Hollywood Stardust Supporting Roles - Wilson and Giselle

by Kim Carmichael

  “I have to agree with you.” With a laugh, he motioned toward the window. The sun was just starting to rise. “I say we have some fun and walk off into the sunrise together.”

  She held him tight. Everything worked out. “Talk about breaking the rules. We’re going to have a great life.”

  The End

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading!

  I hope you enjoyed this look in to the world of Hollywood Stardust. If you would be so kind as to remember to rate and review the book, it would be more than appreciated.

  If you would like to keep on top of the latest news and releases by signing up for my newsletter here, www.kimcarmichaelnovels.com you will also receive a free short story right in your inbox!

  Kim Carmichael

  Acknowledgements

  The Husby – Who often plays the straight man to my insanity.

  The Sons – Who love me for who I am.

  The Fur Balls – Who make me smile.

  Tamara Eaton – Who stopped me midstream to write this and made me go with my heart. You helped me find my joy and I will forever be grateful.

  Emily Smith-Kidman – From your gorgeous covers to always working your backside off, you are amazing.

  Teresa Neeley-Martin – My proofreader, my friend, you are a great person and polish me to perfection.

  Vicki Rose – Your enthusiasm and knowledge is incredible.

  Traci Hyland – You are incredible and I thank you for everything.

  Julia Clare – When someone loves your work and then jumps in, the results are amazing!

  Marissa & Laurie – Looking forward to seeing what you can do with this!

  Sneak Peaks!

  Here are some sneak peaks into my other books:

  Typecast –

  A Hollywood Stardust Novel

  Available now from Amazon

  What’s Your Fantasy?

  Twenty years ago, the movie Hollywood Stardust defined a generation of teens and changed the four actors’ lives forever.

  Typecast as the villain both in front and behind the silver screen, Logan Alexander has purposely allowed his star to fade. Now with the 20th Anniversary of the movie on the horizon, he is the only one fit to step into the spotlight, deal with the unwanted publicity, and make sure that things meant to be left on the cutting room floor remain there.

  Ivy Vermont has always longed to be a leading lady, yet her paralyzing stage fright has relegated her to stay behind the scenes as a fact checker for Chargge.com’s entertainment webcasts. However, when her one-time poster-boy crush walks in to the studio demanding only she be in charge of his story, she knows she must take advantage of her big break.

  Now, Logan tightropes between old loyalties and new love, while Ivy struggles to stay in reality with her ultimate fantasy.

  An Excerpt

  “There is absolutely no way I am going out there and interviewing some B-list has-been bad boy.” Julia Davis, the lead entertainment reporter for Chargge.com crossed her arms. “Your little fact finder screwed up again. Seriously, Craig, how can I be expected to work this way?”

  Heat encompassed Ivy Vermont, but she met Julia’s crossed arms with a set of her own and glanced between Craig Stockton, her boss, and Julia. “Technically, Logan Alexander is not a B-lister. He doesn’t even act anymore.”

  “Your ridiculous details mean nothing.” Julia’s nostrils flared.

  “Ivy, what happened to getting Ryder Scott or Erin Holland from Hollywood Stardust?” Shaking his head, Craig approached. “It’s a little hard to do a story on the twentieth anniversary of the movie without one of the stars. You told me everything was set.”

  With facts, rather than stature on her side, Ivy stood up straighter and lifted her chin. “Logan Alexander was as much a star in the movie as the other two of them, well three.”

  “Last week, rather than getting that little boy in the hot dog commercial with the catchy line, you brought me the dog.” Julia stared her down. “How can I interview a dog?”

  “The trainer was there. Some say dogs have the mentality of a two-year-old, and it did tricks.” No one ever saw the potential. If she could talk as eloquently in front of the camera as behind, she would be the reporter. Actually, she would have been an actress and the interviewee. Even the camera on her phone terrified her, not a flattering trait coming from a family of actors. “A few fetches and atta boys would have been perfect for your report.”

  “I am not doing this interview.” The click of Julia’s heels on the wood floor of the conference room grew louder as she approached. “What? Are you scared to face me?”

  Though she tried not to look directly at her, Ivy gave in, swallowing back any mention of the tiny mascara smear above her left eye. Julia should meet Mr. Alexander with such an imperfection. “The agent promised me Ryder or Erin. Only, two hours ago, he called to say Logan would be here instead.”

  “He was one of the major stars.” Craig wiped his brow.

  “Stop defending your personal pet.” Julia turned her back to him.

  Ivy held out the note cards she made for the wicked reporter. “Logan Alexander is an excellent person to interview. The villain is always the most interesting. Even after all the scandals, Hollywood Stardust is one of the most beloved teen movies ever made, and changed the genre forever.”

  “I don’t need your details. Did you spend your life studying this movie?” Julia grabbed the cards out of her hand and tossed them to the floor. “He was arrested and personally responsible for getting the sequel canceled. He is as bad in real life as he was in the movie.”

  “Don’t forget that I ran off innocent Drew Fulton and no one has ever heard from him again.”

  At the unexpected male voice, Ivy turned. Her breath caught as her ultimate teen fantasy stood before her.

  The heat in the room intensified, but she froze. Mr. Logan Alexander leaned in the doorway—more like filled up the doorway. He lifted a cigarette, twirled it between his fingers, and placed it in his mouth.

  Unlike someone who lived the hard-knock life of a disgraced actor, time had kissed him, leaving him looking much like his teen dream self, only a little more rugged. While his other two male costars from the movie possessed more of the good and wholesome image, Logan Alexander personified the conniving character. He was the one who lured people with looks that could only be described as remarkable.

  As if this whole thing were nothing but a bother, he pushed away from doorjamb and entered the room, glanced at Julia, turned his back to Craig, and faced Ivy. “So, you think the villain is the most interesting?” The cigarette bounced between his lips.

  Interesting? Interesting as in the way he pulled his dark blond hair into a ponytail that hit the nape of his neck leaving one long strand to hang down the side of his face? Maybe interesting in the way his light blue eyes seemed almost translucent, half-closed, and definitely naughty? Of course, also interesting in how the slight bit of stubble highlighted the angles of his face, and the way he managed to keep his cigarette balanced. Then the answer was yes, he, or the villain, was the most interesting.

  “The villain always needs to go under the most transformation.” She managed to squeak out the words and pointed to his cigarette, unsure if she needed to tell him about the no smoking rule. Did fantasies follow rules?

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to light it.” His gaze scanned down to her shoes and back up to her face.

  Interesting. She licked her lips. The man was more glorious in person than on the silver screen.

  “What if the villain hasn’t undergone a transformation?” Julia tapped her foot.

  Ivy ground her teeth together. If anyone needed to change, it was Julia.

  “I suppose I’ll get more hard-hitting questions than asking a dog trainer if Rover, the hot dog hunter, is potty-trained. You sure know how to dig deep.” Though he answered Julia, he continued to look at Ivy. “I liked the dog, a much better choice than the obnoxious little boy.” />
  Transfixed, she continued to stare at him.

  “Just because the villain can change, doesn’t mean they will.” Julia moved over as if trying to get his attention.

  He exhaled, but the cigarette stayed in place. “How can I do an interview with you when I know you are team Ryder all the way?”

  “Hollywood Stardust was the typical love triangle.” Julia raised her chin. “Today’s teen movies are better developed than movies decades ago.”

  “Oh, that reference to my age really does pain me.” He pressed his hand to his chest. “Tell me, did the villains of your era wear pompadours and leather jackets, or perhaps suits of armor?”

  In an effort to stifle a laugh, Ivy bit the side of her mouth. There was something to be said for the villain getting their comeuppance, and she didn’t mean Mr. Alexander.

  Julia narrowed her eyes and spun toward Craig. “I am not playing her game of bait and switch. If Miss Details loves villains so much, Miss Details can do the interview. Call me when you get a real star.” She stormed out.

  “Well, that is one thing your runaway hostess and I agree on.” Mr. Alexander’s smile revealed a perfect set of Hollywood teeth.

  “What would that be?” Craig wiped his brow.

  “Miss Details should do the interview.” In a swoon-worthy move, Mr. Alexander bowed to her.

  The spotlight shined down on her and the same stage fright she battled every second of her life took a strong hold over her body, made worse by being presented with her teen idol in the flesh. “Craig.” How she managed to utter even one word was beyond her, but she took it as a good sign.

  “Oh, no. No, that won’t do at all.” Craig shook his head. The first and only time she was on camera at Chargge.com, she ended up running off set and throwing up in a trash can. “I am sure Julia will be right back.”

  “Don’t bring her back on my account. I’m Team Details all the way.” Logan raised his fist as if he were about to begin cheering and, with a wink, lifted his chin in her direction. “She is clearly an expert on the movie and knows story structure.”

  His gesture, though probably insignificant to him, served to ignite her courage as well as her body. She chose to ignore them both. All she needed was to throw up on one of the Hollywood Stardust stars.

  Craig cupped his hand over his mouth. “She is an expert on every movie.”

  Yes, fine, but she was mostly an expert on Hollywood Stardust. She remained silent.

  “I refuse to be interviewed by anyone who is not an expert in cinema.” Mr. Alexander picked up one of her note cards, gave it a quick scan, and sauntered over to her. Yes, it was a total saunter. His walk may have also included a bit of a swagger as well. “Miss Details is the only one for me. It seems she has found something to talk about other than drugs, Drew, and sequels, since I won’t answer those questions anyway.”

  She fought the need to hug her prepubescent crush, bury her face in his chest, and breathe in what could only be the smell of cologne and cookies. Later, they could go back to her apartment, and she would confess she used to write his name in her notebook and practice kissing him on the back of her hand. In her dreams, she could interview him and then they’d conquer the world together. In reality, she knew he was only playing a role and she would never be able to utter a sentence. Dumb reality.

  “Either she interviews me or you can call the company that owns not only Hollywood Stardust, but your website as well, and tell them the video blog they expect to make waves won’t air today. I’ll be in the lounge not lighting my cigarette.” He handed her the card and walked out the door.

  She leaned forward, bracing herself on her knees. “Oh God, I want to do this.”

  Her boss paced across the floor. “You would be the perfect person if you could just learn to calm down. It’s what we hired you for.”

  Though Craig never admitted it, she was the bane of his existence. He hired her as a favor to her father, and they gave her the job as a reporter. Technically, her current job as fact-checker and scheduler didn’t even exist. The reporters were supposed to do their own research, but Julia sort of snatched her up as a personal assistant. Both her parents who possessed multiple acting awards between them, looked at her with wide eyes and pity every time they discussed her career. Even they weren’t good enough actors to hide their disappointment.

  She crumpled the note card in her fist and straightened up. “I’ll do it. I will interview Logan Alexander.” Part of her expected a spotlight to shine down on her signifying her strength of conviction. The other part was thrilled she didn’t live in a world where spotlights randomly illuminated at key life-changing moments. She would end up living in the bathroom with the lights off, shaking.

  Craig shook his head. His skin had turned the most unusual shade of red.

  “This is the movie of a generation, the one that spoke to that specific time. The story should be told by someone who truly loves everything it represents.” For once, she needed to be her own spotlight. “This is the movie that pushed the boundaries, didn’t rely on the happily ever after, asked the questions.” Maybe the movie that meant the world to her could also cure her.

  “We need this story, Ivy.” He crossed his arms. “Seriously, we need the story. Other sites are competing with us. We need something to go viral. The advertising dollars are not coming in as they should, and you know what that means.”

  Yes, it meant cuts, starting with the person who technically didn’t have a title. She might as well go big or go home, literally.

  “Do the interview, but make sure you ask about Drew Fulton and the arrest and the sequel.”

  “He said he wouldn’t answer those questions.” The swirl of anxiety circled around her stomach.

  “Ivy.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “You can do this. You were made for this. Go to wardrobe, ask them for something more contemporary and fashionable, and ask the questions. We need you.”

  For once she wouldn’t disappoint. She stopped herself from saluting and gave him a strong nod. “I got this.” As she walked out, she made a mental note to have a trash can put near the set.

  Limelight

  A Hollywood Stardust Novel

  Coming October 2015 from Irksome Rebel Press

  Worth Waiting For…

  Twenty years ago, Drew Fulton was made famous in the genre-changing movie, Hollywood Stardust and fell in love with his costar, Erin Holland. Left heartbroken and fed up, he played his ultimate role and walked away from his life, taking on an entirely new persona. Now he wants everything back, from his place in the limelight to the love that made him leave. He only needs to make sure he can leave the past in the past.

  Known as the spoiled, has-been star of Hollywood, Erin Holland has spent the last two decades pining away for the one love she cannot have. Blindsided when Drew Fulton appears in her life as mysteriously as he disappeared, she is torn between acting on her heart and using Drew’s reappearance to relight her star.

  Together for the first time in twenty years, their true passion consumes them, but the sparks of old wounds still threaten to burn out of control before they can decide if their love was worth waiting for.

  An Excerpt

  Flashes from the cameras created lingering silver, glowing starbursts in Drew Fulton’s eyes. The media frenzy started almost instantly, derailing the 20th anniversary screening of the one and only movie he filmed, Hollywood Stardust. For someone who successfully remained hidden for two decades, he chose the ideal subtle moment to come out of his self-imposed exile, or maybe not.

  “Drew, where have you been all these years?” called out one of the reporters gathered for the gala.

  Once the studio executives realized what happened, they stopped the festivities and with a bit of movie magic, made the stage into a spot fit for a press conference in record time.

  Before showing up at the shindig, Drew promised himself to go for it. Now was the time for full disclosure, and he leaned down to the microphone. “To encap
sulate two decades into one sentence—I changed my name, went to school, earned my doctorate, and opened up a small nutraceutical laboratory.” All right, it wasn’t the world’s best sentence, but it would suffice. In the next two days he would have to show up at his business and do a lot of explaining, something he sort of pushed aside when he made his snap decision to come here to find her.

  A woman waved her hand. “Why did you feel the need to change your name and disappear?”

  Drew wasn’t sure if she was part of the media or not, but if he didn’t answer her, someone else would force the issue.

  He searched for the only woman he wanted to see in the studio set converted to look like the inside of the Hollywood Stardust Theatre, the destination for the four characters in the movie. In the film, their quest took them across country. The road was a metaphor for the trip one takes to transition between adolescence and adulthood.

  In real life he, and the other actors, faced the same challenges.

  Once more, he looked for the reason he came tonight. With her knowledge of all things smoke and mirrors, no doubt she managed to squirrel away where she could watch everything, yet not be seen. For the first time since he met her, she shied away from the limelight.

  Drew swallowed and took hold of the microphone stand. While he wanted to offer the fans of the movie the truth they sought all these years, the answer as to why he disappeared was better left unspoken, at least in public.