The Highland Dancer

by J.M. Northup, posted in Author/Book Spotlight, FEATURE, Teen, Young Adult, & College, Women Writers, Women's Fiction, Young Adult, Young Readers

WIPs and New Releases

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  • Tell us about your book…
    • Is this a WIP or a new release?
      • My book is a new release
      Is it a standalone or an installment to a series or collection?
      • My short story is a standalone
    • What is the story about?
      • The short story is about a Nova Scotia girl named Ainsley, who deeply embraces her Scottish Heritage through the art of Highland Dancing.
  • What inspired this tale?
    • How did you come up with the plot?
      • I watched clips from my niece’s dance competitions and imagined the full potential of a Highland dancer from her early days to adulthood.
      Did you have to research for this short story – if so, what and why?
      • Yes, I had to do some light research for this story.
      • I’ve taken dance classes as a child and teen but never Highland Dancing so had to learn a few terms as well as the competitive side of it. (I also asked for my sister-in-law’s dance mom expertise.)I had to find out where the Highland Games took place in Nova Scotia and Scotland.
      • I did some research on the Scottish culture even though I married into a Scottish family (twice). My mother-in-law came to Canada on a boat as a child, so it gave me the idea for my character’s background but I still had to look a few things up on the internet.
    • If you did research, what surprised you most to learn, and why do you think that was?
      • I don’t know why, but was surprised to find out just how huge the Highland Games are in Scotland, and how many Highland dancers compete.
  • Tell us about your character?
    • Who is the main character?
      • The main character is a young girl named Ainsley MacKinnon. She lives in Nova Scotia and is of Scottish decent. Ainsley aspires to learn Highland dancing and eventually competes.
      Is your protagonist anything like you, personally?
      • If yes, then how?
        • Ainsley is like me because she likes to dance. She followed her dream.
        If not, then how do you differ from one another?
        • I’ve never tried Highland Dancing.
    • What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
      • I wanted to write an inspiring story with a realistic character who does what it takes to make her dreams come true.
  • How do we get a copy?
    • Has the book already been published, or is it available for pre-order?
      • The book is available on most major retailers such as Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords…

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