The Best In Multicultural Fiction
The Best In Multicultural Fiction
Thank You
Dear God:
Thank you for the blessing of this book. Thank you for allowing and affording me the ability to investigate this matter and for the people you placed in my path to help me along the way. Truly, Lord, they are your angels that watched over and lifted me above the hurdles. Many relationships were also formed because of this novel, which I know came directly from you. I was rescued countless times. Lord, no doubt you were everywhere with me--and I know it was you on that train from New Brunswick to Philadelphia. There are no coincidences. Thank you for giving me the courage to continue on when I ached and was exhausted from injustice. I have learned so much by writing this novel that started off a shot in the dark, but before I knew it you had lit the way for me. I love you even more and am grateful that you are enabling me to share this story with the world.
Adrienne
To My Readers and Fans
I work with a team. I simply cannot do it alone, so I have to call in the troops. Kudos to my test readers who looked after this novel, edited, and read their butts off. For more information on my test readers, check them out on www.adriennebellamy.com. Just click onto the "Meet My Test Readers" key and you'll find them all waiting to meet you. You'll also find a few people on the website and not listed below because they were on time out due to professional and/or family obligations, and could not edit The Bitch Tried To Steal My Husband's Body. They'll be back for upcoming projects. Here are the ones who actually closed the deal for us.
Mallory Anderson: Virgo
Alia Bellamy: Leo
Deborah "Toni" Edwards: Pisces
*Linda Etheridge: Libra
Walter Dixon: Libra
Rachel Grossman: Capricorn
Melba R. Guy: Aries
**Regina Bellamy Johnson: Virgo
Lisa Noel: Aquarius
***Arlene Sacks: Libra
****Joquina Somerville: Libra
Ralph Travick: Sagittarius
*She's new to my crew. She comes with a gleaming smile straight out of the Philadelphia School System. Yep, she's teaching me things. Thank you, Linda, for getting onboard and for all your help and advice. I love your gentle spirit and girl, you make some great catches. Thanks for watching my back.
**Special thanks to Regina Bellamy Johnson for remembering, recycling, rehashing and reediting chapters of this novel. You were on overtime, Baby, all the time. I must also give praise to you, Regina for planting the seed which grew into a fantabulous ending to this book. You are the best!
*** Thank you for kicking breast cancer, chemo, keeping my head straight, and working on this damn book while you went through it all. I know there is a hero in this house! I cannot believe you demanded your edits while so ill, and insisted on keeping up with everything. You solve so many problems for me and your thoughtfulness is worth your weight in gold. I cannot thank you enough for being my friend as well as an outstanding asset to my writing. The Libras are ruling, baby!
****Her book club hosted me in 2004 with my novel Departures. She was hooked. She test read my novel Arrivals (which took a backseat to this novel and will be available in December of 2008,) and Joquina has stayed on board with me. She played a special role in The Bitch Tried To Steal My Husband's Body, preparing it for editing by the rest of the test readers. Yep--she had it first.
And now I present to you the people and organizations that also assisted in making this novel happen:
Anthony J. Baratta, Esquire, and the law firm of Baratta, Russell & Baratta, P.C.: For the umpteenth time, you have covered my ass. The calculation and concentration of the Scorpio bore fruit--as usual. I just blew you guys a kiss.
Elinore O'Neill Kolodner, Esquire: Hey, Miss Sagittarius, you're so smart you make my head spin. Thanks counselor, and you know we're not done.
Jerry Murphy, M.D: The Aquarian always knows it before it happens. You continue on an almost daily basis to amaze me. You solve damn near all my problems. I'm literally breathing because of you.
City of Philadelphia, Central Detectives: I'll bet you I know the ropes now because
Detective David Smith taught me.
City of Philadelphia, Board of Pensions: Gwen, Tonya and Phyllis-- Hooray!
City of Philadelphia, Life Benefits Department: Dorothy Coles, you're one in a million.
Capricorns do take care of business, don't they, Ms. Coles?
City of Philadelphia, Department of Marriage Certificates: I told you I smelled a rat.
City of Philadelphia, Department of Register of Wills: What a crew! And you work swiftly, too. Winnie--nice job!
Melody Guy, Senior Editor, Random House: There really aren't any words for you,
Miss Libra. Thank you for helping a sistah out on a Sunday night when she desperately needed you. You are my baby!
Mr. Dee: You are by far the best psychic I have ever experienced. You opened up the box and I pulled a rabbit out of the hat.
The Philadelphia Daily News and David Gambacorta: You pointed so many things about me. Thanks for your work on this case. You know I'll be seeing you.
Rhonda Travick Coney: You Cancers sure can get emotional-especially late at night. I am so glad you made me stay awake. Thank you for demanding a thorough search.
Roscoe Coney: I was a damsel in distress. Put an Aries on the job and it's a done deal. Thanks for teaching me all about the DROP Program.
Daniel Bishop, Assistant Manager, Citizens Bank: Thank you for your concern and for your patience in taking me slowly through the legal processes of the banking system. You hipped me to a lot of stuff.
Anna and Willie C. Smith: Leo and Pisces Mommy and Daddy: They are my Godparents. They are in Mountville South Carolina bragging their butts off right now. They're telling everybody that "their baby done wrote another book." I love you both. See you in Vegas this fall at Aunt Gladys' house.
Cherry Weiner: She is my former agent. She's given me a lot of great advice, reamed me out big time, many times and she also gave me a gift in 2007. It was the title of this book. Scandalous! Everybody Loves it! Yep, that Cancer named this baby. Go Cherry, Go Cherry, Go Cherry.
Sheldon Price: A good Pisces Man! Thanks for the cover girl and for making me shut up and listen to you. Keep singing, Sheldon, I smell a record deal. It ain't never too late.
Dr. Anne Highland: We always need a Gemini in the mix. Well, Doc, you said it! You predicted the world would want to know it. You continue to drive me on. Sleep well my love. I miss your face. I know you and God are having some wonderful chats. Thank you for being an angel and my teacher, as well as a hell of a Psychologist.
Janete Scobie and Gentle Pen Editorial Services: The talents of editor Janete Scobie will shine throughout The Bitch Tried To Steal My Husband's Body. I know she put her foot in Departures years ago, editing beyond belief, and my fans loved it. Well, listen up people-Janete has really kicked some ass this time. Had she not had pen in hand to correct and guide me, we all would have been cheated. This Leo worked her butt off, and the Libra author thanks her. The scales don't always balance and the lion roars much too loudly-but when they team up in the pot together, the aroma is a winning novel. You readers can especially thank Janete for the sexiness of the character Dale. She beat him out of me.