Jessica Bird

Jessica Rowley Pell Bird Blakemore (born April 19, 1969) is an American novelist. Under her maiden name, Jessica Bird, she writes contemporary romance novels, and as J.R. Ward, she writes paranormal romance. She is a three-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, once as Bird for Best Short Contemporary Romance for From the First and twice as Ward for Best Paranormal Romance for Lover Revealed and Dearest Ivie, and her books have been on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Jessica Rowley Pell Bird Blakemore
Born	Jessica Rowley Pell Bird (1969-04-19) April 19, 1969 (age 55)[1] Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Pen name	J. R. Ward
Occupation	Novelist
Language	English
Education	Smith College Albany Law School (JD)
Period	2002–present
Genre	Romance, paranormal romance
Notable works	Black Dagger Brotherhood series
Notable awards	RITA award – Best Short Contemporary Romance 2007 From the First RITA award – Best Paranormal Romance 2008 Lover Revealed
Spouse	John Neville Blakemore III (2001–present)
Website
www.jessicabird.com

Biography

Born Jessica Rowley Pell Bird in Massachusetts, United States, she is the daughter of W. Gillette Bird Jr. and Maxine F. Bird.^[2] She began writing as a child, penning her thoughts in diaries as well as inventing short stories. The summer before she went to college she wrote her first book, a romance novel.^[3] After that, she wrote regularly, but for herself.^[4] Bird attended Smith College^[2] where she double majored in history and art history, concentrating on the medieval period.^[4] She then received a Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School^[2] and worked in healthcare administration for several years,^[4] including as the Chief of Staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.^[2]

In 2001, Bird married John Neville Blakemore III.^[2] Her new husband encouraged her to try to get an agent and market her manuscripts. She found an agent, and in 2002 her first novel, a contemporary romance called Leaping Hearts, was published.^[4][5] Several years later, Bird invented a world populated by vampires and began writing single-title paranormal romance novels under the pen name J.R. Ward. These novels are a series, known as the Black Dagger Brotherhood.^[5]

Bird likes to write series novels which incorporate characters from her previous books. She likens the process of creating a series to "meeting friends through other friends".^[4] Her heroes are most often alpha males, "the tougher, the cockier, the more arrogant, the better", while the heroines are smart and strong.^[4]

The Romance Writers of America awarded her the RITA Award for Best Short Contemporary Romance in 2007 for her novel From the First.^[6] She has also been nominated six times for Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards, winning once for Lover Awakened. She was also number 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers List of 2014.^[7]

As Jessica Bird

Single novels

• Leaping Hearts. Ivy Books. July 2002 [2002]. ISBN 9780804119887.
• Heart of Gold. Ivy Books. June 2003 [2003]. ISBN 9780804119894.
• An Unforgettable Lady. Ivy Books. March 2004 [2004]. ISBN 9780345458957.
• An Irresistible Bachelor. Ivy Books. March 2004 [2004]. ISBN 9780345458964.
• The St. Ambrose School for Girls. Gallery Books. July 2023. (as Jessica Ward).

The Moorehouse Legacy Series

1. Beauty and the Black Sheep. Silhouette. July 2005 [2005]. ISBN 9780373246984.
2. His Comfort and Joy. Silhouette. January 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780373247325.
3. From The First. Silhouette. April 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780373247509.
4. A Man in a Million. Silhouette. January 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780373248032.

The O'Banyon Brothers Series

1. The Billionaire Next Door. Silhouette. August 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780373248445.

Omnibus

• From the First / What are Friends for?. 2002.

Collections in collaboration

• "Plain Jane's Secret Life / Beauty and the Black Sheep" (2005) (with Cathy Gillen Thacker)
• "The Billionaire Next Door" in Mistress: Taken by the Tycoon (2009) (with Jan Colley and Kristi Gold)

As J. R. Ward

Black Dagger Brotherhood Universe

The Black Dagger Brotherhood

1. Dark Lover. Penguin. September 2005 [2005]. ISBN 9780451216953.
2. Lover Eternal. Signet. March 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780451218049.
3. Lover Awakened. Signet. September 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780451219367.
4. Lover Revealed. Onyx. March 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780451412355.
5. Lover Unbound. Signet. September 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780451222350.
6. Lover Enshrined. Signet. June 2008 [2008]. ISBN 9780451222725.
7. Lover Avenged. NAL. April 2009 [2009]. ISBN 9780451225856.
8. Lover Mine. NAL. May 2010 [2010]. ISBN 9780451229854.
9. Lover Unleashed. NAL. March 2011 [2011]. ISBN 9780451233165.
10. Lover Reborn. NAL. March 2012 [2012]. ISBN 9780451235848.
11. Lover at Last. NAL. March 2013 [2013]. ISBN 9780451239358.
12. The King. NAL. April 2014 [2014]. ISBN 9780451417053.
13. The Shadows. NAL. March 2015 [2015]. ISBN 9780451417077.
14. The Beast. NAL. April 2016 [2016]. ISBN 9780451475169.
15. The Chosen. Ballantine Books. April 2017 [2017]. ISBN 9780451475190.
16. The Thief. Ballantine Books. April 2018 [2018]. ISBN 9780451475213.
17. The Savior. Gallery Books. April 2019 [2019]. ISBN 9781501194948.
18. The Sinner. Gallery Books. March 2020 [2020]. ISBN 978-1501195099.
19. Lover Unveiled. Gallery Books. April 20, 2021 [2021]. ISBN 9781501195129.
20. Lover Arisen. Gallery Books. April 2022
21. Lassiter. Gallery Books. April 2023 ISBN 0349430861
22. The Beloved. Gallery Books. April 2024
23. Lover Forbidden. Gallery Books. September 2025

Christmas Novels

• Where Winter Finds You: A Caldwell Christmas. Pocket Books. November 2019 [2019]. ISBN 9781982135478.
• A Warm Heart in Winter: A Caldwell Christmas. Pocket Books. December 2020 [2020]. ISBN 9781982159702.
• A Bloom in Winter: A Caldwell Christmas. Gallery Books. November 2024

Novellas

• "Father Mine: Zsadist and Bella's Story" (October 2008) – ebook
• "The Story of Son" (in Dead After Dark anthology) (December 2008)
• "Dearest Ivie" (March 2018) – ebook
• "Prisoner of Night" (January 2019) – ebook
• "Darius" (prequel) (September 2023)

Supplement

• Ward, J. R. (October 2008) [2008]. The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-451-22500-9.
• The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider’s Guide Volume 2. (December 2025)

Omnibus

• Black Dagger Brotherhood, box set: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Unbound, Lover Revealed, Lover Enshrined (2009)

Fallen Angels Series

Same universe but takes place in an earlier timeline.

1. Covet. Signet. September 2009 [2009]. ISBN 978-0-451-22821-5.
2. Crave. Signet. October 2010 [2010]. ISBN 978-0-451-22944-1.1
3. Envy. Signet. September 2011 [2011]. ISBN 978-0-349-40020-4.
4. Rapture. NAL. September 2012 [2012]. ISBN 978-074-995-700-1.
5. Possession. NAL. October 2013 [2013]. ISBN 978-045-124-019-4.
6. Immortal. NAL. October 2014 [2014]. ISBN 978-045-124-116-0.

Black Dagger Legacy

Spin-off series that details the trainees.

1. Blood Kiss. Signet. December 2015 [2015]. ISBN 978-0-451-47532-9.
2. Blood Vow. Ballantine Books. December 2016 [2016]. ISBN 978-0-451-47533-6.
3. Blood Fury. Ballantine Books. January 2018 [2018]. ISBN 978-0-451-47534-3.
4. Blood Truth. Gallery Books. August 2019 [2019].

Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp

1. The Jackal. Gallery Books. August 2020 [2020]. ISBN 978-1-501-19508-2.
2. The Wolf. Gallery Books. November 16, 2021 [2021]. ISBN 978-1-982-17987-8
3. The Viper. Gallery Books. September 20, 2022
4. Brother of Fire: Lost Dagger Society 1. Gallery Books. 2025

Lair of the Wolven

1. Claimed. Pocket Books. June 29, 2021 [2021]. ISBN 978-1-982-15037-2.
2. Forever. Pocket Books. [2023]. ISBN 978-1-982-18020-1.
3. Mine. Pocket Books. [2024]

The Bourbon Kings

1. The Bourbon Kings. Berkley. July 2015 [2015]. ISBN 978-0-451-47526-8.
2. The Angel's Share. Berkley. July 2016 [2016]. ISBN 978-0-451-47528-2.
3. Devil's Cut. Ballantine Books. August 2017 [2017]. ISBN 978-0-451-47530-5.

Firefighters

1. Consumed. Gallery Books. October 2018 [2018]. ISBN 978-1-501-19490-0.

Novella

• "The Wedding from Hell" (3-Part ebook prequel for Consumed)-July–August 2018

The Kingdoms of the Compass

• Untitled Book 1 (Winter, 2026)

Collections in collaboration

• "The Story of Son" in Dead After Dark (2008) (with Sherrilyn Kenyon, Susan Squires, Dianna Love)
• "Dark Lover" in Blood Lust 6 (2010) (with MaryJanice Davidson, Christine Feehan)
• "Lover Awakened" in Blood Sample 7 (2010) (with MaryJanice Davidson, Laurell K Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Katie MacAlister)

Awards and reception

• 2006 – RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance for Lover Awakened^[8]
• 2006 - RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance for Lover Unbound^[8]
• 2007 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Short Contemporary Romance for From the First^[9]
• 2008 - P.E.A.R.L. (Paranormal Excellence Award for Romantic Literature) for Best Vampire Romance for Lover Enshrined
• 2008 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Paranormal Romance for Lover Revealed^[9]
• 2009 - P.E.A.R.L. (Paranormal Excellence Award for Romantic Literature) for Best Overall Paranormal Romance AND Best Vampire Romance for Lover Avenged
• 2010 – Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Romance for Lover Mine^[8]
• 2011 – Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Romance for Lover Unleashed^[8]
• 2011 – RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance for Lover Unleashed^[8]
• 2013 – Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Romance for Lover at Last^[8]

References

1. "Voter Information Center".
2. "Weddings; Jessica Bird, Neville Blakemore", New York Times, October 7, 2001, retrieved 2007-11-14
3. "Jessica Bird's Bio at eHarlequin". Harlequin Enterprises Limited. Archived from the original on 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
4. Alice, Kris (September 2004), Jessica Bird, A Romance Review, archived from the original on 2016-03-03, retrieved 2007-11-14
5. Gentle, Dee (January 2006), An Interview with J.R. Ward, PNR Paraphrenalia, archived from the original on 2007-11-10, retrieved 2007-11-14
6. RITA Awards: Past Winners, Romance Writers of America, 2007, archived from the original on 2007-09-27, retrieved 2007-11-14
7. "Author Profile: Jessica Bird". Romantic Times. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-30. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
8. "Awards for J.R. Ward". www.fictiondb.com. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
9. "myRWA : RITA Awards : RITA Award Winners". www.rwa.org. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2018.

External links

• Jessica Bird Official site Archived 2018-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
• J. R. Ward's Official Site
• BookPage interview with JR Ward
• J. R. Ward at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database