SPOILERS! Questions About the Midnight Dancers...

This post is for those who've already read the book The Midnight Dancers and who have questions about it. If you're a member of the Fairy Tale Forum (which I recommend: it's free, safe, moderated, and a lot of fun) you can ask your question there (and I've already answered some in the Midnight Dancers area). But for those who can't join or haven't joined, feel free to ask away.

I'll start out by posting the answers to two common questions:

Q: Where can I find the fairy tale this novel is based on, "The Twelve Dancing Princesses?"

A: On the book's website, I've posted the fairy tale here, courtesy of Sur La Lune Fairy Tales, which has excellent annotated versions of many popular fairy tales. In my novel I borrowed elements from both the original Grimm's (which I prefer) and the French version (with a garden-boy as the hero) of which I am less fond.

Q: When will the book be available in hardcover?

A: I hope to have it available for the Christmas season, so hopefully by the fall. I'll be posting on the website about it when it is available. It will most likely be the same price as the hardcover of Shadow of the Bear: $25.00.

Comments

Grace K. said…
Hey Regina! cfa83 from the forum here!

I tagged you over on my blog. http://wwwmyspareoom.blogspot.com/

I tagged Ben too! :)
Anonymous said…
Is The Midnight Dancers going to be for sale at other bookstores besides Lulu?
Thanks!
~Mae
Anonymous said…
AAHhhhh!!! It's out already!!omg!!I HAVE to get it!

~~gem~~In God We Trust
regina doman said…
Q; Is The Midnight Dancers going to be for sale at other bookstores besides Lulu?

A: Yes! Your local bookstore can order it by contacting us (email andrew@reginadoman.com) and ordering copies. Many Catholic bookstores have been doing this.
Elizabeth said…
If Paul is number seven of eight kids, why does he have two younger siblings? (Jerry in The Midnight Dancers, and Annie in Waking Rose.)
regina doman said…
That was a typo! Thanks to smart readers like you, we caught it and it's now changed. Now Annie answers the phone when Paul calls, and Jerry is gone.
Anonymous said…
Awwwww! Poor Jerry! ;)
Anonymous said…
Does Linette have chamaleon eyes too? The reason I ask, is because I noticed in the first description of Linette, it said she had large brown eyes. But later on, after Rachael tells the sisters the lie about Paul she made, it says something along the lines of "Linette's large blue eyes filled up with tears." (pg. 158 I think) I was just wondering.
Elizabeth said…
Um I feel sort of bad bringing up another typo, and this one isn't even that big of a deal, but still...
In the beginning Paul notices that the Durhams don't have a TV, but near the end when he's visiting them again it says the younger children were watching a video.
Anonymous said…
Did Alan ever get his CD back?
Anonymous said…
Do you think you could write a book on Debbie and/or Melanie? I really like them and I think they could/should have a really good story. Also, will you be writing any other books on Paul and Rachael? I'd love to see how their relationship progresses!!
Peace and Joy!!
Gracie
Anonymous said…
Regina...where are you?

<><
Anonymous said…
What was the music that Paul was playing on the rock right before the mermaid scene?

~Ann~
regina doman said…
Hi guys,
So sorry, sometimes I can't get around to answering posts, as you can tell! So sorry!

For information about Debbie or Melanie or further Paul-Rachel books, join the Fairy Tale Novel Fan Forum where I discuss all of the above in the Q&A area ("And Everything Else" or under the title of each book).

I imagine that the music that Paul was playing on the rock before the mermaid scene was similiar to the flute music played by my friend Nick, who was one of the models for Paul. One of these days I have to ask him what band played that flute music - it was some offbeat band that I had nevertheless heard of before.
Anonymous said…
I know this is probably a weird question, but do any of the Durham girls play instruments? Just wondering.

-Tatiana
regina doman said…
I'm not sure, but I'm willing to guess that at the time of the events in the Midnight Dancers, none of them did, at least very well. (The older Fendelman girls probably had some piano lessons.)But they all sang in the choir.
Tatiana said…
Would you ever consider doing a book where the Briar and Durham girls meet each other and you (as the author of course) tell about their adventures together?

Oh, another question totally off the topic. At the end of "The Midnight Dancers" when Rachel asks her father if she can go to Mass with Paul, did plan on her converting to Catholic? Just wondering. (I guess that seems to be the most used phrase on your blog.)

-Tatiana

P.S. Thanks for answering my question. I know how busy you are as a mother of six. I have three siblings and I know how crazy it can get, but in a good way.

You and your family will be in my prayers. Thanks again for writing such wonderful books!
regina doman said…
Q: Would you ever consider doing a book where the Briar and Durham girls meet each other and you (as the author of course) tell about their adventures together?

A: Good idea -- I'll have to consider it!

Q: Oh, another question totally off the topic. At the end of "The Midnight Dancers" when Rachel asks her father if she can go to Mass with Paul, did you plan on her converting to Catholic?

A: I don't want to make promises about what Rachel was thinking or planning at this point: I have to write the sequel first before I'll know.

Thanks for the questions!
Tatiana said…
I can't wait for the sequel!!! I'm soooo excited!
Lady of Sacra Cor said…
I just finished reading MD, and I LOVED it!!!! Paul is awesome!!! You do such a good job with your heroes, Regina! Will you be doing a sequel to MD? I can't wait for the next Fairy Tale novel to come out!!!
Jane said…
I LOVE Midnight Dancers,esp. the talk paul gives to Rachel in chapter 10, but I'm confused. Is Paul practicing some sort of centering prayer in chapter 7 and 21? I think this would be unacceptable for a Catholic. http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1997/9711fea1.asp
regina doman said…
Hi Rebecca,

When Paul "centers" himself before beginning to exercise, he's not doing what's known as "centering prayer."

Probably what confused you was that Paul begins his daily aikido exercises with a formal prayer to the Holy Spirit, but what he's doing after that isn't really prayer, but physical exercises--stretching, grabbing, etc.

So he really isn't attempting any kind of prayer, let alone centering prayer, apart from the general sense of "whatever you do in word or deed, let it be for the praise of Christ Jesus," as St. Paul says.

I asked my two martial arts consultants who helped me write that scene about the term centering, and they replied,

Nick: "I will say that meditation, or centering, in aikido is removing distractions from one's mind and awareness to prepare one's self for action."

Andy: "I agree with Nick. Centering oneself in the martial arts generally refers to some attempt at closing out distractions and, for lack of better terminology, paying better attention to what you are about to attempt."

Hope this helps! Thanks for asking!
Peace and good
Regina

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