WELCOME OUR GUEST: Size Matters: AUTHOR – Alison Bliss

Welcome Our Guest

Alison Bliss

Author of:

Rad-Reader:  Where did you come up with the Storyline?

Alison:  There were so many things that inspired the idea for this book, but two stand out above the rest. Not only did I love the idea of writing about a heroine with body issues—one who I feel most women can relate to—but I also wanted to show that women aren’t the only ones who worry about their “size.”

Rad-Reader:  Sam was a loveable Character but he had his foot in his mouth a lot.  Why?

Alison:  Unfortunately for Sam, he’s the type of guy who does or says things without thinking them through…such as announcing that he was Leah’s fiancé. But when Sam first met Leah in the bar, he didn’t realize she had self-esteem issues. He found her attractive so it never registered with him that she might not be thinking of herself in that manner. But even once he began to realize she was taking the things he said in the wrong way, it was hard to correct her perception without giving her false hope that there would be something more between them. And that was something he’d convinced himself that he didn’t want. Of course, that was just Sam being in denial about his feelings for her and trying to keep Leah in his life, even if only as a friend. As sweet as she was, he hated the idea of hurting her.

Rad-Reader:  What was Sam afraid of?  Commitment or the wrong choice?

Alison:  Between the ex-wife who had cheated on him and the ex-girlfriend that went crazy, Sam had stopped trusting his own judgment. That was why he had sworn off women. He wanted to settle down and get married eventually, but he was leery of jumping into another relationship that might not work out, which would be repeating the mistakes he’d made in the past.

Rad-Reader:  Did Leah’s dad know something was up and was guiding Sam?

Alison:  I think that very well could be some readers’ perception, which is perfectly okay. But in my eyes, Leah’s father, Bill, was just a man who loved his daughter dearly and could see how good Sam was for her. Bill liked the two of them together because he could see how happy Leah was when she was with Sam, which was why he offered his blessing.

Rad-Reader:  Leah’s mom was being verbally abusive and Sam was being straightforward about how she needed to stop but when his mom corrected him he backed down.  Why?

Alison:   Sam was really trying his hardest not to involve himself in Leah’s life anymore than he already had when he’d announced their fake engagement. He struggled between wanting to protect Leah from her mother and, knowing that by doing so, it could possibly make things worse for Leah in the end. The last thing he wanted to do was cause more problems for her.

Rad-Reader:  I loved the way you had Sam and Leah’s brother bond over the drinks and then the shirt.  How did you come up with that?

Alison:  Poor Ethan. Leah’s little brother wasn’t a main character so I think the whole crazy scenario started out of the need to get him off the page at certain times. I needed something to send him running out of the room as fast as possible, and Sam did a great job getting rid of him for me. LOL

Rad-Reader:  When Leah overheard Max and Sam in his work trailer why didn’t she confront him then?

Alison:    Throughout the book, Leah proves over and over to be someone who isn’t all that confrontational. It’s just not who she is. Besides that, I can only imagine the embarrassment she would’ve felt at barging in and confronting Sam while his best friend, Max, was right there.  She was already hurt and mortified that she had thought there was something more between her and Sam. She would never want to cause a big scene and draw more attention to herself. Old habits die hard, right?

Rad-Reader:  Leah had the power to end it at any time.  Why do you think she didn’t?

Alison:   As readers, we all knew from the beginning that Leah had the power to put an end to things at any time. But it’s sometimes easier to see something more clearly when you’re on the outside looking in. Leah needed to learn a lesson in how strong she truly was and needed to come to terms with her own flaws and imperfections. Because until she did, nothing would ever change. Not with her mother and not with Leah. Thankfully, she finally got it.

Rad-Reader:  Didn’t she stop to think he may have feelings if he kept putting her off from calling off the whole engagement?

Alison:    With Leah, her struggles with her perception of herself were very real. She couldn’t believe that anyone would want to be with her, much less a good-looking, muscled guy like Sam. So, when he put her off about calling off the engagement, the last thing she would’ve considered was that he was doing so because he was falling for her.

Rad-Reader:  Why didn’t he just let her call off the engagement earlier on?

Alison:   After announcing the fake engagement, Sam felt responsible for the problems he caused Leah. He could’ve walked away from it all and left Leah holding the bag, but that wasn’t in Sam’s character to do so. He’s truly one of the nice guys. And the last thing he wanted to do was cause Leah anymore embarrassment when it came to her family. He was determined to see it through to the end for Leah’s sake.

Rad-Reader:  Her mom seems so critical of her weight and how it would affect her dating habits yet her dad wouldn’t get her to stop why?

Alison:    There were a couple of small parts where you see Leah’s dad’s frustration over the things his wife says to their daughter. Leah’s mother, Nancy, had been at her for years like this and at some point, I think he’d just given up hope that she would ever change. Thankfully, she finally did.

Rad-Reader:  What did you want people to get from this story of Leah and Sam?

Alison:   I hope everyone who reads it sees that love can come in all shapes and sizes. Just like people, love isn’t perfect. It doesn’t come in only one form.

Rad-Reader:  If your book was made into a movie who would you have play…

Leah:  Laura Wells

http://www.plusmodelstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Laura-Wells-for-London-Boudoir-Photography.jpg

Sam:  Todd Finlay

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8rwoV_E6RAE/maxresdefault.jpg

Alison:     

Leah:    Tara Lynn

http://www.plusmodelstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/taly-2a.jpg

Sam:     Chris Lane

https://www.facebook.com/imchrislane/photos/a.267556363317831.63469.263846257022175/890448247695303/?type=3&theater

Rad-Reader:  What song out today best describes your book or the main characters?

"I Do" - Meghan Tonjes

Alison:

“Love” -  Jana Kramer

Would be a perfect theme song for Size Matters. The lyrics talk about all the things a person might believe in, all of which has to do with love.

Rad-Reader:  When did you know that you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Alison:   I’ve always been an avid romance reader, and when I was younger, I used to write stories that I kept to myself. But I never knew that it would one day lead to me being an author. At least not until 2010 when I came across a book with an ending I didn’t care much for. I complained about it to my sister for a week straight until she finally dared me to write a better ending.  But I didn’t want to write an ending to someone else’s story. So instead, I sat down and wrote my own book. I haven’t stopped writing since.

Rad-Reader:  How many books did you write before you were able to get your first book published?

Alison:   Only one. I deemed it my practice novel since I made every beginning writer mistake possible in that book. But I do still love it and think it has merit. Who knows? Maybe I’ll rewrite it one day and publish it.

Rad-Reader:  Are all your books BBW books?

Alison:    Not at all. My Tangled in Texas series actually features women who are more on the slender side, while my A Perfect Fit series features curvaceous heroines. My hope is that my readers will see my books as inclusive. I write fun stories for everyone to read, including men.

Rad-Reader:  What is your next project and when is it coming out?

Alison:    I just finished writing a story for the Alphas & Fairytales: A New Year’s Eve Anthology, which releases December 19, 2016. And the second book in my A Perfect Fit series, which is titled On the Plus Side is up next and will be hitting the bookshelves on June 27, 2017. I’m so excited to share both of these with my readers!

Rad-Reader:  Where can our readers buy your books?

Alison:   All of my books can be found at most online retailers such as Amazon or B&N.com, but Size Matters, which is my first mass-market paperback can also be found in your local Target store or Barnes & Noble.

Rad-Reader:  Where can our readers find you on the Web.

Alison:    To learn more about me, visit my website at http://authoralisonbliss.com, where you can sign up for my newsletter to keep up with my latest book news. You can also connect with me on social media at the links below.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlisonBliss

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AlisonBliss2

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/AlisonBliss

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/AlisonBliss2

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/arbliss/

Amazon Page: http://amazon.com/author/alisonbliss

Goodreads giveaway going on for 10 mass-market copies of Size Matters right now. It's only available for the next 10 days though.

Here's the link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/214165-size-matters


Thank you for being with us.  This has fed my Fangirl for sure.  You are now A Rad-Reader Misfit. :)