Big is Beautiful

I want to thank Laura for having me on her blog today to talk about my new bestselling book, BIG is BEAUTIFUL.

BIG is a Young adult/Christian book. (There aren't many of them out there.) It is about a girl who isn't the smallest person ever-- and how she handles high school. She loves God, just not herself.

I think a lot of teenagers (and yeah, even some of us adults) can relate. I was never taunted like Brittany, but I do know what it's like to be on the bigger side of life. Brittany is a character I'd just like to hug and tell her it'll be alright. She's sassy and interesting. She isn't a wallflower, but she does let peer pressure and bullying make her do something she knows in her heart is wrong.

If you have a teenage girl (or even if you like YA books yourself), I'd love it if you checked BIG out. It has gotten some great reviews. I love all my books, but there is something about BIG that really stands out to me. Definitely one of my favorites.

BLURB:
The seven worst words ever spoken came out of Brittany Gregory's mom's mouth at breakfast, "I signed you up for math tutoring." Sure, she probably needs it (probably nothing, she'll fail without it), but the thought of having to stay in that school longer than she had to every day makes her sick. It's not the school's fault... just the few jerks inside.

Brittany's tutor is none other than Matt Taylor, senior quarterback-- all around hottie. At first, she's shy around him because, hello, Matt Taylor! But as he shows more and more unexpected kindness toward her, Brittany softens around him.

Unfortunately for Brittany, Matt's former girlfriend, the beautifully wicked Kendra Moses, has tormented Britt since eighth grade about her weight. In an unusual moment of brains, Kendra realizes Brittany's initials spell B.I.G.-- a hilarious (to the cheerleader) irony since Brittany isn't the smallest girl at school.

With the Red Ball (Valentine's Dance) approaching, Brittany has to decide if her growing feelings for Matt are real, or if he's secretly been playing a part in Kendra's game all along.

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Exerpt

The seven worst words ever spoken came out of my mother’s mouth during breakfast. “I signed you up for math tutoring.”

I coughed, nearly choked on my biscuit, and tossed the remaining part on my plate. It took a second for words to form between my full lips, and when they did, it  was a mumbly, “I don’t need math tutoring.” 

My mom glared.

I forced the remaining biscuit down and tried this again. “I don’t. My grades aren’t that bad.”

“Sure.” She took a sip of her coffee. “If it’s opposite day.”

It was my turn to glare. My mom, ever the comedian. “Why now? It’s February. Do you know how late it is to have tutoring? I’ll probably fail anyway.”

My mom’s brow rose like the sun over her mug. “Thought your grades weren’t that bad.” Apparently, she woke up on the sarcastic side of the bed this morning.

I sputtered and thought really hard on a comeback. Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit my mom’s wit, nor did my adoptive father’s rub off on me. Knocked down but not defeated, I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms like the good defiant teen I wasn’t. “I’m not going.”

“Yes. You are.” No question. No break in her voice.

“No. I’m not.”

“Yes. You are.”

“No…” This was going nowhere. “Mom,” I huffed. “When will I ever need geometry?”

She sat back in her chair, matching me with her arms crossed. Only she had a smirk on her face. Mom’s smirk never meant good things were coming to the smirk-ee. “You need it right now. To pass this class so you won’t be a sophomore forever.”

“I like being a sophomore.” I pouted then squinted my eyes at my mom to see if it worked.

Nothing.

“I don’t. I’d like you to, you know, graduate.”

I shrugged and let out a short sigh. “Graduation is overrated.”

“Brittany.” Mom’s tone had changed into the voice she used when enough was enough. If that didn’t work, I expected the overly raised brow followed by the tilted head… then the lethal stare.

“I guess I might want to graduate someday.”

She smiled and her jaw relaxed. “Good to hear.”

I wasn’t finished. “But geometry? Mama, it’s a hard class. I get shapes. Remember in preschool, I got the Star Student Sticker for knowing all eight of my shapes before anyone else?”

My mom’s body twitched, but an eep of a snicker came out anyway. “That was eleven years ago, Britt. One has to move on. Grow. Learn new things.”

“Yeah, right angles. Acute… obtuse…” I knew all about obtuse angles and obese as my doctor liked to tell me. Who cared if I weighed thirty pounds more than normal? Who invented normal? A normal person?

 BUY LINKS:
AMAZON  
ASTRAEA PRESS
BARNES AND NOBLE

About Kelly

Kelly Martin a southern girl who writes... a lot. She is the author of the bestsellers SAINT SLOAN and THE DECEPTION OF DEVIN MILLER. Her first novel, CROSSING THE DEEP, won the Grace Award for best Young adult novel. By day, she is a teacher. By night, she has her hair in a bun and her fingers on a keyboard. She loves God, is addicted to chocolate, and would rather write than sleep. Kelly loves a good mystery and believes in Sherlock Holmes. You can find her at KellyMartinBooks, Twitter and Facebook.

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