• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Mary E Thompson

it's a curvy road to happily ever after

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Book Boyfriends Wanted
    • F-BOMB: SEALs Love Curves
    • Big & Beautiful: Opposites Attract
    • Raise A Glass
    • Big & Beautiful
    • Paradise Park
    • Better In Bed
    • Love On Deck
    • Standalone Novels
    • Boxed Sets
  • Shop
  • Meet Mary
  • Subscribe

Body Positive

Curvy is Beautiful

August 20, 2019 by Mary

When I got engaged, I was 23 and a size 16. I knew nothing about planning weddings, and social media wasn’t something I was involved in, so my knowledge came from the people I knew.

Which meant dress shopping was kind of like swimsuit shopping with the knowledge that I would be on display in front of hundreds of people who would all definitely be looking at me.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the best of your life. If you’ve been married, chances are you’re laughing right now at the memory of all the people, all the stress, and all the things that didn’t go as planned.

The dress is a big deal for every bride. I wanted a dress that made me feel beautiful. But most places don’t have dresses for women in double digit sizes. I went to one place that offered to order me a dress if I liked one of the size 6 or 8’s on the rack. You know, the one the owner held together so I could get an idea of what it would look like.

Um, that doesn’t work.

I was fortunate that I found a dress I loved that fit me perfectly, but I can’t help but think if more places that cater to curvy brides were around then I would have had an easier time. At least five stores, close to 50 dresses, and no fun montage with James Marsden taking my picture. It could have been better.

All of that went into my head when I dreamed up Scarlett. How can you not love a dress designer who creates gowns for those of us with built-in padding? Because it doesn’t matter if your dress is a size 0 or a size 30, you should know you are the most beautiful woman in the room on your wedding day.

Mainland vs. Island is available now!

Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | Apple Books | B&N | Google Play | Smashwords

Excerpt from Mainland vs. Island

I led Scarlett to one of the tables and drew her onto my lap. 

“This is better,” I said, kissing her arm. 

She shifted on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. 

“Ooh, even better,” I said with a laugh when I was face-to-nipple with her breast. 

“Tilt that face up,” she commanded. 

I did and raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you like that in the bedroom?” I teased. 

She gasped then smirked. “Maybe one day you’ll find out.”

Filed Under: Body Positive, Opposites Attract, Teaser Tuesday Tagged With: Curvy is, Mainland vs. Island, Wedding Dress

Curvy is WORTHY

August 6, 2019 by Mary

I screwed up last week. I was looking at the page for Chubby & Charming and read a review.

Before I even tell you about it, I want to say please don’t go looking for this review or this reviewer. This is not an attack on one person, and I don’t want it to be. That’s not what we’re about, what I’m about, or what this post is about. Reviewers are free to share their thoughts, and I hope they continue to do so. Always.

Anyway, so this review said the reader didn’t like that Mandy didn’t feel she was worthy of love simply because she’s fat. I sat with that for a while. It bothered me, because that wasn’t the point of Chubby & Charming. It wasn’t to showcase an insecure woman who wasn’t worthy of love. It was to show that we’re all alike. No matter who you are on the outside, we’re all the same on the inside. We all have doubts and insecurities and fears.

We are all worthy.

This review made me sad, and quite honestly, a little ashamed that I hadn’t made that clear. I sat on it for a while, but I started reading FabUPlus Magazine and was reinvigorated. Beautiful, curvy women fill the magazine, talking about loving their bodies and themselves and being healthy and beautiful and amazing.

I realized I was jealous of the reviewer.

Ouch.

I hate being jealous. Not that it’s an emotion I’m unfamiliar with, but it’s one I don’t like. It makes me feel icky. But that’s what it was. I was jealous that the reviewer had never felt insecure. That she had never known what it was like to look at a person who she saw as attractive and immediately assume she wasn’t good enough. That she didn’t know how painful it was to be less than simply because her dress size was more than.

I try to write stories that are real, and for me, all those feelings are real. Even though I have an amazing husband who constantly tells me I’m beautiful, I look in the mirror and see my flaws. The double chin and chubby cheeks, the belly that hangs down, the bingo arms, the thunder thighs. All those things I’d love to change about my appearance.

At the end of the day, none of those things tell the story of who I am. They don’t tell a stranger if I’m kind or mean, if I’m a wine drinker or beer drinker, if I’m happy or depressed. But too often, we make assumptions based on those things.

I would love to write a story about a curvy woman who has boatloads of confidence and no doubts or fears or insecurities, but I don’t know ANY woman like that. We all have those, and I want my characters to be real. Chubby thighs, flabby belly, and extra rolls included.

If that reviewer ever reads this, I truly hope she knows I’m sorry for making her feel like curvy isn’t worthy. Curvy is worthy. Skinny is worthy. Alive is worthy.

My newest curvy girl romance is out August 20. Scarlett loves making wedding dresses for curvy girls, but she’s not looking to make one for herself. Mack might try to change her mind, though.

Excerpt from Mainland vs. Island

I couldn’t stop my grin. I reached for her as she leaned toward me. We both stopped, a breath apart, and stared at each other. 

Fire licked at my veins and demanded I show her just how much of a spark there was between us, but I needed to wait. To draw it out until she was panting with need. Then, and only then, would I close the paper thin distance between us and set the night on fire. 

“Mack,” she whispered on a ragged inhale, dragging me to her with the air around us. 

The moment our lips touched, I knew I couldn’t stop with one kiss. The surprised gasp that parted her lips said she felt the same.

Filed Under: Body Positive, Opposites Attract, Teaser Tuesday

Moments of Doubt

November 9, 2018 by Mary

I’d like to think we all have moments of doubt. Those times in our lives when we’re really not sure things are going to work out. Days when what you want seems so out of reach that you wonder how you’ll ever get there. Maybe you will, and maybe you won’t, but how do you know when to give up and when to fight with everything you have?

I’ve had a lifelong struggle with losing weight. I know a lot of people who’ve had the same, so chances are you understand this, even if it’s from watching a friend or relative. When I was young, I knew I was bigger than the other girls, but I didn’t realize what this meant until later. I got my period before all my friends, I had boobs before all of them, and I got hit on by older men before all of them. None of those were good things in my young world.

I was a soccer player all through high school, so I was active. I was also the slowest one on the team. And when soccer season was over, I hung up my cleats and picked up a book. I look back now and wonder why I thought I was fat, but in the moment you don’t have that perspective. You compare yourself to everyone around you and most of us find ourselves wanting.

I’m staring down 40 now. Everyone who’s crossed that threshold has told me losing weight is so much harder after hitting that magic number. As of today, I have less than 18 months before I get there. I also have about 100 pounds I’d like to lose in order to be considered healthy for my height.

Here’s the rub… I lost half that. I was 50+ pounds lighter just three years ago. Then cancer happened and steroids and chemo and poor eating habits because when you feel like shit, you eat whatever sounds good, even if it’s grilled cheese for three days straight. I gained back all that weight I lost, and losing it all again is really damn hard.

So I doubt. I wonder if I’ll ever do it. I lost the weight the first time over three years. I don’t have three years until that magic number. Will I be able to lose weight after I turn 40? Will I gain it back if I do lose it? Will I ever make it to the weight I want to be, the weight that means my knees won’t ache when I climb stairs in the winter and my feet won’t protest when I’m on them too long?

I don’t know. I won’t know until I lose the weight and find out. I felt better 50 pounds ago, so even though I have my doubts, I’m ready. I’m ready to tell my doubts to shut the hell up and let me live. I’m going to fight – myself, my crappy eating habits, that Reese’s cup on my desk that’s been staring at me for days. I refuse to give up, because I’m here. I know it isn’t going to be easy, but let’s be honest: nothing is easy. Some things are easier than others, but nothing is easy. I’m ready to tell my doubts to go away and let me have my faith. That’s what I need right now.

Faith.

How do you overcome moments of doubt?

 

When you doubt yourself, who do you trust? 

Why would anyone follow her? She wasn’t the kind of woman who inspired 1000 ships. Hell, she got dumped for being fat. There was no way she actually had a stalker. But he believed her. He never once questioned her. And that was scarier than a stalker. 

Available November 13

Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | B&N

Filed Under: Body Positive, F-Bomb Tagged With: Doubt, Forgotten, Overweight, Trust

Before Footer

Instagram post 17853107104684181 I’m ready for #thanksgiving with something to read and tons of great food on the way. Plenty to #bethankful for.
Instagram post 17852531218665589 How do you survive a #snowday after a three day weekend? Send kids outside to play. Let them pretend they’re reindeer. Ask hubby to bring reinforcements (aka #wine lots of it). #buffalosnow #amnotwriting
Instagram post 17883322318439631 My kids are off school tomorrow, which means the weekend is already here! I’m all booked up! #readingromance #readingweather
Instagram post 17898579673356039 Ready to sign Freedom at the Indie Signing! #rwa2019 #amwritingromanticsuspense #nyc
Instagram post 17861711923441906 Happy 4th!!! #independenceday #fireworks #buffalove #romance #familyfun
Follow me on Instagram

Footer

 

Follow Me

Shop Now

© Copyright 2013-2018 Mary E Thompson · All Rights Reserved · Powered by WordPress ·

This site is restricted to adults only. If you are not 18+, please leave. Privacy Policy