“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.
Praise for Tap Dancing at the Bluebird
“Beautifully rendered, Tap Dancing at the Bluebird is a heartfelt evocation of time, place and family with prose that shimmers and characters that resonate across the generations. Walker manages to capture both the desperation and hope of those who endured the Great Depression and the profound place of memory and longing in bringing those stories alive for contemporary audiences. In Mattie, the story’s fearless narrator, Walker has drawn an unforgettable character who will live with you long after you have closed ‘Bluebird’s’ pages.” —Ken Wells, author of Meely LaBauve and Swamped!
“I like the way [Christine] captures how every little thing matters and how a person of goodwill and heart can get through difficult times so much better than a self-centered person. The entire novel with the re- found love reminds me of a Shakespearean plot. We do believe in it because the author and characters compel us to.” —Barbara Baer, author of The Ice Palace Waltz and The Ballet Lover
“Tap Dancing at the Bluebird is a very satisfying story. I stayed interested to the end. Love, love, love these characters. I wanted to keep reading...didn’t want the story to end.” —Marlene Cullen, Editor of The Write Spot anthologies and host of The Writers Forum
“From the very beginning, I was interested in finding out Kip and Mattie’s story. I really felt the precarious times for people during the depression. Great descriptions of tap dancing! I could visualize and also hear the actual tapping.” —Susan Hillery, Library Specialist, Sonoma County Library
