“A day in the life of Adelé Nightingale!” Louise Urko shouted. “Can’t you just see it, Jessie! This will be so fantastical! Absolutely, completely, and totally fantastical!”
I held my phone a foot away from my ear as my literary agent, fondly known in the publishing world as Geez Louise, ranted on and on about the “fantastical publicity” a short blog about my daily life would produce. According to Louise, I could count on selling a “million-zillion” more copies of my historical romance novels once my fans discovered what a whirlwind life I lead.
Whirlwind?
I interrupted Louise when she came up for breath and told her she was dreaming. “Adelé Nightingale might sound exotic,” I said, “but let’s remember she’s really just little old me, Jessie Hewitt. I’m a middle-aged divorcee who spends an inordinate amount of time writing my books and talking to my cat. Where’s the human interest?”
Louise told me to just do it. And after ten more “fantasticals” and twenty more exclamation points, she finally hung up and let me get to work. So here goes:
I start each day with a sex scene. But don’t get too excited. All this great sex happens on my computer screen, not on my bed. I’m–I mean Adelé Nightingale–is well known for her rather inventive romantic encounters.
I write all morning, occasionally looking up to read a tricky passage to my cat. Bless her heart, Snowflake almost always tears herself away from her view at the windowsill to meow her opinion about word-choice or syntax. The views from my top floor condo sometimes distract me, too. I live in downtown Clarence, North Carolina, and when Snowflake and I aren’t riveted by the activity down on Sullivan Street, we can always look further afield to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.
You’ll be happy to know my afternoons are more active. I get outside to take a long, brisk walk through town and end up at my rooftop garden where I putter around with my plants. Anything with yellow flowers makes me very happy.
Dinner at the Jessie Hewitt homestead is usually a green salad. I’m not much of a cook, and since I hit menopause I really have to watch what I eat. Then it’s off to my friendly neighborhood bar The Stone Fountain. Champagne–nothing fancy–is my beverage of choice. After my divorce from the low-down, no-good, altogether despicable Ian Crawcheck, I decided to celebrate each day of the rest of my life with a bit of bubbly. My young and beautiful neighbor Candy Poppe agrees with this habit, and she usually joins me, as does my other good friend and neighbor Karen Sembler.
Never fear. I don’t drink that much at The Stone Fountain, since I always get involved with the goings on at the pool table. I’m a rather good player. Okay, so I’m a very good player. Make that brilliant. But I can’t take credit for this skill. My father, Leon Cue-it Hewitt, was a pool shark. He put the working end of a cue stick in my hand the day I could stand up on my own, and I’ve never looked back.
My hobby got me into some interesting and even dangerous situations back in my youth. And between you and me I sometimes wish a little of that excitement would come my way again. But what’s the saying? Watch out what you wish for? I got some excitement just the other night when I found this pesky dead body on my couch and–
Oops. Louise told me to write about my normal, everyday existence, didn’t she? So forget about the dead body, which I am sure there’s a logical explanation for, and you’ll have to agree that my life is anything but whirlwind.
You can read more about Jessie and that pesky dead body in Playing With Poison, the first book the in new “Cue Ball Mysteries” series.
** Cindy is giving away one (1) digital copy of PLAYING WITH POISON for Kindle only. Contest ends November 2. Leave a comment to be included in the giveaway. The e-book will be sent directly by the author. **
Meet the Author
Cindy Blackburn has a confession to make-she does not play pool. It’s that whole eye-hand coordination thing. What Cindy does do well is school. So when she’s not writing silly stories she’s teaching serious history. European history is her favorite subject, and the ancient stuff is best of all. The deader the better! A native Vermonter who hates cold weather, Cindy divides her time between the south and the north. During the school year you’ll find her in South Carolina, but come summer she’ll be on the porch of her lakeside shack in Vermont. Cindy has a fat cat named Betty and a cute husband named John. Cindy’s favorite travel destinations are all in Europe, her favorite TV show is NCIS, and her favorite color is orange. Cindy dislikes vacuuming, traffic, and lima beans.
Connect with Cindy at her website http://cueballmysteries.com. Cindy can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Book are available at Amazon.
I would love to win a copy of PLAYING WITH POISON. Sounds like I have a new series to read!!!
I already have this on (in?) my TBR pile. Your blog made me want to bump it up a few books!
Kuddos to you, Cheryl, for being the 1st to comment! Thanks for your interest.
Sounds really entertaining! Thanks for giving us a chance to win acopy of your ebook! Good luck and hope it turns out into a great series!
Lynn/MI
I would love to win! Thank you!
Sounds really good. would love to win.
nlb1050(at)yahoo(dot)com
I like the theme of the book. As much as I enjoy the food cozy mysteries, I look forward to something different.
lynettek51(at)yahoo(dot)com
Count me in – this sounds like such a fun series!!!! Dee grammyd01 (at) comcast (dot) net
Wow, I think Louise and I could be great friends! She seems like a lot of fun! Would love an opportunity to share her adventure. Please enter my name in the contest.
I meant “Adele” not Louise…I had “geeze Louise” stuck in my head…my mom used to say that all the time!
How can one not admire someone who eats salad and plays pool like a hustler. I can eat the salad, but not play pool at all. I think Jessie sounds fascinating., And Louise..all the characters are what draw me and this book has some good ones.
A new series! Thank you for the giveaway
I like lima beans but I’d like to be entered in the contest anyway. 🙂
Louise, Adele/Jessie, and all the characters in Playing With Poison appreciate everyone’s interest! Writing Geez Louise’s dialogue is really, really fun. And wait ’till you see how over the top Adele’s stories are.Jessie just rolls her eyes and wonders how she comes up with this stuff. I can’t wait to see who the lucky winner will be….
Cats and pool and poison—sounds like fun—I want to meet this Geez Louise.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Hope I win your book. Sounds fabulous–even fantastical.
Ha ha, Judy. I may be prejudiced, but i think Playing With Poison IS fantastical! Thanks.
Thanks for the intro to a fun sounding book! Enter me please!
This was a fun read! I’m sure the book will be too. Thanks for the chance to win!!!
This sounds like a good series, thank you for hosting this giveaway.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Contest is closed.