Adele Downs's Blog, page 17

Mornings By The Bay: Birds and Water Fowl

This morning I watched a robin hop around our yard with a worm in its beak before it flew into a bush to feed its chicks. Birds seem to be everywhere at the beach and on the bay, co-existing with us humans and sharing the water, sun and sand.

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This mama bird protects her nest high above a Delaware boardwalk beside the Atlantic Ocean. I needed my telephoto lens to capture this shot.

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On the dock by our summer home just before twilight, this seagull sentry attempted to keep me from approaching the rest of the flock. I respected his wishes and kept my distance, though I took advantage of his pose with my Fuji digital camera.

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As the sun went down, seagulls gathered on the next dock, and ducks and geese joined the party.

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The seagulls have the beach to themselves during the off season.

Photos are unretouched. Shown exactly as nature intended.

Copyright Adele Downs 2017

Filed under: Beach Life, Beach Photographs, Environment, Family, Original Photography, Photography, Seasons of the Year Tagged: Adele Downs original photographs, photos of Delaware

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Published on May 24, 2017 03:00

Is It True: Kisses From Lillith by @Adele_Downs #PNR #Romance #RLFblog https://rlfblog.com/adele-downs-0517/

KISSES FROM LILLITH author Adele Downs plays “Is It True?” on the Romance Lives Forever blog. This game lets authors answer yes or no questions that let readers get to know them better.

Join us! https://rlfblog.com/adele-downs-0517/

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Buy KISSES FROM LILLITH for .99 on Amazon! FREE for KU members!

Filed under: .99 Kindle Book, .99 Novella, .99 short story, Book Lovers Event, Kindle Book, Paranormal Romance, Short Story Tagged: free on Kindle Unlimited, vampire hunters, vampire short story

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Published on May 23, 2017 04:05

KISSES FROM LILLITH by Adele Downs, Free on #KindleUnlimited #NewRelease

KISSES FROM LILLITH is .99! Free on KU!

Available now!

“Adele Downs has presented something fresh and new.” 5 Stars! ~Readers’ Favorite

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KISSES FROM LILLITH by Adele Downs

A sizzling short story with bite.

When Hunter receives an invitation for a group tour of an ancient cave to celebrate his cousin’s birthday, he and his girlfriend Rosa unwittingly attend a party…with unusual refreshments.

“Wow! For a short story, this was a long, thrilling ride.” 5 Stars! ~Will Work For Books

“Kisses From Lillith…has everything you want in a paranormal romance. I found myself on the edge of my seat. Adele Downs…has a way of bringing a story to life…she always leaves you wanting more.” 5 Stars! ~Girl With Pen

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Kisses-Lillith-Adele-Downs-ebook/dp/B06XWZV69D/

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Filed under: .99 Kindle Book, .99 short story, Amazon Top 100 Best-Seller, Award Winning, Book Lovers Event, Kindle Book, New Release, Paranormal Romance, Romance Fiction, Romance Novella, Romantic Fiction, Sale on Books, Short Story Tagged: 5 star read, short paranormal fiction, short read, short story, vampire paranormal contemporary romance

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Published on May 22, 2017 03:00

Let’s Connect – Adele Downs – Newsletter

It’s easy to sign up for my monthly newsletter via this link or at http://adeledowns.com

Receive early new release info, deleted scenes available only to subscribers, giveaways for subscribers only, original photos, opportunities to win Advanced Review Copies (ARCs) of my books, and more.

I look forward to connecting with you!

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http://www.adeledowns.com/newsletter.html

Filed under: Book Lovers Event, Prizes, Romance Fiction Tagged: sign up for author Adele Downs occasional newsletter

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Published on May 20, 2017 04:00

Ribbons at Sunrise by Adele Downs #photography

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Sunrise photo is shown exactly as nature intended.

Copyright Adele Downs 2017

Filed under: Beach Life, Beach Photographs, Beach Vacation, Environment, Living At The Beach, Original Photography, Photography, Seasons of the Year Tagged: Adele Downs original photographs

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Published on May 19, 2017 03:00

Cover Reveal! BLUE COLLAR: Boys Behaving Badly Anthology #PreOrder #99cents @DelilahDevlin

Hold on to your ovaries! The super sexy BLUE COLLAR: Boys Behaving Badly anthology will release June 13. Edited by NYT Best-selling author Delilah Devlin.

Includes the short story UPSIDE DOWN LOVE by Adele Downs.

More information about the authors and stories inside this sizzling collection coming soon.

Pre-order on Amazon for only .99! Will also be available in print.

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Don’t miss out! Reserve your copy.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Collar-Behaving-Badly-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0722XRLPM

Filed under: .99 Kindle Book, .99 Novella, .99 short story, Amazon Top 100 Best-Seller, Anthology, Award Winning, Book Lovers Event, Contemporary Romance, Kindle Book, New Release, Romance Fiction, Romance Novella, romance readers, Romantic Fiction, Sale on Books, Short Story Tagged: contemporary romance, Multi-Author Anthology, multi-author book bundle

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Published on May 18, 2017 03:00

LUXURY MODEL WIFE a HOLT Medallion Award Finalist! @VARomWriters @BoroughsPubGrp #MFRWauthor

I’m very pleased to announce that my novel LUXURY MODEL WIFE is a 2017 HOLT Medallion Award finalist in the Single Title/Mainstream category. My heartfelt thanks go to the readers who judged this contest and selected my book for this wonderful honor.

For a full list of finalists and more information about the HOLT Medallion Award visit the website of the Virginia Romance Writers.

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“I’d make some space on your ‘Keeper’ shelf if I were you.” 5 Stars! Cuddles Please Blog

“So good I could not put it down.” 5 Stars! ~Girl With Pen

Here’s a little about the story. I hope you’ll pick up a copy.

LUXURY MODEL WIFE by Adele Downs

Antiques expert Steve Carlson must face the mistakes of his past to discover a treasure he never imagined: the heart of a vulnerable yet determined widow.

Excerpt:

Steve tilted his head, his bright blue eyes sizing her up. “Sorry, but I gotta’ ask. Do you always talk like that?”

Victoria felt her cheeks warm. “Whatever do you mean?”

“There.” He studied her again with not-so-subtle curiosity. “You sounded like your late husband James just now. Funny, you don’t seem like the snooty type to me. More like a regular girl.”

His comment touched a nerve like hot wires to stripped cable. Victoria bit back a retort while blood rushed through her ears. She closed her eyes against the sound to clear her head. Twenty-eight was hardly a girl, and she was damn tired of defending her right to be a Van Orr.

For five years she’d tried and failed to fit into the privileged world of her older husband—learning couture, keeping her posture as straight as a modeling school graduate, rounding her O’s when she spoke —apparently fooling no one on either side of the social spectrum in the process.

Defeat swept over her and her shoulders sagged beneath five-thousand dollar silk and linen. No matter how hard she tried, she’d forever be exposed as the abandoned kid who’d grown-up in shelters.

Strange though… when she opened her eyes and returned them to Steve Carlson’s handsome face, she sensed his remark was meant as a compliment and not a reminder that she lacked James’s pedigree. It was like he saw her.

Her. Not James’s luxury-model second wife.

Still, his manners were disgusting. Even store-owner-janitors should know how to behave. Snooty type. Who was he to say that to her? She was a potential client for heaven’s sake.

Victoria stood to leave. She was sick and tired of people voicing their opinions about her and her late husband’s disparate lineage. She’d been bullied and belittled since the day she’d become engaged. “You don’t know me well enough to analyze me, Mr. Carlson.” She kept the annoyance out of her reprimand. The rich had taught her that cool disdain wounded more deeply than anger.

Steve grimaced, rubbed his jaw, and then stood to face her, his expression sheepish. He waved her back to her seat. “Please. I’m sorry I offended you. I’m a friend. Really. We’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.”

He ran a hand through his hair and his bicep bulged with the movement. Victoria’s gaze followed the lines and curves of sinew and muscle and took in the military tattoo peeking from the hem of his tee shirt.

She resisted the images that teased her dormant libido, and brought her eyes back to his face. Damn. That didn’t help. Why did this annoying man have to be so good-looking? Her attraction to him only made her feel guilty, like she’d betrayed James’s memory. Widowhood came with a unique set of baggage.

Buy the Book on Amazon!

Buy the Book on Smashwords!

Filed under: Award Winning, Book Lovers Event, Contemporary Romance, Kindle Book, Romance Fiction, Writing Competition, Writing Contest Tagged: The prestigious Holt Medallion Award

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Published on May 16, 2017 03:00

Monet Garden by Adele Downs #photography

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Copyright Adele Downs 2017

Filed under: Original Photography, Photography, Seasons of the Year Tagged: Adele Downs original photographs

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Published on May 12, 2017 03:00

Excerpt: KISSES FROM LILLITH by Adele Downs #new release #99cents #paranormal romance

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Summary:

When Hunter receives an invitation for a group tour of an ancient cave to celebrate his cousin’s birthday, he and his girlfriend Rosa unwittingly attend a party…with unusual refreshments.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

“It’ll be dark soon.” Rosa Martinez shook out the picnic blanket, and then watched the last carload of tourists exit the Crystalline Cave parking lot in a cloud of cinders and dust. She clutched the blanket to her chest, her big brown eyes tracking their progress until their taillights disappeared.

Hunter Reid glanced at the fading sky then back at his girlfriend. “We have an hour or so to kill before our tour starts.” He shot her a hopeful grin, but the hint faded with his smile as Rosa twisted a corner of the fabric around her finger and hugged the cloth tighter. Did she just…whimper? He took a closer look. Couldn’t be. Rosa was resourceful and tough. She’d grown up with five brothers.

He reached out to touch her shoulder. “We’ll be fine until the others arrive. It’s safe out here in the country.”

She glanced at the surrounding greenery and the trees towering above them. “Yeah, right. There’s probably a serial killer hiding in the bushes.”

Rosa was definitely in a mood, and not the kind that got them naked.

Hunter conceded the argument for the moment and threw their sandwich crusts, organic chips packets, and empty bottles of iced tea in the trash and recycle bins. Rosa brushed a palm down the front of her t-shirt and the back of her jeans, flaking off bits of crumbs and dried clover.

Katydids, tree crickets and cicadas chirped and buzzed in the thick grass and dark woods of the surrounding Pennsylvania Dutch countryside. The twilight sounds replaced the din of chattering children and their parents from the ancient cave on the hill, to the familiar comfort of their cars, trucks and SUVs. Almost one hundred fifty years after the cave’s discovery on a family farm, locals and tourists still flocked to the site.

Rosa stared up at the enormous cave and scrunched her nose. “Only your cousin would celebrate her birthday in a creepy place like this.” She clicked her tongue. “Who knows what creatures lurk inside?” She nodded for emphasis and her dark hair swayed around her shoulders. “And who has a party where you bring your own food?”

Hunter tried not to smile, since Rosa was being serious. If she only knew how cute she looked when she made that face, she might never do it again.

Rosa hated the dark and anything remotely otherworldly. She refused to watch fantasy or horror films and detested Halloween. Rosa liked Broadway musicals, TV cooking shows, and Christmas.

Hunter had mollified her with a picnic he’d prepared, but the novelty of his artisan sandwiches on home-baked bread had clearly worn off. “Didn’t we have this fight already? When the invitation arrived, you said you’d come with me.”

His cousin, Angela, had sent invitations through the mail, printed with elaborate calligraphy on expensive-looking faux antique paper, complete with an RSVP card and a wax seal on the back of the envelope. Hunter had to admit the old-school, snail mail method she used looked impressive. The contact was a definite improvement over the impersonal social media invitations that had become popular, though it also made it harder to refuse the request. Maybe that was the point.

Rosa huffed out a breath. “Don’t know what I was thinking.”

***

Buy The Book for .99!

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Kisses-Lillith-Adele-Downs-ebook/dp/B06XWZV69D/

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/kisses-from-lillith

Apple https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1222150135

Nook, Tolino, Page Foundary, 24 Symbols https://www.books2read.com/u/b5OEak