Merry Christmas!

I tried to think of a way to start this post without using an apology since it has been six months since my last blog post. It's not that I didn't have anything to say, I always do, it's that I was getting slammed with spam on all my posts and so I reverted back to ranting and raving on Facebook (don't we all at some point or another). But I think I have to put up or shut up. Shutting up is not something I'm capable of =) hence this Christmas post which will include a giveaway and a chance to win a critique from yours truly.

(Completely off topic... Above is the photo Harlequin sent out as a Christmas card to their authors. Isn't it lovely!)

So this being my first post in too long, I thought I would kick it off with a bit of a debate. The following picture came up in my news feed on Facebook and it got the old brain ticking along about what we accept, what we put up with, and what we expect.

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I'm not debating whether it's healthier or sexier to be one way or another. I'm also not debating the fact that the above picture is degrading and offensive to both large and skinny women. Let's face it, a man would have posted this picture on facebook and the majority of the crude comments were also from men. My question to you A) authors and writers and B) readers is as follows;
A) Authors do you have a type you typically write? I always thought I did but my two historical heroines were quite curvy. One was an opera singer and the other a courtesan and they both had curves a man could really wrap his arms around. But. My contemporary (yet to be published) heroines are your perfect size 10, flawless apart from the odd sprinkling of freckles, perky packages of awesomeness. Mentally they all have a little baggage but physically, they're hot. Is it a problem? Are we even supposed to think about it like that or does it depend on the character, the story, the era? Realistically the only reason you'd put a tiny hourglass-figured 19th century woman in a corset would be if you were writing steampunk yes? Is it because we don't want to read about women who have the hassle of a facial routine to ward off toxic zits? Do you want to write that your heroine skipped lunch so her bridesmaid dress would fit rather than rip on her best friend's big day? That she can't eat that extra dessert or drink that last drink because she's watching her waistline? Probably not. Unless you're writing about a model or sport star, etc.
Which brings me to B) The reader. The most important and integral part of what we do and how successful we are. What do you want to read? How do you like your heroines? (We aren't getting started on men but might in the next post. I would of course include pictures) Do you have a preference?

Personally I have to say I can't remember the last time I read a romance (fiction) that had a plus sized or even marginally bloated heroine. She's always a nice tight little firecracker, a dynamite in the sack and almost perfect in everyway (except for the conflict and GMC). As I write this I do remember a novella I read that had an African American heroine and she was really obsessed with her booty and how big and awesome it was. I didn't get it and I found as a read on I really just didn't care about how much she admired her own ass... Just me?

Leave me a comment that doesn't involve the selling of products such as viagra and weightloss pills and god knows what else and I'll have a give away at the end of the week. One random thoughtful comment will win a three chapter critique from me (to be carried out in January and no sooner) and the other I'll send a book pack with my latest on a CD and a couple of Mills and Boon and anything else I happen to think would be awesome. Oh and the book pack will contain chocolate =)

Again, just to reiterate, this is not a debate on which one is healthy or not. You can tell me if you find curvy women hot if you want but it won't actually stand as your comment.

Winners will be drawn out of a hat by one of the kids (technical I know) and posted here on Friday night. I'll post the book pack on Saturday morning on my way to the wedding of the year.