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All About Vee Review and Contest for Free Autographed Copy!

May 15, 2008 at 10:50 am · Filed under Book Reviews, Contests

The Review

Last night, on the final episode of America’s Top Model, Whitney Thompson won the final slot. They loved her. She was beautiful, she had energy and verve and that feminine mystique that women all want to have. Repeatedly, throughout the show, she was called the “Plus-size” model. She was a size 10. SIZE 10! That’s NORMAL. But because she wasn’t a stick thin manikin, she was considered plus sized and “full figured.” Believe it or not, but there was a time in history when Whitney would have been considered too thin to be beautiful.

That’s ridiculous. The Powers That Be – those connoisseurs of style that every woman looks to for approval – is essentially telling most women in the WORLD that they are fat, when in fact they are a normal HEALTHY size. Isn’t it time we taught people not to live according to the molds in places like New York and Hollywood, and instead taught them just to be themselves, be healthy, and follow their dreams?

I’m pointing all this out as an introduction to my review of the book, All About Vee, by C. Leigh Purtill:

Veronica May, otherwise known as Vee (of the four Vees) has always wanted to act. She loves the stage: taking on new roles, learning lines, the energy from the audience, the feedback from the fellow actors. Vee loves acting, and she knows she is destined for great things. When it looks like Chester, Arizona no longer appreciates her, she decides to take a page from her mother’s book, follow her friend Vivian, and move to Los Angeles, California to become a star!

Getting acting gigs is tough. You need a job that will pay the rent and the bills, oh, and will also pay for those head shots, acting classes, movement classes, audition classes, and seminars, but that will ALSO let you take time off at a moment’s notice to go line up for an audition. And if you get the part, you still may need that job later when your part is done. (Hence the actors as waiters joke.) If you add on to that other issues that have to do more with the industry’s desire for cookie cutter blockbuster actors, actresses, and movies, then you have a recipe for a highly neurotic society.

Veronica has it all planned out though. She has money from savings. She knows what parts she should lead with when she goes to auditions. She knows she is a good actress. She knows she has good eyes and hair. But this is Hollywood, and it’s not knowing Shakespeare and Chekov that will get you the part, so much as whether you’ll look good in front of the camera. Veronica is not a petite young woman. She is, in fact, closer to a size 18 than she is to a size zero. While Vee has always had a healthy self-esteem, it gets a serious beating as she struggles to adapt to the “business” and the Los Angeles landscape. How she figures out how to do that is the adventure.

I moved to Los Angeles when I was 29 years old, 11 years older than Veronica is when she moves to Hollywood, yet the story felt true – bringing back all sorts of memories. As much as I enjoyed reading All About Vee, I cried more than once reading it. I am not an actress, but I am a plus-sized woman living in a skinny town. This is being marketed as a young adult book, but the concepts are pretty universal, and a true reflection of how it is here, I think. I highly recommend it.

The Contest – Free Copy Autographed Copy of All About Vee

While I was reading All About Vee I got to thinking, remembering. I had friends who were actresses; beautiful, talented, funny, intelligent, witty women, who were also unique in looks.

One friend was a curvy size 12, a nice normal size. Marilyn Monroe was a size 12. My friend had wonderful blue eyes, black hair, high cheekbones, fair skin. She was told repeatedly how talented she was and then to lose weight. Maybe consider becoming blonde. She was on her feet 6 days a week working in a coffee shop or waiting tables and spending the rest of the time walking her dogs or going to acting and auditioning classes. When she sat still she slept. And she was careful to get all her vegetables and cut down on her fats. She was healthy. She gave it her all here – I think close to 10 years before moving back home. This city beat her down.

Another friend of mine was tall – 5 foot 11 inches or so. She never wore heels. She was striking. Clear grey eyes in a face of structured cheek bones, dark curly hair, pale olive skin, well-toned and athletic, health conscious (thin!). She also was constantly on the move. If she wasn’t waiting tables, she was walking her dog, going to auditions, or following up on any number of ways to get acting gigs. I remember her working with a theater group. She rarely sat still. She also was told she was too big and to consider going blonde. She also gave it her all. After about 10 years, she decided it was time to move back home, as well.

I want this contest to help women like them as well as promote this book. So, here are the rules for the contest for a free autographed copy of All About Vee by C. Leigh Purtill:

Think about all the large male actors you see on your television every night or in the movies you watch. Count them. Quite a few, heh? Now, think about all the larger female actors you see on your telly or in the movies. Not so many. In fact, maybe 1 woman for every 10 men (did you know Jennifer Love Hewitt has been considered too big?!).

Okay, now choose one of those women who happen to be considered plus-size that you also admire. Why do you admire her? What do you like about her? What positive attributes do you want to emulate?

Now, leave a comment on this blog with her name, a link to her website or webpage or imdb profile, and the reasons why you admire her by midnight (Pacific Time) May 20, 2008. Then I’ll assign a number to each entry and choose a winner using a random number generator. Remember, just leaving a comment on the blog won’t do it. It needs to be the name of a plus-size actress, with a link to her, and reasons why you like her.

I think Vee would very pleased if you did this…

Crossposted on Blogger, Live Journal and MySpace.

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16 Comments »

Recipe » All About Vee Review and Contest for Free Autographed Copy! said,

May 15, 2008 @ 1:27 pm

[…] hooya wrote an interesting post today on All About Vee Review and Contest for Free Autographed Copy!Here’s a quick excerpt…blockbuster actors, actresses, and movies, then you have a recipe for a … The Contest – Free Copy Autographed Copy of All About Vee […]
Maurice J. said,

May 15, 2008 @ 4:30 pm

I had to ad my two cents and pick my favorite actress… Two actually.

One is Ricky Lake, when she did Hairspray.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001442/

The other is Nikki Blonsky, also from Hairspray.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2284889/

I admire both these ladies for very much the same reason. They seem to be comfortable in their skins. Even now with Lake much thinner than her hairspray days, it feels like she got thinner because she felt like it and not cause she felt she had too.

Don’t want to be entered in the contest for obvious reasons (Look at my e-mail and URL) but I just had to be a part of this cool ass contest!!!

Maurice J.
Renea Stanchfield said,

May 15, 2008 @ 6:51 pm

I’m going with the first name that popped into my head… Roseanne Barr. http://www.roseanneworld.com/home/

“Roseanne” is my #1 favorite TV show of all time. It keeps me laughing even on days when I’m depressed. I feel very connected with that family, and hope to one day even be a part of the cast! My dream!

Roseanne is a great woman, mother, sister, and friend. I admire her positive outlook on life, her knowledge, her humor, her strength, her humanity. Her family loves her and she has a great marriage.

I’m not a size 0 either. I eat healthy most of the time and try to exercise when I can, but I LOVE food. Very difficult in this industry right now to LOVE food and have it show. But Roseanne is just one of many who prove day in and day out that you don’t have to be pencil thin to have an amazing life full of love and beauty.
Rachel said,

May 16, 2008 @ 7:20 pm

Yay! Sorry it took so long to get the comments up. I forgot I had to moderate them. Glad people are interested.

I agree about Rikki Lake. She decided she liked hiking and that was cool!

I know I have some faves. I’ll put them out there even though I can’t be in the contest either (obviously):
America Ferrera is one.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1065229/
I loved Real Women Have Curves, as well as Ugly Betty.

I also like Camryn Manheim.
http://www.camrynmanheim.com/index.html
When I read her book it was such an encouragement to me.

And Queen Latifah.
http://web.queenlatifah.com/index.jsp
That woman has style and class.
Chelsie said,

May 18, 2008 @ 10:36 am

My actress is Queen Latifah.

http://web.queenlatifah.com/index.jsp

I admire her because she is beautiful and confident with the way she looks even if she isn’t a size two, and she has a great personality. She’s also a great actress, and a great role model.

There are a couple more that came to mind, but Queen Latifah was the first =D

Te amo,
Chelsie
Carolyn said,

May 18, 2008 @ 1:27 pm

My vote goes for Sara Ramirez. she is now on Grey’s Anatomy, but she is a very well respected Broadway actress as well. She is gorgeous and curvy and talented and sexy. She’s the sexiest thing on Grey’s Anatomy, man or woman! Check her out at:
http://www.sararamirez.com
My Very Own Blogetary (Blog: Web Log; etary or ary: engaged in or pertaining to) » Contest Deadline Extended! said,

May 20, 2008 @ 10:28 am

[…] I’m extending the contest deadline for the free autographed copy of All About Vee by a week to the Tuesday after Memorial Day weekend (May 27, 2008)! You can see the original post here. […]
Karen said,

May 20, 2008 @ 12:11 pm

Hey, are you taking overseas entries?

I vote for Nigella Lawson, who is a famous celebrity chef over here (not sure if she’s made it in the US yet?). One word: Goddess!

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/09_01/nigellaES0409_468×614.jpg

http://nigella.com/
Karen said,

May 20, 2008 @ 12:12 pm

I don’t think that first link works… Try this?

http://www.exposay.com/nigella-lawson-the-golden-age-of-couture-vip-gala—departures/p/13726/7/
Rachel said,

May 20, 2008 @ 12:28 pm

I love Sara Ramirez! I hadn’t thought of her. And yes, overseas takers as well! I saw Nigella Lawson on Graham Norton one night. She is a hoot!
Jennifer Love Hewitt Celebrity Gossip | All About Vee Review and Contest for Free Autographed Copy! said,

May 21, 2008 @ 10:54 pm

[…] In fact, maybe 1 woman for every 10 men (did you know Jennifer Love Hewitt has been considered too big?!… Source: All About Vee Review and Contest for Free Autographed Copy! […]
Ophelia Chong said,

May 27, 2008 @ 6:37 am

hoooyah! finally a real woman. the cover of drew barrymore on Vogue was a travesty. it took me a minute to figure out it was her. photoshopping has created this unattainable type that young girls strive for. only barbie has plastic skin, not women.

My vote is for 1st: Tracy Ullman 2nd:Amy Sedaris. 3rd Angela Basset.

:O)
My Very Own Blogetary (Blog: Web Log; etary or ary: engaged in or pertaining to) » Last Call! said,

May 27, 2008 @ 7:48 pm

[…] Midnight tonight is the deadline for entries into the All About Vee free book contest. […]
Maurice J. said,

May 30, 2008 @ 3:42 pm

Contest Over? Who won?
Rachel said,

May 30, 2008 @ 4:10 pm

Renee Stanchfield has won and I will be sending out her bright new shiny autographed copy of All About Vee probably on Monday.

Yay, Renee!
Leigh Purtill said,

June 3, 2008 @ 1:21 pm

Yay, Renea!!! Many congrats! I can’t wait to hear what you think when you read the book!

Thanks, Rachel, for hosting the contest. I LOVED reading everyone’s answers.

Cheers!
xoxo leigh