Turning the Page by Deb Tiffany

bookcover2This week’s topic, it turns out, really is the perfect subject for this week. We have a new president, a new spirit in our country, and we’re reassessing ourselves and how people see us in the world.

I, for one, am chomping at the bit. Am I the only one who’s sick of Paris Hilton and celebrity culture? Tired of TV shows that proselytize overpriced stilettos and couture handbags? Completely done with diets that don’t include carbs, chocolate, or anything that’s satisfying? Really done with the public brouhahas of sixteen year-old starlets?

I wrote a book about a woman who’s out of societal bounds in all possible senses. She’s not pretty. She’s huge. She’s shy, poor, and, worst of all, unloved.

At least, that’s what everyone around her tries to make her believe. To that effect, I think it’s appropriate that the cover of my book has an image of a dressmaker’s form. In a lot of ways, Truly is just a body that people paste their prejudices to, their preconceived ideas of femininity, their fears.

But then something magical happens, and I don’t mean magic in the Harry Potter sense. Truly simply decides to define herself. That’s all. She figures out who she is inside and decides to make her exterior match that vision.

I think we’re all ready for that kind of change. For years we’ve been paying so much attention to our facade, I think we’ve forgotten who and what we are. Like Truly, I hope we find out that we’re huge, extraordinary, even, and not like anyone else. And like Truly, I also hope we find out that life is a feast, difference is the spice of life, and love really does come in all shapes and sizes. So, read some good books in 2009, do some good things for other people, and be proud!

Bon Vivant!

6 Replies to “Turning the Page by Deb Tiffany”

  1. I love the idea of turning a page, Tiffany! I truly feel like it’s a new year and a chance to change the direction of our country. It also reminds of MLK’s inspiring words about judging a man not by the color of his skin but the content of his character. We may not be there yet, but it finally feels like we’re heading in the right direction.

  2. Brava, Tiffany! As I mentioned in the Guilty Pleasures week, I’ve been watching Project Runway on DVD, which I like, but I was horrified to hear one of the designers say that a contestant lost a challenge because her designated model was “an ox.” An OX? A runway model? The mind boggles.

  3. OK, I am sure all the Debs know my political leanings…so this has been the most glorious event for me (and Eve too, I think it is safe to say). I have so much pride and hope for my country…and I couldn’t say that for a long time.

    Turning the page, yes, but let us not forget to learn from the book we just finished…it was not a best seller. There has got to be a better sequel.

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