Dancing Her Dreams Away by Alretha Thomas Virtual Book Tour August & September 2011

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Join Alretha Thomas, author of the Women’s Fiction Dancing Her Dreams Away (Diverse Arts Collective, Inc.), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in August and September 2011 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Alretha Thomas

Alpubphotoedit An author, playwright, producer and director, Alretha Thomas is making her name through her pen. Award winning plays and wanting to help her community, Alretha’s background is as diverse as her personality. She started at the age of ten, when her 5th grade teacher picked and read her short story assignment in front of the class – that simple, loving act empowered a new writer. Continuing in high school, her numerous original oratorical conquests on the Speech Team led her to a journalism concentration at the University of Southern California. Upon graduating, Alretha soon realized that her interest in journalism was not heartfelt. While at the taping of a live sitcom, the producer noticed her and encouraged her hand at modeling. Modeling didn’t mean much to her, but it did lead her to acting and a NAACP Theatre Award Nomination (1993) for BEST ACTRESS. She feels that this acting stint gave her more fuel to write, and particularly, a better understanding of character development.

Alretha left acting and began to write full time. Her church gave her an outlet to fulfill her writing desires through their Liturgical Fine Arts Department wherein Alretha penned twelve theatre pieces – the community response was overwhelming. This led to full length plays outside of the church including Alretha’s play, Sacrificing Simone (2007) which had a successful run at Stage 52 in Los Angeles and was called “an inspirational crowd pleaser” by the Los Angeles Times and her most recent work, the ground breaking OneWoman, Two Lives, starring Kellita Smith (The Bernie Mac Show), directed by Denise Dowse, which garnered rave reviews from critics and audiences. In between plays, Alretha’s first novel Daughter Denied was launched in 2008.

You can find out more about her and her book at http://www.Dancingherdreamsaway.com.

About Dancing Her Dreams Away

Shelia King, a fun-loving grandma’s girl, needs to keep her days open for auditions in the hope of landing a role that will catapult her to stardom. With the threat of eviction looming, she scrambles to find a night job and convinces the owner of a hostess club to hire her. Now she’s a dance-partner-for-hire by night and struggling thespian by day. When her agent pitches a topless role, fearing her grandmother’s disapproval, Shelia declines. But after setbacks and considerable thought, she agrees to meet the producer. Gregory Livingston III is rich, suave, ridiculously fine, and the panacea for Shelia’s career woes. At first sight she shapes plans to win the role and his heart. She gets both and works hard to give an Oscar worthy performance. However, when the movie wraps, nothing can prepare her for the startling revelations about Greg’s past and the aftermath of a dream gone awry.

Read the Excerpt!

My eyes lock on the other actresses with their heads in their scripts. I go to the desk, sign the in-and-out sheet stuck to a clipboard, and at a second glance, swallow hard. Wow, they’re seeing names for this role. I sit and read over my script thinking this could be the part that starts my career. Please God, let this be it. The Flamingo is serving a purpose, but I’m getting tired of the men. Chin Chin and the politician aren’t so bad, but the majority of them are creepy, smell bad, and wanna grope you. I don’t know how much longer I can take it.

“Shelia King.”

I look around. Oh, crap, that’s me. Duh. That was fast. I get up and glance at the other six women still waiting. I follow a dumpy Asian woman into the office. A woman with a short afro and a man with short dreadlocks sit at a long table covered in photos and resumes. A torn, beat-up version of my postcard is up front and center.

“Shelia, I’m Lorraine Battle and this is my associate, James Butler.”

“Nice to meet both of you.”

“We called you in because you’ve done a lot of theatre and theatre is a great training ground. We’re looking for people who can act. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Charlene will read the part of your father.”

“Okay.” I glance at Charlene and she nods. I take a deep breath, get in touch with the character, and begin. By the end of the scene, I’m in tears. I look at Lorraine’s and James’ smiling faces. They whisper to one another and look at my photo. I wait for them to say something. I hope they say, We want you to meet with the producer today. Instead Lorraine says, “That was very impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m going to be honest with you, Shelia.”

My heart is beating so loudly, I hope I’ll be able to hear what she has to say. I sit on my clammy hands and pray it’s good news.

She picks up my weather-beaten postcard. “How you came to our attention was through this postcard. Unfortunately, it was left on the windshield of our producer’s brand new Mercedes and it got tangled in his windshield wipers. He asked me to call your agent and give him the riot act. Normally, I would have done what he suggested, but I was really intrigued with you and impressed with your determination. As I suspected, you’re a good actress, but I can’t call you back for this part. However, I’ll keep you in mind for future projects.”

I sit there like a deer in headlights. My butt wants to get off the chair, but my head is telling me to stay put, because any minute now, I’m going to disappear, so the three pair of eyes that are staring at me right now, won’t be able to see the tears of anger and humiliation welling up in my eyes. They won’t be able to see my trembling lips and hands. I block out the voices in my head and peel myself off the chair. I give a nod to Charlene and say to Lorraine and James, “Thank you for giving me the chance to read, and please tell the producer I’m really sorry about his windshield wipers.”

They look at me without saying a word, and I walk out. The remaining actresses glare at me with open mouths. No one has stayed in the room that long, so I’m sure they all think I got the part. I relish that moment and leave. I think about my politically correct response and wish I would have said, Do you know I spent hours working on this part with my acting teacher? I actually fantasized about how my life would change and you have the nerve to tell me the producer is pissed, because I left a postcard on his windshield. Well, you and the producer can kiss my black ass. Of course, if I had said that, I would have been blackballed.

I’m sick of going on these auditions and not getting the part. They say it’s all about who you know. Edwina’s right, I need to check into this part Stan was talking about. Only thing, I would have to go topless.

Watch the Trailer!

Read What the Critics Have to Say!

“A star is born…Alretha Thomas! DANCING HER DREAMS AWAY is a heartfelt story of a young lady wanting the red carpet and stardom. Oh oh Shelia King is beautiful and talented. She lands the role of a lifetime by meeting Gregory Livingston III. Greg is rich, handsome, and has the hook up. Too good to be true? He offers Shelia a topless role and convinces her that it will win her an Oscar. Will it? Her Grandmother would disapprove. Her best friend Edwina doesn’t trust Greg. But Greg is going to make Shelia a star and wins over her heart at the same time.

Alretha creates a story line that’s believable. Too many girls have taken the same road. The reader will keep turning the pages to see what happens to Shelia’s dreams. Wonderful second novel from Ms. Thomas.”

LADIES OF COLOR TURNING PAGES Book Club (Los Angeles, California)

“Ok, this is what I am talking about, a book that grabs your attention from the very beginning. I had so many ideas in my head as to how this book was going to end, it’s unbelievable. Dancing Her Dreams Away was filled with romance, drama, suspense, and mystery that will keep you glued to the pages. I must say Shelia King’s fairy tale career that happened in a matter of seconds, was way too good to be true. Ms. Thomas has done a wonderful job in developing the characters. This one is a must read!!”

Divas Read 2 Book Club (Dallas, Texas)

“In DANCING HER DREAMS AWAY author Alretha Thomas introduces us to Shelia King, a girl with real talent and smarts, but not enough strength to withstand the trappings of the world. Seeing a way for her to pursue her dreams and live the life she feels she deserves, she plays with fire in a major way with Gregory Livingston and gets burned like she never thought possible.

With whispers of her upbringing there to guide her, Shelia must find a way to overcome the horror and embarrassment brought on by her own poor choices and rise above the fray to dance another day.

DANCING HER DREAMS AWAY showcases what so many individuals of all ages have to contend with when it comes to pursuing their dreams. Will the idea of becoming something in the world cause you to lose it all including your life in the process? That and other questions are raised by the author as she takes us on the journey of a young woman who risks it all for a chance at the big time.

Kudos to Alretha for another literary winner. She has definitely showed her ability to tell a good story and lead the reader to think in the process.”

Conversations Book Club (Jackson, Mississippi)

DANCING HER DREAMS AWAY VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 15

Interviewed at Review From Here
Book Review at Acting Balanced

Tuesday, August 16

Guest Blogging at Literal Exposure
Guest Blogging at Acting Balanced

Wednesday, August 17

Guest Blogging at Allvoices

Thursday, August 18

Guest Blogging at Shine

Friday, August 19

Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Book Reviewed at Simply Stacie

Monday, August 22

Guest Blogging at Feeling a Draft

Tuesday, August 23

Interviewed at Associated Content

Wednesday, August 24

Guest Blogging at Blogcritics

Thursday, August 25

Guest Blogging at Literarily Speaking

Friday, August 26

Guest Blogging at Digital Journal

Monday, September 5

Book Reviewed by Phantom Paragrapher

Tuesday, September 6

Guest Blogging at Phantom Paragrapher

Wednesday, September 7

Interviewed at The Writer’s Life

Thursday, September 8

Interviewed at As the Pages Turn

Friday, September 9

Guest Blogging at Divine Caroline

Monday, September 12

Interviewed at Examiner

Tuesday, September 13

Guest blogging at Blogher

Wednesday, September 14

Interviewed at American Chronicle

Thursday, September 15

Guest Blogging at The Book Bin

Friday, September 16

Interviewed at Broowaha

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Alretha Thomas’s DANCING HER DREAMS AWAY VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘11 will officially begin on August 15 and end on September 16 ’11. Please contact Tracee Gleichner at tgleichner(at)live(dot)com if you are interested in hosting and/or reviewing her book or click here to use the form. Thank you!

If you would like to book your own virtual book tour with us, click here to find out how!

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach