Giveaway and Interview: Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati

Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati

He tossed her into the air as if she were weightless, and just for a moment she seemed suspended there, defying gravity. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I knew what she was feeling. It was in every movement of every limb.
Here was a power I had never seen before, a kind of haunting loveliness I had never imagined. Seeing it made me long for something, I didn't know what . . .
Ditty was born to dance, but she was also born Jewish. When her strictly religious parents won't let her take ballet lessons, Ditty starts to dance in secret. But for how long can she keep her two worlds apart? And at what cost?
A dramatic and moving story about a girl who follows her dream, and finds herself questioning everything she believes in.

Read my review HERE

Publishes in US: Feb 8th 2013
Genre: contemporary
Source: Flux via Netgalley





--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
A girl starts to dance in secret when her strictly religious parents forbid her to take ballet.

--How did you get the idea for the story?
As a girl, I loved ballet, but for religious reasons wasn’t allowed to take it seriously. Years later, I asked myself whether it would be possible for a girl raised in an orthodox Jewish home to become a ballerina, and if so, under what circumstances. The story is my answer.

-Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?
I’d love to have dinner with Linda because she’d make me laugh. I’d hope never to have dinner with Yitzchok.

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
Pirouette, which will be out in November. It’s another ‘dance’ book but it’s not a sequel. It’s about identical twins, separated at birth and adopted out to different families; they meet years later at a dance school. It’s a fast-paced read with drama, fun, and a touch of romance.

--What book(s) is your book’s “cousin”? (Similar kind of read, set-up or style)
Hmm! Interesting question! Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. It has nothing to do with dance, but it’s similar in its exploration of culture clash, and the fact that it’s narrated by a seventeen-year-old, female protagonist.

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
I never have as much time to read as I’d like, and my taste is eclectic. I like contemporary fiction, historical fiction, dystopian fiction, and some non-fiction. I like the occasional romance novel, and generally enjoy family dramas.

--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)
I need to concentrate while I write, so what I really need is silence and solitude.

--What is one thing you would tell your 15 year old self?
Believe in yourself and follow your dreams.

--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
You are full of potential. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Persevere, and you will achieve your goals. Also know that you are wonderful, just as you are.



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