Blog Tour: Fat Chance by Brandi Kennedy Book Review: Cult of Beauty by K.M. Dylan

• Blog Tour: Fat Chance by Brandi Kennedy
• Book Review: Cult of Beauty: The Secret Life of a Supermodel by K.M. Dylan

We are so excited to welcome Brandi Kennedy and her new book, Fat Chance to our blog today!!

The Kingsley Series

Fat Chance, Book One

Coming soon, Prescription For Love, Book Two

Fat Chance, book one of the Kingsley Series - Synopsis:

Meet Cassaundra Keaton, an adult orphan raised in the foster system. She's overweight and struggling to survive in a world that makes her feel like she can never fit in. Follow her journey as she learns to trust and love herself, and watch her grow as she finds love. But will an issue from her past rise up to ruin her new life?

Prescription For Love, book two of the Kingsley Series -

In Prescription For Love, follow Cameron Kingsley's journey from personal tragedy to love and, finally, trust

Excerpt:
"Let's start with something easy. Tell me about your hobbies." He leans back and settles into the chair, waiting to see what I will say.
"I don't really have any," I say, wrinkling my forehead in an attempt to magically call some enthusiasm to my mind. I don't craft, or do a lot of fitness stuff -- obviously -- or anything like that. I don't build, I don't write or sing or anything.
"I go to work, and then I go home. I talk on the phone with my sisters."
"You have sisters," he smiles. "That's a good start."
"Well, they aren't my sisters, really, they're foster sisters. I sort of grew up with them."
"They feel like family to you?" he asks. I nod, and he breaks into an easy grin, which makes dimples appear in his cheeks. To my sheer embarrassment this causes something inside of me to click over, like an engine suddenly starting that hasn't been run for a while. Goosebumps race over me, and I pray he can't see my reactions to him, that he can't see how attracted I am.
"They count then," he says, and I relax. If he notices my attraction, he has chosen to ignore it. I follow his lead.
"They've been good to me," I tell him. "Their mother, too. They, um, they don't know I'm here. I can't tell them I'm crazy." My eyes are in my lap, my fingers helplessly twisting and smoothing the fabric of my dress, the only physical sign of my inner distress. I hadn't realized I was doing it.
"Crazy? Oh, you're crazy," he says, as if only noticing for the first time that I must be. "I didn't realize you were crazy, I just thought maybe you were having a hard time and needing some coaching. Crazy, though, is very serious."
"Thank you," I say to him. My voice is cool but my face is growing more heated by the second. "Did they teach you how to mock your patients in medical school? Or is that just a little freebie you throw in?"
"I didn't mean to mock," he chuckles, raising my temper another notch. Briefly, I wonder how much trouble I'll get in if I throw something at him. There's a nice, weighty candle in a glass jar, sitting lonesome on the end table beside me. I wonder if I could throw it far enough; it looks heavy. On the table at the other end of the couch, there is a vase of flowers; this is heavier than the candle. Candle it is, then.

My Review:
I love that this book is so easily associated to women everywhere!! How many of us do you know that is unhappy with either our bodies, our hair, our jobs... our lives??? I admire Brandi Kennedy for taking on such a sensitive subject for so many women and writing a romance with the fat girl as the heroine... BRAVO!!!

Cass was easy to connect to as a reader because I think at some point in our lives, women can relate with her disappointment in herself. Her unhappiness stems from her weight. Many of us struggle with the same issues be it that we were heavy our entire lives, or something brought on weight gain like pregnancy and it just STUCK around. Can you tell I made a massive personal connection with Cass???? We have all suffered from low self esteem on some level and had those around us that either kept us down, like Cass' birth father and adopted brother, or helped build us up, like her adopted parents and sisters. I love that her family, even though she was adopted, thought she was beautiful and seemed genuinely envious of her... minus that jack wagon Rick!

Fat Chance is a heart touching, realistic, heart breaking, and hilarious book that connects women everywhere!! I give Brandi Kennedy 4 stars on the must read scale....yes I am using a scale for this one! ;)

I got to interview Brandi... SQUEE!!!!

If you could spend a weekend with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

I think, honestly, that it'd be Mac. My quick choice would have been Cass, because we're so alike, and the self-deprecating humor is so me. But I'd love to spend time with Mac, because he could help me get to know myself better. To be a better me.

 

Do you plan your novels ahead of time or let your characters lead the way?

I usually have some hint ahead of time as to who the characters are and the general direction of the story ... but other than that, each project is really more like an extensive review process featuring the characters themselves. They tell me what to write as we go. I do use a basic outline for chapters and to keep the direction and word count in line, but I frequently write chapters only to sit back and realize, "Wow, that is NOT what I planned." Usually, it's better that way.

 

Do your characters ever surprise you?

All the time. They sometimes say things I didn't think they had the strength (or humor) to say, or they end up going in a completely different direction than I expected.

 

When you're developing your characters, do you find real people to base their looks on?

Occasionally. Generally, I've already sort of "seen" the character in my mind. I know what they should look like, but it's more than just what color their hair and eyes are. They often need a certain mood, a certain carriage, to fit the character. Like the cover photo of Fat Chance. The model in that photo has the right hair and the right coloring, but more importantly, she has the right mix of confident sexuality and innocent vulnerability. There have been times, though, that a character is mostly based on the look of someone that I know in real life.

 

What would be your #1 piece of advice to an aspiring writer?

Keep trying. Don't be lazy on the re-reading and the editing. Read your work over and over again until you actually don't like it anymore, because every time you read it again, you'll find new flaws that need fixing. Still, as hard as it is, if you have that passionate dream in your heart, don't be too afraid to reach out for it. It may not be easy, but it certainly isn't out of reach.

This or That:

Facebook Or Twitter: Facebook. I'm a writer, I'm wordy. Facebook lets me say a lot more!

Rain Or Shine: Rain, as long as I don't have to be out in it. I love the sounds of rain and thunder, and the beauty of lightning. I even love when the power goes out. As long as my phone is charged, of course.

Spring Or Fall: Fall. I love Spring, but with Fall, I have the hard Summer behind me, and the hope of a magical winter.

Winter Or Summer: Winter, of course. Summer is too miserable for me because I'm a hot-blooded person and I don't like that clammy sweaty feeling that's never really gone in Summer. But in Winter, I can cozy up with hot tea or coffee, and my knitting or a book. It's a good time.

Breakfast Or Supper: Supper, always. I even eat supper for breakfast. But don't tell my mom.

Beach Or Mountains: Mountains. I love the beach; I grew up on the beach. But there's something truly majestic about the mountains. Not to mention, the lack of sharks. And undertow. And sunburns.

Movies Or Books: Books, always books. Because we all know that even if the movie can come close, the book is ALWAYS better.

Text Or Call: Text, for sure. But not because I don't like being on the phone. It's more because my kids are at a loud stage right now, and phone calls can be challenging. Much easier if I can answer a text when I can, and then simply wait for a reply while doing the mom things that make up my days.

About The Author:

Brandi Kennedy is a romance novelist whose work centers on the contemporary set, sometimes with a playful twist of this or that as she toys with bits and pieces of other genres. She is the author of To Love A Selkie, which is a tragic romance with a twist of the fantasy element. She is also the author of the Kingsley Series, which is entirely contemporary and focuses on the romantic happenings of the fictional Kingsley family.

A woman of varied interests, Brandi loves photography, music of all kinds, knitting, crochet, and of course, mothering her two young daughters. Currently, she finds her home in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee, among the mountains and the members of her extended family.

Follow Brandi Kennedy on the Web

On Amazon, Amazon

On Facebook, Facebook

On Blogger, Blogger

On Twitter, Twitter

And On Goodreads, Goodreads

Other Titles by This Author

Single Titles

To Love A Selkie

Giveaway: For a chance to win some goodies, enter here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:March 28
The O'Raven Chronicles
http://revloush.blogspot.com/
Spotlight, excerpt and tour schedule

March 29
Confessions of the Paranormal
http://confessionsoftheparanormal.blogspot.com/
Spotlight & Excerpt

March 30
Living in your own world
http://livinginyourownworld.blogspot.com/
Review & Spotlight

March 31
Book Addicts Not-So Anonymous
http://www.bookaddictedaa.blogspot.com/
Review & Author Top 10

Fated Paranormals
http://www.fatedparanormals.blogspot.com/
Review & Guest post

April 1
The Fantasy Junkie
http://laurendawes.blogspot.com/
Character Interview & Spotlight

April 2
Cat's Reviews & More
http://catsreviews.blogspot.com/
Review & Spotlight

April 3
Raven Reviews
http://ravenreviewer.tumblr.com/
Review & This or That

Girls *heart* Books
http://lissalynnsreviews.blogspot.com/
Spotlight and Author Interview

April 4
Fab, fun & Tantalizing Reads
http://www.fabfunandtantalizingreads.com/
Review & Spotlight

April 5
Library at the End of the Universe
http://libraryendofuniverse.blogspot.com/
Review

April 6
Reading is my Time Out
http://www.readingismytimeout.blogspot.com/
Review & This or That

April 7
Karie Hendon Author Page
http://kariehendonauthor.blogspot.com/
Spotlight

The Crafty Cauldron
http://craftymomof3.com/
Spotlight

April 8
BookEnd 2 BookEnd
http://bookend2bookend.blogspot.com/
Spotlight, Excerpt & Character Top 10

April 9
RomanceBookWorm's Reviews
http://romancebookworm.com/
Review & Author Interview

April 10
Bex n Books
http://bexnbooks.blogspot.com/
Review & Spotlight

April 11
Naughty Bits' Book Reviews
http://naughtybitsbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Spotlight & Author Interview

April 12
Tam's Two Cents
http://tamssbookblog.blogspot.com/
Spotlight and Playlist

Fat Chance Book Trailer:

 

We also hosted K.M. Dylan, the author of Cult of Beauty: The Secret Life of a Supermodel. This is a dark, sensous book detailing a life of an uber famous supermodel.

Links to find/buy your book:

Ebook

Paperback

Blurb:
Supermodel Katie Wolfer takes a call from her stepfather as she steps off the Dior runway in Paris: her mother has died. As she struggles to move forward as an orphan, two men loom large for Katie—Gavin Poole, a hot, emerging fashion designer with an inability to commit, and her charismatic, wealthy French stepfather, Daniel de Goncourt. Katie becomes entangled with both of them, exploring her darkest sexual desires amidst a lavish, decadent lifestyle.

 This full-length novel will sweep you up in a world of beauty and power. Katie is smart, but also impulsive and flawed. As one of the most beautiful women in the world, she is always in the crosshairs, seducing or being seduced by both men and women. Deeply erotic, thoughtful, and thrilling, this novel is sure to arouse and intrigue you.

My Review:
Have you ever wondered what a life of a person so beautiful it hurt to look at them may be like???? Cult of Beauty: The Secret Life of a Supermodel does just that. This is a very dark, sensuous, overtly and sexual story of a world famous supermodel who is dealing with some family issues in a very unique, indulgent, and self satisfying manner.

Katie walks off of a Paris runway... literally... and hears the news that her mother has died. The only living parent 22 year old Katie had is gone and she finds herself flying home to New York to deal with the aftermath. Katie experiments with men, women, drugs, her stepfather all in what I see as trying to fill a void in her heart. I truly believe that underneath this stunning shell of a body, she really just wants to find that one person that loves her for HER. Yes, she has a very dark, wild, impulsive way of showing it... but isn't that what we all want... someone to love and need us. Katie lost her father when she was 12 years old. She was raised by a mother who could barely make ends meet. Then mommy dearest marries into money and Katie's world is thrown for a tilt-a-whirl ride while she is trying to discover who she is as a teenager. Now fast forward to 22 and she is a careless, sex driven, desensitized woman working in an industry where your face and body is all you have and all you are known for.

My heart actually ached for Katie as she was left in a world with no familial connections trying to please everyone around her. She did it the only way she really knew how... with sex. I thought K.M. Dylan did a great job at writing a fictional story about a supermodel's life, but made it absolutely believable and realistic. Could this happen... for sure! Does it everyday... you know it!! I give Cult of Beauty: The Secret Life of a Supermodel 3.5 stars on the knock my socks off scale! Warning: If you are easily offended with homosexual relationships, blase sex and drug use... do not read this book. The author writes this warning in her prologue and kudos to her for that! :)

Giveaway:  Enter for your chance to win:  (8) eBook copies of CULT OF BEAUTY to be gifted from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Open International. (3) Print copies of CULT OF BEAUTY – US/Canada Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway