Welcome to Jay's Lighthouse
Jay's Lighthouse
In reaction to our darkening times, I am rebranding this site to reflect the role I hope to play. Art challenges and inspires. Artists hold the torch and lead the way back to the light. As I produce more work, I find aspiring writers looking to me for guidance. I am spend more and more time teaching. I speak on more convention panels than ever before. My newsletter has articles for both readers and writers. Very few lucky folks make any real money writing. It is very important that writers stay focused on their love of the craft. I hope to help them do that and to be a positive example.
For the last fifteen years I branded this site as Dark Secrets Revealed. I was fascinated by finding oddities in our world and lining them up with stories that revealed conspiracies and secret truths. I spent twenty years in this playground researching and writing the Goddess Rising trilogy. Urban Fantasy is all about secrets just outside the normal view of life.
But revealing fictional secrets and helping people find their way out of the dark are both a matter of shining light.
New Feature: Character Gallery
The plots of my books are filled with big ideas that set them apart. Kirkus Reviews said I have a "ferocious imagination." But the heart of the stories are the characters. I put my characters through a lot, which shows you who they are. The best way to introduce you to my books is to show you the players. The Bookshelf page of this site gives the details of the books and where to buy them. This new page sits you down with my characters.
The Dove and the Crow is coming Spring 2027!
I am very excited to reveal that my new Fantasy Romance "The Dove and the Crow" is coming out in Spring 2027 from Matthew James Publishers, London. Go to to book page for all the details. This book was two years in the making. Early readers are very excited. Watch this space for news as it develops.
The sequel "Sins of the Father" is also completed and now in edits. There is no release date as of now. Again, follow for more news.
"How to Finish a Novel" was a hit at Baycon!
I gave my one-hour seminar on how to get unstuck and finish writing a novel at Baycon in Santa Clara, California over the July 4th weekend. And I had a very special guest speaker, Science Fiction legend Larry Niven! I recorded the seminar and promised the attendees I would post it here. I apologize of the poor sound quality. I plan on recording this as a studio presentation later this summer. In the meantime, here is the link to the recording:
Limited Time Offer - Free Books for Reviews
Between now and July, you can get a free download copy of any of my books in exchange for a review. Go to Book Sirens at these URLs to make your requests.
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The Jaywrites Newsletter is now live!
I launched the monthly newsletter in September 2022. Each issue has news of what's happening in my writing career as well as columns on writing advice, movie reviews, and personal stories about my journey as a writer.
As an incentive to subscribe, I am offering Goddess Revealed, the research compendium to the Goddess Rising Trilogy, as a free download to subscribers. Twenty years of research unearthed gems from religion, science, and history that form the foundation of this globe-trotting adventure. Here's your chance to see how the pieces fit together and reveal how this story could have happened behind the news, and how magic works in the real world.
Goddess Revealed is also available for purchase wherever you buy books. But do yourself a favor and sign up for a really cool newsletter.
The Insane God Selected as Finalist for Cygnus Science Fiction Book Award
Chanticleer Book Reviews selected The Insane God as one of its Finalists for the Cygnus Science Fiction Book Award for 2022! I am thrilled this book is finally getting the recognition it deserves as one of the best science fiction novels published that year.
New for 2025, I finally found the right narrator for the audiobook. Pandora Beatrix did a wonderful job.
If you have not read it yet, do yourself a favor and pick up your copy today.
Mermaid Steel wins Silver at
The Book Fest Awards
The fantasy romance novel Mermaid Steel won Silver for Multicultural Fantasy Romance at The Book Fest 2022.
What starts out as a romance quickly becomes an exploration of race relations and the power of love over hatred in this tale of two villages on the brink of war. I am amazed at how topical this story has become in the 2020s. You are in for a treat!
Links to all the sites that hosted the book release blog tour are on the News & Events page.
"Hartlove explores unconventional romance and the process of cultural erasure… A thoughtful, erotic fantasy that asks readers to see the best in one another."
- Kirkus Reviews
The Goddess Rising Trilogy
Publications, Audiobooks
and Stellar Reviews
Paper Angel Press released Goddess Chosen (Book One of the Goddess Rising Series) on August 1, 2019, Goddess Daughter (Book Two) on December 1, 2019, and Goddess Rising (Book Three) on April 1, 2020. The audiobooks are now available from Audible and Amazon. Trevor Wilson did a wonderful job narrating my world-spanning adventures, accents and all!
Links to all the editions and the audiobooks are on the publisher's site https://waterdragonpublishing.com/product-category/book-series/goddess-rising-series/
Rave reviews are rolling in:
Publisher's Weekly said this about Goddess Rising. "Complex characters draw readers into the intricate world of demons and angels, many of whom have multiple names. Desiree's struggle to reconcile her new powers with a strong sense of self is poignant; the cagey Joseph, the ambitious Alec, and the caring Sanantha round out the appealing central cast. Hartlove gives readers a sumptuous fantastical realm for readers to get lost in, a world where ancient Egyptian gods, Celtic spirits, and Catholic saints collide. His ability to suffuse each ancient deity with a distinct personality gives the narrative a delightfully human edge that will keep the pages turning.
Takeaway: Readers who enjoy thought-provoking fantasy will appreciate this complex final installment of Hartlove's urban fantasy trilogy about warring gods.
Great for fans of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, Nalini Singh's Archangel series.
The full review is here: https://booklife.com/projectid/3a878530-9ee9-11ea-9fc5-547275647911
Kirkus Reviews had this to say about Goddess Chosen. “Hartlove fashions a riveting blend of history, religion, and horror in this briskly paced series opener. The author balances his ferocious imagination with historical passion. A masterful historical fantasy that informs as well as enthralls.” The full review is at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jay-hartlove/goddess-chosen/
This series tells how the Egyptian goddess Isis seeks revenge on Sammael, the Prince of Liars a.k.a. the Devil, for his sabotage of Exodus. In Goddess Chosen, Isis reincarnates a High Priest to be her champion. His ruthless determination creates a whirlwind of madness and destruction which ensnares Washington DC importer Charles Redmond. Charles' psychiatrist Sanantha Mauwad tries to save his mind, but can she save his soul?
Sanantha continues as the detective as the saga shifts to Malaysia in Goddess Daughter, and finally to Ireland in Goddess Rising.
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Featured Selection
The Rest of the Story You Think You Know
Why did the Evil Queen want to kill Snow White instead of arranging a marriage to grow the kingdom? How “happily ever after” could Snow White live after being dead for six months? How did Snow’s father’s die? Who was really behind the mayhem, and are they done?
Welcome to The Mirror’s Revenge! Picking up right after the traditional Snow White tale, this sequel plays out events and reveals what was really going on in the first story. Inspired by the Evanescence song, “Bring Me To Life,” this musical production features fourteen original songs which fill in details like who were the dwarves (displaced Kalmyk Buddhist monks), and how did Snow White change the prince’s life?
The play and lyrics were written by dark fantasy novelist Jay Hartlove. The melodies and arrangements were written by Celtic rockers Kristoph Klover and Margaret Davis. This is what happens when you get creative people together and no one tells them they can’t write a Broadway-worthy musical. This album is the the soundtrack of that musical. We thank the many talented musicians who generously contributed their voices and time to help us create this dream come true. Look out Broadway!
"Hartlove explores unconventional romance and the process of cultural erasure… A thoughtful, erotic fantasy that asks readers to see the best in one another."
- Kirkus Reviews about Mermaid Steel
"Hartlove fashions a riveting blend of history, religion, and horror in this briskly paced series opener...The author balances his ferocious imagination with historical passion...A masterful historical fantasy that informs as well as enthralls."
– Kirkus Reviews about Goddess Chosen
"Jay Hartlove has fused several genres in a driving narrative sparkling with historical exotica. I recommend you buy this crazy novel."
- John Shirley, Bram Stoker Award winner about Goddess Chosen
"Jay Hartlove is a master at his craft! Doling out the facts in small, but tantalizing morsels, he finds a way to raise the "woo-woo" factor, keep the tension high while blending science, science fiction, ancient beliefs and religions in Asia! His style is intense and confident as he balances multiple genres once again in this riveting piece of creative genius!"
- Dii, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer about Goddess Daughter
"Jay Hartlove's world of magic, madness and suspense comes to a climax with a boom, not a bang in "Goddess Rising." The Isis trilogy reaches new heights while keeping rooted in the creative depth and character development of the first two books. A fun, fast paced read!"
- Jason Stewart, The Last Words of Robert Johnson and Other Tales about Goddess Rising
My Works
Contact Me
If you need to reach me directly, the best way is via email at jay.hartlove@gmail.com. Serious inquiries please. No solicitation. You do not have permission to add me to mailing lists or to distribute this address to anyone without my expressed authorization. Thank you.