Pussy Galore, Lovie Cravesit, Holley Goodhead, Solitaire and dozens of other "Bond Girls" graced the pages of Ian Fleming’s 007 novels as I was growing up and reading every Bond novel and watching every Bond movie as soon as they came out. These lovely, fantasy women with their suggestive names and glorious bodies were undoubtedly the inspiration for the half fantasy, half factual heroines of the James Everhard series of stories. The sex appeal of the "Bond Girls" coupled with the sex appeal of the 64 Knight women upon whom these characters are lovingly based, provided the basis for these Everhard heartthrobs. This essay is intended as a tribute to these characters and the beautiful women who inspired the characters’ mage and literary personas. Thank you ladies, for truly being an inspiration to me.

"The green-eyed alien" was the subject of a short story that attempted to explain her timeless beauty as a clue to her true identity as an alien from the planet Jupiter who had taken Carol’s identity on this planet in a sort of "cultural exchange". "Apparently, Carol read the look on my face as I pondered these thoughts. Suddenly, she stood straight up, water dripping from her stunningly perfect body. "Don’t tell me that THIS is not a good place to talk!!" Carol said unbelievingly. "No, this is fine," I said to her, realizing now that she was, in fact, every bit as naked as was I". Carol was, and is truly an "other-worldly" classic beauty.

"Daisy Dakillo, was the name given one of Everhard’s early love interests.  It was easy to cast "Daisy" in this role as I have been head-over-heels in love with Mary Jo, her alter ego, since kindergarten. Daisy portrayed Everhard’s "on again, off again, long suffering, girl friend in a couple of early stories. But, just like in real life, the match was not to be…"When he returned to his apartment, Daisy had left him a note saying that she was very glad that he was alright and that she had worried a great deal about him. It seems that while he was away, she and Denny had discovered a fondness for each other that they hadn't known existed before.  She hoped that he wouldn't be too hurt. Everhard crumpled up the note and let it fall to the well worn carpet. Everhard reached up into his liquor cabinet and took out a half empty bottle of Jim Beam. He took a shot glass out of the cabinet and blew the dust from it. He poured the amber liquid into the glass and stared at it. He thought about Daisy. He watched the setting L.A. sun through the dusty Venetian blinds. He sipped the bourbon as a tear glistened on his cheek...."

Any mention of early Everhard love interests has to include the gorgeous Donna Vadelle. Ms Vadelle has appeared again and again as a love interest as well as a best buddy and confidant of the foot loose detective. And perhaps, more than anything else, the "best buddy" tag best describes my relationship with Donna Tucker, this character’s real life counterpart. "So very nice to meet you Miss Vadelle," Everhard said, clasping her soft hand with both of his as he stared into her eyes, mesmerized. "Donna is an up and coming new writer James," Toni said. "She has a new novel coming out this fall." Everhard, never broke eye contact with the stunning blonde and asked, "What type of novel Miss Vadelle?" "A romantic novel," was her reply. "Perfect," Everhard said as he kissed her hand and checked out the more than ample breasts pressing against her tight, red blouse.

One of the fun characters that has appeared again and again in James Everhard’s adventures is the hard working, ace reporter, Sherry at the Times. Everhard always utilized her as an information source and repeatedly promised her a "night on the town" as payment for her help. It was inevitable that Everhard would lure her into his bed at some point, which of course happened. Thank you Sherry for letting me "have my way" with your beautiful character. "He was looking forward to a good night's sleep. He let the warm water ease his tension as the stress began to disappear. As Everhard let the hot water soak his curly, black hair, he felt the shower door open as Sherry entered the shower with him. "Can a girl get her back scrubbed?" Sherry purred. Without a word, Everhard began to soap the beautiful red head's naked back and shoulders. "Mmmmmm, that feels fantastic," Sherry told him softly. As Everhard allowed the water to rinse the soap from her back, he began to soap her lovely derriere. After the water rinsed the soap from her lower back, she turned slowly and faced him. He soaped her breasts and hard abdomen. He felt her nipples harden with his touch. She threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply, her tongue probing. After they rinsed in the warm water, Everhard turned off the water and the couple stepped from the shower. They toweled each other dry hurriedly. "My James, it appears that you have certainly risen to the occasion" Sherry observed. Everhard carried her to the bed and tossed her playfully onto the black satin sheets. He covered her from head to toe with passionate kisses, spending more time and loving attention to her most private areas. Their playful laughter slowly turned to more passionate sounds. An hour later, the couple collapsed into each other's arms, totally spent and exhausted".

Melany (spelled with a "y" and not an "ie") and Everhard have had a history since high school and specifically, one fabled night in the Hollywood Hills. I try not to trivialize this fictional memory because, to me, it represented first loves and passions that have happened in all of our lives and that none of us will ever forget. Although this experience with the true to life Melany never really happened, it is not unlike many in all of our lives that did. "Melany ran her hand gently down Everhard's back. His steady breathing indicated that he was fast asleep. She lay there thinking about the last time she had been this close to him. Ten years ago, in the Hollywood Hills. They were just two kids making love on a blanket. Her memories of that night were vivid and sweet. The moon had been full, and her minds eye had recorded every detail of what had taken place. She gently kissed Everhard's sunburned shoulder and he stirred slightly. "No one has ever made love to me like you did that night James. Why did we drift apart?" Melany whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. She sighed as a tear glistened on her cheek. "Why James? Why did we just end it after that magic night?" This was the thought in her mind as sleep and exhaustion from the day overcame her".

The lovely and talented Miss Kim Finch and I had a lot of fun working together, writing every other chapter for the other to creatively work their antagonists into and out of the predicaments we wrote for them. Her lovely character and its alter ego (Fanny Eveready) were often the object of J.E.’s passion. "Hours later, Everhard was basking in the warm sun and sand of Orient Beach, wearing his favorite Orient Beach attire; nada. He watched as Kim approached him. He pretended not to notice her. As she moved close to him, he removed his aviator glasses, and they caressed. "Hi sweetie, long time, no see," he whispered into her ear, and gently pulled her face to his. The kiss was the kind of kiss that former lovers share, warm, tender yet somehow restrained. "Oh baby," she said with a touch of sympathy, sensing his hurt. So what happened?" "Later", he said, not wanting to spoil the moment. "Our flight to St. Barth’s leaves in three hours, dinner reservations at the Carl Gustaf are at nine; in the meantime, enjoy the sunshine here." She told him.  He started to remove her skimpy bikini but she stepped back and echoed his earlier comment, "later." He smiled at her and said, "You’re always there for me aren’t you sweetie?" he said and smiled. "And you for me," she acknowledged. For the moment, their own problems would have to wait. There would be time for seriously discussing them and more, later, much later."

The Romberg twins were in two Everhard/Chapel adventures and in those stories, I tried to portray their very distinct personalities as I had seen in their real-life counterparts. Sharon, was the careful and cautious individual who was, quite often the conscience and the conservative voice of reason for her more outspoken and risk-taking twin Karen. Karen, the twin who often spoke out loudly about social injustice and tyranny was far more concerned for all the other women in the story who had been victimized by the white slavery ring that had kidnapped her and her twin sister, than she had been for their own situation. The real-life Sharon has tragically passed on now and I hope the stories will act as a memorial to her grace and beauty. ""Hiya world traveler. It’s been a long time." A voice from inside the transport plane said, and Everhard looked up into the face of none other than Karen Romberg. "What the hell?" a totally surprised James Everhard stammered. "I couldn’t let my baby sister go flying around the world by herself, now could I?" The older twin asked. "How much older are you, 5 minutes?" Everhard chuckled. James helped Karen down the steps and then just stared at the beautiful woman for a moment. "Why on earth did you come to this Hellhole?" Everhard asked. "Why, to see you James. You know, for such a sexy man you sure ask silly questions." Karen laughed. Karen took the initiative, stood on her tip toes, and kissed Everhard. Everhard returned the kiss and a warm embrace".

Of all the heroines of the Everhard stories, the most abused, misunderstood and oft dumped by our seemingly thoughtless detective is the lovely and intriguing Dr. Molly Waska. The crime fighting Psychiatrist and love interest for both James in a couple of stories and Nick Chapel (sorry Bill) in a third. This gem of a character is tough, yet loving. Honest and faithful, and far too nice to deserve what fate has handed her in these stories. This too exemplifies her real-life counterpart, Mollie Woska Pruitt who has been gracious enough to let this hack writer abuse her character so. "One winter, almost the entire tribe came down with smallpox. The old medicine man and your daughter were among the few that survived. Mollywaska the Indian woman, succumbed to the disease". Killed off in the western. "They helped Molly to the waiting chopper and flew her back to the Greerson compound where the company doctor checked her over and cleaned and dressed her wounds. There were no serious injuries and she said that she thought the four men were going to take turns raping her but that her rescuers had gotten there just in the nick of time. Molly then retired to the guest’s quarters where she showered and collapsed into bed and slept for hours". Kidnapped, beaten and nearly gang raped in Iraq.

Of all the heroines of the Everhard stories, the most abused, misunderstood and oft dumped by our seemingly thoughtless detective is the lovely and intriguing Dr. Molly Waska. The crime fighting Psychiatrist and love interest for both James in a couple of stories and Nick Chapel (sorry Bill) in a third. This gem of a character is tough, yet loving. Honest and faithful, and far too nice to deserve what fate has handed her in these stories. This too exemplifies her real-life counterpart, Mollie Woska Pruitt who has been gracious enough to let this hack writer abuse her character so. "One winter, almost the entire tribe came down with smallpox. The old medicine man and your daughter were among the few that survived. Mollywaska the Indian woman, succumbed to the disease". Killed off in the western. "They helped Molly to the waiting chopper and flew her back to the Greerson compound where the company doctor checked her over and cleaned and dressed her wounds. There were no serious injuries and she said that she thought the four men were going to take turns raping her but that her rescuers had gotten there just in the nick of time.  Molly then retired to the guest’s quarters where she showered and collapsed into bed and slept for hours". Kidnapped, beaten and nearly gang raped in Iraq.

In the operating room, three surgeons worked over Dr. Molly Waska. So far, they had repaired the right lung, removed torn muscle tissue, and rib fragments in the chest wall and were now completing the mastectomy on her right breast that the large hollow point bullet had started. Suddenly, Molly’s blood pressure dropped sharply and her heart stopped. The shrill alarm from the heart monitor that signaled "flat line" sounded and the surgeons and their assistants went into crisis mode. "Paddles" the chief surgeon ordered. He placed the internal defibrillator paddles on the still heart. "Clear" he ordered and a jolt of electricity went directly to both sides of her stopped heart. All eyes in the room were focused on the heart monitor, which still showed flat line. "The paddles were once more placed directly on the heart. "Clear." A second jolt went through Molly’s body. Again, all eyes were glued to the heart monitor. There was still nothing. "Increase the voltage," the surgeon ordered. "Clear" and a third jolt was sent through Molly Waska’s body. The anesthesiologist looked at the clock and said, " The heart has been stopped for five minutes Doctor." Then there was a small blip on the monitor’s screen. Then another, and another, until the heart’s rhythm slowly returned to normal and the blood pressure rose to 120/80. There was a collective sigh of relief from the surgical team and the doctors again resumed the repair work on Molly’s chest. And finally, left on the brink of death in surgery, with her boob shot off. No other James Everhard girl has ever had to be subjected to such pain and trouble. Thanks Molly, I’ll make it up to you. All of these women have helped make the Everhard series what it is and future stories will continue to showcase them, hopefully in a positive light.

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