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Dance Like You Mean It Kindle Edition

by Jeanne Skartsiaris (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
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"...An over the top, often witty escape into fantasy that manages to convey some realistic poignancy on the road to a satisfying conclusion."  ~ Kirkus Reviews

Middle age finds working women around the world overworked, overcommitted, and over it! Dance Like You Mean It paints a vivid portrait of the all-work, no-play world of Cassie Calabria, a woman juggling a career, marriage, and children. But, Cassie has found the perfect way to keep her dreams afloat while surviving her circus act of family and career. She's penning an erotic novel, hoping it will bring fame and fortune. The only trouble with that dream is the manuscript she's written doesn't reflect the perfect mother, wife, and daughter image she's portrayed for years. Who is Cassie Calabria? She's about to find, along with family and friends, her authentic self in this sexy and hilarious coming-of-middle-age novel!

"Dance Like You Mean It is a sweetly romantic, often poignant glimpse into the life of a woman whose secret dream to write her way out of the doldrums of her everyday life comes true in a spectacular, and unexpected, fashion. A witty and delicious tribute to the steamy, bodice-ripping novels that are so beloved by readers looking for a fantasy escape."  - Kathleen Kent, author of the Edgar Nominated The Burn

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  1. Print length
    392 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Brother Mockingbird
  5. Publication date
    October 5, 2021
  6. File size
    1466 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...An over-the-top, often witty escape into fantasy that manages to convey some realistic poignancy on the road to a satisfying conclusion." --Kirkus Reviews

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09HSV75WZ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Brother Mockingbird (October 5, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 5, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1466 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 392 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

About the author

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Jeanne Skartsiaris

Jeanne Skartsiaris

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About the Author

Award winning author, Jeanne Skartsiaris, spins stories about life, digging into the soul her characters while they deal with real life challenges. Many readers identify with her stories, making them laugh as well as cry.

By day, Jeanne Skartsiaris works as a sonographer in an Ob/Gyn’s office. Working in sonography helped her get her BA degree in photography, with a goal to get a Masters in Medical Illustration. After graduation, she was offered a job as a medical/legal photographer for a plaintiff's law firm. Instead of completing the graduate program, she worked as a photographer and art director for seventeen years in the legal community.

She attended creative writing courses at Southern Methodist University. Her novel, "Dance Like You Mean" It is a coming-of-middle-age story. Also the author of YA novels, "Surviving Life" and "Snow Globe". The Magdalenes (due for release August 15 2023) speaks of shedding the past and reinventing oneself after a trauma.

The Magdalenes won first place in the San Antonio’s Writer’s Guild in 2019 and received a five-star review with Reader’s Favorites in 2019. Dance Like You Mean It was a finalist in the humor category in the 2017 Best Book Awards by American Book Fest and and received five stars at Reader's Favorites Awards.

Her books are available on amazon and other book retailers.

You can find Jeanne on Facebook at: Jeanne Skartsiaris; Instagram at JeanneSkartsiaris; and Twitter, @jskartsiaris.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
37 global ratings
Narrative Tour de Force and Enthralling Story
5 Stars
Narrative Tour de Force and Enthralling Story
Dance Like You Mean It, a fun, frolicking encounter with middle-aged, middle-American foibles, offers more than just a delightful romantic comedy. It offers an extremely well-crafted narrative and a thoughtful exploration of the pressures women face in a political economy that values youth and superficial beauty over substance. In the novel, author Jeanne Skartsiaris creates two parallel worlds—one belonging to fictional character Rosemary, the other to our protagonist and story-teller Cassie Calabria. In a wonderfully deft sleight of hand, Rosemary’s world parallels that of Cassie’s. And just as Rosemary learns to be more compassionate and giving, Cassie learns to be more independent and confident. The story is laced with humor and awkward suspense as we wonder how straight-laced Cassie is going to handle the inevitable discovery of her authorship and invention of sex-crazed Rosemary. Beyond the narrative tour de force and the enthralling story, it is the characters that grab us. Readers feel empathy for Cassie. We suffer with her as she absorbs the pain of a philandering husband and the hurt of being snubbed by a teenage daughter. We celebrate her quiet victories and her gradual recognition of her own strengths. Cassie is a unique character, but she is also someone we can all recognize and root for. Dance Like You Mean It is full of surprises. It entertains. But it also shares precise insights into human nature.
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Top reviews from the United States

STL-Translator
5.0 out of 5 stars Narrative Tour de Force and Enthralling Story
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
Dance Like You Mean It, a fun, frolicking encounter with middle-aged, middle-American foibles, offers more than just a delightful romantic comedy. It offers an extremely well-crafted narrative and a thoughtful exploration of the pressures women face in a political economy that values youth and superficial beauty over substance. In the novel, author Jeanne Skartsiaris creates two parallel worlds—one belonging to fictional character Rosemary, the other to our protagonist and story-teller Cassie Calabria. In a wonderfully deft sleight of hand, Rosemary’s world parallels that of Cassie’s. And just as Rosemary learns to be more compassionate and giving, Cassie learns to be more independent and confident. The story is laced with humor and awkward suspense as we wonder how straight-laced Cassie is going to handle the inevitable discovery of her authorship and invention of sex-crazed Rosemary. Beyond the narrative tour de force and the enthralling story, it is the characters that grab us. Readers feel empathy for Cassie. We suffer with her as she absorbs the pain of a philandering husband and the hurt of being snubbed by a teenage daughter. We celebrate her quiet victories and her gradual recognition of her own strengths. Cassie is a unique character, but she is also someone we can all recognize and root for. Dance Like You Mean It is full of surprises. It entertains. But it also shares precise insights into human nature.
Customer image
STL-Translator
5.0 out of 5 stars Narrative Tour de Force and Enthralling Story
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2022
Dance Like You Mean It, a fun, frolicking encounter with middle-aged, middle-American foibles, offers more than just a delightful romantic comedy. It offers an extremely well-crafted narrative and a thoughtful exploration of the pressures women face in a political economy that values youth and superficial beauty over substance. In the novel, author Jeanne Skartsiaris creates two parallel worlds—one belonging to fictional character Rosemary, the other to our protagonist and story-teller Cassie Calabria. In a wonderfully deft sleight of hand, Rosemary’s world parallels that of Cassie’s. And just as Rosemary learns to be more compassionate and giving, Cassie learns to be more independent and confident. The story is laced with humor and awkward suspense as we wonder how straight-laced Cassie is going to handle the inevitable discovery of her authorship and invention of sex-crazed Rosemary. Beyond the narrative tour de force and the enthralling story, it is the characters that grab us. Readers feel empathy for Cassie. We suffer with her as she absorbs the pain of a philandering husband and the hurt of being snubbed by a teenage daughter. We celebrate her quiet victories and her gradual recognition of her own strengths. Cassie is a unique character, but she is also someone we can all recognize and root for. Dance Like You Mean It is full of surprises. It entertains. But it also shares precise insights into human nature.
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TRH
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Book with Lots of Great One Liners
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
This one caught my eye right away. I'm always up for a book with strong female characters that make me laugh. It was so satisfying to read a well written story with characters I could genuinely relate to. The lead, Cassie, is a full time nurse (but more of the department head) and mom of two. From the get go, I could tell her marriage had 'issues.' It was obvious and although I sided with her, I also understand marriage is difficult and needs a lot of communication...something they were lacking! She's struggling with finances, getting along with her teenager, and the balance of working and being home for her kids...I get it! Almost any mother will relate to this story. You might not have the same relationships with your family..but guaranteed you know someone who does. You already know the premise...Cassie writes a book that really takes off...a risky romance...gotta love it! I don't want to give anything away. I almost finished this in one sitting because it was hard to put down...I really wanted to know what would happen next. This is more than just a fun book though; an incident happens at the half way mark (maybe more) that really tugs at the heartstrings. There are a few typos in this version (2017 publication); the book was republished in 2021. The typos were probably corrected, and I would have purchased that version had I seen it. None the less, it was an awesome purchase. It's an entertaining read with so many moments of 'Girl I feel ya.' Cassie is strong, not perfect, but she's a good mom with a big heart. The balance of characters are fabulous. Lots of clever humor. There are too many witty lines to mention. Seriously...I wish I highlighted them in my kindle. Five big stars from me. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
2 people found this helpful
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Lynne H Hefner
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, enjoyable read!
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2017
Verified Purchase
I truly enjoyed this book. This story is centered around a normal family with some serious communication issues . Everyone is functioning but barely. Cassie is a working Mom and wife and feels that her life is bit out of control with the usual struggles of how to get it all done.
One night while working late, Cassie has an idea - to write a romance novel. She writes at night in secret while her family sleeps. Writing this novel brings Cassie new energy and purpose. As it turns out, the book transforms her life in so many ways. Cassie's romance novel was not what I expected at all. It is way over the top and will make you laugh till you cry.
This is an insightful book with wonderful quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The humor that runs throughout the novel made this book a delight to read.
One person found this helpful
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Katie Anderson
4.0 out of 5 stars This is a fun read!
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2020
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This book is a quick and easy read with relatable characters with thoughts we all think but don't say. The relationships are genuine and will speak to anyone who has tried to balance parenting and working and having their own identity. Kudos to a relatively new author, who I think has a lot to say and will bring us more entertaining reads in years to come.
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Irena Barber
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read - I could hardly put it down
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2017
Verified Purchase
An excellent read - I could hardly put it down. The characters are complex and the plot has so many twists and turns that you stay on the edge of your chair. It was like reading 2 books - interesting concept for a book - the story unfolds as the writer, Cassie, is writing a romance novel. I found myself engrossed in Cassie's life and then living vicariously through the romance novel.....oh my! It was serious, funny and intriguing one chapter after another. Bravo! To the author.
Irena B
One person found this helpful
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Tricia Shimer
5.0 out of 5 stars What a great book! It brings in so many great story ...
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
What a great book! It brings in so many great story lines and is a book within a book. The book holds the reader's attention and it was tough to put down. I also loved that there really was not any predictability in the book. It had so many twists and turns it kept me wanting to keep reading to find out what was coming next. I am looking forward to her next book!!
One person found this helpful
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JC Elliott
5.0 out of 5 stars A funny, bittersweet read that will make you cheer for its characters!
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2017
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A clever novel from a structural standpoint, as well as from a plot line milieu. Love the racy Rosemary, and the secret joy Cassie feels as she dares to pen a novel that would make her colleagues blush! The over-arching theme that you can do anything you put your mind to and you just have to start comes through very skillfully in this funny, bittersweet, absolutely lovable novel.

What a wonderful life lesson for us all: dance like you mean it!
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