Dancing at The Orange Peel – Directory
A Serialized Historical Novel
Synopsis: 1968. Kent Creek, North Carolina.
When nine-year-old Libby and her widowed mother Gwen befriend their town’s first prominent Black businessman, they're forced to come to terms with the reactions of their family and community... and themselves. As Libby struggles to understand her place in this world, Gwen grasps for what little remains of her own identity, her hopes, and her dreams.
Subscribe to receive every episode right in your inbox the first week of each month, with related articles, historical info, character sketches, and more in between episodes.
What’s here:
Content Notes: Important things to know before reading
Table of Contents: A listing of the novel’s episodes with synopses, as well as articles that are related to each episode
Content Notes
Even though Libby, the main character, is only nine years old at the beginning of the novel, this story is NOT middle-grade or young-adult fiction. Without being the primary focus, sexual abuse and its related effects are relevant to the story. Though they are not explicit nor frequent, I’d rather you/the reader know about them in advance. Toward that end, a content note will appear at the beginning of those episodes.
Additionally, while I strive for historical accuracy, believable characters, and plausible events, these elements can sometimes be at odds with my own beliefs and values. In both the short story and the novel, language and attitudes—including racism and women’s roles, among others—are representative of the cultural climate at the time and in the place: 1960s-70s in the Southern U.S. The values, beliefs, and perspectives of the characters are not a reflection of my own.
My intention in this telling is to help us remember the people we don’t want to be today.
Table of Contents
“For What Nate Did”
The story that started it all. This is the origin and foundation for Dancing at The Orange Peel, and ultimately, for the Kent Creek Chronicles.
Episode 1: “Alleys and Shadows”
Synopsis: From the school bus, nine-year-old Libby Billings observes the alleyway beside The Orange Peel nightclub where her father and her uncle, both deputy sheriffs, were shot three years earlier. She struggles with fear and confusion about the murders and the club’s reputation, contrasting with her otherwise ordinary life and close-knit family. After arriving at her mother’s workplace, the Kent Creek Chamber of Commerce, Libby settles in to do homework until Jeff Misener, a prominent businessman and Chamber member arrives with more than his checkbook.
***
Companion Articles
Hangman: A simple game with a questionable past
A short, and unsettling, history of the game Libby and her best friend are playing on the bus in the novel’s opening scene.
—
Angelique: RIP Lara Parker
A peek at the portrait Libby sees in the Dark Shadows episode she is (not supposed to be) watching and a note about the recent death of the actress who portrayed Angelique.
Episode 2: “Watchful Eyes”
Synopsis: Local businessman Jeff Misener has come to the Chamber of Commerce with Nate Boniface, the manager of one of his businesses. Libby recognizes Boniface as the new Black member everyone in town is talking about. After Mr. Bolden, the head of the Chamber, refuses Nate’s handshake, Misener and Bolden exchange harsh words. Libby recalls an encounter with Misener’s daughters, and she tries to piece together the interactions between this new member and her mother.
***
Companion Article
Doyle Lott has left the building: The Touch That Stirred a Nation, 55 years ago
The televised moment that Libby recalls in Episode 2: the touch between singers Petula Clark and Harry Belafonte on the NBC Chrysler Special in April 1968, the off-stage conflicts, and the reckoning that followed.
Episode 3: “Hard Questions”
Synopsis: On their ride home at the end of the day, Libby quizzes her Mama about the Black man she’s just seen at the Chamber. Libby worries what the other kids at school will think if they find out her Mama has befriended him.
Episode 4: “Awkward Introductions”
Synopsis: Libby eagerly awaits Mama’s return from a Saturday movie with her friend Miss Cheryl. They finally arrive, laughing and chattering about Sean Connery. The mood shifts quickly, though, with the the unexpected arrival of Mama’s new acquaintance, Nate Boniface. Mama makes polite introductions, but Aunt June, who’s been babysitting Libby, is clearly unnerved by his presence. When Mama insists he is welcome, Aunt June departs in a huff of disapproval.
***
Companion Essay
Truth or Consequences: An Author’s Conundrum
A seemingly simple decision about which movie to use in the beginning of Episode 4 takes me on a weeks’ long pondering of the varied ways historical fiction authors represent facts and timelines in their “real world” stories—and how I’ll handle them in mine.
Episode 5: “From Kent Creek to the Eiffel Tower”
Synopsis: With all their guests gone, Libby is curious about her mama’s new friend. Noticing how different Nate is from all the people she knows, she watches him and Mama closely, her mind filled with questions. Only a few does she dare to ask.
***
Companion Essay
Bringing Nate Boniface to Life: It’s a Trust Issue
With increasing frequency, when I sit down with a plan or intention to write one thing, it becomes another. Such is the case with this month’s Kent Creek companion essay.
Episode 6: “The Knight Alone”
Synopsis: When Grant arrives for supper without his date, Libby is delighted to get all his attention. Gwen, on the other hand, wonders what this loss of yet another girlfriend in a long line of women will mean for the relationship she and Libby have with Grant.
Episode 7: “The Promise”
Synopsis: Gwen grapples with her emotions as the evening unfolds in a night of revelations. She finds herself in a complex dance with Grant, who is bound by a promise to her late husband that has blurred their boundaries of friendship and love.
Episode 8: “Nosy Neighbors”
Coming soon
Episode 9: “Carter’s Eyes”
Coming soon
New episodes of Dancing at The Orange Peel publish the first week each month with extra tidbits in between.
Get super-early access to every episode in The HiSTORYtelling Hub, the home for all my evolving fiction. Follow there for free or subscribe as a HistFic Fan to also receive annotated episodes that include my research findings, author commentary, and more (similar to the old Director’s Cut DVDs that featured extras), as well as bonus material not available here.
Wherever you choose to read, thanks for your interest and support!