Finished the sequel to REV ME UP and I’m celebrating! Look for news soon about REV ME TWICE, a contemporary erotic romance featuring a hot hero on a Harley. REV ME TWICE is Tomas and Crystal’s story, the feisty secondary characters of REV ME UP.
My dear husband brought me a gift of a miniature sunflower to commemorate my completed book. It’s called a Good-Luck Sunflower.
Isn’t it beautiful? Smooch to my hubby for being so thoughtful.
It’s been great fun playing One Little Lie with you. Thanks so much for joining me and my game. I’ve had a lot of laughs, particularly since I tend to be private about my personal life. I don’t often share particulars about myself, but this exercise crumbled my normal defenses.
Here’s the reason I’ve had so many interesting adventures. Most of my life I’ve worked two jobs, maintained a rigid gym schedule, and indulged in a hobby or two. (These days I write full-time and have to force myself to the gym, so I’m talking about my past. LOL.)
I worked my way through college juggling a full-time class load and a variety of odd jobs– waitressing, selling shoes, working as a hotel maid, hawking flea market antiques, newspaper and magazine freelancing, secretarial work–anything legal and ethical to pay my tuition.
I’m proud to say I made it. I paid for my education and housing through hard work and the sweat off my brow. I think everyone should have to do that. Paying one’s own way builds character. But I digress…
#1. True. Soon after I gave birth to my first child, I went back to work part-time. I was assigned the men’s underwear and socks section of a major department store. Why the management chose a woman for this position is a mystery.
The highlight of my stint selling men’s unmentionables was the night a half dozen members of the Philadelphia Eagles football team arrived to buy designer bikini briefs. I think they got as much a kick out of me waiting on them as I got out of meeting them. One team member accidentally chose a package of size Small briefs instead of Extra Large. He sure got a ribbing from his teammates over that! We all had a good laugh over his mistake.
#2. True. Around the time I met my husband I worked two jobs. I had a full-time day job and then worked three nights a week as a ghost tour guide. I had to learn a dozen stories of local legend and tell them to tourists while I carried a candlelit lantern. The job paid very well and was great fun. One of the best jobs I’ve ever had.
#3. True. I wrote for a newspaper in the Caribbean for four years. For a short time during this period I also moonlighted as a fashion show model for an island designer. Don’t know why the memory of my hat blowing off by the pool stuck with me, but it did. My publisher didn’t like the idea of me modeling, though, and asked me to quit. I complied, and stuck to reporting. You might say my moonlighting job was none of his business, and you might be right. But I decided not to poke the bear.
#4. True. Cocktail waitressing at a Roman style restaurant complete with tacky fountains and fake pillars was one of my part-time college jobs. I’d work the dinner shift in my uniform and comfortable shoes, and then stay for an extra shift. I’d change into a toga and high heels for the cocktail lounge where the tips were much better.
#5. True. When I was a teenager, every local girl dreamed of dancing with the Philadelphia radio celebrity who hosted a Friday night dance club. Being chosen to dance on stage with him was the highlight of my young life. I’ve never forgotten how thrilling that time was.
#6. True. After my stint in the mall store selling men’s underwear I transferred to the cosmetics department. I worked there part-time selling skin care products and perfume and performing makeovers. I loved this job! Very girly, like me.
#7. False. Though I had a bikini body as a younger woman I never wore my bathing suit off the beach. I write erotic romance novels these days, but I’m still the conventional type. I prefer to keep my clothes on in public.
#8. True. The actor who kissed me on stage went on to become a television and movie actor who did quite well for himself. It was a thrill to watch his acting career flourish.
On the other hand, I had no interest in acting once I reached college. Community theatre was fun growing up, but I knew my acting skills were mediocre, at best. I stuck with writing. Though I’ve had many jobs in my life, I’ve continued that pursuit.
*****
The winner of my One Little Lie contest, who guessed #7 first, is… JOYE!
Please contact me to claim your prize at:
Thank you all for playing!
Best~Adele
Author pal Nina Pierce made my day and sent me this blog award. The meme came with strings, though, as all good things do. She said I must list eight things about myself you probably don’t know so we can have a little fun at my expense. The twist? One of the items on the list is a lie. It’s up to you to figure out which one.
To make the challenge a little more interesting, one person who guesses the lie will win a copy of one of my back titles. Readers choice: DREAM TRAVELER, INTIMATE ART, DESERT FEVER or DESERT WILD. The book will be my gift to the winner and may not be shared with anyone. If you agree to the no sharing terms, then please continue with our little game.
Which of the following are true and which one statement is false?
1. I sold men’s underwear in a big name department store and waited on members of the Philadelphia Eagles football team. They bought designer bikini briefs. Sizes XL.
2. I led ghost tours at night around a famous Pennsylvania tourist destination, carrying a lantern while I told groups of tourists spooky stories for tips plus an hourly wage.
3. I was a luxury hotel fashion show model for a well-known designer of cruise and leisure wear. Once, my wide brimmed straw hat blew off in a breeze by the pool.
4. I was a cocktail waitress in a Roman themed restaurant, serving drinks until 2 a.m. in gold high heels and a hip length red and gold toga with little shorts underneath.
5. I was a regular at a popular teen club and danced on stage with the hot celebrity D.J. who hosted the Friday night events.
6. I was a make-up artist and skin care specialist inside a major department store for a well-respected cosmetics company. I earned commission plus an hourly wage.
7. In my twenties I got paid to wear a bikini, wash cars, and pump gas with a group of other girls for the grand opening of a huge gas station in the Philadelphia suburbs.
8. I played the role of Laura Wingfield in the Tennesse Williams play The Glass Menagerie in community theatre. When the male lead kissed me on stage, he stuck his tongue in my mouth, because he knew I couldn’t react in front of the audience.
*****
Okay, so which statement is the lie? Hint: It’s not the one you think it is! LOL!
I’ll give you the answers Thursday 8/5 and announce the contest winner. Thanks for playing!
*****
To add to the fun I’m passing The Versitile Blogger award to author pals Regina Carlysle, Delilah Devlin, Tina Donahue, Debra Glass, Stephanie Julian, Kathy Kulig.
*****
Many thanks to Nina Pierce
Best ~ Adele Dubois
Join the fun Monday, August 2-Friday, August 27 during the Long and Short Reviews Third Anniversary Party Scavenger Hunt!
Win a Nook e-Reader or one of many other fabulous prizes, including free books! Search my website for the hidden Nook photo and report your finding to the L&S Reviews using any one of the party banners linked to my site. There’s a banner on my Home Page, Contest Page, and Blog.
There are many authors participating in the scavenger hunt. The more Nook photos you find, the better your chances of winning prizes.
The winners will be announced Sunday, August 29 at 9 p.m. EDT on all three Long & Short Reviews Yahoo chat loops. Adele Dubois will be hosting a chat from 6-7 p.m. on the Whipped Cream loop and looks forward to meeting you there. Be sure to join the group in advance of the event in order to participate in the chat. Here’s the link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/whippedcream2
Thanks for visiting and playing. Good luck and happy hunting!
Best~ Adele Dubois
Snorkeling, anyone?
I’m spending the day with author Melissa Schroeder, July 27, to celebrate a Summer of Love.
Leave a comment on the blog about my new paranormal erotic romance DO ME GOOD and be eligible to win a free copy of one of my books. Hope to see you there! Here’s the link:
I’m a sucker for a handsome face. I like men with symmetrical features who are easy on the eye. No ruggedly handsome, craggy types with a two-day stubble and unkempt hair for me. My fantasy hero has a smooth jaw line that doesn’t scratch my tender skin, a gorgeous face to match a well-toned body, and smells fresh enough to have stepped from the shower. He’s confident and commanding and not afraid to love a woman. That’s my type of man and the hero I created for DO ME GOOD.
The hero of DO ME GOOD, Gunnar, is my first otherworldly protagonist, and I admit I’ve developed a crush on him. He’s a fearless Nordic warrior cast into eternal servitude during a time when mortals served gods and goddesses. He becomes a celestial in the pre-Christian period before those who interacted with both gods and mortals were called angels. Gunnar is a Nordic Light Elf and so handsome he is “fairer to look upon than the sun.”
I hope you enjoy DO ME GOOD as much as I enjoyed creating this story. Here’s a sample of the book with a summary and excerpt. Thanks for reading.
The inspiration for Gunnar, model Arnaud Lemaire. Photo used with permission.
*****
DO ME GOOD by Adele Dubois
TOP PICK! ~Night Owl Romance
BOOK of The Week Nominee! ~ Whipped Cream Reviews
http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8301-50-do-me-good.aspx
Summary:
Penny throws her hot, but worthless mooch of a boyfriend out on her front lawn with his clothes, and vows never again to be a bum magnet. Exhausted by overwork and mountainous debt, Penny pleads for divine intervention.
Gunnar, a rebellious Nordic warrior cast into servitude by an angry god to learn humility, answers. While Penny sleeps, the celestial arrives to complete her household chores, but she awakens and finds him. The handsome immortal kisses her, sparking a passionate, forbidden sexual encounter.
Dark forces seeking vengeance for Gunnar’s past misdeeds mark Penny as a target. To protect his lover, Gunnar tests immortality in a death battle using a god’s magical sword. But the strength of Penny’s love might be what saves them both.
Excerpt:
He smoothed the hair at her temple and then rubbed a thick tendril between his thumb and forefinger. “I am Gunnar.” He pronounced the name “Goo-nar”.
A coarse brand of the sun, surrounded by a circle on the back of his hand, and covering the areas between his thumb, index knuckle and wrist caught her eye. His hand looked muscular and powerful beneath her gaze.
She touched the scarred skin with the tips of her fingers while he held a length of her hair, recognizing Freyr’s sacred insignia from her textbooks. “The pain must have been excruciating.” Without thinking, she lifted the old wound to her mouth and laid four kisses against its perimeter before pressing a fifth to the emblem inside.
A low tremor vibrated across her lips as they touched the ancient symbol on the white, extended hand. The brand grew warm and then hot on her mouth, though it did not burn. Her lips tingled and her body hummed with the pleasant sensations. She ran her tongue over the thick scars to erase the heat and then licked the center with the tip of her tongue in a tiny swirl before lifting her head.
His gasp of surprise was the last thing she expected as he released her hair and leaned away.
“Have I offended you? I’m sorry.” She searched his face for clues as to what to do next. Behind his shocked expression she found desire and longing and something completely unexpected.
Thankfulness.
Penny waited for his reply without letting go of his disfigured hand. She could tell his next words didn’t come easily.
“Kindness isn’t something I’m used to finding. Perhaps you’d be less inclined toward compassion if you knew what I’d done to deserve this brand of servitude.”
She reached out and hooked her arm around his neck to bring his face closer to hers. “I am Penelope. And if you are from Alfheim, I know who and what you are. I just don’t understand why you’ve come.” How could she deserve his rare, benevolent gifts? She was just an ordinary woman, barely scraping by.
“Sometimes we get what we need, simply because we ask. That’s the beauty and power of the unexpected.” His warm breath grazed her cheek in shallow rushes, lifting goose bumps across her skin. His wide, firm mouth smelled of sweet ground parsley and fresh-picked mint.
Their gazes locked and held, assessing, appraising.
Searching.
Gunnar’s eyes were like pools of deep blue water speckled with light that pulled her in and down. Down. Her breathing slowed as the sound of her heartbeat intensified in her ears and the inside of her mouth moistened. She licked her lips and became intensely aware of every nerve ending shimmering along her body. Her muscles tensed as if waiting for something unexpected to happen.
As if meeting a Nordic Light Elf in the flesh wasn’t amazing enough.
Just when she wondered how his mouth would taste, he brought his lips to hers and kissed her. An explosion of kinetic energy shot vibrations through her body that prickled every fiber and muscle, held her taut and then released, leaving her breathless.
****
Buy Link:
Keanu Charles Reeves (pronounced kay-ah-nu, not key-au-nu) is both a Canadian and naturalized American citizen. His name in Hawaiian means, “cool breeze over the mountain.” He was born September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon to an English mother and Hawaiian/Chinese father while his mother was working in that country. His parents were divorced when Keanu was very young.
Buff for the movie Point Break with the late Patrick Swayze. He has maintained surfing as a hobby since co-starring in that film. He also enjoys horseback riding. For The Matrix and its sequels, Keanu learned over 200 martial arts moves.
Keanu was named “One of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World” by People magazine in 1995. Dang. Makes your heart go pitter-pat.
He played ice hockey in high school and was such an outstanding goalie his team called him “The Wall.” Keanu dropped out of school at age 17 to move to Hollywood and pursue an acting career.
Tragedy has struck Keanu twice. He has lost both a child and a girlfriend. The child he and Jennifer Syme were expecting was stillborn in 1999. In 2001 Jennifer was killed instantly in a car crash near Highway 101 in Los Angeles.
Hot damn! This looks like a cover for my book REV ME UP.
I definitely saved the best picture for last. Keanu owns at least two Norton Commando motorcycles. Hard to believe Keanu fits the CLASSIC HUNK profile, but he qualifies. When he turned 40, Keanu had this to say: “Here comes 40. I’m feeling my age and I’ve ordered the Ferrari. I’m going to get the whole mid-life crisis package.”
At 46 Keanu is still gorgeous and very crush-worthy. Don’t you agree? ~ Best, Adele Dubois
It’s been a long time since I posted pictures of hot bodybuilding hunk Sagi Kalev (pronounced Suh-gee), but I certainly haven’t forgotten him.
Here’s my favorite picture of Sagi and me posing together for a nutritional product. Don’t we look great? (Okay, I admit that’s not me with Sagi. (grin) That’s a hotter than hot professional model, but we almost have the same hair. Except mine is shorter. And she’s younger. And thinner. And… LOL.)
More pics of sexy Sagi Kalev from various bodybuilding sites. Enjoy! ~ Best, Adele Dubois
This humble tablecloth has celebrated every birthday with each member of our family for three generations. We’ve all grown up or grown old with this cloth, and a family birthday party just wouldn’t be the same without it gracing the table.
This week we’re celebrating our daughter’s twentieth birthday and the dinner table will be set with our traditional tablecloth. A colorful Happy Birthday banner will drape the kitchen doorway as it always has. Grandma’s homemade chocolate cake will glow with candles while we sing the Happy Birthday song after the meal. Our Yorkie will bark and jump up and down while our daughter blows out her candles. We’ll have our Norman Rockwell/Hallmark/Kodak moments, just for a little while, because birthdays are still celebrated joyfully, no matter how old we become. It’s the one day we each get to be special, without having to share the limelight with anyone.
Though the tablecloth pictured here is made of simple vinyl, it’s one of my most prized possessions. There are pieces of tape on the back, and a few fade spots on the front, but the tablecloth brings our family a sense of unity that never wears out.
When my son or daughter marries and starts a family, the tablecloth will go with them, and generation number four will begin using it for birthday celebrations. When the tablecloth finally wears thin, we’ll start again with a new one to pass down.
In this fast-changing world, it’s comforting to have small traditions to hold onto. The birthday tablecloth is one of ours. Does your family have a special tradition? Tell us about it.
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