fattypatties

Everyone should take the time to color no matter how old they are. Just my opinion, but it comes from my experience. And, I have to admit it’s been a while. Not as long as you might think. Probably about 5 years. I’ve colored more than most adults, I think.

Coloring is such fun. It is a collaborative effort with an artist that you may or may not know. Someone drew the picture, created the image. You are filling in the spaces with your own imagination, both constrained and inspired by the image provided.

When someone on a list serve introduced Fat Ladies in Spaaaaaace (that’s 6 “a”s for the record), I knew I had to have one. To curb my book habit, my husband talked me into an agreement that I could only have books signed by the author. So I had to have an autographed one!

Nicole Lorenz, creator of the coloring book obliged and I am NOT disappointed! When you live in marginalized identities as I do, seeing images that are more like you can be almost shocking and definitely pleasing. I cried as I leafed through and met the Ladies of Space last night. Yep, cried. Nicole subtitled this book, “A Body Positive Color Book” and nothing could be more true. Each Lady featured is a strong, large, powerful alien who is more familiar to me than most.

I was drawn to the Space Cow Grrl name Joanna Be who lives Persophone. I had to literally dust off my box of crayons (which has a bunch of other ways to “color” in it like paints and pencils and pastels, so I plan to play with different media as well)! I think several people at the Starbux were questioning my sanity.

I have no idea what general age this should appeal to, but I would think, like almost all coloring books, different levels of development will treat the images and words differently and this could be a book that upon revisiting, a child grown into an adult would love. But I do know that anyone who has ever felt that their body was unacceptable would love this book. I plan to take the time to color

I hope Nicole sells a million or more of these and that she will consider telling us more about each lovely Space Lady. I could see a series for each so we can learn more about their lives throughout the universe.

My only regret is that I wish we had titled my memoir, Taking Up Spaaaaaace!