I am so excited to share this exclusive interview with Brittney Arena! Brittney is the author of A Dance of Lies one of my favorites from last year and so happy to get you all excited for To Dance with Death.
Summary
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Vasalie Moran was once a dancer in King Illian’s court, until he framed her for murder. Barely surviving her two years in the dungeons, she’s suddenly called to face her king. He offers her a deal: become his spy at the six-week royal Gathering and he’ll grant her freedom.
As Illian’s orders grow bloody and dangerous, forcing her to harm and betray those around her, Vasalie discovers that the monster she serves may be aligned with a bigger monster—one far closer to home. With her world threatened, Vasalie enlists the help of Illian’s brother and greatest adversary, the infamous King of the East.
As the rivalry between brothers escalates, with Vasalie caught in the middle, the horrifying truth of her past comes to light. If she wants to survive, she must decide who to trust, who to fight for, and how much of her soul she’s willing to damn in the process.
Find A Dance of Lies on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.
Interview
Some of my favorite scenes are the dance scenes, can you talk to us about research or inspiration you had for the intricacies of the dancing?
I was actually a dancer at a very young age! I took ballet, jazz, and tap when I was little, and then I travelled with a church youth group all over the east coast in the US performing dances and mimes. I didn’t continue much after that, however in high school, I went all the way up through AP theatre and considered pursuing the stage in college until I realized I just didn’t have the stamina. A Dance of Lies was my way of returning to it after all these years! That said, I watched a TON of So You Think You Can Dance, specifically Charity and Andres!
A lot of authors chat about the intersection of author and writer specifically on social media. With your past experience on Instagram, how has the promotion of A DANCE OF LIES come to you? Do you think your experience on IG has altered how you see your ‘duties’ as an author?
I did indeed start as a bookstagrammer, and I think that was a very integral part of my journey. I read voraciously and reviewed books, which I think helped me develop an eye for craft and story. For the promotion side of things, I do think it helped me understand the relationship between reader and author, considering I was on the other side of it for so long. I realized that I loved interacting with authors, loved seeing specific types of content (that it wasn’t annoying!) while also acknowledging that reviews are for readers – until you tag an author, which then invites them into that space. I also knew I’d want to use my platform for my own books one day, so I paid close attention to trends, what types of content worked well for authors, etc. So while it’s TOTALLY weird trying to sell my own work essentially (self-plugging always feels odd), I was able to utilize all I had learned when growing my account in the years leading up to this moment.
Manipulation and betrayal is a huge theme, can you talk about how you, as a writer, handle the reveals of betrayal and also red herrings so we can’t predict when we will be stabbed in the back?
Oh gosh, writing the betrayals was so hard for me. I’m such an empath! For Vasalie, though, her life was on the line (until the end, when someone else’s life was on the line – yikes!). While she had little to no choice but to carry out the king’s tasks, including betrayal, she still found little ways to rebel against each one. More so, each task changes her, which ultimately leads to her character arc, where she realizes she is no longer willing to cause harm—even if it means sacrificing herself.
What is the story behind your title and how did it come to you?
Funny story: A Dance of Lies wasn’t the original title! I titled it ‘The Edge of Glass’ long ago, and to be honest, I was a little sad to let it go, because glass is a big theme in the book (and there’s a line where this comes from in the text). But it was for a good reason! When I signed with Bloomsbury, we didn’t want the title to be too close to their other popular titles.
Who is your favorite side character and who was the hardest to write?
Honestly, I love so many of them so it’s hard to choose! I have a big soft spot for Queen Sadira (Vasalie really needed a powerful woman to look up to), and Laurent because he’s so friendly and believes the best in people. But I have to say Prince Sundar, and that’s because he plays a big role in the sequel. He’s like a miniature Anton with similar humor and charm. He’s so fun to write!
Find A Dance of Lies on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.