Megan Frazer

I love Erin Dionne’s debut Models Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies, and not just because it, like Secrets, has overweight girls and pageants. It is laugh-out-loud funny, touching, and honest. The only downside is the cover makes you crave Oreos like there is no tomorrow and I don’t even really like Oreos. (I do however like chocolate covered peppermint Joes O’s from Trader Joes.)

Recently, Erin was interviewed in a great article about “positive characters of size.”  I need to get reading some of the other books mentioned in the article. I would also like to add Wrenn from Leigh Brescia’s One Wish. I’ve only just begun this book, and I am finding it tremendously powerful — and a bit like Leigh read my middle and high school years’ diary.

It just so happens that Erin and I, along with fellow Deb Deva Fagan, will be doing a panel at the Bar Harbor Book Festival about positive, unconventional female characters in YA and MG lit. We’d love to see you there!

In Secrets of Truth & Beauty, Dara is a former child pageant star. So, in order to introduce you to the wonderful authors and characters of the 2009 Debutantes, I am hosting a Debs Pageant on my blog.

Today’s contestant comes from Leigh Brescia’s One Wish.

Character name: Wrenn Scott
Age: 16
Biography: I’m your average (fairly neurotic) 16-year old who decided to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight when I tried out for the high school musical. I live at home with my mom and sister (who is more popular than I will ever be). Every now and then (okay, more often than I’d like) Phil stops by. Phil is the balding, air-time selling, antique lunch box collector my mom happens to adore. As it is, I’m happy where I am and taking things a day at a time.

What is your talent? Singing

What will you wear for the evening dress competition? A little black dress

Who is your escort? This would be considered a *spoiler* . . . and I’m still working on him.

And now for the interview portion . . . What’s the biggest challenge facing today’s youth?
For girls, especially, it’s our body image and general acceptance of ourselves. We have to compete with models and actresses with perfect bodies . . . and that ideal isn’t always attainable. We should be happy in the skin we are in and love everyone for who they are.

Thanks Leigh and Wrenn!

To find out more about Leigh, visit her website.

If you want to get your hands on One Wish, and you know you do, you can order it from Amazon, or go to your local independent bookstore.