The spark for Dance Among the Flames ignited decades ago while writing a screenplay set in Brazil. Being a mixed-race person from multi-cultural Hawaii, I resonated with Brazilian history and spiritualism. I foraged through libraries, dove into the internet, and flew to Rio De Janeiro where the family of my son’s Brazilian preschool teacher welcomed me with open arms.
During this time, Yansã and Yemanjá settled into my spirit and infused me with their strength and compassion. Those same qualities were reflected in many of the gods and goddesses I had already connected with in my own Chinese heritage and Japanese ninja studies. Growing up in Hawaii, I also had great respect for our native traditions and spiritual beliefs. This, combined with my parents’ Catholic and Lutheran upbringings, made Brazil’s blend of East, West, and Indigenous feel natural and empowering.
Long before the Lily Wong mystery-thriller series or my shorter works in horror, fantasy, dystopian, and suspense, I was haunted by the story of a priest, a witch, and a boy reincarnated into a Quimbanda priestess, a California artist, and the granddaughter who bound them together. I saw their visions, heard their voices, and struggled through their quest for empowerment, freedom, redemption, and revenge.
In Dance Among the Flames, I strove to illuminate the insidious horror of psychological and physical abuse as well as issues of racial inequity and toxic emotional baggage. I endeavored to explore these issues from a variety of angles to show the light in darkness and the darkness in light.
There were many ways to tell this epic tale, and over the years, I tried them all. In the end, Serafina had her way. She tore at my heart, seduced me with her magic, and stunned me with the depth of her depravity and vengeance. If her journey from good to evil evoked strong emotions, challenged perceptions, and took my readers on a wildly imaginative ride, then I accomplished my goal.
Thank you for reading and for sharing the experience. I’d love to hear from you! Visit my website to send me a message and learn about my Lily Wong mystery-thriller series, the anthologies with my shorter works, and the book club page with discussion questions, recipes, and more. You can also subscribe to my muse-letter for insider news, a free thriller short story, and giveaways. Find it all on my website: ToriEldridge.com.
With thanks and aloha,
Tori