Patricia Bowman-Stein, a former professional ballet dancer turned acclaimed author, has released The Girl On Pointe: Passion & Deceit, Book Two, a gripping novel that plunges readers into the fierce and glamorous ballet scene of 1960s New York City.
Drawing from her own rich experiences on and off the stage, Bowman-Stein crafts a tale where passion, ambition, love, and dangerous secrets collide in a world as demanding as the dance itself.
At the heart of the novel is seventeen-year-old ballet prodigy Sarah Rothman, whose ascent to stardom is jeopardized when Yuri Konstantinov—a world-renowned danseur and recent defector from the U.S.S.R.—is accused of attempted murder. Amidst scandal and intrigue, Sarah must navigate fierce rivalry within her company, the pressures of love with her powerful attorney boyfriend David Katz, and haunting visions that threaten her sanity.
“The mid-1960s was a transformative era for ballet,” Bowman-Stein explained in a recent interview. “Many of the events in this story reflect what shaped my own life and those around me.” She references the real-life 1963 defection of a male Russian dancer in Paris, a pivotal moment that rippled through the ballet world during that era.
Bowman-Stein’s own journey mirrors the resilience and dedication she portrays in her protagonist. After a flourishing career as a New York City ballet dancer was cut short by arthritis, she reinvented herself in theater and television, working as an Equity Union Stage Manager on Broadway and later transitioning to script supervision and journalism in Los Angeles. She also earned accolades in advertising, including winning the Alaska Airlines Jingle Contest.
Her literary career took off with the award-winning The Girl on Pointe: The Ballerina, Book One, which skillfully blends suspense and romance in the world of ballet. Passion & Deceit, Book Two continues the series’ momentum with vivid storytelling that captures both the exhilaration and the sacrifices of a dancer’s life.
Beyond the glitz and glamour, Bowman-Stein’s work delves into deeper themes of love, loss, and the complexity of human relationships, shaped in part by her own experiences of marriage, widowhood, and the relentless pursuit of artistic dreams.
“The Girl On Pointe is about the relentless dedication and sacrifice of a young dancer,” Bowman-Stein shared. “I want readers to truly feel the sweat, tears, and unspoken challenges of pursuing such a demanding dream.”
Currently, Bowman-Stein is working on the third installment of the series, promising to take readers from New York to the romantic and perilous stages of Paris.
Active in the literary community, Bowman-Stein is a member of Sisters in Crime, Willamette Writers, LARA, and Romance Writers of America, often participating in notable events like the Los Angeles Festival of Books.
The Girl On Pointe: Passion & Deceit, Book Two is available now for readers eager to step into the dazzling yet dangerous world of ballet’s golden age.
