Tap Dancing at the Bluebird: A Novel

“An epic novel about lives intertwined, unraveled, and re-woven, driven by the power of dance that shapes and transforms personal histories.” –Kimi Okada, Tony Award-nominated Choreographer, Dancer, Director of ODC School “Kip and Mattie’s story crosses time and distance to weave a beautiful and deeply moving portrait of both a nation in flux and of personal resilience.” –Sheri T. Joseph, author of Edge of the Known World, a USA Today Booklist best-seller and Winner of the 2024 American Fiction Awards for Best New Fiction In a coming-of-age story, young Mattie and Kip tap dance and ride the rails during the Great Depression. Separated by a perceived betrayal and a train crash, the two friends lose each other for a lifetime. At 99, Mattie recalls the roving youth who set her life in motion and confides her deepest regrets to her granddaughter, who discovers lessons in the past for present challenges. With rhythms of tap, modern, and social dancing, the novel’s cadence draws readers through a century of change in America, bringing us to wonder if our two dancers might ever see each other again. The story turns upon the uplifting question: Is there still time, in this lifetime, to love and forgive? About the Author Christine Walker has an MFA in Writing and Literature in Fiction from the Bennington Writing Seminars and an MA in Creative Arts Interdisciplinary from San Francisco State University. A visual artist, she is also the author of “A Painter’s Garden: Cultivating the Creative Life” (Warner Books), a consultant in design and strategic visual facilitation with corporations and nonprofits, and a writing teacher.