A tall, neon life-size Barbie hurried toward them, long blonde curls springing up and down like miniature slinkies. Victoria Miracle approached in all her glittery goose-down glory, a fusion of glamor and frostbite protection, reminding Macy of a disco-themed northern lights display. Winter seemed to follow her around like a trusty sidekick, along with her entourage of three scurrying behind her.
Macy got a kick out of The Talent and how they expected everyone to dote on them and cater to their every need. Victoria’s demeanor was a stark contrast to the independent nature of women Macy knew in Alaska. She’d read about the coddled movie star stereotype, and here was one in the flesh.
“Make this quick. I’m freezing my tush off.” The movie star’s frosty breaths puffed out of her like a high-speed locomotive.
As Victoria strategically positioned herself next to the pond, Macy couldn’t help but imagine her strutting down the runway of a 1960s psychedelic fashion show. Her flashy style was part Picasso, part Gucci, and all sass. Victoria stood out in this winter wonderland like a burst of disco in a snow globe.
Macy bet Victoria never met a camera she didn’t like.
The animal handler stood by, holding a long leash attached to the little polar bear cub. He gingerly placed the leash in Victoria’s hand, mumbling instructions to hold on tight.
The fish-out-of-water movie star gave Macy a critical up-and-down assessment. “Are you from here? Have you been around bears?”
Macy shrugged. “I know what to do around black and brown bears.”
Victoria gave her a look of appraisal. “Good enough for me.” She called out to Zippo. “Keep this bear woman next to me at all times.” A makeup artist appeared, dabbing lip gloss on Victoria’s already shiny lips and arranging her flawlessly spiraled curls. The artist hurried off again.
Zippo ordered the animatronics operator to dunk Mother Snowflake. The operator slowly lowered the crane, placing the fake bear into the water. “We’ll edit the crane out later,” he announced to no one in particular.
“Vicky, say your lines, then squat next to the little bear and deliver the rest. And don’t scare him,” directed Zippo from his perch on the crane arm. “We need a tender moment, with Fake Mother Snowflake watching.”
Macy couldn’t help herself. “Excuse me, hate to keep interrupting, but that wouldn’t happen in real life. The mother bear would attack the human to protect her cub. She wouldn’t just hang out and watch.”
“This isn’t real life. It’s the movies,” Zippo said flippantly. “We do what we want in a movie. Now, can we get on with this, please? It’s a tad nippy out here, and I’d like to get this done, if you don’t mind.” He turned away to talk on his headset.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist,” mumbled Macy.
Victoria chortled. “Love your style, Bear Woman,” she purred.
Zippo cocked a brow. “Are we ready now, ladies?” He turned to the crane operator. “Lower the fake Mother Snowflake into the water. Quiet, everyone. Rolling. Marker!” He peered through his camera monitor.
A woman held up a black-and-white clapboard in front of the camera. Zippo nodded at the red digital readout. “Scene fourteen. Take one!”
The person snapped it and hurried away.
Zippo pointed at the extras. “Background, action! Victoria, go!”
While Macy and her merry band of extras gathered around Victoria, the drunk guy holding Macy’s prop news camera suddenly stumbled.
“Where’s my news reporter? Oh! There you are,” he slurred, beholding the glorious Victoria. “Hey, you wanna see my oosik?” He swung his camera and bumped the unsuspecting bear cub on the head.
“Your what?” Victoria wrinkled her face just as the frightened cub bawled and ran in circles around her, wrapping his leash tightly around her legs.
“Get this savage beast away from me!” she yelled. Her legs lashed together as she teetered toward the icy water. “Somebody! Get this leash off me!”
Macy sprinted forward. Her ninja-like reflexes prevented Victoria from tumbling off the edge, but in the process, Macy slipped on the ice-crusted snow. Her feet fought for traction, but it was a losing battle. She lost her balance and flailed wildly, teetering backwards. Arms spinning like windmills, she failed to restore equilibrium and executed a flawless butt-first plunge into the chilly water, like a clumsy duck on a crash landing.
Book 1 of the Polar Paired Series
Romance Enemies to Lovers
Date Published: December 19, 2023
Publisher: Avoca Press
Expect the unexpected when it comes to love under the Aurora skies.
In the frosty mayhem of the Alaskan film set for Everybody Loves Polar Bears, accident-prone Macy Applegate catapults herself into a hilarious array of mishaps better suited for a blooper reel. As Macy dreams of stardom, she reluctantly works with Nick Westwood, the grumpiest and most arrogant assistant director this side of the Arctic Circle—a man who irritates her more than a stuck zipper in a sub-zero wind chill.
Beneath Nick’s stoic exterior lies a mysterious secret, and the only thing more challenging than Alaska’s winter is these two trying to get along for longer than a commercial break. Macy is a walking disaster in matters of the heart, and Nick is fed up with shallow relationships. But fate has a penchant for mischief when Nick transforms from Macy’s nemesis to her off-screen hero, chipping away at the permafrost around her heart. Should she give this guy a chance or continue wishing on the magical aurora borealis for perfect love?
In this hilarious romantic comedy, where polar bears play supporting roles and love takes center stage, Macy and Nick navigate a situation as unpredictable as Macy’s on-set blunders. If you swooned through The Proposal and chuckled at The Hating Game…and if you have a soft spot for polar bears…get ready for laughter in this heartwarming tale of unexpected love!
Enemies to lovers
Celebrity romance
Grumpy sunshine
Strong woman, alpha male
Forced proximity
Polar bear love
Snowbound Alaskan cabin
Northern lights
Polar plunges
About the Author
LoLo Paige is an award-winning author in both romantic comedy and romantic
suspense. She’s been honored with several awards, including an RWA
chapter award for her romantic comedy, Hello Spain, Goodbye Heart.
Irish Thunder and Everybody Loves Polar Bears are her recent rom-coms published in 2024. Her romantic suspense books have topped Amazon bestseller lists in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and Publishers Weekly has featured her books in their Booklife section. Her second book, Alaska Inferno, was a finalist for best indie romance in the 2022 Kindle Book Review Awards.
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Marianne H. Donley makes her home in Pennslyvania with her husband, son, and a very very active dog. She is a member of Bethlehem Writers Group, The Charmed Connection, Sisters in Crime, The Guppies and Capital Crimes. When Marianne isn’t working on A Slice of Orange, she might be writing short stories, funny romances, or quirky murder mysteries, but this could be a rumor. She also could be knitting.
Whatever your taste, this collection of food-related stories from the multiple award-winning Bethlehem Writers Group has all the ingredients to satisfy your reading palate. Our menu includes twenty-seven appetizing stories, from light-fare and sides of fantasy to sweet romance and savory bites of mystery. Jeff Baird’s “The Pickle Promenade” provides an amuse bouche. Try a spicy entree prepared by Diane Sismour in “Bump and Run.” Prefer a yarn with zing? Enjoy “Rightful Prey” by A. E. Decker. Jerry McFadden’s tart “Hard Times,” should tickle your taste buds. On the sweeter side, there’s Sally Paradysz’s “Our Town is Different” or the bittersweet “Breakfast for One” by Geoffrey Mehl.
Enjoy these and other delectable tales from our talented authors including: Courtney Annicchiarico, Terrie Daugherty, Bernadette De Courcey, Marianne H. Donley, Headley Hauser, Ralph Hieb, Judith Mehl, Emily P. W. Murphy, E. L. Ryan, Paul Weidknecht, and Carol L. Wright. To complete today’s specials, we offer tasty tales from Tracy Falenwolfe and C. A. Rowland, winners of Bethlehem Writers Roundtable’s Short Story Awards in 2014 and 2015 respectively. All honed their recipes to write sweet, funny, and strange stories to remember.
Marianne’s story “The Widow Next Door” features a tired chef in search of sleep, the noisy kids of the food critic who could kill his new cookbook, and an evil twin brother.
4 2 Read more
Paranormal Thriller
Date Published: 06-26-2023
Lexi never considered her gift of sight anything but a curse until she is lured to a murder scene by a young, dead girl. Detective Evan Steele doesn’t like working with others, especially ones who ruin his crime scene. Going against his gut and logic, he teams up with a medium who challenges everything he ever believed. Together, they must stop the serial killer that is terrorizing New Sainte.
Don’t miss Cherish Lively’s My Secret Obsession Podcast. If you enjoy listening to novels, stop by the podcast and listen to Confessions of a “Fallen” Good Girl.
About the Author
Karen lives in Georgia with her wonderful husband and twin daughters. She loves traveling the world. Whether it’s to the heights of Yosemite, the white sands of the Caribbean, or even Down Under, she’s always ready to pack a bag in search of inspiration. She enjoys creating worlds filled with unique characters that will delight and raise goose bumps on her readers.
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The layer of gray clouds reflected the flashing lights of the police cars lining the street. Lexi’s head whirled in rhythm with the swirling lights as her heart pounded. Each inhalation seemed to be filtered through a dozen surgical masks as dizziness overwhelmed her. Her grip tightened on the wheel as she came to a sudden stop in her driveway. She didn’t want to move, but she had to. She couldn’t deny the little girl who beckoned her.
Olivia Shaw ran to her, yet her little feet didn’t quite touch the ground. Lexi couldn’t describe exactly how the dead moved or how much of their earthly selves remained once they were dead, but there always seemed to be a process by which the dead came to terms with their death and finally receded into the afterlife.
Lexi wasn’t sure if she was screaming aloud or if her cries of horror merely echoed in her head, but as she ran across the driveway towards the little girl, she knew that she was the only one that saw Olivia.
“Help Amelia! She’s hiding!” screamed Olivia with her hands in fists by her side. She looked like a kid throwing a tantrum, but it wasn’t a tantrum. Desperation to help someone she loved fueled her pleas. The eight-year-old turned and raced back towards her house.
At first Lexi didn’t notice the police officers making their way towards her, but as she neared Oliva, a man in a suit stepped in front of her and motioned for her to stop.
Lexi’s focus on Olivia was totally obscured by the broad chest that suddenly blocked her way. She nearly stumbled as she came to an abrupt stop. She steadied herself by planting her hands on the man’s chest. His hands wrapped around her arms to keep her from fully plowing into him.
“Ma’am,” Detective Evan Steele said as he kept the woman steady. “Ma’am, you can’t go in there. Do you live here?”
Evan hated this part of his job. Death and murder were horrible business, but justice for the dead and the ones who lived on needed to be found. The woman before him was pale and clearly traumatized. Her fingers clutched at his shirt, and her nails scraped his flesh through the cloth.
“Ma’am,” Evan repeated. The woman shifted and refused to look at him. Instead, her gaze was locked on something behind him.
He glanced over his shoulder to see what held her attention, but he didn’t see anything.
“Let go of me,” Lexi panted. She tried to push off his chest, but his hands remained locked on her arms.
Fury exploded through Lexi and she shouted, “Let go of me!” She jerked free of his hold and only got a few steps before he stopped her again.
“Ma’am,” this time Evan’s voice was firm, authoritative. “You can’t go in there. It’s an active crime scene.”
“We have to help her!” Lexi screamed. “She’s afraid. She needs my help.”
Evan felt sorry for the desperate woman before him. The people in the house were dead. There was no one to help.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. We have the situation under control.”
Olivia’s screams for help echoed through the air. Amelia had to be safe. Olivia wouldn’t be so desperate if her sister was already dead. Lexi wasn’t a quitter, but she knew he wouldn’t let her by.
“Okay,” Lexi said, finally making eye contact with the man. “Okay.” God, what could she say to convince him to let her into the house? She couldn’t tell him that she saw ghosts and that one was pleading with her to help a little girl still in the house.
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Mystery
Date Published: March 5, 2024
Publisher: Harbor Lane Books, LLC.
In a bid to heal from the grief of a personal loss, forensic genealogist, RaeJean Hunter, takes on a straightforward case —identify human remains found on a nearby college campus, believed to be the 180-year-old remains of Mary Rogers, a woman who died mysteriously in 1841 and was believed to have been buried in the nearby cemetery that had washed away. It should be simple enough, a project to get her back in the game.
Unfortunately, it quickly becomes anything but. In fact, it becomes downright dangerous.
Someone doesn’t want RaeJean to investigate the puzzling death of the woman whose death inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Mystery of Marie Roget.” As she follows clues through four states and discovers living
family members who both help and hinder her search, she quickly realizes that the secrets of Mary Rogers’ demise were never meant to be exposed.
What lengths will someone go to keep the truth buried in the past? As threats escalate and RaeJean and her family’s lives become endangered, she’s forced to follow every lead and use every skill she has to find the answers
she needs before it’s too late. Using DNA from two famous New England families, historical data, modern genealogical techniques, and a little guidance from a seemingly mystical antique desk, RaeJean takes on the cold
case despite being given every reason to abandon it.
After all, what truths have been hidden for 180 years that would be worth bribery, kidnapping, and even murder?
RaeJean Hunter is about to find out.
About the Author
ML Condike has published short stories in anthologies that include Strange
& Sweet, (2019), Tall Tales and Timeless Stories, (2022), Malice in
Dallas, Metroplex Mysteries, Volume 1 (2022), and won first place in the
fifteenth annual Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction Awards, Mystery/Crime
category (2019), and 2nd Place in the Tennessee Williams Short Story
Contest, Key West Art & Historical Society (2022).
She’s an associate member of Mystery Writers of America Florida
Chapter, Sisters in Crime National, Sisters in Crime North Dallas
(Treasurer), Granbury Writers’ Bloc, and Key West Writers Guild.
As the result of her study of genealogy for her debut novel The Desk from Hoboken, she researched her own family and she discovered she had a direct bloodline to a Patriot. So, most recently she has been inducted into the
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
Contact Links
Follow the Publisher on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook –
@harborlanebooks
Purchase Links
Chapter One
Come on, girl! It’ll be fun.” It was mid March and I stood in my bathing suit on the edge of our pool in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. Our corgi, Sophie, watched from ten feet away, ears !at against her head. Her look suggested she wasn’t joining me. She didn’t like water, never mind “fifty-eight-degree water. It would be shocking.
Every year, my husband, Sam, and I vied for the title of First-In-The-Pool. Today, I was determined to swim and win regardless of the pool temperature.
“It’s now or never!” I leaped in, submerged, and then in a split second, shot straight up out of the frigid water. “It’s cold! It’s cold! It’s cold!”
Sophie circled the pool, barking as I splashed my way to the steps and climbed out.
“Phew! What a wake up call, Sophie!” I toweled my hair while she licked my wet legs.
“You win!” Sam shouted from the back door, saluting me with his steaming coffee mug.
“I’ll be in as soon as I dry of.”
He grinned, disappearing back inside.
Five minutes later, I grabbed the hot mug as the last fragrant squirts of Cinnabon coffee gurgled from the Keurig. Something had changed in me overnight. It could have been the promise of spring, with the leaves budding, but I had a hunch it had something to do with the phone call from late yesterday afternoon. A potential client needed a genealogist.
Whatever it was, I felt alive again. Smiling, I joined Sam in the breakfast nook.
“You look happy. Finally beat me to the “first dip. How was it?”
“Bloody cold.” I sipped my coffee in silence. The strong brew made my lips tingle. Or maybe it was simply rekindled optimism.
I, RaeJean O’Leary Hunter, a notorious workaholic, hadn’t entered my home office since the mental fog set in six months ago. Life’s current had pulled me under. Today, I’d resurfaced, gasping for a breath of fresh air.
Sam gazed at me over the rim of his mug. “Thinking about returning to work?”
“Actually, I am. I received a voicemail late yesterday about a case that could be a good segue back to work. Easy, I think.” My stomach $uttered at the prospect, but I knew I had to take the plunge, not unlike diving into the frigid pool in order to feel like a winner again. I smiled to myself.
Sam grinned. “That’s great. Maybe we should resume the office remodel.”
“I’d like that.” We’d purchased the house as is and had been remodeling for a while. Actually, it was more of a restoration, but we’d suspended our work when I got pregnant. If I took the case, I’d need a workspace other than our library. 2 The Desk from Hoboken
“Great. I’ll call the contractor.” He kissed me and disappeared into his office.
After rinsing my cup, I scrambled upstairs with the intent of checking on my neglected office and preparing it for the work crew. I rushed past the door to the room where I’d wallowed for months. After two steps, I froze. A lingering compulsion sabotaged my plan. Instead, I stepped back and entered the unlit nursery.
Scooping up the stuffed bunny that Sam had bought the day we’d learned I was pregnant, I sat in the Boston rocker, reliving the months after our loss. The tiny bunny sprawled across my lap as I agonized over the only thing I tended to worry about since that time, the secret I’d kept from Sam.
Determined to move on, I sucked in a breath and glanced down at Sophie. “Big girls don’t cry.”
It worked. Today, I didn’t shed a tear.
I stood, tossing the toy onto the chair. “Let’s go.” I followed the dog as she padded out the door.
There are thousands of books, internet articles, podcasts, blogs, etc. suggesting how to sell your first novel. Each of them has a nugget that could help, but there’s no one magic answer.
First and foremost, you have to have a product worth selling. Yes, a product! The publishing industry is a commercial enterprise. You must have something a buyer wants. A few words of caution here. Don’t rush the first book. It could make or break your future opportunities.
Write the best book you can. Have readers and writers review it. Once you feel it’s ready, hire a reputable editor. An inexpensive one might do if you’re a natural writer, but an experienced editor in your genre is worth their weight in gold. They’ll save you from sure failure!
Once you have that “golden” product, you must decide if you want to self-publish, acquire an agent, or query publishers who take work directly from writers. This is a personal choice and I have no recommendations.
I wanted vetting by a well-known, successful agent. After 104 queries, I found an agent willing to take on a debut author. I hoped to be published by a big press, so my agent queried them all. After several dozen rejections, we agreed to change our strategy and try a small independent press. Voila! Success!
Smaller publishers offer a variety of services. However, don’t become complacent and think your publisher is your marketer. They will do their best because your success is their success. However, you are not their only author. Their budget doesn’t belong to you. For you to be worth their time and money, your book has to sell!
Start early gathering your tribe of reader-followers. I’ve posted a morning picture to Facebook since 2018 (https://www.facebook.com/marylou.condike) and collected a lot of friends. Readers, authors, and folks worldwide share my sunrises. If I’m traveling, I photograph the sunrise where I’m staying. If I never wrote again, I’d still greet my FB friends with a daily sunrise!
The balance between over-selling the book and getting people interested in buying your product is delicate. You’ll find it when your follower numbers decline, indicating they’re sick of “buy my book” ads. Back off selling and try to find interesting information to share.
I have no advice about book tours or signings. I’ve read mixed reviews about signing tours. Study your market and learn where the majority of your readers shop. I’m guessing it’s on the internet. Get your book listed on as many sites as possible and get prerelease reviews from anyone who will agree to read and review your book. My publisher used Readers’ Favorite: Book World ( www.readersfavorite.com ) and Net Galley (www.netgalley.com ). Become an Amazon and Goodreads author.
Good luck with your first book!
0 0 Read moreA Slice of Orange is an affiliate with some of the booksellers listed on this website, including Barnes & Nobel, Books A Million, iBooks, Kobo, and Smashwords. This means A Slice of Orange may earn a small advertising fee from sales made through the links used on this website. There are reminders of these affiliate links on the pages for individual books.
If you love Regency romance, you’ll simply adore the Townsbridges…
More info →Reese and his brothers must track down the truth before the body count gets any higher.
More info →Present Danger—When Victoria Bradford got engaged, she told herself to give love a chance. Six months later, she's on the run from her angry, abusive ex-fiancé with her four-year-old daughter and nowhere to go.
More info →A Slice of Orange is an affiliate with some of the booksellers listed on this website, including Barnes & Nobel, Books A Million, iBooks, Kobo, and Smashwords. This means A Slice of Orange may earn a small advertising fee from sales made through the links used on this website. There are reminders of these affiliate links on the pages for individual books.
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