Acting Up
A Covington Falls Chronicles Romance
By: Kristin Wallace
Blurb:
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, the idyllic Southern town where she found comfort in a time of turmoil as a teenager.
Life is constantly on the brink of chaos for widower Ethan Thomas. Being a single father is one challenge. As a high school principle he also has to deal with hundreds of students and their interfering parents. Now, he’s short one drama teacher and if he doesn’t find a replacement 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.
Before Addison can say “Casting Call” she’s drafted to direct the high school musical. Soon she’d dealing with some off-key caterwauling, a bitter stepson showing up on her doorstep, and the boy-next-door turned 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.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Acting-Up-Covington-Falls-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00JUAJKVQ
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/acting-up-kristen-wallace/1119280482?ean=2940149577378
Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/03/now-booking-tasty-virtual-tour-for_9.html
Author Info
Growing up Kristin devoured books like bags of Dove Dark Chocolate. Everything from Nancy Drew & Encyclopedia Brown to C.S. Lewis and the Sweet Valley High series. Later she discovered romance novels. It’s no surprise then that Kristin would one day try her hand at writing them. She writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with love, laughter and a leap of faith. In May 2013, Kristin sold her first novel, MARRY ME, to Astraea Press. Publication date to come!
When she’s not writing her next novel, Kristin works as an advertising copywriter. She also enjoys singing in her church choir and playing flute in a community orchestra.
Author Links
http://authorkristinwallace.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Kristin.L.Wallace?fref=ts
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(Excerpt 7: Addison tells Ethan that she had a miscarriage during her marriage.)
…“That little stick changes your life, doesn’t it?” Ethan asked, thinking of the moment when his sons were born. The overwhelming love, mixed with outright terror knowing he was responsible for two helpless human beings. After all the disappointments and the losses, to finally hold his precious boys had been nothing short of miraculous.
“It certainly changed mine,” Addison said. “Changed my marriage, too. Looking back, I think that might have been the beginning of the end. Something died between Merrick and me, and we never recovered.”
“No wonder. To suggest something so—” He took a deep breath. “I can’t imagine a world without my boys.”
“That’s what makes you a good man.”
“It’s what makes me a father.”
A dry chuckle escaped. “Ironically, Merrick is going to be a father again, after all. America’s sweetheart is pregnant.”
“What?”
“Angela told me on the set. Gleefully informed me she was two months pregnant and that Merrick was thrilled. He’d already gone out and started buying baby things.”
A key slid into the slot, unlocking another secret in Addison’s life. “Let me guess, that’s when you punched her.”
“Bingo,” Addison said. “All I could hear in my head was Merrick telling me to take care of the situation with my baby when he was doing cartwheels over Angela’s baby. Before I knew it, my arm was swinging.”
“I hope it hurt.”
“Sure did. Felt like I’d slammed my hand in a car door.”
He chuckled. “No, Angela.”
A wicked gleam entered Addison’s eyes. “She screamed. There was blood.” Her smile fell. “It was a great until Merrick called me into his office.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t make the humiliation you suffered go away, but honestly, I think you’re better off without him,” Ethan said. “You deserve so much more.”
“Do I? What if Merrick was right?” Addison asked. “Maybe he had an instinct about me. I’m probably the last person on earth who should be raising a child.”
“Why?”
“Too many reasons to count. I’m an emotional mess, for one. I don’t have a good role model to follow in the parenting arena, and I’ve never been around children. I’m just not good with anyone under the legal voting age.”
Where had Addison gotten the idea she couldn’t relate to children? Another mind game by her jerk of a husband?
“Tell that to my sons or the kids in the play,” Ethan said, folding his arms over his chest. “What about Aaron? He’d throw himself under a bus for you.”
A smile flickered across her face for a moment, but it disappeared almost as soon as it appeared. “So there’s one other option, which is that Merrick simply didn’t want a baby with me. I think I’d rather believe there was some maternal gene missing than accept I was foolish enough to believe he never loved me at all.”
“I thought we’d established your ex-husband is a prize pig.”
“We did?”
He brushed his fingers across her cheek. “I did anyway.”
Addison slipped her arms around his waist. She probably meant the gesture as a hug, but for him, the physical contact set off a chain reaction. Ethan stiffened, knowing he shouldn’t tempt fate or his own suppressed urges.
Oh, who am I kidding?
He didn’t have the strength to push her away.
“You want to know what I thought when I saw you holding Mary?” he asked, pulling her closer, giving in to the magnetic pull.
“I think it would be a bad idea if you told me,” Addison whispered back.
“I thought you were adorable,” Ethan said, ignoring the warning. “Flustered and scared and beautiful.”
Laughing, Addison buried her face in his chest. “I take it back. You’re not a good man. You’re dangerous. I thought we weren’t going to do this anymore.”
“I wasn’t.”
Then he lowered his head, capturing her lips.
Tour Schedule
May 5th- Book Reviews and More by Kathy- Excerpt
May 6th- Room with Books– Promo/Excerpt
May 7th- Readers Realm– Review
(Stop 2) In Between the Lines- Review/Guest Post
May 8th- Racing to Read– Review
(Stop 2) Romancing The Book- Interview
May 9th- The Library Mistress– Guest Post/Review
(Stop 2) The Suburban Eclectic Reviews– Review/Excerpt
May 12th- Romancing the Readers– Promo
(Stop 2) Paranormal Romance and Beyond- Promo
May 13th- Crazy Four Books– Review/Excerpt
May 14th- Girl Meets Books– Interview/Excerpt
May 15th– Christine’s Words– Guest Post
(Stop 2) Cindy’s Love of Books– Promo/Excerpt
(Stop 3) Books with Leti Del Mar– Promo/Excerpt
May 16th– The Phantom Paragrapher– Review
(Stop 2) Sara Walter Ellwood– Guest Post