Literary Friday
Review of “Diary Of A Mad Fat Girl” & Giveaway
Florida schoolteacher Stephanie McAfee wrote and self-published her debut novel, Diary Of A Mad Fat Girl, as an e-book in 2010. Readers quickly fell in love with McAfee’s main character Graciela “Ace” Jones and her cast of friends, and the book became a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. And that was all before it was ever in print. Now in a revised and expanded form, McAfee’s hilarious novel is finally in print. Read our full review here, and comment on this post with your best “fat girl” story to win one of three copies of the book, courtesy of New American Library.
To enter to win:
Comment on this post ONLY with your best “fat girl” story. For example, what do you eat when no one’s looking? Have you ever ripped a piece of clothing that wasn’t even close to your size in a dressing room and then hightailed it outta there? We suggest checking out “Mad Fat Friday,” a special blog posted every Friday by Ace Jones or one of her friends, for more ideas.
Three winners with the best, and funniest, stories will be chosen by MARCH 16 and announced during next week’s Literary Friday. Winners will be notified by e-mail and will receive books directly from New American Library.
Literary News
Actor Andy Garcia is planning to make a film about the last 10 years of Ernest Hemingway’s life. Anthony Hopkins will play the writer, and Garcia says he’s trying to get Annette Bening to play Mary, Hemingway’s third, and final, wife. This news comes on the heels of a slew of other announcements of literary adaptations in the works. See our “The South on Screen” story to find out which of your other favorite writers might grace the big screen soon.
North Carolina’s Outer Banks tweeted earlier this week about Group Tour Magazine‘s Nights (and days) in Rodanthe Tour. Nicholas Sparks fans will remember his book “Nights in Rodanthe,” and people who saw the movie with Diane Lane and Richard Gere will remember the amazing beach house. The movie was shot in and around the village of Rodanthe, North Carolina, so fans can see the actual sites for themselves, including that unforgettable house. We’re definitely adding some of these spots to our Literary Trail App!
New in Southern Voice
For the month of March, we’re presenting three stories described as short shorts. Staying true to their name, these stories say in a lot in very few words and span topics from peanut butter, leaving Kansas and a boy, his grandpa and God.
Literary Events
Knoxville, Tennessee’s International Biscuit Festival is adding a Southern Food Writing Conference this year. To be held May 17-18, the conference will feature New Orleans Times Picayune restaurant critic Brett Anderson, features editor for Southern Living magazine Jennifer Cole, Sheri Castle, author of “The New Southern Garden Cookbook,” and several more speakers.
New Orleans’ Tennessee Williams Literary Festival takes place March 21-25, as does the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville.
What We’re Reading
“Alligator Lake,” the latest book by “Catfish Alley” author Lynne Bryant, just arrived in the mail.
“A Rare Titanic Family: The Caldwells Story Of Survival” marks the upcoming 100th anniversary of the sinking by telling the story one couple who survived. It was written by by Julie Hedgepeth Williams, a professor of Journalism at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
Download the Deep South Literary Trail App for lots more events, literary sites, tours and more across the South. Now available in Android!
Susan H. / March 9, 2012
Not any great stories. This comes to mind though. When my cousin and I shop in unfamiliar stores, we ask where the Wides dept. is instead of Women’s. We pretend that “W” on the size tags stands for “Wides”. And my chief complaint is how the models for plus size clothing don’t look plus size at all. They need to have some that wear a size 20W or 22W.
Kasey Clark / March 9, 2012
My fat girl story is personal and involves a lot of fried food po’boys and King Cake during the first months after my fiancee and I moved to New Orleans. We dove headfirst into exploring all the culinary delights that the Big Easy has to offer and I also work at a very lively wine bar where customers insisted that I raise a glass with them. (Twist my arm,will ya?) Well, I gained about 25 pounds more than I normally carry and I had barely even noticed, I was having such a good time. Fast forward to January of this year, and I realized it was time to get my fat butt in gear. I have lost 20 pounds since the new year began and I am feeling more motivated than ever to balance every “fat girl” indulgence with some healthy city walks or kayaking excursions on Bayou St. John. Fat girl to fit girl to fleur-de-lis fantastic!
Jenny Lyn / March 10, 2012
Well, I have been known to get a large order of fries from McDonalds and eat the entire thing before I get home, then hide the evidence before anyone’s the wiser.
And I should win a copy because next Thursday’s my birthday. I’m nearing the top of that hateful hill, dragging my fat a** behind me!
Judy Hill / March 11, 2012
Well, I don’t consider myself ‘fat’ at all – just big boned – the same description my husband gives to our 21 pound cat! I’ve done the usual (and expected)throughout my life – eaten the entire bag (of anything) and quickly erased all evidence, bought a size too small because it was on sale and I knew I’d lose the weight by the time I needed it, covered all forms of ‘sins’ with baggy clothes, etc. But now, I’ve come to love my curves, accepted my faults and grown from my silly mistakes. Now, I simply wear a lower cut top, color block everything and smile a little bigger! Once you discover that you really are fabulous, life is a whole lot sweeter!
Can’t wait to read Stephanie’s book – she sounds much like my twin – our educational background (same degrees), our wide range of jobs and best of all, our love of writing! Congrats on making it to the NYT Best Seller List! That’s on my to-do list, and I’m just MAD enough to do it!
Carolyn Prisock / March 11, 2012
I have always been ” big boned ” for most of my adult life.Having three children then ending up with brain tumor surgery which kept me on steroids for quite awhile just made it impossible to get anywhere in weight loss.
I always have made sure people know I am NOT fat, put ” poofie” ……. just more
of me to love. I have accepted my size and those who do not, well……… they can just ” stuff it” lol.
I cannot wait to read Stephanie’s book as well………Sounds wonderful.
amy hickman / March 15, 2012
I lived across the street from my mother in law for 14 years. Need I say more? Anyway, she is quite a piece of work. Having been overweight as a child, I was used to my body & the size it was…a 28w at the time. My mother in law owned the house we lived in. We were in the middle of a remodel. One day while I was washing dishes, she walked in (without knocking, of course). She came into the kitchen where I was steadily washing dishes, pulled a tape measure from her pocket, & stretched it across my shoulders. I turned around & in horror asked, “what are you doing!!??” ” I was just making sure you were gonna fit in that 52 inch tub I ordered for the bathroom,” she said. True story! & this story is just 1 of many, I assure you!
april grim / March 15, 2012
I went on vacation with amy Hickman (see above) & her entire family. We stayed in a beach house that was on stilts, as many beach houses on the gulf coast are. The beach house was huge. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, private pool & private beach. Huge. One night a storm rolled in, thunder, lightning, wind, the whole 9 yards. The next morning, I came downstairs & Amy’s mother in law said, “good morning, April, how’d you sleep last night?” I said, “pretty good, but I did hear the bad weather last night.” Amy’s mother in law said, “bad weather? Was there bad weather last night?” We said, “yes! Didn’t you feel the wind shaking the house?!” She said (& I kid you not), “that was the wind!!!!!?? I thought it was just April up walking around shaking the house!!” Yeah, true story.