Dancing in the white room is slang for skiing or boarding in deep powder snow. The dancer is PD Bell, one of the best extreme skiers on the planet. Mallory Prescott, the woman who lives with him and loves him, is used to Bell’s exploits. A patrol woman at Whiteface Mountain near Lake Placid, New York, Mallory is no stranger to risk, but this time Bell is taking on the West Rib of Denali, highest and most dangerous mountain in North America. It’s a descent that has never been done, though it’s been tried. Five years ago, Bell had tried it. The attempt nearly killed him. Five years ago, he promised Mallory he wouldn’t try again.
Over the six weeks in which he’s gone, Mallory begins to question her relationship with Bell. Does he really love her? Is he in it for the duration? What has loving him cost her? Should she have chosen her to marry her high school sweetheart, Creche Crèche, who remains her dearest friend? Mallory’s choices are thrown into stark relief when her daughter Emily takes a terrible fall. She faces the biggest challenge in her life as she works her way through a maze of uncharted territory at a hospital mile from home.
Dancing in the White Room is the story of the love we keep, the price we pay for that love, and the forgiveness it takes to hold on to what is precious.
Over the six weeks in which he’s gone, Mallory begins to question her relationship with Bell. Does he really love her? Is he in it for the duration? What has loving him cost her? Should she have chosen her to marry her high school sweetheart, Creche Crèche, who remains her dearest friend? Mallory’s choices are thrown into stark relief when her daughter Emily takes a terrible fall. She faces the biggest challenge in her life as she works her way through a maze of uncharted territory at a hospital mile from home.
Dancing in the White Room is the story of the love we keep, the price we pay for that love, and the forgiveness it takes to hold on to what is precious.
Skiing was a big part of my younger self's life and, in writing this book, I conjured up a lot of wonderful memories about those times. But I don't think you have to be a skier to like the book. It is, first and foremost, a love story, about the worth of a relationship and the cost of holding on to what the heart finds precious.
I hope you'll love these characters as much as I do.
I hope you'll love these characters as much as I do.
Reviews for Dancing in the White Room
Five Stars from Reader's Favorite
"Ute Carbone has skillfully written a highly enjoyable story filled with realistic circumstances and emotions, making it appealing to many different types of readers. The story itself has a transitional tone to it, popping from past to present, making it intriguing and entertaining, making the reader eager to read more." Michelle Robertson for Reader's Favorite
"Ute Carbone has skillfully written a highly enjoyable story filled with realistic circumstances and emotions, making it appealing to many different types of readers. The story itself has a transitional tone to it, popping from past to present, making it intriguing and entertaining, making the reader eager to read more." Michelle Robertson for Reader's Favorite
Five Stars from InDTale
"Carbone's story immerses the reader in the story and doesn't let 'em come up for air until the last page. "Gasping for air" Oh yeah. It's that good." Sofia St. Angleles, InDTale Magazine
"Carbone's story immerses the reader in the story and doesn't let 'em come up for air until the last page. "Gasping for air" Oh yeah. It's that good." Sofia St. Angleles, InDTale Magazine
Four out of Four Stars from Online Book Club
"We run the gauntlet of emotions in reading this book. You truly feel for Mallory, and the decision she has to make isn't an easy one to decide on. We get to experience every side of Mallory that there is, as a lover, mother, friend, daughter, and her own individual personality as well. " Paliden, Online Book Review
"We run the gauntlet of emotions in reading this book. You truly feel for Mallory, and the decision she has to make isn't an easy one to decide on. We get to experience every side of Mallory that there is, as a lover, mother, friend, daughter, and her own individual personality as well. " Paliden, Online Book Review
Dancing in the White Room Playlist
click on song to watch on you tube
Shotgun Down the Avalanche
Shawn Colvin
Love is Long Road
Tom Petty
Honey Don't Think
Grant Lee Buffalo
You Had Time
Ani DiFranco
Take Me Home
After Midnight Project
Dangerous
Fono
click on song to watch on you tube
Shotgun Down the Avalanche
Shawn Colvin
Love is Long Road
Tom Petty
Honey Don't Think
Grant Lee Buffalo
You Had Time
Ani DiFranco
Take Me Home
After Midnight Project
Dangerous
Fono
Dancing in the White Room Extras
The ABC of Ski Talk
Dancing in the White Room is set in and around skiing. The sport, like almost any other activity you can think of, has its own terminology. Here’s a primer to get you started.
A is for Alpine—Alpine skiing is another word for downhill skiing. It’s usually done at a ski area with lifts and tows.
B is for Bunny Slope—The easiest run down the hill, the place where beginners learn to ski.
C is for Couloirs—A French word meaning ‘corridor’ a couloirs is a very steep and narrow run, usually through a gully (or chute) with rocks on either side
D is for Dixie—a slang term for taking a fall.
E is for Edge—The sharp metal strip on the side of the ski used for carving turns. Skiers set the edge to the snow and then hold the edge to make a turn.
F is for Fall Line—The most direct line down a trail, if you fall, you will slide in this direction.
G is for Glade—a trail through trees
H is for Herringbone—climbing uphill with skis in a V- shape to keep from sliding backwards. Doing this makes a herringbone pattern in the snow.
I is for In- bounds—Inside the boundaries of a ski area or resort (as opposed to out –of- bounds)
J is for J-Bar—a kind of ski lift shaped like a j, that pushes the skier up the hill
K is for Kicker—A wedge-shaped jump used in aerial skiing
L is for Liftie—a slang term for a ski lift operator
M is for Mogul—Bumps in the snow, commonly caused by skiers turns, although they can be manufactured to make a mogul field or mogul run.
N is for Nordic—a term for cross-country skiing. Nordic skis have bindings that allow the heel to lift off the ski.
O is for Off-Piste—backcountry skiing on areas not marked by a trail map.
P is for Powder—Light, fluffy snow, which makes for the best ski conditions.
Q is for Quad—a chairlift that can carry four people.
R is for Runout—a relatively flat area at the bottom of a run that allows racers to slow down.
S is for Snowplow—a beginner’s technique for slowing down and turning by putting the tips of the skis close together and the backs apart to create a wedge. Also called a pizza.
T is for Traverse—skiing across the hill in a zig-zag pattern.
U is for Uphill—okay, this is cheating, as uphill isn’t really a ski term. Though, I’d guess it could be used.
V is for Vertical Drop—The distance between the base of the mountain and the peak.
W is for White Room—a slang term used to describe deep powder snow. Dancing in the White Room, means skiing through deep powder.
X—has no ski terms
Y is for Yard Sale—a slang term for a crash where the skier’s (or boarder’s) gear ends up scattered over the slope.
Z is for Zipper Line- a slang term for the fastest route through a mogul field.
Dancing in the White Room is set in and around skiing. The sport, like almost any other activity you can think of, has its own terminology. Here’s a primer to get you started.
A is for Alpine—Alpine skiing is another word for downhill skiing. It’s usually done at a ski area with lifts and tows.
B is for Bunny Slope—The easiest run down the hill, the place where beginners learn to ski.
C is for Couloirs—A French word meaning ‘corridor’ a couloirs is a very steep and narrow run, usually through a gully (or chute) with rocks on either side
D is for Dixie—a slang term for taking a fall.
E is for Edge—The sharp metal strip on the side of the ski used for carving turns. Skiers set the edge to the snow and then hold the edge to make a turn.
F is for Fall Line—The most direct line down a trail, if you fall, you will slide in this direction.
G is for Glade—a trail through trees
H is for Herringbone—climbing uphill with skis in a V- shape to keep from sliding backwards. Doing this makes a herringbone pattern in the snow.
I is for In- bounds—Inside the boundaries of a ski area or resort (as opposed to out –of- bounds)
J is for J-Bar—a kind of ski lift shaped like a j, that pushes the skier up the hill
K is for Kicker—A wedge-shaped jump used in aerial skiing
L is for Liftie—a slang term for a ski lift operator
M is for Mogul—Bumps in the snow, commonly caused by skiers turns, although they can be manufactured to make a mogul field or mogul run.
N is for Nordic—a term for cross-country skiing. Nordic skis have bindings that allow the heel to lift off the ski.
O is for Off-Piste—backcountry skiing on areas not marked by a trail map.
P is for Powder—Light, fluffy snow, which makes for the best ski conditions.
Q is for Quad—a chairlift that can carry four people.
R is for Runout—a relatively flat area at the bottom of a run that allows racers to slow down.
S is for Snowplow—a beginner’s technique for slowing down and turning by putting the tips of the skis close together and the backs apart to create a wedge. Also called a pizza.
T is for Traverse—skiing across the hill in a zig-zag pattern.
U is for Uphill—okay, this is cheating, as uphill isn’t really a ski term. Though, I’d guess it could be used.
V is for Vertical Drop—The distance between the base of the mountain and the peak.
W is for White Room—a slang term used to describe deep powder snow. Dancing in the White Room, means skiing through deep powder.
X—has no ski terms
Y is for Yard Sale—a slang term for a crash where the skier’s (or boarder’s) gear ends up scattered over the slope.
Z is for Zipper Line- a slang term for the fastest route through a mogul field.
Meet the Character--An Interview with Mallory Prescott
Tell us about yourself. What are you like?
My best friend once told me that skiing was in my blood. He’s probably right about that—I learned to ski around the time I learned to walk. I’m still skiing as a professional ski patrol woman at Whiteface Mountain near Lake Placid. These days, there’s more to my life than just skiing, though. I’m also a mom to Emily, who is the most terrific four year old on the planet.
What do you think is your strongest point?
I take pride in what I do. I’m pretty tough, too. Ski patrol is a boy’s world, so you have to be tough to get respect.
Do you have a weakness? (If so, what do you think it is? What does your lover think it is? What does your enemy think it is?)
PD Bell is my weakness. I’ve lived with him for seven years, we have a child together and I still don’t really understand some of the decisions he makes. Bell would say stubbornness was my worst quality. He may be right about that. And my enemies? They think I’m a bitch. I think they’re wrong about that.
What drives you to do the things you do? What makes you want to be the "good guy?”
On the whole, I love my life. I love my daughter. I’d do just about anything to protect her and the people I care about.
What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
I like sitting on my porch and just breathing. The air around our cabin is crisp and we have a terrific view of Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in New York. Bell once told me the Native Americans called it Tahawus, which means ‘cloud splitter’. The name is apt.
If you didn't know how old you were how old would you be?
I guess I’d still be about sixteen. Though some days I feel more like sixty.
A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be in six words or less?
It might be the woman who loved to ski. Though I hope it would be the woman who did everything for love.
If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?
I love where I live, in a cabin in North Elba with the high peaks of the Adirondacks all around. I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.
What song would best describe your life?
Shotgun Down the Avalanche, by Shawn Colvin
If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?
Wow, I don’t know. I’d probably be a hammer, use me to build something lasting.
Picture yourself as a store. Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold there?
I would be a ski shop, of course.
As a child, what was your favorite thing about school?
I really like math. Go figure. I kinda like numbers.
Tell us an embarrassing story that has to do with a pet. If you have no pets, a story about a significant other will do.
Our dog, Chance, would sit on his doghouse and howl. The echo would howl back and then he’d howl at the echo. It’s a good thing we don’t have close neighbors.
If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
Caution. Flamable.
*****************************
Tell us about yourself. What are you like?
My best friend once told me that skiing was in my blood. He’s probably right about that—I learned to ski around the time I learned to walk. I’m still skiing as a professional ski patrol woman at Whiteface Mountain near Lake Placid. These days, there’s more to my life than just skiing, though. I’m also a mom to Emily, who is the most terrific four year old on the planet.
What do you think is your strongest point?
I take pride in what I do. I’m pretty tough, too. Ski patrol is a boy’s world, so you have to be tough to get respect.
Do you have a weakness? (If so, what do you think it is? What does your lover think it is? What does your enemy think it is?)
PD Bell is my weakness. I’ve lived with him for seven years, we have a child together and I still don’t really understand some of the decisions he makes. Bell would say stubbornness was my worst quality. He may be right about that. And my enemies? They think I’m a bitch. I think they’re wrong about that.
What drives you to do the things you do? What makes you want to be the "good guy?”
On the whole, I love my life. I love my daughter. I’d do just about anything to protect her and the people I care about.
What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
I like sitting on my porch and just breathing. The air around our cabin is crisp and we have a terrific view of Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in New York. Bell once told me the Native Americans called it Tahawus, which means ‘cloud splitter’. The name is apt.
If you didn't know how old you were how old would you be?
I guess I’d still be about sixteen. Though some days I feel more like sixty.
A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be in six words or less?
It might be the woman who loved to ski. Though I hope it would be the woman who did everything for love.
If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?
I love where I live, in a cabin in North Elba with the high peaks of the Adirondacks all around. I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.
What song would best describe your life?
Shotgun Down the Avalanche, by Shawn Colvin
If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?
Wow, I don’t know. I’d probably be a hammer, use me to build something lasting.
Picture yourself as a store. Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold there?
I would be a ski shop, of course.
As a child, what was your favorite thing about school?
I really like math. Go figure. I kinda like numbers.
Tell us an embarrassing story that has to do with a pet. If you have no pets, a story about a significant other will do.
Our dog, Chance, would sit on his doghouse and howl. The echo would howl back and then he’d howl at the echo. It’s a good thing we don’t have close neighbors.
If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
Caution. Flamable.
*****************************
Ten Reasons to Love Winter
I
- 1. The woods are postcard perfect after a new snowfall. The trees covered in white, the sun making everything sparkle. It is a beautiful thing to see.
- 2. Hot chocolate is perfect on a cold winter’s night
- 3. A fire in the fireplace casts magic over a room in the winter time.
- 4. Cold weather is a great for cuddling.
- 5. Hiking in snow burns more calories.
- 6. Skiing!
- 7. Warm, hearty meals taste better on a cold winter’s day
- 8. It’s the only time you can walk out on the local pond without getting wet
- 9. There are no mosquitoes!
- 10. Snow days are a wonderful time to curl up with a good book.
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