Today I’m
pleased to host fellow Astraea Press author Kristin Wallace! I had the pleasure
of reading Kristin’s first installment of the Covington Falls series, Marry Me, so I was excited to learn that
she’s followed up with a sequel. Acting
Up was just released last week. Here’s the pretty cover, as well as a sneak
peek!
Addison
Covington is the reigning Ice Queen of television. Until her producer husband
falls in love with her on-screen daughter and a well-placed punch on national
television casts her as the wicked ex-wife. Fired and disgraced, she escapes to
Covington Falls to try and figure out how to save her career. Before Addison
can say “Casting Call” she's drafted to direct the high school musical.
Life is
constantly on the brink of chaos for widower and single father Ethan Thomas. As
a high school principal he also has to deal with hundreds of students. Now,
he’s short one drama teacher and if he doesn’t find someone to direct the
spring musical he’s going to have a riot on his hands. His childhood neighbor,
Addison Covington, could be an answer to prayer. Or one more complication he
can’t afford.
Soon
Addison dealing with some off-key caterwauling, a bitter stepson showing up,
and the sexiest high school principal she's ever met. One thing Addison and
Ethan agree on is that there’s no room in their lives for romance. He’s got too
much at stake, and she needs to reclaim her former glory in Hollywood. In the
end, these two lost souls will choreograph a happy ending with the help of
Grace, Love and a Curtain Call.
Chapter One
Dear Diary... I died
today.
Deliberately plowed down in the middle of the
street by the proverbial black, unmarked car. My funeral will be mobbed by the
movers and shakers of the fashion world on three continents. The inquiry into
my death will bring about a national manhunt for my killer and spark at least a
half a season’s worth of who-dunnit
episodes.
The list of suspects
will be a mile long. My faithless husband? My nemesis and rival in romance and
in business? My drug-addicted son? My angelic daughter? Wronged business
partners? Wronged business adversaries? Pretty much anyone who ever had the
misfortune to cross Corrine Barrett. Or get in my way.
“Cut!”
“We got it.”
“Let’s set up for the
next scene.”
Shouts went up as the
director called out instructions to the crewmembers. With a deep sigh, Addison
Covington opened her eyes. Rolling onto her hip, she performed an inventory of
the various parts of her body. After being jerked back by the harness attached
to her waist and landing on an air mattress in the middle of the street, she’d
expected to feel like the roadkill Corrine had become. Her back would be
protesting the abuse tomorrow, but for now she was only a little sore.
One of the grips
approached her landing pad and helped her stand up. “You all right, Addison?”
“Never better, Charlie.”
Yeah, she wasn’t really
dead. It just felt that way.
Corrine
Barrett-Channing, ice queen and ruler over the Barrett Empire in the hit drama House of Fashion, was toast. But Addison
Covington, her portrayer, was sadly still of this earth.
She slipped off the
jacket of her white Armani suit so Charlie could remove the harness and fought
back a wince. Perhaps she’d been wrong about only being a little sore.
Charlie scowled. “I told
you to let your stunt double handle the fall.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Even as he unhooked the
contraption, other crewmembers removed her landing pad, setting up the scene to
reveal Corrine’s body lying in the street. At least Addison would be spared the
humiliation of having to play dead. That job would go to her stand in.
Addison’s job here was
finished. Literally.
“Stubborn woman,”
Charlie said with a gruff affection as he took off the harness.
“Thank you, Charlie,”
she said, kissing his cheek. “You’ve always been a prince.”
He shuffled his feet and
then leaned in closer. “You deserve better, Addison.”
“Not according to the
gossip rags. They all think I should be burned at the stake.”
From behind her, a
familiar feminine voice rang out. “You punched America’s sweetheart in the
nose. What did you expect?”
Addison glanced around
to see her on-screen nemesis and off-screen best friend, Sydney James,
approaching. “I expect it should be acceptable to rearrange someone’s face
after she’s stolen your husband, but then I’m old-fashioned that way.”
Sydney laughed, and they
both stood on the sidewalk watching the organized chaos unfolding. For several
moments neither of them spoke.
Then Sydney bit her lip.
“I hate this,” she said, fury and desolation etched in every word. “I hate
what’s happened to you. I hate that you won’t be here with me anymore, and I
hate that he gets away with
everything.”
“Look on the bright
side,” Addison said, digging her nails into her palm, hoping the pain would
stave off the urge to curl up in a fetal position and wail. “You’ll probably
never have to film a fight scene in a mud-bath again. Who knows, maybe Merrick
will change his mind, and I’ll be back as my evil twin someday.”
A gurgle of laughter
mixed with a sob escaped. “I think Corrine Barrett is the evil twin,” Sydney said, tears swimming in her green eyes.
“The good twin then. It
would certainly be a stretch for me to play, right?”
Sydney took Addison’s arm. “Come on, there’s
nothing more to see here.” They headed to the dressing trailers down the block.
“You’ll need a hot bath tonight. Otherwise you won’t be able to move tomorrow.”
“What I need is my job and my husband.”
Acting Up can be purchased at
Amazon
and Barnes
& Noble as well as other ebook outlets.
About Kristin Wallace
Growing
up Kristin devoured books like bags of Dove Dark Chocolate. Her first Golden Book led to Laura Ingalls Wilder,
Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, C.S. Lewis and the Sweet Valley High
series. Later, she discovered romance novels and fell in love all over again.
She writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with love, laughter
and a leap of faith. When she’s not writing her next novel, Kristin works
as an advertising copywriter. She also enjoys singing in her church choir
and worship team and playing flute in a community orchestra. Kristin is a
member of Romance Writers of America and serves as President of the local
affiliate chapter, Florida Romance Writers. This is the second book in the Covington Falls Chronicles. Be sure to
check out the first book in the series, Marry Me.
