The Bellydancer, DeAnna Cameron: Author Guest Post 8.14.09

At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, the modern, the exotic, and the ground-breaking collide. When Dora Chambers, an aspiring socialite, is charged with the task of enforcing proper conduct at the Egyptian belly dancing exhibition, she finds herself captivated by these marvelous women. And as her eyes are opened to the world beyond a life of social expectations, she finds the courage to break free and discover the truth about her own heart. – THE BOOK

AUTHOR GUEST POST…What do you get when you combine your two greatest loves? For me, it’s THE BELLY DANCER, my debut novel that was released last month as a Berkley trade paperback. It’s set against the backdrop of the real-life belly dancing scandal at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and to people who know me, it seems like an obvious subject for me to write about because I’ve loved belly dance for nearly twenty years.

The funny thing is, merging my love for storytelling with my love for belly dance wasn’t so obvious to me. It just didn’t occur to me because belly dancing was something I did for fun and fitness—something completely separate from my writing life. My classes and rehearsals were refuges where I could turn off my brain and enjoy the movement, the music and my friends.

Belly dance became something more one day when I was sitting in a writing workshop, struggling as usual about what to write. That’s when the instructor said the most amazing thing (at least it seems so to me now). She said, “Tell a story only you can tell; use your special knowledge.” Special knowledge? I didn’t think I had any.

Others in the workshop came up with story ideas based on unique family dynamics or workplace dilemmas. None of my family or workplace experiences seemed particularly original, so I wrote about a belly dancer.

And something clicked.

I didn’t know much about the World’s Fair yet, and the whole idea that later became the basis for THE BELLY DANCER wasn’t yet clear to me, but I knew this: I wanted to write about belly dancing, and I seemed to do it well. When people read my passages about the dance, they often tell me they see and feel the movements and the music, they experience the moments as the characters experience them, and often they come away with an appreciation for this art form they didn’t have before.

It’s a tremendous compliment, both as a writer and a fan of belly dance. I often wonder if a writer who isn’t immersed in belly dance herself could do that. Maybe. But I’ve heard from many readers that it’s the novel’s unique perspective that draws them into the story, and I just have to smile when I think it’s all thanks to that special afternoon when my two loves met.

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DeAnna Cameron is the author of THE BELLY DANCER, available now from Berkley Books/Penguin as a trade paperback. ISBN# 978-0425227787/$14.

Invite THE BELLY DANCER to your next book club meeting. Visit www.DeAnnaCameron.com for recipes, music recommendations, and tips on decorating and activities to complement your reading experience.