She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she’s grown up with has the most amazing green eyes…
Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed. Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat? Sixteen year old Beth Baxter’s life merely resembles the one she’s always known. Her father has left. She is falling for Jeremy Duscana and the diet she started has somehow turned into an obsession. Yet her three best friends remain the same, always there for her. But even their love can’t save her from herself. Dancing With Ana. A story about the journey to acceptance of one’s own reality, the incredible bond that exists between friends and a love that truly endures all things.
Dancing With Ana by Nicole Barker would definitely fall under the young adult category when being shelved at the bookstore, but I believe any parent of a teenage girl would benefit from reading this story of friendship, despair, love and acceptance. The story focuses on 16 year old Beth and her three best friends – Rachel, Jenny and Melanie. The girls have different personalities and come from different home lives but this seems to bring them closer together as each girl has a place in the group. Problems arise when the girls decide they need to lose “a few pounds” and start a severe diet to reach their goal weights. One of the girls may be taking it too the extreme. Will the devotion of her friends (and a great new boyfriend) help her before she goes too far?
I am a mother of a teenage daughter and I am constantly trying to put myself back in time to when I was a teen in an attempt to understand some of the things she is going and has gone through during this tumultuous time in her life. This story is a good reflection of teen friendship, love and disappointment. Teens think with their hearts instead of their brains. They fall in love in a split second, they are hurt by the smallest word or gesture, they internalize and personalize everything and life seems to move in fast forward. The book flowed like a teens day. Ms. Barker seems to have the knack of looking at life through a teenager’s eyes and heart.
Ms. Barker was generous enough to spend some time answering a few questions concerning her new book. Please enjoy!
- Is this your first published work?
Yes - When did you discover you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always written, even when I was a little girl. My writing became more consistent during college. - Why did you decide to write a book for the young adult audience?
I feel a special affinity with this audience. I vividly remember what it’s like to be this age. It is such an important, fantastic and crazy time! - You mention on your website that you were cleaning up after breakfast and the idea for the book came to you. Was there a particular experience you or someone close to you had or was the idea like a bolt of lightning?
The premise of the book just came to me out of the blue. I sat down, started typing and forgot about the breakfast dishes. - You also said that the original thought was a story about four teen girlfriends. Did the main “character” of Ana (anorexia) come later or was it part of the original conception?
I knew I was writing a book about friendship as much as I was writing a book about coping. From the start, anorexia was going to be the mechanism of the main character. - What was the most difficult part of writing this book?
Rewriting it, over and over and over… - The title is wonderful. How did you come up with it?
Anorexia is tricky. I think our society struggles to understand the “why” of anorexia. Just as there are thousands of girls and women, and boys and men, who suffer from this disease, there are just as many who merely dance with it. They are in pain, it’s just not as apparent. The dilemma is when they lose sight of the choice to face their issue in a healthy manner. At that moment, they are no longer dancing with ana…they are living, breathing, worshipping her. - The four main girlfriends are a close group of very different personalities. Were their individual stories based on women you have known or are still in your life?
These girls represent a tapestry of the phenomenal women in my life. The friendships I’ve had enabled me to write about the relationship between the four girls. - Your dedication is beautiful! It conjured up memories of those girls that have influenced me throughout my life – friends and family – and what my daughter means to me. You also mention your husband. By any chance, is he your Jeremy?
Thank you! It’s a gift to be able to look back at all the girls and women who’ve been a part of your life and understand the impact. There is no question, without a doubt, my husband is my Jeremy. - Do you have any other projects in the works? If so, can you tell a little about them?
Yes, currently I’m working on another YA (Young Adult) book set in the Northeast. My main character is Lily, and she has two best friends. There’s a love story… - Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
I love hearing from you!
Okay, now for a couple of non-book questions:
- Tea or coffee?
Coffee, with soy milk and Truvia. - When you have to run errands, what 3 things must you have with you?
Cell phone, purse and chapstick. - What is on your bookshelf?
Lyrics 1962-1985, Bob Dylan, Skinny Bitch, Fory Freedman and Kim Barnouin and The Twilight Series, Stephenie Meyer. - What is on your IPod/CD player?
The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, The Doors, No Doubt, Linkin Park…too many to name. I’m obsessed with music!
Winners announced!
Please check the giveaway tab for the list.
Thank you for stopping by!
Shawna Lewis
weloveourdogs@juno.com
+1 Leave a comment :
Thanks for this amazing book giveaway ;o)
+2 I’m a Facebook Fan
+2 I twetted it
+1 for FriendFeed,
+1 for subscribing to your e-mail
+1 I follow you on twitter & tweeted about this contest
+1 I fave’ed you on Technorati,
+1 I StumbledUpon you
+1 I Trackled this story.
+1 I Helped the animals YA!!!
*+1 I Supported Social Vibe storms. (very cool)
Tortal 13 points
& my fingers are pooped ;o)
Hi, I saw your posting on Book Blogs. Thanks.
gahome2mom/at/gmail/dot/com
Please enter my name in your draw. Thanks.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com
+1 I Helped the animals YA!!!
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com
Twitter: nataliew2
05. Aug, 2009 at 11:39 am #
I would love to enter!
Joined Dancing with Ana Facebook group
Became a fan on Facebook
Following on Twitter
Tweeted the Dancing with Ana Website
Following on Friend feed
I clicked for the animals
Thank you!
Nataliew2(at)gmail(dot)com
Please count me in for the giveaway.
+ 1 I clicked to help animals. Sweet.
+ 1 I clicked for social vibe which I will be adding to my myspace page once I get one.
jessica(at)fan(dot)com
This looks like a really good read. I hope I can have my name added to this giveaway. Enjoyed your blog!
Thank you,
Sandy
Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com
nice interview please enter me in the book giveaway con5459(at)gmail(dot)com
Would love to read this.
+1 Comment
Clicked on animal hunger site
+1
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(dot)com
1- I’d love to read this book, thank-you for the giveaway
2- I am a facebook fan
3- I am following you on tweeter
4- I clicked for animals (pets)
5- I cliked for the wetlands
madeleine444[at]gmail[dot]com
I am so happy I found this cause. What a simple way to do a little something! Thanks
I’d love to read this book!
And I clicked your animals link for .6 bowls of food!
And I just subscribed, too!
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
I love it please enter me
chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com
I would love to win a copy of this book.
fatimastreasure(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would love a chance to win & read this book. Please enter me.
Thanks for the chance
sharon54220@gmail.com
I’d love to win this book. Thank you for the opportunity in the giveaway.
I also clicked to help the shelter animals! Good for you! Great cause!
I would love to enter this contest
Also, I am now following you on Google Reader
I would love to win this one!
+1 social vibe
+1 help animals
+2 becoming a fan on facebook
+1 for leaving a comment.
Thanks for such a great contest
zia
ziaria(at)gmail(dot)com
I clicked on social vibe and the animal network
great idea.
I also tweeted.
would love to win. I love to read, especially in the summer when my schedule is lighter.
Hey enter me in, sounds like a great book.