Jo Davis
About the Author:
Bestselling author Jo Davis spent sixteen years in the public school trenches before she left teaching to become a full-time writer. Jo currently writes romantic suspense, erotic suspense, and paranormal erotic romance for New American Library. She's been multiple finalist in the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, has captured the HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, has been nominated for the Australian Romance Readers Award in romantic suspense, and has one book optioned as a major motion picture.
She is currently at work on a new contemporary vampire erotic romance series titled LORDS OF PLEASURE for NAL Heat (as Jo Carlisle) and is also busy writing a new paranormal romance series for NAL/Signet Eclipse called Alpha Pack, scheduled to debut in August 2011 under the pen name of her new alter-ego, J.D. Tyler. Jo lives in Texas with her two teenagers.
About the Author:
Bestselling author Jo Davis spent sixteen years in the public school trenches before she left teaching to become a full-time writer. Jo currently writes romantic suspense, erotic suspense, and paranormal erotic romance for New American Library. She's been multiple finalist in the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, has captured the HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, has been nominated for the Australian Romance Readers Award in romantic suspense, and has one book optioned as a major motion picture.
She is currently at work on a new contemporary vampire erotic romance series titled LORDS OF PLEASURE for NAL Heat (as Jo Carlisle) and is also busy writing a new paranormal romance series for NAL/Signet Eclipse called Alpha Pack, scheduled to debut in August 2011 under the pen name of her new alter-ego, J.D. Tyler. Jo lives in Texas with her two teenagers.
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Question and Answer with Jo Davis:
Holly, thanks for choosing me as your Author of the Week! I’m glad to be here!
Holly, thanks for choosing me as your Author of the Week! I’m glad to be here!
-How did you start writing?
I’ve written for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I had a notebooks full of poems, song lyrics, and short stories, and I wish I still had them. In early 2001, I had an idea hit me for a story, and over that year I wrote my first real novel-length romance manuscript. That book never sold, but the fire within me was stoked to keep writing with the serious goal of being published. I joined the Romance Writers of America and the Dallas Area Romance Authors, kept honing my craft, and was published five years later!
I’ve written for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I had a notebooks full of poems, song lyrics, and short stories, and I wish I still had them. In early 2001, I had an idea hit me for a story, and over that year I wrote my first real novel-length romance manuscript. That book never sold, but the fire within me was stoked to keep writing with the serious goal of being published. I joined the Romance Writers of America and the Dallas Area Romance Authors, kept honing my craft, and was published five years later!
-Where do you come up with the idea for your books?
From everywhere—I’m a people-watcher and no matter where I am, my imagination is sparked by what folks around me are doing. I wonder where they’re going, where they’ve been. If they’re happy or sad, and why. Before I know it, I’m creating scenarios that become stories about them. I’ve always done this and used to get into trouble for daydreaming in school! I thought everyone did that, until I was much older and realized it’s because I’m a writer and we’re kinda weird.
-What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
Write every single day. Join a professional writing organization and attend workshops, hone your craft. Write more! And don’t quit, no matter how many times you’re told, “I’m sorry, but this story just doesn’t work for me.” Keep submitting projects and someday the answer will be, “Yes!”
-How do you name your characters?
A lot of times I just choose names I think are cool or interesting. Recently I’ve started writing paranormal for two new series for NAL (under two different pen names) and I need some exotic or unusual names. For my upcoming Alpha Pack series (as J.D. Tyler) I took common names and changed the spellings to make them more interesting—like Jaxon instead of Jackson, Aric instead of Eric, Ryon instead of Ryan, etc. I also bought Sherrilyn Kenyon’s reference book The Writer’s Digest Character Naming Sourcebook, which has more than 25,000 cool names! I’m loving it.
-What does your family/friends think of your writing?
My family is wonderfully supportive, particularly my teenagers and my parents. They always encourage me, and they’re very proud of having an author in the ranks.
-What do you think makes a good story?
A story that has a real depth of emotion, no matter the genre. If an author can make my heart pound in fear, make me laugh or cry, he or she has done a fine job.
-Do you have a specific author that might have inspired you to write?
If I could narrow down one book and author that made me say, “Oh, my God I want to write a story that touches someone else the way this one touched me”… it would be Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I’ve read that entire book at least a half dozen times, and the beginning draws me in every single time. The ending is about the power of love, and how there are some things about your childhood you’ll never forget no matter how old you are, and it never fails to make me cry. I’m tearing up now just thinking about it!
-Did you learn anything while writing your books, if so what was it?
I’ve learned that a writer never stops learning and honing his/her craft, and that you can’t please everyone so you have to please yourself. My stories are an outlet, and I have to love them first or no one else will.
-Do you have any plans for a sixth installment of your Firefighters of Station Five series?
Unfortunately, I have no plans at this time for a sixth Firefighter book. But, I’m toying with the idea of a novella or short story to place in an anthology, or even post as a free read on my website. I never say never!
-What series do you have planned next?
I’m thrilled to say I’m working on two new paranormal series that will debut from NAL in 2011. For those of you who enjoy your paranormal reading with a liberal splash of the erotic, I’ve started writing my new series, LORDS OF PLEASURE. This series is contemporary vampire erotic romance about four brothers who are sexy vampire lords and run an adult resort in New Orleans where anything goes. Yum! The first book, TEMPATION AT TWILIGHT, is about Soren Fontaine, our vampire lord who never recovered from losing his true mate. He’s willing to do anything to have her back in this life, and he makes a desperate, unfortunate bargain with a voodoo priestess in order to make it happen. Now he’s trapped in erotic bonds of his own creation, forced to hide his love from his beautiful mate, the one woman he can never truly have… TEMPTATION AT TWILIGHT is scheduled for release from NAL Heat in November 2011!
The other series that will debut in 2011—and I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself!!—is called ALPHA PACK and features a team of special ops heroes who are shifters with Psy abilities, and use their powers to track the world’s most dangerous predators. Each of our heroes will find his mate, and each will be hotter and more dangerous than the last. I’m pleased to announce that the first book of the series, PRIMAL LAW by my alter-ego J.D. Tyler, featuring wolf shifter hero Jaxon Law, is finished and is set for release from Signet Eclipse in August 2011! This promises to be a sexy, action-packed series filled with sizzling shifter heroes (wolves, big cats, etc.) that you won’t want to miss. My new website, www.JDTyler.com will be live in May 2011 as well. Keep an eye out on my Jo Davis website, www.JoDavis.net, for more news.
From everywhere—I’m a people-watcher and no matter where I am, my imagination is sparked by what folks around me are doing. I wonder where they’re going, where they’ve been. If they’re happy or sad, and why. Before I know it, I’m creating scenarios that become stories about them. I’ve always done this and used to get into trouble for daydreaming in school! I thought everyone did that, until I was much older and realized it’s because I’m a writer and we’re kinda weird.
-What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
Write every single day. Join a professional writing organization and attend workshops, hone your craft. Write more! And don’t quit, no matter how many times you’re told, “I’m sorry, but this story just doesn’t work for me.” Keep submitting projects and someday the answer will be, “Yes!”
-How do you name your characters?
A lot of times I just choose names I think are cool or interesting. Recently I’ve started writing paranormal for two new series for NAL (under two different pen names) and I need some exotic or unusual names. For my upcoming Alpha Pack series (as J.D. Tyler) I took common names and changed the spellings to make them more interesting—like Jaxon instead of Jackson, Aric instead of Eric, Ryon instead of Ryan, etc. I also bought Sherrilyn Kenyon’s reference book The Writer’s Digest Character Naming Sourcebook, which has more than 25,000 cool names! I’m loving it.
-What does your family/friends think of your writing?
My family is wonderfully supportive, particularly my teenagers and my parents. They always encourage me, and they’re very proud of having an author in the ranks.
-What do you think makes a good story?
A story that has a real depth of emotion, no matter the genre. If an author can make my heart pound in fear, make me laugh or cry, he or she has done a fine job.
-Do you have a specific author that might have inspired you to write?
If I could narrow down one book and author that made me say, “Oh, my God I want to write a story that touches someone else the way this one touched me”… it would be Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I’ve read that entire book at least a half dozen times, and the beginning draws me in every single time. The ending is about the power of love, and how there are some things about your childhood you’ll never forget no matter how old you are, and it never fails to make me cry. I’m tearing up now just thinking about it!
-Did you learn anything while writing your books, if so what was it?
I’ve learned that a writer never stops learning and honing his/her craft, and that you can’t please everyone so you have to please yourself. My stories are an outlet, and I have to love them first or no one else will.
-Do you have any plans for a sixth installment of your Firefighters of Station Five series?
Unfortunately, I have no plans at this time for a sixth Firefighter book. But, I’m toying with the idea of a novella or short story to place in an anthology, or even post as a free read on my website. I never say never!
-What series do you have planned next?
I’m thrilled to say I’m working on two new paranormal series that will debut from NAL in 2011. For those of you who enjoy your paranormal reading with a liberal splash of the erotic, I’ve started writing my new series, LORDS OF PLEASURE. This series is contemporary vampire erotic romance about four brothers who are sexy vampire lords and run an adult resort in New Orleans where anything goes. Yum! The first book, TEMPATION AT TWILIGHT, is about Soren Fontaine, our vampire lord who never recovered from losing his true mate. He’s willing to do anything to have her back in this life, and he makes a desperate, unfortunate bargain with a voodoo priestess in order to make it happen. Now he’s trapped in erotic bonds of his own creation, forced to hide his love from his beautiful mate, the one woman he can never truly have… TEMPTATION AT TWILIGHT is scheduled for release from NAL Heat in November 2011!
The other series that will debut in 2011—and I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself!!—is called ALPHA PACK and features a team of special ops heroes who are shifters with Psy abilities, and use their powers to track the world’s most dangerous predators. Each of our heroes will find his mate, and each will be hotter and more dangerous than the last. I’m pleased to announce that the first book of the series, PRIMAL LAW by my alter-ego J.D. Tyler, featuring wolf shifter hero Jaxon Law, is finished and is set for release from Signet Eclipse in August 2011! This promises to be a sexy, action-packed series filled with sizzling shifter heroes (wolves, big cats, etc.) that you won’t want to miss. My new website, www.JDTyler.com will be live in May 2011 as well. Keep an eye out on my Jo Davis website, www.JoDavis.net, for more news.
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Books by Jo Davis
Firefighters of Station Five Series
#1: Trail by Fire
#2: Under Fire
#3: Hidden Fire
#4: Line of Fire
#5: Ride the Fire
Available from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders
Firefighters of Station Five Series
#1: Trail by Fire
#2: Under Fire
#3: Hidden Fire
#4: Line of Fire
#5: Ride the Fire
Available from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders
Shadow Agency Series
#1: I Spy a Wicked Sin
#2: I Spy a Naughty Game
#3: I Spy a Dark Obsession
Available from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders
Stand Alone Titles
When Alex Was Bad: A Novel of Erotic Suspense
(At Amazon in Paperback and Kindle edition)
Coming Soon
Temptation at Twilight (Lords of Pleasure #1)-- Expected publication: November 2011 by NAL Heat
Title TBA (Lords of Pleasure #2)-- Expected publication: August 2012 by NAL Heat
Alpha Pack Series--Expected publication: 2011
Primal Law by Jo's alter-ego J.D. Tyler-- Expected publication: August 2011 from Signet Eclipse
Awards and Recognitions:
*2008 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, TRIAL BY FIRE, Best Romantic Suspense finalist
*2009 & 2010 Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, TRIAL BY FIRE and UNDER FIRE, Best Romantic Suspense finalist
*2009 & 2010 Australian Romance Readers Award, HIDDEN FIRE & RIDE THE FIRE, Best Romantic Suspense finalist
*WHEN ALEX WAS BAD: A Novel of Erotic Suspense~ In development with Mandalay Pictures as a major motion picture, Cathy Schulman, Producer (Best Picture Oscar for CRASH, 2006)
Appearances
Dreamin’ in Dallas Conference-- Jo will participate in the Friday night multi-author booksigning and on Saturday will present the workshop “Beyond the Serial Killer
Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, 2011
Doubletree Hotel, Richardson, Tx.
For conference registration, multi-author booksigning and workshop information visit http://www.dallasromanceauthors.com/conferences/
Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization-- Jo will present a workshop at the NETWO Writers’ Spring Roundup Conference.
Friday-Saturday, April 29-30, 2011
Camp Shiloh Retreat, near Pittsburg, Tx.
Austin Romance Writers of America—Jo will present the workshop “Crafting a Winning Series Proposal.”
Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 7:00-9:00 pm (come at 6:30 to mingle!)
BookPeople bookstore, 3rd Floor (elevator is available)
Austin, Tx.
Romance Writers of America National Conference—Jo will participate in the big Literacy signing and the NAL Booksigning.
Tuesday-Friday, June 28-July 1, 2011
Marriot Marquis in Times Square, New York, NY
*Will update with more information as it becomes available. Visit www.rwanational.org for conference registration and schedule.
Yellow Rose RWA—Jo will present a workshop (Title TBA)
Saturday, September 10, 2011, 10:00 am-12:00 pm. Join us for lunch afterward at the Cotton Patch Café across the highway.
City of Grapevine—Merlot Room (attached to the fire station)
4500 Merlot Avenue, Grapevine, Tx. 76051
Visit http://yellowroserwa.com for more information.
Also find Jo at:
Goodreads
Twitter
Amazon
Awards and Recognitions:
*2008 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, TRIAL BY FIRE, Best Romantic Suspense finalist
*2009 & 2010 Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, TRIAL BY FIRE and UNDER FIRE, Best Romantic Suspense finalist
*2009 & 2010 Australian Romance Readers Award, HIDDEN FIRE & RIDE THE FIRE, Best Romantic Suspense finalist
*WHEN ALEX WAS BAD: A Novel of Erotic Suspense~ In development with Mandalay Pictures as a major motion picture, Cathy Schulman, Producer (Best Picture Oscar for CRASH, 2006)
Appearances
Dreamin’ in Dallas Conference-- Jo will participate in the Friday night multi-author booksigning and on Saturday will present the workshop “Beyond the Serial Killer
Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, 2011
Doubletree Hotel, Richardson, Tx.
For conference registration, multi-author booksigning and workshop information visit http://www.dallasromanceauthors.com/conferences/
Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization-- Jo will present a workshop at the NETWO Writers’ Spring Roundup Conference.
Friday-Saturday, April 29-30, 2011
Camp Shiloh Retreat, near Pittsburg, Tx.
Austin Romance Writers of America—Jo will present the workshop “Crafting a Winning Series Proposal.”
Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 7:00-9:00 pm (come at 6:30 to mingle!)
BookPeople bookstore, 3rd Floor (elevator is available)
Austin, Tx.
Romance Writers of America National Conference—Jo will participate in the big Literacy signing and the NAL Booksigning.
Tuesday-Friday, June 28-July 1, 2011
Marriot Marquis in Times Square, New York, NY
*Will update with more information as it becomes available. Visit www.rwanational.org for conference registration and schedule.
Yellow Rose RWA—Jo will present a workshop (Title TBA)
Saturday, September 10, 2011, 10:00 am-12:00 pm. Join us for lunch afterward at the Cotton Patch Café across the highway.
City of Grapevine—Merlot Room (attached to the fire station)
4500 Merlot Avenue, Grapevine, Tx. 76051
Visit http://yellowroserwa.com for more information.
Also find Jo at:
Goodreads
Amazon
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