Today I am interviewing Nicole Hurley More! Welcome and
thanks for joining us Nicole.
Thanks so much
Amber for inviting me. J
Your book
Dancing on Air, is about a ballerina, what drew you to writing about ballet?
My mother was a
dancer and much of my early childhood was around old theatres, such as The
Princess in Melbourne. I have always appreciated the skill and beauty of the
ballet. However after suffering through far more than my fair share of ballet
lessons when I was younger, I decided that I would much rather watch it than
dance it (sorry Mum).
What is your
favorite dance themed movie or television show?
There are quite
a few but I really enjoyed Center Stage.
If you could
only take one book with you to a deserted island, what book would you choose?
Pride and
Prejudice.
How long have
you been writing and when did you first know that this was something you wanted
to pursue professionally?
I’ve toyed with
the idea since high school but I didn’t knuckle down and concentrate on writing
until about three years ago.
I'm a
disorganised writer, my study looks like something exploded, there's currently
a pot over-boiling on the stove, and there's two children in this place
somewhere...What would we see if we walked through your writing space right now?
I understand
completely. Well, I tidied up my desk this morning and got rid of a sea of
sticky notes but it still looks cluttered.
What the one thing
you wish someone had told you before you were published?
Persevere and
don’t let the naysayers get in your head.
Can you tell us
a little about your latest book?
Cinderella meets Swan Lake in a cross-class,
Victorian novel about a ballerina, an aristocrat, and the space in between
them.
Lisette yearns for
freedom, security and love, but none are offered on the run-down stage of The
Imperial Theatre. Instead she has hard work, a tyrannical aunt, and the hope of
one day becoming a prima ballerina. Dancing on the stage she catches the
attention of two powerful men: Lord Gainswith and Lord De Vale.
Lord Evander Gainswith never expected to fall in love, let alone with a woman so wholly unacceptable to his family and his peers. The sinister Lord De Vale covets Lisette's youth and strength, and is willing to pay well for it. Lisette may dance roles in fairy tales and fantasies, but the real world is about to intrude, bringing with it the harsh realities of life for a young girl with dreams of rising above the demimonde.
Lord Evander Gainswith never expected to fall in love, let alone with a woman so wholly unacceptable to his family and his peers. The sinister Lord De Vale covets Lisette's youth and strength, and is willing to pay well for it. Lisette may dance roles in fairy tales and fantasies, but the real world is about to intrude, bringing with it the harsh realities of life for a young girl with dreams of rising above the demimonde.
Amazon shortened link - http://goo.gl/a8jlMD
Excerpt
London, 1884
Lisette was weightless as she leapt into a grand
jeté across the stage. She was free and in that moment her heart soared past
the walls of The Imperial Theatre. She landed lightly and began the fouetté en
tournant, whipping her leg from fourth position to behind her knee; she created
impetus to spin on pointe. After the eight revolutions, she planted her feet
and lifted her hand in the air, stopping in front of her aunt. There was a
slight wobble in her legs and she tried not to wince. Fixing a smile on her
face she prayed that her aunt had not noticed. Lisette had wanted perfection
but had fallen short. A trickle of sweat slid its way down the middle of her
back, her heart beat rapidly and she tried to catch her breath as her aunt
stepped forward.
Marie Devoré regarded her niece for a
second. Her eyes bore into Lisette’s before she raised her hand and slapped her
across the face.
Lisette’s head jerked to the side
as the burning sting radiated over her cheek.
‘What was that? A farce...? A comedy
perhaps?’
‘No, Aunt Marie, I am sorry that I wobbled,’
she said as she looked at the well-worn wooden floor and resisted the urge to
cradle her cheek.
‘When you finish, the movement must be
sleek, clean and set in stone, without any trace of a tremble.’
‘Yes, Aunt.’
‘Go, out of my sight. Prepare the costumes
for tonight’s performance,’ Marie said with a wave of her thin hand. ‘You will
practice again tomorrow. Without the wobble.’
Lisette bowed her head before running
off into the wings of the stage. She ran as fast as she could past the burgundy
velvet curtains, beneath the scenery fly and the rigging, down the narrow
flight of stairs that ran beneath the stage, until she was in the cool and
narrow corridor, which led deeper into the bowels of the theatre.
Her cheek burned but it was the sting of failure
that hurt all the more.
ABOUT NICOLE
Nicole has always been
a lover of fairy tales, history and romance. She grew up in Melbourne and has
travelled extensively, whilst living her life through the romance of books. Her
first passion in life has always been her family, but after studying and achieving
her BA in History and Honours in Medieval Literature, she devoted her time to
writing historic romance. She is a full time writer who lives in the Central
Highlands of Victoria with her family, where they live in the peaceful
surrounds of a semi-rural town.
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Amber. :)
ReplyDelete