Kingston, Ontario (WireService.ca) -- Can determination, friendship, and unexpected talent overcome the worst case of social anxiety a 12-year-old girl ever had? That question is explored in Dancing on the Inside, a novel by Glen C. Strathy which has just received the Gold Medal in the juvenile fiction category of this year's Independent Publisher Book Awards (known as the IPPYs).

Dancing on the Inside tells the story of Jenny Spark, a girl obsessed with the idea of dancing ballet, but whose chronic shyness makes it impossible for her to take a ballet class without suffering a panic attack. Resourceful, creative, and with her best friend Ara, who is as unabashed and impulsive as Jenny is shy, Jenny finds other ways to pursue her dream. The book provides a glimpse into the phenomena of social phobia in children, as well as a tale to inspire any young girl.

Over 2,000 authors took part in this year's IPPY awards, with entries in over 74 categories. This is the second award Dancing on the Inside has received, the first being a 2011 Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award.

Previously, Glen C. Strathy co-authored two books on economics and investing for adults, one of which (The Coming Economic Collapse) became a New York Times Bestselling Business Book. His website, www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com offers tips and advice for aspiring fiction writers.