Publisher: Self/Indoe
Pages/File Size: 646pages
Formats Available: E-Book
Release Date: 24th Spetember 2013
BLURB from Amazon.co.uk
Talent means nothing without desire... The dance world takes center stage in this limited-time bargain-priced collection of three full-length novels by popular young adult authors.
GIRL IN MOTION by Miriam Wenger-LandisAt the School of Ballet New York, the most prestigious ballet school in the country, aspiring ballerina Anna works hard to understand her famous teachers and navigate her ups and downs with her friends. Everyone's goal is a contract with a professional ballet company, and as graduation nears, the pressure intensifies. Falling for one of the cutest guys at the school complicates things, but with the lead in the annual workshop performance, Anna gets one last chance to make her dreams come true.
CODENAME: DANCER by Amanda BriceBombs, poisoning, arson... Will aspiring ballerina Dani Spevak's 15 minutes of fame on the hit TV show Teen Celebrity Dance-Off be over before she reaches age 15? Dani and her friends are suddenly at the center of some serious sabotage. And if she doesn't find out who is behind it, her next pirouette could be her last.
THE QUEEN BEE OF BRIDGETON by Leslie DuBois
When fifteen-year-old Sonya Garrison is accepted into the prestigious Bridgeton Academy, she soon discovers that rich girls are just as dangerous as the thugs in her home of Venton Heights. Maybe more so. After catching the eye of the star, white basketball player and unwittingly becoming the most popular girl in school, she earns the hatred of the three most ruthless and vindictive girls at Bridgeton. Can she defeat the reigning high school royalty? Or will they succeed in ruining her lifelong dream of becoming a world class dancer?
REVIEW QUOTES
Offers an inside view of professional dancer training." - The Salt Lake Tribune on Girl in Motion by Miriam Wenger-Landis
"References that include everything from Snooki to Chewbacca will have you laughing out loud." - Romantic Times magazine on Codename: Dancer by Amanda Brice
"Even in the category of teenage fiction, DuBois has elegantly woven a deeper narrative throughout the book that transcends her intended age group." - DanceAdvantage.net on The Queen Bee of Bridgeton by Leslie DuBois
"References that include everything from Snooki to Chewbacca will have you laughing out loud." - Romantic Times magazine on Codename: Dancer by Amanda Brice
"Even in the category of teenage fiction, DuBois has elegantly woven a deeper narrative throughout the book that transcends her intended age group." - DanceAdvantage.net on The Queen Bee of Bridgeton by Leslie DuBois
QUICKIE INTERVIEW
Did you always want to be a writer?
Miriam: I didn’t set out to be a writer. When I was younger, all I cared
about was becoming a ballerina. After I retired [from a performance career with
the Miami City Ballet], I tried on many hats, including premed student, book
editor, site merchandiser, and ballet teacher. Today my titles include author,
ballet teacher, online site coordinator/blogger, and most importantly, wife and
mother.
Amanda: When I was younger, I used to carry around a purple pen and a tiny
little purple journal and told everyone I was writing a book. We’re talking
YOUNG here – like seven at the most. My masterpiece “Nancy Flew and the Mystery
of the Lady Ghost” at age 10 was critically acclaimed by my 4thgrade teacher. By the
time I got to my preteens, I couldn’t decide whether I was going to be a
professional dancer or an author, but my dad encouraged me to “do something
practical,” so I eventually went to law school instead. But I couldn’t squelch
my creativity forever, so while I was supposed to be writing a paper on the
patentability of indigenous medicinal methods I wrote the first 88 pages of a
chick lit novel instead. Been writing ever since.
Leslie: Mostly, yes. For a little while I also wanted to be an
illustrator. But then I discovered I couldn’t draw to save my life so I went
right back to wanting to be an author only. When I got to college, however, I
got discouraged and I gave up on writing all together. So instead of being an
English and Journalism major, I became a Math and Music major. Quite a switch!
But I couldn’t keep down my urge to write for long. While I was a math teach, I
picked up the pen again and haven’t stopped since.
What made you decide to write this genre?
Leslie: Actually, I write many genres as Leslie DuBois and Sybil Nelson. But I
think I like YA the best because of the emotion and the possibilities. We all
remember what it was like to be a teenager. And I think most of us would like
to go back except with the knowledge we have now. As a writer, I can do that
all the time through my characters.
Amanda: I totally agree with Leslie. It’s amazing to be able to right the past
through my teen characters. Whenever I see teens stressing out about something,
I want to take them aside and say, “Don’t worry, it really does get better!”
But that kind of perspective can really only be gained through experience.
Writing YA is intense because teens wear emotions on their sleeves in a way we
adults don’t. I decided to combine dance and mystery (for the Dani Spevak
Mystery Series) because, well, I’d always sort of fancied myself a budding
Nancy Drew – only hipper. And with dance such an important part of my life – as
it is for so many other girls – I was always surprised there wasn’t more dance
fiction out there. So I basically wrote the books I’d wanted to read.
Miriam: I started writing ballet fiction as a way to process my ballet career
and expand who I was beyond just being a dancer. For so long my whole identity
was as a ballerina, and reflecting on the experience helped change my
perspective. As I wrote, I realized I was trying to create the book I wish I’d
read before I became a professional dancer. There wasn’t much ballet fiction
out there that felt authentic, and I wanted to add to what was available.
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