The Billionaire Next Door is Jessica Bird’s newest Silhouette Special Edition. It is an august release, which means you can order if from eHarlequin right this second in print or ebook.
If you weren’t already aware Jessica Bird is the 2007 RITA winner for Best Short Contemporary Romance for her novel From the First.
I think Sean O’Banyon first appeared in the Moorhouse series (FtF was the final book) and then there was a stand alone that tied into it, A Man in a Million, where I Sean was a major player. I thought the character was fab so I was very excited to see him get his own book. And once I was done with it emailed Jessica first thing… she was nice enough to answer a few questions for the blog.
I noticed Sean is was friends with Butch O’Neal. Is that something of an ‘in joke’ or will he play into the trilogy more later?
LOL that was an ‘in joke’. And a little shout out to BDB readers! Spike, the hero from my SSE A Man in a Million, is Zsadist’s distant, distant relative- something I knew all along. I can remember before I even sent the proposal in for Spike’s book looking across the table at my SSE editor and going, um, see there’s this one thing about Spike you should know. Fortunately, she was cool with it!
You often say the ‘brotherhood’ write the books and you just tell what you see. With your SSE books and the new “The O’Banyon Brothers” do you feel you have more ‘control’ over the them or is just another movie. Minus the vamps *g*
No, I don’t have much control over any of the folks in my books. The Brothers are louder and more demanding, sure. But the other people in my SSEs are just as clear to me.
I like Sean. I really like Sean. In fact I would say this is one of my favorite Special Editions you have done. And of course he is very alpha. Very much alpha… and I was wondering do you think I will ever do a beta hero? Or have you done one and I missed it?
Um… probably not. Betas aren’t- wait, actually. That’s not true. I have written one. Well, my version of one. He’s part of anthology piece I’ve done which is coming out late next year.
Lizzie was a great heroine and I LOVED the end of novel. I don’t think I have seen a heroine ask that of a hero before. Err… guess that isn’t much of a question *g*
LOL I love Lizzie and let me tell you, she did the right thing. If you consider the emotional ramifications of Sean’s background, and the fact that he’d never talked about what happened to anyone, you’d need him to get some help of the professional variety if you were going to be in a relationship with him. She was right to ask and he was strong to agree.
How much of your past life in working in healthcare in Boston went into the setting of this? Was it something you drew on or just second nature in the back of your mind?
OMG totally something I drew upon! I told my editor I loved this book because I got to back home!
I recently ask Shannon McKenna about her heroines and the flack she has gotten from many a person about them being weak or weaker than her heroes. When we spoke in Dallas you said you had a much harder time writing the women. Do you feel you are improving and what are you doing to work on it?
If I’m getting better, it’s because I’m trying to balance the attention given to them a little more. Other than that, I’m not really changing the way I work- I still just follow the stories in my head.
The most asked question I hear or see about Jessica Bird/JR Ward (other than omg they are the same person?) is ‘What is the deal with the glasses’. Care to answer?
My eyes are photophobic and have been for about the last seven or eight years- the result of too much time in front of the computer. Under florescent lights or in front of flashbulbs, my vision frizzes out. So either I wear them or I don’t see very well.
After I read the answers and saw a question or two over at Dear Author I asked two follow up questions and Jessica was kind enough to answer.
Will the anthology be by Jessica Bird or J.R. Ward? If it is Ward will it be apart of the Brotherhood? Or is it the start of the new series you are doing?
The anthology is J.R. Ward and vampire, but it doesn’t have any Brothers in it. The new series will start in 2009 with full length novels.
Since the news of Rhevenge being in hard cover, two questions are being asked, which I am not even sure you would have answers for: Will the first books be reissued in HC for those of us who are anal and like our books to match. And how many more books are going to be in the series after Rhev? Since I really doubt you know that can you at least tell us how many are contracted?
As far as I know the first books will not be reprinted as such right now- but who knows what the future will bring. At this point the Brotherhood is open ended. Originally there were ten books, but now with so many other folks appearing, I intend to keep on going for as long as folks will read! 🙂
**A Note I do not think Jessica Bird will have time to come by and answer any reader questions. But she will for sure be here in October to guest. So if you have questions about the SSE series or the brotherhood you are more than welcome to ask. And I will see about getting them worked into the October Q&A.**
How does she have the time to write as Jessica Bird and JR Ward? I would get so confused if I was her!
I am simply amazed by her as a writer, especially as her alter ego JR Ward. There are not many writers that can do what she does so well.
Congrats!
Originally there were ten books, but now with so many other folks appearing, I intend to keep on going for as long as folks will read!
Somehow I suspected this would be the case 🙂 It will be interesting to see if the momentum of the series keeps up. I suspect it will come down to “quality.” Will it be like another long-running-romance-series-that-shall-not-be-named and peter out? Or will it be like J.D. Robb’s In Death books and keep chugging along at alarming speed?
As a librarian, I’m really glad the series is moving to hard cover – but really, really hope to see some hard cover reprints down the line. Obviously, this is a publisher decision – and hopefully the numbers will support it.
Thank for that great interview. I have to agree with you, I was VERY impressed by what Lizzie asked of Sean at the end. Considering how emotionally damaged many romance heroes are, we really should see more of that. Kudos to Jessica Bird for putting that in there.
Dammit – now I have to read the book. My curiosity just won’t be satisfied otherwise.
Does anyone know the release timeline for the other two books in this series? Just finished the book today… definitely looking forward to Billy and Mac’s stories!
Great question Allison I think I asked but am not positive. If not I will try and track down an answer for you because I so agree. I want more!
You know gwen, I can see even you liking this and I know you are much on harlequin. I have a copy to give away and think lawson ran off with another. hmmm I should take it back she won’t ever read it. LOL you can borrow mine though 😉
jepad, can you think of another story that had the heroine make such a request of the hero? I racked my brain because really it isn’t an out there idea but something I can’t remember seeing all that much.
Wendy! I didn’t think of you library types when I saw the HC news. That is prolly good for you. Have you been ordering many Ward books? What about the SSE? Do Harlequin books get ordered much at all in libraries? Of course I would bet you guys get enough donated. Then again I can’t even place where they would go… err says the girl who only goes into library’s for booksales. Bad me.
katiebabs who knows… I may have to start taking notes to keep them all straight ;).
We have several copies of all the Ward books and they have been circulating very well (big shock, I know LOL).
As for Harlequins, we order some – usually the “bigger” name authors. For example, I ordered all the Raintree books because Linda Howard was one of the authors. A lot of libraries have HQ books on “standing order” which means they get whatever line(s) automatically shipped to them. Exactly like a reader who does the subscription service. They ship automatically, they get billed, but we don’t have to worry about remembering to order them very month.
Where I work, our budget still isn’t entirely up to snuff, so I don’t order NEARLY as many paperbacks as I’d like. It’s gotten better the last year or so, but updating our pbs is still an ongoing process.
You’re right, Sybil. I couldn’t think of a single instance where a heroine asked the hero to get into therapy. I’m hoping that maybe we hear a bit more about this in future books in the O’Banyon series, because I suspect all the brothers are going to need it.
I haven’t heard JRW mention anything about starting the next O’Banyon book on her board, so it might be a bit before that one comes out. I suspect her main focus is really the BDB.
The BDB series is fabulous! So fabulous I have taken a vow of monogomy. I will not read another book until I have read the complete brotherhood series, no matter how long it goes on.