Fat Girl
by Leigh Carron
by Leigh Carron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Years after fleeing small-town Springvale, Illinois, Deanna Chase has picked up the pieces of her shattered heart and built a new life for herself as a child advocacy lawyer. Her food addiction is quasi under control, her secrets are buried, and she has even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body. Until…
Micah Peters—the very sexy and now famous man she fled— walks through her office door and sends Dee reeling. His demand that she help a young boy caught in a custody battle will reunite her with the past she left behind.
Torn between duty and self-preservation, Dee isn’t easy to convince. But when obligation wins, the former lovers get more than they bargained for—a searing passion that burns hotter than ever and startling revelations about what really happened the fateful night she left.
Will the truth set Dee free to love again? Or will past hurts and lingering insecurities destine her to walk away from her heart again, this time for good?
Fat Girl is the first book in this provocative two-part series about love and self-acceptance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
I didn’t believe families like the ones I’d seen in reruns of the Cosby Show and Family Ties really existed. In my world, fathers left and mothers couldn’t cope. The notion of a close family was a myth, a fantasy, to me—until the Torreses.
Swiping at the tears, I pick up the phone and start to dial the number in Springvale I still recall by heart. I stop. What would I say? Would Mama and Papa T even want to hear from me? Or do they despise me as much as Victor and Mick do? Those questions torment my psyche as I listen to the dial tone. Eventually, the recorded operator’s voice sounds in my ear, asking me to hang up and try my call again.
I set the cordless phone down in the cradle. Loneliness edges its way in deeper, taking me to the fridge three times. Open. Close. Open. Close. Open. Close. I try reading. Open. Close. I try watching television. Open. Close. But nothing helps. Before my willpower completely abandons me, I roll the yoga mat out onto my living room floor, light the candles for atmosphere, and put on a jazz CD.
Then, lying on my stomach while Sade’s smoky voice sings of the safest hiding place, I inhale a long breath and transition into the Cobra position. Legs together, palms next to my rib cage, I press up through my arms, lifting my chest and arching my back. I hold the pose for twenty complete breaths, inhaling and exhaling, and then gradually lower myself to the mat. Dr. Roland suggested Pilates as a way of teaching me to destress and redirect my anxiety, a trigger for overeating. I was skeptical at first, but it actually helps.
I inhale again and repeat the exercise several times before the doorbell rings. My quieted pulse picks up speed. Only one real possibility comes to mind as to who would be on my doorstep at ten o’clock at night.
The rational voice in my head hopes I’m wrong, even as some reckless part of me hopes I’m not.
Another ring of the bell beckons my feet forward, my pulse thudding with each step I take. I look through the peephole and find Mick standing under my porch light, running a hand through his hair. A nervous habit from youth that makes him less Micah Peters, ex–NBA star, and more the boy I once loved with everything I had.
The mere sight of him jars my heart and ignites my desire. No two ways about it—opening the door would not be a good idea.
Not when I’m feeling lonely and vulnerable. Not when my need is hot and achy. Not when I don’t trust him…or myself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
About Me: An American living in Canada. Chocolate snob. Recovering yo-yo dieter. Devoted mom and wife, blessed with a brilliantly witty daughter and unintentionally humorous husband. My wacky family feed my creativity and fuel my passion. Most nights, you will find me either curled up with a great book or, more often, sitting at my computer, tapping out the countless visions in my head.
To me, there is nothing better in a narrative than perfectly flawed but strong characters and intense romance that is sexy, deep, and sensual. Mm…I liken such stories to a box of Godiva. Decadent and delicious! You can’t stop at just one. In fact, I’m now hard at work on my next novel—A Naked Beauty, the conclusion to Fat Girl.
Stay Connected at:
Website: http://www.leighcarron.com
Twitter:@LeighCarron
Now available at Amazon.com: - http://www.amazon.com/FAT-GIRL-A-Provocative-Romance-ebook/dp/B00LA86TS8/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1404512982&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=fat+girl+leigh+carron
Leigh will be awarding a digital copy of Fat Girl to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop. A Grand Prize of a $50 Visa or Amazon GC, an autographed copy of FAT GIRL and an invitation to discuss the book with the winner via phone or online will be awarded to a randomly winner. All prizes will be awarded via rafflecopter during the tour.a Rafflecopter giveaway
Top 10 Celebrity Chicks Who Rock Curves with Confidence by Leigh CarronAs someone who has battled negative body image for most of my life—but getting better—I admire women who ooze self-confidence despite size bias and weight shaming. My followingg top ten are smart, and talented, and prove there is no one size that makes you beautiful. You rock, ladies
1. Amber Riley
During an interview, Amber told of her
rocky road to stardom and the criticism she received about her weight,
admitting it “hurt for a minute, but being told no just made me work harder. I
wasn't going to be held back by my size."
She also said, “I love my breasts, my face, my butt," but most
importantly, "I love myself."
2.
Melissa McCarthy
What did Melissa McCarthy do when she
couldn’t find a designer willing to make a dress for her to wear to the Oscars?
She started her own plus-size clothing line.
The take-charge comedic actress doesn’t let those critical of her weight
get to her. At 44, she says despite all the media focus on her size, she’s
happy with the way she looks.
3. Queen Latifah
The Queen is not afraid to show off her curves.
Happy with herself, she said in an interview with Good Housekeeping magazine,
"When I was around 18, I looked in the mirror and said, 'You're either
going to love yourself or hate yourself.' And I decided to love myself. That
changed a lot of things."
4.
Adele
“I've never wanted to look like models on
the cover of magazines. I represent the majority of women and I'm very proud of
that,” says the multi-Grammy winner.
5. Rebel Wilson
The funny and sassy actress admitted in an
online interview, “I don’t really care what I look like that much, and I think
women out there should just be happy with the way they look. They shouldn’t
really try to conform to any kind of stereotype. Just be happy and hopefully
healthy.”
6. Camryn Manheim
Not only a talented actress, Camryn is also
the best-selling author of “Wake Up, I’m
Fat!” A chronicle of her journey from a self-hating, "overweight"
teenager, desperate to fit in, to a self-loving, fat activist.
7.
Gabourey Sidibe
Love the way Gabourey fought back when she
was cruelly criticized about her size on Twitter after her appearance at the
Golden Globe Awards. “To people making
mean comments about my GG pics, I mos def cried about it on that private jet on
my way to my dream job last night.” BAM!
8.
Demi Lovato
Recovering from bulimia and a number of
other issues, I have to give props to Demi for turning her life around and
embracing who she is. Demi says after seeing a previous picture of herself on
the red carpet: “I wasted so many years ashamed of my body… I not only feel so
grateful for the love and support I've had from fans, friends and family,
but... I also feel… beautiful. I’m so excited to live my life the way I deserve
to and to the complete fullest.”
9.
Salma Hayek
Salma, the outspoken actress has often
expressed her concerns about Hollywood’s obsession with being thin. She says of
not dieting: "It’s good for my
mood. I am happy because I eat."
10.
Nikki Blonsky
The powerhouse singer of Hairspray fame
says she is happy she didn’t give into the pressure to be thin to get into
showbiz. Nikki explains the best way to keep self-esteem high is by, “Picking
out the great things that you love about yourself… and focus on that rather
than, ‘oh my hips are too big’ or ‘I have fat on my thighs.’”
Thank you for the opportunity to share my
top 10 picks. I’d welcome hearing from you on who else you would put on this
list. ~ Leigh
2 comments:
Thank you for hosting today
Thanks, Tina, for hosting me today! I appreciate the support. ~ Leigh
Post a Comment