Ciscoe’s Dance will transport you to the fictional world of Kammbia, where a new adventure is about to begin. The latest novel from popular author Marion Hill is an escape into an alternate universe, one in which magic can indeed happen.

Professional dancers Ciscoe and Latisha Maldonado have been happily married for 16 years. During that time, they have earned a good living performing at the finest nightclubs in Walter’s Grove’s famous Roxie & Penelope District.

Performing traditional dances to the city’s treasured Guanamamma music, they’re the opening act for the evening, readying partygoers for an evening out on the town. All goes well until Piccanta music, the latest trend, springs onto the scene.

A modern style of music with its own style of dancing, Piccanta music threatens to eclipse the old ways — and with them, the traditional Guanamamma dancers and musicians. Crowds at Ciscoe and Latisha’s performances dwindle as people flock to Piccanta clubs.

But certainly, Ciscoe and Latisha thought, the Festival of Josette will remain true to its roots and include Guanamamma performers among its featured acts. After all, the festival has been a Walter’s Grove tradition for years. Why wouldn’t the year's major festival include performances of the city’s cultural treasure?

The festival’s organizers thought otherwise. When Ciscoe and Latisha heard that their act had been dropped from the festival lineup, their hopes were dashed. It seemed as if their world was coming to an end. Where could they perform? Will they — and their beloved Guanamamma music — become a relic of the past? And worse, will this treasured tradition be lost forever to the people of Walter’s Grove?

Then, intrigue enters the picture. Ciscoe will learn that his past impacts his future. A woman’s scorn cuts deeper than he could have imagined. How will this affect his marriage? And will this woman’s bitterness devastate his career?

But then, a connection from a new group holds out promise. Will this group coalesce into a fan base that will give traditional Guanamamma dancing and music a new birth in the city of its origin? And, to Ciscoe’s surprise, once-hidden family ties will reveal themselves from a connection he has known for a long time.

Ciscoe’s Dance celebrates the symbiotic connection between music and dance and how it created a city. As the first book of Hill’s Dance & Listen series, this novel carries with it the promise of more adventures to come.

Marion Hill

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