Jessica Bird

Born Jessica Rowley Pell Bird in Massachusetts, United States, she is the daughter of W. Gillette Bird Jr. and Maxine F. Bird.{{citation|title=Weddings; Jessica Bird, Neville Blakemore|newspaper=New York Times|date=October 7, 2001|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E4D7173CF934A35753C1A9679C8B63|access-date=2007-11-14}} 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.{{cite web|url= http://www.eharlequin.com/author.html?authorid=241|title= Jessica Bird's Bio at eHarlequin|publisher= Harlequin Enterprises Limited|access-date= 2010-10-17|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100201201730/http://eharlequin.com/author.html?authorid=241|archive-date= 2010-02-01|url-status= dead}} After that, she wrote regularly, but for herself.{{citation|last=Alice|first=Kris|title=Jessica Bird|publisher=A Romance Review|url=http://www.aromancereview.com/debden/den0904.phtml|access-date=2007-11-14|date=September 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181617/http://www.aromancereview.com/debden/den0904.phtml|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}} Bird attended Smith College where she double majored in history and art history, concentrating on the medieval period. She then received a Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School and worked in healthcare administration for several years, including as the Chief of Staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 2001, Bird married John Neville Blakemore III. 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.{{citation|last=Gentle |first=Dee |title=An Interview with J.R. Ward |publisher=PNR Paraphrenalia |date=January 2006 |url=http://paranormalromance.org/JRWard06.htm |access-date=2007-11-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110005154/http://paranormalromance.org/JRWard06.htm |archive-date=2007-11-10 }} 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.

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". Her heroes are most often alpha males, "the tougher, the cockier, the more arrogant, the better", while the heroines are smart and strong.

The Romance Writers of America awarded her the RITA Award for Best Short Contemporary Romance in 2007 for her novel From the First.{{citation|title=RITA Awards: Past Winners |publisher=Romance Writers of America |year=2007 |url=http://www.rwanational.org/cs/contests_and_awards/rita_awards/past_winners |access-date=2007-11-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927043913/http://www.rwanational.org/cs/contests_and_awards/rita_awards/past_winners |archive-date=2007-09-27 }} 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.{{cite web|title=Author Profile: Jessica Bird |publisher=Romantic Times |year=2007 |url=http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_profile.php?author=11078 |access-date=2007-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230054907/http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_profile.php?author=11078 |archive-date=2007-12-30 |url-status=dead }}

• {{cite book | title = Leaping Hearts | orig-year = 2002 |date=July 2002| publisher = Ivy Books| isbn= 9780804119887}}
• {{cite book | title = Heart of Gold | url = https://archive.org/details/heartofgold0000bird | url-access = registration | orig-year = 2003 |date=June 2003| publisher = Ivy Books| isbn=9780804119894}}
• {{cite book | title = An Unforgettable Lady | orig-year = 2004 |date=March 2004| publisher = Ivy Books| isbn=9780345458957}}
• {{cite book | title = An Irresistible Bachelor | orig-year = 2004 |date=March 2004| publisher = Ivy Books| isbn=9780345458964}}
• The St. Ambrose School for Girls. Gallery Books. July 2023. (as Jessica Ward).

1. {{cite book|title=Beauty and the Black Sheep|orig-year=2005|date=July 2005|publisher=Silhouette|isbn=9780373246984|url=https://archive.org/details/beautyblacksheep00bird}}
2. {{cite book|title=His Comfort and Joy|orig-year=2006|date=January 2006|publisher=Silhouette|isbn=9780373247325|url=https://archive.org/details/hiscomfortjoy00bird}}
3. {{cite book|title=From The First|orig-year=2006|date=April 2006|publisher=Silhouette|isbn=9780373247509|url=https://archive.org/details/fromfirstsilhoue00jess}}
4. {{cite book|title=A Man in a Million|orig-year=2007|date=January 2007|publisher=Silhouette|isbn=9780373248032|url=https://archive.org/details/maninmillion00bird}}

1. {{cite book|title=The Billionaire Next Door|orig-year=2007|date=August 2007|publisher=Silhouette|isbn=9780373248445|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/billionairenextd0000bird}}

• {{cite book | title = From the First / What are Friends for? | year = 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)

1. {{cite book | title = Dark Lover | orig-year = 2005 |date=September 2005|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9780451216953}}
2. {{cite book | title = Lover Eternal | orig-year = 2006 |date=March 2006|publisher=Signet|isbn= 9780451218049}}
3. {{cite book | title = Lover Awakened | orig-year = 2006 |date=September 2006|publisher=Signet|isbn=9780451219367}}
4. {{cite book | title = Lover Revealed | orig-year = 2007 |date=March 2007|publisher=Onyx|isbn=9780451412355}}
5. {{cite book | title = Lover Unbound | orig-year = 2007 |date=September 2007|publisher=Signet|isbn=9780451222350}}
6. {{cite book | title = Lover Enshrined | orig-year = 2008 |date=June 2008|publisher=Signet|isbn=9780451222725}}
7. {{cite book | title = Lover Avenged | orig-year = 2009 |date=April 2009|publisher=NAL|isbn= 9780451225856}}
8. {{cite book | title = Lover Mine | orig-year = 2010 |date=May 2010|publisher=NAL|isbn=9780451229854}}
9. {{cite book | title = Lover Unleashed | orig-year = 2011 |date= March 2011|publisher=NAL|isbn= 9780451233165}}
10. {{cite book | title = Lover Reborn | orig-year = 2012 |date=March 2012|publisher=NAL|isbn=9780451235848}}
11. {{cite book | title = Lover at Last | orig-year = 2013 |date=March 2013|publisher=NAL|isbn= 9780451239358}}
12. {{cite book | title = The King | orig-year = 2014 |date=April 2014|publisher=NAL|isbn=9780451417053}}
13. {{cite book | title = The Shadows | orig-year = 2015 |date=March 2015|publisher=NAL|isbn=9780451417077}}
14. {{cite book | title = The Beast | orig-year = 2016 |date=April 2016|publisher=NAL|isbn=9780451475169}}
15. {{cite book | title = The Chosen | orig-year = 2017 |date=April 2017|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=9780451475190}}
16. {{cite book | title = The Thief | orig-year = 2018 |date=April 2018|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=9780451475213}}
17. {{cite book | title = The Savior | orig-year = 2019 | date=April 2019|publisher=Gallery Books|isbn=9781501194948}}
18. {{cite book | title = The Sinner | orig-year = 2020 | date=March 2020|publisher=Gallery Books|isbn=978-1501195099}}
19. {{cite book | title = Lover Unveiled | orig-year = 2021 | date=April 20, 2021|publisher=Gallery Books|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

• {{cite book | title = Where Winter Finds You: A Caldwell Christmas | orig-year = 2019 | date=November 2019|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=9781982135478}}
• {{cite book | title = A Warm Heart in Winter: A Caldwell Christmas | orig-year = 2020 | date=December 2020|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=9781982159702}}
• A Bloom in Winter: A Caldwell Christmas. Gallery Books. November 2024

• "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)

• {{cite book|title=The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide|orig-year=2008|date=October 2008|isbn=978-0-451-22500-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/blackdaggerbroth0000ward|last1=Ward|first1=J. R.|publisher=Penguin }}
• The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider’s Guide Volume 2. (December 2025)

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

Same universe but takes place in an earlier timeline.

1. {{cite book|title=Covet|orig-year=2009|date=September 2009|publisher=Signet|isbn=978-0-451-22821-5|url=https://archive.org/details/covetnoveloffa00ward}}
2. {{cite book|title=Crave|orig-year=2010|date=October 2010|publisher=Signet|isbn=978-0-451-22944-1|url=https://archive.org/details/cravefallenangel00sign}}1
3. {{cite book | title =Envy | url =https://archive.org/details/envynoveloffalle00jrwa | url-access =registration | orig-year = 2011 |date=September 2011|publisher=Signet|isbn=978-0-349-40020-4}}
4. {{cite book | title =Rapture | orig-year = 2012 |date=September 2012|publisher=NAL|isbn=978-074-995-700-1}}
5. {{cite book | title =Possession | orig-year = 2013 |date=October 2013|publisher=NAL|isbn=978-045-124-019-4}}
6. {{cite book|title=Immortal|orig-year=2014|date=October 2014|publisher=NAL|isbn=978-045-124-116-0|url=https://archive.org/details/immortalnoveloff00ward}}

Spin-off series that details the trainees.

1. {{cite book|title=Blood Kiss|orig-year=2015|date=December 2015|publisher=Signet|isbn=978-0-451-47532-9|url=https://archive.org/details/bloodkiss00ward}}
2. {{cite book | title = Blood Vow | orig-year = 2016 |date=December 2016|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=978-0-451-47533-6}}
3. {{cite book | title = Blood Fury | orig-year = 2018 |date=January 2018|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=978-0-451-47534-3}}
4. {{cite book | title = Blood Truth | orig-year = 2019 |date=August 2019|publisher=Gallery Books}}

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. TBD

1. Claimed. Pocket Books. June 29, 2021 [2021]. {{ISBN|978-1-982-15037-2}}.
2. Forever. Pocket Books. March 28, 2023 [2023]. {{ISBN|978-1-982-18020-1}}.
3. Mine. Pocket Books. January 23, 2024 [2024].

1. {{cite book | title =The Bourbon Kings | orig-year = 2015 |date=July 2015|publisher=Berkley|isbn=978-0-451-47526-8}}
2. {{cite book | title =The Angel's Share | orig-year = 2016 |date=July 2016|publisher=Berkley|isbn=978-0-451-47528-2}}
3. {{cite book | title =Devil's Cut | orig-year = 2017 |date=August 2017|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=978-0-451-47530-5}}

1. {{cite book | title = Consumed | orig-year = 2018 | date=October 2018|publisher=Gallery Books|isbn=978-1-501-19490-0}}

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

1. Crown of War and Shadow (February 17, 2026)

• "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)

• 2006 – RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance for Lover Awakened{{cite web|url=http://www.fictiondb.com/author/jr-ward~book-awards~39726.htm|title=Awards for J.R. Ward|website=www.fictiondb.com|access-date=19 April 2018}}
• 2006 - RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance for Lover Unbound
• 2007 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Short Contemporary Romance for From the First{{cite web|url=https://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=535|title=myRWA : RITA Awards : RITA Award Winners|website=www.rwa.org|access-date=19 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109102946/https://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=535|archive-date=9 January 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
• 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
• 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
• 2011 – Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Romance for Lover Unleashed
• 2011 – RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance for Lover Unleashed
• 2013 – Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Romance for Lover at Last

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.jessicabird.com Jessica Bird Official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620151151/http://www.jessicabird.com/ |date=2018-06-20 }}
• [http://www.jrward.com/ J. R. Ward's Official Site]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090623063430/http://bookpage.com/books-10011811-Lover+Avenged BookPage interview with JR Ward]
• {{ISFDB name|id=J._R._Ward|name=J. R. Ward}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bird, Jessica}}

Category:21st-century American novelists

Category:American fantasy writers

Category:American romantic fiction writers

Category:American women short story writers

Category:American women novelists

Category:Living people

Category:RITA Award winners

Category:Smith College alumni

Category:Albany Law School alumni

Category:Novelists from Massachusetts

Category:American women science fiction and fantasy writers

Category:American women romantic fiction writers

Category:21st-century American women writers

Category:21st-century American short story writers

Category:American paranormal romance writers

Category:1969 births