Fat Girl by Leigh Carron - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. 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. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Thanks for dropping by It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

The best thing about writing provocative romance is mixing sensual heat with deep and complex emotions. It’s a balancing act to create sex scenes that bolster the story line, rather than become it.

The other appeal of writing romance is character development. Beautifully flawed characters are my favorite. The little nicks, scuffs and chips offer dimension. They’re more interesting, more appealing. The imperfections are in fact perfect because they shape who they are.

And a final draw for me in romance is the happily ever after. Gotta have that. However, half the fun and challenge is in making the characters work for it. I think the harder they work, the bigger the emotional pay off for the writer and reader.

What research was required for this book?
For Fat Girl, I did some research on the Chicago setting given I had not been there before. But the majority of my research effort was spent understanding child custody law—the rights of foster parents versus biological grandparents and the rights of the child. While I did take creative license to move that particular plot along, for the most part, I tried to make it as authentic as possible.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Through a number of factors in her life, the main character often appears to be mired in the past, and in her battles with food and her body. But Dee is more than that. She’s a fighter. Strong, smart, independent and beautifully flawed.

As someone who also struggled with similar issues during my adolescence and into adulthood, I found much inspiration amongst the pages about the power of unconditional love and self-acceptance.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Yep. It seems water is my muse. Whenever I get stuck or can’t seem to locate my creative vibe, I shower, wash my hands or go for a walk by the lake (when it’s not freezing here in Toronto). Maybe something about the water cleansing my mind. Not sure, but it works for me.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I tend to do better with minimum structure. When I try to plan out my story, I find my creativity gets stifled and it limits the flow of my writing. That doesn’t mean I don’t set guidelines to keep my story from getting unwieldy. I do. I just don’t adhere to anything rigid, preferring to let the characters lead me.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

Nothing is sitting there, but the wall to my right displays these words: “Do what you love.” Lucky me, I get to do just that!

Anything new coming up from you? What?

The sequel to Fat Girl is coming soon. A Naked Beauty will conclude Dee and Micah’s love story. It will be hard for me to let them go, but we’ll stay connected through the two additional books planned in this series. Both feature Dee’s friends as the lead characters. Feisty Jordyn will finally meet her match in Color Blind. And we’ll find out if the sophisticated and cultured Lexie will marry the man of her mother’s dreams or rebel against her upbringing and walk on the dark side.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes. I recently wrote a blog presenting my top ten picks of celebrity women who rock their curves with confidence.

1. Amber Riley
2. Melissa McCarthy
3. Queen Latifah
4. Adele
5. Rebel Wilson
6. Camryn Manheim
7. Gabourey Sidibe
8. Demi Levato
9. Salma Hayek
10. Nikki Blonsky

Who else would you add to the list and why?

Thanks for the great interview questions and the opportunity to share Fat Girl with your readers.

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.

Enjoy an excerpt:

“Mick…”

My hand slides up her neck, testing the rapid beat of her pulse.

“Don’t,” Dee breathes, but the protest sounds as weak as my will to withstand her.

I lower my head and skim my lips along her bare shoulder. The fragrance of her soft, quivering skin seduces my senses.

“I’ve never gotten the smell of you out of my head…or the taste of you.”

Her breath hitches and I pull the sound deep into my mouth. I might regret my weakness later, but the silk of her lips, the sweet flavor I’ve never forgotten, spins my head, and trumps all rational thought or common sense.

I tug the band from her hair and grab two fistfuls of curls. And Dee’s right with me. No token resistance. No pretense. She gives back, just the way I need it. Hot and mindless. Going up on her toes, she winds her arms around my neck and molds her body to mine. Our tongues collide in a rush of longing. Tasting, tangling.

No woman has ever filled me so completely, to the exclusion of everything else. In that moment of frenzy, the past, my anger, and her transgressions are all white noise against the clamor of something louder and more powerful roaring in my blood.

I crush her back into the counter and muscle my thigh between her legs, leaving no doubt as to how badly I want her. Releasing my grip from the twist of curls I cup her unfettered breasts through the thin material and squeeze their ripe fullness. The nipples harden to bullets beneath my palms, and when I whisk my thumbs across the peaks, Dee’s breathy moans drive me full throttle.

About the Author:

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
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighcarronebooks?ref_type=bookmark
Twitter: @LeighCarron
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22594594-fat-girl?from_search=true

Now available at Amazon, Kobo, or Smashwords.

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