Don’t miss out on Carol McConkie’s debut novel! Reader Reviews for ‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’

Frieda Kunkelheimer knew she wasn’t welcome in the world from her earliest stirrings. She also knew she was big and ugly, as proclaimed by her grandmother on the day of her birth. Though Frieda Kunkelheimer later blossoms into a beautiful and successful Hollywood film star, it had been determined, even before birth, that she was unwanted and unloved.

En route to a film shoot, the embittered, aging actress known as Frie, and Robin, her phobic, gay makeup artist, survive a plane crash in the jungles of Central America only to be held hostage by El Salvadoran guerrillas. Their self-absorbed lives take a backseat to the events of their capture as a bizarre set of circumstances unfold and kindle courage, compassion, and forgiveness they never thought possible.

‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’ is written in masterful prose, and filled with rich characters, McConkie mixes irony, humor, and pathos while weaving multifaceted storylines into a wildly entertaining adventure. Few experienced novelists fare as well as McConkie in this debut literary event.

ISBN-13 (eBook):  978-1-938568-19-0

Price: $4.99

Publisher:  Blue Star Books

Publication Date:  4/1/2013

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See what readers are saying about the novel:

Wow, just wow! In a little over 200 pages, McConkie created not just one, but two, enormously well-developed and multi-dimensional characters . . . . Self-discovery, character growth, adventure, and survival . . . McConkie’s writing is one of the best I’ve read. She’s eloquent and descriptive in a slightly off-beat manner, but is at the same time succinct and straightforward.
– Kayla Sanchez, Thousand Lives Book Reviews
A book you can’t put down . . . The characters are very compelling and relatable,  you get attached to them within a few chapters into the book. You want to watch them succeed and triumph through their hardships. The book plays almost like a movie. . . . McConkie’s writing has humor mixed with darker undertones, keeping the read interesting and dramatic. . . . It is worth every second you put into it.
– Lauren Simonis
Fascinating characters. . . . very well written with realistic dialog and enticing descriptions.
– Nicole Poweleit
I was drawn into it. . . .The personal histories were very fun to live through, and I loved the cultural nuances. . . .What surprised me most was the character progression by the end. There was a lot of character development, and all of it was believable.
– Katie Cross

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AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING eBOOK RETAILERS!

(click on the logo to view product page and purchase)

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Get lost in Carol McConkie’s darkly humorous novel, “Fat Girl Fairy Boy”

Frieda Kunkelheimer knew she wasn’t welcome in the world from her earliest stirrings. She also knew she was big and ugly, as proclaimed by her grandmother on the day of her birth. Though Frieda Kunkelheimer later blossoms into a beautiful and successful Hollywood film star, it had been determined, even before birth, that she was unwanted and unloved.

En route to a film shoot, the embittered, aging actress known as Frie, and Robin, her phobic, gay makeup artist, survive a plane crash in the jungles of Central America only to be held hostage by El Salvadoran guerrillas. Their self-absorbed lives take a backseat to the events of their capture as a bizarre set of circumstances unfold and kindle courage, compassion, and forgiveness they never thought possible.

‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’ is. Written in masterful prose, and filled with rich characters, McConkie mixes irony, humor, and pathos while weaving multifaceted storylines into a wildly entertaining adventure. Few experienced novelists fare as well as McConkie in this debut literary event.

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What readers are saying:

Fat Girl Fairy Boy  is well written and easy to get into. In the first half Carol McConkie creates real-life, believable characters. Alternating chapters describe protagonists Frieda and Robin’s beginnings in life, combining great story telling and well-developed relationships. McConkie has a succinct way of writing, a very readable style…On the whole this is a very enjoyable read, one that was difficult to put down. I would recommend this book and look forward to reading more by Carol McConkie.

-Belinda Wright

The back story of the main characters was relatable, and I love that! I think many can identify with eating for comfort and how much that can control your life, and being bullied growing up. Reading the transformation of both characters was not only fun, but inspiring. In this book you genuinely dislike the villains and love the heroes.

-Lacie Trinidad

 McConkie, with her expert characterisation, helps to maintain our closeness with Frieda and Robin throughout their personal journeys and struggles, as if we were part of the story…Carol McConkie achieves so much, educating us on decades of US history, through the Great Depression, WWII, 60s counter-culture and Americo-Latin American political relations…In Fat Girl Fairy Boy she has produced an absolute gem – an emotional, well-written novel of friendship and self-discovery

– Nathan Sherratt

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING eBOOK RETAILERS!

(click on the logo to view product page and purchase)

Image Image Image Image
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Recommended Summer Reads: ‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’ by Debut Author Carol McConkie

     A darkly humorous tale of family, friendship, and personal discovery . . .

     Frieda Kunkelheimer knew she wasn’t welcome in the world from her earliest stirrings. She also knew she was big and ugly, as proclaimed by her grandmother on the day of her birth. Though Frieda Kunkelheimer later blossoms into a beautiful and successful Hollywood film star, it had been determined, even before birth, that she was unwanted and unloved.

En route to a film shoot, the embittered, aging actress known as Frie, and Robin, her phobic, gay makeup artist, survive a plane crash in the jungles of Central America only to be held hostage by El Salvadoran guerrillas. Their self-absorbed lives take a backseat to the events of their capture as a bizarre set of circumstances unfold and kindle courage, compassion, and forgiveness they never thought possible.

‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’ is written in masterful prose, and filled with rich characters, McConkie mixes irony, humor, and pathos while weaving multifaceted storylines into a wildly entertaining adventure. Few experienced novelists fare as well as McConkie in this debut literary event.

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“I’m no professional literary critic but I know what I like and I truly enjoyed this contemporary fiction novel. Each night I looked forward to jumping into bed to read another chapter and follow the thrilling story about the two main characters, Robin and Frie. I’d love to see a movie version soon.”     -Steve R.

“A very original book that I highly enjoyed…4 out of 5 stars.”        – Erica H.

“I wish it was longer! I wanted to continue reading on and on. Nonetheless, Carol McConkie achieves so much, educating us on decades of US history, through the Great Depression, WWII, 60s counter-culture and Americo-Latin American political relations. In ‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’ she has produced an absolute gem.”               – Nathan S.

“An amazing portrayal of human fortitude and strength and how people can find salvation in purpose in the wake of difficulty. ‘Fat Girl, Fairy Boy’ isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you like strong storytelling, I say give it a shot.”

-Poindextrix Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: ‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’ by Debut Author Carol McConkie

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Fat Girl Fairy Boy tells the story of Frieda Kunkelheimer, an aging Hollywood actress and her make-up artist/closest friend, Robin Morris. Carol McConkie’s skilful biographical narration takes us individually through the lives of each protagonist, from birth, to the start of their endearing friendship and later on a trip destined for South America; a journey which will change their lives forever.

Frieda was always pretty, despite being labelled as ‘ugly’ by Ursula, the stern German grandmother by whom she was raised. A social recluse, Frieda is more content with the company of her animal friends, who return her affection and do not call her nasty names like the bullies at school. But her negligent childhood and further traumatic experiences cause psychological damage, a theme handled excellently by McConkie; Frieda bottles up her feelings leading to emotional detachment, she develops a hatred for mirrors and discovers that the only way to deal with these problems is to run…

Robin finds his love for fashion when dressing up with the leftover materials from his mother’s job. He is mollycoddled by his mother and this pampering leads to a fear of flying, driving and most importantly of illness, with which he is plagued from an early age. Robin’s homosexuality and lower social standing make him feel inferior in the world, until some bittersweet good fortune emerges from a heartbreak, which helps him to achieve his dreams: to become a make-up artist.

McConkie, with her expert characterisation, helps to maintain our closeness with Frieda and Robin throughout their personal journeys and struggles, as if we were part of the story; you will find yourself hoping for happy outcomes to two lives riddled with pain, shedding tears of sadness, joy and laughter along the way.

The author’s versatility as a writer is made evident as she increases the pace, injecting adventure and excitement into the second half of the novel, where a planned plane journey to Brazil goes horribly wrong.

Although this section of the novel contains the darkest parts of Fat Girl Fairy Boy, it is in this disaster that the two friends forget the superficial world of showbiz and consequently find the answer to their problems in the most unlikely place: an El Salvadoran jungle. Frieda finally fills the hole left in her heart by a neglected childhood and Robin discovers strength and boldness from a past-life.

My only complaint about the novel is that I wish it was longer! I wanted to continue reading on and on. Nonetheless, Carol McConkie achieves so much, educating us on decades of US history, through the Great Depression, WWII, 60s counter-culture and Americo-Latin American political relations. In Fat Girl Fairy Boy she has produced an absolute gem – an emotional, well-written novel of friendship and self-discovery – and I look forward to reading more from her!

  ****

– Nathan Sherratt, Twenty-First Century Classics Book Reviews  

Available at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, iTunes,
Google Books, and coming soon to SONY!

5-Star Book: New Release from Debut Author Carol McConkie – “Fat Girl Fairy Boy”!

Blue Star Books is excited to announce the long-awaited release
of debut author Carol McConkie’s Fat Girl Fairy Boy!

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Frieda Kunkelheimer knew she wasn’t welcome in the world from her earliest stirrings. She also knew she was big and ugly, as proclaimed by her grandmother on the day of her birth. Though Frieda Kunkelheimer later blossoms into a beautiful and successful Hollywood film star, it had been determined, even before birth, that she was unwanted and unloved.

En route to a film shoot, the embittered, aging actress known as Frie, and Robin, her fearful, phobic gay makeup artist, survive a plane crash in the jungles of Central America only to be held hostage by El Salvadoran guerrillas. Their self-absorbed lives take a backseat to the events of their capture as a bizarre set of circumstances unfold and kindle courage, compassion, and forgiveness they never thought possible.

Fat Girl Fairy Boy is a darkly humorous tale of family, friendship, and personal discovery. Written in masterful prose, and filled with rich characters, McConkie mixes irony, humor, and pathos while weaving multifaceted storylines into a wildly entertaining adventure. Few experienced novelists fare as well as McConkie in this debut literary event.

Now available at Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and other eBook retailers!
Coming soon to Sony, iTunes, and Google Books.

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