Phantom Moments: Introduction, Gaston Leroux - Phantom of the Opera and Phantom's Dance

So you all might know that I'm a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical and any retellings of it. This is in honor of that.

So let's start at the beginning with the book by Gaston Leroux. 

Yep. That's my copy of it. It's not my favorite cover ever but I like it because it looks like a painting.
I read the book in the summer of 2013 and loved it. I haven't read many classics but it's one of my favorites so far. I actually always regretted not reviewing the book. I think it's a bit hard to review classics because some are so well known but maybe I can use this as an excuse to re-read it sometime.

Here are two other covers that I love of the book:

For those of you who don't know (I can't imagine that many people don't...) The Phantom of the Opera was written by a frenchman and (obviously) written in french so the original title is: 

Le Fantôme de l'Opéra

I just love the sound of the title in french and I do know some french but I'm really not that good with it so I probably won't ever read it in the original language, sadly enough. 

About the author:

Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux was a French journalist and author of detective fiction.

In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, 1910), which has been made into several film and stage productions of the same name, such as the 1925 film starring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical. It was also the basis of the 1990 novelPhantom by Susan Kay.

Leroux went to school in Normandy and studied law in Paris, graduating in 1889. He inherited millions of francs and lived wildly until he nearly reached bankruptcy. Then in 1890, he began working as a court reporter and theater critic for L'Écho de Paris. His most important journalism came when he began working as an international correspondent for the Paris newspaper Le Matin. In 1905 he was present at and covered the Russian Revolution. Another case he was present at involved the investigation and deep coverage of an opera house in Paris, later to become a ballet house. The basement consisted of a cell that held prisoners in the Paris Commune, which were the rulers of Paris through much of the Franco-Prussian war.

He suddenly left journalism in 1907, and began writing fiction. In 1909, he and Arthur Bernède formed their own film company, Société des Cinéromans to simultaneously publish novels and turn them into films. He first wrote a mystery novel entitled Le mystère de la chambre jaune (1908; The Mystery of the Yellow Room), starring the amateur detective Joseph Rouletabille. Leroux's contribution to French detective fiction is considered a parallel to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's in the United Kingdom and Edgar Allan Poe's in America. Leroux died in Nice on April 15, 1927, of a urinary tract infection.

Let's talk about some of the retellings I know of Phantom of the Opera next.

I've read only three so far, but there are many many more out there. 

So let's start with my favorite one!

Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard

Not surprising this is my favorite Phantom retelling so far. The book is sweet yet dark at the same time. Readers who've read it will definitely know what I'm talking about. On the one hand we have Christine, who's a kind person, talented and a little naive and on the other hand we have Erik, who's mysterious, also talented but has a very dark side. And to top it all we have a great set of secondary characters like Raoul, Jenna and Van. 

More about the book:

Title: Phantom's Dance
Author: Lesa Howard
Publication: April 6th 2014 by Boot in the Door Publications

Christine Dadey's family uprooted their lives and moved to Houston for her to attend the prestigious Rousseau Academy of Dance. Now, two years later, Christine struggles to compete among the Academy's finest dancers, her parents are on the brink of divorce, and she's told no one about her debilitating performance anxiety and what she's willing to do to cope with it. Erik was a ballet prodigy, a savant, destined to be a star on the world's stage, but a suspicious fire left Erik's face horribly disfigured. Now, a lonely phantom forced to keep his scars hidden, he spends his nights haunting the theater halls, mourning all he's lost. Then, from behind the curtain he sees the lovely Christine. The moldable, malleable Christine. Drawn in by Erik's unwavering confidence, Christine allows herself to believe Erik's declarations that he can transform her into the dancer she longs to be. But Christine's hope of achieving her dreams may be her undoing when she learns Erik is not everything he claims. And before long, Erik's shadowy past jeopardizes Christine's unstable present as his obsession with her becomes hopelessly entangled with his plans for revenge. 

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo | Smashwords

Also available for audiobook on:

Audible

What other reviewers said about Phantom's Dance:

Kariny from Kariny's Teen Boox Frenzy

5 stars:

"The plot is extremely well written and there is a flow that will definitely keep you hooked "

Mishma
4 stars:

"Phantom's Dance is a captivating and beautiful story about ambitions and how dangerous obsessions can be."

Tiny's Reviews

4 stars:

"It was a refreshing version of the main story and it took place in the modern world. I can definitely recommend it!"

I'm not the typical author. I didn't always enjoy reading or writing. While in school, I found it to be a chore I'd just as soon skip. I would rather have been daydreaming, my favorite past time. It wasn’t until I grew up and didn’t have to, that I realized reading was fun. I soon discovered that reading fueled my daydreaming. So, remembering a short story I'd written in high school, I began imagining expanding that story into a book. Before long I found I had loads of ideas for not just the short story but other books and stories as well. Fast forward a few years, a lot of studying about writing, practicing my writing, studying some more, taking classes from people who knew what they were doing, studying and practicing yet more, and ta-dah, author! In the same way I had learned I loved reading, I learned I loved writing, too. It’s just that writing is a lot harder than reading.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Soooo... I really want to hear you guys' thoughts about this Phantom post. It's a bit different from what I usually post about I think. So please don't hesitate to comment. 

Do you love Phantom of the Opera too, whether it's the classic book, musical or anything else? Do you know any good retellings? Feel free to tell me!

And finally... there's so much more I was planning to include in this post. I planned to talk about the musicals and other things too but I realized this post would be way too long. So I'm going to make this a monthly thing until I have absolutely nothing to talk about about anything that concerns The Phantom of the Opera.

Also, you can win an e-copy of Phantom's Dance along with a book of choice from TBD on my new blog design giveaway here. Be sure to stop by!

Until next month! 

Phantom's Romance by Lesa Howard ~ Part 2: Following Christine

Today I'm sharing Phantom's Romance, part 1: Following Christine by Lesa Howard. For you who are not familiar with it, it's a scene from Phantom's Dance in Erik's POV just like I posted last week.

You can also find it on Lesa's Wattpad.

Phantom's Romance:

Part 2: Following Christine

The central lights are off now and a security guard is doing rounds, making sure the Wakefield Center is empty. But Christine is holed up in the main lobby restroom. Curiosity is killing me. I am dying to know what she is up to. Not that I am afraid she'll venture down to the basement and find my shelter, she has no reason to, but it's the adorable way she struggled with her decision to stay behind before descending to the lobby where she secreted away to hide in the lady's room. She had chewed her lip, fumbled with her handbag, and wiped her hands on her dress a half dozen times. Her inquisitive nature intrigues me. I doubt it's a side of her that her classmates or instructors ever see.

From behind one of the vestibule's massive wooden columns, I notice a female usher stroll to the restroom door and shove it open. "Anyone here? Closing time. Lights out." A few seconds pass and the usher turns off the restroom lights and walks away, tapping her black flashlight on her hip and whistling a tune from the ballet as she goes.

With my functioning eye, I peer around the column and count to myself. One, two, three… …twenty. Twenty seconds is all Christine can wait before opening the door and poking her head out. Not sure why, but I find her impatience cute. I ease back a bit when her gaze sweeps the grand room. Angling sideways, I can still look around but remain unseen.

When she is sure no one is near, Christine pulls the door ajar and it moans with a metallic grind. A worried frown creases her brow and she freezes in place, midway out of the exit. I draw in a breath, surprised by how amazing she looks paused there with one leg jutting through the half-open door. My gaze travels from her stiletto-clad foot up that long, slender leg to where the hem of her dress drapes across her powerfully strong thigh.

"Daaamn," I murmur then snap my mouth shut and whip my head back. Did she hear me? Surely she caught my crude outburst. Barely breathing, I strain to hear footsteps crossing the carpet or the velvet timbre of Christine's voice calling out. When neither happens, I take a chance and slip my head out an inch or two and release a soft sigh. She is outside the restroom but not moving toward me.

I allow myself one last look at her heavenly legs before she turns and practically skips down the hall to the passage that connects to the dressing rooms. I grin. Sneaky thing. She wants to prowl through the dance troupe's dressing rooms.

Hauling up my jacket hood, I tug it low over my forehead. It's too big so it fits like a shroud—which is why I wear it. Then I take out the mirrored aviators from the jacket pocket and slide them onto my face. I am taking no chances. If she should double back and catch me behind her, I don't want her to see my fused and fibrous flesh. Or worse, she might try to look me in the face and get lost in the dead opaque orb that used to be my left eye. With the sunglasses on she'd simply see her own beautiful face reflected back at her. Once the shades are on, I fall in behind her with light, silent steps.

A couple of times I have to dip into an adjoining hall when she slows as if listening for someone. Behind her like I am, I have an excellent view of her shapely, tight bottom swishing daintily under her swaying skirt. A thrilling sensation surges through me. It's the first time I've felt this alive since the fire, since I'd last danced.

When she halts in front of Claudette Sunderland's dressing room door, I slip quietly into the broom closet across the corridor a few doors down. It comes as no surprise that she goes to Claudette's room rather than the corps de ballets'. The corps is a stepping stone to the lead. Christine will be a principal dancer. She stands before the door, takes a deep breath, and raises her hand to tap her knuckles on the wood. She looks to her left and to her right, but I know she doesn't see me. She's not really expecting anyone to be here, especially in a utility closet. Her scrutiny is a sign of her excitement, her nerves.

After a second unanswered knock she lays a hand on the doorknob, caressing it gently she gives it a twist. This door is even louder than the lobby restroom door. It screeches like something from a horror flick. I can see Christine shiver, but the creepy wail doesn't stop her from moving forward and into the room.

"Mrs. Sunderland, are you there?" Christine's voice floats out of the room into the hallway.

Several moments pass and I decide to leave the security of my lookout. A few wall sconces bathe the passage in an eerie gray light, making my own shadow appear ominous.

As I near the open dressing room, I tilt my head to catch any sound coming from inside. I plaster myself against the wall and chance a quick look. The chamber is like every other principal dancer's dressing room with its dressing table and racks of costumes, vases of flowers and boxes of candy from devoted followers. It brings back memories of my childhood when my mother was…when she danced.

I swallow old memories, sad memories that threaten to rise up and possess me. Then I catch sight of Christine admiring the abundance of expensive costumes hanging on a garment rack, and the memories fade. Her hand rustles softly like butterfly wings over the chiffons and silks, while the crystals and rhinestones shimmer a muted light from the hallway onto her creamy skin, causing her to twinkle.

Christine abandons the costumes and walks over to the dressing table. A couple of rose-filled vases sit on one side of the table, while Claudette's makeup, hair accessories, and perfumes are on the other. Christine's fingers twitch at her side. She wants to touch Claudette's things. My own fingers twitch and burn with a growing desire to touch Christine.

She starts to back away and my stomach jumps to my throat. If I don't pull out now she may catch me. Then all of a sudden there's a silence-splitting crash from inside the room. I pitch about and bolt down the passageway without looking back. 

I'm not the typical author. I didn't always enjoy reading or writing. While in school, I found it to be a chore I'd just as soon skip. I would rather have been daydreaming, my favorite past time. It wasn’t until I grew up and didn’t have to, that I realized reading was fun. I soon discovered that reading fueled my daydreaming. So, remembering a short story I'd written in high school, I began imagining expanding that story into a book. Before long I found I had loads of ideas for not just the short story but other books and stories as well. Fast forward a few years, a lot of studying about writing, practicing my writing, studying some more, taking classes from people who knew what they were doing, studying and practicing yet more, and ta-dah, author! In the same way I had learned I loved reading, I learned I loved writing, too. It’s just that writing is a lot harder than reading.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Purchase Phantom's Dance on:

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo | Smashwords

Don't hesitate to leave a comment telling us what you think of the scene!

NetGalley Promo: Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard

Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard is on NetGalley!

So Phantom's Dance is on NetGalley! =D

To request it just press the little green button and it will take you to the page on NetGalley. 

And below you'll find more information about the book and author!

 

Title: Phantom's Dance
Author: Lesa Howard
Publication: April 6th 2014 by Boot in the Door Publications

--

"A surprisingly dark take on the traditional Phantom of the Opera." 

Christine Dadey's family uprooted their lives and moved to Houston for her to attend the prestigious Rousseau Academy of Dance. Now, two years later, Christine struggles to compete among the Academy's finest dancers, her parents are on the brink of divorce, and she's told no one about her debilitating performance anxiety and what she's willing to do to cope with it. Erik was a ballet prodigy, a savant, destined to be a star on the world's stage, but a suspicious fire left Erik's face horribly disfigured. Now, a lonely phantom forced to keep his scars hidden, he spends his nights haunting the theater halls, mourning all he's lost. Then, from behind the curtain he sees the lovely Christine. The moldable, malleable Christine. Drawn in by Erik's unwavering confidence, Christine allows herself to believe Erik's declarations that he can transform her into the dancer she longs to be. But Christine's hope of achieving her dreams may be her undoing when she learns Erik is not everything he claims. And before long, Erik's shadowy past jeopardizes Christine's unstable present as his obsession with her becomes hopelessly entangled with his plans for revenge. 

What other reviewers said about Phantom's Dance:

Talina - Sassy And Dangerous (5 stars):

"The author created a beautifully written modern day retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, and I loved it."

Esper Mammon (4 stars):

"Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard is a gripping retelling of the unforgettable classic Phantom of th Opera by Gaston Leroux."

Kirsty - All In One Place (4 stars):

"Lesa Howard shows an extensive knowledge of ballet, although her author's notes reveal that she has never danced, but this adds to the authenticity of Phantom's Dance."

I'm not the typical author. I didn't always enjoy reading or writing. While in school, I found it to be a chore I'd just as soon skip. I would rather have been daydreaming, my favorite past time. It wasn’t until I grew up and didn’t have to, that I realized reading was fun. I soon discovered that reading fueled my daydreaming. So, remembering a short story I'd written in high school, I began imagining expanding that story into a book. Before long I found I had loads of ideas for not just the short story but other books and stories as well. Fast forward a few years, a lot of studying about writing, practicing my writing, studying some more, taking classes from people who knew what they were doing, studying and practicing yet more, and ta-dah, author! In the same way I had learned I loved reading, I learned I loved writing, too. It’s just that writing is a lot harder than reading.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Click to request!

Phantom's Romance by Lesa Howard ~ Part 1: Alone

Today I'm sharing Phantom's Romance, part 1: Alone by Lesa Howard. For you who are not familiar with it, it's a scene from Phantom's Dance in Erik's POV. I really love it!

You can also find it on Lesa's Wattpad.

Phantom's Romance:

Part 1: Alone

She's attending the ballet tonight. I watch her from my hiding place in the theater balcony. Her pink satin dress is cut low in the back, exposing her delicate neck and perfect spine. The sandals on her feet accentuate her toned dancer's legs. She's alone. Alone. Who would leave someone that beautiful to attend the ballet alone?

Romeo and Juliet unfolds magically on stage and Christine is lost in the performance. She stares transfixed at the company of ballet dancers and her face reveals much about her love of the art. Her brow tightens when she locks her gaze on Claudette Sunderland's feet, as if committing the woman's steps to memory. And when she bites her lower lip, I know she's comparing herself to Claudette, the principal dancer playing Juliet. I know this because I've compared myself to other dancers time and time again.

I have to clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle a chuckle when she sways with the music and even rises slightly in her seat as Romeo lifts Juliet over his head. She holds her breath, exhaling and settling back into her chair when it's clear the lift is a success.

Christine is a gifted dancer. The problem is she doesn't know it. Which comes as no surprise considering the inept teachers at the Rousseau Academy, especially Elaina Hahn. I wonder if the old bat knows her students refer to her as Attila the Hahn behind her back.

But whether it's repertory, pointe class, or technique none of the idiots there recognize what they have in Christine, the able dancer she is. Naturally agile, she's a born ballerina. It's easy to see, though, that something holds her back. She's eager to please her instructors, which comes across needy. But there's more and I struggle to put my finger on it. Something more than overbearing instructors and jealous classmates inhibits her and feeds her insecurities. I get that. I totally get being ignored for someone else. Maybe that's why I couldn't keep my freaking mouth shut when I saw her the other night.

I'd followed that annoying brat Evander, the one they all call a ballet prodigy, into the theater to see what he was sticking his nose into again. She'd followed him, too. But she's not as good as I am at tracking, and when Evander realized she'd pursued him, he sneaked out through the building's front entry. Satisfied he'd not be finding my sanctuary in the basement, I almost left, as well. Then she stepped onto the stage.

From behind the curtain, I'd watched her. She played like a child, flitting and flying around the stage on the tips of her toes. Unabashedly laughing and giggling. It was adorable. She was adorable. But when she checked her posture in the shadows on the dance floor, I knew immediately what she needed. So I spoke out and told her to stop checking her form all the time. If she insisted on worrying about technique, she'd never be able to freely express herself in her art.

After her initial shock at hearing me from behind the curtains, she took my comments as criticism and grew defensive. It irritated her further that I wouldn't come out on stage. Not having thought things through, I didn't know what to say when she asked why I stayed hidden. I couldn't exactly tell her that I resembled a sideshow freak who'd send mothers and babies shrieking if seen in the light of day. So I let her believe I was a theater employee.

She blew me off when I said I could help her, which was a good thing because I was sweating bullets. I mean how stupid was I, offering to tutor her. It would be impossible for me to be on stage with her. Talk about Beauty and the Beast. So she left that night and went home to her comfortable apartment and loving family, while I skulked back downstairs to my monster's lair in the basement boiler room.

Romeo and Juliet is over now and she stands with the crowd as they ready to leave. Then oddly she sits down again, rises halfway as if to stand, and then appears to make up her mind about something and drops back into the seat. Immediately, I know what she is doing.

"You're hanging back to snoop around, arent' you ballerina?" I mumble to myself. And in spite of the pull and draw of my melted cheek, I smile a crooked smile. "We're alike, Christine Dadey. We know what we want and we go after it."

I'm not the typical author. I didn't always enjoy reading or writing. While in school, I found it to be a chore I'd just as soon skip. I would rather have been daydreaming, my favorite past time. It wasn’t until I grew up and didn’t have to, that I realized reading was fun. I soon discovered that reading fueled my daydreaming. So, remembering a short story I'd written in high school, I began imagining expanding that story into a book. Before long I found I had loads of ideas for not just the short story but other books and stories as well. Fast forward a few years, a lot of studying about writing, practicing my writing, studying some more, taking classes from people who knew what they were doing, studying and practicing yet more, and ta-dah, author! In the same way I had learned I loved reading, I learned I loved writing, too. It’s just that writing is a lot harder than reading.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Purchase Phantom's Dance on:

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo | Smashwords

Don't hesitate to leave a comment telling us what you think of the scene!

Also if you don't have Phantom's Dance yet, you can win it on this giveaway!

Audiobook Spotlight: Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard + Giveaway! (INT)

Welcome to my spotlight of the audiobook of Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard.

Scroll down to check out the info about the audiobook and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Title: Phantom's Dance

Author: Lesa Howard

Narrator: Kai Kennicott

 Published: October 2nd 2014 by Boot in the Door Publications

Lenght: 8 hrs and 30 min

Christine Dadey's family uprooted their lives and moved to Houston for her to attend the prestigious Rousseau Academy of Dance. Now, two years later, Christine struggles to compete among the Academy's finest dancers, her parents are on the brink of divorce, and she's told no one about her debilitating performance anxiety and what she's willing to do to cope with it. Erik was a ballet prodigy, a savant, destined to be a star on the world's stage, but a suspicious fire left Erik's face horribly disfigured. Now, a lonely phantom forced to keep his scars hidden, he spends his nights haunting the theater halls, mourning all he's lost. Then, from behind the curtain he sees the lovely Christine. The moldable, malleable Christine. Drawn in by Erik's unwavering confidence, Christine allows herself to believe Erik's declarations that he can transform her into the dancer she longs to be. But Christine's hope of achieving her dreams may be her undoing when she learns Erik is not everything he claims. And before long, Erik's shadowy past jeopardizes Christine's unstable present as his obsession with her becomes hopelessly entangled with his plans for revenge. 

Audible | Amazon

What reviewers said about the Phantom's Dance audiobook:

Creating Serenity Reviews:

"I loved her (Christine) voice when I read this but somehow Kai Kennicott was able to add in an extra depth..."

"I know some people who would prefer to listen and some who would prefer to read. Either way the story is fantastic. I prefer audio and was very excited to get to listen."

Bookfever (me):

"I would listen to it again because at moments it was thrilling, sweet, scary and funny."

"I loved all the voices she (Kai Kennicott) did with the story. They were all different from one another, so I think she did a fantastic job."

Prize:

One audiobook of Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard

Check giveaway's terms and conditions for more information below.

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