Once upon a time, a pretty lady from a smallish Southern city posed for some sexy pictures in a men's magazine. And before she knew what was happening, she found that she'd become a Very Important Person. Donna Edmondson's rise from old-fashioned country girl to Playmate of the Month to Playmate of the Year reads like--you guessed it--a fairy tale, only better. Suddenly transformed from plain ol' beautiful to Playboy beautiful, Donna has sailed on through a string of successes so magical that one gets the impression that had Cinderella had the chance, she would have bypassed the ball and thumbed a ride to North Carolina to take a few lessons. "I never imagined it would go this far," said Donna from her home in Greensboro. "I didn't think I was pretty enough to test for Playboy, let alone be Playmate of the Month. Now I'm Playmate of the Year! This has really been a dream come true."
Apparently, Donna's special blend of innocence and erotic appeal struck the hearts of American men. Thousands dialed her 900 number in the Playmate Phone-In, boosting her as Playmate of the Year. (One Virginia reader wrote nominating Donna as Playmate of the Century.) Others proposed marriage or asked advice. "I was shocked," Donna says. "I thought only people like Elvis Presley got fan mail. But suddenly, everyone was inviting me everywhere--businessmen, college guys, the Army, the Navy. One gentleman even offered me a plane ticket to Utah for a dinner date."
Donna's ascent in the world of real estate makes for yet another chapter in her glass-slipper success story. She'd had her license for only five months when her November Playmate pictorial hit the stands. Quicker than you can say "Abracadabra," job offers from real-estate offices and independent brokers across the country came rolling in. "So now I'm waiting for the best one. I still plan on staying here in North Carolina, though. I want to sell people on this state as well as sell them property." And what will she use as a sales pitch? "That's easy. I'll tell 'em I'm here!"
Although Donna admits that she has yet to find her princely leading man--the fellow whose job it is to dash in and sweep her away in storybook style--she also confesses she's getting just a bit tired of being asked about Mr. Right. We can understand that: Every girl deserves a little privacy. "I'm sure I'll find him one day," she says, "but sometimes I feel a little disappointed that I don't have someone with whom I could share this wonderful experience. Still," she chuckles, "I'm only 21. And I'm having the time of my life." Which is, perhaps, the best way to end our fairy tale come true.
