Born Jessica Rowley Pell Bird in Massachusetts, United States, she is the daughter of W. Gillette Bird, Jr. and Maxine F. Bird.[1] 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.[2] After that, she wrote regularly, but for herself.[3] Bird attended Smith College[1] where she double majored in history and art history, concentrating on the medieval period.[3] She then received a law degree from Albany Law School[1]and worked in healthcare administration for several years,[3] including as the Chief of Staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.[1]
In 2001, Bird married John Neville Blakemore III.[1] 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.[3][4] 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.[4]
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".[3] Her heroes are most often alpha males, "the tougher, the cockier, the more arrogant, the better", while the heroines are smart and strong.[3]
The Romance Writers of America awarded her the RITA Award for Best Short Contemporary Romance in 2007 for her novel From the First.[5] 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.[6]
My Opinion: Good stories but more romance than I prefer. I will read another but then maybe back off.
Bibliography:
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.
Beauty and the Black Sheep. Silhouette. July 2005 [2005]. ISBN 9780373246984.
His Comfort and Joy. Silhouette. January 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780373247325.
From The First. Silhouette. April 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780373247509.
A Man in a Million. Silhouette. January 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780373248032.
The Billionaire Next Door. Silhouette. August 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780373248445.
From the First / What are Friends for?. 2002.
"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)
The Black Dagger Brotherhood[edit]
Dark Lover. Penguin. September 2005 [2005]. ISBN 9780451216953.
Lover Eternal. Signet. March 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780451218049.
Lover Awakened. Signet. September 2006 [2006]. ISBN 9780451219367.
Lover Revealed. Onyx. March 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780451412355.
Lover Unbound. Signet. September 2007 [2007]. ISBN 9780451222350.
Lover Enshrined. Signet. June 2008 [2008]. ISBN 9780451222725.
Lover Avenged. NAL. April 2009 [2009]. ISBN 9780451225856.
Lover Mine. NAL. May 2010 [2010]. ISBN 9780451229854.
Lover Unleashed. NAL. March 2011 [2011]. ISBN 9780451233165.
Lover Reborn. NAL. March 2012 [2012]. ISBN 9780451235848.
Lover at Last. NAL. March 2013 [2013]. ISBN 9780451239358.
The King. NAL. April 2014 [2014]. ISBN 9780451417053.
The Shadows. NAL. March 2015 [2015]. ISBN 9780451417077.
The Beast. NAL. April 2016 [2016]. ISBN 9780451475169.
The Chosen. Ballantine Books. April 2017 [2017]. ISBN 9780451475190.
The Thief. Ballantine Books. April 2018 [2018]. ISBN 9780451475213.
The Savior. Ballantine Books. April 2, 2019 [2019]. ISBN 9781501194948.
Novellas[edit]
"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 7, 2019) - ebook
Supplement[edit]
The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide. October 2008 [2008]. ISBN 978-0-451-22500-9.
Omnibus[edit]
Black Dagger Brotherhood, box set: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Unbound, Lover Revealed, Lover Enshrined (2009)
Fallen Angels Series[edit]
Same universe but takes place in an earlier timeline.
Covet. Signet. September 2009 [2009]. ISBN 0-451-22821-9.
Crave. Signet. October 2010 [2010]. ISBN 0-451-22944-4.1
Envy. Signet. September 2011 [2011]. ISBN 0-349-40020-2.
Rapture. NAL. September 2012 [2012]. ISBN 978-074-995-700-1.
Possession. NAL. October 2013 [2013]. ISBN 978-045-124-019-4.
Immortal. NAL. October 2014 [2014]. ISBN 978-045-124-116-0.
Black Dagger Legacy[edit]
Spin-off series that details the trainees
Blood Kiss. Signet. December 2015 [2015]. ISBN 978-0-451-47532-9.
Blood Vow. Ballantine Books. December 2016 [2016]. ISBN 978-0-451-47533-6.
Blood Fury. Ballantine Books. January 2018 [2018]. ISBN 978-0-451-47534-3.
The Bourbon Kings. Berkley. July 2015 [2015]. ISBN 978-0-451-47526-8.
The Angel's Share. Berkley. July 2016 [2016]. ISBN 978-0-451-47528-2.
Devil's Cut. Ballantine Books. August 2017 [2017]. ISBN 978-0-451-47530-5.
Consumed. Gallery. October 2018 [2018]. ISBN 978-1-501-19490-0.
Novella[edit]
"The Wedding from Hell" (3-Part ebook prequel for Consumed)-July-August 2018
"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 S
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