Y’all, the last book of the Faith & Fortune series is finally here. It’s a bittersweet time, happy that’s available for you to read and sad that it’s the last book. Seriously, what was I thinking? I should have made the series longer. (Lesson learned.)
The Price of Dreams is the third book and features ballerina, Octavia Ricci. To celebrate, I’m sharing an excerpt from chapter one and a chance for you to win an eBook copy. Enjoy!
Excerpt
I exhaled and moved into a fouetté en tournant en dehors. Using my right leg to extend and come back in at a triangle, I thrust my body around in a full turn. Muscle memory immediately propelled my legs through a glissade and into fourth position before making the transition into a grand jeté. I leapt into the air, exhilarating in the freedom of the movement as the music’s crescendo stirred the scene to one of joy and exultation.
My partner moved to my side and swooped me into a fish dive, my face dangerously close to the floor. No panic—only trust resided, because we’d done this sequence over and over and over, each time perfecting the movements. The constant training I’d put my muscles and mind through commanded my limbs, every inch of me presented to the audience with precision.
Ballet was the ultimate visual art, and I was completely aware that my physical form embodied the passion and story the choreographers and musicians wanted to tell, letting the audience in on the secrets of love and heartache, overcoming and triumphant happiness.
I bent at the waist, my right knee kneeling on the stage in a révérence, or curtsy, as the music came to an end. The crowd rose to their feet with a roar of applause. But the ovation wasn’t meant for me. Not for me alone, anyway. It took more than one person to pull off a performance. Every production required a massive team effort to look seamless and fluid.
I blinked as the memory faded and reality set in.
I, Octavia Ricci, am a principal ballerina for the City Ballet Company. Or rather, I was. Now the only dances I could perform were those in my memory. Last month, I’d received the call informing me that another ballerina would take my starring position as principal ballerina for the performances my body could no longer execute. One attack from a stalker and my knee had failed me.
About the Book
Ballet has always been my life, but one terrible moment may have destroyed everything I’ve worked so hard for—especially my title of Octavia Ricci, principal ballerina. I thought for sure my physical therapist, Dr. Noah Wright, could help me obtain my dream once more, but he wants more than I’m prepared to give.
I’ve seen firsthand the trials of interracial relationships. I’m a product of one myself and promised I’d never put my hopefully-someday kids through that drama. Everyone keeps telling me to let go of other people’s expectations, but I’m just not sure I can. Besides, if my dreams of returning to ballet are futile, what hope is there in seeking unconditional love?
The Price of Dreams is the third and final book in the Christian Chick Lit series: Faith & Fortune.
Giveaway
One lucky commentator has a chance to win an eBook copy of The Price of Dreams. To enter, leave a blog post comment telling me your favorite form of art. Comment by Sept 4th, 2pm EDT. A random winner will be notified by email.
Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness. She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Find out more on her website at http://tonishiloh.com.
Hi I like your reviews . thanks for sharing it.
I am looking forward to reading the entire series!
My favourite form of the arts is literature, lol! I would also query why just because something is planned for a certain number of books why there can’t be more – maybe additional novellas at 5 or 10 years later, a series of short stories relating to holiday or special events for some of the main characters or for peripheral characters you could spin off into a new series around them. Your imagination is the limit :)
Oh, my!! This sounds sooo good!! I have a friend who dances, both ballet and ballroom. I’ve watched her perform both!! Going on my Goodreads shelf!!
Sounds good. Love the whimsical cover.
I’ve a couple of friends who were into ballet, but the lifestyle was so demanding, it’s not just art. As for me, I prefer music (preferable my husband and his guitar playing to/with my kids).
I hope you enjoy! It’s been my favorite to write so far!
That is true!
That’s awesome! I got to talk to some dancers for research.
Thank you!
Oh they’re definitely athletes! I love music as well!!
Thanks for stopping by!
I enjoy seeing a live musical.
Musicals are great!
I love the characters in this series. I finished book two last week. :)
Thank you for reading!
I love ballet!
It’s a beautiful art.
I love figure skating which definitely has some similarities to ballet.
It does! One of my favorite things to watch during the winter Olympics.
Drawings or paintings are my favorite expressions of art. I love that my local library often features the drawings of our high school art students, some of them are so talented! I also appreciate a beautiful photographs.
Most of all, I love the pictures an author can paint in my mind through descriptions in their books :-) That’s the best form of art, in my opinion!
Are library has art in it too. I always stop and take a look.
I’ve never watched a ballet performance before, but I remember being intrigued after watching the NYCB’s YT series and how they explained the ranks and other things happening behind the scenes. Btw, congratulations on your newest book! It sounds really good! Adding it to my TBR :)
Personally, I love music, and I could easily watch, or listen to, one of my cousins who plays the cello do so for hours without getting bored :)
I love music too! I listen to it while I write. :)
Thanks for sharing the excerpt. I have to add this to my TBR pile now! One of my favorite forms of art is dancing. I like ballroom dancing and older musicals. Its amazing to see the beauty in the movements.
I would love to learn how to do ballroom dancing.
Oh but this sounds good. THE PRICE OF DREAMS sigh we all have them and we all have the opportunity to either make them come true or not. My dream was to be a quilter. My dream is in progress. I find that I am enjoying learning daily about the craft. Also that I really enjoy giving these projects away. Especially if it is for a special occasion – new baby, wedding etc…. I had a dream to be a Long Arm quilter, but because I dont have space this will not be a possibility. So I set my dream of being a top rated quilter in different areas of quilting. I would love to teach quilting someday.
I am looking forward to reading your book. I read the first book in the series and really enjoyed it.
Happy Book Release!
I love art museums. I especially love the Pre-Raphaelite art at the Delaware Art Museum.
Right before the Covid closings, I was fortunate to see a Russian ballet company perform Swan Lake. It was so beautiful.
My favorite forms of art are literature and music. Thank you for the opportunity.
What a beautiful and bittersweet excerpt. To lose a way of life, as Octavia has, is devastating. It can call into question the very sense of purpose that we have in life. Add to that the dream of family in the context of dealing with the often strong boundaries of racial culture and you have created a compelling story indeed.
Congratulations on your new release and best wishes for the launch.
That’s amazing! I’ve always admired people who can quilt. I’m not sure I’d have the patience.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget you can read the whole series in KU.
That’s amazing! I would love to go to the ballet one day. Hopefully covid won’t that make that irrelevant.
Mine too!
Thank you so much!
I love music! Almost any kind (except rap, but to me, it’s not even music!) This story sounds amazing, need to add it to my TBR list. I just started reading a book Finding Our Way Home by Charlene Ann Baumbich, that is also about a ballerina who gets hurt and can’t dance anymore. What a coincidence!
Congratulations Toni <3
Hi, looking forward to reading this series. Books are my favourite art form but I do love watching ballroom dancing as well, maybe one day I’ll give it a go.
That is a coincidence!
Thank you!
Ballroom dancing would be fun to learn.
This book sounds soo good!
I’m currently reading this book now! I’m not very far into it yet, but am enjoying it a lot so far! I liked the other two boos a lot as well.