Book Blurb:
Marie never expected to wake up in
North Pole City, let alone become Santa’s Emergency Replacement. It was a job
she never wanted but couldn’t turn down, thanks to Clarence, Santa’s right hand
man.
Now, Marie has to work with
Clarence, who believes she is some kind of criminal who will cause the
destruction of everything he holds dear. Trying to prove that he’s wrong, Marie
keeps making mistakes that push them even further apart. It doesn’t help that
she has a past she’d rather keep hidden. However, trying to keep her past where
it should belong isn’t easy.
Just when Marie starts to feel like
things are coming together, a madman with a bone to pick, and Christmas to
ruin, threatens the whole of the North Pole Organization.
Author Bio:
Karlie Lucas is a preschool teacher by day and a writer/artist by night. A graduate of Southern Utah University, Karlie received a B.A. in Creative Writing, with a minor in art. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, The International English Honor Society, as well as ANWA, the American Night Writers Association.Karlie is interested in all things magical and mysterious, especially elves and dragons. She is an avid fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling.
When not writing, Karlie can often be found drawing, baking, watching her favorite old school shows, or just spending time with her family. She currently resides in Dallas, Texas with her husband and a cat named Kally.
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/karliemlucas
Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8580852.Karlie_Lucas
Amazon author profile at http://www.amazon.com/Karlie-Lucas/e/B00N8Z86H8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1411349158&sr=8-1
Twitter @karliemlucas
Blog at http://tenelia.blogspot.com
Linkedin at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/karlie-lucas/17/1b/a62/
Buy links:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NX6FRRY
*****DELETED SCENE*****
Before tour of the City, Chapter Four, end
(This one gives you more of an insight into Dena's, Marie's and Clarence's characters. Not sure why I didn't include it in with the full manuscript as it's a fun little bit. But, like all good stories, some things do hit the cutting room floor.)
"Um, Dena?" Marie hesitated.
"What is it, Marie? You can ask me anything about anything, or anyone for that matter, here or anywhere. I'll always be there if you need someone to talk to, even if it is in the middle of the night and the cows are all screaming for Chinese food," Dena promised.
Marie smiled at the thought of cows screaming for anything let alone Chinese. "Thanks. You’re such a nice person. There is just one thing that puzzles me. I was just wondering why your office is decorated in such a weird way."
"Oh that," Dena interrupted. "I like to have a little bit of chaos, and a bit of order in my life. You know, half one color, half another color. It shows my double personality. Most people find it unnerving. Clarence is one of them. He's always edgy around my place. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were the colors I chose. He is all order and no nonsense, or fun. It’s also why I pretend to be a little ditsy sometimes," she explained. “It makes him mad.”
“Dark green and bright pink wouldn’t exactly be my choice of colors either,” Marie said. “It doesn’t exactly fit in with any of the current fads in décor, if you know what I mean.”
Dena laughed. “No, I don’t think it would, especially not with yellow chairs! To tell you the truth, the desk was originally yellow but I couldn’t stand it so I started to paint it green but ran out of paint. Pink was the only color I had left so that’s what I used. I liked the effect it had on people so much that I just left it as is.”
“Okay,” Marie replied with hesitation. “A very odd reason to keep it like that, but what ever floats your goat, I mean boat.”
“Marie, you don’t have to be so serious all of the time,” Dena said. “Life has much more to offer than that. Can you at least try to enjoy yourself today? It’s not like anyone here is out to hurt you.”
“I can try,” Marie conceded, “but on only one condition.” Dena glanced at her curiously. “Tell me how long you’ve known Clarence and if he’s always like this.”
Dena tried to collect her thoughts. She almost tripped going up the stairs. “Well, I've known him since we were both little tykes. Back then he was actually quite the prankster. Quite notorious actually, but he never got caught. I’m sure his other friends thought that that was incredibly unfair. Then something happened and he changed.
I wasn’t there when it happened. Sandra was though. You can ask either one of them if you have a mind. I don’t feel at liberty to say anything about it. But yeah, something in him did change. He stopped pulling his pranks, became more serious.” She paused at the top of the stairs. “You know, I think I liked him better as the prankster.” She grinned.
Tour Schedule:
December 21
December 23
December 24
CHRISTMAS EVE NO POSTING
Before tour of the City, Chapter Four, end
(This one gives you more of an insight into Dena's, Marie's and Clarence's characters. Not sure why I didn't include it in with the full manuscript as it's a fun little bit. But, like all good stories, some things do hit the cutting room floor.)
"Um, Dena?" Marie hesitated.
"What is it, Marie? You can ask me anything about anything, or anyone for that matter, here or anywhere. I'll always be there if you need someone to talk to, even if it is in the middle of the night and the cows are all screaming for Chinese food," Dena promised.
Marie smiled at the thought of cows screaming for anything let alone Chinese. "Thanks. You’re such a nice person. There is just one thing that puzzles me. I was just wondering why your office is decorated in such a weird way."
"Oh that," Dena interrupted. "I like to have a little bit of chaos, and a bit of order in my life. You know, half one color, half another color. It shows my double personality. Most people find it unnerving. Clarence is one of them. He's always edgy around my place. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were the colors I chose. He is all order and no nonsense, or fun. It’s also why I pretend to be a little ditsy sometimes," she explained. “It makes him mad.”
“Dark green and bright pink wouldn’t exactly be my choice of colors either,” Marie said. “It doesn’t exactly fit in with any of the current fads in décor, if you know what I mean.”
Dena laughed. “No, I don’t think it would, especially not with yellow chairs! To tell you the truth, the desk was originally yellow but I couldn’t stand it so I started to paint it green but ran out of paint. Pink was the only color I had left so that’s what I used. I liked the effect it had on people so much that I just left it as is.”
“Okay,” Marie replied with hesitation. “A very odd reason to keep it like that, but what ever floats your goat, I mean boat.”
“Marie, you don’t have to be so serious all of the time,” Dena said. “Life has much more to offer than that. Can you at least try to enjoy yourself today? It’s not like anyone here is out to hurt you.”
“I can try,” Marie conceded, “but on only one condition.” Dena glanced at her curiously. “Tell me how long you’ve known Clarence and if he’s always like this.”
Dena tried to collect her thoughts. She almost tripped going up the stairs. “Well, I've known him since we were both little tykes. Back then he was actually quite the prankster. Quite notorious actually, but he never got caught. I’m sure his other friends thought that that was incredibly unfair. Then something happened and he changed.
I wasn’t there when it happened. Sandra was though. You can ask either one of them if you have a mind. I don’t feel at liberty to say anything about it. But yeah, something in him did change. He stopped pulling his pranks, became more serious.” She paused at the top of the stairs. “You know, I think I liked him better as the prankster.” She grinned.
December 21
December 22
http://lizjosette.blogspot.com
December 23
December 23
December 24
CHRISTMAS EVE NO POSTING
December 25
CHRISTMAS DAY NO POSTING
December 26
December 27
http://authorsandralove.blogspot.com/
December 28
December 29
http://sweet-n-sassy-book-a-holics.blogspot.com/
