Fame

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What readers are saying about

K A R E N K I N G S B U R Y books

“Your books changed my life. Thank you for helping me to find God again. I read your last one in one day and bawled like a baby all night and all day today.

GREAT, AWESOME BOOKS. I cannot wait for the next ones to come. I am off to read the Bible. Thanks

again, Karen. I found GOD!” —Kelly

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never enjoyed reading until I started reading your books.”

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iii Karen

KINGSBURY

FAME

TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHERs, INC. Wheaton, Illinois iv Visit Tyndale’s exciting Web site at www.tyndale.com TYNDALE is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Tyndale’s quill logo is a trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Fame

Logo illustration copyright Š2003 hy David Henderson. All rights reserved.

Cover photograph of people copyright Š2005 by Brian MacDonald. All rights reserved,

Cover photograph copyright Š2005 by Rob Casey/Alamy. All rights reserved, HIILLVIIII’Iflrv”

Design 2005 Hollood Chamber of Commerce. —” ”” The Hollood Sign is a trademark and intellectual property of

the Holl)ood Chamber of Commerce. Licensed by Global lcons, LLC. All rights reserved. ‘.globalicons.com

Author photograph 2004 by Shippert Photography. All righu rescued.

Designed by Alyssa Force

Edited by Lorie Popp

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International VersionS.

NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by lmernational Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondean Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are taken frown the Holy Bible, New Living Trmlation, copyright @ 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rtgh reserved.

Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Cmnmunications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Shire 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.

This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kingsbury, Karen.

Fame I Karen Kingsbury.

ISBN-13:978-0-8423°8743-9 (so) ISBN-10:0-8423-8743-9 (so) 1. Modon picture actors and actresses—Fiction. 1. Title.

PS3561.i4873F36 2005

813’.54—dc22

2. Motion picture industry—Fiction.

2005002892

Prin ted in the United States of America

09 08 07 06 05

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

v To Donald, my Iorever prince

Can it be seventeen years ago that you swept me off my feet and showed me what true love was? How it puts our loving God first and how it waits as a way of honoring Him? People ask me if there are really guys like my characters 1.andon Blake and Ryan Taylor, and I always tell them yes. OF course guys like that exist. I should know; Fm married to one. We stand on the brink of a new season in life. I love you, and 1 can’t wait to see what God’s going to do next.

To Kelsey, my precious laughter

You arc’ in the becoming years, my sweet daughter. And it delights my soul to see you becoming everything I prayed you would be—a young woman dedicated to the Lord and to family and to whatever plans God lays out for you in the years ahead. The other day you told me you loved high school, but that it was a little sad because we had so much less time together. That’s true, but what we do share is golden, sweetheart. Thanks for our late-night talks. I love you, and I’ll always have a light on for you.

To Tyler, my beautiful song

Your voice, your music is the sound track of our lives, dear oldest son. Havi.ug you home this year, homeschoofing you, has given me more hours to’erjoy the melody, to watch you go for your dreams. Keep God at the center, Ty, and I know He xvill give you the desires of your heart. When He does, your father and I will be in the front row. I love you always and forever.

To Sean, my happy boy of all the ways you’ve blessed our family since coming to us from Haiti, most of all I love how you make us smile. The other day the smile came when you rubbed my back as we all read Dr. Seuss and giggled at the silly rhymes. But my t:avorite smiles come each morning when you rush up to me with our devotion book, thrilled to the point of squealing that this day, like every’

other, we might get a chance to learn a little more about Jesus.

Good for you, Sean! I love you, honey.

To iosh, my softhearted leader boy

You define perfectionism, and still you have time to laugh once in a while. We gave you a flashlight for Christmas, and now—as a treat for doing so well in school—you get to read the Bible every night when the lights are off. Remember that, Josh. A decade t’om now when the NBA and NFL fight over which one wants you more, at the end of the day the best treat of all is God’s Word. I’m grateful for you in our lives, and I love you so.

vi

vii To EJ, my chosen one

Always that will be you, little son, the one chosen first. When God put it on our hearts to adopt, there was never a question after He led us to you.

Something in your eyes told us that this terrifying idea of bringing new children into our family might just work out a[Yer all. I’m breathless at the ways you are growing and maturing, finding your way with the talents and gifts God has given you. I love you, EJ. Keep making Him proud!

To Austin, my tenderhearted boy

I’m amazed every time I watch you scoring circles around the competition on the basketball court or the soccer field. Often the image blurs and I see you as you were seven years ago—an infant facing emergency heart surgery. When you pulled through, I knew you would always have a special heart. But watching you put your arm around a buddy who’s being picked on or seeing you get teary-eyed when Daddy sings praise songs tells me just how special your heart really is. You’ll always be my little MJ, my

Brett Favre, fist in the air, running across the field. I love you, and I thank God for ever}, day we have together.

And to God Almighty, the author of life,

who has—for now—blessed me with these.

viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, a novel like Fame doesn’t come together without the help of nqany people. The list is long, but so very important. First, thanks to my husband and family for putting up with my sometimes hectic schedule and helping me survive my deadlines. When I’m at the computer wearing headphones connected to nothing, you all know better than to ask me where your homework is. You’re the best!

Thanks for understanding.

Also thanks to my friends at Tyndale House Publishers. Becky Nesbitt, you had a vision for this series and my place as a fiction author at Tyndale, and I will always be grateful for that{ This book and this series wouldn’t have come together without Becky, Mark Taylor, Ron Beers, Travis Thrasher, and so many others. A special thanks to Jeremy Taylor and my editor, Lorie Popp.

I couldn’t do what Fm doing in the world of fiction without my amazing agent, Rick Christian. Rick, l look to you on so many levels—as a strategist, a negotiator, and a prayer warrior. My family and 1 thank God for you in our lives. Thank you is never enough.

Also thanks to my mother, Anne Kingsbury. You are the most diligent and careful assistant I could ever dream to have. I look forward to spending the next decades working together in this wonderful world God has given me. And thanks to my father, Ted Kingsbury, for being my greatest encourager. I always know where to turn when [ need a smile.

A hearty thanks to the people who have helped with my children when life gets a little busy. Those include Cindy and Al Well, Barb and Bill Shaffer, the Head family, and all my friends at CYT. Also Kira Elam, Paige Grenning and the Juventes soccer gang, and the Schmidt family.

Thanks also goes to my extended support group who continue to love and pray for me, those special people who have stayed by me through the twists and turns of this writing minis

ix try. Among them are my sisters Susan, Tricia, and Lynne, and my brother, David. The Russells, the Cummins, and also my niece, Shannon, and my mother-in-law, Betty.

In addition, thanks to my precious friends Kathy and Ken Santschi, Bobbi and Erika Terret, Randy and Vicki and Lola Graves, John and Melinda Chapman, Stan and DeEtte Kaputska, Aaron Hisel, Theresa Thacker, Ann Hudson, Sylvia and Walt Walgren, Richard Camp and the entire Camp family, the Dillons, and dozens of friends at the high school.

Also a heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of retailers who carry my books. You are a vital part of what God is doing in changing lives through this Life-Changing Fiction, and 1 pray you will be inspired to keep on! Books make a difference!

I’m honored to be partnering with you.

In that same light, thanks to the readers across the world who connect with God through reading these books. 1 hear from hundreds of you every week, and I’m touched to the center of my being. My soul rejoices at the news you report.

Please know that you remain in my prayers as I write.

And of course, thanks most of all to God, who is allowing me to chase this wonderful dream, and I know without a doubt that all of it is for Him, because of Him, and through Him. To God be the glory always.

x FOREVER IN FICTION

A special thanks to my Forever in Fiction winners whose characters are represented in this book—Krissy Schick, Chris and Amy Helmes, Kelly and Becky Helmes, and Tani Zarelli.

Krissy Schick, a thirty-six-yearold mother of [our, won the Northshore Christian School auction in Bothel, Washington, and chose to have a character named after herself. She loves being a mom and is grateful for her family. She has a zest for life that makes her a favorite among her friends.

Chris and Amy Helmes, and Kelly and Becky Helmes each won Forever in Fiction at the Firm Foundation Christian School auction in Vancouver, Washington. The two couples chose to have their characters named after Chris’s and Kelly’s parents, Alvar and Nancy Helmes. Alvar and Nancy have been married more than fifty years and stand as the pillars of the Helmes family. They have a deep and abiding love for Christ, for each other, and for their eight children. They spent most of their lives in Ironwood, Michigan, but since moving to Washington they have become very involved in medical missions to the people of India. A1 loves books and music—especially old hymns—and spending time with his family. The couple’s youngest daughter, Cara, has Down syndrome and is a special source of love for them. Nancy is a wonderfully loving mother and grandmother whose passion for her family is unequaled. She loves hot coffee and Cinnabon rolls, and her family always expects a fresh and witty saying whenever she’s around.

Finally, Tani Zarelli won Forever in Fiction at the Salmon Creek Soccer Association auction and chose to name her character after her seventeenyearold daughter, Ashley. Ashley is the adopted daughter of Tani and Senator Joseph Zarelli of Washington State. Ashley’s passion is horseback riding and anything to do with horses. She loves spending an evening baking cookies and watching movies with her family. Her favorite color is blue, and she enjoys a strong understanding of God’s providence in her life. Ashley, your parents want you to know you are very loved.

May God bless all of you who have given so generously to the charities of your choice in an effort to place your name or the name of a loved one Forever in Fiction. Thousands of dollars have been raised for wonderful causes through Forever in Fiction, and I am humbly grateful for the opportunity to allow this as a way for God to bless both the giver and receiver in this endeavor.

xi

1

THE PART SHOULD’VE been easy to cast.

Dream On, the romantic comedy that would star Dayne Matthews, called for a small-town girl, an upbeat, outgoing type, with dreams of the big city and a genuine innocence that overshadowed everything about her.

Dayne had spent the morning watching half a dozen top Hollywood actresses file through the room for an interview and a quick read, and so far none of them fit the bill. They were talented actresses, friendly, beautiful. Two he’d starred with in other films, two he’d dated, and two he’d hung out with at some party or another.

He’d shared the night with three of the six.

They were girls whose faces decked the covers of every gossip rag in town, and in theory, any one of them could play the part of a small-town girl. How hard could it be? The actresses Dayne had seen today could be upbeat and outgoing, and they could certainly pull off the role of a dreamer.