Lesa Howard
Christine Dadey’s family uprooted their lives and moved to Houston for
her to attend the prestigious Rousseau Academy of Dance. Now, two years
later, Christine struggles to compete among the Academy’s finest
dancers, her parents are on the brink of divorce, and she’s told no one
about her debilitating performance anxiety and what she’s willing to do
to cope with it. Erik was a ballet prodigy, a savant, destined to be a
star on the world’s stage, but a suspicious fire left Erik’s face
horribly disfigured. Now, a lonely phantom forced to keep his scars
hidden, he spends his nights haunting the theater halls, mourning all
he’s lost. Then, from behind the curtain he sees the lovely Christine.
The moldable, malleable Christine. Drawn in by Erik’s unwavering
confidence, Christine allows herself to believe Erik’s declarations that
he can transform her into the dancer she longs to be. But Christine’s
hope of achieving her dreams may be her undoing when she learns Erik is
not everything he claims. And before long, Erik’s shadowy past
jeopardizes Christine’s unstable present as his obsession with her
becomes hopelessly entangled with his plans for revenge
I'm currently elbow deep in Phantom's Dance, so I was thrilled that author Lesa Howard agreed to do an interview!
Phantom's Dance is has plenty of ballet jargon. What is your background in dance?
I knew what a pirouette was, and that was about it. So I
spent tons of time doing research. Watched documentaries and movies, a reality
show about ballerinas, and bought the book Ballet for Dummies. But what helped
the most was connecting with a former ballerina, now an instructor at the
Houston Ballet. For the two years I worked on Phantom’s Dance, I must have
emailed her with some of the dumbest questions. But she was patient and I couldn’t
have done it without her.
Where did you draw inspiration to write Phantom's Dance?
I’ve always loved the Phantom of the Opera, in all its
incarnations, from the original Gaston Leroux novel to the corny rock opera
Phantom of the Paradise and the fabulous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. I enjoy
each unique spin on the story.
What helps you to prepare to write?
Daydreaming! I’m super good at it. Once, as I stood in line
at the grocery store and the cashier scanned my things, she talked to me,
sharing the events of her day. At one point I realized I had not heard a word
she said because I was running through a troublesome scene in my head! I was
mortified and soooo glad she didn’t know I’d just zoned out on her. Too rude.
But I can’t always help it. It just happens.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I honestly can’t answer that. I read pretty much anything.
All that matters to me is a good story. It would probably be easier to say what
I don’t like— westerns, dystopian, and erotica.
What is the most difficult part of the writing process?
The first draft. It’s in my head, but it’s like chiseling
granite to get it out and onto paper. Once I’ve got the first draft down the
fun part begins—revising and editing. That’s when I get to add the emotion and
drama.
What are the pros and cons of publishing Phantom's Dance independently?
Definitely the lack of exposure. It’s very hard to keep it
out there in front of readers because there are so many books available to
choose from. Plus, every minute I spend on self-promotion is one not spent on
writing.
What do you do when you are not writing?
I’m a writer with a nonprofit
organization in Houston called Writers In The Schools. As a writer, I am placed in residencies in Houston area schools
where I’m paired with classroom teachers to share my experience as a
professional writer and together we work to enhance the children’s reading and
writing experience. It’s an awesome gig. All that creative writing! And at the
end of a residency, the children get a published anthology of their work.
What advice could you give aspiring writers?
Grow a tough skin. I’m talking alligator hide, for a lot of
different reasons. The most obvious being all the rejection, but then there’s
your willingness to be exposed, truly exposed, from the inside out, because
more often than not, that’s how it feels. So toughen up.
If you won a weekend getaway, would you choose a tropical island, a cabin in the mountains, a ranch house, or a luxury apartment in a big city?
Tropical island with a fruit-juicy drink served in a hollowed out pineapple!
What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m
working on a coming-of-age YA set in the mid 70s. Here’s my working pitch and
title.
Holly’s
Boys
It’s
the me decade and Raynor Davison, a young man born with a sense of entitlement
as big as the truck he drives, is all about the me in that phrase. It’s also the decade to see the first
International Women’s Year, and Holly Galloway is coming of age at a time more choices
are available to women than ever before. In this bittersweet love story, neither
Raynor nor Holly is prepared for the fact that having more choices doesn’t
necessarily mean making the right ones.
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