Release Date: May 22, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romantic
Suspense/Women’s Fiction
Heat Level: Steamy
AL Easton Author Interview for Dancing
Barefoot Release
Q: Where did you get the inspiration for
the title?
A: While writing this story, I listened to
a lot of U2. One of their songs is called
‘Dancing Barefoot’ where they sing of
spinning ceaselessly and losing gravity.
“Oh God I fell for you” is one of the
lyrics. It truly struck a chord within
me—no pun intended. In fact, I’ve
included the lyrics to the original Patti
Smith song on the dedication page of
the novel.
Q: What are the lyrics to ‘Dancing
Barefoot’? Could you share so we get a
sense of what inspired you?
A: You betcha! Here are the original
lyrics sung by Patti Smith, later redone
by U2.
Dancing Barefoot Song Lyrics (Patti
Smith)
She is benediction
She is addicted to thee
She is the root connection
She is connecting with he
Here I go and I don’t know why
I flow so ceaselessly
Could it be he’s taking over me
I’m dancing barefoot
Headin’ for a spin
Some strange music draws me in
It makes me come up like some heroine
She is sublimation
She is the essence of thee
She is concentrating on
He who is chosen by she
Here I go when I don’t know why
I spin so ceaselessly
Could it be he’s taking over me
I’m dancing barefoot
Headin’ for a spin
Some strange music drags me in
Makes me come up like some heroine
She is recreation
She intoxicated by thee
She has the slow sensation that
He is levitating with she
Here I go when I don’t know why
I spin so ceaselessly
‘Til I lose my sense of gravity
I’m dancing barefoot
Heading for a spin
Some strange music draws me in
Makes me come up like some heroine
Oh God I fell for you
Oh God I fell for you
Oh God I fell for you
Oh God I fell for you
Songwriters: Kral, Ivan / Smith, Patti
Q: Why did you feel compelled to write
this story?
A: The characters’ struggle with
learning to live according to their own
truth rather than being bound by
others’ expectations resonates with me
on a core level. As human beings, it is
easy to be caught up in someone else’s
life agenda and forget that we are here
with our own purpose. There were
times in my life when I became
consumed with putting other people’s
expectations above my own and that is
no way to live.
Q: What would you like people to take
away from this story?
A: We’re all unique and the status quo
doesn’t always serve us well. It’s
important to find what makes your
heart sing and pursue it even if it’s
scary as hell for you to take that leap.
Q: As an author, what is your main goal
when connecting with a reader?
A: Entertainment. Despite the nature of
some of my stories, such as human
trafficking in Reckless Endangerment or
breaking free of codependency/expectation in Dancing
Barefoot, my goal is to entertain the
reader. When someone tells me they
write ‘literary fiction’, I roll my eyes at
the pretentiousness of thinking that
entertainment genres like romance or
suspense are somehow ‘less than.’ I
want to entertain, to take the reader
into someone else’s world for awhile,
and to make them smile when they
turn that last page. The greatest
compliment I receive from a reader is
when they tell me that they didn’t want
the book to end. That’s when I know
I’ve done my job well.
Be good to yourself,
Amber Lea Easton
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea,
drink the wild air…”–Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Excerpt (appropriate for any audience)
Deep inside his chest, his heart stirred
with protectiveness. He didn’t want to