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.
Being An Author: The Reality vs. The Illusions
by Leigh Carron
It’s been nearly 5 months since I published my first novel, Fat Girl. So this topic comes at an
opportune time to reflect on my journey so far. What I expected and what actually
is.
Expectation #1
Writing my book would be the easy part.
Reality
After spending a year writing Fat Girl, revising the plot several times over, I was 80% of the
way there when I stopped, unable to finish. I’d decided to tell Dee and Micah’s
story in the third person narrative. But it wasn’t working for me. For some
reason I couldn’t capture their voices or emotions the way I wanted to with
that style.
Take 2: Determined not to give up, back to the drawing board
I went. This time I tried it from Dee’s POV. But without Micah’s voice,
something was still missing.
Take 3: Back again I went. Ta-da! That was it. Finally. Telling the story from both Dee and
Micah’s first person narratives made the characters and their story come alive
in my head. Great, I was happy. I asked my editor to sit tight; the rewriting
process would only take another 4-6 months. (Note: I’m also a mother and have a full-time
job).
Reality: The rewrites took over a year. Talk about an
underestimation and mismanagement of expectations! But in the end, I was
pleased with the final product.
Expectation #2
I’m an author.
Reality
An author writes books. A Creative Entrepreneur sells books.
I had to learn to be both.
When I set off on this journey, my goal was to publish my
novel and have people relate to the characters, love the story and appreciate
the way I told it. Pretty hard to do if
they couldn’t find me. Especially being a newbie with no other books or author
presence.
It would have been wiser to market prior to writing, or at
least during the process to build interest and a fan base. I had done my research. I knew this. But doing
and knowing are two different things. Like many authors, I was head down, nose
to the grind, fingers glued to the keyboard. Marketing was an after thought.
Expectation #3
Being a Creative Entrepreneur is hard work!
Reality
Being a Creative Entrepreneur is hard work!
I’m not one of those authors who had lightning quick
success, and frankly I wasn’t expecting that. My goal wasn’t that one big hit. My
sales are nice and consistent. But it’s about more than that. I want to put out
quality books that readers enjoy and build a long-term, sustainable
relationship with them.
This means putting in the time and energy to blog, network, advertise,
attend events, utilize social media and form alliances with book bloggers. I write every day to hone my craft, but I also
market every day to make new connections with readers. It’s a balance. One I’m
still learning.
Through this wildly unexpected process I have found the
mountain to be a little steeper, the climb a little rockier. But the experience
so far has been wonderful and the reach rewarding.
Thank you for being part of the journey.
EXCERPT:
“Hello, Deeana.”
His voice, deeper with age, packs an unfair sexual
punch. Just like the rest of him.
As handsome as he was at eighteen, it didn’t come
close to his appearance at thirty-three. People magazine has called it right.
Micah Peters is the Sexiest Man Alive. No amount of shock or disdain could deny
him that.
Partly Brazilian, on his mother’s side, he is
blessed with exotic good looks. Short black waves carelessly styled, caramel
skin that doesn’t pale even in winter, and espresso-brown eyes fringed with the
darkest, thickest lashes I have ever seen.
Like his body, his facial structure is harder—more
masculine, more defined. And the inky stubble framing his strong jaw and full,
gorgeous mouth only adds to the instant, powerful impact.
But I’m not that naive girl anymore. I’ve taken my
knocks and know all too well that the quality of a man’s character doesn’t lie
in the quality of his looks. The fact that time has been unjustly charitable to
him only fuels the resentment I’ve kept secret and locked away for fifteen
years.
It takes every ounce of my trained composure to
push civility past the bile rising in my throat. I lean against the wood frame
for support and manage to say, “This is a surprise.” The fake calm of the words
burns my tongue.
If he’s affected, it doesn’t show in the easy
strides that move him toward me. The delicious aromas of leather and earthy
cologne fill my senses. As he comes closer still, I struggle not to breathe him
in. Mustn’t let him think he has any effect on me either.
Without smiling, his dark gaze slides over my every
feature, studying them one by one, as if comparing them with his memory. “It’s
been a while,” he says.
Not nearly long enough to forget or forgive.
“Several years,” I reply.
Now he smiles. A mocking grin that tells me he
knows I remember just how long it has been. That I remember the very night I
left him—and everything else that mattered to me—behind.
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
Smashwords
- https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/451674
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.
the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for hosting
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you kindly for hosting me today!
ReplyDeleteThis really sounds like a good story.
ReplyDeleteThanks, MomJane! Would love to get your thoughts once you've read Fat Girl. ~ Leigh
DeleteInteresting bio
ReplyDeleteInteresting book to read :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting story :)
ReplyDeleteSeems to me to be a scorching read! :)
ReplyDelete