enjoy all it had to offer.  While at the back of his mind he knew that was probably bullshit, for the next few months on the road, he was going to live life like LFS was supporting their first album.  Like back in the day when they had no commitments and had no expectations other than wowing the fans and wooing the girls—and if they did the first part right, the second part was easy.

When Brian entered the room, he was hit with loud music and chatter, the smell of strong booze, and bright lights.  The room was packed, something he hadn’t expected.  He’d known there would be a lot of people, but this was wall to wall—and he was pretty sure that was thanks to Mark, their tour manager.

Holy shit.  There were gorgeous babes everywhere and not one other rock star to compete with.  Had his bandmates been philanderers, that would have been another story, but they were good guys, meaning the women were his for the taking.

Goddamn, the females here seemed extra beautiful, too—but he suspected that was due to his frame of mind.  A few of them appeared to be too young, though, and that was a testament to how long LFS had been on top.  That was fine with Brian.  He’d discovered over the years that women his age were often a little more knowledgeable and a lot more freewheeling than those with less experience.

The guys were scattered throughout the room, and it looked like at least Clay and Sam were being interviewed by two different people.  Dane appeared to be entertaining a group of people who were intent on whatever it was the man was saying.  If Brian got bored, there were plenty of crew members throughout the crowd, but he was going to get a beer in hand and then follow the plan.

He’d barely made it to the small bar in the corner when the bartender held up a green bottle.  “I heard you’re a Stella fan.  Is that true?”

Raising his eyebrows, Brian smiled and nodded.  “Of late, yes.  How the hell does word like that get around so fast?”

“Ah, your secret’s safe with me.  Your manager told us last week what drinks to make sure we had stocked for you and your gang.”

While the bartender popped the top off the beer, Brian said, “Well, don’t let this little soiree fool you.  By the end of the tour, we’ll be sleeping in tents and eating at McDonald’s, happy to drink tap water.”

“Then enjoy while you can.”

After taking the bottle of beer from him, the bassist said, “Thanks, man.  Are you collecting tips?”

“It’s already covered.”

“Fantastic.  I’ll be seeing you soon, I’m sure.”

“I’ll be here.”

Downing a large swallow of the mellow brew, Brian then turned around and once more scoped out the room.  Jesus, how could he ever choose among all these beautiful women?  It didn’t seem fair to deny many by deciding on one.  But that was egotistical as fuck, and Brian knew it.  As much as he understood that a good many groupies just wanted bragging rights, a lot of these women merely wanted to meet the rock star of their dreams.  Maybe Brian could give a few of them a thrill before settling in.

Except for that extremely gorgeous blonde in the corner.  And what was it about blondes lately that got his heart racing?  Before flaxen-haired Kyle there had been the platinum Carolyn, known as Cookie to most people who knew her.  Damn, she’d been a beautiful woman, so striking she was employed as a model.  But she was as dumb as a pile of bricks, not to mention vacuous and vain.  In fact, Cookie had been so fucking bad, Brian instituted a no-model rule.  After Cookie had lashed out at him in the press by saying he wouldn’t know what to do with his dick if it had had paint-by-numbers on it (which, by the way, made no fucking sense), he’d been pretty vocal about vowing to never date a model because they were too damned stupid.

And he’d been rather colorful and amusing in his over-the-top descriptions.  At least, he’d thought so.

That blonde in the corner even looked like a model, but her clothes didn’t have that vibe.  She looked pretty fucking metal, actually, and Brian wanted to chat with her to find out exactly what kind of woman she was.

When she crooked her finger at him, she might as well have wrapped a leash around his neck, because he was all hers.

Fortunately, there wasn’t a lot of traffic between him and her and he made it to her side in mere seconds.  “Well, hello there.”

“Hi, Brian,” she said, touching his arm with her cool fingertips.  Her nails were covered with a deep blue polish, emphasizing the slender fingers, her delicate ivory skin—and already he was dying to taste it.

Jesus.  He was going to have to pace himself.

“You have a leg up on me.  What should I call you?”

“My name’s Sophia, but you can call me Sophie if you like.”

As long as he could actually call her.  Holy shit.  Up close, she was stunning.  Emerald green eyes that looked as sharp as a hawk, her body thin but strong, curvy in the right places, and tall.  If she hadn’t been wearing the dark lipstick paired with expertly groomed eyebrows, she could have passed as the girl next door.  Brian already loved the smoky makeup on her face, giving her a mysterious aura, but he also couldn’t help imagining her later in the shower looking fresh and almost innocent.

What the fuck was wrong with him?  They’d barely spoken—and yet he’d already fucked her all night long in his mind.

“Well, Sophie, I have to ask:  did you enjoy the show?”

“Of course.  I love you guys.”

“Thanks for your support,” he said, drinking down another swig of beer.  “So when you’re not attending concerts, what do you do?”

“I’m working on my law degree.”

“Oh, wow.  That’s pretty impressive.  I don’t think I’ve ever met a lawyer at one of our meet and greets.”

“I’m not a lawyer yet.”

“Meaning you plan to stop rocking out when you get your degree?”

“I’m not sure.  We’ll have to see where things take me.”

Christ.  Knowing this woman was smart made him instantly more interested.

Before he could respond, she leaned closer—close enough that he caught a vanilla scent wafting off her.  That was much better than some of the women he’d banged after a concert who had the odor of pot clinging to their locks or, almost worse, those who were drowning in a sicky-sweet floral smell.  This gorgeous babe here was not only intelligent, but she also looked and smelled so feminine.  Damn, she was exactly what he needed to end his famine.

Then, as if she could read his mind, she asked, “Is there some place else we could go?  It’s really loud in here.”

Unable to suppress his grin, Brian said, “I thought you’d never ask.”

As they made their way through the crowd, he realized he’d been out of the game so long, he wasn’t sure what to offer.  He couldn’t completely read her fucking signals even.  What the hell was wrong with him?  He was torn between asking if she wanted to go to the bar on the second floor, hang out by the pool, head to the bathrooms on this floor, or go up to his room.

Maybe he needed more alcohol.  As he swallowed a large gulp from the now almost-empty bottle, he wondered if maybe instead he needed less.

It was much quieter in the hallway, meaning he wouldn’t have to shout at her anymore.  “Where would you like to go?”  Asking her would be safer.  Making assumptions could ruin his chances before he even got started.

But she got close to him, pressing her palm against his pec.  “Do you have a room here?”

Holy shit.  He was starting to think this woman was ready to get right down to business but he needed to calm down.  There was no guarantee she was thinking what he hoped she was thinking.  “Yeah.  Were you wanting—”

“Yes, let’s go there.”  As he allowed himself to place his hand on her lower back, leading her toward the elevator, she added, “We’ll have more privacy there.”

Once they were on the elevator heading up, he realized he was going to have to do something to keep his mind off what was sure to follow.  Otherwise, he was going to wind up acting like a pre-teen who popped a boner at every slight breeze.  “So is this your first LFS concert?”

Tilting her head in the sexiest way, she almost smirked.  “It is.  Was it that obvious?”

Hmm.  Maybe he’d have to be careful.  Not all fans were rabid, having to go to every concert every time the band came to town—and it wasn’t like their shows were cheap.  Maybe in the nosebleed section, but he knew from experience that the entire experience could be pricey, which meant music lovers might have to pick and choose which shows they went to.  “Nah.  Didn’t mean to imply that.”  But in no way did that mean they couldn’t find common ground.  When the elevator stopped at his floor, he asked, “Who are your favorite bands?”

As she stepped out into the hallway, he instinctively put out a hand to stop the doors from closing before following her.  She said, “Oh, goodness.  There are so many.”  But she was silent for a bit, and Brian thought some of asking her about specific bands, because maybe she, too, was nervous now that they were closer to his room.  Finally, though, she spoke.  “Metallica.”

He had to refrain from saying duh, because everyone said that.  Of most metalheads he knew, Metallica was in their top ten, so it was a given and, frankly, a boring answer.

“And, um, Imagine Dragons.”

Okay…those guys weren’t bad, but they were nothing like LFS or Metallica.  Still, he wasn’t going to say a word.  That could potentially ruin the mood.

“And Korn!” she said, almost triumphant.

Yeah, she must have been nervous.

Whipping out the card for his room, Brian said, “Yeah, I like those guys, too.”  After opening the door, he held it for her, trying not to stare at her fine ass in that snug black leather skirt.  Holy shit.  This woman could tempt a priest.  “Haven’t had the pleasure of playing with them yet, though.”

As the door clicked into place, Sophie turned and faced him.  Goddamn, she was close, close enough that he could smell her fragrance again, but, more than that, he could feel the electricity sparking between their bodies.  He could almost taste her.

Why the fuck had he waited this long?

Instead of locking her lips with his, though, she brought them to his ear and her breath against the flesh there completely undid him.  The blood in his veins was swirling like the Colorado River and he merely had to keep it all from rushing to his cock for just a few more minutes.  Just because she was cozying up to him didn’t mean she was ready for him to ram himself into her.  “I have been dying to do this, Brian Zimmer.”

When she placed her fingers on the waistband of his jeans so he could feel her fingernails sliding against his flesh, that was all it took.  She was kissing his neck while he let the blood find its way to his cock where it had been wanting to go this whole time.  Wrapping his hands around her waist, he refrained from pulling her close, instead letting her work her magic on him.  One fleeting thought escaping his brain was that he didn’t know her last name, so he couldn’t even say anything back to her like she’d said, not that it would have mattered.  A week from now, he wouldn’t even remember that her first name was…Sophia.  Whew.

But as she pulled the zipper down, he doubted he’d be able to remember even that much about her an hour from now.  He had the urge to kiss her, but she was already dipping down, getting into position as she pulled his rigid cock out of his underwear.  “Mmm,” she said, holding his shaft and running her hand along it.

Closing his eyes, Brian leaned his head back against the door now, waiting to feel her mouth wrap around him.  He could feel his pulse in his cock as he sucked a deep breath in through his nostrils and he felt like a horse stuck behind the gate, so eager to run free.  As she ran her hand down his shaft again, shivers rippled over his flesh in anticipation.

Then she said, “Um, no,” and she let go of him.

Brian’s eyes popped open in a snap.  “What?”

“No,” she said, standing up and dusting off her hands as if she’d just accomplished a task.  “I think you’ll have to take care of yourself, Mr. Zimmer.”

He looked down at his cock, wondering if something was wrong.  Did he have something down there that he’d missed in the shower?  Was he showing signs of disease or was something else amiss?  But as he scrutinized, his good ol’ boy looked as good as ever.  “What’s going on?”

“Obviously, I’ve changed my mind.”  Cocking her eyebrow, she moved to the side, reaching for the doorknob.

“Yeah, I get that,” he said, still in shock, painfully trying to shove his engorged cock back into his underwear nonetheless.  And then his brain went back to middle school sex ed—or high school.  He couldn’t quite remember which, especially right now.  “And that’s your choice.  That’s fine.”

“But don’t you want to know why?”

Something didn’t feel right.  “Well, yeah.  Of course, I do.”

Pressing her pointy index finger into his chest right between his pecs, she then looked straight into his eyes.  She wasn’t quite smirking, but the way her eyebrow cocked up didn’t help him get himself under control.  “After you broke up with Cookie Brown, you made some particularly vile comments about models.”

“What the fuck does that have to do with you?”

“I am a model.  Most of the people I know are models.  And we are not stupid.  It just so happens I was working on my law degree and trying to find a way to pay for it.  I started modeling lingerie to do that—and the more I modeled, the more I made.  I chose to become a full-time model, Mr. Zimmer, because it paid the bills.  In fact, it’s become quite lucrative.”

“So this was all just a ploy?”

“Yes, you could call it that.  I wanted to get your attention, because you think you’re so funny.”

“Wait a second.”  Brian’s cock had softened enough that his brain could focus.  His balls ached, but that was another story entirely.  “You’re telling me that you spent money on a concert ticket and a VIP after party just so you could get my attention, hold my cock in your hands, and then turn me down?”

“I wanted to send a distinct message—and it will work.  If you say another nasty thing about models again, I’ll tell the world I decided not to sleep with you because you have a thin penis.”

Brian would have started laughing, but those were fighting words.  His cock was anything but thin.  “I think you’re the one with a problem, lady.”

“Maybe so.  But I’m not gonna have to rub one out in a few minutes.”  With that, she turned the doorknob and stepped out into the hallway.

Brian watched the door close and thought some of chasing her, ultimately deciding against it.  In the grand scheme of things, he considered himself lucky.  After all, she could have done some serious damage to his good ol’ boy and instead she only disappointed him.

And made him slightly angry—but he’d get over it.

In the meantime, though, she’d been right about one thing—and he was going to have to take care of that before heading back down to the party…

Are you wondering how these two actually wind up spending MORE time together? Well, the good news is you don’t have long to wait. You can preorder your copy of the book here:

Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Google Play
Smashwords

***PLEASE NOTE: this title will move into Kindle Unlimited shortly after release day***

Oh…one more thing. If you’re new to the Feverish series, here are links to the rest of the books:

Feverish (Clay’s story – book #4 in the Bullet series)Boiling Point – free through Friday! (Clay on tour)Scorched – 99 cents in US and UK this week only! (Sam’s story)Inferno (Dane’s story)

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE (over $46 value):

Cover reveal and giveaway for Slow Burn

You’ve been waiting for this book…and here it is:  Brian’s story!  And it drops on 6/25/21!

The boys of Last Five Seconds have fallen one by one—fallen in love, that is! But Brian already had his chance. Maybe love’s not in the cards for him…or maybe it is! There’s one way to find out.

Title: Slow Burn (Feverish #4)

Genre: contemporary romance, rock star romance, steamy romance

The cover! Slow Burn: release date 6/25/21

The blurb:

When Brian and Sophie meet, there’s spontaneous combustion.  
Too bad they hate each other.

Fashion model Sophia Buckley has despised Brian Zimmer from the first time she heard him speak…and so, without even getting to know him, she plots revenge, executing her plan perfectly. Playing a groupie, she engages Brian in a steamy encounter, only to leave him high and dry.

Brian figures she’s simply the mayor of Crazy Town, vowing to forget the experience and move on.

Except she won’t let him because she keeps turning up in his life.

Despite Brian’s protests, the band’s manager forces Last Five Seconds to engage with this woman because she has an innate talent for stirring up drama. Throw in the paparazzi, and both she and the band get some much-needed publicity.

Forced together, Brian and Sophie find their feelings for one another growing.

But it would never work. They are oil and water, not yin and yang.

So why do they keep ending up in each other’s life? In each other’s bed?

When Sophie cuts Brian to the quick in a very public way, he finds the fuel to walk away for good. But will he really be able to stay away?

An excerpt:

“I just have one question for you.”

“I owe you that much.”

“Damn right you do.”  Godd*mmit.  The way she cocked her eyebrow was going to drive him f*cking crazy with lust.  How the hell did she have that kind of control over him?  But he sucked down another deep breath and then assessed her coolly, leaning back in the chair, finally crossing his arms like he’d wanted to earlier.  “Just how smart are you, Sophia Buckley, that you’d go all crazy and do the sh*t you did?”

Finally, she had no words.  Speechless.

“Seriously, crazy—like insane asylum level sh*t.  Did you have a sh*tty childhood?  Were you bullied?  What the hell was that all about?  Going undercover, watching my band, drawing me out.  You are seriously demented.  I bet you don’t even like our band.”  He stood then, aware that his voice was on the verge of getting too loud for this crowd of business people spending an hour away from their offices.  “But…apology accepted, Ms. Buckley.  You obviously need the help of a professional.  So,” he said, leaning over, close enough to see the actual glare hidden behind her sweet expression, “I bid you adieu, and I hope you find the help you so desperately need.”  After taking a step away, he turned back quickly and said, “One more thing.  You might consider going back to school.  I think you missed the critical thinking portion of college.”

With a smile, he bowed as a final insult and then made his way through the restaurant.  He caught some eyes on him, but he didn’t know if it was because of his appearance—because, even with the short hair, his fully tatted arms were on display—or if he’d maybe been a little louder than he’d intended.

And even though the place was carpeted, he imagined he could hear her heels pounding behind him.  Oh, yes, he knew he’d made her angry—and that made a fire burn deep in his belly.  How would he ever quench it?

Did he really want to?

By the time he got to the lobby, she grabbed him by the elbow, so he turned slightly, and she started jabbing him in the chest with her blood-red fingernail to punctuate her every word.

“Hold on, Brian.  You don’t get to say a bunch of stuff like that and then just walk off.  I humbled myself to you to apologize and you’re not even taking it seriously.”  Godd*mn, she was gorgeous and, in that moment, he could actually see her as a lawyer, fighting for a client who was guilty as hell but almost convincing the jury to not believe anything they’d heard.  “What if I was a supermodel—not like Cookie but the likes of Elle Macpherson or Naomi Campbell—and what if I said all metal bands sucked?  That all of you were dumb and evil Satan worshippers?”

This was almost fun, pulling her strings and watching her anger escalate.  “You’re entitled to your opinion, Sophia, and I’d hope that my fans wouldn’t give a sh*t what a dumb supermodel thought.”

If there had been a temperature gauge over her head indicating how heated she was feeling, the mercury would have been at the top—and he loved it…

Is Sophie Brian’s true love? Find out next week!

Pre-order Slow Burn now:

Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Google Play
Smashwords

***PLEASE NOTE: this title will move into Kindle Unlimited shortly after release day***

Oh…one more thing. If you’re new to the Feverish series, here are links to the rest of the books:

Feverish (Clay’s story – book #4 in the Bullet series)Boiling Point – 99 cents (Clay on tour)Scorched – 99 cents in US and UK this week only! (Sam’s story)Inferno (Dane’s story)

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE (over $46 value):

So I have a filthy f**king mouth

Recently, I received a one-star review on one of my books. Now that, in and of itself, is no big deal. It happens, and that wasn’t the first one-star I’ve ever received. I’m certain it won’t be the last. But, over the years, I’ve discovered one-star reviews usually mean one thing: that person is NOT my ultimate reader. That person would be far happier reading someone else’s book. And that’s not a bad thing. Besides that, everyone is entitled to her own opinion.

This recent one-star review, however, had me questioning my book blurbs. Why? Because this reader complained about an F bomb in my story. When I first started publishing ten years ago, I added cute little “warnings” at the end of my blurbs for that very reason–to let readers know what they were in for (sex, language, etc.) but in a funny way. And this recent review had me wondering if I should be doing that again, because that was what I got the one-star review for: filthy language.

So should I again warn people about what they’ll find in my books? I didn’t think so, because I don’t hide the fact that I’m writing for adults. I don’t market my stories as clean or Christian, so how did this woman make the mistake of picking up my book?

Should I start warning people again?

I asked that very question in Jade’s Bullet Babes, my reader group on Facebook. Was there something I could do to help browsers know immediately that my book was not for them? My lovely readers told me no. For example, the first sentence in the book that got the one-star review contains the F word. The first sentence. This particular reader could have read the sample and known immediately that it wasn’t for her. More than that, though, my readers assured me that, with adult books, they expect language and sex–so I’m okay. No warnings necessary, they assured me.

So, I suppose, if you’re one of my regular readers, you already know what you’re in for. If, instead, you’re someone on the fence? Well, fair warning: there are bad words in my books. There is sex in my books. When there’s something going on that I think needs a trigger warning, I’ll let you know–but I won’t be warning you about my adult behaviors from this point on. I’m trusting my reader group that I don’t need to warn my audience about the content in my books–but, hey, if you come across this post and you have an opinion, let me know: When you pick up one of my books, what do you expect? Would you be offended if you came across the F word? Let me know your thoughts!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

You might already know this, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to talk about it. The month of May was designated in the United States as Mental Health Awareness Month to put it in the spotlight, to help people understand more about mental health disorders.

I have several family members who suffer from various mental illnesses, so awareness in my household is an everyday thing. But because I see the devastating effects of what mental illness can do to someone and their enjoyment of life, I want to do all I can to make others aware.

Growing up, I wasn’t as exposed to folks who suffered, aside from a couple of relatives I rarely saw, so I didn’t understand the devastating effects of various mental illnesses. Even with treatment, 26% of Americans suffer on a regular basis, so awareness is so important. You probably already know many folks suffering and you might not even be aware of it.

I bring awareness through the stories I tell.

While those stories I tell often focus on finding love, I sometimes touch on mental health themes. Those of you who have read Bullet and Rock Bottom already know that–both deal with substance abuse, but, more importantly, Ethan, one of the main characters, indulges in drugs as a form of self-medication to deal with depression and other issues. In addition, a book I published a few years ago (under the title To Save Him) I will be republishing as Love and Darkness in August, and that book deals with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mental disorders are often dismissed because we can’t necessarily “see” the effects. You can’t look at someone and know that they’re suffering from a mental health disorder. And that’s why Mental Health Awareness Month exists–to remind us that we don’t always know the road someone else has traveled nor the burden they are carrying.

So this message is also one to myself–the people we meet, even if it’s just a person we pass on the sidewalk or someone in line behind us at the supermarket, we don’t know their story. We don’t know what their day or their life has been like. Sometimes, an extra ounce of patience or a kind smile (hopefully, we’ll be better able to see those smiles again once we can take the masks off in public!) will help someone through their day.

If you want more information, please check these sources out:

The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers free support and education about mental health and illness.

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) also offers a host of resources on this page.

New release: Bad Ass

I know, I know…I said Nicki #13 (Front Page News) was going to be the last book. And, at the time, I really meant it. But what can I say? These characters have lived in my head for almost a decade now, and I guess they had more to say.

(Side note: those of you who read the finale know I hinted that there could potentially be another series in the future–but this particular series was wrapped up with a nice neat little bow.)

So what the heck is this new book Bad Ass all about? Well…it’s actually a prequel! The first part of the book is the story “Bad Ass.” It takes place between “The Night” and Nicki #1 (No News is Good News). Then there is a story called “Love and Bromance,” something I’m describing as a series of vignettes involving Sean and Jesse in high school and how they met Nicki.

Because it’s a novella, you can pick it up for 99 cents. Right now, it’s exclusively on Amazon, but I’m hoping to bring it wide sometime later this year. Ready to snag it? Good, because today is release day! Check out the blurb and then grab your copy!

Nicki’s going to a wedding but she needs a plus-one. When her boyfriend isn’t able to accompany her, she asks her best friend Sean Ramsey, of course. How did Sean feel about her back then? Find out in this prequel novella to the Nicki Sosebee series.

Also contains bonus material! “Love and Bromance,” a collection of vignettes featuring Sean and Jesse as teens becoming young men, gives a glimpse of their youth as they come of age. How did Nicki’s life become intertwined with theirs early on?

Please note: the story Bad Ass appeared in the limited-release anthology Love in a Small Town.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

I hope you love additional glimpse at these characters!

Small Town Romance FREEBIE!!!

Love small town romances? 

Seven of our romance authors have come together to share a collection filled with nothing but small town love stories. 

Read stories from…

Cameron D. GarriepyCA MiconiJade C. JamisonKatrina MarieMonique McDonellNan O’BerryZoe Hart

As a special thank you, we’ll send you one book a month from each author in the anthology!
Click the link. You’ll be taken to Book Funnel where you can download the book to your device. 

Please note, by downloading the anthology, you’re agreeing to subscribe to all seven authors’ newsletters, along with Love Kissed Book Bargains, and Love Kissed FREEBIES. Feel free to unsubscribe anytime. 

Grab your copy of Love in a Small Town!

Book Funnel Link: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/osj07aor7n

Blog Post Link: https://lovekissedbookbargains.com/love-in-a-small-town-a-love-kissed-anthology/

One last thing…if you love my Nicki Sosebee series, you’ll want to read my story in the anthology. It’s a prequel to the Nicki series from Sean’s point of view!

Sneak Peek at LOVE AND SORROW

Hey, y’all! Love and Sorrow (Small Town Secrets #5) comes out tomorrow, so I wanted to give you a little sneak peek. First, the blurb…

Fight, flight, or f*ck up

Randi’s surviving the school of hard knocks with barely passing grades. Her entire life is imploding, which puts notions of love on the backburner. Justin, her best friend with benefits, could change her mind, but he’s even more commitment-phobic than she is. When Randi’s walls come crashing down and her family needs her undivided attention, she tries to deny what she feels for him. But can she make it through her ordeals without him by her side?

Now the excerpt (from Chapter Two)…

The kids had been in bed for an hour or two but here I lay in mine unable to sleep.  Over and over, I replayed the day’s events in my mind.  Worse, though, I felt helpless, unable to figure out what more I could do for my child.  Add to it, I hadn’t called Sarah’s father that afternoon to get information on figuring out in-network therapists in Winchester, meaning I also hadn’t scheduled that appointment.

The day had been far too emotional and I’d put off everything else.

And now, all I could think was that I was the world’s worst mother.

Finally, I got out of bed, pulling on a thin robe before going to the utility room at the back of the house to light up a cigarette.  Late at night, especially when it was cold out, I allowed myself to smoke inside—but this was the only room where I did.

I was also holding my cell phone, staring at it.  The time was a quarter after ten.

Not too late.

So I sent a quick text.  Hey, are you free?

Then I sucked down the smoke, feeling some of my anxiety beginning to dissipate.  If Justin didn’t answer, I’d try going to sleep again after finishing the cigarette.

But I’d almost finished it and had no response from the text I’d sent—meaning my friend was likely already occupied.  Just as I was ready to completely give up, though, he responded with a simple Yeah.

That was all the confirmation I needed to call.

“Hey, Rascal.  You know I’m always free for you.  What’s up?”

I didn’t actually want to tell him anything.  Instead, I wanted him to distract me from the incessant thinking.  “Today was pretty rough.”  I paused, because I wasn’t sure how to word my request.  After all, Justin would be at my place tomorrow night—but I needed him now.  “I, um…wondered if you’d mind coming over tonight to talk.”

“Well, uh…”

I knew immediately from his response that I shouldn’t have called.  “Never mind.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Hold on a sec.  Don’t get your panties in a bunch, darlin’.  I just need to finish up what I’m doing here.  I’ll be there, okay?  Just give me a little bit.”

It was then that I let out the breath I didn’t even know I’d been holding in.  “Okay.”  Deep down, I wondered what it was he had to finish up—but I didn’t actually want to know.  Instead, I was grateful that he was coming to rescue me from my brain.

Although it seemed like hours while I waited, smoking several cigarettes in that small room, it was actually less than thirty minutes before he arrived.  When he got there, he sent a text like he always did instead of ringing the doorbell for my kids’ sake.  I rushed to the front of the house, opening the door as I felt a strange and overwhelming onslaught of emotions welling in my chest.  “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you.  Thank you so much.”  Before Justin could even make it through the door, I wrapped my arms around him tightly.

“Whoa.  What’s goin’ on?”

“Too much.”

He followed me in and we sat on the sofa.

His voice was appropriately soft, considering my house was small and the hallway leading to the bedrooms seemed to act like a megaphone.  “Well, do you wanna tell me about it?”

I looked at Justin, really looked.  Damn, I had it bad for this man.  His warm brown eyes searched mine as I tried to focus.

Could I tell him anything?

“Sarah set a fire in the girls’ bathroom trash this afternoon.”

“Shit.  That’s the kind of stuff I did in high school.”

Wait a second.  What?  “It’s not cool and it’s not funny.  Something’s going on with her.”

“Aw, Randi, she’s just a kid.  Kids do shit like that.  It gets attention.”

“It’s not just shit like that.  And it’s negative attention.  She was suspended.”

“Suspended?”

“Yeah.”  Maybe this was a bad idea, asking Justin to come over.  Unfortunately, he was one of the few friends I had.

“For how long?”

“The rest of the week.”

After a few moments of silence, he rested his hand on my knee.  “You gonna be okay?”

Letting out a long sigh, I said, “I think so.”  Then I looked in his eyes.  “It’s just been a rough day.”

“I can tell.”

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, so I couldn’t go to sleep.”

“That’s why I came.  You can tell me all about it.”

That was one of the things I loved about this man.  Unlike any of my past relationships, Justin actually listened when I had things on my mind.

Tonight, though, I wanted to get this shit out of my head—just for now, just long enough to go to sleep.

“I actually don’t want to talk about it, though.  I’m tired of thinking about it right now.  Can we maybe talk about something else?  What did you do today?”

“I replaced a fuel pump.  That’s about it.”  His hand that hadn’t left my knee squeezed slightly as his lip curled into a small smirk.  “I know what you need.”  Then he leaned over, kissing my neck.

This wasn’t why I’d called him over.

Actually…maybe it was.

I closed my eyes as my nipples grew taut in response to his warm lips brushing against the soft skin of my neck.  What better way to clear my mind?

Because I had no argument, I stood, taking his hand in mine as we headed toward my bedroom.

* * *

I climbed back in bed, having finished another cigarette, and looked at Justin’s back as he lay in my bed, softly snoring.  Amazing sex should have done the trick and yet here I was still tossing shit around in my head.  I’d drifted off for all of twenty minutes and then woke up again—but now I had some solid theories.

The first was that Justin was the problem with Sarah.  Somehow, some way, and maybe not (God, I hoped not) intentionally.

The second was me, that I was the problem.  I’d started college classes two nights a week a little over a year ago.  Maybe being gone more had caused Sarah to retreat into a shell…and become angry.

I let out a long breath, pulling my knees close to my chest, gazing at Justin’s outline.  The lights were off in my room, but the nightlight in the hallway shone inside.  God, I didn’t want to believe Justin had anything to do with Sarah’s change in behavior any more than I wanted to blame myself—but I had to face facts:  either scenario was a possibility, and I’d have to explore both notions further.

Even in the dim light, my eyes were able to focus on part of the tribal tattoo painted on his back.  The black wavy swirls over the entire breadth of his left shoulder had always fascinated me.  Then I drank in his mass of longish dirty-blond hair.  While he’d never let it grow past his shoulders, the unconventional length gave him a bit of a bad boy look, and I had to admit I liked that.  I’d never said a word about it to him, but I suspected he knew anyway.  Justin was one of the most confident men I’d ever met, and I knew he had no doubt that lots of women lusted after him.  In fact, I was pretty certain he’d learned over the years how to play on his looks.

Jesus.  I had to get some sleep or I’d have a hell of a time getting Devon to school tomorrow.  I lay down, snuggling up to Justin, draping my arm over his torso while bringing my head close to his neck, breathing in the almost nonexistent scent of his cologne.

But I lay there as one minute ticked on to the next and the next, and I allowed my eyes to open again so they could trace the outline of that tattoo and I leaned back.  After a bit, I rolled over again and started considering having another cigarette.  It was then that I felt the motion of Justin rolling over onto his back, but I could barely understand the words he mumbled.  “You’re pretty restless tonight.”

“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Let it go, Randi.  Just for tonight.  It’ll all be there tomorrow.”

Easy for him to say.  He’d been sound asleep.  “I wish I could.”

What Justin said next surprised me, because it seemed out of character for him—which just hammered home to me how completely closed off I’d been from every soul I claimed to care about.

Except Justin was just a convenient friend, one who’d even called himself nothing more than a fuck buddy.

“It’s a choice.  You have to decide to let it go just for now.”

Instead of tuning into his words, I rejected them.  “Okay, fine.  Then I guess I don’t want to.”  I let out a long sigh, sitting up in bed again.  “This is my little girl we’re talking about here.  Somehow I’ve failed her.”

Justin finally rolled over to face me, his voice now sounding more awake.  “Why do you think you’ve failed her?”

“Whatever’s going on with her has been happening for a long time.  It took something this drastic for me to decide something needs to be done.”

Propping his chin in his palm, his elbow buried in the pillow, Justin finally opened his eyes—not that he could see a whole lot in the darkness of the bedroom.  “You can’t blame yourself for that.  You were hoping it was a phase.  Anyone would do that.”

“I’m not so sure.”  When Justin reached up, brushing the hair off my cheek with his free hand, I turned my head to face him.  “Let me tell you what’s really eating at me.  She didn’t start acting like this until last fall—maybe it was a little later, like around Christmas.  But I’m thinking this behavior might be, um…she might be reacting to the fact that I’m going to school again and I’m here less, or…”

Love and Sorrow, coming 2/23/21

“Or maybe it’s because I’m around?”

I hoped he couldn’t hear the relief in my voice that he’d come to the same conclusion I had.  “I’ve considered that.”

“It’s possible.”

“I know you didn’t know her that well before, but did she seem to change to you at all?”

“Like how?”

“Like…did she seem to act differently?  She used to be so lively, cheerful, outgoing.  And now she’s introverted, quiet.  She hardly ever talks.  She doesn’t even look happy, even when she should.”

“I don’t know.  I mean, I guess I didn’t know your kids well enough to know what they were like before.”  We were quiet for a bit before he said, “Do you think I remind her of her stepdad?”

I didn’t even have to give it a lot of thought.  “I doubt it.  He was…you guys are really different.  He was a big guy, hairy, burly, loud.  And she hasn’t been around him much since the divorce.  So I don’t think so.”

“I’m a big guy.”

“No, not like that.  He was hulking, really broad in the shoulders—and you’re…I’m not making any sense.”

“What did he do for a living?”

“Truck driver—and it wasn’t long before I appreciated when he was on the road.  I think that’s when I finally decided I’d had enough, when I saw how happy the kids and I were when he wasn’t around.  We were—well, I was more like my old self.  But maybe you’re right.  Sarah was a lot quieter when he was around.  I’d always thought she sensed my emotions, but she must have felt like I did…afraid that anything she might say could push his buttons, so it was safer to not say anything at all.”

“I can be loud sometimes, and I get pretty intense.  Maybe I remind her of him when I’m like that.”

“Maybe.”  But no.  Justin was nothing like my ex.

He rested his hand on my arm.  “Maybe I should disappear for a while.”

That was what I feared—but it was what had been in the back of my mind all along.  Justin was one of few friends and probably the only one I fully trusted, so I absolutely hated the idea of him not being around.

But Sarah was my obligation and she was far more important than any other relationship I might have.  From the moment I learned I was pregnant, her life became more important than my own.

My voice was quiet and sounded choked as I forced the words out.  “I’d thought of that—but then I also thought she doesn’t actually see you very often.  Could you really have that effect on her when you’re not here much?”  Justin was never alone with her, so I wasn’t worried about him doing anything weird.  Still…

“Ya never know.”

“I’m going to get her into counseling.  That’s what the principal and counselor at the school suggested.  Maybe a therapist could help her deal with whatever it is she’s going through.”  Suddenly, I was overcome with emotion, and a tear formed in the corner of my eye.  “I definitely can’t.”

Justin drew me into his arms and held me close.  “Hey.  Why don’t we give it a whirl?  I can disappear for a while.  If it’s me that’s making her this way, maybe she’ll open up when I’m not around.”  I nodded, still fighting back tears as he continued.  “And if nothing changes, then maybe it’s not me.”  I looked up at him and, uncharacteristically, he kissed my nose.  Then he bent his neck to the side, stretching.  “I’d better go now.”

But I kept my arms wrapped around him.  “Not right now.  I’m not ready yet.” He kissed me again, this time with passion and promise, and we made love one last time.  Sometime after I finally drifted into a restless sleep, Justin pulled on his clothes and left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Ready to get your copy?

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3jr47Du

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/3jr4UUY

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2N9KHqY

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/3tBNjOY

Oh…and here’s the giveaway that’s almost over: https://www.jadecjamison.com/giveaways/love-sorrow/ ‎

The Best-Laid Plans Part 2

A few months ago, I wrote a post (The Best-Laid Plans) about consistency in publishing–and I had some great ideas. But I’ve finally solidified those plans. To my faithful readers, first let me say my goal is to give you a new book every six weeks (or a little less). Second, I’ve slightly changed the roadmap I laid out in that previous post and I wanted to share it with you.

For every new release, I plan to offer a giveaway–so be on the lookout!

Without further ado, here’s the schedule:

2/8/20 Novella Bad Ass, a prequel to the Nicki Sosebee series. It will be part of a small town romance series for three months and then I’ll release it on its own.

2/23/20 Love and Sorrow (Small Town Secrets #5). Available for pre-order now. Cover reveal coming soon!

3/9/21 Love and Romance (Small Town Secrets #6). Also available for pre-order.

Mid-April Rock Star Romance box set

Mid-May Bad Ass released on its own with a new cover. I’m not sure yet if I’ll write more bonus scenes…but maybe!

End of June Slow Burn (Feverish #4) Brian’s story!

Early August Love and Darkness (Small Town Secrets #7)

End of September Love and Redemption (Small Town Secrets #8)

Mid-November Love and Christmas (Small Town Secrets #9)

Mid-December Stripped – standalone romance about a foul-mouthed stripper and the cop who can’t resist her

I’m really excited to bring you all these stories this year! Are you excited for any of these stories?

When the synapses fail to make a connection…

Forgive me for the silly title. This is not a post about the way the brain works (or doesn’t). It’s only about my brain and this post is most definitely not scientific. But I digress…

I don’t usually respond to reviews.  I think, for the most part, the practice can be viewed as unprofessional, and I feel that readers are entitled to their opinions.  Sometimes, I’ll respond with thanks, but I try to avoid saying anything, although I have been known to “like” some reviews on Goodreads.

Once in a while, though, a review causes me to want to respond publicly, like right now.  What I’m about to say is not negative, though, not in the least, but because a reader mentioned something kind of quirky she caught in my Nicki Sosebee series, I wanted to address it in case anyone else was scratching their head about it.

If you’ve read the Nicki series, then you might have noticed that there is more than one character named Nathan.  There’s Nathan Wright, the police detective Nicki gets to know over the course of the series, a man she eventually finding herself working with more and more.  Then there’s Nathan Carpenter, husband of her best friend Jilly (sometimes called “Nate”).  Last but not least is Jilly’s son Nathan Jr.  Why the hell would any author ever do something like that?

If I could go back in time now, I would not—nor was that intentional back then, either.  The first Nicki Sosebee book was the first story I penned with the plan of writing a series, and I came up with a cast of characters I knew I’d enjoy writing about.  Detective Wright didn’t become a major player until later on in the series and, you might as well know, the big conspiracy you discover at the end of the book hadn’t been fully flushed out yet.  The first story was written as a standalone and at first I imagined each book that way (a la Nancy Drew).  By the time I began writing the second book, though, all bets were off and the overarching story arc began to reveal itself—although you know if you’ve read the entire series that some of what happens in the first book ties into what occurs in the last!

Anyway…the characters I was concerned with in the first book were, of course, Nicki and Sean.  Jillian (and Brandy), as well as Sean’s friends Jesse and Travis were secondary.  Perhaps the only other important character then was Neal, the editor of the town newspaper, Nicki’s mentor.  The cast of characters grew as the story did, but in that first book, it was laser focused on Nicki and Sean and the danger she found herself in.

So Nathan/Nathan/Nathan.  How’d that happen?  I wrote that first book quickly in just a couple of weeks, and I’d planned to have a character named Nathan (not sure why other than I like that name).  As I proofread the story, I never, not once, made the connection that the throwaway character of Jillian’s husband (sorry, Jilly) had the same damn name as the police detective who would eventually become a very important character.  I noticed it later on—I’m not sure when—but it was too late, in my estimation.  Lots of readers had already purchased the book, reviewed it, and read all the books in that series that I’d published thus far.  While I could have gone back and changed it (and maybe even put a note in at the beginning of the next book for established readers), my thoughts back in 2011/2012 was this:  how many times in life have I known people with the same name?  In lots of the classes I taught, in many jobs I’ve worked I’ve known lots of folks with the same name.  It was realistic in a way, but annoying to readers (maybe/probably?).

At that point, having chosen to NOT make the change, I had another task before me:  make it matter.  If two (or more) people have the same damn name in a fiction book, do it for a reason.  So I did.  I figured I would go ahead and point it out in the last book.  I don’t want to spoil anything for those of you who haven’t read the final book or the series, but Jillian relates something to Nicki about the police detective and Nicki mistakenly thinks she’s talking about her husband before they sort through it.  Maybe not the best way to resolve the problem, but there you go.

The funniest part? No one had ever commented in any reviews or elsewhere on the multiple Nathans until I made a point of making it matter.

Will I accidentally name two characters the same again?  Oh, my heavens, I hope not.  And, if I do, I hope I catch it. Or if it’s integral to the story. I could see that happening.  But, folks, this is one of the problems inherent with being a panster—sometimes we don’t outline, take notes, have bios to refer to so we know we’re not f*cking things up along the way.    But I regret nothing! NOTHING! *cue villainous music* Mwahahahaha!

Have you ever read any other books where that’s happened?  Or am I the only crazy author who’s ever done that?