by Liwen Ho
If Evan hadn’t become an actor, he might have followed in his mom’s footsteps and become a teacher. He loved the idea of influencing teens, not only in their academic achievements, but also in their artistic pursuits. It was Emma who helped him realize he could combine both his passions and open up a school. Not just any school, but a non-profit private school for disadvantaged teens.
That was how Edenvale Performing Arts High School came to be.
It seemed appropriate to name the school after the show that had brought him and Emma together. And today was the official ribbon-cutting ceremony that would open the school up for new students tomorrow. Evan couldn’t be more excited and thankful.
He saw the same enthusiasm on Emma’s face as she walked over with a large pair of scissors. His heart skipped a beat as it always did when he saw her. “You found them. Thank you, love.”
She handed him the scissors in exchange for a lingering kiss on the lips. Her eyes twinkled with adoration as she gazed up at him. “You’re welcome, love. Now we can start the show.”
“Hi everyone, can I have your attention, please?” Evan called out. The crowd quieted down, and the paparazzi whom Evan had personally invited, lowered their cameras. “Thank you so much for coming to celebrate the opening of Edenvale High. This school was born from many answered prayers and several key partnerships. Emma and I have high hopes for this year’s students, and we cannot wait to help them deepen their knowledge and appreciation of the arts. God willing, this school will be a great place for love and learning for many years to come. So, without further ado, let’s get this school year started!”
Evan and Emma turned around to face the expansive two-story school behind them. The building, with its fresh coat of sand-colored paint, boasted a navy blue trim and dozens of windows along the front. The words, An Academic, Visual, and Performing Arts School, greeted them as they walked past a flag pole and up the brick steps leading to the entrance. There they were met with a blue and gold ribbon tied to the front of the double doors.
Evan positioned the scissors around the ribbon, then motioned for Emma to place her hands on his. “On the count of three. One, two, three!”
With a swift motion, they cut the ribbon, which fluttered to the ground. Applause resounded around them as the crowd cheered and the paparazzi snapped pictures.
“We’re open, Evan!” Emma exclaimed. “You did it!”
He shook his head. “We did it. I couldn’t have done this without you, Em.”
Emma beamed as she leaned her head on his shoulder. “We make a pretty great team, don’t we?”
Evan sighed happily, taking a moment to soak in all the blessings of their past and the present. He didn’t know what the future held, but he couldn’t wait to step into it. With the Lord leading them and Emma by his side, he had a feeling this next chapter of their lives would be their best one yet.
He took Emma’s hand and spun around to face the crowd. With an extra spark of hope in his heart, he proudly declared, “Welcome to Edenvale!”
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Oh boy … times five! Can you believe the Spark Brothers series has come to an end?! I have never been so relieved (or proud of myself!) for finishing a book. When I started this series, it was just an idea in my head that I thought would be fun to put on paper. Little did I know how real these characters would become, or how much this series would mean to me. And to you, too! I have been so touched, encouraged, and greatly blessed by all the feedback I’ve gotten about this family. I feel so tickled that the Spark brothers are as real to you as they are to me. It has been my privilege to share their stories with you. I can’t thank you enough for supporting me through this series!
As we know, when one door closes, it’s time for another one to open. And boy, am I giddy about the next series I have in store for you! I’ve decided to dive heart-first (heart-first because I love this genre!) into a Young Adult series called—you guessed it—Edenvale Arts High School. We’ll be fast-forwarding a couple of years from when An Extra Spark’s epilogue takes place, and starting off with a book featuring Seth Spark as a teenager! *Squeal* I hope you’re as excited as I am!
Be sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter to stay in the know about this upcoming series!
If you enjoyed the Spark Brothers series, you’ll want to check out my Tropical Kisses series!
Two friends-turned-lovers learn to give each other and their marriage a second chance.
Therapist Olivia Chan can’t wait to escape it all—a failed marriage, a struggling practice, and her son Micah’s recent health scare. The Hawaiian getaway she planned, however, gets rained on—quite literally—by a tropical storm and the unexpected arrival of her estranged husband Matthew, who’s determined to win her back.
Forced to confront the past, will Olivia and Matt learn to love again? The fear of rejection is great, but God’s grace is greater. With the help of their son's prayers, this marriage might just weather life’s storms and come out for the better.
Grab Tropical Kiss or Miss on Amazon!
Falling in love with the girl next door was never part of his plan ... until she fell for someone else.
Micah Chan has loved Lucy Choi ever since they were kids, but life—and some regretful decisions—stopped him from pursuing her. Now he has a choice to make: Let her marry another man or break up her engagement to make this Christmas the most memorable one of their lives?
Micah and Lucy were introduced as children in the books Tropical Kiss or Miss and Taking a Chance on the Enemy, respectively. Meet them now as adults on the brink of discovering their own happily-ever-after.
Grab Tropical Kiss and Tell on Amazon!
Afterword
Thank you so much for reading An Extra Spark! I wrote this story with the intention of focusing on the challenges of working as a Christian actor/actress, and how people may handle the experience in different ways. While I’ve never been a part of the Hollywood scene, I did do some research into the lives of Christian actors, so I hope I was able to make this story relatable and realistic, and most of all, entertaining. I’d appreciate it if you would leave an honest review to let me know what you thought. I do read each and every review!
Regarding writing this book, I must confess it was more challenging than I expected, not so much because of the story itself, but because of the real life challenges I went through during the process. I picked the craziest time to start it—during summer vacation when both of my munchkins were home. As if that wasn’t crazy enough, my hubby was home as well, due to a job transition.
Our family went through our share of ups and downs as we waited for the Lord to provide a new job for him. There was a lot of praying, waiting, and hoping during those two months. For the first time as an author, I found myself writing about lessons I was learning in “real time”, not after the fact. It was a strange, and somewhat vulnerable, experience for me.
I remember thinking when I started writing this book, wouldn’t it be neat if God answered our prayers around the same time I finished it? And sure enough, He did! Right around the time the munchkins went back to school and hubby started his new job, I wrapped up this story. It was too coincidental to be anything but God. Now here I am once again in awe of how gracious, faithful and kind the Lord is, even when we struggle. Or I should say, especially when we struggle. This whole process—from waiting for God to provide for our family, to writing this book—was a wonderful reminder of His divine plan and His love and care for us. I’m so thankful I have Evan and Emma’s story to serve as a sort of memento of this time of our lives.
I hope and pray whatever struggles you are going through, that you will remember to seek God first (Matthew 6:33). He will meet you right where you are.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank the following people who blessed me in the making of this book:
My critique partners, Kristen Iten and Jocelynn Fitch, without whom this book (not to mention, this series) wouldn’t have been written! Th
ey are an author’s dream team, and I will forever be grateful to God for bringing us together.
My Early Bird Launch Team of awesome readers and friends—you amaze me with your support! I know I can always count on you guys for creative suggestions!
My fabulous proofreader and friend, Priscila Perales Borda, who so graciously fits me into her busy schedule to make my stories the prettiest they can be.
My family—my dear hubby, David, and our two munchkins—who fill my life with so much more than work. ;) Thanks for spending the summer with me!
My Lord and Savior … who understands my heart like no other.
About the Author
Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay-at-home mom) and an author by night. She writes sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).
In her pre-author life, she received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind.
She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and she blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist at http://www.2square2behip.com/. Sign up for Liwen’s newsletter to receive an exclusive free book, news about her upcoming releases, giveaways, sneak peeks, and more at: http://eepurl.com/bt2nEL
Also by Liwen Y. Ho
Sage Valley Ranch Series
Falling for the Younger Cowboy
Lawkeepers Series
Lawfully Cherished
The Spark Brothers Series
A Single Spark
A Sudden Spark
The Sweetest Spark
At First Spark
An Extra Spark
Billionaires with Heart Series
At Odds with the Billionaire
Best Friends with the Billionaire
Crushing on the Billionaire
Taking Chances on Love Series
Taking a Chance on the Heartbreaker
Taking a Chance on Mr. Wrong
Taking a Chance on the Enemy
Seasons of Love Series
The More the Merrier
A Spoonful of Spice
Of Buds and Blossoms
On Waves of Wanderlust
Tropical Kiss Series
Tropical Kiss or Miss
Tropical Kiss and Tell
Welcome To Romance Series
Chasing Romance
Romantically Ever After
Holding Onto Love in Romance
Non-Series Books
Puppy Dog Tales
The Love Clause
Love’s Choice
The Time Rift (co-authored with David H. Ho)