What I am thinking — this said after two-plus years of attempting to market my bbw women’s fiction novel I purposely designed with three fat women on the cover — I think this… that no one wants to play with the fat kid. Not even the fat women want to read the fat book? That is how hard this book has been to market. Perhaps if I had hidden the women inside, still said on the outside that they were abundant women, but not used their images??? I’m not ranting, just matter-of-fact, today anyway. Smile.

Three women unperturbed about their size, throughout the story undefined by their weight — three powerful, though spiritually-wounded menopausal women living to fulfill their sacred contracts… deals with reincarnation concepts, spirituality, friendship, love vs. kindred spirit passion.

A timely issue all the way around — but I do think the cover design has been the difficulty of marketing issues. This was women’s fiction foremost with the eternal soul mate relationship working the background as the women deal with their sacred wounds and life purpose.

Yes, Melissa, I think weight is an issue no one really wants to read about, no more than they might want to see a truly fat and imperfect-looking model in the dress they want to wear on New Year’s Eve. It’s about imagery and idealism. Escapism. But to me, facing size diversity means some authors need to put it out there anyway for others to ponder another perspective and see if that works for them.

Lately, I just say my novel is one of the first that would not cross-over as far as hiding what was really inside the cover, no more than the first black R&B groups wanted to be forced to cross-over in hiding their faces behind generic album cover designs. We are who we are, accept it, love it, we say. So when will it be a large women on the cover be accepted enough to be read?

Thank you, Melissa, for your hospitality here. Best of everything with your family, education, and writing. I know you love your work, too.

Essa

I think somebody could do a fabulous book dealing with incest and it could be romance, WF, sci-fi, mystery or literary, but not everybody could write that book. I know I can’t write romantic suspense, so I keep with my strengths instead of writing for the market. I’ve got an idea for a WF book dealing with adoption–quite darkly, too. But I know I can write it. As another follower of the fabulous Jenny, I agree with her–write the book you want to read and let publishing pick the genre for it.

(And speaking of Jenny and BBW–Bet Me. It’s a must read.)

Hell, no. I’d just like to see genres be a little more broad.

Okay. I’d like less rules about what’s taboo.

Then again it gives an author the chanxe not only to write about it, but to be the one who execute well.

Incestuous Women’s Fiction. You could launch a whole new subgenre *shudder*

Srsly would you really want to read it? To me it would be sad–and I’ve heard stories (like adopted siblings not raised together who met later in life and fell in love)

I liked this story, but felt it dragged on and on and on. Right when I was about to give up on it, it started to pick up. I think I stuck around for the magical element.

And I should have been more specifict. I’ve yet to see incest being tackled in WF. Or maybe I’m unaware of this type of book.

I disagree. You might find them there more often than in WF but not always….again, Susan Kay Law (Just Sex and The Paper Marriage) comes to mind. Also Jennifer O’Connell’s Bachelorette #1 (though I’m not sure any cheating went on).

Garden Spells was marketed as more upscale WF but could just as easily have been marketed as a romance. (Sorry this is one that totally unimpressed me)

According to the BMI I’m overweight and unhealthy. I don’t have high cholesterol. My heart is just fine. I’m don’t have diabetes, but I’m at risk because again if you look at the BMI chart…I also don’t have high blood pressure, but again according to the chart…I’m pretty much in good shape, but according to medical society I’m at risk for EVERYTHING therefore I must lose weight. Any health issue is written off as me being overweight. What in the hell does a common cold have to do with my weight?

*Now I’m ranting.*

Now if they told me I’d never again get to wear my high heels because my feet will swell up to balloons I’d go on a diet right this second.

I’ll admit I’m shallow.

The BMI is a joke. Did you know by that standard nearly every football player is obese?

Glad to know my rants are welcome, of course you might regret it one day, but I’ll just point you back here.