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Born in Toronto and raised in Montreal, Andrea Shepherd is the author of the novel The Curtain Lady, a coming-of-age story with a haunting twist, and 25 Tango Lessons, a collection of essays on life and dance.
Andrea has written and danced all her life. She took her first ballet class at age 4, dabbled in everything from tap dancing to theatre to salsa, and finally fell head-over-stiletto-heels in love with Argentine tango in her 20s.
In school, English was always Andrea’s best and favourite subject, though she was never much of a student. She started keeping a diary at age 10 and wrote just about every day for 20 years. She started writing her first novel at age 13 and finally completed one almost four decades later. Titled The Curtain Lady, it was released in August 2023.
Andrea worked at the Montreal Gazette for 19 years, starting as a clerk, working her way up to a copy-editing position and writing feature articles. Andrea also taught a university desktop publishing course for years. In 2008, she left journalism to pursue dance full time. Against all odds and sensible advice, she and her partner opened a tango studio, MonTango, which became one of the top Argentine tango schools in Montreal.
In 2014, Andrea partnered up her love of dance and writing when she created the blog Life Is a Tango. It gained more of a following than she ever expected and eventually became her first book, 25 Tango Lessons (published in 2021).
Andrea lives in Montreal with her family.
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
The Curtain Lady by Andrea Shepherd is a coming-of-age tale with paranormal overtones. Set throughout the 1980s in Montreal, the book chronicles the story of a young girl named Poppy Bell from age eleven to her early twenties. Since sixth grade, Poppy started keeping a diary where she notes her everyday life. Haunted by nightmares and someone she calls the Curtain Lady, Poppy spends her days with her best friend, Chantal, and dearly misses her deceased father. As she slowly grows into her teens, Poppy develops an interest in boys, but her romantic endeavors always turn disastrous. Additionally, she indulges in alcohol and drugs while spending the nights in sleep paralysis, visited by shadow people. Years later, after Chantal returns to Montreal, Poppy moves in with her in an apartment, and they continue their adventures. But will she ever stop having nightmares?
Andrea Shepherd's coming-of-age tale is full of heartbreak, mystery, and a healthy dose of the supernatural. The Curtain Lady is a moving story about growing up, first loves, friendships, and mistakes we all make in our younger years. There is a uniquely nostalgic fervor to the narrative. It takes you back to the 80s with a colorful assortment of characters, some of whom you will love, while others you may loathe. The story is told through a first-person perspective in the form of a diary written by the protagonist, Poppy, and this brings a certain intimacy to the tale that makes you relate to her. Among all her relationships, Poppy and Chantal's friendship was the book's highlight for me. Overall, I very much enjoyed the book, and if you're a fan of coming-of-age tales, you shouldn't miss out on this one!
