Lights, Camera, Christmas Town!
Box Set 8 in Heartwarming Christmas Town
Fans of Hallmark movies set in small towns with quirky characters will enjoy this clean collection of 8 clean holiday romances!
What could make the holidays in Christmas Town even more magical? The arrival of a TV movie’s cast and crew to recreate one of their most beloved couple’s happily ever after!
The snow is falling, the chestnuts are roasting, and Posey’s peppermint pies can’t keep up with demand! But there’s also mischief afoot as filming begins. Someone keeps sneaking Elmer the Elf into scenes, the town is buzzing with romantic gossip, and the Knotty Elves once again turn their creative endeavors from knitting to helping others find true love.
You’ve got a VIP pass…
This collection of romances gives you an all-access pass to the holiday festivities and movie merrymaking. From the producer to the director, the lead actors to the extras, the production crew and beyond, this set of connected, sweet romances is sure to win warm your holiday-loving heart!
Here’s an excerpt from Melinda’s contribution to the collection.
Excerpt:
“Christmas is all about lights. And I’m all about lighting.” Movie lighting contractor Dave Walsh told Esther of Esther’s House, a B&B in Christmas Town. He pressed the hidden button in the neckline of his ugly holiday sweater. Rudolph’s nose blinked a cheery red.
Esther chuckled, fluffing her shoulder-length, pure white curls. She had the friendly air of Mrs. Claus and the efficiency of a drill sergeant. After a week spent at the bed & breakfast, Dave thought Esther ran Esther’s House and its restaurant with an iron fist and a heart of holiday gold. “You fit right into Christmas Town, Dave.”
“Is that because of his love of Christmas or his penchant for dad jokes?” Betsy Anne Gleason appeared beside Dave, looking as stunning as always, despite the fact that it was only six a.m.
Her smooth, short black hair curled gently at her delicate chin. Her big brown eyes were expertly accented and highlighted. There wasn’t as much as a blemish showing on her face, although her make-up wasn’t thick or cakey. And her lips… Well, they were kissably red.
Dave modulated his excitement at seeing Betsy Anne because for years he and the hair and make-up artist had been—much to his dismay—just work friends. “You don’t like my dad jokes?”
“You’re not a dad.” Betsy Anne smiled at Dave, and then at Esther, holding up one finger to indicate how many were in her party.
“With Dave’s Christmas enthusiasm, he’s among friends here, no matter the corn in his jokes.” Esther smiled broadly. “In Christmas Town, we celebrate the spirit of Christmas year-round. You movie people are straining my breakfast capacity. I’m putting you together. But the good news is that we’ve just started serving breakfast for the day and you get a window overlooking the town square.” She led them into the elegant dining room. “If no one’s told you yet, our gazebo out there is famous as a place where a kiss at Christmas foretells of a wedding in the new year.”
Practically everyone in town had told Dave this fun fact.
If only I could convince Betsy Anne to step in that gazebo with me.
“I’ve been enjoying looking at the lights on the town square before bed and again at breakfast.” Unaware of Dave’s thoughts, Betsy Anne sat at the table, staring out at the pre-dawn darkness. “I’m from New York, Esther, where we have a different kind of light show.”
“Ours are one-of-a-kind,” Esther said, looking pleased.
“And we appreciate you opening for breakfast an hour early.” Betsy Anne was doling out compliments the way Santa handed out candy canes. “My room is adorable. How did you know I love a pink-flocked Christmas tree?”
“When they told me you were the head of the hair and make-up department, I took a guess.” Esther handed them menus before returning to her station.
While Betsy Anne alternated glances at her menu and at the lights of the town square, Dave alternated glances at his menu and her.
Ask her out.
Dave’s mouth was too dry to form words. He hadn’t been expecting to see her until they were on set later.
Ask her out.
He couldn’t. Once a shy nerd, always a shy nerd. It didn’t matter that he was sitting across from the most beautiful woman on the film crew of The Christmas Carousel. Dave revised that thought—on any film crew. Instead of working up his nerve, he perused his surroundings with an appreciative holiday eye.
Esther’s was a contradiction of class and schmaltz. Classic Christmas music played softly in the background—Bing Crosby’s version of White Christmas. The windows in Esther’s dining room were elegantly trimmed with garland and twinkle lights on the inside. There was a small, white-flocked Christmas tree in the corner with big, colorful lights. The tablecloths were white and the china expensive. But that’s where the class ended, and the schmaltz of Christmas began. The salt and pepper shakers were Christmas characters—Rudolph, the Abominable Snowman, Santa and Mrs. Claus, angels, and snowmen. Instead of being black, the cloth napkins were printed with whimsical, holiday gnomes.
Dave liked Esther’s. He liked the cast and crew on this film. He liked Christmas Town. He suppressed a sigh, thinking about the other thing he liked in town—Betsy Anne.
“Dave, you must be in heaven on this film.” Betsy Anne set her menu down, shook out her napkin, and laid it in her lap. “More so than usual since there is Christmas on set and Christmas off set.”
“I’m thrilled. It’s better than that time we shot the Christmas movie in Miami.” He smiled across the table at his dream girl, the woman who never saw him as more than a work buddy. Dave pushed his new, plain black glasses higher on the bridge of his nose. “I thought you liked Christmas, too.”
“I do. And I love all this snow. But I’m stressed. This is the first film I’m doing without a business partner.” Betsy Anne had run what was now Gleason Hair and Make-Up with her on-again/off-again boyfriend and partner Marcel, providing services to productions ranging from theatrical film to television. “Every decision is mine.”
“You know, you can bounce things off me if you need to.” Dave had his own crew to manage. “Vent or whatever. I know how hard it is to run a business in this business. You can’t always predict where the next job is coming from or where you’ll be working or how many employees you’ll need.”
“Yes. That’s why I want to do a good job for Lark.” The movie’s producer. Betsy Anne touched her right cheek with the back of her hand. It was a gesture she used sometimes when she was nervous, not that Dave understood why. “If I go above and beyond for her, I could be the first hair and make-up artist she calls for every project.”
Dave nodded. “I’m hoping that, too. Since she’s new to being the top producer on a project, she’ll be looking to assemble a team.” Her team. Not someone else’s.
A lock of his hair fell into his eyes, behind the frames of his new glasses. He brushed the hair away. “Do you need a ride over to the location today? I’ve got to get there early to set up the lights. I’ll be leaving after breakfast.” He smiled up at the waitress. “The oatmeal breakfast, please. With fruit and strong coffee.”
“And you?” the waitress glanced at Betsy Anne, who seemed distracted as she ordered the same.
I hope she’s not still heartbroken over Marcel.
The Story Behind the Story
Anna J. Stewart and I have both had books adapted into movies. And we’ve both been on set during filming. Anna even got a walk on part as a waitress! Everyone seems fascinated by the idea of movie-making. So we decided to make this year’s set about a Hallmark-type movie being made in Christmas Town.
Anna and I had fun writing our novellas. But some of the others spent a lot of time researching their movie production roles. My contribution involves the light and make-up folks.
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