Deborah Ann Lucas sensitively explores the wild self-yearning for art, recognition and connection, and how she grew to define herself as sister, wife and woman, and ultimately reclaim her artistic self. With humor, pathos and well-drawn characters, we see her family—both human and horse—as clearly as we see her art. A beautiful excursion into memoir from a driven artist triumphing over chronic pain and sharing the wisdom gained along the way.

 —  Allison K. Williams, author of Seven Drafts   

Lucas pens her story in heart-warming transparency, exploring family bonds…she learns to embrace her unique path, particularly after meeting Greg—whose steady, loving presence grounds her and inspires pursuit of her artistic dreams. As Lucas builds a secure self-identity, readers will be moved by her touching story of found family and the unwavering love between siblings. Emerging on the other side of uncertainty and chaos, she redefines what home really means, finding it not in a place but in the strong embrace of her husband, the soft beauty of her beloved horses, and the bittersweet memories of a life filled with love.

 —BookLife Review

…her relationship with her brother is honest and raw, and though readers know the outcome from the beginning, the ending packs a punch. A heartfelt, often engaging exploration of messy family dynamics, grief, and healing.

—Kirkus Review

I couldn’t put the book down. Deborah pulled me into her world and didn’t let go. Reading her memoir Dance While The Fire Burns is like watching a movie. Experiencing what it was like for a young girl to move to Australia in the sixties and then to Los Angeles as a teenager. … Fast paced and at times breathless, she tells her story with an unflinching look back on the first forty years of her life.

—Michaela von Schweinitz,  editor and book coach

…when an author manages to pull you in so completely and you feel you stand with her in the story of her family and her life, you know you’ve got something special in your hands.

—Sandra Postma, editor and book coach

Deborah Ann Lucas’s decades-spanning memoir Dance While the Fire Burns is a bold and beautiful tale of an extraordinary life. Lucas’s love for her family, her art, and the many animals that come into her life, is palpable and richly told.

—Jennifer Landau, editor and book coach

The dichotomy in the title of this memoir fits perfectly the contrast of experiences in the author’s life. It is rich in the numbers of places she has called home; yet filled with obstacles to these moves. It is rich in the intimate relationships with family and friends, causing both support and disappointment in her journey.

 —Roberta A. Walter, Goodreads Review

This splendid memoir of sibling devotion is a story that moves along at a gallop. I gasped as I read each new obstacle the author faced over the years. Despite a childhood of relentless upheaval, Deborah shows up again and again for herself and her loved ones, including animals, as only she can: with guts and an indomitable can-do spirit. Dance While the Fire Burns is a masterful weaving of the threads of the author’s life—horses, art, and her family—all coming together in a way that couldn’t be more compelling. It has inspired me to adhere to my dreams no matter what challenges may appear.

—Mary B. Editor and Book Coach

Deborah Ann Lucas’ memoir is a captivating tapestry woven from threads of resilience, creativity, and healing that invites readers to embark on their own transformative journeys. …I find myself enchanted by her ability to turn calamity into opportunities for growth and empowerment. Dance While the Fire Burns is a lesson in determination and believing in oneself.

— Catherine L., Goodreads Review