Re-launching A Series by Kristin Wallace

After five years, I’m returning to my roots with the re-launch of my inspirational romance series. Covington Falls Chronicles represented my first four books and after getting the rights back from a publisher, I’m putting them out on my own. I've missed my quirky little Southern town and the equally quirky characters who live there. Eventually, I hope to add more Chronicles. There are so many side characters that I know have great stories to tell. 

On a side note, you have the privilege of seeing the new covers for the first time.

Marry Me (Book 1)

A lifetime of watching her parents treat relationships like the flavor of the month taught Julia Richardson that love is for fools. Then a crisis has Julia returning to the small Southern town she’s been avoiding for years. Before she knows it, Julia’s been pressed into service running her former stepsister’s wedding planning business. Julia doesn’t know a garter from a garden hose, but now she must navigate couples along the bumpy path down the aisle. In the midst of it all, Julia makes the most unexpected discovery of all…love, with widowed minister, Seth Graham. Julia’s been running from love and everything spiritual for most of her life. It’s not until she finds the courage to stop running and learns to believe in the power of love, faith and family that she finds her own “I Do” moment.

Acting Up (Book 2)

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. Before Addison can say “casting call” she’s been recruited to direct the high school musical. Soon she’s dealing with some off-key caterwauling, a bitter stepson showing up on her doorstep, and Ethan Thomas, the boy-next-door turned sexiest high school principal she's ever met. In the end, Addison and Ethan will choreograph a happy ending with the help of Grace, Love and a Curtain Call.

Imagine That (Book 3)

Children’s author Emily Sinclair was supposed to be the next J.K. Rowling. Until her second book flopped and her imagination went on the fritz. So Emily sets out on an epic adventure to find inspiration again. Till a dead car lands her in Covington Falls, Georgia. Soon Emily is taking up her quest, looking for inspiration driving a mobile library van, as a companion to a crotchety old woman and her insomniac dog, and as a very ungraceful baker’s assistant. Of course, what really sparks her romantic fantasies is Nate Cooper, a valiant hero who yields a paint roller instead of a sword. On paper, these two would seem the least likely couple and a happily ever after nothing but fantasy. But with faith and imagination, Emily and Nate are about to write a new chapter that will lead to unexpected love.

By Christmas (Book 4)

Jilted bride, Noelle Robinson, had planned to leave town and skip the holidays. A family crisis changes everything, and now she’s out to save the family business and Christmas for Covington Falls. Soon she’s dealing with parades, a cantankerous ass (the animal kind) and negotiating disputes with Santa’s elves. However, it’s Michael Campbell, the brother of the man who shattered her dreams, who is threatening to disrupt her peace on earth and claim her heart. In the end, Noelle and Michael will have to move beyond past heartbreak to find their holiday happy ending…By Christmas.

 

I’m very excited to introduce you to these wonderful characters again! Look for more news about this series once they are available for pre-order. 

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest book, SECOND CHANCE HERO, is available now.

Hello Autumn by Kristin Wallace

Ahh…the sweet smell of fall. The chill in the air, the leaves starting to change, unearthing long shirts and jackets…

Well, actually I am not experiencing any of that as I live in South Florida. We are still firmly entrenched in summer. Hot, humid, buggy, thunderstorms every day. We will not see long-sleeved, let along sweater weather, till sometime in December. Perhaps if we’re lucky, we might get some chill in the air by Thanksgiving.

Truthfully, I can’t really complain. Last winter while most of the country was snowed under for months, we were toasty in South Florida. I’m not a fan of having to dig out from under 15 feet of snow.

Of course, the retailers know it’s fall. The pumpkins have made an appearance, along with Halloween decorations. Does anyone else feel like the holiday season comes earlier and earlier every year? The advent of September is like the start of a snowball rolling down the mountain bound toward Christmas, Hanukah et al. It gathers more snow, getting bigger and bigger until it takes over the whole world. And every year, the stores drag out the Christmas merchandise earlier. (Bonus points to the first person to spot them).

I’ve also been working on a Christmas-themed novel this year. Right now I’m trying to finish so I can get it published for the season. I started the book around January and finished in July. Now I’m learning how to self-publish. So essentially I’ve been in Christmas mode since LAST Christmas. I can’t get away from it, even as I sweat out the remainder of South Florida summer.

So tell me your favorite thing about autumn? Is it the cooler temperatures? The leaves changing? The sweaters? The fireplaces revving up? Spiced apple cider? Pumpkin patches?

Kristin Wallace writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with “love, laughter and a leap of faith”. She is the author of the Covington Falls Chronicles, romances set in a quirky Southern town with a character all its own. The third installment, IMAGINE THAT, released on July 1. You can visit her at Kristin Wallace Author

Back To School Days - By Kristin Wallace

Me (Kristin Wallace) circa 1st Grade. 

It’s only the first full week of August but already I’m starting to see Back-to-School pictures on Facebook. Kids sure do go back so early now! When did that happen? I’m pretty sure we had 3 months off when I was a kid. But seeing the little (and not so little) kiddies in their brand new school clothes, with smiles blooming as they head off for another year, brings back a lot of memories. On the right is a picture of a very cute first grader (who just happens to be me). This was in Reston, VA and I went to the coolest school called Terraset which was built "under" a hill. They literally dug up a hill, built a school and then covered it with grass. You could even walk on top of the school and look down inside from a window over the library. It was solar powered, making it one of the first "green" schools I'm sure. So anyway...that's me. Not sure what is up with those pants (eek)! Oh, 70's you always got dressed in the dark, didn't you?

I remember taking that list of school supplies to the store and hunting down everything you needed amidst hundreds of other crazed parents and kids. Pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, protractors, Trapper Keepers, lunch boxes (who had a cool lunch box?). Getting new textbooks that we promptly covered with brown paper bags, which we then “decorated”. In some schools they don’t even have textbooks anymore. All the kids have iPads. I guess it does save their backs from having to cart around so many books, but you can’t cover an iPad with a paper bag and draw flowers or “Kristin (hearts) ____” on them.

The wonder of getting your first locker. That usually doesn’t happen until Junior High. Or it used to be called Junior High. Now I think it’s Middle School most places. Where I went to school, we were in elementary until 5th grade and then for 6th grade some County official thought it would be a great idea to send ALL THE 6TH GRADERS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY to one school. Can you imagine? A WHOLE school of 11/12 year olds in one place? That’s like the premise of a horror film, right? "Children of the 6th Grade"?

So tell me your favorite “Back-to-School” memories? Did any of you do the brown paper bag covers? What kinds of traditions do you have with your kids now?

Kristin Wallace writes inspirational romance and women's fiction filled with "love, laughter and a leap of faith". She is the author of the Covington Falls Chronicles, romantic comedies set in a quirky Southern town with a character all its own. MARRY ME (Book 1); ACTING UP (Book 2); IMAGINE THAT (Book 3). You can visit her website at: Kristin Wallace Author

Memories of Summer Vacations by Kristin Wallace

As we get into the heart of summer I’m starting to see lots of pictures on Facebook of family vacations. Photos from tops of mountains and beaches, The Grand Canyon and many more places. I enjoy the pictures. It lets me travel vicariously a little. Of course, I’m also jealous because I’d love to go, especially to The Grand Canyon.

Me (right) & photo bombers at Disney

It also made me think of the family vacations I took as a child. My parents, my older brother and me. We usually took the same vacation every year. I guess my parents were homing pigeons because we never went anywhere new. We’d packed into the family station wagon (who else had one???) and drive the two days from Reston, Virginia to Florida. We’d see my grandparents, my aunt/uncle and cousins. The trip always included a stop at Disney World, and then a week in Daytona Beach. We always stayed at the same hotel on the beach, too. I remember it had a statue of a horse out front. At night we’d go to Wendy’s and get a Frosty. (I know it’s silly, but I still can’t eat a Frosty without thinking about Daytona Beach.)

Daytona Beach, circa 1977

 Those vacations are some of my best memories. Precious times that seem so long ago, but also just yesterday. One of those cousins we used to go visit every summer was down in Florida with her children this past week from Atlanta. The kids are teenagers now or close to it. I wanted to tell the older ones especially to treasure the time. In a couple years they’ll start going off to college, and they will never experience anything like the old family vacation again.

 So where did your family go on vacation? What are your favorite memories?

Kristin Wallace writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with “love, laughter and a leap of faith”. She is the author of the Covington Falls Chronicles, romances set in a quirky Southern town with a character all its own. The third installment, IMAGINE THAT, released on July 1. You can visit her at Kristin Wallace Author

Drama Queen by Kristin Wallace

I was a drama (and band geek) growing up. I loved to act or sing. Most people who knew me as a child would probably not have pegged me as someone who would get up on stage in front of a bunch of strangers. I was extremely shy. For me walking into a room filled with people I didn’t know was akin to torture. But somehow putting words in my mouth, whether from a play or song, didn’t bother me. Maybe in some weird way having a character to “hide” behind made it seem like it wasn’t really me up there.

I remember distinctly the first time I auditioned for something. It was a church musical (which was set in the distant future of 2001, lol). I was probably 7 or 8. For the audition I had to sing a solo. When it was my turn everyone was very gentle with me. I guess maybe they were afraid I would freak out or faint or something, LOL. I said I was all right and started to sing. I’m pretty sure jaws dropped all around the room, because as it turned out I had a good voice. I was actually pretty surprised, too. I did get the part. I did plays and musicals throughout Junior and High and even majored in Theatre at Florida State University. I didn’t end up taking off for New York or Hollywood, but I still sing in my church choir and worship team and for a few years I was part of a Community Theatre Group. We did plays such as Beauty and the Beast, The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie and Harvey.

I still have such fond memories of being in all those shows. The rehearsals, hanging out with the other cast members, the live performances. There is nothing quite like that feeling of breathing life into words on paper. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that I would end up setting one of books around a play. In Acting Up, a disgraced Hollywood diva ends up directing a high school musical. It was such a fun concept, and I really enjoyed creating the characters who play the cast members of the fictional show. I even wrote some lyrics, which is harder than it seems, lol

So readers were any of you ever involved in plays or did you play an instrument? What are your favorite memories?

About Kristin Wallace

Kristin 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 the author of the Covington Falls Chronicles, the Amazon Best-Selling series set in a fictional Southern town filled with memorable, lively characters. Book one (MARRY ME) debuted in October 2013 and the second book (ACTING UP) releases April 22. Also look for book three (IMAGINE THAT) on July 1.

Connect with Kristin: Website Facebook Twitter Amazon