Such a Pretty Face

Think all heroes have washboard abs? Think all heroines wear Size 3 Junior Petite? Think again! Come join Gene Wolfe, Elizabeth Anne Scarborough, Jane Yolen, Jody Lynn Nye, and Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, who along with nineteen other authors, introduce you to some of the funniest, wildest, sexiest, most powerful, and normal (considering these are science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories) fat people on earth and a few other planets. Meet a pirate named "Valkyrie" and a cardsharp named "Fat Moriah". Meet a xeno-fitness instructor and an earth-mage who don't apologize for taking up space. Meet fat cats on a mission and a very different kind of vampire. Meet characters for whom "plus-size" is about body size and heart. Brought together in this first-of-its-kind collection are stories that raise the set point on adventure and redraw the picture of "the hero" along the way. Tales of power and abundance that prove that heroes and heroines come in all sizes.

"This is a very enjoyable anthology based on the premise that all heroes have marvelous pecks and abs and the heroine is not always a beautiful, blonde size three. Here the characters may be of a larger than normal size, but their heroic actions are just as big as they are."

"Elizabeth Ann Scarborough tells the story of a normal princess who is cursed and turns into a plump princess who ultimately finds herself in "Worse Than the Curse". "A Hero, Plain and Simple" by Ralph Gamelli tells of a reporter who get a new slant on a story from the janitor. "The Blood Orange Tree" by Marian Crane is the story of a youth out of place in Phoenix looking for the seedlings needed to save his people. Jon Hansen's tale of the "Eater" is one of genetic advancement to help during toxic spills. Casilla turned dangerously thin after calling up "Demon Bone" in a tale by Teresa Noelle Roberts. Catherine Lundoff's tale of "Vadija" is the story of one woman's search to find out how she lost her laugh. A seven foot three hundred pound warrior woman dresses as the Queen of the Amazons to affect "Lady Emerdirael's Rescue" by Lisa Deason."

"Other tales by Gene Wolfe, KD Wentworth, Jody Lynn Nye, and many others make this one of the most unusual and rewarding volumes of the year so far. This is a book filled with pleasant surprises that should be enjoyed by all. It also goes a long way into showing that everyone can be a hero regardless of stature or girth. Be on the look out for this.--"BARYON MAGAZINE #77

"Are you tired of toothpick heroines and thewy heroes? Are you tired of seeing fat people portrayed as evil in every story? Are you tired of never seeing your own reflection in a protagonist? Would you like to read something, just once, in which the characters actually look like regular people? Try this on for size!"

"Some of you may already know Lee Martindale from her appearances in MZB's Fantasy Magazine or from her own magazine Rump Parliament, a size-acceptance magazine that has featured some awesome speculative fiction stories over the years. SUCH A PRETTY FACE offers a smorgasbord of stories populated with hefty heroines and heroes. Some are sweet, some are spicy, some are bitter all will stick to your ribs. My favorites include Jane Yolen's poem "Fat Is Not a Fairy Tale," the spooky "Demon Bone" by Teresa Noelle Roberts which explores Elemental magic, "The Fat Cats' Tale" by Martha A. Compton which explains why cats dash madly about at times, Laura J. Underwood's mythic "The Wife of Ben-Y-Ghloe" which reminds me of certain Celtic and Native American legends, and "A Taste of Song" by K.D. Wentworth which shows how the difference between a blessing and a curse lies in the ear of the beholder."

"Only rarely can I pick a single favorite story out of an entire anthology, but this time the prize goes to "The Search for a Sipping House" by Joette M. Rozanski. For vampire fans, this story alone justifies the cost of the book. The author begins with the fascinating premise that vampires can shapeshift into either animal or -- go ahead, laugh, it's hilarious -- furniture forms. The "Animates" and "Inanimates" do not get along at all well. This story concerns a Brood of vampires who take form as a lamp, a marble sculpture, an end table, even a rocking chair. They need to find a place to stay, but that's not easy for a set of mismatched furniture that has a tendency to bite! This is the most original motif, and the funniest vampire story, that I've read in ages. But it's also got some heart-wrenching drama to it. I would just love to see this developed into a novel; it would really stand out in today's deluge of blood-drenched bodice-rippers."

"Overall, I found this anthology immensely satisfying. You can practically dance to the music of shattering stereotypes. In these pages, fat people are beautiful, desirable, sexy, competent, intelligent, whimsical, resourceful, confident powerful. These are people who can make a difference. Lee Martindale has put together a splendid set of stories that demonstrate the worthiness of fat characters; hopefully now more editors will follow in her footsteps, so we can see more of this quality fiction on the market. Check out the publisher's web site.

"SUCH A PRETTY FACE covers a wide range of fantasy, science fiction, and horror; fans of any type of speculative fiction will love it. But it's an absolute essential for anyone of size particularly those who have personally heard the horrible comment on which the title is based: "You have such a pretty face, dear; you'd be gorgeous if only you lost some weight." Give the critics a poke in the eye and read this book; it will prove beyond all shadow of a doubt that heroic potential is not something you can measure with a bathroom scale."

Uncommon Sense Award

"This award goes to Lee Martindale and Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc. for their commitment to honing the cutting edge of speculative fiction by identifying -- and then smashing through -- one of the few remaining barriers in the genre. In today's more liberal atmosphere, you rarely find a consistent pattern in editorial prejudice, but there has indeed remained a tendency to reject stories that feature fat characters in prominent, positive roles. It's hard to find even a well-rounded fat villain, for that matter. Yet, supported by the editor and publisher, the authors in this book rose to the challenge. SUCH A PRETTY FACE proves once and for all that girth is no measure for greatness. These plus-size protagonists will really steal your heart. I hope this anthology raises awareness among editors, authors, and readers so that we can see more stories like these in other venues. Take a bow, ladies and gentlemen: you did a fabulous job." --SPICY GREEN IGUANA, May 2000

"Fat is a fantasy (and SF) issue in this anthology, which provides twenty-three stories with well-padded characters, most of whom happen to like themselves that way. The rather inspiring foreword and introduction discuss the challenge of writing fat-positive stories. In practice, while some of the authors tackle the issue head-on, others simply portray characters who happen to be hefty. My favorite stories took a humorous angle, playing off of expectations, often in more ways than one. Jody Lynn Nye brings back ongoing character Ben Barber, a were-elephant getting his big break in the movies; Joette M. Rozanski presents a funny tale of vampires who transform into furniture instead of animals. Several authors chose fairy-tale formats; the few SF stories include a tale of an ample xeno-fitness instructor, a fat female space pirate, a pair of large female mercenaries and a beauty contest. The stories are mostly slight, but enough are entertaining in their own right to make this a pleasant read -- with some real meat for anyone interested in weight-related issues." --LOCUS, June 2000.