Flawed or Realistic?

I tend to write plus-sized characters because *gasp* I am a curvy girl myself. I am also a part of that generation whose body type and size were openly examined and critiqued. Somehow, it was never considered impolite for our mothers, aunts, and grandmothers to mock the size of our thighs, caution us about love handles, or make crude remarks about the size and shape of our bottoms. As children, teens, and young adults, we didn’t always feel like we could stand up for ourselves and tell our families that their casual cruelty hurt us emotionally and developmentally. As adults, we might have finally faced those who made us feel so horrible about ourselves only to be told to “grow up,” “get over it,” or “let it go.” Some might push it down far enough to then brag that they’d “survived” just fine and that anyone who complained about their childhoods must be “stuck in the past” or “too sensitive.”

Many of the people in my novels have dealt with these same criticisms. As a result, my readers include many curvy women who can relate to my characters. They have faced the challenge of feeling inferior due to their weight, being deemed less spiritual, intellectual, and wise. They understand what it is like to work in ministries, raise families, foster children, work hard, and make sacrifices for others, yet still be judged solely on their appearance. Their size is seen as a flaw or defect in their character–even when they prove their integrity daily.

They see the reflection of their personal experiences in the characters of The Rose Collection.

In Plague of Lies, Cheryl Andrews is a busy mom of two who has just welcomed her husband’s long-lost daughter into her family. She also helps run their church’s youth group. Cheryl is curvy but not obsessed with her weight and doesn’t make it part of her identity. https://www.amazon.com/Plague-Lies-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B08K68BFZ3/ref=sr_1_2?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691115&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-2

In Twists, Turns, and Curves, Caroline Taft HAS made her weight part of her identity. She had no choice since no one could see past her plus-sized measurements. As a result, Caroline couldn’t see her beauty until she met Ty Lang, who found her attractive both inside and out. https://www.amazon.com/Twists-Turns-Curves-Rose-Collection-ebook/dp/B094HNP92V/ref=sr_1_4?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-4

For Nana, there are more important things in life than her size. But, since she can’t exactly ignore her shape, she shops at a curvy girl’s boutique whose clothes make her feel fabulous. Nana from No Longer Invisible has learned to enjoy her life, and she’s ready to help her granddaughter, Julia Williams, to love her own. https://www.amazon.com/Longer-Invisible-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B09J241YXX/ref=sr_1_5?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-5

Reinvention features my most sophisticated and glamorous main character. Ally James is a semi-retired plus-sized model who has embraced her “natural size” after years of being forced into a body type that wasn’t her own. Now, she’s helped create a system that allows other curvy girls to find clothing made for their specific body shapes (AXIOm). https://www.amazon.com/Reinvention-Rose-Collection-Book-4-ebook/dp/B09YVTHJXF/ref=sr_1_6?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-6

My pastor wife’s character in Wise and Mighty knows she’ll be judged for her voluptuous figure, but she’s determined not to be frumpy. Instead, she’ll dress with class and specifically for her “X” body type while she leads the church’s Wise Women’s group. https://www.amazon.com/Wise-Mighty-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B0BCF25ZX4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-3

Ginger Douglass from The Art of Persisting has embraced what she used to think of as her “weirdo body.” She’s an “O” body type and learned to wear clothes specifically cut for her. As a result, her self-confidence has bloomed, encouraging her to follow her God-given dreams. https://www.amazon.com/Art-Persisting-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B0CCKWMJ52/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-1

Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates my attempts at inclusion and body acceptance. There is a mindset among some readers (and agents and publishers) that a plus-sized character MUST be miserable and looking to lose weight. One of the reasons for this may be the idea that a character must have flaws to be interesting. Instead of “flaws,” I prefer the term “realistic.”

Realistic characters need room to grow and change. Unfortunately, those who don’t quite understand or embrace size inclusion look at the main character’s weight as the primary thing that needs to change. They tend to overlook the inner evolution of the character and become frustrated that their focus wasn’t on losing weight to become thin–to fix her perceived flaws.

But the curvy bodies of my characters are NOT flaws. They are the vehicles through which my characters move through their lives. The issues my characters face go deeper than their appearances. It is much more important to confront and fix the problems of misplaced guilt, over-committing, and fear. While I keep my books conversational and spanning only a short amount of time, I make sure that my characters can face their deficiencies and take steps to correct them.

Cheryl will become the spiritual leader she never had. Caroline will discover that she is worthy of love. Nana will have a second chance. Ally will empathize. Kelly will protect the vulnerable. Ginger will embrace her life goals.

But, of course, they will never be perfect. Instead, they will grow and continue to reflect the real women who read the books.