Technically, I write contemporary fiction. However, my brand is fearless fiction for women of faith for several reasons. All my main characters are flawed yet faith-filled. And, well, their stories aren’t what I’d call traditional. My books have a kind of “brace yourself” element to them, but the Lord always prevails in the end.
In my latest novel, Thick Chicks, a stylish social media addict, a stay-at-home mom, and a six-foot no-nonsense CEO try to support each other when one has a health crisis. That is until one woman’s jealousy causes her to do something so chilling their relationship may never recover.
What’s the story behind the story? A few years ago, I formulated a novel idea about three diverse women who come together to help one another live their best lives. That premise alone didn’t contain enough conflict to fuel a three-act novel, so I set it aside. Then, one Sunday at church, I met with a friend who hadn’t worshipped with us for a few months. I was shocked to see she’d lost a considerable amount of weight. Since I’d been trying and failing at the weight loss game for several years, I asked her what she had done to drop pounds. To my surprise, she leaned close and whispered that I should simply pray for her. After hugs and catching up, we parted. As she walked away, I remember feeling jealous and a little angry at God. I’d been praying for help on my stalled weight loss journey, and in walked someone who’d lost weight seemingly overnight. The nerve of her!
My friend never did say how she lost weight. I did pray for her, though. Right after I removed the plank from my own eye and repented for my jealousy. The whole situation made me think and reflect. Nothing good can come from jealousy and envy (James 4:2; Exodus 20:17). If I had remained in that state, eventually, it would have caused me to sabotage the friendship.
Enter Towanda Mathis.
Towanda is one of the main characters in Thick Chicks. She’s a hard-working CEO with everything going for her, except she’s more than a little envious of her beautiful best friend. So much so, she tries to sabotage her bestie’s efforts to revamp her life. I plotted a storyline with the Towanda character from jealousy to rage to relational damage and all the negativity and loss that comes with it. I weaved her story into the world of two other strong women, and that became Thick Chicks.
While no one should pattern what happened with Towanda and her envious ways, her transformation from a jealous woman to a faith-filled supportive friend is something to see. They don’t call jealousy the green-eyed monster for nothing. It’s such a nasty sin. If left unchecked, it can wreck lives. But redemption is always available through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
K.L. Gilchrist’s first paid creative gig was as a $125-per-story writer for a True Romance-style magazine. While working her day job, she started seeking God, found out He was pursuing her, and gave her heart to the Lord. That’s when she stopped penning romance tales and waited for inspiration to write fiction featuring characters with unapologetic faith. Two decades later, she is the author of Broken Together, Holding On, Thick Chicks, several short stories, and the upcoming novel, Engaged. You can visit her online at www.klgilchrist.com.
“Thick Chicks is a delightful novel that will have you feeling all the feels as you follow the ups and downs and ins and outs of true friendship. You’ll laugh out loud and cry real tears as you root for these very real characters to embrace change in their lives while simultaneously learning what it means to love themselves, and you’ll live with them long after the book is finished. Treat yourself to Thick Chicks today!” ~ Deb Kastner, Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author