Endorsed by Whoopi Goldberg and filled with experiences worthy of the silver screen, Cynthia Moore’s Dancing on Coals (She Writes Press, March 2025) is a memoir that is as entertaining as it is profound. Moore takes readers on a journey through the many chapters of her life—spanning her childhood in the Bahamas, finishing school in Switzerland, a theater career that includes an award-winning playwriting turn, and eventually, her transformation into a therapist. It’s a roller coaster ride of resilience, culminating in peace, happiness, and self-acceptance.

The memoir opens at the end—Moore’s present-day domestic bliss—but soon peels back the layers of the emotional and often tumultuous path that led her there. Through evocative vignettes, she introduces readers to her dysfunctional upbringing, shaped by alcoholic parents, particularly a mother whose parenting was erratic at best. With unstable role models, Moore found herself drawn into unhealthy relationships, a cycle she only broke when she met David, a man who brought the stability she longed for—complete with pancakes and the warm, loving family dynamic she had always craved.

By turns humorous, self-deprecating, poignant, and heartbreaking, Dancing on Coals is a testament to the power of resilience and self-discovery. A must-read for those who enjoy armchair travel, madcap real-life episodes, and beautifully written memoirs, Moore’s story captivates and lingers long after the final page.

Moore is an award-winning playwright and performer who wrote and directed theater in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years. A founding member of Otrabanda Company, she worked with the Blake Street Hawkeyes before leaving the theater to earn a master’s degree in clinical psychology. She has worked as a mental health counselor for 23 years, with a particular focus on the connection between spirituality and trauma. Moore has also taught numerous workshops in creativity, writing from the heart, and more.

For more on Cynthia or information to purchase her book, (out March 25) click here.

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