Name: Book Debut - The Dancer and the Swan
Start: 2025-09-18T18:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-09-18T20:00:00-05:00
Location: The Local Store & Volume One Gallery

Join James L. Peters at The Local Store in downtown Eau Claire for the debut of his 4th novel, The Dancer and the Swan. There will be readings from the novel, as well as a question and answer session.
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Early reviews of The Dancer and the Swan:
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“A moving story of friendship, family, and recovery.”
- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“…a journey defined by elegance and raw emotion … subtle delights embedded in a well-told story …”
- Janice P. Kehler, Wisconsin Writers Association
“Deborah Deneaux … is unforgettable. Her story… is so layered and rich …”
- Literary Titan (5-star review)
“A beautifully executed book … (it) oozes charm and inspired storytelling ... Captivating and incredibly moving ...”
- Alice Bennett, Reedsy (five-star review)
Peters’ 3rd novel, Fortune Falls, was voted a “Best Local Book Released in the Last Year” by Volume One’s Best of the Valley Reader Poll.
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About The Dancer and the Swan:
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Deborah Deneaux is dying...but hospice volunteer Pauline Swanson won’t let DeeDee’s story die with her.
What drove DeeDee from her beloved 1960’s New Orleans Creole neighborhood to begin anew in turbulent 1970s San Francisco? What became of her brother after he joined the Black Panthers? How did she end up a single mother in Chicago and retire as a successful business owner?
And most of all—why is her relationship with her son, Raymond, so painfully broken?
As Pauline pieces together DeeDee’s remarkable life, she’s forced to confront her own. A recovering alcoholic haunted by childhood trauma, Pauline finds strength in DeeDee’s resilience—strength she’ll need when her own past resurfaces and she’s forced to face what has haunted her dreams.