BIG & FABULOUS, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BRENDA CANKLES
Author: Randi Sherman
Publisher: Friesen Press
Pages: 282
Genre: Humor Fiction
The time for BIG & Fabulous, The Life and Times of
Brenda Cankles is now! The emphasis is on positive body image, Big &
Fabulous is a truly entertaining story that’s strongly written, funny,
insightful and bitingly smart. Inside it’s covers, readers will find no
shortage of acidly hilarious accounts of the highs and lows of living life
inside a big and fabulous body.
Brenda Cankles is now! The emphasis is on positive body image, Big &
Fabulous is a truly entertaining story that’s strongly written, funny,
insightful and bitingly smart. Inside it’s covers, readers will find no
shortage of acidly hilarious accounts of the highs and lows of living life
inside a big and fabulous body.
Imperfect, impervious and improving Brenda Cankles is an
unlikely heroine. Unfazed by the enduring censure of society, she is determined
to realize the fabulous life that she has always believed is her destiny.
unlikely heroine. Unfazed by the enduring censure of society, she is determined
to realize the fabulous life that she has always believed is her destiny.
Brenda’s story – written in unflinching first person – is
utterly unvarnished. Here, find a fantastically real person, sometimes
struggling to fit in, but mostly giving the rest of the world the mother-lovin’
bird. From her clunky childhood, through her stumbling yet optimistic
adolescence to her full figured and unapologetic emergence into adulthood.
Brenda is a special brand of warrior. She is big, bold and beautiful. While the
quirky cast of characters who surround her is eternally insistent that Brenda
live her life in the background and fit into society’s mold, she will have none
of it.
utterly unvarnished. Here, find a fantastically real person, sometimes
struggling to fit in, but mostly giving the rest of the world the mother-lovin’
bird. From her clunky childhood, through her stumbling yet optimistic
adolescence to her full figured and unapologetic emergence into adulthood.
Brenda is a special brand of warrior. She is big, bold and beautiful. While the
quirky cast of characters who surround her is eternally insistent that Brenda
live her life in the background and fit into society’s mold, she will have none
of it.
Author, Randi Sherman’s experience as a stand-up comedienne
is evident as she delivers, BIG & Fabulous, The Life and Times of Brenda
Cankles, the hilarious, often laugh-out-loud novel about the inner most thoughts
Brenda Cankles, a very real character who is confident and brave enough to
expect the world to accept her on her terms.
is evident as she delivers, BIG & Fabulous, The Life and Times of Brenda
Cankles, the hilarious, often laugh-out-loud novel about the inner most thoughts
Brenda Cankles, a very real character who is confident and brave enough to
expect the world to accept her on her terms.
BIG & Fabulous, The Life and Times of Brenda Cankles is Sherman’s
fifth novel, her fourth THE LOBBY has won 17 Awards for Humor and General
Fiction.
fifth novel, her fourth THE LOBBY has won 17 Awards for Humor and General
Fiction.
Watch the book trailer at YouTube.
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DEAR SOCIETY,
We have a big
job ahead of us. In elementary school, I will be "the fat kid" with a
wild imagination. In high school, I'll try to fit in but won't. I will be an
outcast, considered lumbering and awkward. No one, including my family, will expect
much from me because I won't be like the other girls. Being a big and a
bold and a brash girl, I will be the focus of
your attention as you advise me to stifle myself, adjust my enthusiasm, and be
grateful for any attention I receive.
job ahead of us. In elementary school, I will be "the fat kid" with a
wild imagination. In high school, I'll try to fit in but won't. I will be an
outcast, considered lumbering and awkward. No one, including my family, will expect
much from me because I won't be like the other girls. Being a big and a
bold and a brash girl, I will be the focus of
your attention as you advise me to stifle myself, adjust my enthusiasm, and be
grateful for any attention I receive.
To the
bullies and doubters, let me be the first to thank you in
advance for continually reminding me that I have the potential to end up as
someone's dusty spinster aunt who shares a can of bargain tuna with seventeen
cats, or that weird neighbor you see but try desperately to avoid.
bullies and doubters, let me be the first to thank you in
advance for continually reminding me that I have the potential to end up as
someone's dusty spinster aunt who shares a can of bargain tuna with seventeen
cats, or that weird neighbor you see but try desperately to avoid.
Although it's
hard to believe, I will cherish our relationship because you, Society, will
never ignore me. I don't know what I will do or have done to garner so much of
your attention and devotion. I'm sure you have other and more important
things to do, like creating jobs, housing the homeless,
raising money to cure cancer, and feeding the
hungry. But, no, you will dedicate television shows and magazine articles to
me, and spend your valuable time and energy comparing what it is
that you consider "perfect" to my reality and encourage me to change
into someone "typical." I know it will be exhausting for
you.
hard to believe, I will cherish our relationship because you, Society, will
never ignore me. I don't know what I will do or have done to garner so much of
your attention and devotion. I'm sure you have other and more important
things to do, like creating jobs, housing the homeless,
raising money to cure cancer, and feeding the
hungry. But, no, you will dedicate television shows and magazine articles to
me, and spend your valuable time and energy comparing what it is
that you consider "perfect" to my reality and encourage me to change
into someone "typical." I know it will be exhausting for
you.
I have to
admit that there will be times when my self-esteem will be tested. Other
times, I'll be a non-believer, and want to give up, possibly disappointing you.
admit that there will be times when my self-esteem will be tested. Other
times, I'll be a non-believer, and want to give up, possibly disappointing you.
Because of
your often obsessive yet unwavering attention and dedication to making me aware
of my shortcomings or, worse, your condescending and hollow and self-serving
attempts to encourage me to accept my "inadequacies" and situation -
you will present me with a challenge. It will take all of my strength and
determination, but I will dig deep within myself to realize I have the
potential to be fabulous.
your often obsessive yet unwavering attention and dedication to making me aware
of my shortcomings or, worse, your condescending and hollow and self-serving
attempts to encourage me to accept my "inadequacies" and situation -
you will present me with a challenge. It will take all of my strength and
determination, but I will dig deep within myself to realize I have the
potential to be fabulous.
Like fine
wine, opera, and stinky cheese, I am valuable, an acquired taste, and, like all
treasures, I should be appreciated and celebrated.
wine, opera, and stinky cheese, I am valuable, an acquired taste, and, like all
treasures, I should be appreciated and celebrated.
Like it or
not, whether you intend it or not, I just might turn out to be a wise,
compassionate, creative, funny, generous, and a kind person. You see, I have
the ability to learn and grow.
not, whether you intend it or not, I just might turn out to be a wise,
compassionate, creative, funny, generous, and a kind person. You see, I have
the ability to learn and grow.
Yes, I am big
and I am bold, and I accept your challenge. Be forewarned. I will be a force to
be reckoned with because I am special. I am beautiful and I am
a superhero. Now, get the fuck off my cape. I have things to do.
and I am bold, and I accept your challenge. Be forewarned. I will be a force to
be reckoned with because I am special. I am beautiful and I am
a superhero. Now, get the fuck off my cape. I have things to do.
Sincerely,
Brenda
Merle Cankles, "The Big One"
Merle Cankles, "The Big One"
What I Thought:
This is a book that any "big girl" can relate too. I like how it shows that societies view of "pretty" is not always true. This is a good book because it gives a positive view of any body image. It was well written with well developed characters that made it an easy read. Great job Randi Sherman, this was a very well rounded book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
About the Author
Randi M Sherman is the award winning author of humorous
fiction books.
fiction books.
With an eye for detail, an ear for well-tuned dialogue and
an incredible grasp of the obvious, all honed while performing stand-up comedy
in Los Angeles and improvisational
theater in San Francisco, Sherman
adds just enough bawdiness to deliver character-driven contemporary novels that
will have the reader laughing, thinking and connecting with the characters in
her books.
an incredible grasp of the obvious, all honed while performing stand-up comedy
in Los Angeles and improvisational
theater in San Francisco, Sherman
adds just enough bawdiness to deliver character-driven contemporary novels that
will have the reader laughing, thinking and connecting with the characters in
her books.
A native Californian, Randi makes her home in California's
wine country. Trying her hand at country living Randi describes herself the Eva
Gabor of the Sonoma/Napa area.
wine country. Trying her hand at country living Randi describes herself the Eva
Gabor of the Sonoma/Napa area.
Randi earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Chapman
University.
University.
, her debut mystery, was released on October 13, 2015. Her second book, 
, was released on June 7, 2016.
Elementary, She Read: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery
is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers. She is the author of twenty-three published crime novels, including standalone Gothic thrillers, the Constable Molly Smith series, and the Year Round Christmas Mysteries. Under the pen name of 
she is the national bestselling author of the Lighthouse Library cozy series.
, will be released in March 2017 from Crooked Lane Books.
debuted Dec. 2, 2014. Followed by #2, 
. #3, 
, was released in December. She, Rocco and Maxx make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York. Catch up with them at 
About The Author
, 
, and 
. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.
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