Patricia Maxwell: Biography, Bibliography, Awards, References and Sources, and a List of Books by Author Patricia Maxwell

Search - List of Books by Patricia Maxwell

"Jennifer Blake" directs to this page. For the professional wrestler, see Jennifer Blake .

Patricia Maxwell, née Patricia Anne Ponder (b. March 9, 1942 near Goldonna, Louisiana) is a best-selling American author of over fifty novels. A member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame and the Affaire de Coeur Romance Hall of Fame, Maxwell has received numerous awards for her writing. Her first novel in the romance genre, Love's Wild Desire, became a New York Times Bestseller.

Maxwell has published books under five different names. Using her real name, Patricia Maxwell, she writes Gothic mystery-suspense romances; she wrote one book in collaboration with Carol Albritton, that was published under Elizabeth Trehearne, under her maiden name, Patricia Ponder, she wrote a murder mystery and a romantic suspense story, as Maxine Patrick, she wrote contemporary romances and as Jennifer Blake she writes historical romances. Many of her books are set in her native Louisiana.

Biography more less

Early years

Maxwell is a seventh generation Louisianan of English, Irish, Welsh, Scots-German, French and American Indian descent. She was born in a one hundred-twenty year old house constructed by her grandparents near Goldonna. She spent her childhood on a farm in Northern Louisiana. Through her mother, who belonged to a mail order book club, Maxwell was introduced at an early age to adult mysteries, westerns, historical novels, and romances. As a young teenager, she volunteered at the school library, further cementing her love of the written word.

At age 15, the former Patricia Ponder married, took her husband's surname of Maxwell, and became a housewife, and soon, a mother. She began writing one morning when she was 21, attempting to describe a very vivid dream she'd had that was set in historical Scotland. She took a six-week correspondence course on writing and began practicing as much as she could.

Writing career

For the next seven years, Maxwell sold various poems, articles, and short stories before deciding to take the time to write a novel. Her husband was very supportive of her efforts, even buying her a typewriter to make the work easier. After objectively looking at her maiden work, though, Maxwell decided that it was not good enough to sell, and promptly started on a second manuscript. This one sold in 1970, to the first publisher who actually read it. A stunned Maxwell used her first check to buy a greenhouse...something she had long wanted.

Maxwell's early works, published under her own name, were mystery suspense novels. In the mid-1970s, this type of novel became less popular, and Maxwell suddenly had trouble selling new works. After two years of struggling to find another niche, Maxwell was asked to write a proposal for an emerging genre, historical romance. Her first novel in this genre, Love's Wild Desire, became a New York Times Bestseller under the pseudonym Jennifer Blake (so that fans of her previous work would not be confused).

Maxwell has now been churning out novels as Jennifer Blake for over 30 years. She writes both contemporary romance novels as well as historicals, many of them set between 1830-1850. The vast majority of her novels are set in Louisiana.

Personal life

Maxwell writes for six hours a day, five days a week in her home office, usually completing one book each year. In her spare time, she enjoys collecting antiques, painting, and quilting. Because she is allergice to many chemicals, she and her husband maintain a small organic garden to cultivate their own produce. They also grow antique roses.

Maxwell and her husband live in Northern Louisiana, with a second home in Colorado. They have four children and several grandchildren.

Bibliography more less

As Patricia Maxwell

Single novels

The Secret of the Mirror House, 1970
Stranger at Plantation Inn, 1971
The Bewitching Grace, 1973
The Court of the Thorn Tree, 1973
Dark Masquerade, 1974
Bride of a Stranger, 1974
Love's Wild Desire, 1977
The Notorious Angel, 1977
Sweet Piracy, 1978
Night of the Candles, 1978

As Elizabeth Trehearne

Single Novel

Storm at Midnight, 1973

As Patricia Ponder

Single novels

Haven of Fear, 1974
Murder for Charity, 1974

As Maxine Patrick

Single novels

The Abducted Heart, 1978
Bayou Bride, 1978
The hired wife, 1978
Snowbound Heart, 1979
Captive Kisses, 1980
Love at Sea, 1980
April of Enchantment, 1981

As Jennifer Blake

Single novels

Tender Betrayal, 1979
The Storm and the Splendor, 1979
Golden Fancy, 1980
Embrace and Conquer, 1981
Midnight Waltz, 1984
Surrender in Moonlight, 1984
Fierce Eden, 1985
Prisoner of Desire, 1986
Louisiana Dawn, 1987
Southern Rapture, 1987
Perfume of Paradise, 1988
Love and Smoke, 1989
Spanish Serenade, 1990
Joy and Anger, 1991
Wildest Dreams, 1992
Arrow to the Heart, 1993
Shameless, 1994
Silver-Tongued Devil, 1995
Tigress, 1996
Garden of Scandal, 1997

Royal Family of Ruthenia Series

Royal Seduction, 1983
Royal Passion, 1985

Louisiana's Gentlemen Benedict Series

Kane, 1998
Luke, 1999
Roan, 2000
Clay, 2001
"Adam" in With a Southern Touch, 2002
Wade, 2002

Masters at Arms Series

Challenge to Honor, 2005
Dawn Encounter, 2006
Rogue's Salute, 2007
Guarded Heart, 2008
Gallant Match, 2009

Anthologies in collaboration

"Dream Lover" in A Dream Come True, 1994 (with Georgina Gentry, Shirl Henke, Anita Mills and Becky Lee Weyrich)
"Besieged Heart" in Secret of the Heart, 1994 (with Madeline Baker, Georgina Gentry, Shirl Henke and Patricia Rice)
"The Warlock's Daughter" in Star-Dust, 1994
"Reservations" in Honeymoon Suite, 1995 (with Margaret Brownley, Ruth Jean Dale and Sheryl Lynn)
"Out of the Dark" in A Purrfect Romance!, 1995 (with Robin Lee Hatcher and Susan Wiggs)
"Pieces of Dreams" in The Quilting Circle, 1996 (with Jo Anne Cassidy, Joanne Cassity, Christina Cordaire and Linda Shertzer)
A Vision of Sugarplums in Joyous Season, 1996 (with Olga Bicos, Hannah Howell and Fern Michaels)
"Love in Three-Quarter Time" in Unmasked, 1997 (with Janet Dailey and Elizabeth Gage)
"John 'Rip' Peterson" in Southern Gentleman, 1998 (with Emilie Richards)
With a Southern Touch, 2002 (with Heather Graham and Diana Palmer)
"Pieces of Dreams" in With Love, 2002 (with Kristin Hannah and Linda Lael Miller)

Awards more less

References and Sources more less

Total Books: 17

2010 - Stranger at Plantation Inn (Paperback) → Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780759282223
ISBN-10: 0759282226
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Romance

1989 - Night of the Candles (Paperback) → Paperback, Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780449140932
ISBN-10: 0449140938
Genre: Romance

1987 - Winning Over Sinning [Lifeline] (Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780816306664
ISBN-10: 0816306664
Genre: Christian Books & Bibles

1983 - The Notorious Angel [Love and Adventure, Bk 4] (Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780449125991
ISBN-10: 0449125998
Genre: Romance

1977 - The Notorious Angel (Paperback) → Paperback, Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780449138250
ISBN-10: 0449138259
Genre: Romance

Currently 4/5 Stars.

1976 - Bride of a Stranger [Coronet Books] (Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780340198476
ISBN-10: 0340198478

1976 - Dark Masquerade (Paperback) → Paperback, Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780449136010
ISBN-10: 0449136019
Genre: Romance

Currently 2.5/5 Stars.

1974 - Dark Masquerade (Paperback) → Paperback, Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780340189900
ISBN-10: 0340189908
Genre: Romance

Stranger at Plantation Inn (Paperback) → Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780340151860
ISBN-10: 0340151862
Genre: Literature & Fiction

Stranger at Plantation Inn (Paperback) → Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780449023716
ISBN-10: 0449023710

A Soldier for Jesus the First Adventist Missionary [Trailblazers for Jesus series] (Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780816303748
ISBN-10: 0816303746
Genre: Children's Books

Journey to Freedom [104596] (Paperback)