Fat Girl
Fat Girl
Copyright © 2014 Leigh Carron
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for the inclusion of quotations in reviews, without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted material in violation of the author’s rights.
Fat Girl
is a complete work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events is entirely coincidental.
Published by Carron Publishing
ISBN:
978-0-9938449-0-4
Copyediting by Kathy Kaiser
Proofreading by Zoe Markham
Interior design by
Champagne Formats
Cover design by Design for Writers
Table of Contents
From its absorbing first pages, Leigh Carron’s spicy novel delivers passion, suspense, and truth. We’re introduced to Micah and Dee, former lovers whom you immediately recognize and bind yourself to. They are honest and hurt. Flawed and fiery. They are perfectly imperfect. I can’t imagine a more satisfying literary treat. —Wynne Channing (best-selling author of What Kills Me and I Am Forever)
Leigh Carron has produced an engaging novel that is anchored in the passionate connection between two complex and authentic characters. Funny, gritty, and steeped in sensuality, this story is both smart and entertaining. Fifty shades of humiliation and degradation it is not. Carron is clearly a girl’s girl, with a deep respect for and understanding of what truly makes women tick. Readers will most certainly connect with her leading lady’s struggles around body image and intimacy, and be inspired by the underlying theme of self-acceptance. —Tracy
Leigh has done a splendid job. For starters, I loved the vivid cover and would have wanted to read the book for just that reason alone. Then I especially enjoyed the raw and complex emotions of the [two main] characters and how she weaved in both of their voices/perspectives. There were really some great passages filled with emotion and passion: “He stalks closer and leans in low—eight inches low—until his mouth is a hairbreadth from mine.” Her description of Mick was so vivid that I could picture his “fine ass,” strong jaw, and sensuality. The pace was just right! —Catherine
OMG, this is so good! I think the writing is well paced. There aren’t gaps where you’re left bored. Leigh Carron gives glimpses [into the story] to answer the reader’s questions throughout. The characters are real. Love, love, love it! Well done! —Gillian
Leigh Carron, you have written a novel that I literally could not put down. As I read the words, the characters came to life for me. I love reading so much and when I open a book, the first chapter is the most important for me.…If I don’t like the first chapter, I will not read the book. I knew after the first page, this would not be the case. I love how the romance is mixed in with the suspense of whether or not she will take on the case and have to face the guilt of leaving the family that gave her so much. —Ashley
Bravo to Ms. Carron. she has written a book with characters that come to life, page after page. All women will find common ground with Dee as she struggles with body image and relationships. A great read! —Helen Martha
Love the descriptive narrative and how three-dimensional the characters are. I can relate to Dee. Fat Girl has all the hallmarks of a best seller! —Rekhi
A superb read that left me wanting more. It’s clear the author has a talent for bringing characters to life. I thoroughly enjoyed the narration from the perspective of both main characters. —Siham
Your writing style is excellent. I could really hear the voices of each character while I read. You have layered each one beautifully. I wish you much success! I will be purchasing [Fat Girl] and then bragging that I have met the author. —Stacey
First and foremost, I thank my husband for giving me the courage to put my passion on the page. Your encouragement and support have been immeasurable. Love and kisses, baby!
I appreciate my family: my mom, dad, stepfather, brother, sister-in-law, and cuz. You are my biggest fans and greatest cheerleaders. You fueled my creativity and pushed me to go after my dreams.
Thanks to my precious daughter, who patiently (and sometimes not-so-patiently) shared me with my characters. You are awesome, girl! You make me laugh and you make me proud. I promised you that once I finished the book, we’d set up the new iMac. Happy now? ☺
I’m fortunate to have had many people in my corner during this amazing journey. At the start, there was Jennifer Albertson. Thanks for blushing at all the right parts and telling me I could do this. And thanks to Vicki So, who generously agreed to review an early draft. I waited with nail-biting anticipation for your professional comments. They were so worth the manicure!
I owe a debt of gratitude to my incredible beta readers. You stuck with me through it all! Thank you for your candor, for your enthusiasm, for your constructive criticism, and for caring about making
Fat Girl
the best it could be. Thanks to Helen Martha for your driving force, Wynne Channing for your excellent writing advice, and Brigitte Mulder for your perceptive eye. And thanks to my cheer mamas: Tracy Yan, Alison Gordon and Rebecca Brown Burton. You rock, ladies! You made me smile and you made me think harder. And to my “pink lady,” Gillian Adore, thank you for loving my story and kicking my ass to stop the rewrites and get it done already!
A special nod goes to Kathy Kaiser, editor extraordinaire, for your quick turnaround and for picking up on the most obscure of details —e.g., the right color of shorts worn by Boy Scouts (not khaki as I had written, but actually olive-green) —your comments throughout were invaluable. Zoe Markham, I’m grateful to you for appreciating
Fat Girl
so much that you were willing to squeeze me into your tight schedule and make my book squeaky clean. And Stacey Blake, thanks for your creative flair and the beautiful finishing touches.
I extend a million thanks to Andrew Brown. I wasn’t an easy client, but you were an absolute gem. I love my cover!
And last but by no means least, I appreciate all the people who helped to get the word out. You read my excerpts, wrote reviews, told your friends, and liked me and shared my announcements on Facebook. Catherine Daw and Sarah Wharton hosted parties to promote
Fat Girl
. All of you emboldened me and validated my dream. Thank you! Thank you!
