I just finished reading an advance copy of DANCING IN THE FOUNTAIN: How to Enjoy Living Abroad. As author Karen McCann says, this is not the story of restoring a crumbling house in the country (nor is it really a "how to" book) but is the inviting tale of how one couple came to visit, then settle permanently in urban Seville. It is filled with the hard-won lessons of coping (those crazy bureaucrats who keep you filling out forms for eternity to get your visa; those numbskulls who seem to have misplaced your dog in the airport) and the continuing pleasures of living abroad (tapas at midnight, flamenco, dancing in the fountain!). And of course, the hazards of messing up in a new language--"Yes, please do take my leg off," when what you really meant was "Yes, please remove my plate." Mostly, this read is a hoot, filled with great humor and insight, certainly for those who live abroad but come back to the U.S. for a while each year, and definitely for those traveling to Seville. 
Joanna Biggar
That Paris Year   

Karen McCann’s witty, fresh and engaging new book, Dancing in the Fountain, captures the charming unpredictability of life in Andalucía. Seen through her eyes, creating a new life in an old European city has never been so delightful, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny.
Victoria Twead
Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools

"Dancing in the Fountain: How to Enjoy Living Abroad" is about just that, having fun. A witty, fast-moving account of ex-pats living in Spain, with all the excitement that comes with getting to grips with a new language and culture. Ex-pats will recognize it and laugh along with the author, others will be moved to give it a try. Karen McCann's sharp eye for detail brings the city of Seville to life.
Joan Fallon 
Daughters of Spain

Karen McCann arrived in Sevilla with a very dry sense of humour and a road wisdom earned from volunteering in hot-spots around the world. Her story of her feet-first immersion in its culture had me pining for the Alcázar gardens and the street life of my favourite Spanish city. If you share her open heart and mind, you too might become an adopted Sevillano.
John Gill
Andalucía: A Cultural History

Here's the Sign!
If you've been waiting for a sign from the universe to live where you’ve always dreamed of living, consider the book Dancing in the Fountain your sign to go ahead and do it. Yes, you have permission to live your dream! You also have permission to sit in a comfy chair and be there through Karen McCann’s fascinating and laugh-out-loud story. Either way, readers will enjoy dipping their toes in both foreign and domestic fountains.
Nancy Solak
A Footpath in Umbria: Learning, Loving & Laughing in Italy   

As Karen McCann says herself – Dancing in the Fountain is a ‘new life in Spain’ book with a difference. Funny, informative and well written, it skips along at a pace, giving the reader a real feel for Seville and the Spanish way of life, warts and all.  Karen’s enthusiasm for her life in Spain and the Spanish culture shines through – a thoroughly enjoyable read!
June Wolfe 
No Time for a Siesta

Living abroad is an opportunity to reinvent your life that rarely exists outside the witness protection program. You get to hit the re-set button on your life. Of course, you don’t jettison your real baggage, such as childhood traumas and deep regrets, but you can expunge your social record. No one will know anything about you except what you reveal. Read more

The title of my book comes from the story about a blazing hot night when my husband and I were sitting on the edge of a big stone fountain. We began dabbling our feet in the cool water, and the next thing I knew, we were wading then dancing in the fountain. It’s actually legal to do this when temperatures soar in Seville, but an old man passing by growled at us, “Hey you two, is that any way to behave? You wouldn’t do that back where you come from.” And that’s my whole point. Living overseas, I feel free to try things I’d never do back home. And that is a rare and precious gift.

Of course, living abroad has its challenges. Such as language classes with condescending 20-something Europeans who already speak five languages and find Spanish almost laughably easy to acquire. House guests who arrive for the weekend and refuse to leave. Spanish friends who do an intervention about my hairstyle. The metric system and the euro. And (horrors) being expected to sing in public to entertain groups of Sevillano friends. 

To read excerpts, go to Dancing in the Fountain. For the latest updates on the progress of the book, sign up on the form below and visit me on Facebook and Twitter.

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